We’re very excited to announce that we’re working on a full-sized DLC for Battle Brothers. Yes, you heard that right – there’s going to be a real and meaty expansion with fresh content coming for that game that you like. The name of the upcoming DLC is going to be ‘Beasts & Exploration’.
That’s a pretty telling name, and as it suggests, the focus of the DLC will be on introducing new beast opponents in order to bring more variety to every stage of the game, and to make exploring the world more interesting and rewarding. But that’s not all!
Here’s the list of major features you can expect:
- A variety of challenging new beasts populating different parts of the wilds. Each with unique mechanics and loot.
- A bigger world to explore, full of unique hidden locations throughout that offer new possibilities and rewards to the daring adventurer.
- Trophies from slain beasts that can be crafted into charms, potions and other items to customize the look of your hardened mercenaries and benefit them in combat.
- New contracts that have you engage in profitable beast hunting, exploration and more.
- New weapons, tools, shields, and armor to equip your men with.
- New paint items that can be used to paint shields and helmets in the colors of your company.
- Lots of new events.
- New music tracks.
In addition to these major features, the DLC will also include countless smaller additions. Just like in the past, all the major points and most of the minor ones will be explained in detail in future dev blogs as we go along, so you’ll always know what we’re working on and why. We expect to be working on this for several months and will announce a release date and final feature list once we’re closer to the finish line. We’re also making good progress on our new game, and will continue to work on it in parallel.
Alongside the DLC, which will not be free, the game will also receive a sizable free update. This update will contain a whole bunch of improvements and balancing changes, as well as some minor content additions.
Join us next week for our first dev blog on the new DLC, introducing a terrifying new opponent!
Amazing news! I cannot wait. I just hope you guys find the time to add unique environment battle maps (like what was planned for the base game). I want to fight on farmsteads when outside settlements. Or among grave stones when fighting in graveyards. Regardless I am super excited for this dlc *hopelessly throws money at the screen*
Still my best investment in EA game.
I’m glad to see that you made the right decision to continue developing the game. I was right when I told you that a year ago. Ready to buy DLCl for the price of the full game right now.
And I ask you to think about the possibility of rework some mechanics of the game (post on the forum in the topic of proposals for a new DLC).
I am glad for you dear developers and also for all the real fans of this game. Skol!
Ohhhh yes
Can’t wait to get my hands on this! (but do take all the time you need ;). BB is one of my all-time favorite games in its genre, and I’m super happy to hear you’re still going strong.
Fuck yessssssssss!
I was expecting a small DLC like Lindworm but this is amazing!
Just take my money already :D
Very exciting news, my wallet awaits ;-)
That all sounds great and I’m excited that Battle Brothers will continue to be developed. I will certainly purchase the expansion. In my opinion some mechanics must be reworked.
Retreat mechanics is the main thing which is broken in my opinion, if you could fix this mechanic during development this would improve the game immensely.
The issue is that your company is virtually immortal if you retreat as soon as things are against you, because you just get a temporary injury which heals on all members. It is also asymmetric because the AI opponent cannot pull this move but you can, hence it is a massive cheat.
Possible solutions:
* randomly allocate minor injuries, permanent injuries, and deaths (according to some improved and more realistic formula).
* auto-calculate the actual retreat at high speed, in other words the AI takes over and tries to manually retreat the men step-by-step, and whoever cannot reach the edge is killed. It just simply automates (rapidly) the actual retreat with AI control, and the consequences are final.
The broken retreat mechanic is what made me quit playing the game once I realised that it was cheating against the AI and I also just hated the mechanic of all getting 1 injury, plus your men are immortal because you can always hit the retreat button – the tension and threat is gone and the AI cannot pull this move, only you. Plus that the game’s development was dropped, so there was no hope for improvement.
I am more motivated to purchase an expansion in order to fund further development of a game which has not reached full potential yet and needs some mechanics re-worked, than for the actual new content itself, although that will be worthwhile also. As we have seen with Paradox Interactive, this is a viable business model because the community of players are willing to fund this and so I was disappointed when I heard Battle Brothers development was to dropped and very excited that it will now be continuing because it could be a missed opportunity. Personally I do not see an ethical issue with requiring the DLC in order to access the new version of the base game, because the DLC is what funds the development, but perhaps others see it differently.
It’s a day of great news for Battle Brothers fans!
PS
Another suggestion for fixing retreat mechanics:
(another possible solution):
* You could make manually retreating the company easier and actually viable instead of almost certain death for most members. The way to do this might be to hit a button (perhaps with a horn icon), sounding the retreat! (A nice horn sound could play. Note it should be a horn of retreat not a white flag of surrender – but I’m being autistic). Anyhow at this point the men could all have a retreat status in which they are unable to attack, but they are able to move through zones-of-control without being attacked. Also, perhaps their movement rate could be increased, or some other changes induced by the retreat. Perhaps they also have to drop their weapons and shield or something like (or a chance to do so), in order to be able to retreat at higher speed.
Fix the retreat mechanics and the game mechanics go from good to great – that’s my opinion.
My final suggestion is that the retreat mechanics should be symmetrical for the company and the enemy. Whatever options for retreat are available should be available to both sides – hence making it balanced, realistic and not feeling like a cheat which breaks the immersion.
Cheers.
WHAT YOU WANT MONEY AGAIN ? You are supposed to live a thousand years from the sales money on water and bread and free DLCs every 2 weeks. No ? …hehe…….kidding ofc ( I even bought the DLC and BB is in my top 5 hours-played on steam) Suggestions: As some said please add icons to click for secondary weapons, its a real hassle to constantly having to switch to inventory. Another thing which would we worthwile is a “Reserve” order in battle, when you have chars which are not moved anymore ( fled some distance b/c of injuries or whatever reason) to put it in inactive status and ignored for this and the following rounds until you click somewhere to reactivate them or they come into contact with an enemy
Guys,
just wanted to let you know that I really am excited for this news. Thank you for continuing to support your excellent game.
super excited for this one. will be buying as soon as its released!
Thank you Thank you Thank you! I was really angry because you dont allow that rusty diamond game to be developed by modding, but i see you will let that diamond shining. I was wondering for days that game has unlimited YESS UNLIMITED! potential, (EVEN MULTIPLAYER HUGE WOLRD) I hope u guys reach that point, when people will play that game like league of legends.
I suggest one thing.
I think there are many characters with many backgrounds, you could create a logistical tech tree for company and some support bonuses for the company, and upgrades like bigger cart, better speed on map, horses, merchant in the company that can raise prices of sold goods, blacksmith THAT CAN CREATE RECIPES ( yes lootable item recipes from godlike enemies). That would make the game a bit more creative, and realistic. Mercenary companies wasnt just about fighting skills and food. They were need all support stuffs. That is an idea but I hope one of u may read and consider it. :D
Thank your BEST WISHES!
Absolutely delighted with the news. At the time you announced you were walking away from the game I couldn’t believe it. I posted a comment about what a terrible financial decision it was. You had done the hardest work and wanted to leave before you could reap the best rewards ! I also felt it was quite a disappointment to all the fans that supported you during development as they expressed the feeling the game was somewhat abandoned. I always had faith that development would continue and when Lindwurm came I was fairly certain you announce a DLC at some point.
My only advice would be to invest big time in advertisement. The game has excellent steam reviews so will be very attractive to new players, use that to your advantage. I guarantee thousands of gamers who are not aware of the battle brothers base game will be going to that steam page and looking at the reviews, if they are made aware. Push hard on advertisement and put the base Battle Brothers game on sale when releasing the DLC. Wait and watch the success unfold.
May this be the first of many excellent releases in the Battle Brothers “series” ;)
Well Done and Good Luck !
I am so excited to hear the news. I cant wait for playing the DLC!
I have wish for the DLC. I think more background unique events (e.g bowers bow making) will make each background more unique and make my men more characteristics. I think one of the BB`s specialty is experience of traveling open world with company men. I felt amazed when my crippled historian write about my company`s history, my hedge night won a tournament, and laughed a lot even when my nimble duelist occasionally get fat and lose weight.
Sadly, some backgrounds have many events (Historian, Hedge knight etc) whereas others do not( Messenger, Servant etc ). I understand not all the background experience is useful for sell sword`s life. However, I think more background unique events make sell sword life experience vivid and fun, this is the reason of my suggestions.
Those are my idea for new events,
Priests can find some variable goods from unread estate by purifying something evil behind.
Squires may fight for previous master for some cause (eg. revenge for his master or fight for his honor)
Bastard can inherit a map of treasure from never seen his biologic father.
Messenger get some secret delivery order from previous clients.
With thanks and cheer, =D