Info about Manor Lords:

Official game description:
Manor Lords is a strategy game that allows you to experience the life of a medieval lord. Grow your starting village into a bustling city, manage resources and production chains, and expand your lands through conquest.
Inspired by the art and architecture of late 14th century Franconia, Manor Lords prioritizes historical accuracy wherever possible, using it to inform gameplay mechanics and visuals alike. Common medieval tropes are avoided in favor of historical accuracy in order to make the world feel more authentic, colorful, and believable.
Manor Lords provides a gridless city-building experience with full freedom of placement and rotation. Building mechanics are inspired by the growth of real medieval towns and villages, where major trade routes and the landscape influenced how settlements formed and developed.
*   Spreading outward from a central marketplace, build your residential, commercial, and industrial districts following the natural lay of the land. Establish farms based on soil fertility, position hunting grounds according to animal populations, and ensure access to adequate resource deposits and forests to provide the raw materials needed for growth.
*   Assign areas for housing and watch your residents build their homes in accordance with the historical burgage plot system. Each area will be subdivided based on your roads and the allotted space, and homes will scale accordingly.
*   Build extensions behind larger homes to generate resources that would not otherwise be available. Homeowners don't just pay taxes – they grow vegetables, raise chickens and goats, and otherwise supply themselves and other townsfolk with essential needs beyond what your managed farms, pastures, and industries can provide.
*   Guide your settlements through the unique demands and opportunities of each season, enjoying the bounty brought by spring rains and preparing for the harsh snows of winter.
From boots to barley and hides to honey, Manor Lords features a great variety of goods fitting of the era. Materials need to be transported and processed into finished products through production chains, and you must balance the basic needs of your people against the desire to produce luxury items to ensure happiness, manufacture trade goods for export, or forge arms and armor to aid in your conquests.
*   Resources are littered across the map, encouraging you to expand and establish multiple specialized settlements. Extract valuable ores from your mining colonies, while villages devoted to agriculture, herding, or hunting supply the grains and meats needed to feed your growing populations. Will you spend your hard-earned influence to first acquire a rich source of iron for your smiths, or will you prioritize regions with fertile soil to serve as your breadbasket?
*   Unchecked expansion will have a direct effect on the environment. Herds of deer will migrate away from encroaching civilization, lack of crop rotation will worsen soil fertility, and cutting down too many trees will result in deforestation.
*   Establish trade routes and sell surplus goods to traveling merchants to enrich your population. Manufacturing and exporting a variety of goods will provide wealth with which to upgrade your peoples’ homes, import goods you can’t produce yourself, and through taxes on said wealth, fill your own coffers.
Yours is but a small parcel of land in a vast territory, and the competing ambitions between you and rival lords will inevitably lead to conflict. Lead your people into battle, not as expendable units to be easily replenished, but as your beloved loyal subjects where every death is a cost worth considering.
*   Neighboring lords will build their own towns and grow their holdings to compete with yours, at times forcing you into action. Build castles and protect your domain from harm as you seek out opportunities to strike at these rival lords with warriors of your own.
*   Train a retinue of skilled warriors to fight battles alongside the levies you raise from the town militia. At times these soldiers will be needed to suppress banditry, and at other times you will lead your men into battle to conquer or defend territory. When needed, mercenaries are a costly option to bolster your ranks. Will you raise the militia at the first sign of trouble, bringing your economy to a stand-still as your peasants pick up arms and rush to form ranks, or will you spend your personal wealth to hire bands of sellswords instead?
*   Command real-time tactical battles, taking into consideration fatigue, weather conditions, and equipment. Position your troops wisely – a smaller force can defeat a larger enemy, if commanded well.
*   Feel the cost of battle, even in victory, as each fallen soldier represents a lost person from your city.
This game is a passion project started by a solo developer, grown through player support into a full team of passionate individuals ranging from programmers and 2D artists to Game and Map Designers. You can reach out to us and share your opinions, ideas, and criticisms – we listen to your feedback.

Release date: Apr 26, 2024

Categories: City Builder, Strategy, Resource Management, Economic Simulation, Historical Simulation, Medieval Themes, Territory Management, Real-time Tactics

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 20; verdict: Predatory; summary: The game is perceived by many users as a cash grab, with concerns about its pricing, Early Access status, and lack of content. While some users are willing to support the developer through DLC purchases, the overall sentiment is that the game is overpriced and lacks depth.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement; summary: The game suffers from several significant issues, including a deficient in-game wiki, lack of tutorial guidance, poorly explained mechanics, and buggy performance. These issues collectively lead to a frustrating user experience, particularly for new players who struggle to find necessary information and understand game mechanics without external resources.
- Proton/Linux: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game has mixed reviews regarding its compatibility with Linux. While some users report significant crashes and stability issues, others have found workarounds to mitigate these problems. There is also a notable amount of positive feedback indicating that the game runs well on Linux via Proton, suggesting that the overall experience can be positive with some tweaks.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Needs Significant Improvement; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with the game's stability on Linux, lack of controller support, optimization problems on the Steam Deck, frequent crashes, and graphical/UI issues. These problems collectively impact the user experience negatively, with stability and performance being the most critical areas needing improvement.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence indicates that many users find the current price of $39.99 too high for the game's content and development stage. Several reviews mention that the game is not worth the full price due to its incomplete state and lack of content. The general sentiment is that the game should be purchased on sale or at a significantly reduced price, suggesting a fair price range would be lower than the current base price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 125.0h
  - Story completion: 100.0h
  - Session length: 3.0h
  - Endgame: 20.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that players invest significant time into the game, with mentions of 'years' and specific hour counts such as 'over 100 hours' and '125 hours'. These quotes indicate that players spend considerable time on both individual sessions and overall gameplay, including campaign and story completion, as well as endgame content.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a steep learning curve and lacks a proper tutorial, making the initial experience frustrating. However, once players understand the mechanics, the game becomes fun and addictive. Multiplayer mode is highly desired for increased enjoyment and replayability.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Understanding the game mechanics and setting up a functional village.
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Steep learning curve; Lack of a proper tutorial; Initial overwhelming experience
  - Unlock drivers: Understanding game mechanics; Effective village setup
  - Conditions: Multiplayer mode; Proper tutorial; Clear game mechanics
- Player Archetypes:
  - Chill Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxation and immersion in a medieval setting.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys micromanaging and observing the town grow at a relaxed pace.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Relaxed gamer; Strategy enthusiast
    - Reference games: Banished; Settlers
  - Multiplayer Advocate (sale)
    - Motivation: Desire for multiplayer to enhance replayability and community engagement.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys strategic gameplay but feels limited by single-player mode.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Multiplayer enthusiast; Community-driven gamer
    - Reference games: Settlers; Age of Empires
  - Critical Evaluator (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a polished and content-rich gaming experience.
    - Playstyle: Prefers games with depth and efficiency, often comparing to other titles.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: Experienced gamer; Critical player
    - Reference games: Ostriv; Farthest Frontier
  - Frustrated Optimizer (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a well-optimized and mechanically sound gaming experience.
    - Playstyle: Prefers games with well-thought-out mechanics and optimization.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: Optimization-focused gamer; Mechanics critic
    - Reference games: Banished; Colony sims


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Excellent graphics and visuals (weight 0.37): The game's graphics are highly praised for being beautiful, stunning, and detailed. Players appreciate the art style, animations, and overall visual quality.
- Engaging city-building gameplay (weight 0.26): Players enjoy the city-building aspects of the game, finding it intricate, expansive, and engaging. The medieval theme and unique elements are particularly appreciated.
- High potential and promising future (weight 0.24): Players frequently mention that the game has a lot of potential and is heading in the right direction. They appreciate the game's concepts and ideas, and believe it could become one of the best strategy games.
- Positive overall impressions (weight 0.2): Many players express that the game is good, great, or enjoyable overall. They appreciate the gameplay, design, and engaging nature of the game.
- Immersive and atmospheric (weight 0.18): The game is described as immersive with a beautiful and realistic atmosphere. Players appreciate the detailed environments and the sense of being part of the game world.
- Authentic medieval setting (weight 0.16): The medieval setting is praised for its authenticity and detail. Players appreciate the historical atmosphere and the simulation of medieval life.
- Fun and relaxing experience (weight 0.15): Many players find the game fun and relaxing. It is enjoyed for its engaging yet slow-paced gameplay, making it a good choice for relaxation.
- Well-developed mechanics (weight 0.08): The game mechanics are described as fun, understandable, and well-developed. Players appreciate the core systems and how they feel.
- Worth the investment (weight 0.07): Players feel that the game is worth buying and supporting. They believe it offers good value for the money.
- Active development and updates (weight 0.06): The developers are actively working on the game, constantly testing and updating it. Players appreciate the ongoing development and the developer's dedication.
- Seasonal changes and dynamic interactions (weight 0.06): Players enjoy the seasonal changes and the sense of life turning with the seasons. They appreciate watching their city grow and evolve over time.

Common complaints:
- Slow development pace (weight 0.31): The game has been criticized for its very slow development pace, with many players noting that it has been in early access for a long time with minimal progress.
- Poor resource management (weight 0.12): The resource management system is criticized for being inefficient and poorly optimized, leading to difficulties in resource planning and allocation.
- AI behavior issues (weight 0.09): The AI in the game is criticized for being poorly equipped and exhibiting buggy behavior, such as getting stuck.
- Lack of tutorials (weight 0.07): There is a lack of satisfactory tutorials and explanations, making it difficult for new players to understand the game mechanics.
- High micromanagement needs (weight 0.06): The game requires a lot of micromanagement, which can be overwhelming and detract from the overall experience.
- Underwhelming combat (weight 0.06): The combat system is criticized for being poorly designed and limited, making it unsatisfactory for players.
- Poor communication from developers (weight 0.05): Players feel that there is a lack of regular and transparent updates from the developers, leading to frustration.
- Steep learning curve (weight 0.05): The game has a steep learning curve, making it complex and difficult for new players to get started.
- Trading system needs improvement (weight 0.05): The trading system is criticized for being cumbersome and in need of a rework to improve the overall experience.
- Castle building issues (weight 0.05): There are issues with the castle building tool, including problems with snapping points and bugs.

Gameplay feedback:
- City building and management (weight 0.26): The game prominently features city building mechanics, including resource management, city planning, and medieval village building. Players can design and manage their cities with various tools and mechanics.
- RTS and combat elements (weight 0.19): The game combines real-time strategy (RTS) elements with city building, including strategic combat and warfare. Players can engage in tactical battles and manage military aspects.
- Production and supply chains (weight 0.15): Players can manage complex production chains and supply systems, including economic development and trade. This adds depth to the city management and economic aspects of the game.
- Resource management and logistics (weight 0.15): A significant aspect of the game is resource management, which includes planning, sustainable management, and complex logistics. Players need to manage resources effectively to ensure the growth and sustainability of their cities.
- Agriculture and farming mechanics (weight 0.12): Farming and agriculture play a crucial role in the game, with mechanics for plowing fields, crop rotation, and animal husbandry. Players need to manage farming activities to sustain their cities.
- Medieval setting and atmosphere (weight 0.11): The game is set in a medieval environment, focusing on building and managing medieval villages and cities. The atmosphere and graphics reflect the historical setting.
- Diplomacy and skill development (weight 0.07): Players can engage in diplomacy with other factions and develop skills through a skill tree system. This adds strategic depth and customization to the gameplay.
- Territory claiming and expansion (weight 0.07): The game features mechanics for claiming and managing new territories, allowing players to expand their influence and control over regions.
- Multiplayer and cooperative modes (weight 0.04): The game offers multiplayer and cooperative modes, allowing players to team up and build cities together. This adds a social and collaborative dimension to the gameplay.
- NPC behavior and interactions (weight 0.04): The game includes mechanics for interacting with NPCs, with behaviors and interactions that add depth to the city management and gameplay experience.
- Family-based workforce system (weight 0.04): The game features a family-based worker assignment system, where workers are managed based on family units and distance considerations.
- Game updates and patches (weight 0.04): The developers are actively working on game updates and patches to improve and expand the gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Performance and optimization issues (weight 0.24): Players report various performance issues, including lag, frame rate drops, and high resource consumption. Optimization problems are noted across different hardware setups.
- Buggy features and mechanics (weight 0.19): Various bugs and glitches are reported, including issues with AI behavior, character behavior, and trade mechanics. These bugs can be annoying and sometimes break long playthroughs.
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.17): The game experiences frequent crashes, including during specific actions like autosaving, manual saving, or loading. This issue is widespread and significantly impacts gameplay.
- Graphical and rendering issues (weight 0.09): Players encounter graphical glitches and rendering behavior issues. These problems affect the visual experience and can include animation glitches and other graphical errors.
- High resource consumption (weight 0.08): The game is demanding on system resources, with reports of high VRAM usage and excessive memory consumption. This can lead to performance degradation and potential hardware issues.
- Stable performance on specific hardware (weight 0.07): Some players report that the game runs smoothly and performs well on specific hardware setups, such as the ASUS Ally X. This indicates that the game can be optimized well for certain configurations.
- UI and system freezes (weight 0.03): Players experience UI freezes and unstable behavior, which can disrupt gameplay and make the game difficult to play.
- Game not launching (weight 0.02): There are reports of the game not launching at all, which prevents players from even starting the game. This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed.

Recommendations:
- Mixed purchase recommendations (weight 0.28): The game receives varied purchase recommendations, with some players advising against buying it due to its unfinished state and lack of development progress, while others recommend it for its enjoyable and addictive gameplay.
- Game improvements needed (weight 0.26): Players have identified various areas for improvement, including the addition of multiplayer mode, better integration among regions, new gameplay roles, and improvements to trade and combat mechanics.
- Recommended for specific genres (weight 0.13): The game is recommended for fans of city-builders, management games, strategy games, and medieval games, suggesting it appeals to a niche audience with specific interests.
- Relaxing and addictive gameplay (weight 0.09): The game is recommended for its relaxing and addictive gameplay, promising hours of peaceful yet challenging gameplay that can be enjoyable for many players.
- Early Access caveats (weight 0.05): Several players recommend the game but with the caveat that it is in Early Access, implying that potential buyers should be aware of its incomplete state and ongoing development.
- Concept and potential (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for its concept and potential, indicating that while it may not be fully realized yet, players see promise in its future development.
- Support the developer (weight 0.04): Some players recommend buying the game as a way to support the developer, indicating a belief in the potential of the game and the developer's vision.
- Alternative games suggested (weight 0.04): Some players suggest picking up alternative games instead, indicating that there are other options that might provide a better or more complete experience at this time.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.31): Players are frustrated due to a multitude of bugs, game crashes, and poor mechanics. Issues such as save file corruption, repetitive gameplay, micromanagement, and lack of tutorials contribute significantly to this frustration. Additionally, the game's slow development pace, lack of updates, and unbalanced mechanics further exacerbate the players' negative experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.17): Players express disappointment due to the game's slow development progress, lack of meaningful updates, and persistent bugs. The game's high price, lack of multiplayer or co-op modes, and underwhelming combat mechanics also contribute to this sentiment. Many feel that the game's potential is not being realized due to these issues.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the game for its relaxing and engaging gameplay, despite its flaws. The detailed village development mechanics, beautiful graphics, and the ability to build and manage settlements provide a satisfying experience. The game's meditative gameplay and strategic planning aspects are particularly appreciated.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): Players are excited about the game's potential and future updates. The detailed graphics, deep gameplay mechanics, and the promise of new features and improvements contribute to this excitement. The game's unique blend of city-building and RTS elements also generates anticipation among players.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Players are satisfied with the game's detailed mechanics, historical accuracy, and the overall gameplay experience. The game's depth, customization options, and the developers' continuous improvements and updates contribute to this satisfaction. The relaxing and creative aspects of the game are also highly appreciated.
- Hope (weight 0.05): Players express hope for the game's future, citing its potential and the developers' efforts. The belief in the game's potential for future updates and improvements, as well as the developers' responsiveness to feedback, fuels this hope. Players are optimistic about the game's direction and future content.
- Hopeful (weight 0.03): Players are hopeful about the game's future, believing in its potential to become one of the best strategy games. The detailed suggestions for improvements and the positive outlook on the game's future updates contribute to this hopefulness. Players are eager for additional content and features.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Players are angry due to the game's persistent bugs, misleading promotional materials, and broken promises from developers. The slow updates, bad communication, and excessive micromanagement issues further fuel this anger. Players feel misled and frustrated with the game's current state.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players experience joy from the game's relaxing and addictive gameplay. The fun mechanics, enjoyable atmosphere, and the satisfaction of seeing settlements grow contribute to this joy. The positive aspects of the game's combat and city-building aspects are also appreciated.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game's historical accuracy, aesthetics, and the depth of its mechanics. The developer's commitment to quality, continuous content updates, and responsiveness to feedback are highly valued. The game's design and graphics are also well-received.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Players admire the game's systemic authenticity, coherence, and unique mechanics. The game's complexity, attention to detail, and the integration of war into the economy are particularly praised. The developer's work and the game's ambition are also highly regarded.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's potential and detailed mechanics. The depth and realism of the gameplay, as well as the promise of future features, contribute to this enthusiasm. The game's potential to become a standout in its genre fuels this excitement.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Players express gratitude for the developer's continuous work, effort, and passion. The addition of new languages and the developer's responsiveness to feedback are highly appreciated. Players are thankful for the developers' dedication to improving the game.
- Pleased (weight 0.01): Players are pleased with the game's balance and aesthetics. The overall gameplay experience, including the game's visual appeal and relaxing aspects, contributes to this satisfaction. The game's atmosphere and stability are also well-received.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players love the game for its historical accuracy, depth of systems, and overall experience. Despite its issues, the game's potential and the enjoyment it provides are highly valued. The game's unique mechanics and immersive content are particularly cherished.
- Skepticism (weight 0.01): Players are skeptical due to the slow development progress and lack of regular updates. Doubts about the developer's commitment to fixing the game and the long time expected to finish the game contribute to this skepticism. Players are uncertain about the game's future prospects.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's comparison to classic city builders like 'Age of Empires 2'. The immersion in the game and the feeling of playing games as a kid contribute to this nostalgia. The game's historical accuracy and depth evoke fond memories.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the game's current state and its potential. The love for the direction the game is going and the opportunity to participate in its development contribute to this excitement. The game's promising mechanics and future updates generate anticipation.}