Wow, I definately learned a couple things thanks to this thread.
I recently played Native again, after such a long time. After playing for a couple hours for 2 days I found out that even if I sometimes find cRPG broken and stupid (sometimes even rageinducing, why I trashtalk so much in cRPG) I just want to go back to it whenever I play any other Warband MP PvP mod. Like someone above me said I like recognizing players because of their equipment, I like seeing people try weapons that don't get much love and being successful with them, I like knowing what I can expect from a player I have in front of me and making the most out of the equipment and the build I have against his. In Native I get none of that.
In every single map I took a spear and a shield and hoplited my way through, because people there suck at downblocking. Every weapon basically feels the same, polestaggering is stupid, armor clutching renders some 1 handers completely useless (Swadians 1 handed swords vs high armor). And of course, if you can't get past the first line of archers in Siege you are dead. So I'm forced to change to archer or I roll with tons of javelins and end up in close combat with a 2 hander that kills my soft body in 1 swipe (arrow rain support). And of course, the scoreboard looks no different from the cRPG one, but at least in cRPG the 2 handing hero that topscores can manually block, unlike in Native. And cRPG has no teamwork? lol Have you played Native? There's 0 teamwork, let alone melee support. Players just watch you die overpowered by numbers. And yet, I had fun. Yes, I was sick and tired of all the above but I found myself enjoying certain weapon types as I had never enjoyed them before in cRPG. Lifes are shorter but I usually kill more people in them.
I also tried Rome at War. I have to say, I had tons of fun. The Dev. team and clan members were really nice to a newcomer like me, gave me directions, weapons (really, my shield bugged and didn't spawn and a clanmember of Athenai gave me his inmediately) and told me when they events took place. The combat in that mod is also pretty fun, if you enjoy shield battles. Loads of pokey spears that can hit you from miles away and really short swords for very personal fights. Cav is almost non existant but can still wreck through formations if players are not aware and skirmishers (throwers) feel really satisfying due to the long wind-up animations which mean you can't just spam them with a guy chasing you. Archers are not so efficient but it is to be expected. The maps are nothing spectacular but it was enjoyable.
tl:dr = I still think cRPG gives me the experience of what Warband was meant to be like, without the ugly cloth armor everywhere, the clumsy and unsuccessful teammates never letting off their RMB when playing 1h. + shield etc. and with tons of customization, skillful players (debatable for some), nice maps... But I was still able to enjoy Native and other MP mods regardless because the combat in Warband is just too fun. So I don't understand why all the hate against Native or cRPG come from. Each recreate their own thing = Peasant Wars (Native) vs Hero Wars. I enjoy cRPG more because I get used to my range and damage but Native is just as fun in another way. It's like comparing Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy Battle.
