Poll: Swords or Guns?

[R1CK_D0M]

I'm not sure if huge guns still fits under guns, or if it starts to fall under the other department. Guns usually beat swords because swords can't defend against guns, but guns can against swords. Also, guns can kill much greater number more efficiently over a greater distance if you want to utterly destroy something with clinical detachment and contemptuous ease, guns are the way to go.

However, in this thread I have to go not just guns, but huge guns. Farking huge guns. Like, orbital cannon huge guns, plasma discharge so large as to swallow a city large. Nothing gets the point across than a gun as destructive as that. Hence my question at the beginning.

PS: I voted guns anyway.

 

[Trivun]

Both. Seriously, they're both awesome. The sword is great for close-up work, and point defense in tight quarters, whereas I'll usually stick to the longest possible ranged option (sniper rifle), the sword is still really invaluable in a firefight.

 

[Woem]

Spoiler: Indiana Jones

I chose Guns. Why? My friend Indiana Jones will demonstrate:

Spoiler: Gunblade

I was looking at my shelf of games, and couldn't help to think that like attracts like. I have way more fantasy games than modern games, for example. This got me thinking. If all games were equal, ie: COD had swords, or Oblivion had guns for example, would it make a difference to the weapons you'd use? Are there any scenarios that alternative weapons would make more enjoyable gameplay?

Note: I'm aware that Fallout is basically Oblivion with guns, but it's hard to think of a recent fantasy game off the top of my head that didn't include guns.

WHY CAN I NOT CHOOSE "GUNBLADE" ON THIS POLL!?

I love how in the gun vs melee polls there's always at least one person to post the Indiana Jones clip, and at least one person to post an image of the gunblade. It makes the world feel like a safe predictable place.

 

[Magnalian]

Being completely original, I vote 'gunsword'.

Spoiler

After all, why choose when you can have both?

 

[Deadlock Radium]

GUNSWORDS.
If the opponent is too far away, just BANG! Shoot him in the chest or something, then you can go stab him in the face.

 

[Bobbity]

To be realistic, I'd prefer a gun. It's quick, deadly, long ranged, and doesn't require years of training. A gun is by far the most deadly handheld weapon ever created, and so long as the marksman is competent, no swordsman would have a chance (well, at long range anyway).

Ideally however, swords are, in my opinion, far superior to guns. The dedication required to actually gain a measure of competence is significant, but rewarding. There's a deadly grace about a master swordsman that no mere firearm could ever hope to match. On top of that, guns are capable of making something as terrible as massacre an abstract concept; pull the little plastic trigger and the man falls over. With a sword, it's by far more personal. That might not seem like a good thing, but if murder becomes personal, then it's a much more difficult concept to accept. A trigger can be pulled in haste, but to kill with a sword requires grim determination, and, as such, makes murder a much more difficult prospect to comprehend emotionally.

So, after all my ramblings, I'm basically saying this. I believe swords to be far superior weapons to guns, save in the area of killing people, but I'd never dream of bringing a sword to a gunfight.

 

[SoranMBane]

Guns. I prefer them in both look and feel, and the more futuristic-looking, the better. Extra points if it has a scope, a laser sight, shoots plasma, or happens to be a SPAS-12 (Particularly the one from Half-Life 2).

 

[Ithera]

Swords are an anachronism and have no place in anything resembling modern combat.Swords should be seen as nothing else but a last resort weapon (if you find yourself fortunate enough to be fighting in a museum).

So why do we still have Knives then?
They if anything is anachronismis-tic.

There is a difference between a knife and a sword. While the sword remains outdated the knife retains certain useful characteristics. For example, the avid outdoors man might find a knife very useful.

 

[maninahat]

Ah, give me a revolver over a sword, any day. Or a harpoon gun (combining the best of both worlds).

Spoiler:

 

[Syphous]

In video games I usually pick melee weapons over guns. Of course in real life I would carry a gun and not even consider carrying a friggin sword.

 

[Frungy]

It's hellishly difficult to conceal a gun or sword and still get to it in good time. What this means in practical terms is that either:
a) Unconcealed gun/sword - People act really polite until they're standing behind you and can hit you over the head with chair, beer bottle or combine harvester.
b) Concealed gun/sword - People get mighty suspicious when you start groping in your pants, on your ankle, or drawing your sword cane and get really close and hit you with a chair, beer bottle or combine harvester, or they run away really fast and tell the cops. Either way not good.

Personally I prefer a folding knife up my sleeve. It slides easily into my hand and is invisible right up until the point where I stick it in someone, with little or no forewarning apart from my massive friendly smile.

 

[Jamash]

Spoiler: Snip

Not necessarily, it all depends on how you write your fiction.

unfortunatly, this is impossible, you can't do that with anything (mythbusters)
i'm going to go with guns.
big assed guns.

Not true, anything is possible in video games, it's all about how you write the code.

but this was for real life wasn't it? wait i'll go check.
nope. i am sorry for wasting your time.

Don't worry about. I kind of hate myself for posting that, since I hate all the bullshitdo myths surrounding the Samurai and Katana, but it was the best example I could find of how, in video games, swords can be on par with guns.

 

[Antitonic]

And don't give me the "You can throw a Knife" because you can throw a sword too

If Lost Odyssey has taught us anything, swords can replace arrows, too.

 

[kampori]

Guns are the obvious choice for evolutionary progression in killing people.. as us humans love to do so well.

But I'd take the sword any day. It requiers skill to wield in itself, let alone use it to attack or defend. Armies of sword-wielders, especially people so specialised in it, such as the Japanese Samurai or Arab knights, the skill of those swords can cut down entire armies.

Look at the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 1500s- Korea and China were armed to the teeth with the most modern guns invented in China.. Japan had VERY rudimentary firearms, but armed to the teeth in swords and bows.. and the Korean armies were slaughtered.. cut down like butter with a hot knife. They didn't stand a chance against the sword...

But to be fair, they were the FIRST guns ever invented, and so were very shoddy.. but again as the Japanese prove- there is honour in the sword. Honour if fighting our enemy, seeing their eyes as you duel. Guns have none of this.

Look at the Samurai, look at the Jedi.. they ultimately chose the sword over the gun through honour.

 

[IsraelRocks]

Light-saber

 

[Arkhangelsk]

There's a time and place for everything. I have different preferences at different times. Sometimes I like going stabby, other times I like being a gun-nut.

 

[madmick22]

big stick is the best

 

[Wintermoot]

a shotgun with a katana attached to it

 

[Ithera]

Swords are an anachronism and have no place in anything resembling modern combat.Swords should be seen as nothing else but a last resort weapon (if you find yourself fortunate enough to be fighting in a museum).

So why do we still have Knives then?
They if anything is anachronismis-tic.

There is a difference between a knife and a sword. While the sword remains outdated the knife retains certain useful characteristics. For example, the avid outdoors man might find a knife very useful.

This wasn't a question about outdoorsmen, this was a question of war.
If we should abolish swords as a thing of the past, why should we not abolish knives since they're less usefull against guns.

And don't give me the "You can throw a Knife" because you can throw a sword too

Your answer was not very clear on that point, so I gave a general answer. Soldiers do a lot more than just fight, and have many tools to assist them in their daily work/routines. Knives being one of them. But you had little interest in mundane tasks? Very well, let's move on to combat. Knives fare little better than swords in modern combat, but if things take a turn for the worse, a low tech option can perhaps help avoid disaster.

Knives unlike swords don't weigh a lot, and are thus an attractive low-tech option for the fighting man. What would you prefer? A bulky sword in addition to your other equipment, or a easier to carry knife?

 

[Weslebear]

I will know point your attention to FLCL

Flying Guitar Gun Swords > All