RANT: Weapons on your back
- Thread starter Christian Lerche
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Actually, since mr. Lerche made the opening argument, he has the onus of proof before asking any for counterarguments. Don't fall for the "Claim! , retort , prove your retort!" -trap.
I agree, but some games just don't pay attention to those details, or just can't stick it to the character, risking to glitch the model.
Since you probably didn't read my edit postsrciptum, I'll say it again. The weapons float via levitation spell, just like every female characters' mammaries do.Christian Lerche said:
There are better logical reasons to use magic to make your gear float or be weightless or appear from thin air, than there is for limiting fireball into a line of sight spell. Now please go rather concentrate on things like why can't we jump in most crpgs. I can think of many situations where jumping down a small ledge, or grappling down with the partys ropes would've been far smarter than what the game presented. So ultimately the real answer is, because it is a game. Games have limitations. I believe most people would take few hours of extra storyline than hardcore realism for weapon placement. (you're ofcource welcome to research a solution to clipping issues, but I have a slight suspicion you're trolling anyways.)
That would have actually been something that Yahtzee could have touched on in Mogworld as another sign of the Syndrome: passive, limited telekinesis.
most back mounted weapons are fastened to the user through the usage of a Baldric. a peice of gear which has been used since ancient times to hold weapons to an individual.
these weapons where slung across the back for ease to carry on long marches and distant travel. however, because of the design of most baldrics, these weapons where often drawn and put away much like a hip mounted scabbard. When holstered, the belt was shifted or placed so that the blade was slung across ones back for ease of travel.
a Point to make.
most all ancient and Midevil scabbards, baldrics, and holsters where not designed to have the weapon slid into and out of them constantly. It was intended to hold the weapon during the times between battles, If any threat was present soldiers would already have their weapons drawn and would not put them away until all threat was gone.
the usage of a scabbard as you see in video games today represents a modern concept of combat, in that conflicts are resolved quickly. this is just not true, most ancient and midevil conflict would last Days, not hours. Sword fights between professional Plate clad soldiers could last up of 10-20 minutes before one is inevitably slain.
But this level of realism just simply isn't very fun.
better example
Look at fighting games like street fighter and mortal combat...
you have 3 rounds of 60-90 seconds.
look at Boxing or MMA fighting.
you usually have 3-5 rounds of 3-5 minutes.
these weapons where slung across the back for ease to carry on long marches and distant travel. however, because of the design of most baldrics, these weapons where often drawn and put away much like a hip mounted scabbard. When holstered, the belt was shifted or placed so that the blade was slung across ones back for ease of travel.
a Point to make.
most all ancient and Midevil scabbards, baldrics, and holsters where not designed to have the weapon slid into and out of them constantly. It was intended to hold the weapon during the times between battles, If any threat was present soldiers would already have their weapons drawn and would not put them away until all threat was gone.
the usage of a scabbard as you see in video games today represents a modern concept of combat, in that conflicts are resolved quickly. this is just not true, most ancient and midevil conflict would last Days, not hours. Sword fights between professional Plate clad soldiers could last up of 10-20 minutes before one is inevitably slain.
But this level of realism just simply isn't very fun.
better example
Look at fighting games like street fighter and mortal combat...
you have 3 rounds of 60-90 seconds.
look at Boxing or MMA fighting.
you usually have 3-5 rounds of 3-5 minutes.
It is rather annoying. I quite prefer having the scabbard on the side.
But that doesn't work with claymores and such...
But that doesn't work with claymores and such...
what strategy?KalosCast said:
hit guy with sword.
block with shield.
push up against him.
thats effectively it.
quiet litterally most of these fights was more focused on pushing your foe onto his back then thrusting your blade into a weak spot in his armor... most of the fight was trying to exhausting him enough so that he falls on his back first.
the same thing happens in MMA fights.
a great majority of the fight is simply grappling as one guy tries to tire out the opposing guy so he can put him into a submission. Sure you may see a solid hit land a KO, or a barrage of hits ending the fight... but 4 out of 5 matches are Submission holds, Grappling, and tap outs.
As a (sport) fencer, I am accustomed to cleaning rust from weapons and thus I must ask, what process do you use that takes a week to get the job done? I personally use a very fine grit sanding block to remove rust, a process that takes perhaps ten minutes per blade. If I cared about the appearance of the blade (i.e. I wanted to maintain a mirror sheen), a normal polishing job wouldn't take more than a few hours given the relatively small amount of material we're dealing with. Did you just go for polishing the rust off from the start or something?loc978 said:
Two things that should always be kept separate from each other.meryatathagres said:a portable hole or bag of holding.
I did notice that my weapons were floating in Dragon Age last time I played, but then I decided I didn't care. There's enough issues with weapons drifting through the ass of a female dwarf, they don't need to add it to every other character. It's just one of those "let the player see the weapons we made, keep the animations simple, and avoid as many graphical issues as possible" things.
Well, I sort of left the time I spent in trial-and-error figuring out how I was going to take the stuff off. I started off doing it the way I would on a car, steel wool and rustoleum. By the end I had 6 grades of sandpaper and 3 solvents. Also, it's a Hanwei rapier, stone polished and all, so the rust went fairly deep, for being essentially surface rust.Eclectic Dreck said:
Also, I was only working on it about 2 hours a day.
Nah, the Witcher's animation of Geralt putting his sword away on his back makes perfect sense. Swords aren't razor-sharp, and holding the blade of one with gloves on is quite safe, and a sensible way to guide the tip into the scabbard. I've always thought the Witcher handled re-sheathing a sword better than any other game I've seen.Ephraim J. Witchwood said:
the worst part is that there is rarely even a strap or actual back scabbard to even hold the damn thing, it literally just floats there. DA is the worst offender, as they float inches away from you back for no reason; even in the bulkiest armor, theyre still levitating out there.
i dont know what developers have against hip scabbards; hell oblivion had 1-handed weapons floating just as mysteriously, but it looked alot better because at least they floated at your hip.
i am very curious though; how were larger weapons like claymores and bearded axes carried around IRL? im sure SOMEWHERE in human history lies a means to carry swords that arent magic spells of levitation, so why is it developers never use them?
i dont know what developers have against hip scabbards; hell oblivion had 1-handed weapons floating just as mysteriously, but it looked alot better because at least they floated at your hip.
i am very curious though; how were larger weapons like claymores and bearded axes carried around IRL? im sure SOMEWHERE in human history lies a means to carry swords that arent magic spells of levitation, so why is it developers never use them?
I actually grabbed that image from a google image search. I don't own any such thing, but I know people who do. I do own a double-wrap sword belt that I bought off of Museum Replicas [http://www.museumreplicas.com/]... if I were to buy a back scabbard now (well, after buying a sword that requires one, anyway), it would probably be this [http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=OL1038B&name=Back+Scabbard+-+Black]... checking the url on that image I posted brings me to here [http://www.corsairs-wares.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=114_130], which seems to be based in the UK.DaHero said:I want one...name/link please?loc978 said:If you've had trouble drawing from your back, you're using the wrong type of scabbard. One thing about back scabbards- easy to draw, difficult to put away.
I agree about gaming implementation, though.