A thing with shields that has bugged me.

[imis4action]

So why does the character opens himself for attack by putting the shield to the side? It happens when you're attacking. Wouldn't it be better to just hold a shield like this http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRo8sGPCdy3RtiQtbvaqHHUrgPmoLnY98jJe0muz1Kq9bnv2yib&t=1 instead of this http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/819/vairogs.jpg/ ?

 

[Beny]

well, no-one would ever die then 

 

[Errikos]

Personally, I think shield animations should be better designed so that protect the wearer at least somewhat while attacking.  I also think shields should do more to protect against melee attacks when the player isn't holding the shield up.

And then there's the shield skill.  Every point increases how durable a shield is, how fast you can raise/lower it, and how much area it covers.  It's just way too much for a single skill and makes shields overpowered.

 

[Mr Mohawk]

I agree with the OP, and not just for spears.

It would give the dern 1 handers some advantage over the 2 handers in that they are far more likely to survive

But, whatever side the shield is held on should be the only thing blocked. So if I swing on the same side as you are holding your shield when you are attacking too, my attack should bounce off the shield. Although, I'm pretty sure you don't take the full brunt of a swing with your shield, you try to parry it in real life. So this is probaly not too realistic.

Meh. 

 

[Mr. Wonder]

Although, a combination of the hold block and take the full brunt thing, and the "it always protects the left side" thing would be a decent compromise that would create a similar effect, don'cha think?

 

[imis4action]

well, no-one would ever die then 

Do you think it would majorly throw off the balance in singleplayer?

 

[A Highly Visible Ninja]

I definitely think OP has something going here. As a horse archer, I've noticed that the shields definitely stop missiles while the defender winds up for their attack. I don't see why not have the shields more protective in such a case... Though at this point it might be cumbersome to change all the animations... I dunno. Modders seem to do it fine.

I also agree that the magical force field that surrounds a shield troop is incredibly lame. It disrupts immersion to see an arrow sail towards the right flank of an enemy only to have it disappear into the shield... even though the shield was on the guy's other side and the arrow had about 20 centimeters of clearance while he was holding it up.

 

[imis4action]

I also agree that the magical force field that surrounds a shield troop is incredibly lame. It disrupts immersion to see an arrow sail towards the right flank of an enemy only to have it disappear into the shield... even though the shield was on the guy's other side and the arrow had about 20 centimeters of clearance while he was holding it up.

That's the magical power of the shield skill.

 

[Licinia Eudoxia]

I'd like to see javelins and jarids do a lot more damage to shields, personally. I understand thrown axes do additional damage but it feels really silly seeing some Rhodok Sergeant with thirty jarids sticking out of his shield. Even if the jarids didn't break the shield, it seems like it would be hard to use with all that stuff hanging stuck init.

Maybe even make it so higher Power Throw skill does much more damage to a shield, not sure?

 

[Rewjeo]

Well, a higher Power Throw skill would increase damage (I think it works like PD) which would thus do more damage to a shield.

 

[Licinia Eudoxia]

I understand that, but I thought it would be neat to add a greater amount of shield crush as it increases. Like maybe at Power Throw 1, there is no additional shield crushing, at Power Throw 2 there is a tiny amount of additional shied crushing, so on.

It would make thrown weapons slightly more viable against guys with shields, I think. When you can only carry four or five javelins per slot, it seems like there should be a bit more effectiveness so they aren't all but useless against shields.

I don't think adding a degree of shield crushing would be too overpowered. It might make it much more frustrating for players though if they have to change out shields more often.

 

[Blackfish]

Or perhaps have the shields become slower and heavier after being struck with thrown weapons, to represent how unwieldy they get after being weighed down by multiple javelins/axes.

 

[imis4action]

I completely agree with the shield thing. It should be slower if it is full with arrows/throwing weapons and fall of if it gets too heavy.

 

[Lord Brutus]

Or perhaps have the shields become slower and heavier after being struck with thrown weapons, to represent how unwieldy they get after being weighed down by multiple javelins/axes.

I'm not really convinced that it would take multiple axes to make a shield totally unwieldy, but I think this probably is a trade-off between reality and playability, so I'm not really troubled by the way it functions in-game.

 

[A Highly Visible Ninja]

I definitely think Javelins and the like should do added damage to shields. It would simulate one of the major historical advantages of javelins:  Way back in the day, Roman foot soldiers often had Pila to throw into enemy formations before a charge.  The spears weren't just for the hope of added casualties and chaos, but the heavy lead-tipped spears would stick into the target's shield and make it more cumbersome to use, since the pilum spear was a pretty long weapon.  Try holding up a shield when a 5-6 foot pole is hanging off the front of it...

 

[Siper]

I definitely think OP has something going here. As a horse archer, I've noticed that the shields definitely stop missiles while the defender winds up for their attack. I don't see why not have the shields more protective in such a case... Though at this point it might be cumbersome to change all the animations... I dunno. Modders seem to do it fine.

I also agree that the magical force field that surrounds a shield troop is incredibly lame. It disrupts immersion to see an arrow sail towards the right flank of an enemy only to have it disappear into the shield... even though the shield was on the guy's other side and the arrow had about 20 centimeters of clearance while he was holding it up.

So what? Horse Archer is the most "kitty" (edit:lame sensor) build you can get in this game.

 

[A Highly Visible Ninja]

I am insulted by your lack of respect for the pure awesomeness that is Horse Archery.  Regardless, I believe that foot soldiers deserve to have the animation of holding the shield forward while attacking to further protect themselves from the destructive hail of the Mount & Bow.

 

[Captured Joe]

Horse Archer is the most "kitty" (edit:lame sensor) build you can get in this game.

I think "cowardly" is a better definition.

 

[A Highly Visible Ninja]

Horse Archer is the most "kitty" (edit:lame sensor) build you can get in this game.

I think "cowardly" is a better definition.

I believe "pragmatic" is the best definition...

I would have also accepted "Reasonable" or "Skillful", too.

 

[Captured Joe]

Whatever...

What others call "cowardice" I call brains.

If that's the case, I would rather have no brains at all. (I come very close to that.)

On-topic:

Although, a combination of the hold block and take the full brunt thing, and the "it always protects the left side" thing would be a decent compromise that would create a similar effect, don'cha think?

That sounds a little unbalanced, as swings from one side will have less effect than from the other side in that case. Perhaps that's more realistic, but if you only swing from one side it will get boring I'm afraid.