Arena fights

[GhostHawk]

After playing the beta all day Saturday , l coughed up the dough,  and bought M&B yesterday.
I don't buy many games but I was seriously impressed by the potential of the beta. Way to go guys, got me hooked and fast!

Went into game, traded the old palfrey off for a heavy hunter.
Had pretty good armor, but added new boots and a lance.
Took me a bit to figure out the whole couched lance thing but once I did what a difference!

Nothing ever got combat so it felt like this. Not Medevil Total War, NWN, Dungeon Siege, no RPG I've ever tried or heard of.
And to be in at the start, with new features coming, is a big bonus IMO. So Salute for getting it right this far.

I would however love to see some  changes in the Arena/tournament setup though.
You should be able to choose what weapons class to fight in. Foot or Mounted, then several classes. Edged weapons, projectile weapons, Heavy lance, etc. And fights should be between weapons classes. Not archers vs full blown knights. But Archers vs Archers, Mounted lance vs Mounted Lance, etc.

It would  also be nice to have the  option of choosing single combat, 2 vs 2, 4 vs 4 or a full 16x16 melee. Or start out 1vs1 and work your way up would be fine. 

And yes if you choose a sword fight should walk in there with YOUR armor, your sword, YOUR shield, and YOUR skill. Then you win, or lose on Your ability.  Not join a 2 vs 2, fight starts, and you find yourself on foot, with a bow with a mounted archer on your side. And 2 knights on the other side. No WAY you would sigh up for that kind of fight in a tournament. 

The training was good, covers the basics and gets you started.

But Arena or Tournement fights should be more balanced. Should be a way to test "My" gear. Do I do better with this sword? or that one?
This shield? Do I need better armor? Also it should be a way to refine advanced fighting skills.

Last I'd love to see a practice Jousting list, a place to hone those Lance tactics. And possibly a few animated targets for archers to practice on as well. Ok so I'm wishing for perfect. A guy can dream can't he? 


I'd love to see this go limited mulitplayer, actually I'm really excited as I feel this has a lot of potential.

 

[Oposum]

Game is great.

I'd love to see this go limited mulitplayer, actually I'm really excited as I feel this has a lot of potential.

Sorry, multiplayer won't be added in M&B (maybe in M&B 2).

I would however love to see some  changes in the Arena/tournament setup though.
You should be able to choose what weapons class to fight in. Foot or Mounted, then several classes. Edged weapons, projectile weapons, Heavy lance, etc. And fights should be between weapons classes. Not archers vs full blown knights. But Archers vs Archers, Mounted lance vs Mounted Lance, etc.

It would  also be nice to have the  option of choosing single combat, 2 vs 2, 4 vs 4 or a full 16x16 melee. Or start out 1vs1 and work your way up would be fine. 

And yes if you choose a sword fight should walk in there with YOUR armor, your sword, YOUR shield, and YOUR skill.

It would unbalance the game somewhat, because high-level characters would kick everyones arse, while low-level would get constantly arseraped by NPC-s who have better equipment. Also, in arena all weapons are blunt, because it's practice. Usually players carry weapons which kill. It would be a kind of unrealistic to do that.
There was arena mod, which done to some degree what you are talking about, but I think it wasn't released for M&B 0.890+.

 

[Rameusb5]

I kind of like the fact that the Arena weapon selection is random.  This prevents you from completely pwning everyone every time you play.  It also forces you to spread your weapon skill around a bit if you want to excel at arena play.

For example, every time I got stuck with a bowman I got my butt kicked.  This forced me to start putting points in bow and mounted combat.


The only change I'd like to see in the arena is a larger variety of weapons.  I'd also like to see some arena scenarios... like all archers vs infantry, cavalry vs infantry, and so forth, rather than the potpourri we have now.

 

[K.Wiz.]

No multiplayer huh?It appears you underestimate the will of the game's modders...
Seriously...I know it's a lot of work...but do you think that will stop anyone?There are a lot of bored people out there with plenty of resources...both in money and in machinery...trust me,a multiplayer mod is the ultimate thing,and I'm pretty sure one day someone will master,if not the whole thing,then at least a part of it(such as the battles,like in a deathmatch)

 

[Oubliette]

It's not a question of underestimating the talents of the modding community, it's just not possible with Mount&Blade's engine. For multiplayer to be possible Armagan would basically have to rip out its guts and start again from the bottom.

On topic, I like the random weapons in the arena, though I see the current arenas more as not being pretty significant, as though they are more for training than a public entertainment. I'd like to see some big tournaments happening every so often, with tilting and other spectacles of combat where you'd either have to rely on your own equipment or could get a choice. Rewards would come in the form of renown and denars, I guess.

 

[acutedeath]

The thing about arena weapons is that they must be blunt, so there really isn't much room for variation.

If you could bring your own weapons, somebody might get hurt!

 

[Strok]

The thing about arena weapons is that they must be blunt, so there really isn't much room for variation.

If you could bring your own weapons, somebody might get hurt!

Yes?

Well, for kingdoms that sanction their armed forces to go after peasants in nearby lands I don't see why you couldn't have at least one arena in Calradia that fights to the death.

An aside from that would be maybe a local leaderboard or something.

 

[12oz Jesus]

I would however love to see some  changes in the Arena/tournament setup though.
You should be able to choose what weapons class to fight in. Foot or Mounted, then several classes. Edged weapons, projectile weapons, Heavy lance, etc. And fights should be between weapons classes. Not archers vs full blown knights. But Archers vs Archers, Mounted lance vs Mounted Lance, etc.

It would  also be nice to have the  option of choosing single combat, 2 vs 2, 4 vs 4 or a full 16x16 melee. Or start out 1vs1 and work your way up would be fine. 

And yes if you choose a sword fight should walk in there with YOUR armor, your sword, YOUR shield, and YOUR skill. Then you win, or lose on Your ability.  Not join a 2 vs 2, fight starts, and you find yourself on foot, with a bow with a mounted archer on your side. And 2 knights on the other side. No WAY you would sigh up for that kind of fight in a tournament. 

Check out Lombard Leagues when its released (or try to get into the beta) if you like tournaments with choices and your own equipment.  Roaming fairs offer these tournaments and are quite fun and lucrative.

The beta of the mod hasn't been ported to .89x yet and is invite only, but you can go to lombardleagues.com and see about getting an invite.

 

[Dryvus]

The thing about arena weapons is that they must be blunt, so there really isn't much room for variation.

If you could bring your own weapons, somebody might get hurt!

Yes?

Well, for kingdoms that sanction their armed forces to go after peasants in nearby lands I don't see why you couldn't have at least one arena in Calradia that fights to the death.

That's called war.

 

[Strok]

Romans did it.

 

[kid_a]

Go for the custom battle mod by Iberon, it'll let you choose your class, the kinds of troops you have and their number and the kinds of troops and their numbers for the opposing team. And yes, it lets you fight to the death, if you feel like doing custom arena stuff. It's epic.
30 vs. 30 vaegir marksman fights in the arena are downright terrifying.

http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,27343.0.html

 

[Strok]

I just had 200v200 rhodok tribesman charge each other on a large open field. Very, very messy and very very slow.

 

[Maan]

I don't know, some variety would be nice. Something like one on one duels, too... and, since we have the possibility to fight bare handed, we totally need tavern brawls!

 

[Great Warrior]

How are arrows blunt though? (in the arena)  Even if they don't have a sharpened end, at high speeds it will still penetrate.

 

[Strok]

Maybe they're firing wooden dowels...?

 

[Whoopin]

Maybe they're firing wooden dowels...?

And people are falling over playing dead...?

Only thing I want fixed in the arena fights is a simple alternate weapon to each troop type. No warrior goes into battle with only one weapon - thats scrublike activity.
Tournaments are serious business! Combatants should be given an opportunity to shine with more than a single weapon, even the archers deserve something to block with.

 

[Sir Saladin]

Yeah, there was never a blunt arrow and even with blunt weapons men died in tournaments archery really doesn't fit. There should be a seperate target shooting archery competition the regular arena should just be swords and lances. Wooden dowels heheheh owwy! <edit> I really don't mind the arena fighting as it is I compete at least once everytime I visit a place that has one. Even with a low archery score I can win with a bow sometimes with a couple of close range head shots.

 

[Gellan]

How are arrows blunt though? (in the arena)  Even if they don't have a sharpened end, at high speeds it will still penetrate.

You can get arrows for use in re-enactment battles. I believe they have some kind of ball placed on the end... possibly made of padded cloth, cork or something similar.

 

[Zathan]

Tournaments are serious business! Combatants should be given an opportunity to shine with more than a single weapon, even the archers deserve something to block with.

Errr... arena combatants are supposed to be elite warriors, they shine with whatever they're handed at the gate.

 

[Whoopin]

Sure any weapon can work cause that doesnt decide the fight, its the lack of options that make it the arena less entertaining to participate, let alone watch.

The ability to pick up opponent's items is real nice, but a secondary weapon will allow those archers and lancers something more useful when their denars are at stake.

BTW the combatants arent elite Warriors, they all get whooped like chump peasants. What version are you playing cause it must be different than mine?