The Pope
Sergeant Knight
(Skip to the end if you want a summary of what this suggestion would do for gameplay and don't like lots of reading)
One thing that could improve the infantry combat is some more variation of attacks. As it is now, there is only thrust and a few functionally identical chops. Adding some differences between the attacks and a few more of them could make the melee combat a lot more tactical and satisfying. So, I suggest attacking be split up into the preparation and the attack itself. The preparation section moves your arm into a position ready to attack and is decided based on mouse movement/aim relative to enemy when you click, then which attack is used is decided by your mouse movement/relative aim when you release. Here's my idea for how each could work for each weapon type:
Cut & Thrust Weapons:
Up - Prepares for overhead chop (medium), then it defaults to an overhead chop(medium speed, slow recovery) or a pommel bash(fast attack speed & recovery) if you're moving the mouse down
Up/Right - Swings your arm back and up,(medium) then either move the mouse to the left for a sideways swing at the head(medium speed & recovery - less base damage but higher chance of headshot) or down for a diagonal chop( fast speed, medium recovery - medium damage, higher base damage) at the arm/neck.
Down/Right - Prepares for overarm thrust(Slow), release to attack (fast attack, medium recovery - higher chance of headshot than underarm)
Down - Prepares for an underarm thrust(Fast), release to attack (fast attack & recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Down/Left - Performs a quick pommel bash as you swing your arm to the lower right (slow preparation, if the enemy is very close it makes them flinch back) then moving right chops at the legs or up to swing at the chest
Up/Left - Pommel bash as you swing to upper left(As above), then attacks are identical to up/right only from the other side.
Swing Only Weapons:
Up - Prepares for overhead chop (medium), then it defaults to an overhead chop(medium attack speed, slow recovery) or a pommel bash(fast attack speed & recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks) if you're moving the mouse down
Right - Swings your arm to upper right,(medium) then either move the mouse to the left for a sideways swing at the head(medium attack speed & recovery - less base damage but higher chance of headshot) or down for a diagonal chop( fast attack, medium recovery - medium damage, higher base damage) at the arm/neck.
Down - Performs a quick pommel bash as you swing your arm to the lower left (slow preparation, if the enemy is very close it makes them flinch back) then moving right chops at the legs or up to swing at the chest
Left - Pommel bash as you swing to upper left(Slow but can cause very close enemies to flinch), then attacks are identical to up/right only from the other side.
Spears:
Up - Prepares for overarm thrust(medium), repeated clicks will allow repeated overarm thrusts (fast attack & recovery)
Right - Prepares for a high underarm thrust(medium), repeated clicks will allow repeated high thrusts (fast attack & recovery)
Down - Prepares for a low underarm thrust(fast), repeated kicks will allow repeated low thrusts(fast attack & recovery)
Halberds:
Up - Prepares for overhead chop (medium), release to attack (medium speed, slow recovery)
Up/Right - Prepares for diagonally downward chop (medium), release to attack (medium speed & recovery)
Down/Right - Prepares for high thrust(fast), release to attack (medium speed, fast recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Down - Prepares for low thrust(fast), release to attack (medium speed, fast recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Down/Left - Prepares for overarm thrust with the pommel(slow), release to attack (fast speed & recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Up/Left - Prepares for diagonally downward chop(slow), release to attack (medium speed & recovery)
Throwing knives/axes:
Works like a chopping weapon in melee, only down is replaced with prepare to throw.
Javelins:
Works like a spear in melee, only up is replaced with prepare to throw.
Shields(shield attacks used by pressing attack while blocking with one, attacks instantly without requiring a preparation move. If you miss the bash, you will be defenceless during the recovery time unlike with other weapons.):
Up - Jump forward and bash (medium speed, slow recovery)
Right - Swing shield right (medium speed & recovery)
Down - Quick forward bash (fast speed, medium recovery)
Left - Swing shield left (fast speed, medium recovery)
This control method allows for both throwing weapon melee attacks and shield/pommel bashes without needing extra buttons, and adds more variety to other weapons attacks. However, it might still be worth adding an extra change grip button, which could be used to flip hammers/axes with a spike on the back or change a greatsword to a half sword style grip (making it operate like a fast but short ranged halberd) or to change ammo types for missile weapons. Another thing that could be worth adding is the ability to do a quick dodge if you tap a movement key rather than holding it down, which would let you avoid an attack but leave you briefly unable to move while you recover afterwards.
One thing that could improve the infantry combat is some more variation of attacks. As it is now, there is only thrust and a few functionally identical chops. Adding some differences between the attacks and a few more of them could make the melee combat a lot more tactical and satisfying. So, I suggest attacking be split up into the preparation and the attack itself. The preparation section moves your arm into a position ready to attack and is decided based on mouse movement/aim relative to enemy when you click, then which attack is used is decided by your mouse movement/relative aim when you release. Here's my idea for how each could work for each weapon type:
Cut & Thrust Weapons:
Up - Prepares for overhead chop (medium), then it defaults to an overhead chop(medium speed, slow recovery) or a pommel bash(fast attack speed & recovery) if you're moving the mouse down
Up/Right - Swings your arm back and up,(medium) then either move the mouse to the left for a sideways swing at the head(medium speed & recovery - less base damage but higher chance of headshot) or down for a diagonal chop( fast speed, medium recovery - medium damage, higher base damage) at the arm/neck.
Down/Right - Prepares for overarm thrust(Slow), release to attack (fast attack, medium recovery - higher chance of headshot than underarm)
Down - Prepares for an underarm thrust(Fast), release to attack (fast attack & recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Down/Left - Performs a quick pommel bash as you swing your arm to the lower right (slow preparation, if the enemy is very close it makes them flinch back) then moving right chops at the legs or up to swing at the chest
Up/Left - Pommel bash as you swing to upper left(As above), then attacks are identical to up/right only from the other side.
Swing Only Weapons:
Up - Prepares for overhead chop (medium), then it defaults to an overhead chop(medium attack speed, slow recovery) or a pommel bash(fast attack speed & recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks) if you're moving the mouse down
Right - Swings your arm to upper right,(medium) then either move the mouse to the left for a sideways swing at the head(medium attack speed & recovery - less base damage but higher chance of headshot) or down for a diagonal chop( fast attack, medium recovery - medium damage, higher base damage) at the arm/neck.
Down - Performs a quick pommel bash as you swing your arm to the lower left (slow preparation, if the enemy is very close it makes them flinch back) then moving right chops at the legs or up to swing at the chest
Left - Pommel bash as you swing to upper left(Slow but can cause very close enemies to flinch), then attacks are identical to up/right only from the other side.
Spears:
Up - Prepares for overarm thrust(medium), repeated clicks will allow repeated overarm thrusts (fast attack & recovery)
Right - Prepares for a high underarm thrust(medium), repeated clicks will allow repeated high thrusts (fast attack & recovery)
Down - Prepares for a low underarm thrust(fast), repeated kicks will allow repeated low thrusts(fast attack & recovery)
Halberds:
Up - Prepares for overhead chop (medium), release to attack (medium speed, slow recovery)
Up/Right - Prepares for diagonally downward chop (medium), release to attack (medium speed & recovery)
Down/Right - Prepares for high thrust(fast), release to attack (medium speed, fast recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Down - Prepares for low thrust(fast), release to attack (medium speed, fast recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Down/Left - Prepares for overarm thrust with the pommel(slow), release to attack (fast speed & recovery, repeated clicks for repeated attacks)
Up/Left - Prepares for diagonally downward chop(slow), release to attack (medium speed & recovery)
Throwing knives/axes:
Works like a chopping weapon in melee, only down is replaced with prepare to throw.
Javelins:
Works like a spear in melee, only up is replaced with prepare to throw.
Shields(shield attacks used by pressing attack while blocking with one, attacks instantly without requiring a preparation move. If you miss the bash, you will be defenceless during the recovery time unlike with other weapons.):
Up - Jump forward and bash (medium speed, slow recovery)
Right - Swing shield right (medium speed & recovery)
Down - Quick forward bash (fast speed, medium recovery)
Left - Swing shield left (fast speed, medium recovery)
This control method allows for both throwing weapon melee attacks and shield/pommel bashes without needing extra buttons, and adds more variety to other weapons attacks. However, it might still be worth adding an extra change grip button, which could be used to flip hammers/axes with a spike on the back or change a greatsword to a half sword style grip (making it operate like a fast but short ranged halberd) or to change ammo types for missile weapons. Another thing that could be worth adding is the ability to do a quick dodge if you tap a movement key rather than holding it down, which would let you avoid an attack but leave you briefly unable to move while you recover afterwards.
.Though it would be pretty hard to implement,it will increase the realism of the game
