First of all I'd like to point to this video which explains shields holding quite well. I know it's been posted before but on the offchange the devs haven't seen it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdHo-1jbX1A
So suggestions:
Change shield holding to a handle on the center of the shield. You can then replace kick with a shield bash animation for shield users. Keep the current holding for mounted players thought. Remove the invisible force field and make shield skill only add to the endurance of shields. Make shields 'floating' so you can move them while you hold the block enough to block up and down to cover from arrows. Also add 4 direction quick shield parrying animation that also can be used for covering against ranged and melee. If used the right way against melee a parry would then do alot less damage to the shield but if used 'wrong direction' it would still block but shield would sustain normal damage.
This would instantly fix the problem with shielded cavalry and add to the possibility of attacking around shields. Balance issues might arise from this but you can lower the boot prices dramatically and at least there would be a reason to buy boots if this were to be done. I for one don't think it isn't very realistic or good for gameplay that the character can magically see every arrow in the air even to the sides and block them without any effort. Also this would fix some hitbox problems with shield coverage and model glitching through shields.
So suggestions:
Change shield holding to a handle on the center of the shield. You can then replace kick with a shield bash animation for shield users. Keep the current holding for mounted players thought. Remove the invisible force field and make shield skill only add to the endurance of shields. Make shields 'floating' so you can move them while you hold the block enough to block up and down to cover from arrows. Also add 4 direction quick shield parrying animation that also can be used for covering against ranged and melee. If used the right way against melee a parry would then do alot less damage to the shield but if used 'wrong direction' it would still block but shield would sustain normal damage.
This would instantly fix the problem with shielded cavalry and add to the possibility of attacking around shields. Balance issues might arise from this but you can lower the boot prices dramatically and at least there would be a reason to buy boots if this were to be done. I for one don't think it isn't very realistic or good for gameplay that the character can magically see every arrow in the air even to the sides and block them without any effort. Also this would fix some hitbox problems with shield coverage and model glitching through shields.