Swingable polearms need a new animation

[ClickForFreeBeer]

Was just thinking while testing out the laughable bad Battanian Veteran Falxman, that swingeable polearms aren't really that fundamentally different from axes in Bannerlord but apparently use two different skill trees. Also, some are basically big slow axes you can stab with too (menavlion, voulge) and then you have ones like the rhomphalia which do insane damage but are impossible for the AI to land half the time. Then there's the celtic-style leaf spear which

I propose a new animation to better reflect the historical use of bladed polearms a give them a bit more of a niche in-game. Specifically, the swing arcs should be much, much shorter, sacrificing power for the ability to actually hit the target in a battle. Overhead swings could still be fairly powerful, as there'd be room to raise the weapon at least 90 degrees + gravity. This way, swingeable polearms can act more like polearms with added utility (when wielded in two hands) rather than just being abused on horseback to clothesline other cavalry.

P.S. Taleworlds, please buff spear damage to be on par with sword thrusts.

P.P.S. Also, if you could could give the leaf spear head some half-decent cutting damage rather a miniscule amount of blunt, that'd be great. Thanks.

 

[Lucius Confucius]

P.S. Taleworlds, please buff spear damage to be on par with sword thrusts.

+1

I want spears to be as viable as any other weapon, right now, they are underwhelming.

 

[five bucks]

+100

 

[Brano]

All weapon animations need proper reality check. The world has move way forward since original M&B. Motion capturing anyone?

 

[Madeloc]

Was just thinking while testing out the laughable bad Battanian Veteran Falxman, that swingeable polearms aren't really that fundamentally different from axes in Bannerlord but apparently use two different skill trees. Also, some are basically big slow axes you can stab with too (menavlion, voulge) and then you have ones like the rhomphalia which do insane damage but are impossible for the AI to land half the time. Then there's the celtic-style leaf spear which

I propose a new animation to better reflect the historical use of bladed polearms a give them a bit more of a niche in-game. Specifically, the swing arcs should be much, much shorter, sacrificing power for the ability to actually hit the target in a battle. Overhead swings could still be fairly powerful, as there'd be room to raise the weapon at least 90 degrees + gravity. This way, swingeable polearms can act more like polearms with added utility (when wielded in two hands) rather than just being abused on horseback to clothesline other cavalry.

P.S. Taleworlds, please buff spear damage to be on par with sword thrusts.

P.P.S. Also, if you could could give the leaf spear head some half-decent cutting damage rather a miniscule amount of blunt, that'd be great. Thanks.

Rhomphalia has good reach (but not so good in very close combat) and huge damage.
I like voulges, romphalia and menavliaton but no bonus against damn shields so much so that I always end up using a two handed axe with all possible bonuses against shields.

 

[Apocal]

All weapon animations need proper reality check. The world has move way forward since original M&B. Motion capturing anyone?

They did use mo-cap.

Most of the unrealistic jank is because the strikes have to be easily readable to a player, in order to know when and how to block. So they add in these exaggerated and/or drawn-out motions to them.

 

[Brano]

Ah ok, I stand corrected. Did they at least hire proper medieval martial arts advisor? From what I experience in game, they didn't. If real soldiers would swing their weapons in a way its represented in game, they would be out if stamina after few minutes of fight...or dead very quickly. Cold weapons combat is about conservation of energy. Minimalistic moves. Zero position thrust/stab. In the game it is just wild swinging from ridiculos angles and arcs. Actors are not able to "bash". Somehow only player has this advantege. For poor AI its just brainless exchange of I-hit-you-you-hit-me on the opposing trajectories. No action-reaction. No riposte...

 

[Terco_Viejo]

Taleworlds is not in the slightest bit interested in "ironing out the rough edges" when it comes to animations (plausible). Recurring improvements such as swing arcs triming, feedback that has been brought to Taleworlds' attention for years... has been ignored/dismissed... and not because of time or resources (they have the mocap studio in-house).

I myself have several threads referring to this problem of polearms... especially in mounted combat. Unfortunately the inaction of Taleworlds hand persists... and it's too late to see any change at this stage.

 

[Brano]

Coming from Kingdome Come Deliverance game combat system, Bannerlord was like travelling back in time a decade...minimum. Even Total War scripted animations look better then what is in this game. Sad admission