Weapon Slots: Revamped

[Maedhros]

This idea is going to be immediately disliked by many of you, and I'm not even sure I like it - I reckon I'd need to try it out - I decided to post it anyway though. It might actually be better than it seems to me as a matter of fact xD



Let me give you some info on my preferred equipment beforehand:
______________________________________________________________

My weapon selection is usually one of the following:

1.                           |    2.
- Bastard sword      |     - Bastard sword
- Shield                  |     - Polearm
- Bow                     |     - Shield
- Arrows                 |     - <empty slot> / Throwing weapons

In option 1., I feel I'm missing a polearm.
In option 2., I feel I'm missing bow & arrows.
______________________________________________________________



Anyway, here's the idea:

I believe that the way the weapon slots are at the moment, the player is slightly restricted relatively to weapons.

An easy solution for this would be an extra weapon slot. At this point many of us at the forum, including me, will say "Hang on, one more is one too many."

Let me put it this way: if we don't consider shields as weapons - which they're not - an extra slot could be created for shields only.
If we do the math, so far it's the same as having one regular extra weapon slot.
But what if this slot the shield left behind while moving into it's brand new home would become a bonus slot, only achievable after a certain event? (reaching level 5 in weapon mastery, for example)



At this point, my opinion is that would still make our lives too easy, by letting us carry to many different weapons. Right?

Well, here is couple of simple solutions to reduce this 'easyness':

- make that slot, when used, give a negative speed/agility bonus;
- make equipment weight (encumbrance) more significant to the character's movement and fighting speed, and make the bonus slot have a weight multiplier for any item put inside (be it x1.5, x2, x3, whatever).




That's it, I guess. I'll be back if I remember anything else!

Cheers

 

[Archonsod]

The point of limiting the slots to four is to restrict the weapons a player can carry. The idea being that you need to specialise because you can't cover every necessary role with a single character. You can't have a shield, polearm and bow/crossbow on one character, you need to either reduce or drop one area entirely. You aren't supposed to be the medieval equivalent of the Swiss Army Knife ...

 

[DamienZharkoff]

He isn't suggesting being a swiss army knife, he is suggesting making a slot for shields ONLY (As shields would be placed OVER your sheathed weapons, not mixed among them)

Want to go for more realism Archonsod?
Don't allow the player to carry 3 shields!

Why is it that a two handed sword or axe, takes as much space as a dagger?

 

[Maedhros]

Actually, I was suggesting a Swiss Army Knife with only one shield xD

I am also in favour of specialization, and that's exactly why I suggested the negative bonus. The more weapons the player is carrying, the worse he'd be with each one of them (at least he'd be slower)

 

[Maedhros]

Another shot at this is is creating an item slot on the horse, for a quiver, and a horse archer would just set the arrow on the bow directly from that slot.

I think I'd only see arrows or bolts as weapons if they could be handthrown, which would be ridiculous. Still... no one said the 4 item slots are for weapons only. 


Foot archers wouldn't have this bonus, but hey. Horses are supposed to carry humans, and some in heavy armors. A few more arrows wouldn't make a difference.

 

[AvaRice]

4 slots is the perfect number. It allows you options yet keeps you from becoming a walking arsenal. However, I remember a post about a "5th" slot being a small dagger for archers. I would approve of that.

 

[GaGrin]

if we don't consider shields as weapons - which they're not

Normally I'd overlook this, but given what you are suggesting I won't.

A weapon is wielded, armour is worn.  A sheild is a weapon.  It just happens to be a weapon specialised at defence - in much the same way as the Main Gauche is a specialised off-hand weapon.

As for the idea itself... Its just another hack onto a very hacked system.  The game isn't vaguely realistic in its current form even if many of us would like it to be more so.  The only way to do a realistic system is to get rid of slots altogether and have somethign else instead.  Its not going to happen in this game.  I suggest we keep our fingers crossed and look to see what gets changed if Armagan and Co decided its worth making a sequal.

 

[Maedhros]

if we don't consider shields as weapons - which they're not

Normally I'd overlook this, but given what you are suggesting I won't.

A weapon is wielded, armour is worn.  A sheild is a weapon.  It just happens to be a weapon specialised at defence - in much the same way as the Main Gauche is a specialised off-hand weapon.

I stand corrected 

 

[Art Falmingaid]

Wouldn't the problem be fixed if they made spears less awful when on foot?

 

[Maedhros]

The matter here isn't spear effectiveness 

I see it as perfectly feasable that a strong fighter carries with him a shield, a sword, a lance, and bow and arrows, as long as it makes him less agile and somewhat heavier 

The point of the requirement I mentioned (the example I gave was level 5 Weapon Mastery) is exactly that the character has already some experience to be able to manage the fact he's got more weapons on him.


If the requirements for this bonus slot would be, i.e.:
level 15 strength
level 5 weapon mastery

Using the bonus slot woulde either give the player:

-A considerable increase on encumbrance (additional encumbrance = item on slot weight*2)
Does encumbrance really do anything right now? I never noticed anything in particular

-Or a decrease in the player's agility, and therefore speed (a formula involving strength).
I see this as realistic as the agility would be directly linked to strength, which would be needed to carry the extra item.

 

[Red River]

I think a 5th slot should open when ya have a horse. realistically a mounted fighter can carry way more stuff than a foot solder.

 

[Taal]

He isn't suggesting being a swiss army knife, he is suggesting making a slot for shields ONLY (As shields would be placed OVER your sheathed weapons, not mixed among them)

Want to go for more realism Archonsod?
Don't allow the player to carry 3 shields!

Why is it that a two handed sword or axe, takes as much space as a dagger?

I wouldn't argue with Arch.
Also How is carrying 3 shield unrealistic, I could go into battle with three shields. I could, but I wouldn't. Just as I could drag out three broadswords and a sheath of arrows with no bow. I could, but I wouldn't.

As for the idea, you put alot of thought into it, something that should be encouraged I feel. Though i feel 4 is the perfect number of slots.

 

[ArakDemonBlade]

I actually kind of like the idea of being able to put more stuff on your horse, with the downside of course being a slower, less maneuverable horse. That way you could have more weapons on hand assuming you have your horse handy (if not well...)

 

[Chaosegg]

Seems like a simple way to do this would be to make the 5th slot unlock when you have met certain requirements:

strength 12 (maybe reduce the strength requirement to 10 if on horseback)
weapon master 4 (which means you also need 12 agility, or 9 and a book)

 

[deuxhero]

I'd like to see the the slot system changed to take into account size. No reason I can hold 4 spears but not 5 knifes. Would also give a reason to use knifes and short swords.

 

[Askorti]

I'd like to see the the slot system changed to take into account size. No reason I can hold 4 spears but not 5 knifes. Would also give a reason to use knifes and short swords.

Agreed.