What would be needed to make a 1vs1 duel feasible?

[F50]

This is a brainstorming thread. What would be needed to make a 1v1 duel feasible? Right now it is really difficult for either fighter to make headway, and the player always wins. What do you think would be needed to solve this?


1. Shield block directions.
This would make shields a lot less useful, but would make shields to not simply block everything coming in its general direction, which is good if there is something to balance it out properly.

2. block and strike at the same time while wielding a shield (details in dedicated King's court thread please). Would this cause balance issues for 1 vs 2 handed weapons?
This makes realism sense, and would balance out (1).

3. Weapon blocking hitpoints. This could come in two ways

(a) if a certian amount of damage is dealt to the weapon *in one strike* the weapon fails to block.
(b) if a certian amount of damage is dealt to the weapon (over many strikes), the weapon is thrown like shield, and can then either
(b_i) be thrown out of reach, but can be retrieved later.
(b_ii) be thrown out of reach, but like shield cannot be picked up.

This would make 2-handed weapons less impervious to assault.


Are these enough? Is there any other challenges to gameplay brought up by any of these solutions?

Number new suggestions as and if you post them, please.

 

[AvaRice]

All of these have been suggested already, and all of them would help in making a duel entertaining.

4. Bashing and shoving to cause a knockdown. Also, encumbrance should affect the time it takes to recover from a knockdown.

5. Running/dashing to dodge so that duels don't consist entirely of striking a shield, blocking, striking the enemy, blocking, etc. Honestly, AI doesn't maneuver effectively enough to make use of this right now.

6. Fatigue system. So that attacking over and over again has some consequences.

7. This isn't necessary, but having injuries would definitely make you think twice about dueling too aggressively.

 

[F50]

4. Bashing and shoving to cause a knockdown. Also, encumbrance should affect the time it takes to recover from a knockdown.

Bashing to cause a knockdown would be nice, but simply shoving the opponent backwards would be *very handy*.

5. Running/dashing to dodge so that duels don't consist entirely of striking a shield, blocking, striking the enemy, blocking, etc. Honestly, AI doesn't maneuver effectively enough to make use of this right now.

With (4), I don't think this is necessary. Whenever I am disadvantaged in the area of speed/defense (say, with a two-handed sword against a one-handed sword+shield in the arena), weapon length and range already become very important to me. The ability to shove would completely negate the need for this. This might be useful still, though.

6. Fatigue system. So that attacking over and over again has some consequences.

With (4), I don't think this is necessary. However, it would make things more realistic. If that is a good thing in this case.

7. Injuries would definitely make you think twice about dueling too aggressively.

Not so necessary in melee combat, but it has been pointed out that this makes a lot of difference when dealing with archers.

 

[quiet420]

1. Directional Shield Blocking
This would make shields a lot less useful, but would make shields to not simply block everything coming in its general direction, which is good if there is something to balance it out properly.

2. block and strike at the same time while wielding a shield (details in dedicated King's court thread please). Would this cause balance issues for 1 vs 2 handed weapons?
This makes realism sense, and would balance out (1).

3. Weapon blocking hitpoints. This could come in two ways

(a) if a certian amount of damage is dealt to the weapon *in one strike* the weapon is destroyed.
(b) if a certian amount of damage is dealt to the weapon (over many strikes), the weapon is thrown out of your grasp or destroyed.

This would make 2-handed weapons less impervious to assault.

4. General In-fighting, pomel strikes and checks, Bashing and shoving to cause a knockdown. Also, encumbrance should affect the time it takes to recover from a knockdown.

5. Running/dashing and *Sidestepping* (double-tap) to dodge so that duels don't consist entirely of striking a shield, blocking, striking the enemy, blocking, etc. Honestly, AI doesn't maneuver effectively enough to make use of this right now.

6. Fatigue system. So that attacking over and over again has some consequences.

7. injuries/wounds would definitely make you think twice about dueling too aggressively. A shocking amount of damage in a single blow to a leg or arm should hobble or cripple the affected apendage. by shocking im thinking > 85-90%,  anything less would just be annoying, if you survive the battle, it would take some time to heal fully, possible str or agi penalties, maybe a some crippled and hobbled animations.  Would also be interesting to see a chance of bleeding out after a particularly nasty blow too.

8. Lances and spears should take random amounts of damage somewhat proportional to the speed of the charge when they deal couched damage. (this would be particularly fun in jousting matches, where you could have several passes and lance breakages without dismounting the opponent.) Also, would be nice to see a change in spears while on foot so that when you hold down the attack button, it gives you a footman's equivalent of couched damage...a charging opponent could impale themself if they were careless, even without you thrusting.

9. Taunts.

10. Counters, repostes, and parries would be nice...but they would have to be implemented in a manor which was natural and fluid, an extension of, rather than a replacement for, the existing combat mechanic.

11. more randomization of the AI's behavior.....on max settings the computer isn't exactly stupid, it's just slow, a little bit of randomization would make fighting ai a little less predictable.



edited for convenience V V V

 

[F50]

11. In-fighting, shield jams and bashes, pommel strikes and cross checks... same disclaimer as above.

shield bashes and cross checks perhaps are covered in (4) and wouldn't be that hard to make fluid. Shield jams might be getting a bid complex. Pommel strikes might be a good idea though, especially extending that to quarter strikes with spears and quarterstaves.

12. more randomization of the AI's behavior.....on max settings the computer isn't exactly stupid, it's just slow, a little bit of randomization would make fighting ai a little less predictable.

Indeed.

13. A shocking amount of damage in a single blow to a leg or arm should hobble the affected apendage. by shocking im thinking > 85-90%,  anything less would just be annoying. Would also be interesting to see a chance of bleeding out after a particularly nasty blow too.

covered in (7), but fleshed out more