RANT: Weapons on your back

[Christian Lerche]

You're not talking, you're making an argument, and I expect anyone to back up their claims as they would in IRL. And please, if you want to slap a LARPer with an insult at least make it good,like : "You guys never get laid" or something like that. I believe I can draw a real sword just as well any other, and I've yet to see the day I'm proven wrong. Read the other posts I've about realism if you'd be so inclined.

Do you really expect people IRL to go grab an encyclopedia every time they disagree with you? Grow up.

I have read this entire thread, and haven't found anything that refutes the points I'm making. I even provided you with the reason they appear to float in games in an earlier post.

"Because they live in a world where drinking a potion and your skin turns to stone is completely normal. This is not about realism, if I was for realism I wouldn't play RPGs at all.
It makes sense that you can run a marathon in plate, it doesn't when their weapons float, simple as that. It's not norm within fantasy, like the fireball for instance, and I hope it doesn't turn into one." and the "Sparta"-factor.

I expect people to point a finger towards something someone can relate to. And I have all respect for you disagreing, but it seem more or less you're making a point, and therefore should prove that your knowledge is based on true fact, rather than something taken for granted from a friend or such.
It's not like I'm saying it's because of the unrealism it presents, but the unrealism WITHIN that realism break the illusion (inception joke not intended)
I know they put it there also for the sake of clipping, but it's a poor design choice and should be altered for future games. Plus I love to ***** and let people hear it, this is a rant mind.

 

[Christian Lerche]

I know right. I hate it when games are NOT JUST LIKE THE REAL WORLD. Chill out, it's a game.

I ***** where I please, and I please where I *****.

 

[Something Amyss]

Now, talking as a LARPer

"Talking as a LARPER" is about as good a qualification for expertise on armaments as "Watching Star Wars" is a qualification for building a FTL drive.

Even barring back holsters as the second poster demonstrated, the only thing inaccurate about large swords on your back is the way they're drawn.

 

[Camarilla]

And for the real world bit, I would like to see an article or proof of this claim.

There are vague references to some Irish and Scottish natives wearing great swords on their back, but for the most part there's no real proof that swords were worn on the back in Europe (though it's been posited that they may have been when carrying them on marches).

There is some evidence though, of swords being worn on the back in Asia. Some contemporary images show Mongol horsemen wearing swords across their back, as well as Samurai. To hand though, the only thing I can show is this:

Not a combat situation, but it shows that its not a completely fictional idea.

 

[KalosCast]

I know they put it there also for the sake of clipping, but it's a poor design choice and should be altered for future games.

So... what? You'd rather have it float next to their waist? There aren't exactly a lot of options here.

 

[ShadowKatt]

Image Snip

I've NEVER seen anything like that before. I want two of them.

 

[meryatathagres]

Actually, since mr. Lerche made the opening argument, he has the onus of proof before asking any for counterarguments. Don't fall for the "Claim! , retort , prove your retort!" -trap.

 

[Life_Is_A_Mess]

I agree, but some games just don't pay attention to those details, or just can't stick it to the character, risking to glitch the model.

 

[Kroxile]

Gamers really will cry about everything

 

[meryatathagres]

It makes sense that you can run a marathon in plate, it doesn't when their weapons float, simple as that. It's not norm within fantasy, like the fireball for instance, and I hope it doesn't turn into one.

Since you probably didn't read my edit postsrciptum, I'll say it again. The weapons float via levitation spell, just like every female characters' mammaries do.
There are better logical reasons to use magic to make your gear float or be weightless or appear from thin air, than there is for limiting fireball into a line of sight spell. Now please go rather concentrate on things like why can't we jump in most crpgs. I can think of many situations where jumping down a small ledge, or grappling down with the partys ropes would've been far smarter than what the game presented. So ultimately the real answer is, because it is a game. Games have limitations. I believe most people would take few hours of extra storyline than hardcore realism for weapon placement. (you're ofcource welcome to research a solution to clipping issues, but I have a slight suspicion you're trolling anyways.)

 

[Anchupom]

Heavenly Sword did the weapons-on-back thing right, IMO.
Handles of the blade sideways, very easy to get at and quick to draw in a slashing motion.

 

[Grabbin Keelz]

Hey man, Link made it work. Why can't they?

 

[tennessee10]

That would have actually been something that Yahtzee could have touched on in Mogworld as another sign of the Syndrome: passive, limited telekinesis.

 

[Pyro Paul]

most back mounted weapons are fastened to the user through the usage of a Baldric. a peice of gear which has been used since ancient times to hold weapons to an individual.

these weapons where slung across the back for ease to carry on long marches and distant travel. however, because of the design of most baldrics, these weapons where often drawn and put away much like a hip mounted scabbard. When holstered, the belt was shifted or placed so that the blade was slung across ones back for ease of travel.

a Point to make.
most all ancient and Midevil scabbards, baldrics, and holsters where not designed to have the weapon slid into and out of them constantly. It was intended to hold the weapon during the times between battles, If any threat was present soldiers would already have their weapons drawn and would not put them away until all threat was gone.

the usage of a scabbard as you see in video games today represents a modern concept of combat, in that conflicts are resolved quickly. this is just not true, most ancient and midevil conflict would last Days, not hours. Sword fights between professional Plate clad soldiers could last up of 10-20 minutes before one is inevitably slain.

But this level of realism just simply isn't very fun.

better example
Look at fighting games like street fighter and mortal combat...
you have 3 rounds of 60-90 seconds.

look at Boxing or MMA fighting.
you usually have 3-5 rounds of 3-5 minutes.

 

[KalosCast]

Sword fights between professional Plate clad soldiers could last up of 10-20 minutes before one is inevitably slain.

But this level of realism just simply isn't very fun.

I beg to differ, that sounds fucking awesome if you could implement it in a deep and strategic manner.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

It is rather annoying. I quite prefer having the scabbard on the side.

But that doesn't work with claymores and such...

 

[Pyro Paul]

Sword fights between professional Plate clad soldiers could last up of 10-20 minutes before one is inevitably slain.

But this level of realism just simply isn't very fun.

I beg to differ, that sounds fucking awesome if you could implement it in a deep and strategic manner.

what strategy?

hit guy with sword.
block with shield.
push up against him.

thats effectively it.

quiet litterally most of these fights was more focused on pushing your foe onto his back then thrusting your blade into a weak spot in his armor... most of the fight was trying to exhausting him enough so that he falls on his back first.

the same thing happens in MMA fights.
a great majority of the fight is simply grappling as one guy tries to tire out the opposing guy so he can put him into a submission. Sure you may see a solid hit land a KO, or a barrage of hits ending the fight... but 4 out of 5 matches are Submission holds, Grappling, and tap outs.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

after a week of rust removal:

As a (sport) fencer, I am accustomed to cleaning rust from weapons and thus I must ask, what process do you use that takes a week to get the job done? I personally use a very fine grit sanding block to remove rust, a process that takes perhaps ten minutes per blade. If I cared about the appearance of the blade (i.e. I wanted to maintain a mirror sheen), a normal polishing job wouldn't take more than a few hours given the relatively small amount of material we're dealing with. Did you just go for polishing the rust off from the start or something?

 

[Cain_Zeros]

a portable hole or bag of holding.

Two things that should always be kept separate from each other.

I did notice that my weapons were floating in Dragon Age last time I played, but then I decided I didn't care. There's enough issues with weapons drifting through the ass of a female dwarf, they don't need to add it to every other character. It's just one of those "let the player see the weapons we made, keep the animations simple, and avoid as many graphical issues as possible" things.