RANT: Weapons on your back

[loc978]

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?

Well, I sort of left the time I spent in trial-and-error figuring out how I was going to take the stuff off. I started off doing it the way I would on a car, steel wool and rustoleum. By the end I had 6 grades of sandpaper and 3 solvents. Also, it's a Hanwei rapier, stone polished and all, so the rust went fairly deep, for being essentially surface rust.

Also, I was only working on it about 2 hours a day.

 

[infohippie]

It matters why? If the game is good, one small detail like that isn't going to drag it down. Hell, even if the game is bad, that's nothing to complain about.

Go take a look at the sword drawing animation for The Witcher. It's retarded as hell. When he puts it away, he grabs the blade and slides it onto his back.

Does it make sense? No.

Does it have to? No.

Realism has little place in games unless simulation is the goal. Quit bitching.

Nah, the Witcher's animation of Geralt putting his sword away on his back makes perfect sense. Swords aren't razor-sharp, and holding the blade of one with gloves on is quite safe, and a sensible way to guide the tip into the scabbard. I've always thought the Witcher handled re-sheathing a sword better than any other game I've seen.

 

[DaHero]

If you've had trouble drawing from your back, you're using the wrong type of scabbard. One thing about back scabbards- easy to draw, difficult to put away.

I agree about gaming implementation, though.

I want one...name/link please?

 

[Frotality]

the worst part is that there is rarely even a strap or actual back scabbard to even hold the damn thing, it literally just floats there. DA is the worst offender, as they float inches away from you back for no reason; even in the bulkiest armor, theyre still levitating out there.

i dont know what developers have against hip scabbards; hell oblivion had 1-handed weapons floating just as mysteriously, but it looked alot better because at least they floated at your hip.

i am very curious though; how were larger weapons like claymores and bearded axes carried around IRL? im sure SOMEWHERE in human history lies a means to carry swords that arent magic spells of levitation, so why is it developers never use them?

 

[loc978]

If you've had trouble drawing from your back, you're using the wrong type of scabbard. One thing about back scabbards- easy to draw, difficult to put away.

Spoiler: image snipped for space

I agree about gaming implementation, though.

I want one...name/link please?

I actually grabbed that image from a google image search. I don't own any such thing, but I know people who do. I do own a double-wrap sword belt that I bought off of Museum Replicas [http://www.museumreplicas.com/]... if I were to buy a back scabbard now (well, after buying a sword that requires one, anyway), it would probably be this [http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=OL1038B&name=Back+Scabbard+-+Black]... checking the url on that image I posted brings me to here [http://www.corsairs-wares.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=114_130], which seems to be based in the UK.

 

[Wayneguard]

If Tenchu Z has a back-scabbard, elderscrolls and dragon age have no goddamn excuse >_>

 

[Christian Lerche]

Alright, I'll answer to the best of my abilities....

Gamers really will cry about everything

Yes, yes we will. Halfway through games I cry and weep for the unrealism. That is a joke.

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.

Well, I think it would be interesting to put down some real facts based on previous times. Besides, that's not the point. The point is floaty macfloat in games and not the LARP thing on the sideline. I like how you put Mr before my last name, makes me feel like a gentleman.

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

SNIP

Yeah, I am well aware of that, but thanks for picture. and I don't mind having weapons on their back, as I said, if it looks beliveable, that's enough for me.

 

[Christian Lerche]

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.

I just want it beliveable. That's it. I am not saying (wow, I make a lot of "I didn't say this")that it should be banned, but be beliveable within it's own universe. If it is a levitation spell, I'll bite the dust and accept it. Just include a litle dialouge that says: "Wow, having this levitation spell really makes handling weapons easy huh?"- and I'll shut my mouth.

 

[Baneat]

The same thing gets me with firearms. No body seems to use slings in games, they just chuck the gun behind themselves and it sticks to them, it looks kinda silly.

From a development perspective, it is *really* hard to put slings into the game. Like, really hard. I can't think of an example of when it's done right, and few where it's attempted at all. Time's better spent on more important things.

 

[Christian Lerche]

So if, say, I made a game where the main character carrys 3 katanas, a battleaxe and flambarge (bigass sword) on his back, and he had wings, would you rant about it?

Not if it take itself and the world seriosly. Like, I won't ***** and moan because the movie 300s shields wouldn't Blah blah blah becasue it's meant to be taken in lightly. But in games, you invest a lot of time and money, and at least they could make the in-game character design make sense in its own world.

 

[Zantos]

I genuinely spent more time trying to look up Leliana's skirt than worrying about the weapons floating, and even that was a "I wonder if this is possible. No, ok moving on." But it's probably magic, racist racist magic.

The weapons looked really nice though.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

As a LARPer, you'll also be complaining about the amount of equipment they carry, why they're allowed to call headshots and why they don't throw their spell lammys away after they finished.

Lighten up

 

[Christian Lerche]

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.)

I not a troll, I am an orc. But I am, shamely enough, serios about the subject matter.If there is a reason, it should be included in exposition during the game. Just one line of dialouge or a little spell weave, or just mentioning in a little text would be sufficient, ANYTHING would satify me.

And for breasts, they're a dying breed with equality and such within genders and blah blah, so let's enjoy digital boobies while we can. As I said, some things are alright as long as they make sense in their own world, and breasts withing gaming, the huge, cleaveges and bouncing physics.... Are sadly norm within fantasy genres. Like fireballs.

 

[Saelune]

You do realize its not INTENDED to float. Its so when you wear the bulkiest stuff you can see it. Its the result of the same thing that causes bits of things to overlap as if they were Kitty Pride.

While I would love tech and code to make it work right, I just accept that its not actually supposed to be floating.

Edit: Wow...alot of people here are dumb. Its it only floats because of tech. Weapons arent actually floating as far as the ingame characters are concerned, just as there is no visible HP meter for anyone.

 

[Christian Lerche]

As a LARPer, you'll also be complaining about the amount of equipment they carry, why they're allowed to call headshots and why they don't throw their spell lammys away after they finished.

Lighten up

Uh, no, not really. Actually I am more intrested in speial scenarios like Sin City LARPs or fallout-esque LARPS and I haven't been in regular campaigns for a long time.

But I am very enlightened (get it, lighten up, enlightened? Fuck it, that joke sucks)

 

[Christian Lerche]

You do realize its not INTENDED to float. Its so when you wear the bulkiest stuff you can see it. Its the result of the same thing that causes bits of things to overlap as if they were Kitty Pride.

While I would love tech and code to make it work right, I just accept that its not actually supposed to be floating.

Edit: Wow...alot of people here are dumb. Its it only floats because of tech. Weapons arent actually floating as far as the ingame characters are concerned, just as there is no visible HP meter for anyone.

I have already swallowed the fact that it's mostly due to tough editing, but like Oblivion, they had their most of their weapons by the waist, and that looked far more belivable than if they had them on their backs.

 

[Saelune]

You do realize its not INTENDED to float. Its so when you wear the bulkiest stuff you can see it. Its the result of the same thing that causes bits of things to overlap as if they were Kitty Pride.

While I would love tech and code to make it work right, I just accept that its not actually supposed to be floating.

Edit: Wow...alot of people here are dumb. Its it only floats because of tech. Weapons arent actually floating as far as the ingame characters are concerned, just as there is no visible HP meter for anyone.

I have already swallowed the fact that it's mostly due to tough editing, but like Oblivion, they had their most of their weapons by the waist, and that looked far more belivable than if they had them on their backs.

On that note, its more aesthetic, and should be treated as such. I would prefer that when I can, I have a choice. Obviously this only applies to appropriate weapons, but I should be allowed the freedom to choose if it is on my back or on my waiste.
There is some pro/con though which could factor in. A waiste allows quick draw, but the back would carry better and less likely to catch on something, or be grabbed.

 

[ThisIsSnake]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTlNN7KTu-heptfcEoCyDMR5kovP4Ofh3r57DX8KugTMXOJhU4ThQ

My name is Cloud Strife, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Uh, no, not really. Actually I am more intrested in speial scenarios like Sin City LARPs or fallout-esque LARPS and I haven't been in regular campaigns for a long time.

But you can understand that in LARPs we have to do a number of things that are unrealistic. Covering fire can't be easily called apart from "5-5-5 to that hedge", which doesn't help. Also you'd know that half of SoulCaliber and the like simply can't swing their weapons at that rate and not get overswing.

It's just one of those minor niggles we have to deal with because fixing it would take HUGE amounts of time.

 

[Christian Lerche]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTlNN7KTu-heptfcEoCyDMR5kovP4Ofh3r57DX8KugTMXOJhU4ThQ

My name is Cloud Strife, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains

.... Fuck.