No ranged combat please | Forums

[spaff_meister]

I have a few ideas for balancing (I have some experience with this in designing tabletop games).

I'm basing these ideas on the notion that projectiles/projectile classes are a supplementary force to the staple melee units.


Archery

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. Armour and Evasion:
For purposes of realism and balance, a hardy knight's armour should deflect arrows with relative ease and minimal damage (except on critical to exposed areas), where the Samurai and Vikings receive moderate damage to most areas depending on location hit (and how complex the game's hit detection is). Though those factions with less armour should have their own counter.

Smaurai could have the ability to dodge or deflect arrows (yes, for the most expert warriors, this is possible,). These abilities could come as feats, in that a certain feat would give a passive percentile chance to dodge arrows, where another may provide the opportunity to press a button moments before being hit to knock the arrow aside, though the logistics of this second suggestion may be complicated.

As for Vikings, aside from passive feats as mentioned above, it may be that Vikings have to employ shields against an archer-heavy enemy. This rock-aper-scissor effect is fine. - that Vikings may be weak to archers compared to other factions.


. Ammunition and Fire Rate:
To suggest a refined number of arrows per archer would require me to know more about the game (maps, arrow damage etc.) though I would start by suggesting around 16-20, certainly not akin to an FPS where you'd be given 30, but also as low as 14 seems too few to me.

Fire Rate will affect this too. I believe the time taken to notch and draw the bow should take around 1.5-2.5 seconds. It shouldn't be as fast as we see in other titles, but not so slow as to undermine that these heroes are masters of their craft.
A longer time spent in full-draw should reduce accuracy too, and to quite a significant degree. Though the following video is a joke, it's a good example of how mainstream entertainment directors/devs often skip over the fundamentals of medieval weapon logistics - something it seems that this game has promised to implement (Art of War mechanic).
Video

. Additional Effects:
A warrior stuck with arrows might not take too much damage depending on their armour, but being hit with such a force can leave deep bruises, broken bones and concussions. Maybe, to counter the suggestion that arrows inflict lesser-moderate damage, they also induce debuffs such as reduced stamina/speed, reduced attack damage, possibly even a blurred vision amongst the edges of the screen upon taking and surviving a headshot (which could dissipate over time - like 15 seconds or so).

An arrow might also stun a warrior's charge, or provide an opening for an ally locked in combat.

tl;dr, an archer could be an interesting support class if balanced well, and mechanics invented to provide dynamic, non-lethal offensive capabilities.



Javelins

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. Armour and Evasion:
I do not think the javelin has much on the arrow in terms of armour penetration, except that getting hit by a javelin will produce more force and knockback, thus disorientation and reduced speed ect.
At close range, a Javelin's stopping power will normally be around 2 times that of the average longbow. The damage dealt by these weapons should be more than the arrow by about that degree. Though if evasion is an option (passive or active), then it should be easier to evade a javelin than an arrow.

. Ammunition and Fire Rate:
Two javelins per warrior seems about fair for a maximum amount; these weapons should be used to offset/weaken an opponent, not kill them outright. It would be nice if they were retrievable though.
Depending on how the weapon is fixed (to shield, to back), the user should first sheathe their weapon, then I would suggest a draw/throw time of around 2.5 seconds.

. Additional Effects:
Similar to the bow&arrow, except to a more significant degree. Would be nice to see shield's force-dropped or rendered almost useless when stuck with javelins.

tl;dr, A stronger, slower, shorter-ranged than the bow&arrow. quite self-explanatory.

[Eiddard]

No ranged pls, I am fine with the ranged perks such as "rain of arrows" or the "throwing knife" that we saw from the Samurai, which had a huge cooldown.

But pls, I hate when dueling someone and then an arrow appear from nowhere to end an epic duel.

[TheS4dNesS]

Archers are part of the game. They are the snipers in shooters game. So its impossible the devs wont include them.

[Eiddard]

Archers are part of the game. They are the snipers in shooters game. So its impossible the devs wont include them.

I dont see how you see it as impossible when the game emphazises so much the melee duels. I think the only ranged things the game should have are perks as shown in the gameplays released.

Even in the trailer they show only melee combat as main focus, the only range combat is from the Rain of Arrows that we saw as a perk in the gameplay video.

There is a lot of melee weapons to add to the game to fit everyones combat style, I dont want archers ruinning the duel experience.

[Kimarous]

Okay, people. It looks like some ranged attacks are confirmed. Gameplay Trailer #1 @ 3:34: "Samurai Assassin" throws shuriken at knight, dealing one "blip" of damage.

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[McEspada]

Please no range, maybe just a slow ability thing, but no damg pls
Thanks ;D Greetz from austria

[Justinian.I]

Range attacks are fine, as long as there are not range classes! And the reason why range attacks are fine is because it would be nice instead of chasing a person all over the map i will be able to just throw a javelin or a star and kill him.

[TheS4dNesS]

Will this is video game, don't expect that range class will be shooting targets at far distance as we can see in real life. But yea i think its very difficult to add range classes because of the Art of Battle system.

[NaturalFarmer808]

A Samurai always had his bow. Most of all the ancient drawings and pictures are samurais with their sword and bow. That was a big part of the Samurai. Knights had cross bows, and vikings had throwing axes pretty bad ***!

[marklive333]

IF they do range, let's hope it's VERY skilled shot and not auto shot per say in a 'zone' when aiming. We're talking 100% accuracy, power indicator, etc.