The mechanics of spear type weapons have always bugged me in a large number of games, mostly stuff like Terraria and Ragnarok. Now for a standard spear, yes the only thing you're really able to do with it is throw or stab things, but once you get up to more efficient pole-arms, namely lances, glaives, halberds, and the like, there is much more you can do with them. Take for example, take Terraria's Adamantite Glaive: That's got a big sided blade for something that only stabs. Now Terraria's mechanics were a little more limited compared to Starbound's, So I don't see why weapons wouldn't be able to have more than just the one animation. This even goes for swords and other melee weapons. All melee weapons should have a stab, as well as a slash attack. 2 different moves for melee weapons doesn't seem like a lot to ask, and I mean it offers up some cool combo opportunities. Even for weapons such as maces and hammers, if you aren't swinging it and you're just shoving it into an enemy, it's still going to hurt like hell. Because honestly, having a large metal pole weapon and only using it to stab from afar, makes half of the weapon useless! So, what does everyone think about this?
Well, there are two buttons shown in the UI, perhaps they each control a different attack style while holding a weapon. Using your example of the hammer, maybe the left click would be a large downward strike, while the right click would be a low damage/high knockback push.
This could turn out to be a combo, with all the different stab and slash attacks followed on, I like the idea.
While I see why you would want this, I'm not exactly sure why it should be implemented other than 'it looks better' Would either of the 2 attacks be more effective against certain type of enemies? Is one more focussed on damage while the other is more for knock-back? Because if there is no real reason, then it could be added in such a way it randomizes which attack to use so you still get the looks of both attacks without having to fuss with 2 buttons.
I'm not so sure, I mean, for most weapons, yes. And that spear example you gave, with the bladed edge, was definitely one of them. But I don't agree with " All melee weapons should have a stab, as well as a slash attack. " Some weapons wouldn't work with a slash attack, like... I don't think that would look right with a slash attack, but, maybe a sort of sideways "Whack" where you hit the enemy with the bottom of the pole, maybe pushing them away to be poked at again with the pointy end! However, most weapons would work with a slash attack but I'd just rather see more diversity rather than a "left click = stab, right click = slash" type affair on all melee weapons. I'd like to find a new weapon and be like "OMG right click lets me throw it! " or "Right click let's me parry ranged attacks back at the enemy! Wooo!" I agree that all melee weapons should have two attacks, but I disagree that all melee weapons should be restricted to stab + slash attacks. Just my thoughts
Very good point. I didn't take into account weapons like a basic spear, my mind was set on higher end ones, along with the other weapons I listed. I should really edit that main post hahah. Although to be fair I doubt you'll be throwing many melee weapons, but yeah a lot of them could totally have 2 different moves.
Already got a big box of words about this thing, heres the thread. http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?threads/expanded-attack.5396/page-2
This means that right-clicking for the secondary attack could only work for two-handed weapons, while for one handed weapons the right-click activates the other item. This seems fair to me, since one handed weapons are almost always specialized for either slashing or stabbing and not both, while almost all two-handed weapons are at least fairly decent when they are used in other ways. For example, a dagger CAN slash, but the money damage is in the stabbing, slashing with daggers is not nearly as effective as slashing with swords. One-handed swords are usually designed for one or the other, with slashing swords being curved and thin but broad, while stabbing swords have a much broader cross-section to add stability and are tapered and straight. Contrast this with two-handed weapons like the halberd or great sword, which can be wielded all sorts of ways because they have to make up for the loss of the off-hand weapon or shield. Anyway, to be honest, I'd prefer they include alternate attacks if you hold the click down. This could make twirling whips like in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, or axes that can be thrown like boomerangs, or any number of other really awesome attacks that could be available with the right mods. I think this would be much more interesting, and it would also work for one-handed weapons.
Maybe each weapon has a stab and a slash? Maybe depending on the weapon will show how much damage each one does? Like a mace. You slash with the mace, 100% damage You stab with the mace, 30% damage (Cuz its a mace...) Thats just a thought... Kinda lie the idea of stabbing with a mace...
Stab with the mace. Stab with the mace. Yup, we are definitely not restricting it to stab and slash ;..;
We could throw it. It won't go far... Maybe we can use it like a rattle? Ya'know for Giant-Babie-Monsters?
I rather like this idea. It could easily translate to ranged weapons as well - I have a pistol in my hand, and an enemy gets too close. BAM, pistol-whip. Dazes him for a moment, knocks him back, and I have a moment to put some ground between us before his next assault. You could also hit a guy with the but of a rifle, or an attached bayonet. If bows are in, then you could crack the guy over the head with it.
All possible ideas. Tiy said in one of the IRC Q&A's that they might not have a second animation at release but it's possible that every weapon class would have a second swing or hit.
Bolded mine for emphasis. I implied that there were exceptions, but they don't seem important to me. The arming sword (read: shortsword) is a rare example and is less effective than more specialized one-handed weapons, which is exactly why other weapons were developed over time. In fact, the shortsword was generally used as a side-arm for exactly this reason.
I could see this being relatively easy to implement for 2-handed weapons (what are you using the other mouse button for, anyway?). Stabbing with a polearm should pierce or travel farther or deal multiple hits (like in terraria), and slashing could instead be a larger hit arc (like the difference between a sword and a spear in Terraria [not between a sword and a shortsword because shortswords were total crap])
You know, I was wondering if anyone would bring this up. Polearms hit multiple times in Terraria because the hitbox is moving outwards, and they tend to have less knockback, so the enemy gets knocked back but is struck again as the hitbox catches up with them. This is also how the demon scythe deals multiple hits. It would certainly be a useful alternative to slashing over your head, you'd basically get less knockback and more damage, but you have to aim it. However, from what I have seen, the spears work more like the shortsword in Terraria, only with longer range, higher damage, and more knockback so it isn't crap. They appear to only stab forward, not towards your mouse, and the animation/hitbox does not have the multiple-hit quirk that the Terraria polearms have. I actually really like the idea of something like the shortsword only not crap, since having to aim your attack seems like more of a ranged weapon thing. In my thread here: http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?threads/various-weapon-mod-ideas.10920/ , suggestion #4 under the Ranged category would work very similar to a Terraria polearm if it has very short range. Also, #6 under Melee could have multiple hits, in which case it would be similar to lances in Terraria (or maybe even like the Aqua Scepter or Flamethrower, depending on the range).
I like the idea of some melee weapons having different attacks. The best way that I've seen on this thread to do that is to have 2-handed weapons whose left and right clicks did different attacks. Also it would be a good thing to have it on ranged weaponry E.G. assault rifle left click shoots and right click launches a grenade(perhaps requiring a mod). But I also love the idea of dual weilding a pistol and a dagger.
Bayonets and Pistol-Whipping for the win! Why limit the fun to melee weapons? Nothing's worse than running out of ammo at a critical juncture. Especially if the game differentiates blunt and non-blunt damage, allowing you to KO and capture minions by whacking them with the gun barrel rather than vaporizing them. Secondary fire in ranged weapons is great and all, but not nearly as great as garroting someone with a bowstring.
For pistols and other ranged weapons there should probably be a system that when you run out of ammo you attack by pistol whipping or hitting with the butt of the weapon. For bows what kind of secondary attack could there possibly be?
