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[DG]

Sometimes it's diffiult to visualize why dual-wielding is a bad idea. It can help to imagine the difference between throwing something at a target with one hand as opposed to throwing two things at a target with both hands at the same time. There'll be the arguments that it's not the same thing, but the principle is the same. Then there's the argument that it's not about accuracy or damage, but rather the extra attacks you get if you attack with one hand and then the other right after and so on. Again if you visualize throwing, you can intuitively see that doesn't make sense either.

[WillowLuman]

-snip-

I didn't say anything about heavily armored knights, and neither did Toady. He said he was using adamantine blades, so it's not really possible to infer how momentum modeled at this point, given the strange properties of adamantine. If it works by just letting you choose 2 attacks at once, then going on the current system one stab might be "easier strike" while the other "difficult strike." This might mean that one blow sticks the enemy but they get a counterattack on the other and stick you. Still unrealistic, but that would still be a drawback to making two attacks at once.

But you can't assume that it's not modeled in the game; Toady's post didn't indicate anything about that. He merely said he was testing simultaneous attacks, not which aspects or whether or not the dual-stabbing gave him advantage over other arena contestants.

Sometimes it's diffiult to visualize why dual-wielding is a bad idea. It can help to imagine the difference between throwing something at a target with one hand as opposed to throwing two things at a target with both hands at the same time. There'll be the arguments that it's not the same thing, but the principle is the same. Then there's the argument that it's not about accuracy or damage, but rather the extra attacks you get if you attack with one hand and then the other right after and so on. Again if you visualize throwing, you can intuitively see that doesn't make sense either.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying a double-stab is better, I'm just saying it's not abysmally horrible and nigh-impossible to pull off. First off, assume neither opponent is armored. Used effectively, a double-stab isn't like throwing, but more like thrusting with a 2-handed weapon. Imagine a shove: you put a hand on each shoulder blade, or one on the shoulders and one on the middle of the back, and push. Now imagine the same motion, but instead of pressing with the palm of your hands you press with the tips of 2 knives. No trying to do different actions with each hand just doing the same motion with both, spaced slightly apart. The closer the points, the more similar to using 2 hands to thrust the same knife.

More than likely, you just have the offhand shank in case your other hand gets grabbed or otherwise incapacitated, but should you find yourself in position to stab with both, you could make two nasty punctures. It's not an insane or irrational way to fight, it's just that the opportunity to double-stab doesn't come up as often.

[Crashmaster]

A stabbing sword or foil benefits from reach and due to body positioning wielding a second would seem pointless unless dying to dual opponents.
For a slashing attack the argument is way different. A lot more slashing then stabbing in knife fights, unless you're fighting a guy who doesn't have a knife, then just stab away. A double-stab to me would seem the sort of thing done from ambush.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JapMGyUbT68
You can't argue dual-wielding is too mentally difficult to be effective because it can be trained and seems competitive. Escrima in particular is brutal and lethal.  It seems more about flow then attacking with both hands simultaneously.
When it comes to full armor you can't fight with knives or light swords anyways but you should be able to shield bash and slash/ stab at the same time dual-wielding-wise... of course in DF you could wield two ultra-light one-hit kill adamantine longswords that cleave steel armor and the skill and strength to use them both - what attacks would there be for a shield to block ?

I would think simultaneous dual attacks would have to be handled differently; damage penalty and longer recovery back to balance point as opposed to sword-weaving style's multiple high-speed twice the attack/ defense opportunities at a penalized efficacy.

ugh it's way late...

[LordBaal]

As for the double stabbing in the rib cages, what I pictured in my head was a scissor movement from behind the victim, where both arms closed by the sides, hopefully puncturing the lungs or something, not thrusting forwards with both arms like giving a double stockade.

[King Mir]

Duel wielding daggers against an unarmored opponent should be effective. Daggers aren't meant to produce a forceful attack. They're meant to cut and bleed the opponent. You can cut deeply with a dagger without the full force of you body and legs behind it. Armor that's vastly inferior to the weapon strength isn't a barrier either, so adamantine daggers vs steal or steal daggers vs leather should work about the same as against unarmored opponents.

This strategy doesn't work with other weapons, except possibly the short sword, which is effectively a long dagger.

[Damiac]

Also, jumping attacks are taught in some martial arts. A flying side kick is effective, you've got your whole body mass flying at the target.  You see superman punches in MMA.  Just because they're not like in martial arts movies doesn't mean they don't exist.

[Whatsifsowhatsit]

Nothing too exciting in the newest update as far as I'm concerned, but it's good to hear of the progress. Still very anxious for this release.

[Nokao]

To write well into this post I will wait for the new version, avoinding to ask already made feats.

But I would definitely love to manage better (and geograhpically) interaction between reigns in the world, in fortress mode.
I already saw some screenshot about that in the website, but I still don't know if it's Adventure only.
A "cartographer" noble should be added in Fotress mode, to gain informations trought caravans of the surroundings.

If that is made, in the future we could also see an underworld map done in the same way (commercing with only underground races like drows or monsters). It would be really great.
Forgotten Realms - Underdark

[Footkerchief]

smashed into the body, an unrecognizable mass
split in half from the crown to the chin
torn apart
pierced through entirely
incinerated
is shattered
collapses into a lump of gore
is cloven asunder
is torn into pieces
is pierced through completely
is incinerated
explodes in gore
is mostly cut away from the rest of the torso
is ripped into loose shreds

Making their glorious return at last.

[Whatsifsowhatsit]

-snip-

This sounds like it belongs in the suggestions board.

[Eric Blank]

smashed into the body, an unrecognizable mass
split in half from the crown to the chin
torn apart
pierced through entirely
incinerated
is shattered
collapses into a lump of gore
is cloven asunder
is torn into pieces
is pierced through completely
is incinerated
explodes in gore
is mostly cut away from the rest of the torso
is ripped into loose shreds

Making their glorious return at last.

Oh, "Explodes in gore," how I've missed you!
Can't wait to see another small child punch a raptor in the lower body, causing it to explode in gore.

[Spish]

I couldn't help be bothered by the fact that finished player fortresses contribute absurdly massive amounts of data to the filesize of a world region folder. What is up with that? Is it a coding oversight or an unavoidable side-effect of being able to store player-created (non-seed generated) fortresses?

I ask because this issue almost single-handedly ruined the fun and exciting prospect of a Succession World. For example, here's a large region before and after only 12 or so player fortresses had been added to the world. The folder had swollen to an utterly ridiculous 800mb, almost 3 times the size of the world when it started, and took noticeably quite a bit longer to save. I don't even want to think about how big it would've gotten if we had went through all 64 turns, haha.

[CaptainArchmage]

I couldn't help be bothered by the fact that finished player fortresses contribute absurdly massive amounts of data to the filesize of a world region folder. What is up with that? Is it a coding oversight or an unavoidable side-effect of being able to store player-created (non-seed generated) fortresses?

I ask because this issue single-handedly ruined the fun and exciting prospect of a Succession World. For example, here's a large region before and after only 12 or so player fortresses had been added to the world. The folder had swollen to an utterly ridiculous 800mb, almost 3 times the size of the world when it started.

I think you mean almost 30 times. Unless history has been run a VERY long time I get large regions at 30-50MB.

I know there is a lot of information to be stored, but there may be ways to reduce the inflation of file size. Along with the need for optimization or even simplification of the way some of the checks done during the game work, this affects the long-erm playability of saves and can mess with the the intentions of the current upcoming release, which is to allow long-term playability on the same world.

[squishynoob]

If nobody has asked yet,

Now that movement/combat speeds are split, which attributes (or skills) determine each?

[tahujdt]

With climbing and whatnot, will goblins climb down on ropes from Giant Cave Swallows or Giant Bats?
I can imagine, after you and your band of heavily armed friends break into the dark fortress, that goblins with crossbows will strafe you from on high.
On that note, do you have any plans to fix the flying pathing bug? I can inmagine that that particular bug would have a lot to do with climbing pathing.