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Author Topic: Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc  (Read 633 times)

Jake

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Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc
« on: February 23, 2011, 09:06:39 pm »

Now that mineral abundance is being toned down for good, perhaps it's time to add the option to make weapons with wooden handles in vanilla, trading off with an increased chance of them breaking? It'd be a change that improves realism and playability for once. Likewise for arrows and crossbow bolts.
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NW_Kohaku

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Re: Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2011, 09:57:13 pm »

The problem with this is that Toady hasn't really come up with a good way to let weapons have multiple parts, the way that creatures do.

The suggestion has been thrown out there that we need to create a "body" system for weapons and tools.  See Max White's Advanced Weapons Systems thread.

With that said, what we really need is a way to use smaller integer values of materials for different tasks, which in turn requires the ability to stack and haul items better. See The Volume and Mass thread.

Then, we have the ability to cut down a tree, have 50 liters of material to work with, and the ability to declare a metal head on a bolt is .05 liters of material while the wooden shaft is .45 liters of material.
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Jake

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Re: Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2011, 10:11:45 pm »

It needn't be that complicated at this stage. Reactions to create X number of axeheads etc from Y number of metal bars and another reaction for combining them with a wooden handle would be an adequate placeholder mechanic.
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Never used Dwarf Therapist, mods or tilesets in all the years I've been playing.
I think Toady's confusing interface better simulates the experience of a bunch of disorganised drunken dwarves running a fort.

Black Powder Firearms - Superior firepower, realistic manufacturing and rocket launchers!

Neowulf

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Re: Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2011, 12:30:14 am »

Craft obsidian arrowheads, stoneworker job at a craft workshop.
Arrowheads have no quality of their own, quality multiplier from job skill makes more stacks of arrowheads (base quality makes 1 stack, -- makes 2, masterwork makes 12).
One stack of arrowheads plus one wood makes a stack of obsidian tipped bolts, better than wood but not as good as iron (maybe around copper?).

Once world trading is up and running elf civs should consider obsidian arrow heads a sought after item, paying a premium for them. If they find a civ willing to trade them, then their normally wood arrows should become obsidian ones.
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Xvareon

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Re: Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2011, 01:22:09 am »

I like the idea of a 'body' system for weapons and other items, personally.  Probably fairly complicated but it'd allow us to disarm a target without harming him by destroying his weapon, among other things.  Of course that serves little purpose if you have no system for taking prisoners...

Bohandas

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Re: Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2011, 01:17:02 pm »

I like the idea of handles.
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Marshall Burns

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Re: Arrowheads, Axe Handles Etc
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2011, 06:39:49 pm »

Now that mineral abundance is being toned down for good, perhaps it's time to add the option to make weapons with wooden handles in vanilla, trading off with an increased chance of them breaking?

I see no point in any disadvantages (e.g. increased chance of them breaking) inherent in using wooden handles on weapons. It's the normal way to do it; otherwise they'd be too heavy. Even things with small handles, like swords, have handles made of wood with a core ("tang") of metal that's one piece with the blade and pommel. (Cross-hilts are a different matter; they have to be made of metal, otherwise they'd be useless, but they're a separate piece from the rest of the handle.)
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