Ballista

[Bryn]

We need to be able to nail opponents to the wall.
Therefore we need a ballista.
Simple.

Catapults where you can load funny stuff in are also very promising physics-action.

 

[The Hedge Knight]

It will be rather difficult without first person.

Maybe it zooms out and there is a slight aim indicator?

Also without destroyable environments, catapults are useless.

 

[the0thMonkey]

I could be fun, and I don't even think the aiming or indestructible terrain would be too problematic, but I just don't see how it fits into the game. Aren't ballistas, catapults, etc only used as siege weapons? I don't think we're going to see any battles with more than 20 people.

 

[The Hedge Knight]

Ballistas were also used in strategic spots like towers or plateau's to ward off attackers.

 

[the0thMonkey]

Ballistas were also used in strategic spots like towers or plateau's to ward off attackers.

My point was that it is kind of wasteful to kill a single person with a ballista when an arrow would be equally effective.

 

[walltar]

My point was that it is kind of wasteful to kill a single person with a ballista when an arrow would be equally effective.

So you now require reason for using overly big weapons for killing single target? World is really going to end!

 

[the0thMonkey]

So you now require reason for using overly big weapons for killing single target? World is really going to end!

Generally, no. But in this case, it doesn't really seem worth breaking the game and undermining its goal of realism just to use unnecessarily big weapons.

 

[walltar]

Generally, no. But in this case, it doesn't really seem worth breaking the game and undermining its goal of realism just to use unnecessarily big weapons.

I dont think it would break realism ... if you see something big coming right at you and you are standing next to a balista ... wouldn't you use it? I know i would ... and then i would have to explain that men looked way bigger.

And in dungeon .. if you are in bottleneck and there was human outpost in past you can find balista there guarding it. You are in world where there are big golemy things with even bigger flails ... you would want to have balista to guard your outpost.

Other thing ... is one person enough to operate and reload balista?

 

[the0thMonkey]

I think to operate a ballista efficiently you'd probably want at least two people.

Ballistas would be nice, I just don't think its worth adding them for the few times you'll find yourself in a situation where a large, fixed weapon would be necessary.

 

[calithlin]

I think Dragon's Dogma handled ballasts pretty well. They dispersed in some areas with boss fights, and you could utilize them if you'd liked. They were typically left over on ruins or places that obviously were once war zones.

I'm not exactly demanding they be put in, but I don't think it would be too out of place if there were a few in the right areas (walls of the largest city to make a player-driven sacking more difficult, etc).

 

[walltar]

In the end it falls on developers and how hard it is to make working balista ... If you are making balista model to stand on wall how hard is to make working?

 

[Omegoa]

Ballistae were, historically speaking, fairly effective anti-personnel weapons. At least, so much so that they became a staple of the Roman military under Caesar. History (read Wikipedia) tells us that the the ballista lost popularity in the Middle Ages, but I think their presence in SG could be plausibly explained. After all, when big beasties are coming after me, I prefer to have big weapons on hand. Whether or not they should be usable by the player is another matter and one I'm inclined to respond negatively to just because I don't think it would add enough to the game or be missed enough to make it worth the team's time.

 

[Verva]

Well, how big are the monsters in the game? If there's anything bigger than the golems then there should definitely be some kind of useable heavy weapons. Say a town is being overrun by them... ballista to the rescue!

 

[The Hedge Knight]

I think to operate a ballista efficiently you'd probably want at least two people.

Ballistas would be nice, I just don't think its worth adding them for the few times you'll find yourself in a situation where a large, fixed weapon would be necessary.

No you don't. It is far faster with two but you can still do it with one.

 

[calithlin]

No you don't. It is far faster with two but you can still do it with one.

Well, he may be thinking of siege ballistas, rather than infantry ballistas, etc.

 

[The Hedge Knight]

Well, he may be thinking of siege ballistas, rather than infantry ballistas, etc.

What's the difference? You have to slide the bolt in, pull back the cord, then wind it up. Much like a mounted crossbow. It's a pain but it can be done.

 

[SergeDavid]

Why not utilize the physics to do ballistas, catapults and trebuchets? I can picture the fun of launching random things into a town trying to hit people with them. I myself would get a mountain of cabbages and launch them into a city from afar so they don't know I did it and then wander in to see the confused carnage from raining cabbages. Imagine the odd npc conversations to follow as well.

 

[Tony]

Why not utilize the physics to do ballistas, catapults and trebuchets? I can picture the fun of launching random things into a town trying to hit people with them. I myself would get a mountain of cabbages and launch them into a city from afar so they don't know I did it and then wander in to see the confused carnage from raining cabbages. Imagine the odd npc conversations to follow as well.

Yes, and you end up becoming the God of Cabbage since people take your arrival as a sign from the gods. You could have people pay you tribute to appease the raining cabbages.

 

[SergeDavid]

Yes, and you end up becoming the God of Cabbage since people take your arrival as a sign from the gods. You could have people pay you tribute to appease the raining cabbages.

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