Do i want too much? / SC game play choices

[Heartwood]

Greetings,

i opened up a thrad in spectrum (https://robertsspaceindustries.com/spectrum/community/SC/forum/7/thread/a-melee-vision-i-have-that-needs-a-reality-check)

and wanted to share it here. It is posted in the concierge forum, so i am not sure everyone can view it. Copy below:


Part 1)

"Hi there,

i am choosing a post describing a vision i have, to hopefully get the exact information out. Apologies in advance for not being up to date. I appreciate any insightful comment.

# melee game play of the future

So looking at all the tech there is and how guns and lasers seem to be the first choice, i am curious about melee weapons and specially designed shields.

- Ships do have a shield generator needing a power supply

--> will there be an armor type for melee fighters, that utilizes a power core (not a whole frame, we do get those), that enables a very small energy shield to protect the wearer?
--> will there be a shield designed to fend off physical bullets, making it possible to engage in melee range?

- Melee weapons

--> with alien races having spears, i see absolutely no reason not to have specifically designed weapons of old (swords, axes etc.) fused with new technology to melt through armor.

Ideally, i would love to see those areas being filled with life. Can anyone supply information on this matter? "

Part 2)

"I am specifically referring to advanced melee combat utilizing energy shield on physical shield or complete bubble shield on armor at the cost of no room for any sort of ammo.
Combined with swords, axes, staffs, pole arms, spears, fist weapons, knives, throwing spears, throwing axes, throwing knives, two handed swords, hammers, chained weapons, magnetic discuss, and so on.

As deeply designed as ranged combat, as logic would demand with all future technology and ways to mitigate. And if we leave logic behind for pure game play fun, then melee combat will potentially deliver.

Everything of course comes down to how it can be designed. I am just trying to get behind the effort which may or (sadly) may not come to SC.

Thanks so far for all your answers! "


What say you?

 

[Vavrik]

There was a scene in Raiders of the Lost Arc that describes why this might sound like a good idea, but isn't.
watch to the end or watch just the last 10 seconds of the fight.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdnA-ESWcPs

 

[Ammorn]

There was a scene in Raiders of the Lost Arc that describes why this might sound like a good idea, but isn't.
watch to the end or watch just the last 10 seconds of the fight.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdnA-ESWcPs

I could see at least knives or power knives as a last resort type of weapon if your guns break or run out of ammo, for stealth kills, or utility item at least. A simple combat knife could have the edge have some kind of energy to melt through armor and be powered by a rechargeable replaceable cell in the handle and your suit power supply could slowly trickle charge it while it's sheathed. Come to think of it, a power knife that could cut like a plasma cutting torch could make a decent breaching tool.

 

[Talonsbane]

--> with alien races having spears, i see absolutely no reason not to have specifically designed weapons of old (swords, axes etc.) fused with new technology to melt through armor.

Ever since the usage of firearms became popular in warfare & combat, many would keep some sort of melee weapon as a backup for when they either ran out of ammo or ran out of room to reload before having to defend themselves at point blank range. So I'm sure that we'll have an assortment of small to mid-sized melee weapons available in game eventually.

There was a digital knife that was included in the CitizenCon Digital Goodies Pack

So there will be some degree of melee fighting, but I believe that it is meant to be a means of stealth attack based on some of the Vids CIG has produced including the 2017 Slice of Life video. (Near the end)

There was a scene in Raiders of the Lost Arc that describes why this might sound like a good idea, but isn't.
watch to the end or watch just the last 10 seconds of the fight.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdnA-ESWcPs

Am I the only 1 that was glad that the troublesome monkey that revealed where she was hiding died later on?

 

[Talonsbane]

Come to think of it, a power knife that could cut like a plasma cutting torch could make a decent breaching tool.

@Ammorn , I believe that you might have had a more realistic version of this in mind?

(Around the 1:52 area.)

 

[August]

@Ammorn , I believe that you might have had a more realistic version of this in mind?

(Around the 1:52 area.)

For a few seconds I legitimately thought that action sequence was old video game footage footage. Hasn't aged well.

 

[Vavrik]

Am I the only 1 that was glad that the troublesome monkey that revealed where she was hiding died later on?

No, you're not the only one!! We used to say, don't bring a knife to a gunfight, and I'm about 60% sure I was watching that scene when I learned the saying. I don't recall being sad about the fate of the monkey either.

 

[Ammorn]

@Ammorn , I believe that you might have had a more realistic version of this in mind?

(Around the 1:52 area.)

Yeah, just be careful with it.

 

[Heartwood]

There was a scene in Raiders of the Lost Arc that describes why this might sound like a good idea, but isn't.
watch to the end or watch just the last 10 seconds of the fight.

Well, we are a little stuck in the past aren't we?

The future holds energy shields, the today have spiderweb suits (real thing) that protect against bullets + a kevlar string vest and on top of it, a titanium or plastic fiber shield, which can simply block most bullets.

Ranged weapons only hold the edge, if there is no sufficient defense against them. In ships, where you should not fire at the hull from the iside, a close quarter weapon is the key. And knives are just short swords. Think big swords and especially spears.

 

[Kiladyn]

I believe Melee will be awesome, yes there are knives, and yes the Vanduul have spears(or lance, I cant remember). I think that some of this comes from making sure you dont punch holes in your ship from the inside.

 

[Printimus]

Never bring knives to a gun fight.

 

[Kiladyn]

Never bring knives to a gun fight.

Always have a backup plan tho

 

[Printimus]

Always have a backup plan tho

lol, yeah, more guns!

 

[Radegast74]

There's a reason why the bayonet has never gone out of style...

In a nutshell, you'll never run out of ammo or batteries with a knife (or any sort of blade). Also in close quarters, like a ship, having an edged weapon would not be as much of a disadvantage as you might think it would be.

 

[Ammorn]

Never bring knives to a gun fight.

But bayonets are literally built to bring a knife to a gun fight.

 

[Vavrik]

Well, we are a little stuck in the past aren't we?

The future holds energy shields, the today have spiderweb suits (real thing) that protect against bullets + a kevlar string vest and on top of it, a titanium or plastic fiber shield, which can simply block most bullets.

Ranged weapons only hold the edge, if there is no sufficient defense against them. In ships, where you should not fire at the hull from the iside, a close quarter weapon is the key. And knives are just short swords. Think big swords and especially spears.

The future probably does hold energy shields, there is already research going on. And yes, there are physical shields you can buy now, including spiderman suits. But neither of these protect you from the laws of physics. Like, for example the law of momentum conservation. Look it up. It means that even a spiderman suit has limits to what it can protect you from. It might be able to stop a .22 caliber bullet, but you're going to know where that bullet hit. If you increase the velocity of the bullet, or increase its mass (you only need one or the other) then you increase the "know where that bullet hit" factor. At some point, even a .22 caliber bullet will penetrate the shielding, and penetrate flesh and bone. Also this problem: If you use an energy shield that blocks something coming in, it also blocks the same thing going out, and the laws of physics still apply.

 

[Vavrik]

There's a reason why the bayonet has never gone out of style...

In a nutshell, you'll never run out of ammo or batteries with a knife (or any sort of blade). Also in close quarters, like a ship, having an edged weapon would not be as much of a disadvantage as you might think it would be.

I don't have any problem whatsoever with using melee weapons. The problem is the shields. And if you break into my Freelancer and start running at me with a sword, if you think I won't be shooting bullets at you, think again. Oh that reminds me... If we get all these melee weapons in game, we also need nets. They have a property that can be used to neuter someone trying to throw something, run, or whatnot.

 

[Kiladyn]

There was a digital knife that was included in the CitizenCon Digital Goodies Pack

I dont think I knew about that, do we have any idea what it looks like?

 

[Heartwood]

there are physical shields you can buy now, including spiderman suits. But neither of these protect you from the laws of physics

Well, the shield does actually. Not talking about a 5 kg piece of iron, but a 15 kg piece of titanium fiber mixed with plastic threads and force absorbing gel. And this is the now.

The future holds new materials and i am quite positive, that melee combat with heavy weapons is only a matter of sufficient defense.

But anyway, the game does what it does. I am just curious what to expect after seeing the spear desing (https://starcitizen.tools/Plasma_Lance) and how only hand to hand combat with knives have been teased so far.

 

[Printimus]

But bayonets are literally built to bring a knife to a gun fight.

And do we use them still?