Author Topic: Shields  (Read 4867 times)

Offline Echon

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Shields
« on: July 29, 2008, 05:13:48 PM »
Currently there is a version of each shield for each race, equal to how I have altered armours. While I like the racial armours which I think make sense, doing the same with shields is just a mess. For instance, a gnome's medium shield is likely the same size as an elf's small shield so it is illogical that they cannot both use each of them. Besides, while there is a huge difference in how armours affect a character, the differences between the various shields are purely cosmetic, with the large shield being the only exception. I would like to change them so that humans, elves and half-elves can use all shields, dwarves can use medium/small shields and bucklers, and gnomes and halflings can use small shields and bucklers.

Thoughts?

Offline Miloch

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Re: Shields
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2008, 07:40:23 PM »
Sounds logical.  I can see racially-restricted armours, but shields is going to far perhaps.  What would really make sense would be if halflings and gnomes could get the same bonuses from medium shields as taller races do from large shields and so on, since the average 3' medium shield should give a halfling the same coverage as a large shield would to a human.  I suppose that would be possible to manage with external EFF files if you're making a Tutu version; not sure if it'd work in plain BG1.  Might be more trouble than it's worth.  But it would be very cool since few people play the short races and it's a little bonus (no pun intended).

On the same note, we were discussing recently the absence of logic in letting halflings use 6' longbows and two-handed swords, but maybe you've already covered that.

Offline Galactygon

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Re: Shields
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2008, 02:23:52 AM »
If you can do mass patching with WeiDU, it's not too much trouble adding EFF files to smaller shields as Miloch suggested. They work nicely in BGII, and should also work for BGI.

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Offline Echon

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Re: Shields
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2008, 04:52:38 AM »
I will have a look at whether it is possible, and secondly, whether I think it is worth the trouble. It would be a cool feature, though.

On the same note, we were discussing recently the absence of logic in letting halflings use 6' longbows and two-handed swords, but maybe you've already covered that.

Yes: Gnomes and halflings who are size Small cannot use Large weapons. These include Long Bows, Halberds, Two-handed Swords and Quarterstaffs.

Offline Echon

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Re: Shields
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2008, 06:44:50 AM »
It works perfectly and will be easy to implement. This is how shields will be, based on the following sizes in inches:

Human: 62-80
Half-elf: 62-72
Elf: 56-65
Dwarf: 44-53
Gnome: 39-44
Halfling: 34-48

Large Shield: 48
Medium Shield: 36
Small Shield: 24
Buckler: 12

Humans, elves and half-elves can use all shields.
Dwarves can use medium shields and below. The medium shield will work as a large shield.
Gnomes and halflings can use small shields and below. The small shield will work as a large shield.

Offline Miloch

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Re: Shields
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2008, 12:24:06 PM »
Actually, large shields (or "body shields") are around 6' ("reaching nearly from the chin to the toe of the user") per game description and 2e Arms & Equipment Guide.  This is why I suggested medium shields would provide the same coverage to gnomes and halflings.  But that works too I guess.  I could see the addition of at least one race-specific shield, which would be a "dwarven body shield" somewhere between the size of a medium and large shield.

Offline Echon

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Re: Shields
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2008, 01:25:39 PM »
I went with PO: Combat & Tactics for the shield sizes. It says at least 4 feet for large shields and that suits my needs. I am removing all the racial shields because I want to keep things simple when there is no real difference between them. If you want a dwarven body shield, grap a standard issue medium shield. :)

Offline Miloch

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Re: Shields
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2008, 01:38:08 PM »
Ok, well as long as you're altering descriptions accordingly (and I have no doubt you are).  Also, the BG2 large shield icons might work a bit better for your conception than the BG1/Tutu ones.  I like the BG1 versions better, but they look more like 6' tower shields than the BG2 versions.  (Of course, if you're doing custom icons, that would be cool too...)

Offline Echon

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Re: Shields
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2008, 02:32:24 PM »
Yes, I update descriptions for everything that I change. Only new items have their own icons, though.

 

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