Karranthain
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Everything posted by Karranthain
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Getting slightly off-topic there guys... As for the armour I've posted - absolutely, the artist got a bit carried away with the greaves (which should've ended at the knee). The bow doesn't look very functional either. All the same, I like the detail on the armour and the overall look - hey, it doesn't have spikes or bladed gauntlets, gigantic shoulderpads, flaming skulls etc. That alone makes it great in this day and age -
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Yeah - and the bow's a little "off" as well, but in general it looks fairly practical as far as fantasy designs go. I prefer the version in red though. In any case, I'm perfectly fine with a small concession here and there, as long the overall look's good - and in this case I think that's provided in spades In fact, I was thinking we could perhaps exchange our favourite fantasy designs for this page and the next perhaps? Let's see your favourites!
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Karranthain replied to septembervirgin's topic in Pillars of Eternity: General Discussion (NO SPOILERS)Vampires used to be cool : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aa8B7hIynE (this one contains spoilers) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kfi6swOeDM
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Karranthain replied to TheDogProfessor's topic in Pillars of Eternity: General Discussion (NO SPOILERS)It is my hope as well. Hopefully Forton won't be stuck in the DnD's cliched representation of the monk either. But with the freedom of equipment it shouldn't be the case, as you've pointed out.
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Karranthain replied to TheDogProfessor's topic in Pillars of Eternity: General Discussion (NO SPOILERS)Here's more artwork of the Sōhei :
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And this, I suppose, is the basis of the counterfactual assumption that historical armour was drab and boring to look at. As you've pointed out, it was anything but (most of the time). khaki uniforms were pioneered, iirc, by the British army in the Boer War. Boers wearing green jackets sniping on the veldt were at an advantage over the red-coated line. The history of camouflage is fascinating, but fatally O/T. If you think about medieval armour and warfare, colourful garb makes complete sense. You have a load of men clad head-to-toe in armour attempting to kill each other. Their only tactical recognition insignia are shield devices, crests on helms and patterned surcoats. Fascinating nevertheless As for the "colourful garb" - it indeed makes sense; as you've said it served as means of identification amidst the chaos of battle. Ornaments, colourful (and by extension expensive) garments were signs of high social status and affluence - in practical terms they would notify the enemy that perhaps it would be worth it to try and ransom such individuals, instead of slaughtering them outright. Even regular footsoldiers more often than not purchased their own equipment; uniforms weren't that common. Some armours were intended to intimidate the enemy etc. I'll write a more detailed post pertraining to this particular facet of the design as soon as I'll have more time Here's an example of a really nice fantasy ornamented design. The mask and the detail on the armour's really nice; at the same time it looks usable and respects the verisimilitude (save for the bow).
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Karranthain replied to TheDogProfessor's topic in Pillars of Eternity: General Discussion (NO SPOILERS)Those are quite similar; Sōhei formed into big units though (very much like the knight military orders). Either would be fine for the purpose of the game. Both seem much more interesting than the stereotype of a Shaolin monk present in most RPGs, at least in my opinion.
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Karranthain replied to TheDogProfessor's topic in Pillars of Eternity: General Discussion (NO SPOILERS)As Elerond has pointed out, the game won't have any equipment restrictions (we've been told that if we wish, we could equip our mage character with plate armour and a greatsword). I'd assume that the chosen class dictates the combat role, but not necessarily the means of fulfilling it. We could speculate that the warrior monk would have a stronger connection to his soul, effectively becoming a mage/fighter hybrid (but with a stronger focus on the latter). Perhaps he'd have a natural resistance to the magic, etc. Besides, Sōhei usually didn't use much armour, just simple robes. As I've mentioned, they seem to be a much more original choice (they're rarely potrayed in games). Not to mention that they were actually militant and participated in armed conflicts. In that respect they seem to make much more sense. And last, but not least, their look (as evidenced by the posted artwork) is rather unique.
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As I said here I personally believe the Glanfathan will be based on a Celtic culture (based on very little evidence, admittedly) and as such they'd look a bit more like this The Celts were renowned for their berserkers. Definitely, I'm getting strong Celtic vibes just from the name. The artwork posted by Vargr fits the bill This one does as well, it's a rather eclectic mix of various influences. And another :
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Karranthain replied to TheDogProfessor's topic in Pillars of Eternity: General Discussion (NO SPOILERS)And what if the monks were based on the Japanese Sōhei (warrior monks) instead? Much more original, not to mention probable. Their weapon of choice was the pictured Naginata, but they also used spears, staves, swords and bows.
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Both methods have their merits - though the second, as you've noted, is particularly risky. I reckon combining these solutions (i.e. using historical influence, but only as a starting point) would probably yield the best results. I also strongly agree that each culture in the game should (ideally) have a distinct (and coherent) visual identity. E.g. Vaillans would be partly inspired by Italian city states and the Renaissance fashion.
