Armour & weapon designs (part V).

[Panteleimon]

I'm actually not a fan of the 100 Years War period of armour. It looks... well, boring. Compare to earlier crusader-style heavy mailles with those kick-ass surcoats, or later full-plates that are just gorgeous. Maximillian armour, or the Milanese style, for example. The stuff shown above, which looks maybe early 1400s style is... just not as interesting. 

 

On the flip side, there's not enough exposure or inspiration in fantasy from Arab and Indian armour. That **** looks fantastic. 

 

Edit: Also, I really don't like pig-faced bascinets. Think they are ugly as all hell. 

 

The first picture I posted above is of a Byzantine soldier, and his gear would be current up through ~1450, practically the rough timespace PoE is gunning for(and I love that helmet) . I personally prefer the crusades-era stuff, like this beautiful stuff:

 

But that's not the time period we're dealing with in the game. As to indians and arabs, all I can say is that the cultures in the game aren't inspired by arab or indian culture as far as I can tell, so it would be weird to have them wear the costumes. There's a reason that the Vailians dress like Venetians and Genovans. I would LOVE to see some real Byzantine armor in a game for once though, so I do sympathize.

 

Regardless, my real point is that I'd rather see an elf dressed like any of the guys I've posted and have him be a serious SOB rather than wearing 5000 year old adamantine dragon plate scale armor that just magically doesn't weigh about 500 kilos. When you get your face kicked in by a guy wearing a scale shirt, things start to feel a bit more serious business.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Panteleimon

[Karranthain]

Seems to me reality has plenty exotic armor and weapons to choose from. People have little enough exposure to real armor and are so saturated with "fantasy armor" that I'd bet they get a more alien feeling from the real stuff.

 

Definitely. That said, well done fantasy designs should be something to cherish - it's a rather rare occurence.

 

 

[Sarex]

That was me. And what I said was "The Lord of the Rings movies are high fantasy too, and tons of equipment in those movies was mundane looking (and great looking). Keep in mind that what we saw here was starting equipment, not artifacts or even magical gear." Like what this high-levelled badass is wearing.

 

-image-

 

That said, hopefully we can look forward to sensible and awesome-looking equipment like the concept art above (is that from the Hobbit?) as well. 

I guess you were the only one talking about normal and generic armors... lol

 

I know it's starting equipment and if you bother to read the threads you would have seen that I was mostly talking about late game armors.

 

As for who is talking about normal and generic armors, well I recommend you read the thread you are posting in... lol

Edited August 14, 2014 by Sarex

[quest1on]

 

Seems to me reality has plenty exotic armor and weapons to choose from. People have little enough exposure to real armor and are so saturated with "fantasy armor" that I'd bet they get a more alien feeling from the real stuff.

 

Definitely. That said, well done fantasy designs should be something to cherish - it's a rather rare occurence.

 

 

 

I like Keller's take on the warg riders the most, there's not much more brutal than wearing pieces of carcass of your previous steed.

[Tsuga C]

Can't help but wonder why an elf from Mirkwood would want all of those branch-snagging points on his leather and scale ensemble. Elven dexterity not withstanding, such a panoply just ain't made for maintaining stealth amidst branch and brush.

[Lephys]

I don't see why elves shouldn't consider their own capabilities when designing their armor. If it doesn't 'cause them problems, it seems legit.

[Tsuga C]

I don't see why elves shouldn't consider their own capabilities when designing their armor. If it doesn't 'cause them problems, it seems legit.

I successfully hunt white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and ruffed grouse.  As such, I know a fair bit about moving about unheard and unseen while engaged in Still Hunting. Go 'way! 

[Lephys]

I successfully hunt white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and ruffed grouse.  As such, I know a fair bit about moving about unheard and unseen while engaged in Still Hunting. Go 'way! 

And are you a fictional fantasy race?

 

I'm just saying... just because that armor would present obvious problems for you doesn't mean it wouldn't prove inconsequential to elves.

[Panteleimon]

 

I successfully hunt white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and ruffed grouse.  As such, I know a fair bit about moving about unheard and unseen while engaged in Still Hunting. Go 'way! 

And are you a fictional fantasy race?

 

I'm just saying... just because that armor would present obvious problems for you doesn't mean it wouldn't prove inconsequential to elves.

 

 

 

That might fly in, say, the LOTR films(not in the books though, as Tolkien's vision for his world was certainly NOT filled with elves in metal bodysuits) . But the brand of fantasy seen in PoE generally applies RL logic and basic physics rules to EVERYBODY, and doesn't give a pass to the magic woods people who can just HAPPEN to wear a bodysuit of metal scales adorned with metre long spikes without making any noise or being encumbered. And I think the gravity and believability of the world benefits from it. There are plenty of exotic, adorned armors that can be pulled from reality, maybe with a little embellishment here and there if appropriate.

 

Look at the Boreal Dwarf art that's been shown around for PoE. The hunter has a standard old bow and is wearing standard old fur clothing. Not a metre-thick fatsuit of fur that makes her look like a giant, no spikes, nothing. Just a hunter out in the forest. Like you could see in the Taiga of Russia or the wilds of Canada. It ties it into the real world and gives it meaning and place.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Panteleimon

[Lephys]

I agree. I wasn't saying "Slap it in!". I was only pointing out that the specific instance of fictional elves for which that design was drafted might very well chuckle at our idea of what is and is not a hindrance.

[Lychnidos]

 

 

 

The first picture I posted above is of a Byzantine soldier, and his gear would be current up through ~1450, practically the rough timespace PoE is gunning for(and I love that helmet) . 

 

If you are talking about that picture, I'm pretty sure its Russian.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Lychnidos

[Panteleimon]

 

The first picture I posted above is of a Byzantine soldier, and his gear would be current up through ~1450, practically the rough timespace PoE is gunning for(and I love that helmet) .

If you are talking about that picture, I'm pretty sure its Russian.

There's a lot of overlap in Byzantine and Russian gear, considering they were Christianized, recruited into the military(it was full of Norse Russians) , traded with, etc by the Byzantines. That's where Cyrillic comes from(St. Cyril was a Byzantine), and why Moscow is known in Orthodox Christanity as the 'third Rome' after the loss of Constantinople.

 

So yeah, the above is an accurate depiction of a Byzantine soldier, or a Russian one.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Panteleimon

[Dimitri Berman]

That's indeed a russian-style helm. But there is also a definite cross-over between Russian/Byzantine cultures. 

I attached some reference examples. 

We do have a couple of the designs in the game! They are a bit simpler though, no chain mesh. But if we make any more variants, we will make them more elaborate. 

[Panteleimon]

Very cool, I'm glad to hear it!

[Enigmatick]

I hope there's a scripted interaction where you could end up tripping because of your cape, just to spite everyone on page 2 of this thread.

[Dimitri Berman]

Here is a really fascinating helm-evolution graph I found. Even though it's pretty simple, it is interesting to see how they have changed over the centuries and which designs have been dropped in favor of others. 

 

 

 

[Namutree]

 

 

Looks like the guy is wearing a Hershey's kiss on his head.

[Labadal]

Here is a really fascinating helm-evolution graph I found. Even though it's pretty simple, it is interesting to see how they have changed over the centuries and which designs have been dropped in favor of others. 

I've seen most of those in some shape or form, but the spider helmet is new to me. First time I see it. Did some googling.

 

[Lephys]

Looks like the guy is wearing a Hershey's kiss on his head.

Needs a ribbon-like plume.

[Panteleimon]

Looks like the guy is wearing a Hershey's kiss on his head.

Onion domes are the best thing ever, especially on helmets.

[PrimeJunta]

@Labadal that is cool... and weirdly disturbing. Do you know the rationale behind the design? What are those spider legs supposed to do?

[Karranthain]

Thanks for dropping by, Dimitri!

 

Can we hope for the Maximillian and/or Gothic armour in the game?

 

 

 

 

[Labadal]

@Labadal that is cool... and weirdly disturbing. Do you know the rationale behind the design? What are those spider legs supposed to do?

I'm guessing that they would help prevent slashing weapons.

[Caerdon]

@Labadal that is cool... and weirdly disturbing. Do you know the rationale behind the design? What are those spider legs supposed to do?

 

I'd say the offer quite a lot of extra protection for minimal added weight, loss of awareness and discomfort in hot weather. They just might prevent someone from lopping your head off, and they also protect against downwards halberd slashes and such.

[lolaldanee]

 

 

Seems to me reality has plenty exotic armor and weapons to choose from. People have little enough exposure to real armor and are so saturated with "fantasy armor" that I'd bet they get a more alien feeling from the real stuff.

that last sentence: QFT