Spears Holstering

[limaxophobiacq]

This is a minor nitpick but holstering spears at the hip with the point down like a sword as characters currently do just doesn't look right, and having them on the back like the rifles when you've got another weapon set selected would look a lot better.

[Fiebras]

 Let us expand on this.

The problem with the concept of "spear holstering" is that there isnt really something like a "spear holster/scabbard" (There are such a thing as javelins which can be held in a bag but spears=/=javelins). Such a large unwieldy weapon cant really be drawn on the fly like a sword can, but instead its in an "always at the ready" state.

 

"Holstering a spear" means having it leaning on the shoulder or using it as a walking stick. This applies to both moving and idle hadling (walking stick being obviously frowned upon when moving):

 

As such, there is no such thing as "holstering a spear". It is always your main weapon and you either toss it aside, plant it one the ground or throw it and switch to your short-range secondary weapon.

Due to time and resources, creating the assets for custom "accurate" spear handling animations (idle and moving) is time consuming and many designers choose the easy solution oftreating it like a sword or the more correct solution of simply not having a "holster" position for the spear and always having it "unholstered".

For example, the Souls series used the "always unholstered" method:

 

Unholstered:

Holstered:

 

But PoE has visualy reperesented weapon sets (which is very nice). So when you try to translate weapons that require special handling (such as spears, bows, greatswords and the like) into game terms and visual representation of those game terms you get this iffy feeling of "that looks wrong!" or the more common "thats not realistic!".

 

I mean if you wanna get into detail, bows should be carried in the shoulder or in bags as oposed to having them on the back. Greatswords and the like are also iffy to represent even though those are easier to carry around  and can have scabards (spoiler because big image):

 

 

 

 

But I think to make these feel "right" and not "wrong" or "realistic" would demand time, special animations and the like. In mean yes, its going through the ground right now and half the bows sink into the back of the aumauma....but I think these are secondary concers compared to fixing and balancing mechanical and engine bugs atm.

Still, it kinda important they manage to improve the visual aspect (it doesnt have to take a realistic aproac it just doesnt have to have cliping and feel "wrong"), since we are gonna be watching those postures and models from start to finish.

Edit: I think the simplest and cheapest fix to the spear thing would be to just raise it enough so it doesnt clip through the ground but make it so that tis low enough so that you dont have a huge stick in front of your face as you swing a weapon. A more thorough fix would be nice but I can understand there are time constraints.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Fiebras