This is another concept I thought about that could add a new level of realism to the game. The idea is that if someone becomes very adapt at a certain skill, then similar skills would also increase, or increase at a faster rate. For example, someone who wields a sword would be better at weilding an axe than someone who has never wielded any weapons. However, a swordman would have (more or less) no advantage over a beginner bowman if he was to take up the bow himself, since while it is a combat weapon its technique is so different.

Ill give a real life anology that parallels this:
I began playing flute in fifth grade. Two years later, I taught myself saxophone. Since the saxophone was an instrument that was, overall, similar in playing style to the flute, a picked up on it rather quickly (I covered a year's worth of playing in one night). This was due to the fact that I had learned how to move my fingers around the different keys and to read music. However, when I started piano somewhat later, it was an entirely new experience and thus I had almost no advantage than a total beginner (actually, it was harder for me because I was so used to playing other instruments).

Now we got that cute little anecdote done and overwith, Ill show how it parallels. Im a sweet swordsman who wants to expand his realm of weaponry. I try using the axe and, since I have already learned many attacking, defending, and parrying attacks with the sword, I have some insight into how to use an axe to fight with. However, when I try and learn to use a bow and arrows, I have no advantage, because the technique as a whole is completely different.

I just wanted to raise the idea of improving certain skills making it easier to improve others. I dont know exactly how this should be done, but there are many possiblities. Perhaps 20/25% of the level of a certain skill can be applied to similar skills. Or maybe the level of a skill would be the percent increase of experience another skill gets; i.e., if my sword skill is at 50, any experience I get from using an axe (assuming those two would be overlaying skills) is increased by 50%, so if I normally got 100 experience I would then receive 150.

A way to implement this is to setup several skills that level with different weapons.

For example a two handed Axe or Sword should level the axe or sword skill but also level another skill "two handed weapons" or "Large Weapon Handling skill". Then have "Balanced Weapon Skill" for sword and "Off Balance Weapon Skill" for axe. Then the "BWS" could carry through weapons that are balanced (Dagger, short sword, etc.) and "OBWS" (Great Swords, Scythe, etc.)

Obviously, I'm using very plain English for skill names but, by separating the skills that determine the effectiveness of a weapon would seem a good way to do this.


Another example, dagger levels piercing and "Speedy Weapon Handling", while a spear levels piercing and large "Medium/Large weapon Handling"

Nutshell, make weapon effectiveness rely on:
- Level of that particular weapon
- Skills that increase as you use weapons based on those skills

A longer and more detailed list could be generated after the basic weapon types are decided (if they aren't already, I'm still new >.>)

When I was actively practicing archery (real life club), there was a body builder that started a class after me. He had quite a bit of trouble, figuring out the different muscle groups that he needed to use to shoot well. The others in his group progressed at a slightly quicker pace, he had to unlearn what his previous training had taught him.

So good point Shaidar.

Also, those who use very strong bows from a young age, actually start to deform their muscle and body shape to suit the firing of a very strong bow. This was first noticed in skeletons of the English middle ages and confirmed by the remains of the Mary Queen (I think that was the name of the famous English Warship). On this ship they found the remains of English longbows made of yew wood, when tested they found the bows strength and contacted enthusiasts who had been working with similar strength bows for a long time.

One such man had the same muscle deformity (deformity is probably the wrong word) as he had been using very strong bows since he was young.

Alright Ill stop rambling. :)

Realistically a very strong person could be very clumsy with a bow. Perhaps call the skill finesse(sp?) anyway they just wouldnt have it there hand would be too shaky to get good aim, etc. So I deffinately agree that certain weapons need to be further removed from eachother than others amongst themselves.

Ok, that could work better. But then there would have to be specific differences in the traits for different weapons. For example, you wouldnt want someone who becomes very accurate with swordsmanship to be able to change to an archer and have perfect aim. It would, in that case, make sense for there to be a difference between some stats based on close range on far range; ie, melee accruacy and ranged accuracy being two seperate traits to improve

It still would be advantagous because the strength and endurance would carry over. I am not saying that this is a bad idea I just think it should be addressed by other means

Well, thats why I wasnt suggesting equal advancement, but the point still stands that realistically, training with one weapon then going to another would most likely be more advantageous than never training with a weapon at all.

I think that the way to do this is the strength and speed that we attributes. As a player gets stronger using the sword they still keep that strength when switching to an axe. Though I think that as far as tactics are concerned they would have to learn those independently of eachother. A sword is ligher at the point than an axe, a club is more constant weight all the way through, etc. I think that strength would increase the possible dmg done with any given weapon but someone switching from sword to axe wouldnt be able to block with an axe just because he can with a sword. The counter weights and all are so different I just dont see how it could work.