cRPG

cRPG => Suggestions Corner => Game Balance Discussion => Topic started by: Elmetiacos on February 10, 2011, 10:52:46 pm

Title: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 10, 2011, 10:52:46 pm
I ground my way up to 18/18 to be able to use one and I discovered once I had that the longbow is a complete waste of time. The new animation which slows archery combined with the bow's own slow speed means you have a delay of about 4 seconds between choosing a target and releasing the arrow. This is too much for the bow to have any real value: at long range your target could have gone anywhere in this time while at close range you have already been killed. Unsurprisingly hardly any archers use the longbow now. It should either be totally reworked or simply removed from the mod.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 11, 2011, 06:06:17 am
As it currently stands, the Longbow (not any other bow), really needs an accuracy buff. Possibly give it (and only it) pierce damage.

Either one of those would make the Longbow worth dropping into my inventory along with a faster bow or melee weapon.

As it stands, for the low accuracy the draw speed is far too long, or the damage is too low. I think the draw speed should stay the same personally. Buff one of the other components.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 11, 2011, 12:36:40 pm
The problem is the speed: it doesn't matter if you up the damage to 60 blunt, I still wouldn't use it because I can never hit anything. I generally get one kill (sometimes 2 or 3) in any round with a Warbow but I'm lucky if I get one hit in a round with the Longbow - and that's generally only if I risk shooting into a nearby melee. Target acquisition is impossible with a bow that slow.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mullerian on February 11, 2011, 12:50:13 pm
The problem is the speed: it doesn't matter if you up the damage to 60 blunt, I still wouldn't use it because I can never hit anything. I generally get one kill (sometimes 2 or 3) in any round with a Warbow but I'm lucky if I get one hit in a round with the Longbow - and that's generally only if I risk shooting into a nearby melee. Target acquisition is impossible with a bow that slow.

Id much rather see it being made "unique" in that sense than just upping the speed, if i wanted a faster version of the longbow i would just buy the warbow as that one essentially already fills exactly that role.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: dontgothere on February 11, 2011, 01:16:19 pm
Longbow was the ultimate long-range weapon (barring machines) so I think it makes sense to buff its projectile speed, make it cost a LOT more so that (with upkeep) only dedicated archers can realistically use it consistently, and see how that plays for balance.  The longbow should be a weapon that you're afraid of from the moment you spawn - it should be a serious long-distance threat.  Definitely should take much longer to draw-back on than the other bows, though.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Punisher on February 11, 2011, 01:22:29 pm
Longbow was the ultimate long-range weapon (barring machines) so I think it makes sense to buff its projectile speed, make it cost a LOT more so that (with upkeep) only dedicated archers can realistically use it consistently, and see how that plays for balance.  The longbow should be a weapon that you're afraid of from the moment you spawn - it should be a serious long-distance threat.  Definitely should take much longer to draw-back on than the other bows, though.

Yes, we definetly need more powerful ranged weapons, the current ranged spam is not enough, we need a longbow to terrify us so we're afraid of it's mightyness from the moment we spawn. It would be only fair that an archer who stays away from battle and never puts himself in danger gets a more powerful weapon.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: dontgothere on February 11, 2011, 01:24:15 pm
Sometimes arrows will kill you.  Sorry.

Warband and CRPG cater to several different styles of play, including archery.  Everybody deserves an interesting upgrade path and much of the fun of this mod comes basically from outsmarting other peoples' builds; otherwise we'd just be playing Native.

I carry a requierment-0 shield, I dodge when I see someone aiming, and if an archer still ganks me that was just his job done well.  Why get all upset about it?

Like I said, the longbow should have a long draw time.  That balances the distance.  It should have a high cost.  That balances the character's armor; it means that if a unit (especially cavalry) gets anywhere near them, they're dead.

Seems fair to me.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dunecat on February 11, 2011, 01:40:41 pm
Longbow was the ultimate long-range weapon (barring machines) so I think it makes sense to buff its projectile speed, make it cost a LOT more so that (with upkeep) only dedicated archers can realistically use it consistently, and see how that plays for balance.  The longbow should be a weapon that you're afraid of from the moment you spawn - it should be a serious long-distance threat.  Definitely should take much longer to draw-back on than the other bows, though.
Actually, a composite Mongol bow was superior to longbow both in size (being smaller, in this case) and in plate armour penetration.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: dontgothere on February 11, 2011, 01:42:11 pm
Actually, a composite Mongol bow was superior to longbow both in size (being smaller, in this case) and in plate armour penetration.

True dat!  :)  But I'm sure you realize, contextually, gameplay-wise...
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Kafein on February 11, 2011, 01:58:53 pm
Yes, we definetly need more powerful ranged weapons, the current ranged spam is not enough, we need a longbow to terrify us so we're afraid of it's mightyness from the moment we spawn. It would be only fair that an archer who stays away from battle and never puts himself in danger gets a more powerful weapon.

Pretty much sums up the opinion of any melee/cav player in his mind.

Bows are still machine guns and the damage buff transformed them from a support class (what they nearly were pre-buff) to a sniper-zero risk class again.

If they were to be correctly balanced (requiring points to use), only crossbows should be the long range weapons. They packed a considerably higher draw force than any bow, thus increasing the shot speed and the range. But no ranged weapon should be as accurate as they are now, both for realism and for game balance.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 11, 2011, 03:03:35 pm
Pretty much sums up the opinion of any melee/cav player in his mind.

Bows are still machine guns and the damage buff transformed them from a support class (what they nearly were pre-buff) to a sniper-zero risk class again.

If they were to be correctly balanced (requiring points to use), only crossbows should be the long range weapons. They packed a considerably higher draw force than any bow, thus increasing the shot speed and the range. But no ranged weapon should be as accurate as they are now, both for realism and for game balance.

I must say, there is nothing truthful to this statement at all. Troll along in your own thread. This is about a specific archery weapon. If you don't have an actual comment, GTFO.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 11, 2011, 03:06:43 pm
The problem is the speed: it doesn't matter if you up the damage to 60 blunt, I still wouldn't use it because I can never hit anything. I generally get one kill (sometimes 2 or 3) in any round with a Warbow but I'm lucky if I get one hit in a round with the Longbow - and that's generally only if I risk shooting into a nearby melee. Target acquisition is impossible with a bow that slow.

No offense, if those are your numbers you just need to play another class, because you aren't an archer  :idea:
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 11, 2011, 03:37:58 pm
No offense, if those are your numbers you just need to play another class, because you aren't an archer  :idea:
Do you use a longbow? How many people do you shoot dead with it every round?
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: dontgothere on February 11, 2011, 03:44:49 pm
I don't call for nerfs of any item/build I haven't used myself.  Just something to consider, guys...   :wink:

My archer alt has 5 PD and a Strong Bow, most costly arrows, and I think the level is about 27.  I score about 1-2 dozen hits per round, but get maybe 3 or 4 kills.  I don't think it needs buffing or nerfing - it seems decent to me - but I can't take seriously anyone who says I'm more than just support.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 11, 2011, 04:04:46 pm
Do you use a longbow? How many people do you shoot dead with it every round?

1 player and 3 horses when I use it. As stated though, I quit using it because the faster fire rate of even a Strong Bow outweighs the damage buff of the Long Bow. Seriously though, if you can only land 1 arrow during a round, you can't aim, or you have no WPF and can't aim.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Lamix on February 11, 2011, 04:28:31 pm
Dunno if this would help any, you could try a 18/24 archer build(lvl30), you'd be totally usless at anything other then archery, this would give you PD 6 and 173wpf (Only 3spare skillpoints prolly for Ath), not sure it would be worth it, but might make up for the slower speed.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 11, 2011, 08:09:09 pm
1 player and 3 horses when I use it. As stated though, I quit using it because the faster fire rate of even a Strong Bow outweighs the damage buff of the Long Bow. Seriously though, if you can only land 1 arrow during a round, you can't aim, or you have no WPF and can't aim.
It's not much to do with aiming; the problem with the Longbow is the target acquisition. Sometimes it's as obvious as them moving behind something or getting into combat by the time you're in a position to shoot. At other times you've been tracking them, because long range shots are about anticipation, and they just totally change direction. The time between deciding who to shoot at and actually loosing the arrow is so long that the Longbow isn't practical to use a lot of the time. This isn't about nerfing or buffing; I'm happy enough using the War Bow, I just can't understand why anyone would ever choose a Longbow when it's such a pain in the neck actually using it.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 11, 2011, 08:10:27 pm
1 player and 3 horses when I use it. As stated though, I quit using it because the faster fire rate of even a Strong Bow outweighs the damage buff of the Long Bow. Seriously though, if you can only land 1 arrow during a round, you can't aim, or you have no WPF and can't aim.
I'm not counting horses!
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mullerian on February 11, 2011, 08:55:53 pm
Im doing allright with the Longbow tbh, might have been better with the Warbow, its hard to tell. Im using it mainly because i love the extra length, looks pretty awesome.

If they were to buff it id prefer a non speed buff because while speed is nice the warbow already fits the niche of a hard hitting faster bow.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: woody on February 11, 2011, 09:14:48 pm
Re x-bows vs Longbows.

Draw weight for x-bow much higher BUT only 12 inch draw. Anyone who understands physics will confirm that the length of draw combined with the force of the draw determines determines energy transferred to arrow - longbows 30-34 inches. This determines the speed and hence force of the contact when the arrow/bolt hits.

I will only ever play melee, but think bows are seriously underpowered for higher power draws.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Seawied on February 11, 2011, 09:44:35 pm
Here's another way of approaching the longbow problem: why not improve the projectile speed?

The longbow is designed to fulfill a different role than the warbow, and a faster projectile speed would exactly that without making it OP or too similar to the warbow.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 11, 2011, 10:14:35 pm
It's already got a faster projectile speed, but further raising it won't have much of an impact; the arrow travelling through the air is a small fraction of the time it takes to pick a target, nock an arrow, draw back the bow and wait for it to fire: I count nearly 4 seconds in total, which is too long a delay for the typical cRPG battlefield where people are constantly rushing this way and that, running behind things and people, raising and lowering shields and entering and leaving melee combat.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Joxer on February 12, 2011, 07:08:49 pm
Talking of longbows, shouldn't there be a clan 'english longbowmen' or something? One that goes for historical accuracy and works as a team? I'd happily give up my twice heirloomed strong bow for that.  :D
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Arrowblood on February 12, 2011, 07:18:38 pm
if there is a person who makes a longbowmen clan, I would be the first member :D
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Joxer on February 12, 2011, 07:25:51 pm
No I would :D
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Braeden on February 12, 2011, 11:21:38 pm
I need to start recruiting longbowmen.  They'd make a wonderful compliment to my current platoon of shieldbreakers.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dravic on February 12, 2011, 11:29:54 pm
Solution for "useless" Longbow problem:

+4 to cut dmg. +5 to shot speed. -1 to speed rtng. + make it worth 10k

To not make it OP:

Warbow:

+1 to cut dmg. + 1 to shot speed. +2 to speed rtng. + make it cost 8,5k (almost same as now)

ALL other bows:

+3 to speed rtng. +2 to shot speed. + make it cost +500 gold to each one.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mtemtko on February 13, 2011, 02:14:55 am
Solution for "useless" Longbow problem:

+4 to cut dmg. +5 to shot speed. -1 to speed rtng. + make it worth 10k

To not make it OP:

Warbow:

+1 to cut dmg. + 1 to shot speed. +2 to speed rtng. + make it cost 8,5k (almost same as now)

ALL other bows:

+3 to speed rtng. +2 to shot speed. + make it cost +500 gold to each one.

Would be able to actually hurt people and make it so goddamn overpowered that everyone would forget what it was like prepatch, so its declined without any question.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Archaneus on February 13, 2011, 03:19:11 am
Sorry if you guys consider this slightly off-topic but I just wanted to address a couple people's points.  Being I am actually trained in history as a discipline and I know a few things about a couple people's comments I thought you might all appreciate a little elucidation.

@Dunecat - Mongol bows were superior in the sense of portability and armor penetration to a longbow, this is very true.  There were some trade-offs involved here, however.  Mongol bows had far inferior range, which makes sense, seeing as they were used in an entirely different manner.  Mongol archers were mounted skirmishers, not long range bombardment.  Mongol archers rode in on their targets, sometimes to just out of melee range, and shot point blank.  The point of the mongol bow was ease of use from horseback, not marksmanship at range.  A longbow was designed for long range shots, the standard battle engagement range being something in the area of 250 yards, well above what a mongol bow could be expected to handle with any kind of accuracy.  Longbows also, while mostly used for general bombardment in formation(in other words, you didn't really aim with a longbow, you lobbed in the direction) were capable of solid accuracy, which leads into the other comment I wanted to address...

@Kafein - What you say is, historically, utter nonsense.  Longbows, and bows in general, actually, were capable of far longer range than any crossbow.  Crossbows were not developed because they were better, but because they were easier.  A bolt was capable of greater armor penetration on average, this was true, but they couldn't do anything approaching the range or accuracy.  Crossbows were imprecise weapons, used primarily by non-archers.  They were easy to load, required no great skill to use, and were an alternative for those without the skill and training of the more traditional archer.  This shifts and gets blurry as you get closer to firearms, but it is generally true.  I also would like to point out, the aiming in the game is rather clunky and imprecise.  Probably heavily due to lag and hit box detection errors, but still.  I don't know if you've spent much time playing as an archer, but it's not some cheap easy thing.  I have fired historically accurate replicas of longbows, seen experts use them, etc. and I can tell you they are quite accurate, despite your claim to the contrary.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: bruce on February 13, 2011, 03:49:52 am
Longbows, and bows in general, actually, were capable of far longer range than any crossbow. 

Which is untrue.

He is wrong, of course, but so are you. Longbow and higher powered crossbow ranges were more or less equal - and certain types of crossbow - arbalests - exceeded longbow range by far. However they also fired about one or two shots per minute and were cocked via a windlass. There are no arbalests in crpg or M&B at all, so his statement doesn't hold water - but yours is wrong/misinformed, too.

The weaker crossbows which you reloaded with the foot stirrup had inferior range, which is largely due to how arrows and bolts behave once airborne.

As for accuracy, the only reason why someone would think the longbow is somehow more accurate then a crossbow is perhaps because he saw it in movies.

Crossbows were not developed because they were better, but because they were easier.

Wrong. They were developed for a host of reasons. To begin with, most bows were extremely inefficient against mail, much less anything else. The longbow and some compound bows were the only bows to offer similar penetration to stirrup crossbows. Secondly, you can hold you aim with it enabling more careful aim, and expose a very small part of your body when shooting over obstacles. I'm sure, as you can imagine, that this is a quite major advantage in some situations (like sieges, for instance).

A bolt was capable of greater armor penetration on average, this was true, but they couldn't do anything approaching the range or accuracy.

You're impressing us with your movie knowledge.

  Crossbows were imprecise weapons, used primarily by non-archers.  They were easy to load, required no great skill to use, and were an alternative for those without the skill and training of the more traditional archer.

Well, there is at least one valid thing you said here, they were indeed used by non-archers. The people using crossbows are called crossbowmen. The crossbowmen were professional, well paid troops. They didn't pick up peasants from villages and told them "look here, pull dis lever and it fires somewhere over dere, good lad". Sure, they were easy to use, which meant that you didn't need that much time to train one as you would do train someone to use a longbow, but it wasn't issued to random idiots as people like to think for some reason.

The entire mainland Europe really used crossbows more then bows. Only the British really relied on archery instead of crossbowmen (which isn't to say they didn't use crossbows themselves, when Richard the Lionheart died - from a wound inflicted by the crossbow - many at the time considered it to be God's punishment for ignoring the Pope and using the crossbow very liberally against both christians and muslims alike.)

I have fired historically accurate replicas of longbows, seen experts use them, etc. and I can tell you they are quite accurate, despite your claim to the contrary.

You will find that ranged weapons in the game are quite accurate, actually. I mean, most of the time you miss you miss because you were firing at a moving target and it moves in the classic jerky M&B way, not to mention that correctly leading moving targets is a pain, or you miss by some narrow margin at long range. But if you miss a person 150 metres away by 30 cm it's still fairly damn accurate.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Z_E_N on February 13, 2011, 04:01:32 am
As far as accuracy goes I would agree with bruce.  Archery wasn't really used on a 1v1 basis during this time period, it was more of a line-up-everyone and hope that a few of them hit the big mass of enemies coming your way.

However, because this games doesn't have huge masses of enemies in multiplayer all charging your direction with no regard to what you are shooting...I would say the accuracy needs to be bumped up a notch to put this bow on par with others. 
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: bruce on February 13, 2011, 04:02:30 am
Anyway, the longbow's problem is that it simply doesn't justify its existence over warbow which does, well, close to the same damage while firing much much faster. So eh... maybe increasing its speed a few notches again would help.

It really was painfully slow when I tried it, basically senseless to use next to the warbow (and I preferred a heirloomed strongbow over all of them).


Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Archaneus on February 13, 2011, 04:22:40 am
@Bruce - Okay, there are a couple of problems here.  First, I think you'll find you're taking a combative angle and implying you are disagreeing with my statements when mostly you aren't.  You are absolutely right that arbalests had extreme range, but so what?  We are not discussing arbalests, we are discussing standard crossbows, and specifically those represented in the game, something an arbalest most certainly was not.  The arbalest was the pinnacle of the crossbow, not an early model, so to speak.  I do concede however, that I perhaps should have pointed that out.

I think you'll find you agreed with me in your second point.  You basically just said a longer version of what I said.  All your points but one amount to them being easier to use, not better.  You're right, they offer superior armor penetration which was an actual superiority, everything else about them, however, was ease of use, not quality.  As you yourself said, they are slower to fire and despite what you claim they indeed did have inferior range, albeit partly because of the way they were used.  Bows were fired in arcs as bombardment, crossbows were fired in shorter range in straighter arcs.  Your point about siege is important, however.  This is why they were mainly used for this and less so for open field engagements.  I don't know how you can disagree with that without historical ignorance.

As for your third point, you read into my comment something that was not there.  I didn't say they were inbred hicks that used them, I said they were easier to use, exactly what you said.  Longbowmen trained their whole lives.  Crossbowmen, not so much, because, as you rightly point out, they didn't have to.  This was the advantage of the crossbow.  It was easier, exactly what I said.  Again, you are reading implications into my statements that are not there.  It's true that crossbowmen became more and more relied upon as time went by, but this was a slow transition over time, and yes, after awhile crossbowmen became the norm over longbowmen in mainland Europe.  So?  If you compare the first hand accounts you'll see the French were slaughtered by English longbowmen thousands at a time.  You can go read first hand accounts of French soldiers talking about how they came to fear the sound of the arrows in the thousands raining down on their lines and how they could find no shelter from them.  They also couldn't respond in kind very well.  Why?  Inferior range.  If I recall correctly, I believe they referred to the sound as that of a horde of bees descending upon them.  You'll find historians who specialize in this era crediting it as England's main advantage.

Your final point about the reason for missing in the game is well made.

*Edit* Seeing as this started as merely my attempt at correcting a couple of statements made and is not directly related to balance, I'm not going to bother with continuing this back and forth if indeed Bruce does respond.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Heroin on February 13, 2011, 05:44:10 am
Just a quick comment. I looked up the whole "arbalest" thing. What we refer to as the "Sniper Crossbow" is fairly close in form and function to the arbalest. Furthermore, a skilled "arbalestier" could fire approximately 1 shot every 30 seconds. This is about where the sniper xbow was pre-patch:

10-15 second load time, followed by 15 seconds to acquire a target, aim, track movement, and fire.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Kophka on February 13, 2011, 06:25:47 am
As far as accuracy goes I would agree with bruce.  Archery wasn't really used on a 1v1 basis during this time period, it was more of a line-up-everyone and hope that a few of them hit the big mass of enemies coming your way.

However, because this games doesn't have huge masses of enemies in multiplayer all charging your direction with no regard to what you are shooting...I would say the accuracy needs to be bumped up a notch to put this bow on par with others. 

See that's the flaw here. I say we remove the reticule from the longbow entirely, and lower the damage to 10. In return, every arrow fired from the longbow turns into 10 arrows, in a volley style attack. Seems ok, yeah?
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: MountedRhader on February 13, 2011, 07:12:34 am
I say we flat out give them a minigun. sure not to miss then  :D
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Joxer on February 13, 2011, 07:51:04 am
Bruce: Longbows were very usefull against mail and with proper arrows somewhat usefull against plate too.
Archaneus: Also mongol bows in general are as powerfull as longbows. That's due to the design. If the claim is that they weren't good at long range then only reason that could be is because of difference in arrows. Afaik mongols didn't ride up to the enemy and shoot them point blank. They mostly stayed out of the range of enemy archers. Also you fail to mention the one and only thing that makes traditional mongol bow not as good as a longbow is the fact that it cant be used in rain. The glue holding the thing would just melt off.
 :twisted:
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: MountedRhader on February 13, 2011, 08:10:06 am
New tactic: Fight khergits in rain only.  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Bcleary on February 14, 2011, 04:32:11 am
To the original poster, archery in no way needs a buff. Your Strategy is what needs a buff. As a longbowman myself I scare people with a 8 PD build and get 1-4 kills a round. Usually I can get atleast 3 good hits in. It isn't you chose one guy and aim the whole way he is likely to disapear or be close enough to hurt. The correct way is to see everyone in front of you and choose who you will shoot as the arrows comes up right before it is released not when you take it out of the bag.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Engine on February 14, 2011, 02:12:45 pm
Dear chadz,

Whatever you did to make archers so upset about longbows, please do that same thing to all the other bows.

Much love!
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: [ptx] on February 14, 2011, 03:17:09 pm
Well, my archer alt has been a longbowman for a very long time now, including pre-patch. Currently have a Fine Longbow. My MW longbow felt very powerful and nice, before the archery buff (and heirloom theft :( ), now that arrow damage bonus has been increased massively, longbow no longer has such a damage advantage over other bows and using warbow or strongbow is far more practical...
A solution, imho, would be to move the damage back to bows, rather than arrows, so that the damage difference between different bows is relatively greater.
TBH, playing with a MW longbow, the damage felt just fine before the buff, i could kill people in mail in 2 arrows, naked people and peasants - in 1, which felt appropriate for a hard-hitter such as longbow. Warbow and strongbow users did quite a bit less damage, but then they can fire a lot faster and easier.
And yes, iirc, chadz did promise some accuracy buff for bows...
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dexxtaa on February 14, 2011, 05:33:00 pm
MrShovelFace uses the longbow to shotgun people.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: EponiCo on February 14, 2011, 09:00:16 pm
Like the Welsh did.
Run out of the forest, shoot an Englishman point blanc, run back into the forest.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rogue_Eagle on February 15, 2011, 12:53:09 am
imo they should make warbow and longbow pierce again.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: bruce on February 15, 2011, 01:05:32 am
Imo they should boost throwing, damage is too low, should be at least double.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Loki on February 15, 2011, 03:09:37 am
I ground my way up to 18/18 to be able to use one and I discovered once I had that the longbow is a complete waste of time. The new animation which slows archery combined with the bow's own slow speed means you have a delay of about 4 seconds between choosing a target and releasing the arrow. This is too much for the bow to have any real value: at long range your target could have gone anywhere in this time while at close range you have already been killed. Unsurprisingly hardly any archers use the longbow now. It should either be totally reworked or simply removed from the mod.

I tried the longbow thinking it would be good in the new patch, but it shoots slower than a light crossbow.  Literally.  I got in a ranged duel with a guy with a light crossbow and he was outshooting me.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: 3ABP on February 15, 2011, 05:09:11 pm
Longbow is designed (only in this game, not in RL of course) as long range weapon.
To shoot at the distance where short bow are useless.
But ATM even strong bow (masterwork) at long distance shooting faster (it must be) and even more precision (!!!) than Longbow.
I don't know why is it - I tried many builds - but anyway Strongbow and Warbow are better than Longbow.
Strongbow much faster, Warbow - just faster.... dmg on long distance (because of lowering dmg from distance) is very near.
And here is no point to use Longbow at all.

BTW I think all other bow are just fine.
I playing with all bows.
Khergit is awesome on close combat and medium ranges.
Strong - a little slower but a little more dmg.
Warbow is ideal for medium and long distance.

Longbow - can't be used at any distance. Because always here is better weapon at this distance.
But when we trying to use Longbow at extra long distances - there he is too totaly useless.
Because not only of overall shooting speed (weapon speed) - let it be, let it will be slow... slowest, it must be. No discussion.
But projectile speed and accuracy (and I don't know why... but accuracy is terrible) doesn't allow to shoot at long distance.
Because of:

1. big lag (delay) between releasing a shoot and moment when arrow REALLY fly out from the bow.

2. terrible accuracy. I can't understand why. All other bow are fine for me (their accuracy). But for Longbow I tried many builds (all possible ways) and didn't
found any build what allow to shoot at long distance. At short and medium - OTHER bows are MORE accurate than Longbow. Even in short-medium Longbow loosing. So you can imagine what with increasing length of shooting distance accuracy makes lower.

3. terrible... just terrible projectile speed. While arrow fly from archer to far far target - it takes seconds...not one... many...
And plus "1" and "2".... At results you must be Nostradamus and very lucky to hit anything.

4. We spent a lot of tests and found what bow+arrow dmg is very highly depends of arrow traveling distance.
Longer distance = lower dmg. Since Longow have a very similar damage to Warbow (and even Strong) but using to shoot at much more greater distance - so...
there is not a point to shoot ATM at all. It's logical to wait while target will be closer. But when target is closer - Longbow with their speed isn't needed anymore.
And on closer distance are fine to use War, Strong or even (really - I using and happy) Khergit bow.
So - at long distance Longbow hit (in case if arrow even hit target and not miss) very frequently as mosquito bite.
And just for info - I used in test (and in games) Masterwork Longbow + bodkins arrows (+high PD and WPF... dedicated archer).

5. As I (we) received an info from one of developers - right now weapons (bows) damage depends ONLY from bow dmg type.
And arrow have not affecting resulting damage by arrow type dmg. It's very bad for Longbow (exceptionally for Longbow, because all other bows for me are just fine. I love to use all of them - depends of situation).


So I very want to see smth like +projectile speed for Longbow and plus dmg (no matter how it will be increased... or by dmg type, or by pure dmg...no matter).
+projectile speed = not +1 or +2. It must have real effect.
The same for dmg. +1 or +2  - do not even feel.
Here is need deep balance decision for Longbow. Or big boost for arrow speed and overall dmg (even with lovering weapon speed).
Or.... I don't know another way.

P.s. and pls don't buff other bows ^). Really - because they are fine. And if other bows will be buffed too - then situation repeats, but only on new level.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: 3ABP on February 15, 2011, 05:22:06 pm
added later
Sry for so long post ^), but some more my feeling about Longbow:

Let it will be very specific weapon. Not for "just take for fun" and shoot to anything.
Let it will be very hard to use weapon. With big disadvantages, what required very high personal skill (player skill).
BUT anyway - player must receive something back for it (in return).
I spending very many time to find a position, I shooting very rare because of speed and because of "shooting windows" for long range shooting are opened
much more rare than for medium and short distance. Let it will be useless in close combat. Let I will have disadvantages in melee battles because of spending all skills to archery. But in this case there must be something in return.
Right now - there is none.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Magikarp on February 15, 2011, 06:21:34 pm
Longbow used to be the most overpowered bow ever in the history of cRPG. All chadz did was nerf the speed, because he thinks it should fulfill the role of being the more powerful bow, but slower.

And it does, stop whining.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 15, 2011, 08:33:16 pm
Longbow used to be the most overpowered bow ever in the history of cRPG. All chadz did was nerf the speed, because he thinks it should fulfill the role of being the more powerful bow, but slower.

And it does, stop whining.
At the expense of being any use.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: bruce on February 15, 2011, 08:37:40 pm
The damage of the longbow just doesn't compensate for the horrible arrow release speed and firing speed, the warbow is close in damage since the arrow damage buff (34 vs 37, that's a 8% difference in damage, less then one level of powerdraw).

The problem: if you're making, eg. a longbowman with 6 PD, a warbow with 7 PD will be faster and more accurate and do more damage and have a comparable arrow speed (since PD increases arrow speed, too). So in my view it's best to increase the speed of the longbow so the difference in firing speed isn't so massive compared to warbow, since they're close in damage.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: [ptx] on February 15, 2011, 08:42:00 pm
Having a dedicated longbowman alt, i wouldn't mind the fire rate staying as it is, as long as the longbow got some other noticeable advantage over other bows, be it damage, accuracy or arrow speed.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mullerian on February 15, 2011, 09:05:47 pm
Having a dedicated longbowman alt, i wouldn't mind the fire rate staying as it is, as long as the longbow got some other noticeable advantage over other bows, be it damage, accuracy or arrow speed.

Exactly, i mostly use the longbow and if you were to buff id much rather see it as a buff towards diversity. Adding extra speed just turns it into a slightly different warbow and thats hardly and interesting change.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dravic on February 15, 2011, 09:10:46 pm
Add another 4 cut dmg to Longbow and +3 to shot speed (NOT speed rtng!), if you dont want to change all bows, just buff Longbow.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: [ptx] on February 15, 2011, 09:13:50 pm
Nah, a better idea would be to simply rebalance archery, move the damage from the arrows (+7 bodkins? srsly?) back to the bows, perhaps making the gap between the bows wider. That would be the optimal solution, imho.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dravic on February 15, 2011, 09:29:57 pm
Yeah, but only if pierce dmg would be returned to bow. Simply, now pierce is very very important for bows, even those small amounts with arrows. Really! That is the reason why arrows got pierce dmg.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: [ptx] on February 15, 2011, 09:46:58 pm
Dravic, arrows don't affect bow damage type. Which is why arrows don't have pierce damage, they simply add extra damage to the bow.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 15, 2011, 10:59:31 pm
Having a dedicated longbowman alt, i wouldn't mind the fire rate staying as it is, as long as the longbow got some other noticeable advantage over other bows, be it damage, accuracy or arrow speed.

This is the crux of the matter. We are content to have a really slow drawing bow, but it must have some advantage that makes it desirable over the other bows.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Cecil on February 16, 2011, 12:04:01 am
Yes, we definetly need more powerful ranged weapons, the current ranged spam is not enough, we need a longbow to terrify us so we're afraid of it's mightyness from the moment we spawn. It would be only fair that an archer who stays away from battle and never puts himself in danger gets a more powerful weapon.


I agree with punisher :)  +1 to him  xD
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Joxer on February 16, 2011, 12:07:20 am
Yes, we definetly need more powerful ranged weapons, the current ranged spam is not enough, we need a longbow to terrify us so we're afraid of it's mightyness from the moment we spawn. It would be only fair that an archer who stays away from battle and never puts himself in danger gets a more powerful weapon.

Like a tincan never puts himself in danger cause he has tons of armor. Like cav never puts itself in danger cause it just runs away from it. Like shielders never put themselves in danger cause they keep their shields up...
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Seprest on February 16, 2011, 12:19:34 am
I like the idea of giving it +3 dmg and more speed on the arrow.  I am sorda new, lvl 28, and I thought the bow would be the best, but then I realized I have never seen anyone else use a longbow, so I went to the warbow that most people were using, and instantly started to get more kills, most of the time I have a positive kd ration now!  Shooting people at long range is not a matter of the bow, but more of your proficiency in the weapon, and dmg on powerdraw.  so make the longbow have a little bit more damage and a little bit more speed on the arrow, even if this doesn't completely balance it, it is definitely a big step in the right direction.  It is just crap atm, anyone who sais they use longbow, use warbow, faster, very little dmg difference,  more dmg output, pew pew.  Longbow won't save you an arrow on most heavy plate wearers, so warbow is just overall better in all categories.  Having 3 more dmg might look good on paper, but there is something funky ingame that just makes shooting it SUCK.


On another note, we should really be able to hold our bow drawn for a much longer period of time.  It is really quite silly that having so many points in proficiency and power draw don't let you hold your shot for any noticeable time!  It is just frustrating that you lose accuracy so fast.  I can deal with it, but there should be a window of opportunity.  this would be of great benefit to archers, and make it a more pleasurable class to play as rather than just fixing a gameplay problem.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Formless on February 16, 2011, 06:52:44 am
Longbow is totally useless right now, once you finished pulling the bow the target has moved far away from where he was when you started the process of aiming.  By the time you adjust your aim to where the guy is right now the reticule has gotten hudge and the shot could go really wild.  Either do 1 of 2 things to fix this up.

1.)  Give tons more damage (so you can 1 shoot medim armoured targets). To make the long bow this slow aiming and slow firing weapon actually useful at killing.
2.)  Keep damage the same but speed this baby up to make it useful.

Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Grey on February 16, 2011, 06:58:02 am
I ground my way up to 18/18 to be able to use one and I discovered once I had that the longbow is a complete waste of time. The new animation which slows archery combined with the bow's own slow speed means you have a delay of about 4 seconds between choosing a target and releasing the arrow. This is too much for the bow to have any real value: at long range your target could have gone anywhere in this time while at close range you have already been killed. Unsurprisingly hardly any archers use the longbow now. It should either be totally reworked or simply removed from the mod.

Ill buy one now, and try to get the effort up to 'loom one soonish. I havent read anyone else's posts but from yours I think you need to hold the mouse button down and track ur target, as soon as you reeeeeaaaccccchhhh full stretch, make final adjustment, and BAM! you just nuked a guy. Its not easy but it is effective.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: 3ABP on February 16, 2011, 11:22:58 am
Ill buy one now, and try to get the effort up to 'loom one soonish. I havent read anyone else's posts but from yours I think you need to hold the mouse button down and track ur target, as soon as you reeeeeaaaccccchhhh full stretch, make final adjustment, and BAM! you just nuked a guy. Its not easy but it is effective.
I repeat my very funny story (in connection with your "BAM! you just nuked a guy"):
Masterwork Longbow + Bodkin arrows + high PD and WPF + short distance = DIDN'T kill 3 naked man one by one (3 different naked man).
Just put those mans into the even medium armor - and pls describe how you see your "Nuke".
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 16, 2011, 01:29:05 pm
Yes. You don't one shot anyone but shirtless peasants who started their character half an hour ago even with a longbow and bodkin arrows.  There is all the difficulty of the long delay between aiming and actually firing plus the very brief time the reticule is narrow enough to get a reasonable chance of a hit and for a very small advantage. I can see that it might work for short range shots with dedicated Strength based longbow-only archers, but for most archers the weapon isn't worth considering next to the alternatives.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: bruce on February 16, 2011, 06:19:14 pm
Yes. You don't one shot anyone but shirtless peasants who started their character half an hour ago even with a longbow and bodkin arrows.  There is all the difficulty of the long delay between aiming and actually firing plus the very brief time the reticule is narrow enough to get a reasonable chance of a hit and for a very small advantage. I can see that it might work for short range shots with dedicated Strength based longbow-only archers, but for most archers the weapon isn't worth considering next to the alternatives.

If you get one more PD and a warbow you will fire faster and be more accurate then a longbowman with 1 PD less and do more damage and have comparable shot speed. Because 14% is more then 8%, you see ;)

So the longbow might have an advantage if you have something like 10 powerdraw. Then you can't "push the warbow one notch up", and you have the most damaging bow ingame. But I know few people who would do that - although the damage output of a 10 PD longbow must be terrifying, especially if it's heirloomed. But slow and inaccurate, however... but yes, it's the only "purpose" I see for a longbowman, to stack tons of powerdraw and have a very powerful but slow bow.



Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 16, 2011, 10:55:15 pm
I'm surprised to discover that this would be just about a feasible build, according to the Character Planner:
Level 30
Str 30
Agi 12
converted 14(!)
Athletics 3
Power Draw 10
Weapon Master 4
Archery 139
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Cup1d on February 17, 2011, 11:09:45 am
At this moment I have 27str/12agi build, with 9 PD and 137 wpf in archery. And yes, I'm aiming gor 30\12 build.
If you expect something like - one shot = one kill, sorry, I must dissapoint you.

Damage report
AT 9 pd with MW warbow and sharp bodkins you cant oneshot anyone except peasant.
Archers take 2 arrows (chars with 50-53 health, 27-36 body armor).
Lamellar west chars (ninja-like - 38-44 body armor) take  2-3 arrows.
Mail and other medium armor (46-52 body armor) take at least 4 arrows. (but usually you are dead)
Brigandine and Elite series armor take at least 5 arrows. (but usually you are dead)
Transitional Armor and heavier - 5-8 arrows. (but usually you are dead)

Accuracy report
Accuracy is bad. IMHO = Do not expect better accuracy with more and more PD over requirement.

Expected disadvantages
Without PS and wpf investment, in melee this build have small chances.
With 12 agi and 3 athletics you are slow. You cant outflank and find firing position in the rear of the enemy in time.
Your shooting is slow too. Archers with balanced or agi-oriented builds can outshoot you with ease.
Your firing distance - short-medium. At long distance you will need all your Luck.
In open fields you are easy prey to cavalry, xbowers, archers, shielders and fast 2H.

Expected advantages
Point-blank shooter. You can be really good in skirmish shooting, if you have some infantry support. But usually infantry is most unawared chars without any practice in teamplay.
Siege character. Yes. You can be really effective on siege servers. Better at defending but as attacker too. But remember - siege servers is no more than kindergarten for battle servers characters. So 70% of your kills its 1-20 level chars.
Long range pewpewpew.  Archers lottery.

Roof is your friend.

IMHO - damage bonus is not so big for such trade-off.
You can achieve 2\1 or 3\1 K/D. But you can achieve such K/D with regular strongbow and 5 PD, 150-160 wpf. And add versatility to your build.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Elmetiacos on February 17, 2011, 03:17:37 pm
At this moment I have 27str/12agi build, with 9 PD and 137 wpf in archery. And yes, I'm aiming gor 30\12 build.
If you expect something like - one shot = one kill, sorry, I must dissapoint you.

Damage report
AT 9 pd with MW warbow and sharp bodkins you cant oneshot anyone except peasant.
Archers take 2 arrows (chars with 50-53 health, 27-36 body armor).
Lamellar west chars (ninja-like - 38-44 body armor) take  2-3 arrows.
Mail and other medium armor (46-52 body armor) take at least 4 arrows. (but usually you are dead)
Brigandine and Elite series armor take at least 5 arrows. (but usually you are dead)
Transitional Armor and heavier - 5-8 arrows. (but usually you are dead)

Accuracy report
Accuracy is bad. IMHO = Do not expect better accuracy with more and more PD over requirement.
Those are more or less the same figures as I get with a plain, ordinary War Bow and PD6. PD may lengthen the time it takes for the reticule to widen for a held shot, but it doesn't improve accuracy at all - it used to once upon a time as it does in Native, but some patch between September 2010 and January 2011 took this away. Cup1d is a better archer than me; if he can't hit much with this build, I won't try either.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Beauchamp on February 17, 2011, 03:30:35 pm
so nerf warbow and strongbow and longbow will be fine :o)
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 17, 2011, 05:06:17 pm
so nerf warbow and strongbow and longbow will be fine :o)

Try using better bait if you're looking for more troll points  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Beauchamp on February 17, 2011, 07:12:18 pm
Try using better bait if you're looking for more troll points  :rolleyes:

i wrote it wrong, the smiley shouldn't be there. i was absolutely serious. there are again so many gaychers in crpg... i'm afrad that strategus will turn to shitty CS again.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 17, 2011, 07:36:38 pm
That was better, it moves closer to sincerity. Not deserving of a TP though  :lol:
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Grey on February 19, 2011, 06:09:12 pm
Its awesomeBar now, not trollpoints. I think too many people had too many trollpoints, they have now made negative a bad thing, just as everyone on forum agreed I am furthest person from troll and upped my "negative troll" to 40......
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tears of Destiny on February 19, 2011, 07:59:51 pm
I think simply upping the damage by another two or three points would make it viable, then it would be a good nitch weapon that could be used for headhunting cav/tin cans. Oh, and making the image for it larger, it looks too small in-game.

As for the complaints that by the time you draw your bow you have to readjust for a target, I disagree. I at least can move my reticule and track while drawing (Is my game glitched then?), so I only lose targets when they go behind cover..
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: RagnarLodbroke on February 20, 2011, 03:52:15 am
Damn, i was supposed to take a screenshot yesterday to show u something awesome, i was equipped with my longbow,145 wpf and 6 PD+ Bodkins.
my armor is a mail 3 k armor.

Then i saw a Xbow man, not quite sure what xbow he had, heavy armor aswell.

I belive we shot at the same time, i got a HS, he didnt die :S He missed, I reloaded at the same time as him and he was done reloading before i could release my arrow.... BOOM Headshot, i was dead, thinking " WHAT THE HELL, BS".

So my Question: Why the hell is the longbow even on the shopmenu?  Its really slow, inaccurate, and the Dmg is actually kinda bad lol!

How the hell is ppl able to survive a HS from a longbow. should be impossible!
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tears of Destiny on February 20, 2011, 09:23:51 am
How far were you? Projectiles have pathetic hit power at long distances if shooting uphill (Top of the arc to be specific). I remember being tinked from a lucky shot from an archer I could barely see across the map and it took about 8% of my health. I have the best 5 pound armor and 0 pound gauntlets for protection and that is it.

It was a bodkin arrow sticking out of me too...
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: RagnarLodbroke on February 20, 2011, 03:21:15 pm
Not far at all, u know the siege map in the desert where u have got a siege tower.. The siege tower was pretty close the wall when i got yhe Hs,
 as i said i should have taken a screen!
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on February 20, 2011, 03:57:08 pm
How far were you? Projectiles have pathetic hit power at long distances if shooting uphill (Top of the arc to be specific). I remember being tinked from a lucky shot from an archer I could barely see across the map and it took about 8% of my health. I have the best 5 pound armor and 0 pound gauntlets for protection and that is it.

It was a bodkin arrow sticking out of me too...

I know where you are coming from, but man this is exactly the point! Longbow's are meant to be used at Long Range! So you can see how silly it is when someone says "My longbow's damage is crap!", and the response is "You must be using it at long range".  :lol:
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Grey on February 21, 2011, 06:18:56 am
So, crazy idead, BUT:

NERF Longbow firing speed a little more.

BUFF The accuracy and shot (arrow in flight) speed a bit

NERF the damage a small amount.

GIVE BACK pierce damage on longbow

NERF the damage reduction over range. (so dmg at range can be achieved)

RETURN longbow to battlefield, I think with above measures, longbow has a place, as a hard hitting, slow firing, heavy support character, leaving its targets either dead or with one foot in the grave, ready for teammate to finnish them.

But as it is now, longbow is just something to do when your bored....

Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dravic on February 21, 2011, 04:51:21 pm
I did changes you listed above, Grey, and it looks something like that:

Current Longbow:

weight 1.75
requirement 6
spd rtng 48
shoot speed 54
thrust damage 30 cut
accuracy 96
Can't use on horseback
Gen1= 48spd 55shspd 31cut 96acc
Gen2= 49spd 56shspd 32cut 97acc
Gen3= 50spd 57shspd 33cut 98acc

"New" Longbow:

weight 4.75
requirement 6
spd rtng 44
shoot speed 57
thrust damage 28 pierce
accuracy 97
Can't use on horseback
Gen1= 44spd 58shspd 29pierce 97acc
Gen2= 45spd 59shspd 30pierce 98acc
Gen3= 46spd 60shspd 31pierce 99acc


Weight prevents from running with this bow.
Also AFAIK its impossible to turn off damage reduce at long ranges only with 1 bow, even more: im not sure it is possible to turn off damage reduce  even to all ranged.
______________________________

Could be better vs tincans, and with say 8 PD would hurt. Especially headshot.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: 3ABP on February 21, 2011, 06:28:05 pm

weight 4.75

Bad (very very bad idea).
For now here is not (looks so) minimum 5 kg free weight what doesn't decrease effective WPF for archers.
So in case of 4,75kg weight - you must wear nothing more except 1 pack of arrows.
Because even 2nd pack of arrow will decrease your effective WPF more and more.

Why at all  (general\generally) you want to change bows weight? What the point?
Just to find another way how to decrease Longbow quantity? It's (those ways) fully enough now.

P.s.
Quote
Weight prevents from running with this bow.
AFAIK weapon weight doesn't affect character running speed at all (only other weapon modifier - but I will not tell you - which one :) )
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mouse on February 24, 2011, 03:05:29 am
NERF the damage reduction over range. (so dmg at range can be achieved)

This might be something hard coded into the game engine, unfortunately.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Gisbert_of_Thuringia on March 08, 2011, 12:24:56 pm
If a real longbow had as much speed as in c-rpg, the English wouldn't have won battles like aszincourt....

That's the only thing i say about that :/


Most of the posts here are ridiculous..."make the longbow slower, but give it more accuracy and dmg" o.O
Are you kinda stupid?? The problem with the longbow is its speed!
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dravic on March 08, 2011, 04:22:57 pm
But if you speed Longbow up, it will be second warbow. If you make dmg higher, it will be good alternative to it.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Paul on March 08, 2011, 05:48:47 pm
Longbow gets piercing damage next patch. 23p I think.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Dravic on March 08, 2011, 05:52:28 pm
23? WHAT? Give it at least 25 (as much as a dagger has), AT LEAST!

But anyway, good step.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rumblood on March 09, 2011, 01:07:07 am
Longbow gets piercing damage next patch. 23p I think.

Might be enough. 25 would I think.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Wallace on March 09, 2011, 01:12:58 am
I used the longbow on my 13 PD archer... could 2 shot tin cans

nuffsed
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tears of Destiny on March 09, 2011, 01:47:05 am
I used the longbow on my 13 PD archer... could 2 shot tin cans

nuffsed

Why 13? The damage bonus does not effect anything past 4 higher then your bow requirement.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Adamar on March 09, 2011, 02:03:45 am
I've been playing as an archer for a while, my char is level 30 and I've experinced the same problems as others here.

I've concluded that the longbow needs a slight accuracy buff, all bows need to keep arrows drawn longer, and arrow speed must be nativitized.
Do this and the class is fixed.

Also, on a personal note, if the longbow is to receive a boost please do it soon. Im almost level 31 for the first time and I must make my mind on an heirloom.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Seawied on March 21, 2011, 08:02:34 pm
Bad (very very bad idea).
For now here is not (looks so) minimum 5 kg free weight what doesn't decrease effective WPF for archers.
So in case of 4,75kg weight - you must wear nothing more except 1 pack of arrows.
Because even 2nd pack of arrow will decrease your effective WPF more and more.

Why at all  (general\generally) you want to change bows weight? What the point?
Just to find another way how to decrease Longbow quantity? It's (those ways) fully enough now.

P.s.AFAIK weapon weight doesn't affect character running speed at all (only other weapon modifier - but I will not tell you - which one :) )


No, weapon weight does not affect your WPF... only armor weight does. Also, the coveted 5 kg weight changes based on your character's stats. This means that your maximum weight before penalty will change depending on a number of factors.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: 3ABP on March 22, 2011, 10:05:43 am
Longbow gets piercing damage next patch. 23p I think.
Is it possible to increase projectile speed (only for Longbow) too?
Reason:
Longbow designed (in game) to shoot at long\very long distance.
Longbow can't (it is almost impossible) to shoot at short\medium-short distances because of shooting speed (and it is ok).
But on long distance arrow loosing arrows damage very quickly (first) and traveling time on long distance is... terrible (second and main).

So it would be nice to increase a projectile speed for Longbow.

P.s. and please give us know how now works bow mastery mechanics?
I have spent 3 days to find a "patterns" - but didn't. As for now - here is no any relations between PD, WPF and accuracy.
When you increase one of variables (PD or WPF or both) you newer know what you will receive as result - increasing or decreasing accurasy.
ESPECIALLY it is important for Longbow - because I am (and not only I) didn't find a way to make a Longow accurate.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tears of Destiny on March 22, 2011, 03:58:11 pm
It has been proven that wpf increases accuracy, and PD merely makes the reticule "hold" longer at the optimum position, as well as increasing damage at all ranges. Also from what I can see, among other archers as well, PD no longer makes your bow less accurate.

As for the longbow, I had success with it at 130 wpf for a "shotgun" against cavalry, though for long distance shooting I would try and go for at least 150 with it.

XBows have recently been concretely proven that the base accuracy (I think walt did it) does not effect your shot at all, and regardless of your wpf the reticule will be identical whether you are using a light xbow or a sniper or any of the others.

I have yet to see a similar test for bows (hopefully walt will do this), though I think the base accuracy for them actually matters.

I am tempted to just buy the last few bows I do not own, and make my own experiments with them to test the "accuracy" effect, just timing the screenshots to match the reticul at the best position would be an utter pain (unlike the xbows).
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Heroin on March 22, 2011, 08:27:17 pm
XBows have recently been concretely proven that the base accuracy (I think walt did it) does not effect your shot at all, and regardless of your wpf the reticule will be identical whether you are using a light xbow or a sniper or any of the others.

I think you might have misunderstood the results presented by Walt. Basically, an item's "Accuracy" statistic is not the "Base" accuracy, but rather the maximum attainable accuracy with that weapon, with enough proficiency.

So, for xbows, the sniper xbow has the POTENTIAL to be the most accurate xbow available, assuming you have enough WPF to take advantage of said accuracy.

Basically, if you have ZERO WPF in xbows, the reticule size for the light xbow will be the same as for the sniper. However, if you have 150 wpf in xbow, the sniper xbow reticule will be smaller.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: 3ABP on March 22, 2011, 10:08:48 pm
It has been proven that wpf increases accuracy, and PD merely makes the reticule "hold" longer at the optimum position, as well as increasing damage at all ranges. Also from what I can see, among other archers as well, PD no longer makes your bow less accurate.
...
It has been proven that even dev.team members don't know how archery works (I have a link to topic proving it).
(not all of them, but...)
So - here is not so clear with WPF, PD and result as may be looking from a side.

P.s. this topic (in theory) dedicated to discussion about Longbow (not whole bows line).
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: WaltF4 on March 23, 2011, 05:37:09 pm
Here is the plot Heroin and Tears_of_Destiny are referencing from my post on crossbows (http://forum.c-rpg.net/index.php/topic,1357.msg31805.html#msg31805):

(click to show/hide)

The less expensive crossbows are more accurate for low crossbow proficiencies. The less expensive crossbows remain more accurate until they reach their minimum reticules sizes because the reduction in crossbow reticules width per proficiency point is a constant for all of the crossbows. The accuracy statistic of a crossbow seems to determine what the minimum reticules size is. So with very high crossbow proficiency (something like 170+,) the sniper crossbow is likely the most accurate.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Native_ATS on March 23, 2011, 10:22:17 pm
i say buff the long bow by 3 damg  :D
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Christo on March 23, 2011, 11:22:45 pm
Longbow gets piercing damage next patch. 23p I think.

Sounds good, I wanted to post a suggestion like this one.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tennenoth on March 26, 2011, 03:54:35 pm
The only thing in my opinion that should be changed on the longbow to make it useable is to increase the speed by 2 to 50. I have done some testing on Native while using the exact stats of the current longbow and the animations. Even there it has the release flaw (i'm not saying bug because it's just due to the low speed.) I found that the small increase in speed to 2 got rid of the flaw so massively.

Also for an increase of 3 damage from the warbow, the difference in the speed is 11 while the damage difference between the strongbow and warbow is also 3 while the speed difference is only 4. Looking at the rest of the bows you have near enough the same differences but thats not what I am saying.

I've wanted to use the longbow since the new patch, I find that the release flaw really screws up my ability to aim successfully and I would like to see (and I have annoyed an "item unbalancer" over it in irc) this increased.

If anyone wants to recreate the Native longbow screw over:

Animation pack: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,134185.0.html
Item changer: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,105928.0.html
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Rheinhardt on March 31, 2011, 10:49:54 am
When I use my longbow, I want it accurate enough to be a threat at long range, powerful enough to drop a cloth-wearer in one shot and fast enough to make it rain. English archery was all about the speed at which the archer could send arrows down range, and I'd like that to be reflected in game. At the moment I'm trading shots with crossbowmen; in reality I should be shooting twice as fast as a plain crossbow or even faster for the heavier weapons.

Consider video evidence (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g-0-RK3cjk).

I really don't care for holding my accuracy after the draw, that's more a recurve trick. Crossbows will always have the edge fighting from cover as well, since they only have to be exposed when firing. So in short, let the warbow be for the snipers and the longbow for the spammers. That gives them both a role to fill.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: ToxicKilla on April 01, 2011, 03:09:12 pm
The only thing in my opinion that should be changed on the longbow to make it useable is to increase the speed by 2 to 50. I have done some testing on Native while using the exact stats of the current longbow and the animations. Even there it has the release flaw (i'm not saying bug because it's just due to the low speed.) I found that the small increase in speed to 2 got rid of the flaw so massively.

Also for an increase of 3 damage from the warbow, the difference in the speed is 11 while the damage difference between the strongbow and warbow is also 3 while the speed difference is only 4. Looking at the rest of the bows you have near enough the same differences but thats not what I am saying.

I've wanted to use the longbow since the new patch, I find that the release flaw really screws up my ability to aim successfully and I would like to see (and I have annoyed an "item unbalancer" over it in irc) this increased.

If anyone wants to recreate the Native longbow screw over:

Animation pack: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,134185.0.html
Item changer: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,105928.0.html

+1 to this. Also, pierce damage would be nice to have too, being as the longbow could pierce nearly all but the best armours.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Keshian on April 03, 2011, 05:03:13 pm
Why 13? The damage bonus does not effect anything past 4 higher then your bow requirement.

For shits and giggles?  But actually it still affects your shoot speed even though its not a direct damage bonus, the higher the shoot speed bonus, the less your arrows lose damaging power over distance or through rain, which indirectly adds to your damage when hitting a target.  Even a 20 foot shot does slightly more damage.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Beauchamp on April 03, 2011, 05:20:14 pm
When I use my longbow, I want it accurate enough to be a threat at long range, powerful enough to drop a cloth-wearer in one shot and fast enough to make it rain. English archery was all about the speed at which the archer could send arrows down range, and I'd like that to be reflected in game. At the moment I'm trading shots with crossbowmen; in reality I should be shooting twice as fast as a plain crossbow or even faster for the heavier weapons.

Consider video evidence (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g-0-RK3cjk).

I really don't care for holding my accuracy after the draw, that's more a recurve trick. Crossbows will always have the edge fighting from cover as well, since they only have to be exposed when firing. So in short, let the warbow be for the snipers and the longbow for the spammers. That gives them both a role to fill.


aye but after 1 minute you will drop dead because will be so tired that you won't be able to shoot anymore. its rather about balance than exact historic evidence imo.

i can imagine giving longbow higher damage (or maybe even pierce), but no faster shooting speed pls.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Arrowblood on April 03, 2011, 06:23:43 pm
I have a fine longbow now,and the shot speed is the same of the heavy crossbow. For the most medium armored guys you nedd 2 hits. Its fun to play the bow with 172 Archery WPF.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: 3ABP on April 04, 2011, 01:56:36 am
I have a fine longbow now,and the shot speed is the same of the heavy crossbow. For the most medium armored guys you nedd 2 hits. Its fun to play the bow with 172 Archery WPF.
I think "shoot speed" means a time between two shots.
Bellow - "shoot speed" means projectile speed.
Just to add some info for comparison:
-Heavy Crossbow can be aimed infinity time without loosing accuracy
-Heavy Crossbow have piercing damage (instead cut) 63 by Xbow + 10+ by bolts (+ from WPF)
-Heavy Crossbow have even higher shoot speed (shoot speed 56 to shoot speed 54)

All above is confirmed by current situatuion on servers - ex-bow Age changed to Xbow Age.
Let it be - just do smth with Longbow projectile speed...
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Christo on April 04, 2011, 02:10:05 am
I think I'll repeat myself, but I heard that Longbow will get it's Pierce Damage back.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: [ptx] on April 04, 2011, 08:16:35 am
Very low pierce damage, at that. I fear it will actually be doing generally less damage with that, which will make it suck even more.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mullerian on April 04, 2011, 11:14:55 am
Very low pierce damage, at that. I fear it will actually be doing generally less damage with that, which will make it suck even more.

Yeah it seems like Paul suggested that it would be 23 pierce damage, which seems rather low. Using the melee calculator with that number it seems like it does a lot less damage versus unarmored and very slightly(like 1 or 2 points) more on high armored targets.

I hope they make it closer to the warbow on unarmored targets.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tavuk_Bey on April 04, 2011, 12:24:25 pm
i see lots of longBAWmen here. what were you expecting? a repeating bow which can send over 9000 arrows in 1 secs? it's quite ok with longbow's current stats. if you want sniping stuff, just go and play CoD
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mullerian on April 04, 2011, 01:34:13 pm
i see lots of longBAWmen here. what were you expecting? a repeating bow which can send over 9000 arrows in 1 secs? it's quite ok with longbow's current stats. if you want sniping stuff, just go and play CoD

Im not sure how they teached you to discuss things, but putting words into the other parts mouth so they seem to be wanting something retarded is not the way to do it. If you are not capable of actually discussing it, why dont you just stay the fuck away then?

Nobody is asking for the longbow to be a repeating crossbow, if you look at whats been asked for most people arent even asking for a speed buff but for a buff to diversity, like for example lowering damage and making it piercing. So that it would serve a different purpose than the other bows or upping shot speed so that it can be used for longer range firing.

Next time please do read the thread instead of just coming in here looking like a retard just to say you have been here.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tennenoth on April 04, 2011, 04:43:59 pm
After doing a bit more research I have found that wpf does effect the release flaw but not greatly, it seems that if you get past a certain number of wpf, 130-140 (I am not Walt or whoever the cRPG Scientist is) the flaw is reduced although it is still present, increase in the speed to 50, as found before does have roughly the same effect of losing the flaw but with roughly 100 wpf (Please, as I said, don't hold me to figures! I just bodged together some tests but unlike testing programms, I can't just automate it  :rolleyes:).

The thing with crossbows is that they take a horrendous amount of strength to pull the string back due to the amount of energy it uses to launch the bolt, while with a bow, the string is longer thus as someone said before, the energy put into drawing back a bow string to a crossbow in turn becomes more and fires the arrow at a greater speed and thus a greater distance, which is not reflected in cRPG. (I am not calling realism! Just physics, which could be completely wrong  :lol: So please correct me! ^^)

I am constantly asked why do I use the longbow and I reply "it's relaxing, the long draw times means I can be completely aware of whats around me and the long range means that 90% of the time, there is NOTHING around me!" But thats just me, and i'm a cowardly archer who can't melee to even save his life, so I like to run away and be a pain in the arse instead!
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Farrok on April 04, 2011, 05:08:59 pm
Quote
The thing with crossbows is that they take a horrendous amount of strength to pull the string back due to the amount of energy it uses to launch the bolt, while with a bow, the string is longer thus as someone said before, the energy put into drawing back a bow string to a crossbow in turn becomes more and fires the arrow at a greater speed and thus a greater distance, which is not reflected in cRPG. (I am not calling realism! Just physics, which could be completely wrong   So please correct me! ^^)

would we say realism all crossbows need a damagenerf of say 90%

no xbowman with brain would use a xbow and try to pull the string back with bare hands :D
you have some tools for it, goes from a cheap belt hook+Stirrup to a Windlass...


when we say about bows, the khergitbow would be as good as a longbow or atleast warbow, the only downside would be the range


but meeh physiscs and realism dont exist ingame so dont bother with it...
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Magikarp on April 04, 2011, 05:15:00 pm
Why was the longbow reduced in size btw? I never got an answer to that question.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: [ptx] on April 04, 2011, 05:16:46 pm
Because of the animation. The new animation wouldn't work with the old huge longbow.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Magikarp on April 04, 2011, 05:20:13 pm
Meh it looks like crap now imo, it wouldve been cool if it somehow could retain old animations.

That's the only thing that bothers me about it atm.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Otaku_HyeZa on April 04, 2011, 06:50:09 pm
My friends longbow avarege too.She can use it but slowly and while she targeting she would be hitted anytime.I think need a rework this mod
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Tennenoth on April 05, 2011, 03:23:45 am
would we say realism all crossbows need a damagenerf of say 90%

no xbowman with brain would use a xbow and try to pull the string back with bare hands :D
you have some tools for it, goes from a cheap belt hook+Stirrup to a Windlass...


when we say about bows, the khergitbow would be as good as a longbow or atleast warbow, the only downside would be the range


but meeh physiscs and realism dont exist ingame so dont bother with it...

I'm talking about to get the same amount of energy out of a crossbow as you would a longbow, not just to pull it back normally! I should have made that clear to begin with. But also, not all crossbows had the wind up mechanisms and as I see people running around in cRPG without using them, I assume that they are not in the game, as I said, I wasn't speaking about realism, I was speaking about balance! :)

Also, yeah, I keep getting asked if I am using a hunting bow because when you pull the longbow back, it does look odly like a hunting bow :P
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Peasant_Woman on April 06, 2011, 03:57:10 pm
You guys seem to be having a good time discussing the stats of the longbow, but what about its model? I dont like this twig people keep calling a longbow.
Pics to show you what I mean - First image from each set is native (pretty accurate to what a longbow looks like) and second is crpg right now.

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mullerian on April 06, 2011, 05:50:11 pm
You guys seem to be having a good time discussing the stats of the longbow, but what about its model? I dont like this twig people keep calling a longbow.
Pics to show you what I mean - First image from each set is native (pretty accurate to what a longbow looks like) and second is crpg right now.

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

Mainly because that has been discussed several times before and we were told it had to be reduced in size to be able to use the new animation the introduced. Or at least thats what i suspect is the reason
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: CaptainQuantum on April 20, 2011, 09:53:06 pm
At first the longbow is much worse in comparison to the warbow, it was the same for me, but now I have played with it for a few levels (24ish-28), I have picked up it's rhythm. I don't do too badly with it now, it may need a slight buff but I cannot tell myself, air speed of the arrow doesn't really bother me since I can correct for that now, perhaps an accuracy increase would help, after all it is a longbow. Changing to pierce damage would be nice too since longbows were designed for range and armour penetration. In summary either increase accuracy or change to pierce damage if a buff is required, as to the OP you may find it hard with the speed of the longbow but once you find the rhythm the speed is not impossible, it's just inducing a different play style.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Native_ATS on April 20, 2011, 10:43:36 pm
all top tier bows blow...
look at what i learned or started to think about
 http://forum.c-rpg.net/index.php/topic,4136.0.html (http://forum.c-rpg.net/index.php/topic,4136.0.html)
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Taeryl on April 20, 2011, 11:05:40 pm
I have been using a longbow since the release of the new patch, and although I have to agree that it is lacking, I don't see any major flaws beyond the accuracy and draw time that need to be improved.  I have a masterwork longbow and sharp bodkin arrows, and can still only one-shot people in cloth armor, and often 2-3 shot archers, just the same as with a strong bow in most situations.  This seems fairly weak and it is, the damage on arrows have scaled the bows to have a high starting point and a low rate of improvement from bow to bow, making the strong bow superior in many ways because the time it takes to make one shot on a longbow often a strong bow can get 2 shots off AND they are more accurate.  Half of my kills come from melee with only 77 WPF, which is a testament to what the longbow is, a support build.  I can one shot kill the lower horses and 2 shots get most of the mid rank horses, and plate armor still gets hurt; I have had goretooth say I hit him for 1/4 his hp in his famous black armor.  This new patch itself may undo longbowmen by removing melee hybrids, and the support this build of archer brings.
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Mr. Hannibal on March 25, 2012, 11:46:01 pm
I think simply upping the damage by another two or three points would make it viable, then it would be a good nitch weapon that could be used for headhunting cav/tin cans. Oh, and making the image for it larger, it looks too small in-game.

As for the complaints that by the time you draw your bow you have to readjust for a target, I disagree. I at least can move my reticule and track while drawing (Is my game glitched then?), so I only lose targets when they go behind cover..

boxxy's,i mean Tears of Destiny's first post <3
Title: Re: The Useless Longbow
Post by: Cyclopsided on March 26, 2012, 01:10:13 am
LOCK THREAD
DO NOT REPLY