holded
It bugs me, but I rarely use those shields. Probably because it bothers me to see it all the time.
If the animation was changed, would it change the area where you shield can passively block? Like how arrows sometimes hit your shield when you aren't holding right click, you know?
It is realistic. At least for heater/pavise type of shields. It is like that because the whole forearm is strapped to the shield. if you want to rest your arm you just let it hang freely, and unless you unstrap it the shield will turn like in game.
The significant weight of the shield wouldn't allow your arm to rest in the same position as when nothing is strapped on it.It would. It's just a weight put on your forearm, which pulls it down.
What Kafein means is, that the shield is much heavier at the lower end than on the upper end. Which means it's highly unrealistic that your arm, which is some kind of pendulum in this case, would keep the lower, heavier end higher than the front end, even if the shield is stripped to your arm. Before this happens your ellbow would bend, and the shield would probably hang down rather horizontally, I guess.