I've found the only thing ruining my blocking is lag. A server with 150-200 people on, which the servers don't seem particularly well suited to handle (constant shifting pings all around), can really screw me up sometimes. But with a good connection the bots are more dangerous than general NW players. The bayonets insane damage makes melee fights incredibly easy lame with any semblance of blocking.
fixed.
yeah there is a serious problem with ping/lag and hitboxes in this game, the big servers give you very high ping and even with 30 ping it often feels like you have 300. I dunno how they managed to break the engine so much, 150 player crpg is silky smooth compared.
the overhead stab animation is really fucked up aswell (part of problem is my natural reaction to block down). most the swords in the game are way too short/low damage that they are useless, the bayonett is easily the most powerful mele weapon. not only far superior reach and animations, it hits faster and seems to do way more damage.
the game has made me laugh my pants off a fair few times, the music and boats are really fun. the cannons and rockets are really cool.
however overall I think the game is pretty wank, for same reasons I didn't like the original mod really. so I knew I shouldn't buy it, but I did.
fighting is just not nearly as fun or smooth. mele is as discussed is wank and gun fighting just isn't fun either, very long reload times and inaccuracy mean its simply tedious, and little skill involved. obviously part of this is just the time it is set, but the game has nothing on warband's medievil combat & setting except awesome instruments.
