Horses - how to improve difficulty

[Piok]

Forcefield:
Some Players complain about the force field with shields. (But they never question how it is possible to downblock an lancecav at full speed with a wooden stick... oh well,whatever )

Maybe this could be a solution:
2 stages of blocking with shield on horseback:
for example:
down-block= shield blocks legs
up-block=shield blocks upper body
So when the rider blocks his upper body and you hit his legs, there will be no force field etc.

Accelaration/Speed:
I think the accelaration/Speed and exhousting implementation of "Zelda Ocarina of time" is worth looking at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqHY9Xe6_0k&t=1m0s

just replace the carrots with horsewhip/horseshoes icons etc.:


like this...
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As you can assume riding at fullspeed all the time is not possible with this . You have to use the "speed boosts"(horsewhip/horseshoes) wisely.
When you use them too fast your horse will get exhousted and slows down (-50%speed ? ). In order to ride fast again, you have to wait for some time(when there is a free "boost" available).


The lance angle:
The lance angle nerf has influenced heavy cav more than light cav, since they have a bad maneuverability. I got used to it after a time, but I have still hard time to counter a good-cav-player+arabian-horse.
Changing it back would make cav duells more interesting.




PS: I have been inactive for a long time, so I dont know much about the current state of cRPG. But back then when I played, the balance system was bad. The various classes should be also taking into account when it comes to balance. Or we end up playing  Team1:   3cav   vs  Team2: 15 cav .

About force field: yes you can down block but always there is a option to poke enemy horse and with forcefield is almost impossible to hit horse. Also sometimes you can block strikes from behind so sort of angle nerf for block about 30 degrees in back will be helpful (not only for shields).
About lance angle:Small buff will be good but revert it to old days will completely screw one and two hand cav same as me and others shorter lance users. Almost every of my head on attack on heavy lance is 80% suicide. It is about skilz to outmanoeuvre other cav.
Some sort of stamina however will be good horse with full speed all the time is very unrealistic.

[Vibe]

While you're at it, can you also take away the ridiculous force field of the shield on horse?

[_Tak_]

While you're at it, can you also take away the ridiculous force field of the shield on horse?
[/quote

Also remove the force shield to infantry so that shielders can get a nerf, then the nerf will move back to archery instead of cav

[Chagan_Arslan]

While you're at it, can you also take away the ridiculous force field of the shield on horse?

as inf, when you hold down block your covered from toes to head from thrust attacks, works the same on the horse back so good luck changing this ridiculous force field

[Vibe]

as inf, when you hold down block your covered from toes to head from thrust attacks, works the same on the horse back so good luck changing this ridiculous force field

As cav, when you hold shield block you and 70% of your horse are covered because of the ridiculous force field. Could be changed if the system gets that you're on a horse, or just overall reduce the forcefield for all shields, some are pretty fucking stupid (looking at you, buckler).

[cmp]

While you're at it, can you also take away the ridiculous force field of the shield on horse?

Yeah, already planned.

[bruce]

As for Matt's interesting proposal:

#1: Making separate armours? Someone would have to do the models for that. However, interesting idea.
#2: The "small" horses are already harder to hit due both to size and maneuver compared to, eg. destriers and such. So a 110 HP 30 armour destrier is less survivable then a 110 hp 20 armour arabian.

[Leshma]

I'm not sure has this been suggested.

This can make hoplites stronger and make playing lancer cav more challenging.

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[Vibe]

I'm not sure has this been suggested.

This can make hoplites stronger and make playing lancer cav more challenging.

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Nope, this has never been suggested

[Kafein]

Nope, this has never been suggested

Totally. Never.

[matt2507]

#1: Making separate armours? Someone would have to do the models for that. However, interesting idea.

No need for special models, if the player uses an armor, just load the complete model of the horse in place of the unarmored.
It would just make textures for the visible parts of the horse that match.

Yeah, already planned.

ah, that 's good news !

[Turkhammer]

I think it shouldn't feel like there is a telepathic link between rider and horse. There should be a delay before the animal responds so people have to plan their approach a bit more. They should behave a bit more like an animal, a bit more erratic and hard to control, especially when you have a weapon chambered.

You should have to consider the welfare of the horse when riding into people, and when you face plant into the ground after your horse dies you should take some damage. The horse should not behave like a real players body when it dies too, absorbing hits that should hit the rider on the ground

Have you ever ridden a horse?  A well trained horse and rider are almost connected telepathically.  Examples are quarter horses and mongol ponies which responded to riders leg pressure and weight shifts.

[Gash]

Remaking cavalry should be focused around one principle - cavalry charge is the main weapon, not zig-zagging between enemies and stabbing unaware people. More like actual horses, less helicopter gunship.

Therefore, riders should have a triggerable "charge" ability with long cooldown, which accelerates the horse, makes it a lot less manueverable but also the bump should be deadly and the horse itself way less vulnerable during it to anything except anti-cavalry weapons. So group of riders charging together means there's teeth and bones to collect if they catch spear-less infantry in open fields. Something similar to current "shield +1" etc. mechanics could be used so that horses which are charging in group don't instantly die from fatal wounds, though they do die after completing the charge. On the other hand, if cavalryman makes wrong decision and commits to a charge against pikes, he will die since he won't be able to insta-stop and ride away.

This obviously requires 1) making lone horseman way less maneuverable and durable when not charging than he is now  2) removing attacking while in air for infantry and general reduction of jump height and distance. Less monkeying, more thinking, on both sides.

Cavalry charges are done in groups, not just one rider. In order to increase the team work aspect of cavalry, perhaps the same concept which allows shielders who form a wall to gain shield bonuses can be applied to cavalry? The more horses close to each other while going full speed would then benefit from this "charge" bonus that makes them less vulnerable.

[Casimir]

Cavalry charges are done in groups, not just one rider. In order to increase the team work aspect of cavalry, perhaps the same concept which allows shielders who form a wall to gain shield bonuses can be applied to cavalry? The more horses close to each other while going full speed would then benefit from this "charge" bonus that makes them less vulnerable.

Working on a system similar to shields, make it so when cavalry is in close proximity to one another they receive a large charge buff and a slight manoeuvrability nerf.  Encourages group charging etc.  Also increase couch time on GL.

[Teeth]

Working on a system similar to shields, make it so when cavalry is in close proximity to one another they receive a large charge buff and a slight manoeuvrability nerf.  Encourages group charging etc.  Also increase couch time on GL.

I hope one day, cavalry gameplay in this mod will consist of mass charges with couched great lances.