Greco-Roman and Celtic Weapons and Armor

[WarderDragon]

...does anyone remember when folks used to wear a red mohawk and a plated helm because it would stick through the helmet and make it look like you were wearing a Greco-Roman Helmet with a Red Crest or Plume?

With the varied hints of Greco-Roman and Egyptian Mythology laced through both Malas (the Labyrinith; the Luna Acropolis; Blind Horus; Bedlam; the Pyramid; etc.) and the Stygian Abyss (Medusa, anyone?) I've been thinking it would be cool to see a couple pieces of weapons and armor (for humans) that aren't directly derived from Middle Age Europe and Feudal Japan. Not just Greco-Roman; but Nordic (Viking/Varangian), Keltoi (Gallic/Celtic), and Chinese armor would be neat as well.

Some pieces already exist in one form or another. I've wanted men to be allowed to wear leather skirts for a long time. Lord Blackthorne once wore a belt that is distinct from the ninja belts we currently have (European Belt or Roman Cintus). Other thoughts would be a one handed spear that could be worn with a shield, muscle cuirasses (we have one in game, the Virtue Breastplate, but you can't do much with it), loin cloths (allow humans to wear the Woodland Belt).

Other pieces I can think of that I'd like to see: Cestus (Pankration Brass Knuckle), Corinthian Helmet, Lorica Segmenta Suit, the Gladius Sword, Greaves and Gauntlets (or make the current Gauntlets of Valor spawn as a normal imbunable item), Murmillo Helmet, Aspis Shield (Hoplon), Scutum (Similar to our Heater Shield), Human Dual and Bearded Axes, Medieval Double Wrap Belts, Claymores, Zweihanders, etc.

Togas. Stola. Roman Tunics. And Ships with a crew of bronzed slave rowers rather than a Tillerman? You know you want it.

 

[Guido_LS]

The Cestus would be interesting, but what skill would it fall under? The closest thing would be wrestling, I'd think - and the graphic would probably be a pita. The only problem with the Gladius is it would be just another sword in the UO multiverse. And while Zweihanders/Claymores would be visually cool, would there really be any demand/use of a 2hs? It's not something you see in use commonly now.

All the armor items would be interesting as well, but with everyone wearing a robe, it'd be hard to see themrolleyes: And they all should be craftable. Of course, EA/Mythic would have to make metal armor worth using again, too...

All in all, neat stuff, although I'm not sure how practical they'd be in UO.

 

[WarderDragon]

The Cestus would be interesting, but what skill would it fall under? The closest thing would be wrestling, I'd think - and the graphic would probably be a pita.

It would have to be Wrestling. But such an item could make Wrestling a proper fighting skill rather than a defensive tactic used only by Magic Users.

And while Zweihanders/Claymores would be visually cool, would there really be any demand/use of a 2hs? It's not something you see in use commonly now.

I don't know. But two-handed swords are some of the most beloved weapons in fantasy literature. And I still use two-handers in PvM; but then I am a roleplayer and will sacrifice a little DPS and Resist to make sure my outfit fits the character.

...I mean, even if they simply took the Paladins Sword and made it craftable (we currently only have 'the Redeemer'), it would be nice to see. Alot of items like Virtue Armor and the Redeemer have nice art but are rendered completely useless because we can't use them for anything.

The same is true of Dragon Armor.

 

[Stupid Miner]

...I mean, even if they simply took the Paladins Sword and made it craftable (we currently only have 'the Redeemer'), it would be nice to see. Alot of items like Virtue Armor and the Redeemer have nice art but are rendered completely useless because we can't use them for anything.

The same is true of Dragon Armor.

Well, maybe if the Paladin sword's base item type was updated a bit to be something other than "laughably bad"

... comparatively makes a halbered swing like a dagger.

 

[Victoria Navarre]

As much as I would like to see this happen....it wont. Why? If EAJapan doesn't do it first,it wont happen. It is my opinion that the state-side EA/Mythic takes their cues from EAJapan on item additions to the game. Doubt what I am saying? When was the last time EA/Mythic put out something 1st and EAJapan followed? /rant

 

[Uvtha]

When was the last time EA/Mythic put out something 1st and EAJapan followed? /rant

Every expansion?

 

[Victoria Navarre]

Every expansion?

You think that EA/Mythic worked on SA with no input from EAJapan? If thats the case,I have some ocean-front property in arizona to sell you.

 

[Konge]

Every expansion?

Yeah...QFT

 

[Basara]

Every expansion?

You think that EA/Mythic worked on SA with no input from EAJapan? If thats the case,I have some ocean-front property in arizona to sell you.

In fact, it was EA Japan committing itself to a Boxed Set release of Kingdom Reborn shipping no later than the last week of June 2007 (or face severe penalties from their distributor), that forced EA US (and the rest of EA) to rush KR through testing, and release it worldwide as a download, when it SHOULD have been in Alpha, or closed beta, for the rest of the year, because of all the technical issues.

If not for EA Japan, we might have seen a KR Enhanced Client about as stable as the current SA EC in Early 2008, with all of its high-quality graphics, from KR having an additional 9 months of real work. Instead, KR was the equivalent of a baby born 15 weeks premature, that even if it lived and survived attempts to repair its defects, would have never been able to perform like a full-term-testing client such as EC, or a mature one like the CC.

 

[Uvtha]

You think that EA/Mythic worked on SA with no input from EAJapan? If thats the case,I have some ocean-front property in arizona to sell you.

That wasnt what you asked. You asked when was the last time the North American team put something out before the Japan team did. And honestly I doubt they had that much input. The Japanese team doesn't do any of the game designing from what I understand, they just help keep the dev team abreast of what half of the game (the Japanese shards) wants and is into, and work to keep people in that part of the world playing and interested.

This isn't a bad thing. Without the Japanese players UO would probably have closed its virtual doors.

 

[Victoria Navarre]

That wasnt what you asked. You asked when was the last time the North American team put something out before the Japan team did.

I asked about items being added to the game. You are the one that brought up expansions. When items are added to the game when it doesn't involve an expansion,I am sure it will be EAJapan that does it,and when they do,they block the rest of us from getting in on the items as soon as the ones that have japanese/korean ip addresses. Why is this? And why doesn't the US team do something about this? They seem to be sitting on their collective hands and waits for EAJ to put out items and then follows with the same items a week to months later. Can we not hope for originality from the US team?

 

[Connor_Graham]

...does anyone remember when folks used to wear a red mohawk and a plated helm because it would stick through the helmet and make it look like you were wearing a Greco-Roman Helmet with a Red Crest or Plume?

With the varied hints of Greco-Roman and Egyptian Mythology laced through both Malas (the Labyrinith; the Luna Acropolis; Blind Horus; Bedlam; the Pyramid; etc.) and the Stygian Abyss (Medusa, anyone?) I've been thinking it would be cool to see a couple pieces of weapons and armor (for humans) that aren't directly derived from Middle Age Europe and Feudal Japan. Not just Greco-Roman; but Nordic (Viking/Varangian), Keltoi (Gallic/Celtic), and Chinese armor would be neat as well.

Some pieces already exist in one form or another. I've wanted men to be allowed to wear leather skirts for a long time. Lord Blackthorne once wore a belt that is distinct from the ninja belts we currently have (European Belt or Roman Cintus). Other thoughts would be a one handed spear that could be worn with a shield, muscle cuirasses (we have one in game, the Virtue Breastplate, but you can't do much with it), loin cloths (allow humans to wear the Woodland Belt).

Other pieces I can think of that I'd like to see: Cestus (Pankration Brass Knuckle), Corinthian Helmet, Lorica Segmenta Suit, the Gladius Sword, Greaves and Gauntlets (or make the current Gauntlets of Valor spawn as a normal imbunable item), Murmillo Helmet, Aspis Shield (Hoplon), Scutum (Similar to our Heater Shield), Human Dual and Bearded Axes, Medieval Double Wrap Belts, Claymores, Zweihanders, etc.

Togas. Stola. Roman Tunics. And Ships with a crew of bronzed slave rowers rather than a Tillerman? You know you want it.

Even if they were to add this stuff they'd get it wrong. Just look at the Bronze Shield and the fact that a bronze shield can be made from any metal, not just bronze. My question is, why do you call a shield made from valorite a "bronze" shield? It's no longer a bronze shield, it's a valorite shield. It ceased being "bronze" when a metal other than bronze was used.

*sigh*

 

[maroite]

I asked about items being added to the game. You are the one that brought up expansions. When items are added to the game when it doesn't involve an expansion,I am sure it will be EAJapan that does it,and when they do,they block the rest of us from getting in on the items as soon as the ones that have japanese/korean ip addresses. Why is this? And why doesn't the US team do something about this? They seem to be sitting on their collective hands and waits for EAJ to put out items and then follows with the same items a week to months later. Can we not hope for originality from the US team?

You actually said "When was the last time EA/Mythic put out something 1st and EAJapan followed?"

That doesn't necessarily restrict it only to items.

Also EAJapan doesn't block you, business restrictions do. As an American living in Japan, I get blocked out of all US EA sites just the same.

 

[WarderDragon]

How did this thread go from the implementation of new art and armor to the subject of Kingdom Reborn and Japanese Players?

Even if they were to add this stuff they'd get it wrong. Just look at the Bronze Shield and the fact that a bronze shield can be made from any metal, not just bronze. My question is, why do you call a shield made from valorite a "bronze" shield? It's no longer a bronze shield, it's a valorite shield. It ceased being "bronze" when a metal other than bronze was used.

True. There are alot of items whose names that are either historically or logically inaccurate. Or are akin to real world weapons but have strange names considering their appearance.

The Heater Shield is actually a form of Kite Shield (See Wikipedia). The Order Shield is actually a Heater Shield. But what we have in game resembles, more or less, a Roman Scutum.

The Rune Blade is a Grecian Kopis or Iberian Falcata. The Leafblade resembles a Xiphos or Makhaira. The Bladed Staff is a Naginata. Katanas are suppose to be four feet long but in Ultima Online are depicted as being shorter than a Wakizashi (Short Sword).

I'm assuming Bronze Shields were named because of their default hue and the fact that they resemble a Bronze Age Hoplon or Aspis.

 

[Stupid Miner]

I'm assuming Bronze Shields were named because of their default hue and the fact that they resemble a Bronze Age Hoplon or Aspis.

... That and because they were introduced before there actually were different metal types in UO.

 

[Trevelyan]

Well we already have marble villas!

But how would Roman stuff fit into UO?

 

[WarderDragon]

Well we already have marble villas!

But how would Roman stuff fit into UO?

The same way Japanese (Tokuno; Samurais and Ninjas), Greek (Stygian Abyss; Medusa), and Scandinavian (Ships; Viking Sword) fit into UO?

I got this idea after watching a couple Sword and Sandal flicks the other night. I was thinking, "How could I make a Centurion or a Hoplite in UO?" Sandals? Breastplate of Justice? Gauntlets of Valor? Leather Skirt? Metal Shield?

Well, the Gauntlets and Breastplate cannot be crafted or imbued (the pieces are effectively useless). And men cannot wear leather skirts.

 

[WarderDragon]

I am told the Crimson Cinture used to spawn as a Woodland Belt and the Fey Leggings were originally designed to appear as a Leaf Tonlet.

We know the art can fit humans. If they so much as turned the original spawn back on (perhaps make it spawn as both art types like the Aegis of Grace) that would be two more options roleplayers have for character customization.