Feedback: lack of visual indicators for counterintuitive pikeman/swordsman stat differences.
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Feedback: lack of visual indicators for counterintuitive pikeman/swordsman stat differences.
Hello,
Since there is a graphical update coming for some loyalist units in version 1.17, perhaps some visual cues should be added that take into account the less apparent differences between these units?
Loyalist Swordsman has resistance to slash (20%) and impact (20%), while Pikeman has strong resistance to pierce (40%!) damage. I can see where these are coming from. Pikeman is supposed to counter cavalry as well as other spear wielding units. Swordsman is supposed beat close combat units, but loose to pikemen, I guess. However, this also means that pikeman is the unit of choice against archers, who deal mostly pierce damage. While this is very counterintuitive, I can understand that Wesnoth Is Not Realistic and there was a lot of thought and testing involved into that, so perhaps there could at least be some explanation included in unit images and descriptions?
For instance, perhaps paste some large brittle shield on Pikeman's unit sprite, similarly to the Dwarven Sentinel? Something that would make it more intuitive for the player to decide to use Pikeman to tank the incoming ranged fire instead of the Swordsman.
Because, let's face it:
Since there is a graphical update coming for some loyalist units in version 1.17, perhaps some visual cues should be added that take into account the less apparent differences between these units?
Loyalist Swordsman has resistance to slash (20%) and impact (20%), while Pikeman has strong resistance to pierce (40%!) damage. I can see where these are coming from. Pikeman is supposed to counter cavalry as well as other spear wielding units. Swordsman is supposed beat close combat units, but loose to pikemen, I guess. However, this also means that pikeman is the unit of choice against archers, who deal mostly pierce damage. While this is very counterintuitive, I can understand that Wesnoth Is Not Realistic and there was a lot of thought and testing involved into that, so perhaps there could at least be some explanation included in unit images and descriptions?
For instance, perhaps paste some large brittle shield on Pikeman's unit sprite, similarly to the Dwarven Sentinel? Something that would make it more intuitive for the player to decide to use Pikeman to tank the incoming ranged fire instead of the Swordsman.
Because, let's face it:
- This guy is vulnerable to arrow fire...
- core$images$portraits$humans$swordsman.webp (99.26 KiB) Viewed 1900 times
- ... while this guys is resistant to arrow fire.
- core$images$portraits$humans$pikeman.webp (104.54 KiB) Viewed 1900 times
-
lhybrideur
- Posts: 377
- Joined: July 9th, 2019, 1:46 pm
Re: Feedback: lack of visual indicators for counterintuitive pikeman/swordsman stat differences.
What about Swordsman using chain-mail (good vs slash) over a gambeson (good vs blunt) vs pikeman using scale armor (good vs pierce) then ?