I can't be the only person who is disappointed with the way PVP works on SMP currently. To be honest, the only way to fix PVP is for Notch to change the actual combat system of the game. Until then, PVP in MC is always going to be a bumble**** of spammed arrows and diamond sword sneak attacks.
Now, I'm not saying there needs to be an entire combat overhaul. If Notch were to implement these two ideas, it would drastically change the dynamics of combat in MC.
1. Bow/arrows work in a draw/shoot method rather than spammed clicks. For those of you who've played TF2, think of it like the Huntsman. For those of you who haven't, basically holding down click draws the arrow back, and the longer you hold the button down, the farther you draw back the arrow, and the farther and faster and straighter it will shoot. Simply clicking, however, will only send it ~5 blocks. Holding it back all the way will send it well in excess of 50 (tentative). Without a proper system like this, a bow is simply waaay too overpowered.
In addition, possibly different tips for arrows i.e. flint (effective against flesh but will barely pierce armor or not at all), stone (dull, weak against everything, doesn't fly straight), iron (standard arrows we have now), diamond (1 diamond per arrow, will pierce through any armor, headshots insta-kill). This way of firing arrows from a bow will require significantly less arrows, which would be why standard arrows should require iron, while flint arrows will be weaker.
2. Shields. Simply put, there needs to be a way of actually blocking attacks, because otherwise it's simply a battle of who clicks faster and who lands the first hit. I had two ideas of how this could work:
a. Keep in a standard item slot. Simply having it in hand would block arrows, swords, fists etc. at the cost of durability (so none of this "oh it hit the shield but still damaged you" ********, the shield would take the full blow of the attack, and the shield can only take so much damage before it breaks into pieces of whatever material it was made from (diamond shield would drop diamonds on the ground, same with iron, wood, stone, and even gold if you were dumb enough to make a gold shield), obviously not the amount it took to make the shield, however. The trick to this is that it is challenging to block attack with the shield. You would hold the sword in hand, with the shield in the next item slot, and when you sense your enemy about to strike with their sword, you quickly scroll over to put the shield out, then after they swing and bash your shield, you quickly switch back to sword and hit them. Obviously, they could do the same and it'd just become a vicious cycle until one person makes an error. Either the system could be left alone like that, or you could add a "shield shove"-like attack when the shield in hand (would work similar to Twilight Princess), and shoving your enemy while he/she is swinging at it will destabilize them for a second (aka stunned), allowing you to perform an uninhibited counterattack.
b. Equip in an additional armor slot. Shield is worn on the back. To block attacks, crouch. Crouching automatically puts the shield in hand when equipped. Advantages to this over equipped shield in item slot include the fact that you would not be able to move quickly while blocking attacks. That way, shields couldn't be used just to hold while you sprint into cover. Apart from the way you use the shield to block attacks, option b would be the same as option a.
Both ways to use a shield would obviously only block attacks from the front, however.
"Until then, PVP in MC is always going to be a bumble**** of spammed arrows and diamond sword sneak attacks."
lolololololololol :tongue.gif: It's true hehe.
May I suggest that the doesn't drop what it is made of, and that if a player's attack it blocked by a shield, that player will be momentarily stunned. Stun lasts longer depending on the material the shield is made of. So I support the shield being a held item.
The bow - I really want a system like this implemented.
Now, I'm not saying there needs to be an entire combat overhaul. If Notch were to implement these two ideas, it would drastically change the dynamics of combat in MC.
1. Bow/arrows work in a draw/shoot method rather than spammed clicks. For those of you who've played TF2, think of it like the Huntsman. For those of you who haven't, basically holding down click draws the arrow back, and the longer you hold the button down, the farther you draw back the arrow, and the farther and faster and straighter it will shoot. Simply clicking, however, will only send it ~5 blocks. Holding it back all the way will send it well in excess of 50 (tentative). Without a proper system like this, a bow is simply waaay too overpowered.
In addition, possibly different tips for arrows i.e. flint (effective against flesh but will barely pierce armor or not at all), stone (dull, weak against everything, doesn't fly straight), iron (standard arrows we have now), diamond (1 diamond per arrow, will pierce through any armor, headshots insta-kill). This way of firing arrows from a bow will require significantly less arrows, which would be why standard arrows should require iron, while flint arrows will be weaker.
2. Shields. Simply put, there needs to be a way of actually blocking attacks, because otherwise it's simply a battle of who clicks faster and who lands the first hit. I had two ideas of how this could work:
a. Keep in a standard item slot. Simply having it in hand would block arrows, swords, fists etc. at the cost of durability (so none of this "oh it hit the shield but still damaged you" ********, the shield would take the full blow of the attack, and the shield can only take so much damage before it breaks into pieces of whatever material it was made from (diamond shield would drop diamonds on the ground, same with iron, wood, stone, and even gold if you were dumb enough to make a gold shield), obviously not the amount it took to make the shield, however. The trick to this is that it is challenging to block attack with the shield. You would hold the sword in hand, with the shield in the next item slot, and when you sense your enemy about to strike with their sword, you quickly scroll over to put the shield out, then after they swing and bash your shield, you quickly switch back to sword and hit them. Obviously, they could do the same and it'd just become a vicious cycle until one person makes an error. Either the system could be left alone like that, or you could add a "shield shove"-like attack when the shield in hand (would work similar to Twilight Princess), and shoving your enemy while he/she is swinging at it will destabilize them for a second (aka stunned), allowing you to perform an uninhibited counterattack.
b. Equip in an additional armor slot. Shield is worn on the back. To block attacks, crouch. Crouching automatically puts the shield in hand when equipped. Advantages to this over equipped shield in item slot include the fact that you would not be able to move quickly while blocking attacks. That way, shields couldn't be used just to hold while you sprint into cover. Apart from the way you use the shield to block attacks, option b would be the same as option a.
Both ways to use a shield would obviously only block attacks from the front, however.
Anybody have any suggestions?
It has? I know the drawing back bows has been, but it was in a very small topic that didn't do it justice and I had thought it was overlooked.
lolololololololol :tongue.gif: It's true hehe.
May I suggest that the doesn't drop what it is made of, and that if a player's attack it blocked by a shield, that player will be momentarily stunned. Stun lasts longer depending on the material the shield is made of. So I support the shield being a held item.
The bow - I really want a system like this implemented.
For other offhand slot possibilities, go here
For Bow and Arrows and other ranged weapons, go here
Trust me, an idea being too small is not something you need to worry about.
Actually, now that I look at your ideas more closely, they almost perfectly match up with what is already suggested in these links.
PLEASE ALSO SUPPORT:
Sabata & Grey Acumen's "New Nether"
Grey Acumen's Minecraft 2.0 Suggestion Series