Atlatl

Started by Zalanthan, October 23, 2006, 07:54:35 PM

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October 23, 2006, 07:54:35 PM
This is a combat-related idea that involves creating a new class of objects from the current "slings" class.  The objects would be atlatls, or spear-throwers, and would load, wield, and shoot just like slings.

> load atlatl dart
> ep atlatl
> shoot <target> <direction>
or
> ep spear-thrower
> load spear-thrower javelin

Ideally, spears of different weights would travel different distances.  A well-made atlatl can enable someone to throw a spear the length of a football field, so their in-game range should exceed conventional throwing weapons (and probably slings?) but fall well short of longbows.
October 23, 2006, 08:51:36 PM #1
Great idea. It's been brought up many times. Maybe if you wrote a few of them up they might get tossed in game. If they aren't already, of course.
your mother is an elf.
October 23, 2006, 11:43:26 PM #2
Ah, I feel like a dolt for suggesting it here then.  If I write a few descriptions of the items and what it might take to make them, to whom do I send the information?
October 23, 2006, 11:54:34 PM #3
Solicit your ideas and items on the Submissions Board. If an imm likes what they see, they'll take on the project.
your mother is an elf.
October 24, 2006, 05:01:21 AM #4
I think a dart is too small for an atlatl.  There are already devices for launching darts anyway.  They're a tribal thing.

For a spear, though?  I can dig it...however, you'd have to find a valid IC reason to come up with the idea in the first place and then have the skill to build them at master levels, which is the guideline for submitting items that are not asked for by the staff.

This is only my guess as to what it would take, considering that it has been asked for OOCly, but I don't know if anyone has pursued it ICly.  IC work tends to make these sorts of things more likely.
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October 24, 2006, 05:17:41 AM #5
Atlatl spears look like really long arrows, and they're barely thicker....

They are, in some ways, superior to bows. In Australia, Atlatls were widely used while bows. They can develop a lot more force.

Thing is, hurling such a long 'spear' that way takes a lot of space, that'd make them near impossible to use in your average forest, at least if you want to maintain some cover or hiding.

That problem doesn't show up in a desert though, I can imagine they're widely used in zalanthas ;)
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October 24, 2006, 05:37:48 AM #6
Quote from: "Nao"That problem doesn't show up in a desert though, I can imagine they're widely used in zalanthas

Exactly.  And the spear-thrower pre-dates the bow (which is fairly ancient itself) by a significant margin.  For this reason alone I feel it would be strange for a single character to "invent" the idea and start creating them.

Quote from: "spawnloser"I think a dart is too small for an atlatl. There are already devices for launching darts anyway. They're a tribal thing.

The missiles launched via atlatl by the mesoamericans are called darts (essentially javelins with fletching).  I imagine you are saying the altalt shouldn't be used to launch tavern darts, which would be impossible if you've ever seen the device.
October 24, 2006, 05:54:32 AM #7
"rogues do it from behind"
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October 24, 2006, 06:06:24 AM #8
http://www.fletchers-corner.de/forumview_showthread_threadid_5531.html
a bunch of pictures, granted, they're not original but they work ;)
You can see the 'spear' there, uit looks more like an arrow. They shouldn't be much thicker than an arrow, either.
A rusty brown kank explodes into little bits.

Someone says, out of character:
     "I had to fix something in this zone.. YOU WEREN'T HERE 2 minutes ago :)"
October 24, 2006, 06:11:32 AM #9
Yes, I've seen one and know how they work.  I wasn't aware atlatl spears were called darts.  (shrug)
Quote from: MalifaxisWe need to listen to spawnloser.
Quote from: Reiterationspawnloser knows all

Quote from: SpoonA magicker is kind of like a mousetrap, the fear is the cheese. But this cheese has an AK47.
October 25, 2006, 08:00:08 PM #10
Meh, why not.  I've seen one of these things before and they don't seem like very accurate slinging devices to me, not to mention how they would be in heavy winds, but I suppose they're about as realistic as other stuff.  It is a game after all.
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