Tailoring the pull of bows

[Carduus]

Okay, I've got a character with fairly high strength, and every bow I can find is too weak for him. Now becoming a bowyer aside, does anyone else think it could be feasable to have back rooms in archery shops in which the pull of a bow could be altered slightly?

I realize that a crappy shortbow is never going to have the pull of a nice longbow due to the simple physics of the wood, but the ability to adjust within a range would be a nice addition to compensate for the ability of a bowyer to restring a bow to allow for more or less give.

Any thoughts?

[krelin]

There are bows out there for your strength...  try speaking with Salarr.

[creeper386]

Hmm... Acctually I think this is a good idea. Especially if it's allowed to change any bow to fit any person. Long as that bow still keeps the same range and power as it did to begin with. Which may mean coding a difference between pull strength and range/damage, if they aren't already seperated.

I'd like to see anyone be able to use a bow without penalties even if it has a weaker pull... Even with low strength humans I ussually have no problems finding a bow with a weaker pull but an exact same pull is REALLY hard to find, and I've yet to find one yet... With three or four different characters which isn't much, but with having a dwarven ranger, human rangers, and human archers and such, I couldn't find a bow with the right pull, and normally it seems no matter what their strenth, all my characters fall into the same gap between pull strengths...

Creeper who's sorry for the rambling and is in favor of this idea.

[Lazloth]

I like the idea, Carduus.

Long as that bow still keeps the same range and power as it did to begin with. Which may mean coding a difference between pull strength and range/damage, if they aren't already seperated.

I'm kinda confused by this, are you saying a hard pull bow, tailored down to a weaker pull, should be as strong? If so, I have to disagree. While a certain type of bow with the same pull may have a better range and power than another bow with a similar pull. But if you take one type of bow, and tone down its pull, its range and power should definitely be toned down. I don't know how easy it would be, or possible it would be to increase the pull of a bow either...

[creeper386]

My appoligies. Wasn't taking into account toning down the pull of a bow... Which I think would be alot more difficult then making the pull alittle stronger.

Personally, I'd rather see any bow work without penalties for anyone as long as they are strong enough to pull the bow. If the pulls too weak, it doesn't give a penalty except for the fact that it's a weak bow and won't shoot as far or have as much power as a bow thats strong enough. And if a bow how too strong of a pull you can't use it.

I personally don't see how adding in a penalty to using a bow with a weaker pull fits in except to be detrimental to the people that get stuck in odd areas and have troubles finding the right bow. Weaker bows are easy to find on the other hand but it seems to me your accuracy is completely thrown out the window. If not damage as well.

Creeper

[DrunkenSalarr]

It isnt' too hard to adjust either way.  You simply change the string length.  It works, I've done it.

[Carduus]

Yeah, I guess I was thinking more of being able to raise the accuracy by making the pull fit you. I could certainly see how stringing a bow looser or tighter than it was intended to be tightened could detract from the range of the weapon, though.

DrunkenSalarr, is that the only way to adjust the pull? Because actually, for some reason, I was imagining altering the actual material of the wood, either shaving away, or reinforcing it. Though, adjusting the string length is very credible in its own right, and probably would take somebody skilled with it to do so.

[John]

Changing the string type would also make a difference.......right?

I like this idea DEPENDING on what it changes when you change the length of the string. But I know NOTHING about bows so as long as the changes implemented are realistic I'm all for it.

I'm also in favour of archers (POSSIBLY rangers) be able to change bow-strings themselves through some skill that's branched.

[Lazloth]

I'm also in favour of archers (POSSIBLY rangers) be able to change bow-strings themselves through some skill that's branched.

Tailors can't resize your pants.  Armorcrafters can't tuck in your jerkin.  If implemented, I think a [northern] NPC would suffice.

[John]

Tailors can't resize your pants.  Armorcrafters can't tuck in your jerkin.

Which IMO sucks. I think tailors SHOULD be able to re-size clothing (although not straight away. I think it should be something that is branchable. And yes I know that currently sub-classes don't have branchable skills) and armor-crafters should be able to re-size amor as well.

Also, I think Tailors and Armorcrafters should get a bonus when cleaning their respective pieces of clothing (tailors get a bonus when dealing with clothes. Armorcrafters get a bonus when dealing with armor).

But this is getting fairly side-tracked now.

[Lazloth]

Also, I think Tailors and Armorcrafters should get a bonus when cleaning their respective pieces of clothing (tailors get a bonus when dealing with clothes. Armorcrafters get a bonus when dealing with armor).

I don't know about that.  The fact that you can sew a bolt of linen into a funky shirt and throw on a k-rad tie-dye design doesn't mean you know jack or shit about removing that big splotch of ocotillo wine that you puked up on your collar.  House servant on the other hand...

[DrunkenSalarr]

DrunkenSalarr, is that the only way to adjust the pull? Because actually, for some reason, I was imagining altering the actual material of the wood, either shaving away, or reinforcing it. Though, adjusting the string length is very credible in its own right, and probably would take somebody skilled with it to do so.

No, it isn't the only way, but it works, as far as the method you mentioned, it can be done, depending on the material. and if it can be done with the material, it takes a while because you have to recondition the bow.  Otherwise you will get splits, etc.

[gfair]

No, it isn't the only way, but it works, as far as the method you mentioned, it can be done, depending on the material. and if it can be done with the material, it takes a while because you have to recondition the bow.  Otherwise you will get splits, etc.

Just from thinking of it in brief, it seems like there would be a limit to the range that a bow draw strength could be increased or decreased, before making it all but useless. I wonder what sort of ratio there is between changing string length and the resulting impact on pull strength, arrow velocity, range, accuracy, etc.  Sounds like a good study in physics.

This is probably a useful link:

http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowselection.htm

[Carduus]

Another addition to the bow code I'd like to see is a range of pull messages rather than that the pull of a bow is "a little weak" or "a little strong" for you. I'm sure the pull of a shortbow is massively too weak for a half-giant, and they'll probably break it pretty quick. Why not give an indication of that? With multiple levels of too weak and too strong, we can get in the ballpark of what's right for our character.

[gethanderlot]

Speaking of bow strength's if i saw a bow and it was too weak for me and someone else saw it as just about right would I still be able to shoot as far as the person who saw it good for them? :?

[Vositus]

I dont think it comes down to how far the arrow goes, but more the accuracy. So yes it would go just as far, because you can only shoot three rooms anyway, but I think the accuracy would be off, and in another post AC and a few others stated that someone using a bow to weak for them could cause it to break.

[Anonymous]

Okay, I've got a character with fairly high strength, and every bow I can find is too weak for him. Now becoming a bowyer aside, does anyone else think it could be feasable to have back rooms in archery shops in which the pull of a bow could be altered slightly?

I realize that a crappy shortbow is never going to have the pull of a nice longbow due to the simple physics of the wood, but the ability to adjust within a range would be a nice addition to compensate for the ability of a bowyer to restring a bow to allow for more or less give.

Any thoughts?

couldent you use the bow thats too weak for you i mean doesnt it not matter if its too weak doesnt it mean that you can use stronger bows but that one just isnt as strong?

[Delerak]

http://www.geocities.com/MedievalWorld/LinksArchery.html