Unsheathed Katana mode

[(PSN)CaptainIMalik]

Katanas or the types of Katanas we have at this moment in the making of making this thread "Nikana", as most of know in present time that the Nikanas are unsheathed most of the time and that we cannot see them most of the time.

Instead adding a stance that primarily focuses on unsheathed combat with the Nikana, I thought of adding a bit more depth by adding or introducing a new mechanic similarly how there will be a mechanic to dual wield glaves and such. 

This is inspired by Rurouni Kenshin and I liked the beta of the game "For Honor" so I'm including that as well. 

You basically press a button and your sword it is unsheathed. What advantage or difference would there be when unsheathed? It can be for example, it doesn't do as much damage for the first swing of the attack when keeping it unsheathed but maybe you get consecutively faster with each swing. However, these are all just ideas and not the main point of the thread.

You could also include a mechanic, where the Tenno focuses on a draw cut (so unsheathing the sword) to do more damage, but it can leave you exposed if you're not careful. There can be a charge mechanic to this as well so the longer you do this, the more damage you do but the longer you are exposed. 

If you wanted unique unsheathed stances then there could be 3 unsheathed stances built in stances because there are 3 stances right now; some may not be largely different to their counterpart. Or, the the Nikana can have a additional unsheathed stance that you could put when modding similarity to a Exilus slot. 

The point of this thread, is just to add an "unsheathed mode" mechanic. You can add your own ideas to how this would work, the balancing etc. 

[NeithanDiniem]

My main question is "Why?" Katanas are all often sheathed to protect the blade from the weather and for the safety of the user. Yes mid combat they aren't repeatedly sheathing it but this game does have a heck of a lot more speed and mobility in its design that makes sheathing your blade, should you have a sheath for it, be fine. Not to mention with all melees we do "put them away" after a quick attack every time, so its not like the idea of putting the weapon away after an attack isn't something dramatically new or odd. This idea makes for a significant amount of work to give them three entirely new stances and a new mechanic just for a cosmetic difference. I don't see a point to that work when it adds so very little.

As for the press a button and it is unsheathed, wouldn't work. Console has a very limited number of buttons, so it would not function there well at all with just the "press a button" mentality. They have a hard enough time as it is getting the existing game to work with their limited control setup as it stands without adding in more bound keys for mundane tasks.

Edited May 13, 2017 by NeithanDiniem

[(PSN)CaptainIMalik]

4 minutes ago, NeithanDiniem said:

My main question is "Why?" Katanas are all often sheathed to protect the blade from the weather and for the safety of the user. Yes mid combat they aren't repeatedly sheathing it but this game does have a heck of a lot more speed and mobility in its design that makes sheathing your blade, should you have a sheath for it, be fine. Not to mention with all melees we do "put them away" after a quick attack every time, so its not like the idea of putting the weapon away after an attack isn't something dramatically new or odd. This idea makes for a significant amount of work to give them three entirely new stances and a new mechanic just for a cosmetic difference. I don't see a point to that work when it adds so very little.

As for the press a button and it is unsheathed, wouldn't work. Console has a very limited number of buttons, so it would not function there well at all with just the "press a button" mentality. They have a hard enough time as it is getting the existing game to work with their limited control setup as it stands without adding in more bound keys for mundane tasks.

I like your post.

[(PSN)CaptainIMalik]

8 minutes ago, NeithanDiniem said:

My main question is "Why?" Katanas are all often sheathed to protect the blade from the weather and for the safety of the user. Yes mid combat they aren't repeatedly sheathing it but this game does have a heck of a lot more speed and mobility in its design that makes sheathing your blade, should you have a sheath for it, be fine. Not to mention with all melees we do "put them away" after a quick attack every time, so its not like the idea of putting the weapon away after an attack isn't something dramatically new or odd. This idea makes for a significant amount of work to give them three entirely new stances and a new mechanic just for a cosmetic difference. I don't see a point to that work when it adds so very little.

As for the press a button and it is unsheathed, wouldn't work. Console has a very limited number of buttons, so it would not function there well at all with just the "press a button" mentality. They have a hard enough time as it is getting the existing game to work with their limited control setup as it stands without adding in more bound keys for mundane tasks.

One benefit I did think of right now is that you could use treat the sheath as a separate weapon during the animation. And it plays out like a Sword and shield. 

[Dreddeth]

Just now, (PS4)CaptainIMalik said:

One benefit I did think of right now is that you could use treat the sheath as a separate weapon during the animation. And it plays out like a Sword and shield. 

As much as I was let down by the fact that the Nikanas' sheathes are pretty much only there for decoration, the category already has 3 stances, which is kinda excessive considering it's populated solely by a series of direct upgrades from Nikana, to Dragon Nikana, to Nikana Prime.

That and it might step on Dual Swords a bit too much, unless they do it like Vergil's Yamato from the Devil May Cry series and do something like "sheath strike, sheath strike, unsheath for a cut in the same motion" for the combos.

[(PSN)CaptainIMalik]

3 minutes ago, Dreddeth said:

As much as I was let down by the fact that the Nikanas' sheathes are pretty much only there for decoration, the category already has 3 stances, which is kinda excessive considering it's populated solely by a series of direct upgrades from Nikana, to Dragon Nikana, to Nikana Prime.

That and it might step on Dual Swords a bit too much, unless they do it like Vergil's Yamato from the Devil May Cry series and do something like "sheath strike, sheath strike, unsheath for a cut in the same motion" for the combos.

I think like it.

[MirageKnight]

6 minutes ago, NeithanDiniem said:

My main question is "Why?" Katanas are all often sheathed to protect the blade from the weather and for the safety of the user.

This logic applies to the Katana for sure...but not a Nikana. Why?

Traditional Katanas from Japan's pre-industrial age were made of layered steel that was somewhat inferior in quality to that found on European edged weapons. The blades tended to nick easily and had to be stored with the curve facing up. The Nikana, while obviously made in the visual style and configuration of a traditional Katana, is obviously made of high tech, space age materials, thus negating the need for special care due to the Nikana blade's inherently superior composition.

As for the user safety argument...we carry massive two-edged battle axes, Zweihanders, spiked warhammers, and corrosive / radioactive / electrified battle staves into battle on our armoured backs or hips. I seriously doubt we "need" a sheath for a single-edged curved sword.

[NeithanDiniem]

14 minutes ago, (PS4)CaptainIMalik said:

One benefit I did think of right now is that you could use treat the sheath as a separate weapon during the animation. And it plays out like a Sword and shield. 

 

3 minutes ago, MirageKnight said:

This logic applies to the Katana for sure...but not a Nikana. Why?

Traditional Katanas from Japan's pre-industrial age were made of layered steel that was somewhat inferior in quality to that found on European edged weapons. The blades tended to nick easily and had to be stored with the curve facing up. The Nikana, while obviously made in the visual style and configuration of a traditional Katana, is obviously made of high tech, space age materials, thus negating the need for special care due to the Nikana blade's inherently superior composition.

As for the user safety argument...we carry massive two-edged battle axes, Zweihanders, spiked warhammers, and corrosive / radioactive / electrified battle staves into battle on our armoured backs or hips. I seriously doubt we "need" a sheath for a single-edged curved sword.

You may notice that I specifically said katana, not Nikana. For katanas the blade's edge was incredibly fine and if cared for properly never needed resharpening. When uncared for they did need to be honed, hence the sheath. The way it was positioned on the side was to allow an easier draw of the blade, and with one of the major combat techniques used with the katana, an attack with the draw. The reasoning for a scabbard or sheath in general isn't required outside of a draw-slash for a curved single edge katana blade in a video game standpoint, yes. However, the sheath was also never used in combat outside of a simplistic sheath strike due to it being nowhere near as strong against weapons, especially other katanas, and them being unwieldy. Most weapon sheaths were completely taken off and left behind just before combat started due to it hindering movement. You would not use them for combat, let alone to block an attack. They have no proper weight distribution or grip for taking a strike when held in a reverse grip as such a sheath would be held. The animations of the Nikanas are pretty accurate for how the parts would have been used, and pull from several of the techniques of how actual katanas were used. That would include the use of the sheath, as they are a fundamental counterpart to the blade itself.

[1tsyB1tsyN1nj4]

The only reason I could see for having them unsheathed is for coloring the blade, that's more of an Arsenal thing though.

[1tsyB1tsyN1nj4]

36 minutes ago, MirageKnight said:

As for the user safety argument...we carry massive two-edged battle axes, Zweihanders, spiked warhammers, and corrosive / radioactive / electrified battle staves into battle on our armoured backs or hips. I seriously doubt we "need" a sheath for a single-edged curved sword.

Tradition is tradition, especially since the weapon descriptions for Nikanas state so. Plus we use the sheath to block as well