Melee Revamp

[Manoil]

While there have been many modifications to the statistical side of melee combat (because of the poor vanilla implementation), few have really accomplished significant change. Greater damage doesn't necessarily balance or improve combat, it just alters a single variable. While several have done more than just that-- like making most firearms bigger than a pistol useless in point-blank melee combat, in the instance of ASIMOV's mod (though the description fails to mention if shotguns are affected; crucial, considering their potency at close range)--there needs to be a combination of improvements to melee.

 

VATS itself is a serious roadblock towards an effective melee character, as is demonstrated to anyone who has had such an encounter before, as well as in a recent article entitled, "Deconstructing VATS," posted by Duck and Cover's own Cimmerian Nights.

 

VATS was a miserable failure when it came to thrown weapons and melee combat. The melee road was always a favored one in Fallout [1 and 2] as one could eventually develop a character capable of disarming his foe, knocking them out with headshots, blinding them, or laying him low with a well-placed shot to the groin. While shooting firearms in VATS allowed for these aiming options, this would be inexplicably not the case for melee. Clearly neglected, underdeveloped and under-appreciated, melee combat in VATS is half-baked at best. An afterthought which results in another door closed on the role-playing opportunities in Fallout 3.

 

. . .

 

Consider this scenario: You are surrounded by three Super Mutants, you queue up your shots and let fly – woohoo! Blood shall flow! Unbeknownst to you, fourth SM is behind you in melee range (hard to tell without that ISO perspective). Trouble is, you character is standing statue still while this fourth SM takes the opportunity to club you over the head. Oblivious to the assault, your character blithely carries out his ordered shots whilst being pummeled. Now, I’d say that’s dealing with the consequences of your poor strategy, did you really think you could stand still and fire off numerous shots without and retaliation? And why rob the player of the joy of getting his ass-kicked once in a while – another cornerstone of a good RPG. Not scaling or dumbing things down for those of use lacking in sound tactics. Taking away the challenge makes the game an exercise in 'going through the motions'.

 

Along with this implementation of fundamental change in combat at hand-to-hand range, a successful melee combat improvement mod should try to accomplish the following things:

-Use the selective limb targeting used by ranged weapons

-Present a chance to knock the opponent out with head-contact criticals or dice rolls based on the melee/unarmed weapons skills

-higher STR greatly influencing damage dealt and the chance to break limbs

 

While much of the improvements coming in Fallout: New Vegas are more than likely to be reverse-engineered into Fallout 3, we should still work together to improve the melee system and create a more effective implementation for the skillset, especially for players who prefer to get up close and personal.

[tehflambo]

Firstly, I agree completely with your post. Melee got the short end of the stick. It's definitely got its place, but still deserves the changes you describe. And while I agree wholeheartedly about a good RPG requiring challenge and defeating the player from time to time, the only challenge I recall from the original Fallout games was one of patience for the perpetual saving and loading required by the all-too-common random crit deaths.

 

While much of the improvements coming in Fallout: New Vegas are more than likely to be reverse-engineered into Fallout 3, we should still work together to improve the melee system and create a more effective implementation for the skillset, especially for players who prefer to get up close and personal.

 

I'm actually expecting most of the improvements in Fallout: New Vegas to be reverse engineered from the Fallout 3 modding community. Things like the companion wheel and melee VATS would obviously be new, but things like the new and improved animations and seeming weapon customization definitely look familiar.

[Nadin]

I've noticed an alarming amount of content in NV articles that seem to be plagiarized from the modding community. I don't know whether to be offended or flattered....

[Manoil]

True. I'd figured that would probably be the case, anyway. Using player-created material saves a serious load of development time, and they own the creative rights to the content, so... as far as I'm aware, they can't be challenged in court over it.

 

What else deserves to be added into a melee revamp?

[Nadin]

More weapons? Fire hydrants and such?

[Manoil]

Not weapons. This is in reference to altering melee combat mechanics, not adding in new weapons.

[Nadin]

My bad.

The ability to throw certain melee weapons--like, say, the sledgehammer-- would be nice.