I normally main classes with a bow in most MMOs. I will say that a lot of time bows get screwed.
The designs are less inspired compared to swords and staffs. A lot games don't even give them enchant effects. Sometimes they don't even show the strings.
I don't want like the WOW style large thicc boi bows I see, but I don't want super plain bows end game.
I would like some ornate bows that keep realism in mind.
It is hard to find good examples of historical bows that are ornate. You can find plenty of fancy guns and crossbows. I would imagine that there is just not much that can be done to a bow without impeding its function. Still I am able to give up a little disbelief to a fantasy setting to allow for some nice looking bows.
That is a little thicc, but I could see it actually working.
I don't think us bow guys are in bad hands.
that bow could technically work they removed the metal band on the back of the bow (that flexes back) Above and below the metal handle (Top and bottom of bow snake head might be an issue too) but the handle part is fine tbh. Could be a light weight metal in the risar which can then also be used to parry attacks without dmging the bow (Wooden part) modern recurve bows are a metal risar (Handle) with 2 fiberglass inserts into that riser aslong as u dont hinder the limbs flexibility it will work.
What do you think of MHW style designs relative to nows btw? Any you liked in particular?
I can't remember off the top of my head with MHW. It seems like a lifetime ago that I played it right now. I just remember a lot of things being too big for my taste.
I do want to say this:
This thread is over a year old. At the time of my original responses, I was under the impression that Intrepid wanted some sort of "Realism" or at least verisimilitude in Ashes based on the interviews I had seen with Steven up to that point. I really wanted to support that because outside of Mortal Online you don't see that much "down to earth" fantasy in MMORPGs with realism in mind. You can get over the top fantasy anywhere these days.
That said, Intrepid has only shown that they care about the rule of cool. Which is fine. That art direction is not a dealbreaker for me. I would just prefer to see a fantasy bow that looks believable and ornate.
I hope we get a mix. It's hard for 'ornate realism' to look out of place in a rule of cool setting. They tend to just feel either elegant or 'plain' and I am ok with that. Some of my favorite gear is simple yet tasteful design choices. Too much complicated or flashy design can make a good outfit feel chaotic after all.
Also as a slight optimistic argument, your seeing a bunch of whale tier cosmetics designed to be flashy for immediate cash while prices don't have to make sense. Yes there will be in game equivs according to Steven, but a lot of non-cash shop stuff could still skew the elegant realism route. It really depends on if the design intention was drifted away from or if you are just seeing a skewed sample due to the nature of marketing. We'll see.
I don't think bows should be restricted by realism standards in a Fantasy MMORPG setting, i'm a fan of both simplistic and very fantasy-like bows.
The bow designs i like the most are from Lineage 2, their design goes from very simplistic on lower levels to very over the top on higher levels. I just love the visual progression.
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AtamaMember, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
While others have linked some great examples of different bows,
I'd love to ask if you've taken a look at some of the bows we've shown in the past. They can be found here, under 'artwork'!
As for using a single bow, you will certainly be able to equip and favor a certain bow. Leveling the weapon and utilizing the weapon skill trees over time will be a great way to hang on to your favorite weapons!
However, I cannot say specifically whether you could use the same bow throughout your entire playtime effectively without hindering yourself. We'll need to stay tuned for more info on that in the future!
A lot of these designs posted in the last two posts above me are gaudy and chaotic. I think level 61-75 in James' post hits my limit in terms of taste. Everything past that is... Uhm, well 'cosmetic shop' feeling.
While others have linked some great examples of different bows,
I'd love to ask if you've taken a look at some of the bows we've shown in the past. They can be found here, under 'artwork'!
As for using a single bow, you will certainly be able to equip and favor a certain bow. Leveling the weapon and utilizing the weapon skill trees over time will be a great way to hang on to your favorite weapons!
However, I cannot say specifically whether you could use the same bow throughout your entire playtime effectively without hindering yourself. We'll need to stay tuned for more info on that in the future!
I mean as long as you can take a weapon's image (in this case a bow's image) to apply that on other weapons that wouldn't be a issue, even tho i'm not sure we have information if that will be a thing or not in Ashes.
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AtamaMember, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
A lot of these designs posted in the last two posts above me are gaudy and chaotic. I think level 61-75 in James' post hits my limit in terms of taste. Everything past that is... Uhm, well 'cosmetic shop' feeling.
I agree. I didn't post WoW's bows to support the L2 style. Rather the opposite. WoW has a cartoonish aesthetic, with deliberately over-the-top visuals. I don't think those styles fit what Ashes of Creation is trying to do at all.
The link provided by Vaknar, though, hits the sweet spot for me. This is the gaudiest bow I see there:
That bow style is still very restrained compared to most of the L2 and WoW bows.
A lot of these designs posted in the last two posts above me are gaudy and chaotic. I think level 61-75 in James' post hits my limit in terms of taste. Everything past that is... Uhm, well 'cosmetic shop' feeling.
Not gonna lie after 76+ Lineage 2 bows starts getting kinda crazy and way less restrained, but for me WoW Bows are WAY too cartoonish for my taste(even tho its not a bad thing for WoW as WoW art style overall is pretty cartoonish). I disagree with Atama saying "L2 bows look a lot like WoW bows."
Ashes Art style looks to have a way more realistic and restrained than cartoonish approach to it, atlease for the bows currently present in Ashes wiki, we have no idea what level they are or what the other and future designs might look like.
In FFXIV on my Bard, I always used the same Bandit glamour set.
I played it as a Storm Bandit mercenary, with a simple mask and simple short bow.
Nothing fancy, protective, and effective!
While others have linked some great examples of different bows,
I'd love to ask if you've taken a look at some of the bows we've shown in the past. They can be found here, under 'artwork'!
The wiki bows are just as wonderful as the other examples posted in this thread but..... they are all using a simple colored bow string, no extravagant, detailed bow strings. Now, you may ask, "What kind of extravagant bow string would you suggest?" To this I say, "I have no idea, I'm not an artist/creative type, surprise me!"
Comments
that bow could technically work they removed the metal band on the back of the bow (that flexes back) Above and below the metal handle (Top and bottom of bow snake head might be an issue too) but the handle part is fine tbh. Could be a light weight metal in the risar which can then also be used to parry attacks without dmging the bow (Wooden part) modern recurve bows are a metal risar (Handle) with 2 fiberglass inserts into that riser aslong as u dont hinder the limbs flexibility it will work.
I hope we get a mix. It's hard for 'ornate realism' to look out of place in a rule of cool setting. They tend to just feel either elegant or 'plain' and I am ok with that. Some of my favorite gear is simple yet tasteful design choices. Too much complicated or flashy design can make a good outfit feel chaotic after all.
Also as a slight optimistic argument, your seeing a bunch of whale tier cosmetics designed to be flashy for immediate cash while prices don't have to make sense. Yes there will be in game equivs according to Steven, but a lot of non-cash shop stuff could still skew the elegant realism route. It really depends on if the design intention was drifted away from or if you are just seeing a skewed sample due to the nature of marketing. We'll see.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhr9WpjaDzw
The bow designs i like the most are from Lineage 2, their design goes from very simplistic on lower levels to very over the top on higher levels. I just love the visual progression.
Lv 1-19
lv 20-39
lv 40-51
lv 52-60
lv 61-75
lv 76-79
lv 80-83
Lv 84
Aren't we all sinners?
I'd love to ask if you've taken a look at some of the bows we've shown in the past. They can be found here, under 'artwork'!
As for using a single bow, you will certainly be able to equip and favor a certain bow. Leveling the weapon and utilizing the weapon skill trees over time will be a great way to hang on to your favorite weapons!
However, I cannot say specifically whether you could use the same bow throughout your entire playtime effectively without hindering yourself. We'll need to stay tuned for more info on that in the future!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhr9WpjaDzw
I mean as long as you can take a weapon's image (in this case a bow's image) to apply that on other weapons that wouldn't be a issue, even tho i'm not sure we have information if that will be a thing or not in Ashes.
Aren't we all sinners?
I agree. I didn't post WoW's bows to support the L2 style. Rather the opposite. WoW has a cartoonish aesthetic, with deliberately over-the-top visuals. I don't think those styles fit what Ashes of Creation is trying to do at all.
The link provided by Vaknar, though, hits the sweet spot for me. This is the gaudiest bow I see there:
That bow style is still very restrained compared to most of the L2 and WoW bows.
Not gonna lie after 76+ Lineage 2 bows starts getting kinda crazy and way less restrained, but for me WoW Bows are WAY too cartoonish for my taste(even tho its not a bad thing for WoW as WoW art style overall is pretty cartoonish). I disagree with Atama saying "L2 bows look a lot like WoW bows."
Ashes Art style looks to have a way more realistic and restrained than cartoonish approach to it, atlease for the bows currently present in Ashes wiki, we have no idea what level they are or what the other and future designs might look like.
Aren't we all sinners?
Flashy gets boring real quick
Do we though?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhr9WpjaDzw
🤨
I played it as a Storm Bandit mercenary, with a simple mask and simple short bow.
Nothing fancy, protective, and effective!
The wiki bows are just as wonderful as the other examples posted in this thread but..... they are all using a simple colored bow string, no extravagant, detailed bow strings. Now, you may ask, "What kind of extravagant bow string would you suggest?" To this I say, "I have no idea, I'm not an artist/creative type, surprise me!"