Does the battle axe create the wrong impression?

[Tahaan]

I have the opinion that the Tier 3 steel axe which looks like some kind of fantacy battle axe creates the impression that it should be an awesome weapon.

 

TFP says the axes are meant as tools primarily.  Sure I've swung it at the odd zed with success but I agree that it is a tool.

 

And I do get what TFP wants to achieve - eg a more bad-@%$*#! looking axe.

 

With that in mind would it not make more sense for Tier 2 to be a small hatchet and tier 3 to be a Fireman's axe?

 

Or if a double-bladed axe is really desired, there are some woodman's fireman's axe models to be found aplenty on the web.

[Gazz]

9 minutes ago, Tahaan said:

I have the opinion that the Tier 3 steel axe which looks like some kind of fantasy battle axe creates the impression that it should be an awesome weapon.

IMO it does looks like a fantasy wall ornament that would be impractical both as a weapon and a tool. (for multiple reasons)

 

It certainly looks cool. That's the primary purpose of an ornamental object after all. 😃

[Tahaan]

12 minutes ago, Gazz said:

IMO it does looks like a fantasy wall ornament that would be impractical both as a weapon and a tool. (for multiple reasons)

 

It certainly looks cool. That's the primary purpose of an ornamental object after all. 😃

 

Yes, I agree but I am deliberately ignoring the "realism" aspect and focussing on the semantic aspect only.  Don't tell anybody but I've actually noticed Madmole justify some bad parts of the game as "being realistic" (wink)

[Gazz]

You imply that MM called the design of the steel axe realistic but I'm skeptical on this happening.

 

There are piles of games that feature impractical fantasy weapons simply because they look cool. Games are allowed to do that. =P

[Tahaan]

24 minutes ago, Gazz said:

You imply that MM called the design of the steel axe realistic but I'm skeptical on this happening.

 

Not the axe no, but in other cases.  I said it jokingly of course - some amount of realism is even needed in order to be able to even just play the game.

[Reckis]

Yeah, I thought it was kind of weird that an item that they have repeatedly emphasized was NOT a weapon, now has a tier 3 model that LOOKS like a weapon. You know there are going to be players that are going to use it as a weapon, just because it looks bad-@%$*#!.

[sonicdeathmnkey]

I think the main point was to have a skin for the steel ax that was more dramatically different than the iron fire ax.  Before a19, they looked really similar.    As far as viability as a weapon, in my game on day 30 with 90 minute days i have a q3 steel ax and a q4 baseball bat each with two mods.  While the base damage on the ax is higher, so too is the stamina usage.  So it's okay for the surprise zeds hiding around a corner, but for multi-zed encounters i stick with the bat.

[JCrook1028]

Agreed, it's an awful model for a tool to be used on a daily basis.

[Gideon]

Behold Grognak the Barbarian!

[Solomon]

15 hours ago, sonicdeathmnkey said:

I think the main point was to have a skin for the steel ax that was more dramatically different than the iron fire ax.  Before a19, they looked really similar.    As far as viability as a weapon, in my game on day 30 with 90 minute days i have a q3 steel ax and a q4 baseball bat each with two mods.  While the base damage on the ax is higher, so too is the stamina usage.  So it's okay for the surprise zeds hiding around a corner, but for multi-zed encounters i stick with the bat.

Its not like they are actually different, an axe stays the same form regardless of its material.

 

Thought i gotta say i dont really understand why we dont have small hatchets and actual battle axes, i mean we have steel spears why not expand the melee weapons with more stuff like swords, maces or even shields.

[Tahaan]

yes in A18 I think the only difference between the tier 2 and tier 3 axe was color.  Still is like that for the shovels.

 

But a hatchet and a firemans axe would, in my opinion, make a better "tool set".  

 

Ditto a spade for lvl 2 and a shovel for lvl 3.

 

On a side-note why don't we have any pitchforks in a zombie-game?

[Biscoitoso]

The fact that axes and chainsaws are not effective in fighting zombies, makes me very dissapointed with this game.

I never will forget my first impression when I got my first steel axe at A-19.

"OOOOOOOOOOHHHHH! OMG!!! LOOK THIS AMAZING AXE! IT IS A BATTLE AXE! NOW I AM CONAN THE CONQUEROR! Finally TFP added an axe as a weapon! Wait... let me read its name... Steel Axe? What? It is just an appearance? Oh... TFP I hate you!"



 

[Bashtiks]

To be honest steel axe is my favorite melee weapon right now. Not only it chops trees and crates open but splits zombie heads like candy 🙂 was using a sledge previously but now screw that, axe is faster and can one chop most of zed heads and have similar or close to sledge aoe 🙂 hope it stays that way

[sonicdeathmnkey]

3 hours ago, Solomon said:

Its not like they are actually different, an axe stays the same form regardless of its material.

 

What does that have to do with anything I said?

[ejlarson]

3 hours ago, Bashtiks said:

To be honest steel axe is my favorite melee weapon right now. Not only it chops trees and crates open but splits zombie heads like candy 🙂 was using a sledge previously but now screw that, axe is faster and can one chop most of zed heads and have similar or close to sledge aoe 🙂 hope it stays that way

Look at the damage it does. It destroys Zs. I don't care if it is/was supposed to. It does work.

[Boidster]

8 hours ago, Solomon said:

Its not like they are actually different, an axe stays the same form regardless of its material.

Hmm...I don't think so. I own a couple of hatchets/axes for different types of wood chopping. They can look quite different. Both of these are wood axes. I'd recommend the single-headed model for iron, the double-headed model for steel (without the fancy battle-axe look they have now). Or use the current Fireman's Axe model for steel, and switch to a plain single-head axe for iron (left image below).

 

[Roland]

It is valiant to be looking out for all the new players but.....there are two kinds of new players. Those who just play the game and have fun and those who are min/max efficiency junkies. The first type will use the steel axe as a weapon and have fun and feel awesome. They won't really worry about the fact that there might be a melee weapon out there that has better dps and so it really doesn't matter for these folks whether the steel axe was intended as just a tool or not. The second group won't be fooled by the look because long before they ever actually use it they will meticulously compare the entity damage stats between the axe and whatever other melee weapon they have and go with the one that is better. They won't really care about appearances since all they really care about is killing zombies as quickly in as few clicks as possible.

 

 

[Biscoitoso]

2 minutes ago, Roland said:

They won't really care about appearances since all they really care about is killing zombies as quickly in as few clicks as possible.

 

 

Hyeah, but we still miss a battle axe, not are all "efficiency junkies" care just about "killing", sometimes we want have some style. I would be very happy if the game has a battle axe.

And to be honest, axes and chainsaws are classic weapons in all "zombie apocalypse" universe, but not in the 7D2D...

[Lippe019]

I've been thinking a lot about this (a bit embarrassed to admit how much).  Any character I build in RPGs (Neeeerd), I usually wield an axe.  Therefore, you can understand my disappointment to see the "Battle Axe" used as a tool only.

 

My Suggestion:

 

Add a Perk into Fortitude "Clever Name".  Strength, Perception, and Agility all have 3 weapon perks...why not fortitude. 

 

The "Weapon" axe, the tiers would be as follows:

 

Tomahawk:  Tier 1, Stone Looks similar to a Native American Weapon (one handed) (Power attack can be thrown)

Viking Axe: Tier 2, Iron.  Feel free to search for any Viking Style one-handed battle axe. (one handed) (Power attack can be thrown)

Double-sided Battle Axe:  Tier 3, Steel.  Take the current prop and use that one.  (two handed)( Power attack thrown)

 

Skill-Point tiers could have clever names.. but ultimatley, I'd like Tier 4 to be Patrick Bateman and Tier 5 to be Volstagg!

 

As for the "Tool" axe, the tiers would be as follows:

Stone Axe: Tier 1 (Same as now)

Hatchet:  Tier 2, Iron.  Feel free to search for a "hatchet" to model off of.

Fire Axe:  Tier 3, Steel (Same model as now)

 

[Solomon]

18 hours ago, sonicdeathmnkey said:

What does that have to do with anything I said?

You said that they probably changed the skin so they will look different like an upgrade but you dont normally get a different looking axes no matter what they are made of.

[meganoth]

16 hours ago, Biscoitoso said:

Hyeah, but we still miss a battle axe, not are all "efficiency junkies" care just about "killing", sometimes we want have some style. I would be very happy if the game has a battle axe.

And to be honest, axes and chainsaws are classic weapons in all "zombie apocalypse" universe, but not in the 7D2D...

I don't understand. You have a cool looking battle-axe here, how much better can it be style-wise ?

So it seems you are actually complaining about efficiency, right?

 

As a weapon the axe isn't the best but with enough sex-rex it seems it could hold up very well (maybe not at end-game, but there you have alternatives, many players seem to switch to ranged anyway), and the compensation for not being the best weapon is its dual-use and a saved toolbelt-slot. It looks well-balanced to me.

 

Maybe someone should post some hard facts about the damage and stamina values and make a real case for why it is too weak.

[Adam the Waster]

it makes sense to me!

 

 

i mean some crazy waster out there will make a battle axe to bring to combat! so yeah i like the new axe

[Biscoitoso]

4 hours ago, meganoth said:

I don't understand. You have a cool looking battle-axe here, how much better can it be style-wise ?

So it seems you are actually complaining about efficiency, right?

 

As a weapon the axe isn't the best but with enough sex-rex it seems it could hold up very well (maybe not at end-game, but there you have alternatives, many players seem to switch to ranged anyway), and the compensation for not being the best weapon is its dual-use and a saved toolbelt-slot. It looks well-balanced to me.

 

Maybe someone should post some hard facts about the damage and stamina values and make a real case for why it is too weak.

Here are your facts: No skills, no books.

Enjoy.

[pApA^LeGBa]

First world problems. Really. I rather have this, than a generic looking axe by far. Even if it´s only for harvesting ressources. And people who play on the first 3 difficulties can effectivly use it as a weapon vs zombies also imo.

[meganoth]

1 hour ago, Biscoitoso said:

Here are your facts: No skills, no books.

Enjoy.

And... you are mistaken. Miner69 is the skill, it brings 50% damage increase to melee, same as skull crusher (yes, skull crusher has some more effects). Also strength bonuses (head shot damage and dismember chance work on axes as well.

 

Firemans Almanach is the book series, but only one book directly influences combat with a fireaxe specifically. But night stalker book 3 is for all bladed weapons. By the way, there is also no dedicated book for the knifes and they count as bonafide weapons, don't they?