|
Post by johnshaft on Oct 8, 2013 18:08:53 GMT
OK, here's my shield build idea: A 12"x12" piece of 1/4" plywood as the "base". 1" of foam covering it's face (between it and anything that may strike it), and 1/4" on it's back (between me and the plywood. 2 brackets, bolted in from the front with flat heads (under the 1" of foam face) will connect a "punch"-style plastic handle to the plywood, approximately 8" long. The brackets will be covered in 1/4" of foam, will all sharp edges removed.
|
|
mole
Atherkellia
Posts: 42
|
Post by mole on Oct 9, 2013 0:04:12 GMT
The idea behind using PVC for the frame of a sword or axe is that the PVC will break long before people's bones will. You WANT it to break. That's how it's safe for combat. I think plywood is a bad idea without way more padding, like 2 layers of eggshell foam.
|
|
|
Post by johnshaft on Oct 9, 2013 1:16:24 GMT
I understand what you're saying. My thought is that a shield will never hit someone, and that anything less than 1/4" ply could break under a few axe or sword hits, potentially tearing through the foam and becoming a hazard. I can try an all-foam shield, but I'm worried that the handle would tear out, with no sub-structure to attach to.
|
|
|
Post by btavorvick on Oct 9, 2013 8:50:05 GMT
The shield construction you've proposed needs about twice as much padding, plus an edge covering made of pipe insulation foam at least 5/8" thick. Putting the bolts underneath the foam is definitely a good plan. Do those couple of changes and that should be good! (As always, this will need to be checked in real life too)
"No Bashing" is standard for American lightest-touch LARP. If it's not in there, that's an omission we should definitely fix, but we missed it because its assumed. When I'm speaking about Westlands specifically allowing it, this is unusual for a lightest-touch LARP. Our intention was not to make shields usable to exert physical force on anything. Thanks for catching that.
Shields are not a tool for two reasons: they are very aligned with one particular Principle, and making them available through the Tools script would allow the construction of shields using any Principle. Also, like swords and guns, they have particular sets of abstract rules associated with them. We want these rules to be consistent, so it is easier to create a separate script for shields specifically than to attempt to have an addendum for Craft Tools. Does that make sense?
EDIT: Third reason too. If you tag your backpack with Tools, the implication is that it cannot block blows for you. Craft Shield allows you to create something that can block blows. Allowing people to craft props that can block using Tools opens up a massive can of worms for what counts as a "valid blocking Tool." Does a cloak count, if there is a story about it being enhanced with magic? What about the non-boffer-safe wrench that is hanging on someone's belt? By specifically limiting things that can block and engage in combat to weapons made through specific scripts, it allows us to serve both safety and continuity concerns.
|
|
mole
Atherkellia
Posts: 42
|
Post by mole on Oct 13, 2013 1:23:35 GMT
As for cloaks, this: (from 1.0)
Blockable: Attacks delivered by a melee weapon, NERF dart, or NERF disc are blockable. An interposed shield or weapon will block the attack, and a blockable attack that hits your cloak, backpack, or other protruding clothing will not count if it would not hit your body beneath it.
Armor: 1 AP: Heavy cloth or light leather over vital areas (chest, stomach, back) 2 AP: Heavy cloth or light leather over entire body, heavy leather over vitals 3 AP: Heavy leather over entire body, chainmail over vitals 4 AP: Chainmail over entire body, plate over vitals 5 AP: Plate over entire body.
It sounds like a cloak would be 1-2AP armor anyhow.
|
|
|
Post by johnshaft on Oct 13, 2013 2:54:55 GMT
OK, so if someone would be kind enough to run me through a simple narrative:
"Hi, I'm Dave, and I'd like to play BtA. I'd like to use this nifty shield I brought along, which has already been cleared for use in game."
"My character is John Shaft, and he's in Workers, Inc., in the Materials Union."
I pay my entrance fee, and....
|
|
mole
Atherkellia
Posts: 42
|
Post by mole on Oct 19, 2013 4:29:24 GMT
...then head over to the registration table, where Paul, Katrina, Bill, Cassie, and Ken will confirm your registration and nation membership, then help you create your character sheet, consisting of 3 ranks of principles split between 2 nations. Then they'll lay out a bunch of starting scripts (like Magic: The Gathering cards) for you to pick from, and give you 10 gobbets to use on any sort of starting gear (which doesn't have to be of your nation's crafting type).
Around 9, the staff will pass out the Nation Boxes, containing the wealth of your whole nation minus anything people took home with them last time. Your nation members will take this back to your Embassy (not your Barracks) and distribute its contents, which most likely contain a lot of stuff no one can use, on account of different players coming to an event.
Around 10, we'll all circle up and do some warmups and theatre improv games, and introduce ourselves. The something crazy will happen somewhere, and we'll all rush off and the adventure begins!
Also, Imogen the Magpie will be selling her newspaper for Threpence.
|
|