Javelin tweak: The atlatl

[Johnny_Madhouse 28]

Currently, javelins take a fair amount of inventory space if you plan on having two or three on hand at all time (which you should, because crafting them with a creeper coming at you is nerve-wracking). Javelins also fly absurdly straight and fast for something thrown from the hand. Why not address both of these with the addition of an atlatl, or throwing board? This is an ancient tool used to extend the lever length of the human arm in order to impart greater power to a throw.

EDIT: If you want to say this out loud, it's something like "attle-attle."

Both images come from here: http://hands.unm.edu/atlatls.html

Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlatl

"A traditional atlatl is a long-range weapon and can readily impart to a projectile speeds of over 150 km/h (93 mph)"

This would be extremely friendly to the aesthetic of the game! Players would need to carve/craft an atlatl at the beginning of the game in order to throw javelins properly. The atlatl could function with javelins the way the bow does with arrows. For the sake of not making things too easy, javelins would only stack to 4 or so. This would reduce inventory clutter, and be awesome.

[EternalUndeath 1,208]

sounds like a middle-american name. Aztec?

Either way, a decent idea

Shame it becomes useless as soon as you get 3 string...

[Johnny_Madhouse 28]

Yeah, it's Aztec. When the Spanish speaking blue-eyed invaders came, they fought natives with atlatls.

I personally don't use a bow, as I like to leave my chickens alive for delicious eggs. Javelins are also really versatile, as you can craft them without a table down in the mines when you need to clear out a random pool of creepers!

[Just_Another_Guy_:) 1,066]

I can see this working in this way:

The thrown javelin damage is buffed up until it makes more damage than the arrow -although i think it already does, i still haven't had the chance to throw a javelin-, and the charge time or the atlatl is set to nearly a 1/3 of the bow's charge time. It's aim, however, is nerfed to the point where you will fail half of the time you shot at a mob at -insert some number here- blocks of distance.

This way, even with the bow, you have to choose between them:

-If you choose the atlatl and javelins, you have strong and faster attacks, and you can make more ammo whenever you need it, more easily than arrows (come on, tell me you don't carry rocks and sticks almost wherever you go...).

-If you choose the bow and arrows, you have a accurate, safer attack (since you can snipe a mob from the safety of your roof) which ammo is more space-efficient since arrows stack to 64 instead of only 4. the crafting of this ammo is also more efficient (instead of 1 ammo for 2 materials, 4 ammo for 3)

[EternalUndeath 1,208]

Yeah, it's Aztec. When the Spanish speaking blue-eyed invaders came, they fought natives with atlatls.

I personally don't use a bow, as I like to leave my chickens alive for delicious eggs. Javelins are also really versatile, as you can craft them without a table down in the mines when you need to clear out a random pool of creepers!

Addressing those issues in order-

Once you have 4 or 5 chickens cooped up, all the other wild ones that spawn are fair game, and feathers drop practically by the stack

Arrows are now shapeless recipes, craftable in your inventory

[Just_Another_Guy_:) 1,066]

Arrows are now shapeless recipes, craftable in your inventory

They are? o.o i never saw that in the changelog... but that's neat!

oh, well, i will just edit my previous post

[abandoned mines 119]

the local first nations bands still use the traditional atlatl (the same name is used from northern canada to mexico o.o)

they use theres to help guide there long fishing spears onto target.

i would be interesting to see this piece of tech ingame

[Enzer 60]

Javalins are already more powerful than an arrow (two javalins will kill any creeper, skeleton or zombie compared to an arrows 3-4 depending on distance). Javalins also seem to have a longer range, or at the very least, or a hell of a lot more accurate because they fly straight as compared to the arrow's arc.

If this were a change to be made I wouldn't mind javalins stacking in groups of four and when thrown have about 1/2 their current strenght and a slight tendency to veer to the left or right. The atlatl would give the javalin its current straight flight path and bring it to its current strength as well. The offset would be that the atlatl and javalin would both take durability damage (making arrows still a viable choice with only the bow taking damage over time as well as arrows stacking in much larger quantities).

As they stand, I do not see the bow really as a worthy weapon, carrying four javalins on me and circle strafing groups of enemies to pick up spent javalins has always gotten me through all my battles to date. Hell I haven't even really made a sword, they are that good.

[Johnny_Madhouse 28]

Options rule.

[Jed1314 420]

I am totally pro this idea

I had considered adding in atlatl into this suggestion, but decided not to in the end to keep it simple:

http://terrafirmacraft.com/f/topic/1072-total-ranged-overhaul/

It deals with a very comprehensive ranged overhaul. I figured you may be interested

But anyway, +1 this idea !

[GCountach 39]

Like this idea. With Enzer on the current jav nerf in order to fit this in. In their current state, javs seem really powerful. Their only weakness is their inability to stack. But they are powerful and cheap. If you were to allow auto-loading and/or stacking, some nerfing would have to be done.

[kotoroshinoto 97]

If you were to allow auto-loading and/or stacking, some nerfing would have to be done.

invtweaks...and you're done, it will replace the one you just used with another one from the inventory

[Rashkonn 0]

It's aim, however, is nerfed to the point where you will fail half of the time you shot at a mob at -insert some number here- blocks of distance.

The aiming was nerfed???

Spots a Pig standing on a mountain around 40 blocks away and 30 higher then currently standing, barely visible behind a block. One shots it...

Really??? Maybe you just stink at aiming with stuff like this...

[Johnny_Madhouse 28]

The aiming was nerfed???

Spots a Pig standing on a mountain around 40 blocks away and 30 higher then currently standing, barely visible behind a block. One shots it...

Really??? Maybe you just stink at aiming with stuff like this...

If you reread his post, he was describing a hypothetical update. Though it was a little funny that he was talking about javelin balance while simultaneously admitting he had never actually used a javelin.

[GCountach 39]

invtweaks...and you're done, it will replace the one you just used with another one from the inventory

Which is a mod. The devs can't be expected to nerf javs on the assumption that someone may download another mod, but if they're adding the feature natively into his mod, they should nerf them.

[kotoroshinoto 97]

Which is a mod. The devs can't be expected to nerf javs on the assumption that someone may download another mod, but if they're adding the feature natively into his mod, they should nerf them.

I know, just felt like pointing it out

[Just_Another_Guy_:) 1,066]

The aiming was nerfed???

Spots a Pig standing on a mountain around 40 blocks away and 30 higher then currently standing, barely visible behind a block. One shots it...

Really??? Maybe you just stink at aiming with stuff like this...

I don't know if you read it wrong or if i writed it wrong, but what i meant to say is that, in order for that thing i said to work, the javelins aim should be nerfed. Also, it would be really helpful if you actually contributed to the thread, instead of coming over here just for trying to troll someone :

And...

Though it was a little funny that he was talking about javelin balance while simultaneously admitting he had never actually used a javelin.

: in fact i do use them, but only for melee 'cause i thinked it was better at melee than ranged. I end up making like a hundred of them before getting enough tin/bismuth/zinc for a bar. Yeah, playing TFC like a pro *Irony* XD

But they are powerful and cheap.

Which is the reason why i said their aim should be nerfed

[fred da kiko 28]

the javelin does more damage than the bow. I still use javelins to fight and i have a sword and bow.