Machicolations and Murder-holes

Hi devs,

I have a suggestion for a very simple new block which could greatly improve the gameplay of the Castle Story.

As you may know, the most important feature of all medieval castles were walls and towers whose top parts (usually with crenelations - merlons/creneles) were extended above the bottom parts. This design of walls, however, was not just for decoration, it actually had a very important defensive purpose! The floor on the extended part always had small holes in it which allowed archers and crossbowmen (while in cover behind crenelations) to shoot at enemies standing just next to the castle walls. These small openings in floors are called MACHICOLATIONS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machicolation and were present on all real castles with these characteristic extended castle walls, because without them any extensions on castle walls make no sense!




MURDER-HOLES https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder-hole are similar structures in other parts (ceilings of gatehouses, halls, etc.) of the medieval castles, through which the defenders could fire on the enemies bellow, for example, when they broke through the first door and were trapped in a closed area (before they broke through the second door of the gatehouse).


Both these real castle features could be implemented in the game as one simple 2x1 block with a small hole (in one part of a block) through which the archers and crossbowmen could fire while standing on it or on a block next to it.



Comments

  • But what is the problem to make something like this? :smile:



  • As for me devs should a little improve aiming system. For example look at side archers on screenshot below.



    The red line is their shooting trajectory but as you can see arrows physically stuck in walls which is logical.

    The green line is a trajectory which allows archer to hit an enemy not a wall.

    So we need archer to choose green trajectory not red. The question is how to achieve that? :smile:

    I'm afraid it will be quite resource-intensive option to check is there an obstacle for an arrow or not.

    But what if to make a some kind of blueprint with scripted shooting angles? It will be visible only in edit mode and if bricktron steps inside it - he will aim only between this fixed angles :smile:


  • Aveliumar said:

    But what is the problem to make something like this? :smile:



    Well, I don't claim that there is no workaround, but this solution is too cumbersome and it would be simply better to have an additional block with a small hole inside where a bricktron could also stand. In particular, your solution do not allow bricktrons to walk just behind the crenelation (be in cover behind the merlons) because of the missing blocks (it also requires more space than is neccesary).
  • Aveliumar said:

    As for me devs should a little improve aiming system. For example look at side archers on screenshot below.



    The red line is their shooting trajectory but as you can see arrows physically stuck in walls which is logical.

    The green line is a trajectory which allows archer to hit an enemy not a wall.

    So we need archer to choose green trajectory not red. The question is how to achieve that? :smile:

    I'm afraid it will be quite resource-intensive option to check is there an obstacle for an arrow or not.

    But what if to make a some kind of blueprint with scripted shooting angles? It will be visible only in edit mode and if bricktron steps inside it - he will aim only between this fixed angles :smile:


    I agree with this, but why do you post it here? It should be in bug reports.
  • ChezzyChezzy Member
    I think this is a great idea. Yes there are work-arounds but I think the block you've described is quite an elegant solution, decreases how far out you need to build an overhang as well as allowing bricktrons to stand on the block and shoot directly down.
  • ivanhoex said:


    I agree with this, but why do you post it here? It should be in bug reports.

    Because archers can't normally shoot standing in 1x2 window. But you want them to shoot through even smaller holes (how big are they, 0.5x0.5?) :smile:

    Besides I belive that there are some game rules, limitations if you want, which restrics minimum block size to 1x1 and you cant have holes inside it. It's like a pixel in Minecraft. And in order to make this hole you have to build square 3x3 :smile:
  • StarfuryStarfury Member
    edited July 2017
    This was by far the best History lesson I have had in a while...
  • Aveliumar said:

    ivanhoex said:


    I agree with this, but why do you post it here? It should be in bug reports.

    Because archers can't normally shoot standing in 1x2 window. But you want them to shoot through even smaller holes (how big are they, 0.5x0.5?) :smile:

    Besides I belive that there are some game rules, limitations if you want, which restrics minimum block size to 1x1 and you cant have holes inside it. It's like a pixel in Minecraft. And in order to make this hole you have to build square 3x3 :smile:
    You are right, but I haven't thought of these esthetic details. I wouldn't even mind if the arrows went partially through walls (if it looked inconspicuous)... still better than arrows stucked in corners of walls.
  • you could texture it to look like a screen over a hole and allow arrows to pass through it....limitations bypassed and ensures the arrows wouldn't get stuck.
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