The Hand of Maguuma,
Precursor/Legendary Design, Heart of Thorns Mace
Preface
I understand that, ultimately, with regards to Guild Wars 2’s ongoing game design, players have zero agency and very little actual input. Feedback is asked, and by ArenaNet acted upon as they see fit. However, on seeing the Astralaria being released and having various effects shown off that the new GW2 HoT engine is capable of with (and with the Nevermore as well), I was inspired to at least work on something of a collage.
What of? A new Precursor/Legendary for the Heart of Thorns expansion, for a mace.
In the following post I hope to present to the community (and maybe an artist, who knows?) a little bit of creativity and wishful thinking about just what more we can see from the new Heart of Thorns legendaries. I intend to do so with both fleshed out design considerations, art mock-ups and inspirations. I also fully understand that any and all art and content made in mind for Guild Wars falls under the general trademarks regulations of general copyright, but honestly, this is just a dumb forums post and an idea I barely can make any claims about beyond ‘I posted this on the forums once.’ Any and all names or considerations for general design are just that, names and considerations.
- Guild Wars 2 is © 2010–2015 by ArenaNet, LLC. All rights reserved. Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, ArenaNet, NCSOFT, the Interlocking NC Logo, and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCSOFT Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
That all said? Let’s get this underway.
Precursor design, Leystone Fist
Initial inspiration came from the Living Story updates, with Maguuma’s leylines being projected through and around pale sandstone formations in key areas where Mordremoth’s influence and its hunger for ley magic were being portrayed. ArenaNet cleverly played into this aesthetic for weapons and gear with the initial release of the Ley Line weapon skins.
The major design consideration I wanted to present was of a stony punching weapon like a bracer, or a gauntlet, that ultimately infuses the user with ley line magic coursing through their arm. Preferably without lifting existing weapon skins wholesale from the library or invalidating Black Lion item skins.
Still, I very much would want to make a case for matching the Precursor with the existing Ley Line weapon skins: the white and yellow, slightly moss-overgrown rock is a very eye-catching aesthetic that can stand out from a character’s model through coloration and armour selection, and allows for easy matching with existing model skins for aesthetics’ sake itself. Additionally, as a main-hand weapon (for Guardians, Revenants and Warriors) and off-hand weapon (for Warriors only), this allows matching them up with other craggy weapon skins as required.
Weapon design is heavily influenced by existing designs for oversized, hand-held cesti: a punching glove that fits around the forearm and either fully encapsulates the hand with a glove, or covers the back of the hand and the knuckles and digits with heavy-hitting (often sharp) materials. Several weapon concepts have been made available for review below. These include general gauntlet designs based on actual cesti, as well as more elaborate designs for war gauntlets to be worn over actual armour in the game. Some weapon concepts are based on capsules around the character’s hand, with the wear and tear of stone and battle showing in cracks or chips on the stone gauntlet.
- http://imgur.com/cyR6keS
A stone gauntlet, fully encasing the forearm and the hand of the wearer. It consists of either interlocked or carved-in plates of stone that mimic the general shape of a fist.
Redline shows the general position of the arm within the gauntlet.
Mock-up texture uses pumice as a stone base for reference. - http://imgur.com/5fSJd4a
A stone gauntlet, fully encasig the forearm and the hand of the wearer. It consists of a heavy, ornate bracer and a bullet-like rounded mantle covering the fist. The cestus mantle could have grooves, or a more elaborate pointed head.
Redline shows the general position of the arm within the gauntlet.
Mock-up texture uses a mossy granite stone as a stone base for reference. - http://imgur.com/nX7rjoU
A stone gauntlet, fully encasing the forearm and the hand of the wearer. It consists of a single piece of stone that is actually carved into the shape of a fist. Yes, it is literally a stone fist. Stone textures could show wear, cracks?
Redline shows the general position of the arm within the gauntlet.
Mock-up texture uses mosses and weathered bricks as a base for reference. - http://imgur.com/NoQBcOJ
Comedy option fist-on-a-stick mace design based on concept 3. Could be used when general technical limitations are an issue? Grooved handle could be considered for general grip; handle follows the actual hold of the carved fist.
Mock-up texture uses mosses and weathered bricks as a base for reference. - http://imgur.com/4e0Oyw7
A stone gauntlet, fully encasing the forearm and the hand of the wearer. It consists of several pieces of leystone staying in general gauntlet-like formation. Perhaps too fancy for the Precursor weapon design? Redline shows the general position of the arm within the gauntlet.
Photoshop mock-up shamelessly based on elements from assorted Ley Line Weapons.
A full overview of the above is also available in a single Imgur album, available here. Already, of course, these all could come up with some major design issues.
- A weapon fitting around the arm of a character model might interfere with existing armour meshes. Intersecting models (clipping) must be actively avoided.
This can be (mostly) averted by considering to make the Precursor’s model oversized. Fitting them over the arms does not have to impede existing armour designs, and could actually compliment the armour designs of other heavy bracers, or the Leystone armour that is obtainable in Dragon’s Stand’s meta-events. - Idle dual-wielding weapon animations for some races feature the character throwing up the main hand weapon. In others, elaborate rolling with a loose wrist. Either which way, the weapon model must not (heavily) interfere with this animation cycle.
Each of the five races has a unique set of animations associated with their idle, dual wielding (or one single one-handed weapon held) stance. This presents a number of problems with regards to the weapon model being held, and how the model lines up with the character’s arms. Either the weapon can be easily removed from the hand (clipping issues to be kept in mind, no special tech considerations, see also the Sonic Tunnelling Tool, which has very little animation issues from a ‘hold the weapon’ point of view) or the weapon is adjusted to always stick to the hand and lower arm bones of the character model when held. Obviously, the easiest solution must be considered before mucking about with such silly things as technical exceptions. Especially for a Precursor – this is not a Legendary. Keep It Simple, Stupid design should be key. - Combat animations with this weapon, when fitting around the arm of a character model, must consider existing animations. Floating particle effects emanating from ‘nowhere’ must be actively avoided.
For this issue, I’ve looked at the animations of Warriors, Guardians and Revenants alike, observing them across many angles in combat. An overview of the mace skills can be seen here, as well.- Guardian True Strike, Pure Strike, Faithful Strike cycle features repeated downwards bashing animations and sideswipes. An arc is visible along the weapon’s head and haft along the blows, culminating in a blow of blue mists emanating from the enemy and the weapon.
The various attacks’ arcs will be a returning issue in Precursor design. Unless if the arc shapes to the weapon’s relative size (very unlikely across three different models tested), some sort of an arc will always show. Either this is taken for granted (but going against general design aesthetics of not having floating particle effects appear out of ‘nowhere’), modelling wizardry is applied, or the Precursor is shaped less like a cestus and more like an unwieldy stone being held on a short haft as per other design sketches and mock-ups. - Guardian Symbol of Faith features a downward strike onto the ground, followed by a mystic symbol being placed on the point of impact. No particular particle effects seem to billow out from the weapon, but rather the character itself.
No particular animation issues come to mind here. - Guardian Protector’s Strike features a fist-raising posture with the main-hand weapon held aloft. At the end of the charge, the character strikes upwards (spinning optional, as asura do), with lines of blue emanating from the character’s lower body and radiating outwards.
Because of the lack of weapon-centric particle effects, the initial design of a cestus really makes the weapon a brawler’s choice of arms (even if Guardian mace isn’t all that hot). However, the mace is generally held at a slight angle along the arm of the character, making aligning a cestus styled model along the character a potential modelling nightmare. - Revenant Misery Swipe, Anguish Swipe, Manifest Toxin cycle features rapid sideswipes moving into overhead blows. The arcs coming from the weapon head are billowy and cause bloody, red eruptions to spark through the enemy from the relative point of impact due to Torment applications.
Similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. - Revenant Searing Fissure features a downward strike onto the ground, followed by a cracking red fissure being made in front of the Revenant from the point of impact outwards.
Similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. - Revenant Echoing Eruption features an acrobatic, overhead blow downwards, followed by the similar billowy arc from the weapon to follow in its wake. A projectile surges forwards along the ground through the enemy that looks like a rush of mists or winds.
Similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. - Warrior Mace Slam, Mace Bash, Pulverize cycle features repeated bashing animations and sideswipes. There are wide arches extending from the weapon’s tip down to the haft.
Similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. - Warrior Counterblow features the mace being held aloft in the main-hand, in front of the character, with a glowing emanation from the hand. A counterblow occurs when struck in melee range, featuring a rapid overhead blow to an opponent.
No particular arcs visible, and the glowing emanation comes from the hand, so that’s a plus! - Warrior Pommel Bash features a quick sideways and downward slam onto an opponent (unique across charr, humans/sylvari, norn, asura) with no special graphical emanations.
Similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. - Warrior Crushing Blow features a sweeping sideways blow towards the opponent.
Similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. - Warrior Tremor features a long wind-up towards a downwards slam from the character, sending out a distortion effect as well as sweeping sands being sent up and outwards.
The emanation for this attack is close to the hand of the character model. However, once again, the arc goes along the weapon model’s head and haft. - Warrior Skull Crack (burst) features a sideways and downward slam onto an opponent (unique across charr, humans/sylvari, norn, asura) with an exaggerated outline growing outwards from the weapon’s head until impact.
Similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. Perhaps even more so due to the emphasis of the arc’s and glow’s effect on the head of the mace. - Warrior Skull Grinder (primal burst) features a leaping strike with the weapon being swung over the shoulder from the back to the front. The mace head shows an enlarged, exaggerated outline of the weapon’s area, as well as some red showing in the weapon’s arc.
Again, similar issues with arcs with regards to weapon model size as before. Perhaps even more so due to the emphasis of the arc’s and glow’s effect on the head of the mace. - Warrior Rampage is a special mention, because of its auto-attack cycle featuring the same, but slower mace auto-attack cycle, without the weapon arcs. Of course, that’s more a ‘transform player and give associated weapon skills’ skill, but it’s something I’d like to keep in mind!
- Guardian True Strike, Pure Strike, Faithful Strike cycle features repeated downwards bashing animations and sideswipes. An arc is visible along the weapon’s head and haft along the blows, culminating in a blow of blue mists emanating from the enemy and the weapon.
- A weapon’s typing must be readily identified in player versus player gameplay. Even in massive zergs in WvW or in the competitive arenas of PvP, a weapon must not be confused for another.
In targeting players, one can quickly deduce which weapons are and are not available to them. In that way, confusion about available gear and combat options are already minimized. With that in mind, won’t a fist-sized brace or gauntlet be confused for a focus? I think not. Guardians cannot equip foci in the main-hand. Revenants cannot equip maces in the off-hand. Warriors cannot equip foci in the off-hand. Additionally, standardized lower-poly models when loading character models, as well as standardized PvP appearances are already considered in armour and weapon aesthetics by ArenaNet. I do not believe, as such, that making a fist-sized main-hand weapon would also be too confusing in general PvP gameplay.