Civilian vests and armor!

[cainhawk 1]

Vests:

The idea is to use the riders jacket and add a denim jacket (with 2-4 horizontal storage pockets), when combined with knife or sewing/leather kit (depending which jacket) to craft a vest.

I think these type of vests will have more of an apocolyptic look and just look cool in general.

Armor:

The idea is based on the popular bible stopping a bullet stories.

As a use for books, making putting books in vests give added damage reduction to one shot to the chest, ruining the books.

Books take 4 slots squared so high capacity vests could hold 2 books, reg vests could hold 1 while the leather riders vest or denim vest (civilian) having horizontal storage would not be able to store them.

The damage reduction doesn't need to be

100% maybe 25%, 50% with high capacity and maybe stop bleeding or change bleed chance to shock. This is all only for the first shot and only to chest.

I think this would greatly add to the survival feel of the game without being overkill. Example a one shot could instead have high damage and or still put you unconscious but not leave you dead or unconscious bleeding. And thats if you had a vest, got shot in the chest and had books in it taking up your inventory space so its still a high trade off.

[Rags! 1966]

The advantages of carrying books in your vest without the disadvantages of carrying...books...in your vest...

[gibonez 3633]

Sounds unrealistic as can be.

"Insert book to chest piercing damage +1 slashing cabbage -3"

[cainhawk 1]

Hard to respond because the replys are kind of trolly but I understand you dont like the idea and that's ok.

Opinion on the crafted leather and denim vest?

Also responding to it being unrealistic and it having no disadvantages.

Quick summary of video: 9mm shot at 2 books very close range, only 1 book penetrated.

I think that shows it is more realistic than you thought. A stick and a rag don't instantly cure a broken leg along with many unrealistic things in game.

Also losing 4 or 8 inventory slots in a vest with the chance you could still be shot in the head, back, arm or legs is a disadvantage. I'm also saying it would still do damage to the chest just add some extra protection and give some use to books and only work if you had a vest.

[-Gews- 7443]

That's kind of silly. People don't carry books for armour. On a whim I weighed a few books:

Paperback:

Rumpole on Trial, Penguin = 152 g (243 p.) = 5.4 oz

Jude the Obscure, Penguin = 241 g (509 p.) = 8.5 oz

Catch-22, Dell = 243 g (455 p.) = 8.6 oz

Lake Wobegon Days, Penguin = 248 g (420 p.) = 8.7 oz

Death in the Andes, Picador = 275 g ( p.) = 9.7 oz

Hardcover:

The Red Badge of Courage, Evergreen = 233 g (107 p.) = 8.2 oz

The Luger Story = 568 g (256 p.) = 1 lb 4 oz

Manual of Seamanship Vol II, HMSO = 1546 g (854 p.) = 3 lb 6.5 oz

Box O' Truth found some calibers penetrated the following distances into books:

.22 LR = 1"

9mm = 7"

45 ACP = 4.25"

5.56mm = 7.5"

7.62x54R = 15"

Mythbusters did this as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uULn_Jul43Y#t=0m32s

No doubt books can stop bullets. A bullet would have less penetration in a book in a coat than a book fixed in some kind of test frame. But is it practical to make body armour out of books? Nope, they're heavy, most books won't fit in pockets either. Paper is made from wood. Think about it. Books in your pockets won't save you unless you're shot in the pocket. Most coats don't have pockets everywhere. Most vests aren't designed to carry books. Pretty much everyone who was ever saved by a book wasn't carrying the book intending to use it to fend off bullets, it was incidental.

Those 4 text books in the video above? That's probably around 6 kg (13 lb) right there.

I don't want to see players using books for armour because people in real life don't use books for armour. It's not practical so it shouldn't be practical in the game either. Maybe some crazy players would swear by it, same as eccentric people in real life, but it should not be a widespread or effective tactic.

Right now my character is using books for armour though. :lol:

[cainhawk 1]

Thanks for an actual response, first I meant the crafted vest as my main point.

I do agree people dont use books for armor but it isn't completly impossible *in a video game* as a very slight means of extra protection and is more realistic than some things already in the game.

I was more thinking along the madmax lines where people get creative and use what they find on hand. Books just happen to be an item in the game currently that could possibly work.

I did say in vest slots so things like pants and coat pockets wouldnt be a factor.

Its difficult to say what is realistic for a game when somethings are already not possible. It has to be a balance of realistic and functional and I think there is room for some kind of mid to late game armor. It would be easy to just say ok rare kevlar spawns now but thats not very creative and is more of a step towards arma 3 than towards a apocalyptic survival sim. I am def not suggesting walking around head to toe covered in books and being a tanking librarian.

[cainhawk 1]

When I say mid to late game armor I mean slight protection like the current helmets but not fully bulletproof/reliable which again a thick book wouldn't be 100% bulletproof but might help when there isnt any other option.

Just getting shot in an end of days scenario and bandaging with a rag is not realistic but for the sake of fun in the game I think its ok to be lenient with some things.

Also you could already carry a ton of books if you wanted, weight isn't really considered in game but making them 4 slot for books would be more accurate on how many books you might actually carry or even having a few rarer 4 slot (big thick) books that would be the ones that worked.

Edited December 8, 2014 by cainhawk