Incorporating Bayonets and Melee Techniques On Weapons?

[FlashHawk4 44]

Before you guys shoot me down for making a "we need melee weapons lol" thread, bear with me for a bit, because this a little different.

If, in the real world, an armed soldier was attacked by one of these zombies at point blank range, and he was unable to shoot, he wouldn't run away from it, or shoulder his rifle and take a hatchet or knife out of his belt to fight them off. He would, probably by reflex, tuck his elbow against his rifle stock and swing the bottom edge at the zombie's head. That's what he's trained to do, after all.

And if this situation was happening, they would likely have their bayonets fixed as well.

What I think we need is an alternate fire mode, in addition to "semi", "full", "flare", "smoke grenade", etc. is a Melee fire mode. It wouldn't be the magic one hit kill of Call of Duty, obviously, but it would be a good thing to see. Simply double tap F to cycle from semi to full to Melee, and you'd see your character shift his position to a fighting stance. Hit reload, and if you have the appropriate bayonet for your weapon, your character would fix it on the barrel of the weapon.

You might say that's a lot of work, or it's overpowered, but I disagree. After all, Melee weapons aren't supported in the ArmA base code, I think, correct me if I'm wrong, so it woul be pretty much the exact same procedure to do this as it would be to add in basebal bats or scythes or whatever. They even have the basic 3D models to work with at the start. The most complicated process, I would assume (though I'm not a coder), would probably be the actual motions made by the character.

I think it would be a major benefit to the game if we could use the weapons in our hands at the moment when a zombie rushes us. At the very least, it could push him back. And it would make finding bayonets for the bayonet-compatible weapons (Lee Enfield, Kalashnikovs, M-16s, FALs, etc etc) an additional challenge to gun owners, since at the moment all they need to do is find bullets and they're set until they need to find more bullets. It would also provide a slight logistical question, whether or not they wanted to switch their bayonet for an additional magazine in their inventory, since in my mind the bayonet would work almost exactly like a magazine in terms of storage and equipping, save of course the ammo count.

At the moment, you're usually forced by the screwy inventory system to drop your rifle to pull out a hatchet. And even if that WERE fixed, you'd still have the issue of requiring precious seconds to switch from gun to Melee, all the while a zombie or two is probably standing next to you, cutting you open, breaking your legs, or even knocking you unconscious. That's how about 75% of all my zombie deaths occur, is me deciding to pull out my hatchet and getting mauled before I get it equipped (and reloaded, lol).

Please consider this suggestion thoroughly, and leave your feedback if you have anything to add or detract.

[Brusann 67]

I agree, +1

[enforcer1975 1111]

The melee system in ArmA sucks. There was already a mount and blade like mod but the dream was shattered because until the sword swinging animation was ended the target just stepped aside, and the game wasn't meant for brawling anyway. The Z attack is an animation and a trigger that damages everything around the Zombie and not like f.e. in Skyrim.

[FlashHawk4 44]

It seems like they have a rudimentary melee implemented though, otherwise how do the hatchets and crowbars work? It seems like they might be firing bullets in the engine, but I feel that if Rocket and crew decides this is one of the things to be worked on in the future, I'm sure they can come up with something.

[enforcer1975 1111]

Cowbars and hatchets are remodeled guns with 10000 "shots" from what i read, did you see the dust you throw up when you hit the ground and the sound? Sounds like a ricochet, they are working on a sound for them already. One thing i hope is that they widen the cone of the melee weapons because you swing them around, i only can hit targets that are directly in the deathzone, 10m further to the side and you miss, quite difficult when you use TrackIR even in 1st person.

[FlashHawk4 44]

Cowbars and hatchets are remodeled guns with 10000 "shots" from what i read' date=' did you see the dust you throw up when you hit the ground and the sound? Sounds like a ricochet, they are working on a sound for them already. One thing i hope is that they widen the cone of the melee weapons because you swing them around, i only can hit targets that are directly in the deathzone, 10m further to the side and you miss, quite difficult when you use TrackIR even in 1st person.

[/quote']

Right, I've noticed that. And it also seems like that death zone thing would lend itself somewhat to bayonets, especially spike bayonets, because that suggests a thrusting motion.

[Burt_Reynolds 15]

I would love to see bayonet's added as well. It could be a select fire option like semi or full.