I remember an interview with John Howe about the Lord of the Rings movies. He felt frustrated by the trope with swords making a metallic *shiiiing* sound when drawn from their sheaths. Because of course that's not what they sound like when drawn in real life. But audiences are so used to it that they felt they couldn't leave it out in LOTR.
I actually love how they use that trope in Pan's labyrinth. When Ofelia picks up a knife it makes this long metallic sound that ends up sounding almost like tinnitus. Even though there is nothing at all even touching the blade. It's just a great way to convey the significance, danger and magic surrounding the knife.
@JoenSo , that "all blades must make a cool sound when drawn" trope got carried over into Star Wars. The sound a light saber makes when activated can cause spine tingling excitement in those movies. I give it the "Rule of Cool" trope subversion in this case.
Continuing on about weapons and armor; the trope that you can cut straight through armor as seen in pretty much every single hollywood movie ever made. It just kills it for me to see this ridiculous notion carried on and on and on. I mean, why even wear armor if it doesn't do anything? And why is this even a trope to being with, why not just let the hero slice the enemies in the face, groin, arm pits, hands, eyes etc instead of straight through the chest armor?
And speaking of Star Wars this can be applied there too where all armor, at least in the older movies, could never stop laser shots. I think I read somewhere that it was 'retconned' into being more of an environmental armor rather than a battle armor, but that sounds like justification in hindsight.
Or has this already been said in this thread? It's a long thread after all
@ardanis picture above reminded me of an animation trope that bugs me.
Now I know alotta folks like the animation with the oversized gargantuan swords ya see sometimes, but just looks 'off' to me. esp. with petite figures (that picture DOES have nice looking eyes though ) Now I did like the animation used in the old Fire and Ice movie, more realistic looking style,but hey, to each their own.
@skatan Me thinks they just like to use the sword cause it looks cool. Maybe they think maces n flails were boring on screen (plus the no shiiing sound out of the scabbard as @JoenSo mentioned . Full plate pretty much brought the mace into necessity in RL heavily armored knight, early renaissance historical warfare, or jousting if the lance failed, I thought.
And storm trooper armor, yeah, death stars and light drive and all they can make for those boys is basically a flak jacket from today? Course with all those darn Death Stars getting blown up I guess they needed cut backs somewhere, right? I mean at least Dune had the Holtzman shields (well, maybe not to good for laser shots, but hey, it looked cool.
@BelgarathMTH Yeah, gotta like the light saber sound. I guess when the future got lil ol laser pistols and phasers, just wasn't the same as the ol pump shotgun sound of being racked, or a revolver being cocked, so they needed a cool weapon sound.
@abacus I always thought a voice set by Clancy Brown would fit quite well into BG. Esp. for a berserker or blackguard or something, at the very least a 'bad boss' somewhere; "It's better to burn out, than to fade away!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bOKsOveYD0
I mean at least Dune had the Holtzman shields (well, maybe not to good for laser shots, but hey, it looked cool.
I never read the books, but I've seen the Dune movie a hundred times. I never understood what that armor is supposed to do really. There's a really cool scene where one shot is slowly penetrating the armor.
@Skatan I love the movie but yeah, the books explain it better. Basically it stops the fast moving object, only allowing the slow moving weapon to penetrate. ( I think Gurney Halek mentions that in the practice scene).
They trained to move fast to avoid but to strike with a weapon slowly, to get through the shield. I think the bit where Duncan Idaho gets shot, is the use of a rifle that slows the bullet speed specifically to counter the shield ( at least that was my interpretation of that). They eventually got rid of that because certain energy weapons would cause a reaction with the energy causing an explosion, possibly quite large, hehheh.
As an aside, from the movie, I would love the Weirding module as as a special item, for bards, in particular to amplify thought into sound energy. Not like that in the books, but shoot, it's pretty darn awesome.
Continuing on about weapons and armor; the trope that you can cut straight through armor as seen in pretty much every single hollywood movie ever made. It just kills it for me to see this ridiculous notion carried on and on and on. I mean, why even wear armor if it doesn't do anything?
That's another one I almost mentioned, before ditching it in favour of the katana one (simply because the katana one is so widespread in Hollywood that people actually believe it) - armour basically does nothing in films. Swords can cut through it, arrows can punch through it, even a dagger can slash through mail easily... why did anybody bother with armour if it's so useless?
Other medieval tropes that I really wish would die:
* peasants wore rags and never washed * all medieval clothing was dull black or brown (and usually patchwork) * medieval armour consisted mainly of studded biker style leather * one pauldron (because who needs to protect the other shoulder?) * charging into battle across an open field with no plan * fire arrows - always fire arrows! * no transition of technology, fashion, or culture, between early, mid, and late medieval periods (Arthurian story set in the dark ages? 15th century harness and longswords it is!) * standard issue armour (okay Leofric the Saxon peasant, here's your city guard harness made just for you!) * back scabbards and back quivers (no... just no!)
I remember an interview with John Howe about the Lord of the Rings movies. He felt frustrated by the trope with swords making a metallic *shiiiing* sound when drawn from their sheaths. Because of course that's not what they sound like when drawn in real life. But audiences are so used to it that they felt they couldn't leave it out in LOTR.
If only when they're drawn from sheaths... Pay close attention to 3:36 https://youtu.be/44kBN340vd4?t=3m30s Not that I really complain, though, lol.
ardanis picture above reminded me of an animation trope that bugs me.
Now I know alotta folks like the animation with the oversized gargantuan swords ya see sometimes, but just looks 'off' to me. esp. with petite figures (that picture DOES have nice looking eyes though ) Now I did like the animation used in the old Fire and Ice movie, more realistic looking style,but hey, to each their own.
In this case it's kinda justified in-universe, because Claymore are half-human half-demon beings possessing extraordinary strength, speed and vitality. The TV series actually had an early episode in which Claire had got assistance from two normal human soldiers, who followed the laws of human biology and physics quite accurately. But yeah.
@Squire Your point on arrows reminds of an amusing subversion I saw in a movie once. The big climax was a castle siege and during the day the castle defenders shot nothing but flaming arrows at the attackers. Then when night fell, they suddenly launched several volleys of normal arrows. The defenders had gotten so used to seeing fire, they completely unprepared. The rest of the movie was pretty mediocre, but that scene was pretty amusing.
In this case it's kinda justified in-universe, because Claymore are half-human half-demon beings possessing extraordinary strength, speed and vitality. The TV series actually had an early episode in which Claire had got assistance from two normal human soldiers, who followed the laws of human biology and physics quite accurately. But yeah.
This is something I'd like to see more of in movies and TV shows. A super strong person shouldn't be limited to human-sized weapons. After all, who wouldn't want to use a modified 30mm cannon as sniper rifle?
2) Firing an enrgy weapon on a Holtzman shield creates a massive feedback effect. It is enough to kill whoever is under the shield, the shooter and everything that used to exist between them The effect is so dangerous that using nuclear weapons is less likely to place a House in trouble than causing a feedback on purpose...
@Squire Your point on arrows reminds of an amusing subversion I saw in a movie once. The big climax was a castle siege and during the day the castle defenders shot nothing but flaming arrows at the attackers. Then when night fell, they suddenly launched several volleys of normal arrows. The defenders had gotten so used to seeing fire, they completely unprepared. The rest of the movie was pretty mediocre, but that scene was pretty amusing.
Was that Timeline, by any chance? I think I know the scene you're on about... does the guy shout "Night arrows!" at the moment in question?
That film was awful... which is a shame, because the book was so damn good!
It bothers me when a character gains wings, and suddenly they're able to fly. In reality, flying is an extremely complicated process. There will be winds pushing you in different directions, so you have to adjust the angle of the wings to compensate; it requires a fair deal of experience. And that's assuming you're light enough to be able to fly with wings at all. If you're a human, probably not. Flight is something that birds have evolved to be able to do; it's not something that, say, a winged gorilla would be able to do.
I, too, wanted to fly like the birds, but 'tis more than just taking their wings.
When something is stated/shown able to survive a nuclear detonation, to accentuate how huge, armored and invincible it is, yet later it has no qualms taking visible damage from much less destructive sources, be it a well-placed artillery shot or engaging in furious brawl with something equally sized (hello there, Godzilla).
I mean, come on, I get that a tactical warhead may indeed be not powerful enough to obliterate a sufficiently hard target, but then it begs a question - what's stopping from using a strategic charge measuring megatons? If you're concerned about leveling a megapolis as well, where the events take place, then you could still have used a megaton charge before that thing has entered the city.
Well the theory is that Godzilla actually uses all the radiation and heat to fuel its own body but is vulnerable to kinetic attacks... Of course it does not explain how it resists the blast itself
Well the theory is that Godzilla actually uses all the radiation and heat to fuel its own body but is vulnerable to kinetic attacks... Of course it does not explain how it resists the blast itself
Being Godzilla is like memetic Chuck Norris. You win because you are
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It's still Japanese, though
I actually love how they use that trope in Pan's labyrinth. When Ofelia picks up a knife it makes this long metallic sound that ends up sounding almost like tinnitus. Even though there is nothing at all even touching the blade. It's just a great way to convey the significance, danger and magic surrounding the knife.
And speaking of Star Wars this can be applied there too where all armor, at least in the older movies, could never stop laser shots. I think I read somewhere that it was 'retconned' into being more of an environmental armor rather than a battle armor, but that sounds like justification in hindsight.
Or has this already been said in this thread? It's a long thread after all
Hells, the whole Bhaalspawn saga has strong Highlander overtones.
If you haven't played a katana wielding Kensai named MacLeod whilst listening to Queen on repeat, you've not done it right.
Now I know alotta folks like the animation with the oversized gargantuan swords ya see sometimes, but just looks 'off' to me. esp. with petite figures
(that picture DOES have nice looking eyes though
Now I did like the animation used in the old Fire and Ice movie, more realistic looking style,but hey, to each their own.
@skatan Me thinks they just like to use the sword cause it looks cool. Maybe they think maces n flails were boring on screen (plus the no shiiing sound out of the scabbard as @JoenSo mentioned . Full plate pretty much brought the mace into necessity in RL heavily armored knight, early renaissance historical warfare, or jousting if the lance failed, I thought.
And storm trooper armor, yeah, death stars and light drive and all they can make for those boys is basically a flak jacket from today? Course with all those darn Death Stars getting blown up I guess they needed cut backs somewhere, right?
I mean at least Dune had the Holtzman shields (well, maybe not to good for laser shots, but hey, it looked cool.
@BelgarathMTH Yeah, gotta like the light saber sound. I guess when the future got lil ol laser pistols and phasers, just wasn't the same as the ol pump shotgun sound of being racked, or a revolver being cocked, so they needed a cool weapon sound.
@abacus I always thought a voice set by Clancy Brown would fit quite well into BG. Esp. for a berserker or blackguard or something, at the very least a 'bad boss' somewhere; "It's better to burn out, than to fade away!"
They trained to move fast to avoid but to strike with a weapon slowly, to get through the shield. I think the bit where Duncan Idaho gets shot, is the use of a rifle that slows the bullet speed specifically to counter the shield ( at least that was my interpretation of that). They eventually got rid of that because certain energy weapons would cause a reaction with the energy causing an explosion, possibly quite large, hehheh.
As an aside, from the movie, I would love the Weirding module as as a special item, for bards, in particular to amplify thought into sound energy. Not like that in the books, but shoot, it's pretty darn awesome.
Other medieval tropes that I really wish would die:
* peasants wore rags and never washed
* all medieval clothing was dull black or brown (and usually patchwork)
* medieval armour consisted mainly of studded biker style leather
* one pauldron (because who needs to protect the other shoulder?)
* charging into battle across an open field with no plan
* fire arrows - always fire arrows!
* no transition of technology, fashion, or culture, between early, mid, and late medieval periods (Arthurian story set in the dark ages? 15th century harness and longswords it is!)
* standard issue armour (okay Leofric the Saxon peasant, here's your city guard harness made just for you!)
* back scabbards and back quivers (no... just no!)
Not that I really complain, though, lol.
In this case it's kinda justified in-universe, because Claymore are half-human half-demon beings possessing extraordinary strength, speed and vitality. The TV series actually had an early episode in which Claire had got assistance from two normal human soldiers, who followed the laws of human biology and physics quite accurately.
But yeah.
1) Go read those books right now
2) Firing an enrgy weapon on a Holtzman shield creates a massive feedback effect. It is enough to kill whoever is under the shield, the shooter and everything that used to exist between them
The effect is so dangerous that using nuclear weapons is less likely to place a House in trouble than causing a feedback on purpose...
That film was awful... which is a shame, because the book was so damn good!
I, too, wanted to fly like the birds, but 'tis more than just taking their wings.
If you want to use their wings, of course you have to drink their blood first.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ArmorIsUseless
Link to the time-sink.
There goes my afternoon...
When something is stated/shown able to survive a nuclear detonation, to accentuate how huge, armored and invincible it is, yet later it has no qualms taking visible damage from much less destructive sources, be it a well-placed artillery shot or engaging in furious brawl with something equally sized (hello there, Godzilla).
I mean, come on, I get that a tactical warhead may indeed be not powerful enough to obliterate a sufficiently hard target, but then it begs a question - what's stopping from using a strategic charge measuring megatons? If you're concerned about leveling a megapolis as well, where the events take place, then you could still have used a megaton charge before that thing has entered the city.