Exactly, I'm glad someone gets it. The only reason things like "Riot Shields" work, is because of phalanx techniques. You never see one Riot guard alone, do you?

I don't think people are suggesting you hold your shield up constantly.

Yes the shields work best in groups. However, I have seen those shielsd used alone twice. Recently in the UK student protests and they still work perfectly fine.
There are many more advantages to forming a phalanx or wall, not least it's harder to be surrounded etc. But in a one on one fight a light enough shield can often be held up. It is not always used as a parrying device.

Now naturally, if you stand with your shield up constantly like an idiot then your oponent is going to seize the advantage - that is absolutely not to say that shield cannot be used as a guard.

Riot shield are also very effective when held up the entire time because you can see through them. (Either they are a polymer or have a slot to see through) Wood and steel is much harder to see through, and if you hold a shield up in front of your face, you have no idea what your opponent is doing, and therefore can't counter it.

Absolutely, thank you for the lesson, and I'm not suggesting otherwise. It's this point that people always get hung up on -- where they refuse to acknowledge a middle ground. I wouldn't suggest you stand there like some lemon with your shield up blocking your vision.

Im actually quite happy about this, I didn tlike the whole "being able to hide behind your shield" thing oblivion had going, ina fiht, if you're at a point where you desperate holding your shield up constantly, it pretty much means you've lost

I don't get the whole timed blocking thing either, if you're blocking with a shield in combat, you're going to hold that shield up, not try to time when your opponent swings.

Actually no, in combat you WOULD time it when your opponent swings,if you hide behind your shield all the time you're as good as dead

There is a difference between holding a shield statically in place and holding out in front of you while moving around. Realistically a riot shield or shield of similar size will be out in front of you as you are constantly shifting to give your opponent a much smaller striking area or forcing him to go for certain spots that you know are open. As much as we need change in the ES combat system, holding your three foot tall shield idle at your side until someone attacks is extremely silly as well.

Well, thinking about it, it's probably somewhere in between..... you'd hold the shield mostly up, to be positioned near where it'll do the most good, but you'll also shift it around as needed based on the opponent's swings. You don't just have it hanging limp by your side, until you suddenly jerk it up to block with.

I concur, agree, and in all ways say yes. You don't hold a shield up in place statically but you also don't catch attacks as if you were catching a baseball. It is somewhere in between depending on how you're being attack, what you're being attacked with, and what size shield you have.

I think that the way skyrim is going to handle it sounds like it will be fun. Much better than in oblivion or morrowind.

Timed blocking was needed it adds realism and excitement. Also, if 2+ creatures come on you it's harder to cope just like in real life.

But come on...where's the fun in just hiding behind a shield. Plus those things can be heavy to keep lifting up!
I was always of the opinion though that shields were predominantly for use against archers...besides that, blocking with a sword works great for me.

/shrug

Multiple attackers were already harder to deal with in Oblivion, when turtling.... you're holding up the shield, one guy attacks and staggers back - but if you drop the shield to attack back, the other guy is swinging and hits you without a block. Even more fun when it was 3-4 people, some with 2-handers.

("realism"..... eh, not particularly. As for "excitement".... I'm not sure it needs to be even more of an action game.)

Basically this. Well said. Particularly bolded, presuming this is how they intend it to be, and it does sound this way.

I love the sound of it. Can't wait.
It makes me think of Condemned: Criminal Origins, and that game had the beefiest first person melee I've ever played. Timing blocks makes the combat intense, imo.

TImed blocking sounds great to me, the only problem i see is if we're trying to block a dragon's fire breath, no timed block is going to last long enough to block or even partially block that attack like it showed in the trailer, however, we can't really tell what it'll be like until they actually show us it in action. Most likely at e3.

I'm with the OP, probably the main reason I prefer RPGs over action games is that I have poor co-ordination, and traditionally cRPGs have favoured character skill over player manual dexterity. I want to be able to take down a horde of goblins and defend myself, even if right afterwards I get up to make a cup of tea and trip over my own feet.

I think the time they're going to hit you is just about when the sword is coming at your face.

You have eyes. Use them.

It's been awhile since I've been out to the archery range, and I'm not what you'd call an expert, but...

From what I know about projectile weaponry, be it a bow or a gun, you always, always go for the center of mass. Going for the arms, the legs, or the head in real life is a great way to miss. Especially the legs since gravity is going to drive the projectile downward, making it so more likely to hit the ground in front of your target, then you are to hit their legs.

Hey I just thought of something....Deflecting Arrows? Lynda Carter?

Oh I hope the Golden Eagle Armor and Sword of Hephaestus is in this game!

[img]http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/4347/wonderwoman173coverbyad.jpg[/img]

agreed generally if a foe is swinging a sword directly at you they intend to hit you with it so raise your shield or blade just before the blade makes contact and you avoid being hit