Weapon design contest winners is out!

[Illmaeran]

I love them all! I like that they went with a serious design as well as a cutsey/meme one and can't wait to have my RDM dressed to the nines using an umbrella; it's very Avengers.

[lalin]

i main astro/sch but i think i am switching to whm just for these !!


also time to lvl monk

[Denishia]

Loved pretty much all the winners, especially that there was a clear serious + 'joke' pairing, and just how many varied umbrellas there were. Quite a few -the bomb, bombfish, sharkfish, etc... - feel like they could be complied together into a Beachy Moonfire Faire theme. Was delighted with both BRD bows for once -and feel like I'm contractually obligated to get the nutkin bow with my squrriel-named WoL.

As for the SMN palette book winner, I like it and its color scheme a lot more than the SCH oil palette, but maybe because I like watercolors more and it looks more like a real artist set rather than a cartoon idea of 'artist'.

[Iscah]

I'm a bit sad the scroll didn't win. It looked like it could easily be worked to fit sch/smr animations that already exist.

I don't think it could, really. The animations don't change and the character can only hold the book in a specific way – in the middle where it hinges – so for a scroll you'd be awkwardly holding the middle of the open paper. I'm also not certain that the scroll would be able to roll up to shut, if the animations are entirely based on a hinged book opening and closing. (I know it has animations to allow further parts to unfold and pop out, but I can't recall any that collapse inwards. The closest is the Grimoire Wing but that collapses down parallel to the spine, the opposite direction to how that scroll would need to roll up.)

I would speculate that the only way you can achieve a scroll would be to attach it to some kind of folding frame that opens up and then the scroll unfurls from it.

In any case, a scroll is actually a rather impractical form of book and our standard "codex" book form is a lot more useful. You can turn to the page you need without having to scroll (as it were) past everything else first and roll it back up as you go. There's a reason we don't use them any more.

[Raikai]

I don't think it could, really. The animations don't change and the character can only hold the book in a specific way – in the middle where it hinges – so for a scroll you'd be awkwardly holding the middle of the open paper. I'm also not certain that the scroll would be able to roll up to shut, if the animations are entirely based on a hinged book opening and closing. (I know it has animations to allow further parts to unfold and pop out, but I can't recall any that collapse inwards. The closest is the Grimoire Wing but that collapses down parallel to the spine, the opposite direction to how that scroll would need to roll up.)

I would speculate that the only way you can achieve a scroll would be to attach it to some kind of folding frame that opens up and then the scroll unfurls from it.

In any case, a scroll is actually a rather impractical form of book and our standard "codex" book form is a lot more useful. You can turn to the page you need without having to scroll (as it were) past everything else first and roll it back up as you go. There's a reason we don't use them any more.

The scroll can be implemented if there's some kind of "magic effect" functioning like a board that the srcoll would be held open on, but I'm not sure how or if the opening animation can be a constraint (hopefully not). It doesn't really need to abide to practicity, though - as many of those weapons won't really.

But I do wonder if they would have a technical issue with the design, the scroll wouldn't be selected (even as a finalist) in the first place.

[Vahlnir]

I am all for this. The little ornate details on the weapon around the cartridge chamber are amazing.

[StrongWilled]

The scroll can be implemented if there's some kind of "magic effect" functioning like a board that the srcoll would be held open on, but I'm not sure how or if the opening animation can be a constraint (hopefully not). It doesn't really need to abide to practicity, though - as many of those weapons won't really.

But I do wonder if they would have a technical issue with the design, the scroll wouldn't be selected (even as a finalist) in the first place.

I think maybe the scroll and some others were finalist, because they did like them, but knew it would be harder to implement. It's a magic scroll, so its shape can be firm when held and then still use the slam shut look on animation, because it just pops back open anyways. i think the harder animations are some of the page flip animations. It would just be nice to have something other than a standard book. Knowledge is learned from more than books, so being tied to only books just kinda stinks and feels like a kick. ESP when you see actual winners as things like a ladle and pot lid being used as a sword and shield, and umbrella rapiers, and shark-fist, sword-chakrams

[StrongWilled]

I think the fairy book looks nice. It reminds me of stained glass art. And I'm happy to see more fairy themed books.

As for the colour palette ones, I assume the designers went for different themes. The SCH one looks like a watercolour set while the SMN one looks like an oil painting set. Though I understand what you mean, the SCH one looks a bit more muted colour-wise.

I would love a Fairy theme book, I just felt this one fell short. But, hopefully devs will tweak it so it looks better than the design art.

[RamKat]

Mixed feelings on the winners, really loved some of them, but underwhelmed by a lot of them too.

[Raikai]

I think maybe the scroll and some others were finalist, because they did like them, but knew it would be harder to implement. It's a magic scroll, so its shape can be firm when held and then still use the slam shut look on animation, because it just pops back open anyways. i think the harder animations are some of the page flip animations. It would just be nice to have something other than a standard book. Knowledge is learned from more than books, so being tied to only books just kinda stinks and feels like a kick. ESP when you see actual winners as things like a ladle and pot lid being used as a sword and shield, and umbrella rapiers, and shark-fist, sword-chakrams

I mean, even for the SCH winner entry, the pallete has no pages whatsoever, so I suppose they don't really mind the page flipping/ripping animation from Excog.

The idea that I had (but never really executed it to submit) was some kind of small square case (that opened like a book) and from inside, a crystal popped and hovered above the open case. The idea because in EW quests we get to interact with crystals serving the functionality of books.