The harp is a lie.

[NoctisUmbra]

Maybe all of you are looking at the bow wrong. Maybe it's not a harp at all. I've heard a few people say that the "harp" on the bow may be simply a quiver attached to the bow to hold a few arrows, and they may just be aesthetic... However, when i look at the bow I don't see those arrows (not a harp) being for looks at all. There is a REASON they're shorter than the normal arrow, and I will show you why I think that is, below.

Crappy MS Paint Depiction

Now, they have already confirmed the bow does in fact transform, but I'm thinking we all have been coming up with the wrong ideas of how that happens. What I think this "harp" which happens to clearly have fletchings and arrow heads on the "strings" flips down, into a platform that holds 4 additional, smaller arrows. Then when the string is released, it hits some sort of firing mechanism in the center of the arm that folds down, and launches these additional arrows. In other words, i think archer is going to be getting more AOE potential once the jobs hit. I don't think each of these arrows will hit the same target, but any target in a cone before them when using basic attacks like Light Shot and Heavy Shot.

My opinion on the matter is that the "transformation" will be entering AoE mode, or Single target firing mode.

It transforms into a lyre/harp. Much more evidence to suggest that then some auto-multishot bow idea.

Let's look at what the lyre/bow theory has going for it:

1. Bard is one of the jobs that were announced by SE in an interview months ago. Although it wasn't certain they were the initial 7, being that the cover clearly displays the other 6 quite obviously, it is safe to assume that those are the initial release. By process of elimination, Bard is left for Archer.
2. Mages are getting BLM and WHM, and are therefore taken up based on SE's announcement of there initially being 1 job per class. Bard must go to a DoW. Out of all of them, coupled with this controversial cover art, it is logical to connect the bow to the lyre. As far as DoW weapons resembling musical instruments go, Archer takes the cake.
3. Archer has the highest base MP pool out of the DoW.
4. Latest response by community rep confirms the bow is a weapon that transforms.

If someone is going to argue against the bow/lyre theory, instead of making it based on denial or personal opinion how about they show some game-related facts that support their notion?

[MeowMeow]

It transforms into a lyre/harp. Much more evidence to suggest that then some auto-multishot bow idea.

Wrong, entirely.

Evidence against a harp:

-No harp ever made has strings that are all the same length
-No harp ever made used "rivets" which people claim the arrowheads are, to hold strings in place. Never. They use brass spool-like things, and it has always been brass because they make better sounds.
-No harp has the spools for adjustment at the bottom half of the harp, which people are suggesting the arrowheads are. They are always at the top, front side. For ease of use, and to ensure they dont get bumped when youre setting the harp down.
-Most harps dont have strings all of equal thickness. They get gradually thicker as they go just like a guitar.
-No harp has ARROW FLETCHINGS at the top of it ON THE STRINGS.
-No harp has ARROW HEADS.
-No harp is attached to a freakin' bow.

-if it was a lyre, every string would always be different thicknesses to produce different sounds. No exceptions.

[Anonymoose]

Wrong, entirely.

Personally, I wholly disregard the opinion of anyone who puts forth their speculation as a violently defended fact. Have you read back through the thread and seen the image I posted of the Bow in "expanded," and "collapsed" mode compared to the image of the harp that already exists in the game? Even the DAT Art Packet for the already existent bard harp (clearly visible in the Marauder's Guild) breaks most of the "rules" you just created.

I'm sorry your mind can't wrap itself around the idea that sometimes, in fantasy worlds, real world standards are not maintained. It doesn't have to make sense, it just has to be fun. It might very well be a bow-harp, and I think it probably is. Does that mean I'm claiming that there's no way that the bow could collapse into that shape, be held horizontally, and fire 5 crossbow bolts at a time? Not at all.
It could be anything - they do look like little arrows just as much as they do locks and swivels for strings. The image is very ambiguous with the little details.

Where were you naysayers when FFXI introduced airships? "BUT THOSE PROPELLERS COULD NEVER LIFT A SHIP OF THAT SIZE! F##K THIS GAME, IT'S GOING IN A TERRIBLE DIRECTION! BOOOO!"

[NoctisUmbra]

Wrong, entirely.

Evidence against a harp:

-No harp ever made has strings that are all the same length
-No harp ever made used "rivets" which people claim the arrowheads are, to hold strings in place. Never. They use brass spool-like things, and it has always been brass because they make better sounds.
-No harp has the spools for adjustment at the bottom half of the harp, which people are suggesting the arrowheads are. They are always at the top, front side. For ease of use, and to ensure they dont get bumped when youre setting the harp down.
-Most harps dont have strings all of equal thickness. They get gradually thicker as they go just like a guitar.
-No harp has ARROW FLETCHINGS at the top of it ON THE STRINGS.
-No harp has ARROW HEADS.
-No harp is attached to a freakin' bow.

-if it was a lyre, every string would always be different thicknesses to produce different sounds. No exceptions.

Notice how all the evidence I put up for pro-harp/lyre is based on actual dev posts and confirmed information as well as in-game facts whereas your evidence is just a bunch of facts about real-life harps. Not to mention what you see as "arrowheads" is simply negative space - look at the shape again.

Comparing to a real-life harp design is silly once you wrap your head around the idea that this design is meant to transform into and from a bow. The idea of comparing real life design to how it is represented in-game is silly. There is something called iconic simplification - often used in video games and other artwork:

http://www.acoustics-engineering.com..._with_lyre.jpg
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/...tures/lyre.jpg
http://www.eleonoravulpiani.com/lire/mosaico%202.jpg
http://www.zeldawiki.org/images/7/71/Medli_TWW.png

There are actually probably 5 or 6 strings on it. The 5th string could be hidden behind the top "bow" part on the intrument, and the 6th might be the bowstring itself when folded. Whatever the case, it's an artistic interpretation of an instrument and as such is up for iconic simplification.

@MeowMeow: Nice try. I wouldn't start my post with "Wrong, entirely." though. In this case, it's quite ironic.

[AsterBarnivere]

Personally, I wholly disregard the opinion of anyone who puts forth their speculation as a violently defended fact. Have you read back through the thread and seen the image I posted of the Bow in "expanded," and "collapsed" mode compared to the image of the harp that already exists in the game? Even the DAT Art Packet for the already existent bard harp (clearly visible in the Marauder's Guild) breaks most of the "rules" you just created.

I'm sorry your mind can't wrap itself around the idea that sometimes, in fantasy worlds, real world standards are not maintained. It doesn't have to make sense, it just has to be fun. It might very well be a bow-harp, and I think it probably is. Does that mean I'm claiming that there's no way that the bow could collapse into that shape, be held horizontally, and fire 5 crossbow bolts at a time? Not at all.
It could be anything - they do look like little arrows just as much as they do locks and swivels for strings. The image is very ambiguous with the little details.

Where were you naysayers when FFXI introduced airships? "BUT THOSE PROPELLERS COULD NEVER LIFT A SHIP OF THAT SIZE! F#@K THIS GAME, IT'S GOING IN A TERRIBLE DIRECTION! BOOOO!"

Now now moose, take a chill pill, eat some grass, relax, were all friends here, no need for such profane language, I suggest you edit it before a Mod gets whiff of your profanity.

[Anonymoose]

Now now moose, take a chill pill, eat some grass, relax, were all friends here, no need for such profane language, I suggest you edit it before a Mod gets whiff of your profanity.

B---butbut.... but ...
but that outburst was calculated and purpouseful... [sniffles and eats his grass]

You're right about the f-bomb, though. Usually I remember to censor those, lol. (Might wanna do that in your quote as well).