The trailer showed this obviously (clichéd) Egyptian goddess, who cannot be anyone else than Isis, since Isis is the only human faced Egyptian goddess the general public knows about (how about Maat anyone?)
Like all this game's female characters, our friend Isis here is dressed in a very revealing attire, which in this case is blatantly copied from Anaksunamun's similarly skimpy and also golden outfit from the film Mummy (1999) (the yellow lipstick is also same). They thought I didn't remember, didn't they? Anyway, the dress has to be either glued on her fake breasts, or then it's just bodypaint, which seems quite likely here. Animation of this trailer is especially bad, since it has no feel of gravity or realism in any sense of the word. The characters are just massless CGI-lumps flying everywhere at the same time. How about motion capture the next time guys?
But now to the mistakes, regarding the thing they call archery in this video:
- This "bow" has three strings. THREE (3) STRINGS!!! What in the actual afterlife is this? Bows have one bowstring for a reason. And we will come to that later. Three strings in this "bow" makes this one of the (if not THE) worst depiction of a bow in the history of the Universe.
- What are these three spikes in each end of the bow? They severely disturb the bowstring(s). They can even brake it/them (if it/they would not be made out of "magical glowing substance").
- Reverse grip in the string hand. Later she uses this hand the other side up, so this is just a mistake.
- What is this Kheperi-shaped golden shield with a large saphire doing in this "bow"? This is the size of the steel bucklers some archers used in later medieval times, but it was never attached to the bow itself of course, and never used at the same time with the bow. It only disturbs shooting more. The bow is not meant for blocking anything, it will brake.
- Fire arrows, too much fire arrows! Why won't regular arrows do? Do they think people die more if they are penetrated with an arrow which is also on fire? Because real fire arrows were constructed differently than normal arrows, they were slower and penetrated less, so they'd be actually less dangerous against other people. Thus they were never used against humans, only (VERY RARELY!) against some objects which had to be set on fire.
- This (left) is the side of the bow the arrows should (usually, and in this case) go, not the right side.
- What are these blades doing in this monstrosity? Bows are not meant for hitting, but shooting! It won't last long as a mêlée weapon. Also these metal blades make the "bow" weight a ton. In this picture we can see that it more resembles an ancient harp than a bow. Maybe it's for playing music, and not fighting at all? Would make more sense.
- Were are her arrows? There is no quiver to be seen or any spare arrows anywhere. That is a bad fighting plan.
- Three arrows at once. While it is possible to shoot three arrows at once (I've done it) it's it not good to do so. The aim is terrible and they also have less power than one arrow would have. At least two arrows are also wasted if shooting at the same target. The arrows are also impossible to hold here, that's why I drew this circle.
- WHAT, she releases one string at a time!!! And that actually works?!? The makers of this video has no knowledge of archery at all it seems now. The bow arc is the one which flexes and gives the power to the arrows, the string does not stretch! If a bow would have three strings it would do nothing, since it would be (theoretically) possible to shoot the three arrows at the same time, not one after another without flexing the bow again. This is just pure nonsense and a crappy idea from start to finish! Shame on you game maker dudes!
- This bow is also about 10 times too thick. It wouldn't bend at all, but it seems like a minor mistake compared to the last one, even though this'd be a major mistake in a piece which would be otherwise decently designed. This is not.
- Why is she having this "glove"? Is it supposed to be archers glove? Since this does only cover the area which does not touch anything while shooting, so it's completely useless. Archers glove should cover the first three fingers, not just knuckles! Also the larger bracer is in the right hand, when it would be better on the left, but they are here to bring the "Egyptian" feel anyway, even though Egyptians didn't use these kind of bracers.
Good, hahaha, are you kidding me?!?
Our Isis (not to be confused with the infamous terrorist organization, which boasts with a name of a false god (in their belief system)) does not have a bow here. This is not a bow, this terror is something else, straight from Ammit's rectum.
P.S.
Oh, now I noticed that the arrows don't have fletching at all, but whatever, this disaster couldn't be any worse.
For someone who knows so much about Archery, I would think you would be aware that Isis, being the Egyptian Goddess of Magic, is typically depicted with wings, and would likely never wield a bow and arrow. This scene depicts one of Egypt's Goddess of Hunting, Neith, often represented by a symbol of two arrows. If you're going to be so verbally aggressive towards artists and the like, the least you could do is get your own facts straight.
ReplyDeleteAnother note, gods and goddesses are often depicted as ideal--which means that Neith's breasts are not at all unrealistic, especially since.... they're not that big??--and especially in egyptian/hindu mythology, are in rather skimpy clothing. Taking a jab at her wardrobe isn't really warranted all too much. Furthermore, I don't think those spikes risk breaking the bow strings since... you know, they're quite clearly magical, and belong to a goddess. It's also worth mentioning that those arrows are not "fire arrows" and are likely arrows made from the threads of fate, which Neith is said to weave on her loom. [From the creators' standpoint, it's very possible that they translated her loom into a bow, and the threads into her arrows.] Also, to answer your question, the reason regular arrows likely "won't do" is because the premise of the game SMITE is a bunch of gods fighting each other. I am, for some reason, skeptical of the idea of a god falling prey to the horrors that are metal arrows. Oh, and a note on 10, these strings quite obviously DO bend. In case you hadn't yet figured it out, this bow is [surprise] magic. Something you should have just assumed if you thought it was Isis... the goddess of magic. You might be pretty well versed in the studies of archery, but I don't think you know much anything about magic... because it doesn't exist. Meaning that your overly whiny mentions of how bows are supposed to work don't exactly apply here in the ways they normally do. All this character needs to do is launch the arrow with accuracy. If these magical bowstrings can snap back to their original position well enough to launch the arrow, and Neith can keep her magical arrows straight, then there really isn't anything wrong with the design here....
ReplyDeleteA side note: Screw you man, 3D Animation is not an easy thing. After watching this trailer, this animation team did a pretty good job, given the technology they probably had during the time of its production.
^ What he said.
ReplyDeleteI think your username says enough.
DeleteOkay...Wrong on several counts. Left or right, there is no left or right side of the bow which is better. People shoot both ways. As they are a goddess, any level of strength needed is false. You said these are energy strings which already eliminates the worry about brakes. Also, since there are three strings, that's one for each arrow, which may mean they need three actual bows with six limbs...But again, energy strings shot by a goddess. Then the fact the weapon does have a shield and blades, is probably made of magical design, I'm betting that practically, it is made for melee combat, and is good at it. It's not an archer's glove? Maybe? Come on...This is obviously using a lot of magic. This isn't one of those situations too, where someone asks how does a dragon fly, or how did something physically discontinuous go wrong and the ad lib, not the hand wave, the ad lib that the audience creates and treats as hand wave, is that...*shrug*...Magic. This is magic! The ancients would have approved. Good in mythology. They came up with the same. Read Ace's comment also, and I agree with a lot.
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm a storyteller, I also defend it too. Why? Because we are in such a negative realm of disbelief in fiction in this generation, that historians are seriously doubting the existence of fire arrows simply because hollywood uses them too. The FBI blames movies for teaching people to fall down when shot.
I'd be interested to hear about your experiences with tri-shots. Only one other person reported the history mentioned of a roman soldier doing it once and Aztecs doing the same. A minor myth I almost missed loading up on evidence to defend (as best as I can, since I won't let slide the things that really don't make sense, not magical things) archery in fiction. It's cool to hear you can do it. Do you evidence for how often someone used the fire arrow against a structure, or if never against people? I see you know Anderson. A little misguided, but proves a point or two about Legolas and Hawkeye vs the traditional sport of archery which insists on perfect technique for perfect accuracy for perfectly standing still. Historical in some cases, some not, in fiction unimportant and not an impediment. Good photos. Back quivers are very old, but there does seem more hips at times from my constant study of medieval art too. I did it because swordsmen wouldn't believe most ancients telegraphed their moves either, and excuse themselves when they have a move in their tradition that does it.
Literally hundreds of movie myths are wrong, they are in fact realistic in the secondary world of the fiction and their own laws of nature. Sometimes that means superpowers, magic, or simply scream-to-electric conversion. Or just our laws of nature, Earth, all made up again in a state of non-existence we share with it, since none of us are realistic in the story.
Reexamine your views, because I cannot include this list in the mainstream arrow mythbusting reverse debunking. I deal with specific cases sometimes, but I won't argue in favor of obvious magic. The word god is even a step up, man. Be smart. Love story.
Don't you see, the entire point of this blog is to tear apart unrealistic depictions of archery in popular media. I don't care if they are people or deities, it doesn't matter. You could defend any stupid decision or error by saying it's magic. Not gonna happen on this blog.
DeleteWow...Sorry. Too little spacing, commas, and paragraphs to read properly. Seems fast. I don't mean to slam. I'd rather people wake up and reexamine their beliefs about story. Because Star Trek never went to faster than lightspeed either, technically. And scientists don't help. They still think we are showing lasers instead of plasma, something that has been changed for fifty years.
ReplyDeleteVery funny, good work.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteAt least someone is not a butthurt gaming nerd crying in their momma's basement over how I destroyed their favorite game of the week.