PC Does the battle axe create the wrong impression?

[caatalyst]

I didn't realise the new steel axe was a tool and so I never bothered crafting it. I just assumed it was a weapon considering it looks like it was meant for war.

I prefer the look of the iron fire axe and to be honest so far it makes an awesome secondary melee weapon even though its main function is cutting through wood. So many times my bat has died so I've pull it out and insta exploded zombie heads

 

 

[Roland]

@Roland I do wish you would not always assume MinMax at every possible oppertunity

Then change my mind that it isn’t that issue in this case. The axe can still be a weapon if you want to use it. What would possibly stop you from using it as a weapon regardless of how it is classified?  Classification as a tool doesn’t prevent it from being equipped or used against zombies and it doesn’t prevent them from dying to it. There is only one reason not to use it: It isn’t the most efficient melee weapon. 
 

My point still stands that players who don’t come here and find out “the bad news” and who inherently aren’t concerned with efficiency and obsessively comparing the dps of axe to other will use the steel axe as a weapon and have fun with it. There’s only one reason why killing zombies with the steel axe wouldn’t be satisfying: That niggling idea that there is something out there that can kill them faster....

But show me how it’s a different issue. 

giving it a skin of something that is clearly nothing but a weapon.

At first glance yes. But upon further notice you can see that it is simply pieced together with various garage parts and isn’t really a fantasy battle axe at all. 
 

They don’t want an endgame super tool. That being said, perhaps once legendaries are in you might get an axe that is also as good dps vs zombies as any other melee weapon. As an extremely rare find that would be okay for a game. 
 

That things classed as a tool?! 

Horde of angry dwarves swarming to TFP office

As long as they wield axes I’m not worried...

 

[Tahaan]

But show me how it’s a different issue. 

Because of what I'm saying.

The model semantically means the opposite of TFPs official standpoint.  Whether it is effective as a weapon or not is irrelevant.

Let me give you another example:

If TFP said Spears were meant to be used as ranged weapons, and the spear model was a mace (which looks like it would be effective as a melee weapon) and I reported that the semantic meaning of the object - being a mace - conflicts with the intended purpose of the item - a spear - you would better understand it.  Of course if it is fun then let people use the spear as a melee weapon, it looks like a mace after all and we are not min-maxing, but the meaning is still wrong.

 

[Roland]

I understand your point. Here is mine: The only reason you know that the axe isn’t classified as a weapon is because you came here and read the developer say so. The average player would never know and happily use the axe as a weapon....

Other RPG games gray out items that can’t be used or prevent the player from putting a tool in a weapon slot. This game lets you do whatever the heck you want. Nowhere in game does it say “Thou shalt not use an axe as a weapon”. Therefore you can and the design doesn’t send the wrong message at all. 
 

Is it the best weapon? No.  Who is going to care about THAT?  Hmmmmmm?

 

[HungryZombie]

I understand your point. Here is mine: The only reason you know that the axe isn’t classified as a weapon is because you came here and read the developer say so. The average player would never know and happily use the axe as a weapon....

Other RPG games gray out items that can’t be used or prevent the player from putting a tool in a weapon slot. This game lets you do whatever the heck you want. Nowhere in game does it say “Thou shalt not use an axe as a weapon”. Therefore you can and the design doesn’t send the wrong message at all. 
 

Is it the best weapon? No.  Who is going to care about THAT?  Hmmmmmm?

You really think someone would make an axe with rounded blades like that to chop wood? I just looks silly for a tool.

 

[meganoth]

Because of what I'm saying.

The model semantically means the opposite of TFPs official standpoint.  Whether it is effective as a weapon or not is irrelevant.

Let me give you another example:

If TFP said Spears were meant to be used as ranged weapons, and the spear model was a mace (which looks like it would be effective as a melee weapon) and I reported that the semantic meaning of the object - being a mace - conflicts with the intended purpose of the item - a spear - you would better understand it.  Of course if it is fun then let people use the spear as a melee weapon, it looks like a mace after all and we are not min-maxing, but the meaning is still wrong.

So what about the normal axe that doesn't look like a battle axe? Coincidentally axes have a history in zombie movies as a weapon. Still, for people not watching zombie movies would TFP have to change the normal axe to be more martial-looking to show to players they can use it as a weapon? Or should this be one of the things observant users might find out? Does the game have to spell out everything? Users can read the damage values of the axe, entity and block damage is listed for everyone to see. Trying out is a time honored tradition for zombie survival games and especially this one.

I see your point about the wrong hints given from the icon, but I see the misdirection as a minor fault and the positive effect from a cool visual as more important. The icon for nitrate powder is a lot worse IMHO, shown with a bottle when you often mine it out of the ground.

 

[Tahaan]

The only reason you know that the axe isn’t classified as a weapon is because you came here and read the developer say so.

Have you actually read the loading screen tips?

 

[Roland]

You really think someone would make an axe with rounded blades like that to chop wood? I just looks silly for a tool.

Who knows? They used what they had. If you think it looks silly as a tool then use it as a weapon. You can. 

Have you actually read the loading screen tips?

Ugh....there’s soooo many of them.

Honestly, I doubt that it even matters. People who wish to will chop at zombies and have fun doing it. 

 

[stample]

How is this NOT a zombie-dismembering bleed-trauma-inducing beast? 



But seriously, I'd love to see a proper bonus from the perk other than just the +50% damage increase.  Ideally, bleeds, but those are in the Agi line which doesn't make sense for a 2h Str item.  Can't add Skullcrusher to its allowed list, because you'd get double entity dmg bonus from having both.  Maybe a +2/4/6/8/10% dismember chance added to Miner69er?  That still only translates to about 4% against glowies, and small dismember bonus to both axes and picks would fit the theme of the items.

Side note:  I LOVE the new placement of flames along specified parts of the models.  Seeing flames stream off the leading edge of the axes/machetes is so much cooler than just enveloping the entire thing.

 

[smokingpaper]

I did a few of those quests where you kill of those frozen lumberjacks, I did it with a steel fireaxe.
Not sure because it was of the high quality axe and/or combination of the skills/books but those zombies lost their heads pretty quickly and did the job. 
So it can be used as a weapon even though it is not recommended in one of those tips you read during the loading screen.

If we talk about real life, well, woodcutters use double headed axes as well, although i must say this one looks a bit "viking battle" style instead of one you would could chop trees or wood with.

I guess those trees and lumberjacks just deserve some severe punishment by your steel axe. 

 

[Tahaan]

If we talk about real life, well, woodcutters use double headed axes as well, although i must say this one looks a bit "viking battle" style instead of one you would could chop trees or wood with.

Conan the barbarian's axe perhaps, for comparisson search for images of "Viking battle axe".