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A continuation of this pic, this is the next version of the vambrace weapon I'm designing for my character Nicky (concept here). There's a few major differences between this one and that one, including a drastic slimming down of the design and loosing a few elements. This version feels a lot flimsier than I want, but it might be what it has to be for a while. I've also added a knuckle-duster (not labeled) to provide a good mounting point for the trigger and the wrist switch: it also helps while punching. I also think this is a very steampunk weapon, brown leather and brass and steel. Anyway, onto the description of the various pieces! All the important parts are labeled A through H.
A) The retracting "switchblade." Hydraulically powered (C), once activated (D) it is deployed by angling the hand and wrist downwards (G): this prevents accidental activation outside of combat. It's not designed as a principle melee weapon, and is more of an off-hand weapon. It may still be a vibro weapon, or at least on the tip. I'm a little worried about how flimsy this feels compared to Version 2.
B) The force blaster. I've went with an actual force-field firing weapon, since Nick uses another bit of forcefield tech as a shock absorber, so I know he's got it available. Basically, it's a mathematically-defined barrier that can be adjusted in power and range. It is powered by the rechargeable power cells (E). In addition to the methods used to activate the switchblade (except angling the wrist up), the force blaster uses the duster-mounted trigger (F) to fire it. Again, worried about flimsiness, may have to go back to version 2 on this. I might end up replacing this with something simpler for Nicky's first version, but my idea is that eventually this becomes a full-on forcefield manipulator system.
C) The hydraulic system that deploys and retracts the two weapons, mounted on the underside. It's fairly simple but powerful, and power is supplied by the top-side mounted power cells. It's controlled by the selector switch (D).
D) The selector switch. It has three settings: blaster (turned to the inside), off (set to the middle), and arm blade (turned to the outside). This is a somewhat unwieldy safety mechanism, and I'll be working on a better method for the next in-story version.
E) High-capacity power cells, these are more likely to be capacitors because the force blaster needs quick bursts of power, unless I use these as batteries and give the force blaster its own capacitor.
F) The thumb trigger, mounted on the knuckle duster. Mainly designed for firing the force blaster, it can be used to deploy the arm blade.
G) The wrist switch that I didn't really draw attention to in the last version. This is a pressure switch that helps to activate the two weapons. When the hydraulics are off, the wrist can move freely. When the arm blade is activated, angling the wrist downward triggers it and lets it slide forward: this keeps the hand out of the way while being used. When the blaster is activated, angling the wrist up deploys the force blaster and helps it fold into the palm for easier firing. Again, somewhat complicated, but I like the safety device so I'll be retaining it in a few future in-story versions.
H) The only reason I'm calling this out is because I forgot to include a means of putting on or taking off the vambrace last time. This time, the whole set of crap is attached to a piece of good tough leather by grommets, with a padded liner sewn in for comfort. By making the vambrace leather, I can let Nicky adjust it for his comfort or age if he needs to. The thing doesn't actually open, it just loosens so you can slide it on or off. The laces running up the inside are for tightening it or loosening it as he needs. The kinetic blaster is attached to the vambrace by a series of straps, so it can be adjusted with the rest of it.
Okay, I think that's everything. Major ideas for the next concept are making it a bit more rugged, so the blade doesn't look like it'll shatter the moment he smacks someone with it and the force blaster looks like it could actually work. Overall, though, I like this one a bit more than version 2: it looks more refined, like its creator put some more thought into it. Oh, and I've decided to leave the buckler shield off for simplicity's sake, since that would really complicate this design.
So, thank you for reading this. Now, do you have any questions? Comments? Constructive criticism? Really, I don't bite.
Much.
A) The retracting "switchblade." Hydraulically powered (C), once activated (D) it is deployed by angling the hand and wrist downwards (G): this prevents accidental activation outside of combat. It's not designed as a principle melee weapon, and is more of an off-hand weapon. It may still be a vibro weapon, or at least on the tip. I'm a little worried about how flimsy this feels compared to Version 2.
B) The force blaster. I've went with an actual force-field firing weapon, since Nick uses another bit of forcefield tech as a shock absorber, so I know he's got it available. Basically, it's a mathematically-defined barrier that can be adjusted in power and range. It is powered by the rechargeable power cells (E). In addition to the methods used to activate the switchblade (except angling the wrist up), the force blaster uses the duster-mounted trigger (F) to fire it. Again, worried about flimsiness, may have to go back to version 2 on this. I might end up replacing this with something simpler for Nicky's first version, but my idea is that eventually this becomes a full-on forcefield manipulator system.
C) The hydraulic system that deploys and retracts the two weapons, mounted on the underside. It's fairly simple but powerful, and power is supplied by the top-side mounted power cells. It's controlled by the selector switch (D).
D) The selector switch. It has three settings: blaster (turned to the inside), off (set to the middle), and arm blade (turned to the outside). This is a somewhat unwieldy safety mechanism, and I'll be working on a better method for the next in-story version.
E) High-capacity power cells, these are more likely to be capacitors because the force blaster needs quick bursts of power, unless I use these as batteries and give the force blaster its own capacitor.
F) The thumb trigger, mounted on the knuckle duster. Mainly designed for firing the force blaster, it can be used to deploy the arm blade.
G) The wrist switch that I didn't really draw attention to in the last version. This is a pressure switch that helps to activate the two weapons. When the hydraulics are off, the wrist can move freely. When the arm blade is activated, angling the wrist downward triggers it and lets it slide forward: this keeps the hand out of the way while being used. When the blaster is activated, angling the wrist up deploys the force blaster and helps it fold into the palm for easier firing. Again, somewhat complicated, but I like the safety device so I'll be retaining it in a few future in-story versions.
H) The only reason I'm calling this out is because I forgot to include a means of putting on or taking off the vambrace last time. This time, the whole set of crap is attached to a piece of good tough leather by grommets, with a padded liner sewn in for comfort. By making the vambrace leather, I can let Nicky adjust it for his comfort or age if he needs to. The thing doesn't actually open, it just loosens so you can slide it on or off. The laces running up the inside are for tightening it or loosening it as he needs. The kinetic blaster is attached to the vambrace by a series of straps, so it can be adjusted with the rest of it.
Okay, I think that's everything. Major ideas for the next concept are making it a bit more rugged, so the blade doesn't look like it'll shatter the moment he smacks someone with it and the force blaster looks like it could actually work. Overall, though, I like this one a bit more than version 2: it looks more refined, like its creator put some more thought into it. Oh, and I've decided to leave the buckler shield off for simplicity's sake, since that would really complicate this design.
So, thank you for reading this. Now, do you have any questions? Comments? Constructive criticism? Really, I don't bite.
Much.
Category All / Fantasy
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 1013px
File Size 2.66 MB
Listed in Folders
Yeah, me too. This feels more like something that someone could actually wear, especially a fourteen year old kid. I'd still like to de-flimsify the blade and force blaster, but I suppose that the force blaster doesn't need much reinforcement since it doesn't have much recoil, if any. So, it's the collapsing switchblade I'm worried about.
At one point, I considered a folding blade mounted on the underside of the arm (check the diagram for my frame of reference), with a handle that you could actually hold to control the blade better. I abandoned it because it actually needed the vambrace to be uncovered, while this one could be covered by Nick's jacket if he needed it to be concealed.
At one point, I considered a folding blade mounted on the underside of the arm (check the diagram for my frame of reference), with a handle that you could actually hold to control the blade better. I abandoned it because it actually needed the vambrace to be uncovered, while this one could be covered by Nick's jacket if he needed it to be concealed.
Well, my main concern is that the arm blade is four fairly narrow sections that telescope in and out. I suppose one trick to make them stronger would be to use a diamond shape instead of for the actual blade, so I'd have to do a little redrawing to make that apparent. Do you mean having a small blade underneath the knuckle duster plate? Because I'm not sure if there's room for something like that.
No no, on top of the plate. a command link would be found in the glove itself and use a pressurized release of air to eject a blade beyond the knuckle. It would hold up better, structurally speaking. As long as the vambrace isn't compromising material integrity with cheap materials like aluminum for the parts, you should be able to have a functional design.
The blade itself once out is still effective as a parrying weapon. In fact, the idea of it using two pneumatic pistons from one side of the blade to the other would be stronger as a parrying weapon than the switchblade design. The more rigid and solid the structure, the stronger it is, meaning it'll take FAR more abuse.
There's also a question of length. I mean, I suppose that a retractable blade mounted on the back of the hand would be roughly as long as the switchblade currently is, but I don't even like having the knuckle duster: it's only there to solve the problem of where to mount the trigger.
Okay, I did a quick sketch. Something like this?
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4280552/
Okay, I did a quick sketch. Something like this?
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4280552/
Eh, kinda I was talking about something much bigger, not limited on the size of the hand, but running along the length of the entire wrist. A wrist blade quite literally. This is an example. It's a basic spring loaded concept, but a pneumatic piston will be able to work in the same respect, causing less damage to the hardware from use.
Actually, Altair and Ezio's blade is what I used to design the vambrace's blade. I decided to mount the blade elsewhere so as not to be too derivative. That, and then the kinetic blaster would have to be mounted in the same place as Ezio's pistol. Though I suppose I could fit that collapsible buckler on the outside of the arm then…
I don't really want the buckler, all things considered: it may eventually be added, but for now a simple armor plate on the outside of the arm would do its duty. Heck, I could have two "flaps" that fold against the armor and could be extended to make a small buckler and that'd make much more sense.
But what do you mean by the blaster being mounted on the side?
But what do you mean by the blaster being mounted on the side?
Instead of it being mounted on top of the wrist where the blade would be, you could mount it on the side. What would be more effective at blocking instead of "flaps" would be to have a sort of plate guard that spans out like the flaps you mentioned. Bear in mind, the more movable parts you implement, the weaker and less rigid your equipment becomes. Try not to design so much about mechanics as just raw basics and your equipment will prove more reliable.
Hmm, maybe I should take some time to design an example...
Hmm, maybe I should take some time to design an example...
Actually, two armored plates - one on the "outside" and one on the "underside" - would cover most blocked angles you'd need the thing for. And a buckler's not much good against most weapons, so you might as well leave it off and save yourself the weight and complications. The armor could furthermore add extra protection to the blade and the pneumatics/hydraulics.
Also, as a mark of my genius/stupidity, I've finally figured out how to strengthen the blade: by lengthening the vambrace so that it slightly covers the wrist and goes all the way back to the elbow with an extension to actually protect the joint slightly, I can make a one-piece blade that's just as long as the segmented sword but doesn't sacrifice any strength for the length. Also, given its similarities to the pata and the katar, I can see it as being used as more of a punching dagger and either for getting between chinks in armor or simply piercing armor. Though this makes me wonder which would be better, to mounted it on the inside of the arm or the outside…
I'm also thinking of moving the kinetic blaster to a second vambrace on the left arm, due to how new of a gadget it is for Nicky. As for what I'd replace it with, I'm thinking either some of the mechanics for the blade (creating an overall more streamlined look for the vambrace) or a spring-launched throwing knife launcher (and possibly could be poisoned for an extra bit of attack power). The other vambrace could be purely devoted to supporting and powering the kinetic blaster or something like that.
Well, part of the problem with that is that the blade is strapped to Nick's extremely human arm, and even with the insulating factor of the vambrace that seems a little dangerous. It'd probably be safer to have the blade be a vibro weapon for extra cutting power, and save the ceramic blade for a different weapon. Plus, you have to remember that this weapon has been built by a fourteen year old boy in a small town in a mechanics/blacksmith's shop, so he probably doesn't have access to super alloys and stuff like that.
Oh, weapons of that sort are common enough that he could make a small one from old parts. It's how he built his robot, after all. Heck, I'd give his actual sword ceramic heat powers if I thought I could get away with it: that'd only have one tiny edge of heat and a whole handguard and handle to protect him.
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