Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Silverblade_The_Enchanter Jul 11, 2009 6:36:33	as I'm wanting to make a drow scene I've been working on suitable gear for 'em this is my take on a drow hand crossbow, as there's some problems with standard ones, IMHO. bow is mounted vertically, bolt fires through the bow and centre of the stock. this also means the handle does not sit at 90 degrees to the bow, which makes carrying such devices trickier as the handle will protude so much. string is in perfect line with the stock, normally it is slightly off centred which causes a lot of friction so this design avoids that 3 shot magazine,, suitable for the fights it's meant for and if you can't do it in 3 shots, yer dead anyway ;) flip the top open, add more ammo as need. obviously you could have echanted "bag of holding" styler magazines solid bolts instead of "arrows", main body would be bronze or ivory, maybe hollow with the steel blade crushing internal vial of poison on impact or some such puller-claw allowing much easier cocking of the weapon, push with hand holding the main pistol handle, pull with hand holding the puller-claw handle Made with Rhino and rendered with Vue, test renders with maxwell. Drow hand crossbow, Silverblade style! test render when modelling
#2 suin_bahhar_02 Jul 12, 2009 6:41:39	Inventive and stylish
#3 markustay63 Jul 12, 2009 10:06:52	While I applaud the design (I will be using that from now-on), its not nearly as 'fancy' as the sword you did. Not that that is such a bad thing, but its a bit 'utilitarian' for Drow, who are Elves, and therefore artists, at heart. Anyhow, I had a problem with the protruding handle as well, and I toyed with both a RW solution - early handguns were straighter (the handle being in-line with the barrel) - and also a folding design: the handle folding flat to the barrel, which works, but makes it impossible for any sort of 'fast draw' (unless I add-in some sort of hokey 'automatic release' for the handle when the weapon is drawn). I like your solution because its both elegant and simple, and would also function better for surface Drow - who often hide in deep forests and have a need for shooting from behind tree cover. In fact, I may just say thats a model developed by the Cormanthor Drow just to alleviate that problem. Well done.
#4 Silverblade_The_Enchanter Jul 12, 2009 10:31:09	Suin, thank you! markus, Cheers! well, swords are always lavished care on as they are very "personal". I know what you mean about "In line" as that was common with crossbows too of medieval period.
#5 markustay63 Jul 12, 2009 19:57:52	Its just that you did such an exquisite design on the Sword, the crossbow looked a little... dwarvish. ;) Just wondering, did you try it any other color? Bows are usually wood, and I'm sure there is some Underdark equivalent (giant mushrooms?), but wood can be stained any color. I just though a purple with the woodgrain showing through would be very Drowish, or perhaps black... I bit over-done with Drow, but they are all about stealth, and dark colors conceal easier. Then again, I do see what you were going for - Swords are personal, but the handbows are probably mass-produced. Anyway, just for a visual - when I did my Anchorome 1470 Campaign (FR meets the 'Old West'), the Elves of the Holly Forest used gunnes similar to this - I wanted an elegant, in-line look for them, with each one being a work of art. Those were the only Elves to embrace the 'new tech', but they still gave everything an Elven flair.
#6 Silverblade_The_Enchanter Jul 13, 2009 3:54:57	Aye I know what ye mean earleir I had a "drow house insignia" on the magazine, you couldnt see it int he final scene I did with it (drow ambusher) as the magazine's on other side ;) I thought reddish over all would be nice contrast to the dark purples of the drow oh aye, elves are as much aboust aesthetics as pragamtism that's very true !