The ability to use side arms in tandem with a shield would be OP. Contrary to popular belief, side arms are actually pretty good weapons.

Also, how will non matar shield get repaired?

"As it is a Light weapon, this will also allow Commandoes to have something to compensate for their low HP total while still making the commando himself highly squishy."

I like this. Cool way to make the commando a little more viable/fun. Moving wall with a couple'o guys taking cover/firing behind him. Cool play mechanics

"Each race will have a differing racial skill as well as augmenting your melee power, as you are bashing with a shield and not slapping with your gun-butt."

Should also have some sort of sprint bash that does more damage. And maybe some kinda run for cover sprint mode were you hold the shield to one side as you sprint to cover.

"The only way to repair a shield will be from devices that repair Armor, such as Repair Tools and Triage Hives."

Should be racial shild types. Armor should have large HP and be able to be regened with rep tool. Shield sould be self repairing. Amarrian hybrid, and Mini duck tape.

Awwwcomeon.... No Side arms with Riot shields?

I was thinking about this, in that maybe the shotgun can provide a little extra protection with thy big ol arm holder thing.

I must admit that I'm not in love with the aesthetics of this idea. I am imagining it done one of two ways: either a huge riot shield which would look horribly clunky and not at all fitting with our sleek sci-fi suits (though perhaps it could work with the Amarr) or a sword and sorcery style kite shield that just seems to midevil for the feel of the rest of the game. The later of these ideas I'm going to lump together with the whole space ninja concept making it so distateful I will never speak of it again.

The concept behind what you are saying though, has some real merit. I love the idea of some sort of additional armor that you can use that won't take up a high or a low slot but will take another type of slot and won't provide 360-¦ protection. An equipment slot would be the ideal place for an item like this. I'm kind of envisioning a deployable armor plate that springs up in front of you as a destroyable (but very tough) deployable wall. There could also be shield variants.

While this deployable shield is not as versitile as your wearable concept I feel like it is more fitting with the theme of the game and would make for some interesting changes to the dynamics of a match.

I'd much rather see these Shields in the Equipment slot so the Commando could still have access to 2 light weapons.

TL;DR:

Shields should have activate effects, like resistance boosters, etc.

Main:

I actually was thinking about Shield-weapons (because they'd be in the weapon slot) in Dust two days... and honestly, by themselves (referring to OP's ideas) the Shields-weapons don't seem unique, original, or all too useful. Any FPS game can have just a Shield, and that alone wouldn't make the Shields in Dust unique or for tactical use.

However, one great thing EVE has is weapon-types (ie: laser, projectile, plasma, explosive, etc.). I think this is really where physical Shields could shine. Instead of the Shields just being Shields, give them an active function, similar to an Active Scanner. Keep the shield tiering/types of the OP (or a variation, whatever), but keep in mind the races are fighting each other. Give the Shield active effects that counteract another race's weapon types!

Examples:

When the Gallente Shield (Sleek shield) is activated, the Shield's resistance to hybrid and missile weapons would be temporarily boosted by 50% for x seconds.

When the Caldari Shield (Wide Shield) is activated, the Shield's projection width would temporarily narrow, but the Shield would be able to deflect all hybrid weapon damage and resist Flux grenade damage by 99% for x seconds.

When the Minmatar Shield (Light Shield) is activated, the Shield would resist laser damage by 30%, reduce the effects of explosives by 30% (for when the other racial explosives come; see Explosive Diversity) , and propel the user forward (using small boosters attached to the Shield) for x seconds.

When the Amarr Shield (Heavy Shield) is activated, the Shield would reduce the user's movement speed by 50%, but also resist projectile and explosive damage by 50% while using an inertial pulse (or something like that) to blow away all explosives for x seconds.


All of these would sharply boost the user's profile and render them unable to run. Having these additional effects would greatly supplement the Shield's tactical use and, to an extent, make them more than just Shields. These could act as great counters to current and future weapons (Ie: Amarr Shield for REs on objectives or grenade spam in close-quarters; Minmatar to breach heavily guarded, close-combat portable Shields).

Conclusion:

Of course, this is all speculation, and the bonuses are just examples, but I think most everything in Dust needs to be risk v. reward and have some kind of tactical advantage or niche. If there are going to be Shields in Dust, they should be more than just Shields.

I had two primary shields for Amarr.


Holy Auroa Shield
A gold sacred light that protects the user from harm and sin.

Minmatar Corpse Shield
Basically the Amarr holds up the fallen clone unit of a Minmatar clone as a shield. Well the clone doesn't have to be deactivated. Which ever works really. >:]

Complex isn't necessarily bad or impossible, though; rather, complexity could be considered having more depth.

I really can't support having just a riot Shield, it seems too out of place to me.

We wouldn't need resistance modules if the effects were built into the Shield (were it to be Equipment).

Even with simultaneous weapon usage with a Shield, assuming ADS would not be allowed, the button could be mapped using the Shield for maximum coverage would be the zoom for weaponry (as a double-tap hold). Also, if not able to simultaneously use a weapon, the reload button would open up.

Like I said, this isn't set in stone; they are only examples. The Amarr one would be useful in narrow hallways/ close-quarter fire fights. Even though the target is moving slowly, remember it is the "heaviest" of the Shields and would also be able to push away things like grenades and remote explosives (and although didn't include it, other deployable equipment, too). In addition, with a strong enough repulsive, friendly explosives would also get a velocity boost. While the shields can be used as individual protection on their own, some of their activated effects give boosts that are most effective working as a team.

The day we can breach a hostile warship and take it down from the inside is good enough for me.

Fair enough; I can't see the point you're trying to make.

I'd still rather see them as equipment. Even though it defeats the point of your idea/concept, there would be other benefits (and drawbacks) to having it as such.

Fair enough on last statement.

Shields could be fun.

It would be interesting if you could look up while using the shield and allow others to use your shield as a platform for accessing higher areas or peering over walls.

As for shield design

Caldari: A projected shield similar to this but flatter. While on back, the shield would be projected from the back but when actively held, the user would extend their left palm forward. The shield would then shrink into the back and grow in front of the hand.

Amarr: Big physical shield with a shield overlay reminiscent of Scutum shields used by the Romans. Coloring would be silver for the physical part while the shield overlay would be golden.

Cool idea except it doesn't fit in with the lore of NEW EDEN. It doesn't fit into the EVE genre. Plus no where in EVE are there "shields" other than the normal passive shield you have on your ship. The only thing I can say that is needed are "Shield Transporters" so logistics players can repair players shields just the same way as they do Armor. These are in EVE and should be in DUST as well.

Actually, there are tribes in Africa, with some kind of ritual practice, where they jump strait up and down at a stand still. I here that they can attchive heights in excess of five feet, at a stand still! Average causation male hight is about 5'7" to 5'9".

the **** you pick up in 35 years of life hunh?

I like this idea I imagine every empire has soldiers and security officers able to deploy with riot shields to keep the peace.

I wanna go out there and break some delinquent civvy bones with a shield and a shock maul.

Hallo?