Temperature buffers on gear don't make sense

Hellu!
So, from a roleplayers perspective, or even if you’re appreciative of immersion and some degree of realism - it’s a quite obvious “wat” moment when you see the temperature rating of items in the game.
While some make sense, others do not! The idea that the zamorian thief armor is good insulation to icy cold weather for example is insane, and the distribution of armors vs climate on the map is totally askew.
While “back in the day” the frozen north was endgame content, we have since then both gained the volcano and the swungle as exciting and attractive areas to explore and build on.
WHY is it then, when the frozen north now is such a small part of the map (where it’s actually freezing and insulating armors are needed) that most the armors not counting DLC versions are scaled for that specific climate? Look at the map, the actual freezing area is a niche at best, yet it seems to take a disproportionally large focus of the temperature-adaptations of the gear we can make!
According to the wiki, i found a total of 12 different armor sets that are suited for warm climates in the base game, no DLC’s included.
While for cold climates, there are also 12.
So sure, on the surface this seems like a perfectly balanced distribution - but then you look at the actual map:

Out of the whole map, the area that is actually cold to the point where you need warm armor, is generously estimated only 1/7th of the playable area. Not to mention that the armorsets that insulate against the freezing, biting winds in this area include the zingaran freeboter armor, the zamorian thief armor, the lemurian warrior set, and the lemurian royal set! Skimpy or thin armors at best, all of them, all originating in design and intent from famously warm climates!
Please give it an overhaul, it’s been so long since the frozen north update - or i’ll train a horde of hyenas to purge Funcom Oslo and pee in every corner.
Thank you <3

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The “cold” area extends a bit further south than just the snowy region, but it doesn’t usually get to hitpoint-draining levels unless you go swimming in the lake with the wrong type of armor. It can get cold in the swungle as well, especially while swimming.

You’re right, though - the cold/hot division doesn’t make sense and feels gamey. I’m from Finland, and I would definitely wear something other than Lemurian earrings or Zamorian fingerless gloves during the winter. That said, this is the world of Conan where northern barbarians wander the frozen lands in nothing but a fur loincloth and a horned helmet, or the scorching deserts in, well, basically the same outfit - it’s part of the setting’s aethetics that people show silly amounts of skin in extreme climates.

But how does wearing clothes not protect from cold? How does wearing clothes make it actually worse than going buck naked? Yeah, that’s just game design, and although I understand the motives behind it, I’m not sure if I agree with it.

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Yes, everything the OP said! It hurts my brain that the armor recipes found in the Jungle… by a people that live there aren’t actually suitable for that area. Similarly, all the NPCs in the volcano wear the Reptilian armor and seem to do ok, yet if players do the same they get heat-stroke.

And yes, the Zamorian Thief armor is among the most egregious example. It’s akin to a non-magical chainmail bikini having a high AC rating. Meanwhile, the Pictish armors, which are comprised of heavy furs actually keep us cool? Both of these cases are so illogical it’s absurd; some better attention should be paid to not only lore, but also believability and suspension of disbelief.

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Exactly this …

It was on my log in message for my Age of Conan main character for years…

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Hey, it’s Conan. “Bikini armor” is not only expected, its required. For both men and women. :wink:

But yeah, you’d still expect that the armor that has more fur to be cold weather gear.

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I dont understand why the entire north central map is neutral temperature… you can wander around New Asagarth fields in desert clothes. But if you cross that river you will frostbite, even in regular cold protection armor.

Devs should take some time to walk around the map and make some temperature modifications, some areas in the desert map also need some rework. There are some green valleys with plenty of trees and rivers where the temperature is much hotter when compared to some extremely arid landscapes… its totally illogical.

i hope this answers your question. (Official Server, Current Patch, No Mods, No hax, No Cheats)

But seriously tho you wear SL armor and you feel “cold” in the jungle or whatever cause its a “Heat Resistance” armor… as if that makes sense, or the building insulation that doesnt protect from anything completely unexistant.
I think the whole Temperature system needs a revamp. Insulation is insulation in real life it doesnt differ much if its for heat or cold.

The fact that with the SL i get frostbite on snow but naked i am only “very cold” is ridiculous. You want to climb something in the snow naked youre fine but if you put on your climbing gloves then boom frostbite just cause they give 1 protection from heat… if that makes sense to the devs then they probably live in a parallel universe.

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Just think of them as being made of cotton. There’s a phrase that I’ve heard some of the local search and rescue people use on occasion. “Cotton kills.”

It’s a simple principle. That cotton hoodie you put on to walk to your car in the winter will keep you warm for that little trek, but if it gets wet it will suck the heat right out of you. In a survival situation, that means frostbite, hypothermia and death.

so naked is better than gloves? sure m8. Lets all agree that the system is broken so we get a better system instead, rather than arguing with eachother in the forums.

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If those gloves are removing heat from your body in a cold environment, yes, you’re better off naked. Take them off. Wet cotton has no insulation value and does not dry easily, meaning it stays wet and holds that moisture against your body, pulling heat out of you. Great for warm weather, but people have actually died from hypothermia in the middle of summer because they were wearing wet cotton clothing after the sun went down.

BTW, it doesn’t have to be because you jumped in a lake of ice water. Your own sweat can cause this to happen.

so you think the current system is based on cotton and its accurate.

Accurate enough. (Aside from the really weird stuff like freezing to death standing on lava, of course.) Doesn’t have to be perfect.

I thought this is intended, since these armors will make the character feel hot. So you have to consider protective effects of that armor vs temperature effects

The male armor is much skimpier in CE though, big step from the AoC approach. I love how funcom is battling gender debate by simply oversexualising men too.

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Also makes no sense to have environmental dangers related to cold and heat that can be healed through with 30vit… That perk should just turn off in those environments. No reason I should see people running around with dafari armor like it’s nothing in an frozen tundra.

Heck I gas orbed a sleeper with the perk and he was almost out healing the poison…

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