105 réponses à ce sujet

[FaWa]

Has anyone made a mod that removes Kai Lang from the game? This thread looks like a good place to ask.

[Dale]

Has anyone made a mod that removes Kai Lang from the game? This thread looks like a good place to ask.

Interesting thought there FaWa.

 

Perhaps a better mod would be to have him changed into a petite ballerina dressed in a pink outfit with a sparkling magic wand instead of a sword.

[ImaginaryMatter]

Has anyone made a mod that removes Kai Lang from the game? This thread looks like a good place to ask.

 

That seems like it would be difficult because random parts of the story rely on him being there. He could work if he was given some character, a motivation, cleverer scenes, a revamped appearance, new combat mechanics... maybe it would be easier just to remove him.

[Vazgen]

With all the writing flaws, they succeeded at least in one thing - I wanted to kill that guy! Haven't felt the same in regards to Saren or Collectors, or even the whole Reaper threat. Bastard made it personal! And that email was very well-implemented

[Display Name Owner]

Kirrahe drops the idiot ball even harder. He's standing there in front of the councilor invisible... and lets himself get shot.

 

Just another indicator that Kai Leng isn't dangerous because he's competent, trained... he's dangerous because the plot requires him to be.

 

It could be that the most insidious tool in Kai Leng's cybernetic implant arsenal is a state of the art long-range idiot ball. The fruit of months of intensive research of Reaper technology by Cerberus' top scientists, based on the same design the Leviathans installed in the Catalyst, it basically makes everyone surrounding Kai Leng act dumb.

[Han Shot First]

I for one think that swords can be great in sci-fi (look at Metal Gear or Strider) but they need to be done right. In Mass Effect they simply aren't.
 

 

The weird thing is that Kai Leng's old school sword doesn't even make sense from an in-universe perspective. After all Omni tools can be used to fashion a blade on the fly and used in hand-to-hand combat. Shepard finishes off Kai Leng with one. 

 

So why wield an actual sword? The Omni-tool would seem to be much more efficient since it leaves your hands free to wield firearms. It doesn't require a complicated switching out of equipment, unlike a sword.

[themikefest]

Its another one of those things that look cool

[Vazgen]

The weird thing is that Kai Leng's old school sword doesn't even make sense from an in-universe perspective. After all Omni tools can be used to fashion a blade on the fly and used in hand-to-hand combat. Shepard finishes off Kai Leng with one. 

 

So why wield an actual sword? The Omni-tool would seem to be much more efficient since it leaves your hands free to wield firearms. It doesn't require a complicated switching out of equipment, unlike a sword.

Omni-Tool blade is not held like a classic blade and it limits available moves. You can't use wrist movements to adjust the blade's position, you're stuck with moving the whole forearm.

[Coming0fShadows]

Omni-Tool blade is not held like a classic blade and it limits available moves. You can't use wrist movements to adjust the blade's position, you're stuck with moving the whole forearm.

Why do you need any moves beyond thrusting? Its not like you are going to have a sword fight with someone. An omniblade would make alot more sense for somebody who is supposedly an assassin.

[ImaginaryMatter]

It could be that the most insidious tool in Kai Leng's cybernetic implant arsenal is a state of the art long-range idiot ball. The fruit of months of intensive research of Reaper technology by Cerberus' top scientists, based on the same design the Leviathans installed in the Catalyst, it basically makes everyone surrounding Kai Leng act dumb.

 

I call it his 'Aura of Contrivance'

[Vazgen]

Why do you need any moves beyond thrusting? Its not like you are going to have a sword fight with someone. An omniblade would make alot more sense for somebody who is supposedly an assassin.

Because someone skilled enough will kick your a** even without a sword (like Thane does until that stupid charge move). Omni-tools can theoretically be hacked or disabled with EMP or something similar - swords can't. There is also a delay during the activation and sound that gives away position. Plus it shines like a Christmas Tree. 

[themikefest]

Swords can be broken like on Chronos. Swords can be knocked from the grasp of the person

[Vazgen]

Swords can be broken like on Chronos. Swords can be knocked from the grasp of the person

True, but you want something silent and not light-emitting for an assassin. 

[DemiserofD]

I'd go out on a limb and say that both swords and omniblades have advantages and disadvantages, and one would weigh them and decide which one you prefer based on your personal combat style.

 

There are loads of both though, like an omniblade is lighter and therefore more maneuverable, but also lighter and therefore harder to manipulate with mass effect fields(harder to make something lighter heavier) so it would have a bit of a harder time punching through armor. I could go on but it would probably be endless.

 

True, but you want something silent and not light-emitting for an assassin. 

 

Well technically omniblades are one molecule thick suspended in mass effect fields, or something like that, and the glowy bits are just holograms so you don't accidentally slice your own arm off. An assassin could just turn the holograms off. 

 

Bioware probably forgot that, of course.

[Han Shot First]

Omni-Tool blade is not held like a classic blade and it limits available moves. You can't use wrist movements to adjust the blade's position, you're stuck with moving the whole forearm.

 

Sure, but blades in general have limited utility on a modern (or futuristic) battlefield and swords are entitely obsolete. The Omni tool blade at least makes some in-universe sense in that is something that can be called upon the fly if you find yourself in hand-to-hand combat, but it isn't something that monopolizes the use of hands that are better served wielding firearms. Firearms still remain the primary weapon. In that the omni tool blade it is sort of like the bayonet.

 

Of course the out-of-universe reason for Kai Leng wielding a samurai sword is rule of cool. The problem I think is that it doesn't really succeed at making him look cool either. 

 

There is another recent thread on these forums that asked what cutscenes people would change if they could. I suppose Thane's death by samurai sword would be mine. I'd still have Thane die, but I think the scene would have played out better had he been killed via an omni tool blade. There would also need to be a reason for Shepard and the squadmates to not be able to intervene, so I'd have Kai Leng reinforced with Cerberus troops that they'd be busy fighting. And rather than actively choosing to battle with fists and blades, I'd have one of them loose their firearm after being thrown biotically, and the other choosing to close into hand-to-hand combat range after his own weapon misfired (overheated..out thermal clips) in a failed attempt at administering the coup-de-grace.

[von uber]

Something like this for Kai Leng would have worked:

 

 

Not too much of a stretch, given they stole the space marine design as it is.

[themikefest]

True, but you want something silent and not light-emitting for an assassin. 

Doesn't matter if the target can see him, right?

[Iakus]

True, but you want something silent and not light-emitting for an assassin. 

Nothing says "stealthy" like a lightsaber murder-knife, amirite?  

[Vazgen]

Doesn't matter if the target can see him, right?

Not when there are other targets that can see him. Also, the target may move, scream or even push him away biotically if hears the sound from the blade. 

[Vazgen]

 

Sure, but blades in general have limited utility on a modern (or futuristic) battlefield and swords are entitely obsolete. The Omni tool blade at least makes some in-universe sense in that is something that can be called upon the fly if you find yourself in hand-to-hand combat, but it isn't something that monopolizes the use of hands that are better served wielding firearms. Firearms still remain the primary weapon. In that the omni tool blade it is sort of like the bayonet.

 

Of course the out-of-universe reason for Kai Leng wielding a samurai sword is rule of cool. The problem I think is that it doesn't really succeed at making him look cool either. 

 

There is another recent thread on these forums that asked what cutscenes people would change if they could. I suppose Thane's death by samurai sword would be mine. I'd still have Thane die, but I think the scene would have played out better had he been killed via an omni tool blade. There would also need to be a reason for Shepard and the squadmates to not be able to intervene, so I'd have Kai Leng reinforced with Cerberus troops that they'd be busy fighting. And rather than actively choosing to battle with fists and blades, I'd have one of them loose their firearm after being thrown biotically, and the other choosing to close into hand-to-hand combat range after his own weapon misfired (overheated..out thermal clips) in a failed attempt at administering the coup-de-grace.

There is in-universe reason to keep a melee weapon - shields. Shields can stop bullets from firearms but can't stop melee attacks. I think it was specifically mentioned at some point in one of the books (Ascension, if I'm not mistaken). Notice how Phantoms can kill you in one hit with full shields and health. 

He has a "weapon" too, the one he shoots from his palm (which is more damaging than a conventional firearm but has lower rate of fire). He also have a shield that can block bullets. With those abilities and his speed (which is quite fast as seen on Cerberus HQ) he can be more effective in close combat than in long-range shootouts.

I don't remember whether he had a sword or not in the Retribution.

[themikefest]

Not when there are other targets that can see him. Also, the target may move, scream or even push him away biotically if hears the sound from the blade. 

Well then he's useless as an assassin. If he can't use his sword and has no other weapon, assault weapon or handgun,  he might as well not be an assassin.

[themikefest]

 

 

There is in-universe reason to keep a melee weapon - shields. Shields can stop bullets from firearms but can't stop melee attacks. I think it was specifically mentioned at some point in one of the books (Ascension, if I'm not mistaken). Notice how Phantoms can kill you in one hit with full shields and health. 

He has a "weapon" too, the one he shoots from his palm (which is more damaging than a conventional firearm but has lower rate of fire). He also have a shield that can block bullets. With those abilities and his speed (which is quite fast as seen on Cerberus HQ) he can be more effective in close combat than in long-range shootouts.

I don't remember whether he had a sword or not in the Retribution.

 

How fast can his shields regenerate when I fire my machine gun at him? He would be dead fairly quickly.

[Vazgen]

How fast can his shields regenerate when I fire my machine gun at him? He would be dead fairly quickly.

Assuming you can pin him down with a fire barrage. He moves erratically, has a cloak, and is fast enough for Shepard not to register his movements entirely. 

[themikefest]

Assuming you can pin him down with a fire barrage. He moves erratically, has a cloak, and is fast enough for Shepard not to register his movements entirely. 

How well did that work for him on Chronos?

[Vazgen]

How well did that work for him on Chronos?

You expected him to kill Shepard? Shepard's plot armor is thicker.