The new alien versus predator game has a interesting yet simple and effective melee system.
Light melee counters heavy melee
Heavy Melee Breaks Guard/Block
Guard/Block defends against light melee.
Light -> Heavy -> Blocking -> Light
Also in AvP if you light attack immediately after you guard against a enemy's light attack, it will knock them down/stun them.
I think it would be interesting if RO:Hos utilized a similar system, it would add much more depth to melee instead of charge and stab people while running in circles.
This post is blasphemy.
Let me first note that Aliens vs Predator 2 is one of my favorite games of all time.
Let me second note that FullMJ-BoltsOnly is like a digital home to me and that I was one of the few active members of the hips group in RO.
I've played the Aliens vs Predator demo, and not only was it an absolute travesty compared to AvP2, I noted how ridiculously consolized for lamers the melee system was. When you come behind someone, you press E, and you instagrab your enemy and execute him. You press E, and he dies. Even on the PC, the demo had copious amounts of autoaim for normal attacks, which basically reduced combat down to spamming mouse-1.
Likewise, Modern Warfare has a facepalm lulfail melee system. You press E and you get an instant win. This is stupid and should not be replicated in HoS. Please do not give us cheesy win buttons like these fail games.
Now, I know at least a dozen awesome exploits in Ost, which definitely make melee combat more interesting, and unfortunately most of them involve throwing your hitboxes around in an unpredictable fashion to make yourself harder to hit. Autoaim and "swipe melee" systems make this much easier to counteract, whereas Ost's "point" melee system is almost comically easy to defeat. But I say this seriously and honestly, the sub-game of melee fights in Ost has spawned an underground culture dedicated to what has become something of an art form. I refer to Ost as the pinnacle of extremely deep and engaging melee combat for FPS. Is it stupid? Yes. Is it totally ineffective? Yes. Is it unrealistic? Yes. But it requires skill, and that means it is one of the most engaging activities I've ever experienced.
Just had to post that before I say goodbye. *long sigh* no more swan diving in Sparta once HoS hits, eh?
Back to AvP....I'm not sure how effective the rock-paper-scissors melee combat really was, seeing as mouse-1 seemed to be an effective counter to everything. This could be altered by making block actually stun the mouse-1 spammer allowing you an attack window, but, seriously? You want to reduce the melee game down to rock-paper-scissors, Pokemon style? Countering I can understand, which is why if I were to refer to a good implementation of a counter system, I'd rather point to Age of Chivalry. But counter systems don't make sense when we're talking about bayonets. How does one block a bayonet? Preferably not with a rifle. How does one defeat a bayonet stab? Lol, you don't. You get stabbed and then you die.
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I want the skill basis for melee in Ost preserved in HoS. I want to preserve realism. Between those two I think we can find a workable solution. One, butt swipes are sensible. Noobs can understand them. They make melee more accessible and more of a legitimate tactical option. They're realistic. Two, bayo stabs should not be charge only. Quick stabs should be possible. Sprinting with a bayonet at the ready should be sufficient to skewer a target, even with significantly more force than can be delivered from "charging" a bayo stab. It's called momentum. Sprinting and slamming a bayonet into someone is usually sufficient for penetration and tissue deformation.
For god's sakes, fix the hitboxes. Try test for melee bugs to ensure that it isn't as hilariously easy in HoS to defeat a melee opponent. Use a physical simulation of momentum to make nimbly maneuvering your player character in close quarters more difficult. This will make closing on and defeating a target with melee easier.
Also, in my opinion, the attack area of the bayonet stab should be equal to the width of the bayonet.
I think that's all that's necessary for a melee system.