Well, in most fantasy RPGs the swords are usually disproportionate (imbalanced and oversized) and the characters are often wielding swords the size of – what in reality would be – a two-hander in just one hand.
Actually, in Czech language we do have word “obratnost” which means how good are your motoric abilities. It can mean both your skill with your hands (“zručnost” would be more precise czech term) and your ability to move quickly and flexibly (“hbitost”). I can not find proper English translation, that is true. In Czech version of DnD “obratnost” usally replaces “dexterity”.
Fencing is the dexterity (with weapons) skill, and it increases with use over time. You also have a skill with specific weapons. Problem solved.
We’re talking here about attributes/stats, not skills.
What I meant is: I doubt that in Czech they have a term for “both skill with the hands at fine work, and skill at running and changing direction and jumping and climbing”. – While in your language there may be a word that means skill or agility in general (cf. in English: “agile fingers”, “agile mind”), I doubt that you have such an oddly specific term.
Yep, that means that I understood you correctly 
“Obratnost” doesn’t mean “skill” but it means something you can describe by your words: “both skill with the hands at fine work, and also skill at running and changing direction and jumping and climbing”. I understand that it does not solve your problem with agility/dexterity distinction but… well, it was just quick remark about Czech language. We also have more precise terms to distinguish between different aspects but “obratnost” is pretty common word
Edit: Also, we are used to translate dexterity as “obratnost” in many cases. But, truth to be told, it is a problem to do it vice-versa.
You were saying?
And you?
Statistic (role-playing games)
"Most games divide their statistics into several categories. …
"Attributes describe to what extent a character possesses natural, in-born characteristics common to all characters. …
“Skills represent a character’s learned abilities in predefined areas.”
Yes, strength, dexterity, constitution, charisma, intelligence, and often wisdom, which is for priests instead of intelligence which is for mages. Those are the most common ones, and in games, they are generally fixed. In reality, they are not fixed. They improve or degrade over time with use or lack of.
What you’re talking about though, dexterity, does not exist as a single stat or attribute. Sure, you can be naturally more inclined to some things than others, but being a master smith does not make you a master swordsman.
Basically, the fencing stat, is the traditional dexterity stat, and as in real life, it improves over time. Do you think acrobats all start knowing how to perform that way? Of course not. It’s learned, and improved, upon.
Well, that’s the definition from Wikipedia.
Edit. Here’s a proper definition:
attribute (noun) : A quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something.
And:
skill (noun) : The ability to do something well; expertise. (Same dictionary as before.)
Yes, and dexterity is a skill, not an attribute. I will agree that some people will have bodies more suited to certain tasks. Dwarves (the real kind) with stubby fingers are not well suited to being surgeons for example. Short and thin people make the best gymnasts and divers (in the Olympics) for another. I’m sure you can think of many more.
That said, Henry is one fairly generic person that everyone will play as. We don’t choose his stats, and there are no predefined classes, so none of that matters. All his inherent attributes will be identical for everyone, and all his skills can be improved upon or ignored. It’s unclear whether skills will degrade over time, but considering how short the game is supposed to be, set in a single year, I am leaning towards their not degrading, unless injured or something along those lines.
Moot point, they are only fencing for sport, not one of them are training to kill, strength then, is a pretty pointless attribute as long as you’re strong enough to use your sword.
Well the point is that you don´t need strength to kill somebody with sword And I bet you that those modern hema swordsman could very easily kill somebody with their weapon if they tried to…
This is one that kind of bugs me. They really ought to be separate skills.
Moot point, they never will.
Still doesn´t change anything about the fact, that dexterity/agility is main requirement for wielding swords, not strength.
Still not a fact as that cannot be feasibly proven.
What?? That’s like debating about politics with my communist grandpa lol…
Dude, it’s a naming convention.
Also, no. Dexterity is “skill in performing tasks”, not “a skill”.
And skill is “the ability to do something well”.
That said, one could also argue that they’re all synonyms.
dexterity – synonyms: deftness, adeptness, adroitness, agility, nimbleness, handiness, ability, capability, talent, skilfulness, skill, proficiency, accomplishment, expertise, experience, efficiency, effortlessness, slickness, mastery, delicacy, knack, facility, artistry, sleight of hand, craft, finesse, felicity.
“…and in games, they are generally fixed. In reality, they are not fixed.”
And aren’t we talking about a game here??
“Henry is one fairly generic person that everyone will play as. We don’t choose his stats…”
Ahem. I think the developers disagree with you.
.
Stats*/attributes and skills aren’t mutually exclusive. They already have agility listed among the stats (which, I assume, is necessary for both fencing and archery – which are trained very differently), so why shouldn’t there be a dexterity stat? Ah, because it has been replaced by agility – okay, I can accept that argument, though I dislike it (that’s why I started a thread on this topic in the first place).
But following the reasoning you have expounded, then all attributes from this game (strength, agility, charisma) should be removed, – like it’s the trend in the current generation of RPGs.
*I use the term stats (statistics) because that’s the way they (attributes) are currently named in the game, though it’s a misnomer.
Frankly, I would rather have the whole character development part thrown out the window, for one simple reason: it is completely unrealistic. The main character learns in a couple of weeks or maybe a month what would normally take from months (plural) to years to properly learn/train.
Yes, taking the stats out would turn this into a different, more action/adventure-oriented game – but a slow-paced, realistic one, with lots of dialogue – and it would also require a different story (the main character would need to have his learning and training at least half-way completed when the game’s narrative begins). … Anyway, these are just ideas; I doubt they’ll change much about the story and mechanics at the current phase of development.