Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

Post by znt » Sat, Jun 09, 2012, 6:28 PM UTC

psykotic wrote: post #5

Anyone remember Die by the Sword? Admittedly it was more sword flailing than sword fighting, but it's the only game I've played that had a semblance of direct control. It was also the first game to use IK for everything from sword fighting to rope swinging and ladder climbing. Even nowadays it's rare to see IK used in games for anything except relatively minor pose fix-ups (blending canned poses offers better control…

Post by mtgx » Sat, Jun 09, 2012, 6:30 PM UTC

Post by Cushman » Sat, Jun 09, 2012, 6:32 PM UTC

planetguy wrote: post #24

dmoy wrote: post #11

Real swordfighting is not about the sword, it's about the footwork. Just physically do not be where the opponent's sword is heading. See: relatively little blade contact in extremely high level fencing.

Fencing raises another good point: realistic swordfighting is actually pretty boring compared to movie swordfighting. (If it weren't, then movie swordfighting wouldn't need to be so unrealistic). If I'm gonna play a swordfighting video game I wanna be Errol Flynn, not Benjamin Kleibrink. [Who? 2008 Olympic foil champion. Yes, I had to look that up, that's the point.]

Post by ArmstrongRSBC » Sat, Jun 09, 2012, 6:33 PM UTC

trevelyan wrote: post #10

I don't mind putting a bit of cash towards projects where those involved really don't have the resources to pull it off otherwise, but does Neal Stephenson really not have enough cash to bootstrap this himself?

Post by mehulkar » Sat, Jun 09, 2012, 6:37 PM UTC

ArmstrongRSBC wrote: post #27

trevelyan wrote: post #10

I don't mind putting a bit of cash towards projects where those involved really don't have the resources to pull it off otherwise, but does Neal Stephenson really not have enough cash to bootstrap this himself?

Looks like a PR stunt to me. Not that that's a bad thing. The production alone on that video $$$