51–60 of 188 posts
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?
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.
All this makes fencing more fun and interesting, but also more of a game. This really affects the tactics people use.
Also, foil works the same way with a very similar set of rules about the right of way. There are some minor variations, but the basic idea is the same--if you have the right of way, you get the point even if you hit after your opponent. Epee is different, with no right of way, but I never really liked it so can't comment much. If anything, it seems epee is less focused on footwork than saber, but it could just be my inner saber biases showing.
Fencing, while awesome, is a poor proxy for actual sword fighting. If you were actually facing something sharp, you would be much more worried about getting hit at all and so would probably parry more.
Biggest problem with these games (I've found, anyway) is that your sword controller cannot magically stop in mid air when your virtual sword hits another sword or a wall or whatever. It really ruins the immersion.
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.
Of course fencing, especially at the higher levels, is much more a sport than a form of combat. I'm only intimately familiar with saber, but there the rules play a very important role. Having the right of way changes everything, and a lot of blade contact is about getting the right of way rather than actually preventing your opponent from doing something. If you have the right of way, you don't care about being hit a…
So yes I suppose it does matter what you mean by "real swordfighting." If you mean standing there decked out in 50lbs++ of metal armor with a giant sword & shield, footwork is less important. If you mean the kind of swordfighting that took off from 17th century on - dueling with rapiers, not mass combat, then it's footwork all the way down.
And yes, for the record, I think that realistic dueling would make for a very boring video game. I would be 100% behind more realistic sword & shield combat though, that could be incredibly awesome.
Biggest problem with these games (I've found, anyway) is that your sword controller cannot magically stop in mid air when your virtual sword hits another sword or a wall or whatever. It really ruins the immersion.
I googled "sword fighting robot" and found this: http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2011/07/20/kinect-used-in-...
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…
You should try out Mount & Blade series then.
Also, it's not clear from the video if the game will be playable _without_ the special hardware...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course fencing, especially at the higher levels, is much more a sport than a form of combat. I'm only intimately familiar with saber, but there the rules play a very important role. Having the right of way changes everything, and a lot of blade contact is about getting the right of way rather than actually preventing your opponent from doing something. If you have the right of way, you don't care about being hit a…
Parrying only works with heavy, slow weapons. The unfortunate reality is that with a light, fast weapon, you do not have the time or reaction speed to actually parry. "Parrying" doesn't really happen. Getting the f * away with your feet is the only option. So yes I suppose it does matter what you mean by "real swordfighting." If you mean standing there decked out in 50lbs++ of metal armor with a giant sword & shield,…
It isn't just parrying in a vacuum--it also involves good timing, footwork and some forethought. It's definitely not based entirely on reaction time. For example, if you're moving backwards while parrying, you get significantly more time. Also, having a good idea of where somebody will attack (for example, you feign an opening) helps. And, of course, you do a ton of drills about how to parry so the different parries are burned into your mind.
It still isn't anything like the movies, of course, but it is still significant. It also affects the right of way, but only if the opponent does not get through your parry, so parrying well is important even in the framework of the rules.
As someone who's been into martial arts for some time I'm very sceptic about this. There's a lot more to realistic fighting than just swinging and clashing swords: footwork, body movement, weight transfer...
Nevertheles, even if it won't turn out to be perfect it could stil be a lots of fun. I'll be watching their progress.
I absolutely adore the video, but the video should CLEARLY explain what the money is going to be used for. There is no mention (only allusion) to hardware development in the video at all. Also, it's not clear from the video if the game will be playable _without_ the special hardware...
There's a second video a bit further down with a bit more info.