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Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

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Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#161

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

jamesjyu wrote: post #69
yummyfajitas wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It will also have to drastically downplay the importance of footwork. In a real swordfight, where to put your feet is nearly as important as where to put the sword.

This is also true for a plethora of sports games as well, specifically racquet based games. Swinging the racquet is less than half the battle -- footwork, in most physical types of activities, is much more important. Omnidirectional treadmill? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnidirectional_treadmill

> Omnidirectional treadmill?

About 3:50 into the video entitled "The weeds" Mr. Stepehnson says "We're going to start with an off-the-shelf controller that anyone can buy today. This eliminates the risk that we'll blow this by failing on some ambitious custom hardware project. From there we'll iterate based partly on your feedback. "

So no treadmills at first.

Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#162

Post by cheatercheater »

TLDR: In a parallel thread ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4086805 ) multiple posters note how Pixar's 22 tips for storytelling apply to computer programming. Obviously AAPL took note, because Neal Stephenson is working on Clang now. The enterprise became the hot topic of yet another front-page thread ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4090845 ). They soon might find this handy: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4085318

;)

Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#163

Post by cheatercheater »

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…

Thief 1/2 gave you a bit of a feel for it.

Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#165

Post by Retric »

Karellen wrote: post #159
defen wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Consider the draw weight of the longbow - "Although the draw weight of a typical English longbow is disputed, it was at least 360 newtons (81 pounds-force) and possibly more than 600 N (130 lbf), with some estimates as high as 900 N (200 lbf)". And they would loose approximately 6 arrows per minute in combat. And this was a weapon for the yeomanry, not the guys whose entire lives were devoted to maintaining military…

Your rate is low. A semi-decent archer (which most men were, practicing every Sunday after church) should be able to loose at least 12 arrows/minute. Most students (~80%) are able to do that, safely, after about 4 3-hour training sessions, 2 weeks apart. Admittedly, they're only using 30-40lb bows, and can only do it for 1 minute, but that's just lack of strength/stamina which comes from practice. A fair proportion c…

At 12/minute your not going to be able fire again before someone 20m from you get's in range. Second 80lb is light on the light but useful end of a medieval bow. Also, their arrows where much heaver and less stable in flight than what most people use now days.

PS: There is something of an arms race with bows, if you use a 100lb bow and your opponents use 80lb bows you can slaughter them before they get into range. (Ignoring wind, and terrain issues.)

Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#167

Post by mark_l_watson »

antipax wrote: post #6

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.

This is why haptics is so important. About 15 years ago I did a virtual reality race car simulator at SAIC. The steering wheel was controlled to simulate the feel of hitting a curb, the smooth feeling during a spin out, etc. Good for suspension of disbelief.

Two years later I did a ritual reality raft simulator for Disney. The paddles had no feedback mechanism and it hurt the experience (paddling with no feel for paddle going through the water). At the same time someone I worked with did a sword fighting simulation that was very cool, but also did not had force feedback effects.

Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#168

Post by jere »

Lukeas14 wrote: post #102
antipax wrote: post #6

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.

Next biggest problem is that, in reality, Medieval duels rarely lasted more than a minute before one side was fatally injured. Not nearly long enough for a video game.

Are you not familiar with rounds?

A lot of fighting game rounds are over in under 10 seconds.

Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#169

Post by keithpeter »

PostOnce wrote: post #88
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?

I thought it might be to gauge demand. Why spend a million dollars on an unannounced project only to find out no-one wants it? And if people really want it, they'll put up a few dollars, perhaps.

Especially as the future development of decent controllers will mean players paying out for specialised hardware.

Re: Neal Stephenson wants to revolutionize sword fighting video games

#170

Post by jes5199 »

Camillo wrote: post #126
vidarh wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are tons of things I would like to do, that I could afford to do, but that I still won't do if I have to bear the whole financial risk myself. I'm sure that's true for a lot of people.

If I had to bear your financial risk, I would expect a return: if I'm an investor give me shares, if I'm loaning you money give me interest. Why do I not deserve the same rewards as any other investor? I find the entire proposition offensive.

Giving $25 is not bearing financial risk! It's an optimistic pre-order, it's a statement of support, it's a donation to The Arts, it's patronage. And it's less money than it costs out for dinner in San Francisco.

It offends and infuriates me that you don't see any value in the creation of new technology other than "give me interest". Your species of cynical profiteering is the reason we have freewheeling boom and bust cycles with no significant social benefit.

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