@Drachen_Jager , my man, I can get why you dislike whiny, insecure Kylo Ren (and I hugely prefer him over whiny, insecure teenage Anakin) but have you ever considered that somebody can be very powerful in one area (the Force) and terribly rubbish in another (swordfighting)? Sure, a lightsaber can't become dull from wrong usage but this guys starts hacking at shit when he's throwing his hissy fits. Would a good swordsman do that?
He's wounded, survived quite the explosion, is rubbish at swords and just killed his dad. And you give him crap for merely getting away alive after taking on two people tag-teaming him?

Three good reasons to aim [an attack at] an opponent's sword: gain a tactical advantage (e.g. position, or momentum of either blade), gauge a reaction (e.g. is your opponent tense or over-reactive), or wear out your opponent.

Number of the films shown that do so for those reasons: surprisingly high, by my count... maybe 10-15%.

Nice montage, but I'm off to find a one of swordfights that are both artistic and realistic. There are so many good fights out there.

*related=http://videosift.com/video/How-to-swordfight-like-a-true-Viking

The Princess Bride - Behind the Scenes Swordfighting has been added as a related post - related requested by kulpims on that post.

How to swordfight like a true Viking has been added as a related post - related requested by kulpims.

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>> ^mentality:
Isn't high level fencing aggressive because it doesn't matter if your opponent hits you as long as you hit them first? That sort of scoring system seems to naturally favor the one with the aggression and initiative.


Generally yes, it doesn't matter if your opponent hits you as long as you hit them first. There are "right of way" rules to establish who has the initiative and the right to attack, and in fencing as a sport there are actually judges to make rulings on whether or not a touch should be thrown out because the attacker didn't have the right of way. It can get confusing.

Basically, whoever attacks first takes the right of way, but their opponent can take it back by successfully making a parry. It gets gray when both people attack at nearly the same time, their swords/foils/whatever touch but not enough to deflect a touch, and both attacks hit. Usually they wear vests with sensors to light up and say who got hit first, but I think a judge can overrule that if they think that the person that got hit first had tried to parry/riposte the original attack.

I'd tend to say that just further explains my stance that it can't really be "realistic"; if it were an actual duel we wouldn't need judges and electric vests to say that person A or B touched first and therefore "won". Instead, they'd both be dead and we could safely say they both lost.

>> ^MilkmanDan:
If you watch high-level fencing, the participants are usually very aggressive. That is for a good reason -- high aggression usually results in more scored touches/points over time. But we're talking aggregate; over many many matches with many many participants, being more aggressive is usually better in terms of total points scored. However, that ignores the fact that if you participated in actual duels with non-blunted weapons with that same level of aggression, you might be slightly more likely to kill your first (, second, third ...) opponent, but you would also be more likely to get yourself killed. The tactics and approach are altered as a consequence of using blunted/nonlethal weapons as opposed to "shit gets real" tools of war.

Isn't high level fencing aggressive because it doesn't matter if your opponent hits you as long as you hit them first? That sort of scoring system seems to naturally favor the one with the aggression and initiative.

>> ^MilkmanDan:

If you watch high-level fencing, the participants are usually very aggressive. That is for a good reason -- high aggression usually results in more scored touches/points over time. But we're talking aggregate; over many many matches with many many participants, being more aggressive is usually better in terms of total points scored. However, that ignores the fact that if you participated in actual duels with non-blunted weapons with that same level of aggression, you might be slightly more likely to kill your first (, second, third ...) opponent, but you would also be more likely to get yourself killed. The tactics and approach are altered as a consequence of using blunted/nonlethal weapons as opposed to "shit gets real" tools of war.

I know next to nothing about fencing, but I watched it in the olympics out of interest, and I found myself thinking a lot of the strikes put the attacker in a really dangerous position if the swords were real. Good to know I was on the right track.

>> ^MilkmanDan:


As much as we might try to emulate the "real deal", I suppose that it can't be 100% authentic without authentic consequences (which is obviously impossible).


pffsh! Away with your defeatist attitude. Both participants sign waivers, we give them pointy swords and armour and hold it somewhere with a relaxed attitude to health and safety, like Indonesia, Zimbabwe or Texas.

Would be interesting in future to see combat sports eventually go virtual, with a matrix style environment that allows for no holds barred combat without an arbitrary victory condition.

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Historically Accurate Viking Swordfight Choreographer is a hell of a niche profession.

Wow, swordfight. Let's all get our dicks out, weee!

I wonder if Blizzard is seeing a dime from these Homages,using their market force to promote this restaurant. Considering how well China respects the Creators of copyrighted material,I doubt it highly.And such a lame attempt at cashing in on World of Warcraft too. Murals,Big TVs. Unworthy.

Now if I were Blizzard,I'd outshine this huckster's game of an eatery in China and make their own Themed Restaurant chain. I've taken people with kids to places in New York City that are special effects extravaganzas with something "interesting" going on at about every 15 minutes. One consisted of a spaceship ride to an alien world,al la 1950's sci fi flicks.and another was called Jeckle and Hyde's
Adventurer's Club where you eat in a supposed Gothic mansion devoted to hunters of the macabre run by the esteemed Dr. Jeckle,who has a cute animatronic transformation into Mister Hyde I'd imagine several times a night. That's the idea of it: having a crew of actors interact with the customers as Magic Mirrors,or a diver speaking from a shark head mounted on the wall.3 tiers overlooking a wall of animatronic Ghoulish delight,little shows,interesting things going on all the time,here and there.

Now try that with the Lore of World of Warcraft as the theme. Maybe a several vinette plot acted out with stage swordfighting and spells special effected to life. There is also a franchise called Medival Times that has horses jousting and the knightly ambiance to boot.You sit as spectators to a 6 course dinner while a show of several acts is going on in the middle. Warcraft Dinner theatre. Both types of show have their advantages. The "stuff going on all the time" thing allows for walk in traffic,so a constant flow of money,or the Super Spectacular you sell like a Play,for a one performance ticket maybe 60 bucks a pop.With Official Blizzard merchendise at the Souvenier stand!

It could work well.It would work well.Will somebody tell somebody about this so something can be done?
KKTHXBYE! LOL

>> ^brycewi19:

This is exactly what the terrible channel was created for!


This is exactly what the *robotswordfight channel aught to be created for!