BUSHIDO BLADE 2 (PlayStation)

[Gamepad]

View:
Side View and First Person View (I haven't tried the FP mode yet, but will update on that)

Movement:
Directional buttons (forward, backward, left, right)
Double pressing directional button results in character moving greater distance.
L1 + Directional button = run

Attack:
O = frontal attack
X = reverse attack
Different attacks can be made by using direction keys in combination with attack buttons.

Stance:
☐ = change stance (from high to normal to low stance and back to high stance again)
High stance: powerful attacks, weak blocks
Normal stance: average attacks, average blocks
Low stance: weak attacks, powerful blocks

Defend:
There is no special defense button. Defending can only be done by counterattacking. This means that if the enemy attacks, you have to press an attack button yourself and hope your attack blocks his (or even better, your attack kills him before he kills you)

Single hit:
The game is mostly about hitting your opponent just once: most hits are lethal. The succesful hits that are not lethal, usually cripple the enemy enough to give you enough of an advantage to finish him off quickly.

Some other options that are available:
Throw sand: when fighting on sandy ground, character can duck, grab and toss sand in opponent's face to temporarily blind him (R2 + X)
Throw sub weapon: characters can fight with secondary weapons. These can be thrown at opponent (R2 + O)

COMBAT IN BUSHIDO BLADE

Characters start close together. You have to advance a little to get close enough to attack. You can really study the opponent's stance and change your own combat strategy accordingly.

As you attack, different things can happen:
a) you kill your opponent (great)
b) your opponent counterattacks and kills you first (oops)
c) your attack hits and wounds opponent
d) your attack is blocked

The outcome of each attack is important. If your attack was blocked perfectly, you usually leave an opening in your own defense. You have to react quickly and regain your posture and blocking stance. Sometimes your attack is blocked but not perfectly. Now, you need to react quickly, but on the offensive side. Just attack again and try to make use of the fact that your previous attack wasn't completely diverted.

Some attacks will knock the enemy of his feet, giving you the opportunity to close in for the kill.

Some attacks simply unbalance your opponent, making your next attacks a little more likely to be succesful.

Sometimes attacks happen at the exact same time. At this point, blades meet and opponents are drawn into a physical fight (press either button O or X repeatedly to overpower opponent). The loser of this struggle will end up sprawled on the floor, momentarily helpless.

There are six different weapons, each with its own strenghts and weaknesses. For example, the Katana is fast while the broadsword is mainly powerful. The Yari (spear-like) has a long reach. Each weapon has its own special attacks. Each stance has its own special attacks. And finally each character has special attacks.

Special attacks can be made by pressing the right combination of directional buttons and attack buttons (some special attacks only require attack buttons). Some attacks need an attack button and direction button pressed at same time, others need some timing (press one button after another), still others might require a combination of the two.

I've yet to fight with two weapons, but I know it's possible (only received the game yesterday and wanted to get the info out as soon as possible)

COMBAT REVIEW

I like this type of combat. It's not yet perfect to my liking, but it is certainly the best sword fighting engine I've seen. You can really choose your attacks and time your defense. There are many different characters to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. And each weapon has its own fighting style. I'm going to play now and see how the First Person mode works. One thing I found lacking in Side View was that I couldn't really look for openings (might just be lacking skill).

Next on my list are Die By The Sword (I just know I had the demo disk somewhere in this mess) and Soul Calibur.

Say, I've heard mention of an updated version of Bushido Blade for Playstation 2. Does anyone know more about this?

EDIT: Just tried First Person View... Boy, why'd they even include this in the game? Waste of time. I guess at least it was a good example of why first person just doesn't work for sword fighting.


[edited by - Silvermyst on May 7, 2002 10:55:59 PM]

I think that in order to get a feel for the sword, you''d have to have certain combinations of mouse movements and key combinations. But the best way to do this is to have a sort of "scripting language" built into the moves. What I mean by this is that certain buttons or mouse movements have certain meanings....notice I didn''t say the word action.

For example, let''s say that a horizontal mouse movement is a horizontal "meaning", while the first mouse button "means" attack. Furthermore, the CTL key can mean "short", while the ALT key can mean "long". A middle mouse button can mean "garde/trap", while the 2nd mouse button can mean "parry". And yes it''s possible to include parry/attack moves simultaneously. So in a way, you have mouse and keyboard combinations that are both commands and syntax...sort of a rude scripting language for attacks. When you combine this with an AI routine that can recognize a players movements, you can get pretty close to simulating real moves.

I think the real trick is what I mentioned before....the animation problem. It''s virtually impossible with today''s animation techniques to make the player model move in unscripted ways. Let me take that back, it''s possible, but the motions may look incredibly jerky or out of synch, and will be a tremendous burden on GPU power (I guess GPU''s could take bones and control points and manipulate much the same way as vertex points...but I''m not positive on that).

In other words, the animator will have to come up with precanned moves which the player selects from. This has been the way things have been since the first fighting arcade games. Also, each weapon should have the weaknesses and advantages I mentioned...recovery time, length, penetration, damage, etc etc.

quote:

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Original post by Silvermyst
Well, for now, let''s focus on a one-on-one fight. So ''mouse-look'' isn''t really a necessary element. The camera could either be set in place, or automatically change when needed (when combatants close). That''s not to say that mouse-look might not be required, but it depends on a lot of different other elements.

---

Have you played any Zelda''s for the N64? IMO they have a very good system for 1-on-1 fights. You hold a button down to focus on 1 enemy. When you''re focused, the camera is always behind you, facing the enemy. Your character always faces the enemy as well. Left and right circle-strafes around the enemy. Up and down moves you closer and further from him. Holding down the key wouldn''t be great for the computer, so maybe you could toggle this mode on and off.

There was a game called Ape Escape that came out when the dual shock controllers first came out. In the game you get a net, you run around with the left analog stick, and swing with the right analog stick. Which ever way you moved the right analog stick was the way your net went. Now if you just replace the net with a sword, then there would be a good way to control sword fighting. Also for pc, I have always thought of a way for sword fighting. You use your keyboard to move/strafe, and the mouse to move the camera around (3rd person or 1st person) when you right click and hold it, then where ever the mouse moves that is where the players sword moves, move the sword to the right very fast and the character swings the sword to the right really fast. Then you can make different combinations of movements like, move the mouse back the forward very fast and the character would to an over head swing.


OoMMMoO

1) sport fencing may be defensive, dueling not so
2) broadsword, no such thing

I have to agree that "Jedi Knight 2" has a pretty well-down sword fighting system. This game also shows that you need some other skills besides the basic sword skill - like push''n pull, lightning etc. So some magic/force/power/mana should be present to make the battles more strategic and finally more fun.

Acctully,
A game devolpment company could make a great game out of this. Put some special effects and add what the people want such as partical effects that act like sparks and have a VF4 camera layout this could be a great! GREAT GAME!

Hmm.
Lucasarts some time ago canceled Obi-Wan for PC;
it was gonna be a insanely good game...the fans really got pissed when they canceled it.
I think they brought JK2 in to handle the PR fiasco.

Anyway.
The lightsaber fighting was uber.
It WAS mouse controlled.
Essentally there a few basic shapes you could make, then you could make your own saber moves.
All the previewers loved it, from what I could see.

http://pc.ign.com/previews/14492.html

http://www.cdmag.com/Home/home.html?article=/articles/029/048/obiwan_interview.html


I was really pumped about OB1, but they canceled it..:-/


Bugle4d

How can they cancel something so many people would like play?

So what if the budget was cut, keep working on it in spare time, find volunteers or something. Look at gamedev, people are working their asses off for much crappier and definitely less popular games without getting a dime for it. They should keep working on that game, or someone should take over the project

Heyas,

Just a small sugestion of a system I would use (and may yet if I get my project started!!)

If the swordfighting is to be implemented in a 3D RPG (which is what I specifically am interested in) I personally would not include too many combo''s etc. as IMO RPG swordfighting systems dont want to be too complicated, complex systems are better suited to games that present 1 vs 1 scenarios, wheras in RPG''s you are more likely to be facing small hordes. A complex system would become tiresome to have to master against lots of opponents at once. Thus from this base view of how to deal with swordfighting I would create my system as follows...

<B>Left click {1 melee weapon armed}</B> - Slashes at enemy body location currently targetted by the mouse pointer with weapon #1 using primary attack mode

<B>Right click {1 melee weapons armed}</B> - Slashes at enemy body location currently targetted by the mouse pointer with weapon #1 using secondary attack mode

<B>Left click {2 melee weapons armed}</B> - Slashes at enemy body location currently targetted by the mouse pointer with weapon #1 using primary attack mode

<B>Right Click {2 melee weapons armed}</B> - Slashes at enemy body location currently targetted by the mouse pointer with weapon #2 using primary attack mode

This system would allow for the possibility to be just as flexible controlling one or two weapons, secondary attack modes would be available when wielding only one weapon as the player is better able to concentrate on using that one weapon to the best of its ability

<B>Left Click + CTRL-key {2 melee weapons armed}</B> - Sets character into defensive mode with weapon/shield #1

<B>Left Click + CTRL-key {1 melee weapon armed}</B> - Sets character into defensive mode with weapon/shield #1

<B>Right Click + CTRL-key {2 melee weapons armed}</B> - Sets character into defensive mode with weapon/shield #2

<B>Right Click + CTRL-key {1 melee weapon armed}</B> - Sets character into defensive mode with weapon/shield #2

Finally I would add in the random possibility (based on stats and/or skills) of a riposte when blocking, ie you manage to twist the enemies attack into an attack of your own.

Overall this system would allow for basic attacks aimed at specific body locations with the possibility of special attack modes when wielding only one weapon (special attack VS more damage) With the addition of one key (CTRL) to the system, blocking can be managed which in the game could decrease incoming damage or provide a chance of not taking damage at all.

While this sytem by no means is fully realistic I think it would make a good balance between realism and playability. You''re not stuck with the likes of an Everquest auto-attack button yet you''re not having to read a 100 page manual to learn how to swing a sword. Makes it a little more interesting than hack n'' slash because you have to put a little more thought in than simply a single click.

Just my 2cp, I''m not saying it''s the best idea ever, others might not like it, it''s just my suggestion and if anyone takes up on it then cool =) if not I may just use it myself anyways so no loss,

thanks for readin,

Steve aka Mephs