I’ve been doing a lot of jabbering about fighting and doing
cool stuff in RPGs recently. Anyone who saw my recent post about making a game
more about what players can do and less about what they cannot saw one clip I
shared from the cinematic trailer for Elder Scrolls Online. Yes, that’s the
kind of stuff I want to see (or, at least imagine) during a roleplaying game.
But, there are certainly others.
Awhile back, I first saw Now You See Me. It had a great cast
of mostly up and coming actors and was a solid movie. I’d definitely recommend
it for +Jonathan Henry or anyone else looking to run a heist style game.
However, the main fight scene they had starring Dave Franco opposite Mark
Ruffalo was awesome. I can totally see doing this with Fate Core. At the same
time, I’m almost reminded of a well-flavored D&D thief, particularly DnD
4e. I like it, because we see no damage is being done really, but the
characters are both fighting, working toward a goal. I don’t see that a lot in
RPGs, but I wish I did—not only for the “damageless” combat, but the creative maneuvers.
Next up is a movie I saw some years back. Equilibrium is set
in a dystopian future where emotion has been outlawed, because it is the root
of all evil. Even fine art and music is contraband. Everyone takes a
Prozac-like drug. But, it also brought in the “gun kata” which is funny and
ridiculous in its own right (although, I have seen several firearms instructors
speak as to how it could work in real life), but what is roleplaying if not
fun, over the top, and unbelievable. The final fight scene here with Christian
Bale and Angus Macfadyen has it all. A 45 in one hand, katana in the other, the
maneuvers make for some visually stunning effects. I like this and want to see
more of it in RPGs, because the fast paced action and complexity of the moves
being able to be watered down mechanically to pull it off so we could actually
envision this would just be awesome. Check out the beginning part where he
slides the magazines across the floor strategically too. Tell me your favorite
gun bunny shouldn’t be able to do that!
Now, I’m up for a good kung fu movie just about whenever
there is an option. I happen to like Jet Li. In Unchained, he plays a prize
fight who really only know how to fight. It was actually a very well done
movie, though. The acting and script were good and it totally wasn’t what I was
expecting. The cool thing about this martial arts flick, though was how a lot
of the fighting was so brutal and animalistic. It wasn’t all style and form,
but had a lot of street fighting in it. That was pretty cool and I think, when
we have the brute that isn’t some sort of kung fu master, we forget how awesome
and entertaining their fighting can be. That isn’t always the case, especially
when there is a military guy in the group, but it often is. This compilation of
scenes shows how awesome street fighting really can be made to look, and it’s
worth keeping in mind for describing cool fighting stuff even if you aren’t
playing some wandering sword master of the 9th clan of the 9th
moon.
Along the same lines, checking out Fighting with Channing
Tatum is worth it. It’s not a good script, but the acting is decent enough. The
fight scenes are brutal. At one point, someone’s head hits a linoleum floor and
I and about three other guys cringed at the sound when we heard it in the
theater, because it was so spot on. That shit hurts, too. This level of
realism, where getting punched actually hurts and—if you don’t do it right—can hurt
your hand, where fighting leaves bruises and torn muscles—it makes sense and is
something to keep in mind, especially for grittier campaigns and is a good
reason many characters might avoid a fight, because—well, fighting hurts.
Now, there’s a lot of cool stuff out there and maybe you
have some of your own you’d like to add to the list down in the comments. I
know I could think of more, but there’s only so much room on the internet and
all. Of course, with martial artists, action film buffs, etc., there tends to
be more description that goes into the fighting. That’s been my experience,
anyhow. And, there can come a time when that individual kind of steals the spot
light. As a GM, I find it important sometimes to have them hold their thought
when only part way through, so others can have a turn. There is a certain
balance required here. It can be done. Let them start in, as it gets a little
too long, ask them to hold on, because other players are acting at the same
time in “fast paced combat” and all. You’;ll come back to them after others
have gone or t least started to go. I’ve actually had it work quite well and
the pause gives players a chance to modify and make their character’s actions
even cooler, sometimes by playing what others in the group are doing.
To me, that’s a big chunk of what RPGs are—stories about
cool people doing cool stuff. There are lots of variations on a theme there,
but—I strong believe—if you’re going to do it in a game, you need to do it “awesomer.”
It’s like +Robert Hanz is always talking about framing the scene and making it
interesting and I know +Joshua Macy often talks about, if it isn’t interesting,
why is it in the game?
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