Submitted by Kaarin on Tue, 06/07/2005 - 08:28
Posted in
They give a number of us (well, at least me) trouble - and thanks to one of my writting books, I now have a way to make it actually work easier. :) It inolves extra work, but it helps.
I will try to create a chart later, but it's based on the example: plan out the action beforehand. In short bits, to be converted to prose later. Mostly it involves breaking things down into little snapshots of action, with notes on where people are.
Anyway, it's just something that seems usefull, and is at least working. Hopefully, can finish the chart before the week is out.
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Fight Scenes
I can't say I've ever had trouble writing fight scenes...it is probably all of those years of GMing RPGs and having to keep track of as many as 30 or 40 different opponents aganst a dozen or so characters.
I find that the whole thing breaks down into this:
Block (all-out defense)
Dodge (Defender avoids attack)
Parry (Attack defeated, defender able to attack)
Counter Attack (an attack that the defender makes based on an opening the attacker leaves)
Attack (whether it suceeds or fails)
Lunge (all-out attack)
You can attack and defend at the same time, but the more you attack the less defense you have. The more you defend, the less attack you have.
Even the most successful fighters get hit. Even the most defensive tanks get a dent now and again. Nobody walks away unharmed from a fight.
Take all of those elements and randomize them, and you have a good fight scene. Each of the options dictates that it is "in-response" to something. So if you are "Blocking" then obviously the Attacker is using a power attack. If you're lunging it is because you need the extra oomph to break a defense or there is a wide-open hole in his defense.
As for spatial relationships-- All fights are based on circles. You have a range of attack and a range of defense. You can effectively control the actions of yourself within your range of defense but nothing else. So things which get past your defense radius can hurt you. Between your range of defense and your range of attack is the "threat zone". Anything can happen there. If your defense zone is inside your opponant's attack zone, you are under attack.
A fight scene is staged in a radius that is twice the size of the distance between the opponants. Think of a boxing ring. The ideal distance between opponants is roughly 6 feet. That is the point at which the two attack radii of the opponants meet. A boxing ring is 12 feet across.
So if you are fighting a 12 foot tall demon and you are 6 feet tall. The demon is weilding a 10 foot long sword and you have a 4 foot long sword.
Your attack radius is half your height (3 feet) plus your sword (4 feet) - 7 feet. The deom is 6 feet plus 10 feet = 16 feet. Your combined radii are 23 feet. So you could have a good fight in a 50 foot circle.
What can you fit in a 50 foot circle? A dumpster in an alley. A ballroom with a chandelier. A good sized schooner. A dump truck. All of these things become the texture for the fight.
If the short guy (with the 7' attack range) gets within the 16' range of the demon (which he has to do to hurt it) the demon's attack radius is within the defense radius of the guy (simple eh?).
The demon gets a swipe at the guy the guy gets a swipe at the demon. If the guy gets inside the demon's defense radius then the demon will likely be injured.
Demons are very aggressive so they have small defense radiuses...armor, spells, immunities...that sort of thing. Men (particularly fighters) tend to use their wits so they have a wide defensive radius but it is less robust.
So if the demon can attack the man in his thret zone then the man must either Dodge (he can control his own actions within his defensive range but not the demon - so keeping the demon's attack outside his defense is good) or block (bringing the demon closer to his attack range).
See? The action is writing itself.
All that I ever add from there is witty banter and some flash moves (double flips and bouncing off the set-dressing) to make it interesting sounding and you have an instant fight scene.