Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Battle Techniques

Battle scenes are not something that come to me naturally, so I read. I watch. I learn.

Last week, a new trailer was released for Assassin's Creed Revelations. It reminded me to include something besides sword swinging in my writing: movement.

I do have movement, of course, but it's not as fluid as I'd like it to be. My biggest challenge is probably keeping everyone focused on the character I'm describing at each specific moment. Not confusing who did what, if you will. I find that includes at lot of naming names, which I don't love.

Does anyone have any tips for this problem?

Anyhoo, here is the awesome trailer. Lots of stuff going on in this one. Plenty of Ottoman? Istanbul. Or perhaps the last days of Constantinople? I'm not entirely sure.

What I do see is a perfect midway point between the tales of Al Tair and Ezio Auditore, the Bosporos Strait, circa 1453.

One of these days I'll have to make a post about Al Tair. Did you know Al Tair is also the brighest star in the Aquila constellation. Aquila being the eagle.

6 comments:

Sarah said...

Assassins Creed has amazing graphics. My boys love playing it and I expect will be asking for this new version.

I can't offer any advice on the writing question except to concentrate on what happens to the main character.

Old Kitty said...

Oooh can't wait to watch this when I'm not at work!

As for fight scenes - I guess it'll be easier to just concentrate - use the povs - on what one or two are doing maybe? I think! GOOD LUCK!!! Take care
x

Sarah said...

I like writing action scenes, and I think I do them reasonably well--but to do that, I spend A LOT of time watching videos of whatever fighting style I'm describing. Like, in slo mo. Over and over. So I think your strategy is a good one! I do tend to focus on one person as I'm writing action, with brief mentions of what's going on elsewhere if there's more than one person fighting.

Carolyn V said...

I think my kids have seen the new trailer a billion times. I wish I knew what to say about keeping readers enthralled about my main character, but I'm still learning. ;)

Cacy said...

I choreograph and visualize as much as as possible trying to think of all the details and what every characters' blocking and placement within (or outside of) the scene. Then when I write it I strip it down the simplest language and only use the most important details sometimes give a sense of what's going on rather than trying to full-out explain everything.

I think the writer needs to know all the details because in this case it's easier to write when you've already planned what's going on, but the reader only needs the bare minimum so they don't get bogged down.

LTM said...

you know I don't write (or typically read) action scenes like this, but I think you do a very good job w/them!

Cool game~ :D <3

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