'Real-Life' Jedi Academy in New York Fuckin' City!

[Warsie]

haha holy fucking shit. Too bad this is not in Chicago.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/clips/ny-jed ... 318539.php

[Molyneux]

...ugh.

I actually fought with lightsaber models about a week ago, and as amateur as I am, even I can tell those people don't know what they're doing.

They're not fighting. They're not learning to use a blade, even a fake one. They're making fight scenes.

[Ritterin Sophia]

Anyone remember that one guy who got a chance to be an extra in AotC? This sounds like the hippie Jedi he was talking about.

[Coriolis]

God, all this flair associated with Lightsaber fighting always makes me laugh. You end up wasting energy by flailing your limbs. If you want to learn sword fighting, take a real class, like Kendo or fencing.

[Temjin]

God, all this flair associated with Lightsaber fighting always makes me laugh. You end up wasting energy by flailing your limbs. If you want to learn sword fighting, take a real class, like Kendo or fencing.

Yes, because all the people in that class came to learn real fighting skills. They're don't want to just play with a lightsaber with other people!

Oh, wait.

But I do like your endorsement of fencing as "real sword fighting."

[bz249]

Well in Hungary you are only given a secondary school equivalent degree after a year long intesive Jedi training course (I do not know what kind of jobs require a degree like that, but it is a state-accredited course)...

[lord Martiya]

God, all this flair associated with Lightsaber fighting always makes me laugh. You end up wasting energy by flailing your limbs. If you want to learn sword fighting, take a real class, like Kendo or fencing.

Yes, because all the people in that class came to learn real fighting skills. They're don't want to just play with a lightsaber with other people!

Oh, wait.

But I do like your endorsement of fencing as "real sword fighting."

In one to one fighting it's useful. At least more useful than that pseudo-Jedi crap.

[Lord Pounder]

Some of that was painful to watch, I know there are some actual swordsmen here and I know they'd rip those amatures apart in an actual duel. They seem to be the very definition of style of substance.

[SilverWingedSeraph]

... I think that was the whole point. It's not about learning actual combat skills, it's mostly about getting together with a bunch of like-minded geeks and screwing around with lightsabers. I don't think anyone there actually believes that it's teaching them real swordfighting skills. It intentionally looks flashy and unrealistic. That's part of the fun.

It looks like it would be entertaining, as long as you didn't take it too seriously.

[Molyneux]

... I think that was the whole point. It's not about learning actual combat skills, it's mostly about getting together with a bunch of like-minded geeks and screwing around with lightsabers. I don't think anyone there actually believes that it's teaching them real swordfighting skills. It intentionally looks flashy and unrealistic. That's part of the fun.

It looks like it would be entertaining, as long as you didn't take it too seriously.

Well, it does sound like that guy talking in the video takes it seriously...
All I'm saying is, sparring is fun. Work up a sweat, try to get past the other guy's guard, take a hit or two.

That playacting just looks...well, fake. Doesn't look like fun.

[Dooey Jo]

They're not fighting. They're not learning to use a blade, even a fake one. They're making fight scenes.

Well, as long as they know that's what they're doing...

Besides, they'd only be disappointed to learn that real sword fights lasts for seconds, not minutes...

What's up with the goth girl with wings, though?

[SilverWingedSeraph]

Well, it does sound like that guy talking in the video takes it seriously...
All I'm saying is, sparring is fun. Work up a sweat, try to get past the other guy's guard, take a hit or two.

That playacting just looks...well, fake. Doesn't look like fun.

Not as fun as actually sparring, no. I have to agree that the former is far more enjoyable, even when you both go a little too far and end up covered with bruises.

[Caius]

The guy in the start even said it was about creating fight scenes that could be seen in the movie, and personas to go along with it. So its just some LARPing.

[Zwinmar]

Id rather spar, my knee wont take the movements I do in a sword fight for more than a couple minutes so I go for the 'kill' asap. Too aggressive I have been called.

[Coriolis]

God, all this flair associated with Lightsaber fighting always makes me laugh. You end up wasting energy by flailing your limbs. If you want to learn sword fighting, take a real class, like Kendo or fencing.

Yes, because all the people in that class came to learn real fighting skills. They're don't want to just play with a lightsaber with other people!

Oh, wait.

But I do like your endorsement of fencing as "real sword fighting."

Well, fencing is closer to a form of fighting than "Jedi combat", which is just a bastardization of everything and anything that involves swinging your arms.

[Terralthra]

They're not fighting. They're not learning to use a blade, even a fake one. They're making fight scenes.

Well, as long as they know that's what they're doing...

Besides, they'd only be disappointed to learn that real sword fights lasts for seconds, not minutes...

What's up with the goth girl with wings, though?

That's her "heroic persona."

Now, don't get me wrong, I have a couple lightsabre toys myself. I made my own hilt, with a PVC pipe blade for rotoscoping. I approve of imagination and playing make-believe, even as adults.

This school is undoubtedly the argument from the ridiculous that makes people think that an adult owning a lightsabre toy is a sign of mental illness.

[Master_Baerne]

God, all this flair associated with Lightsaber fighting always makes me laugh. You end up wasting energy by flailing your limbs. If you want to learn sword fighting, take a real class, like Kendo or fencing.

Specifically, saber fencing. It's the only kind that includes cuts, and it puts more of an emphasis on blocking than on winning by technicalities, like foil or epee.

[Joviwan]

God. This reminds me of a group of glorrified LARPers down in anaheim that meet every week for 'saber mastery'. Me and my friends (trying to write a fanfilm) invaded them a few times with our shinai (that's their primary weapon when their not using their fancypants carbontube sabers) to schmooze and see what it was about.

Not about actually learning how to fight with a saber, apparently. As a matter of fact, they lambasted us behind our backs at our 'japanese technique' (re: efficient), and cited the reasons the 'masters' kept defeating us was because of their amazing saber technique. No, actually, they won because they use a strange SCA wound system and happily let 'whip' shots count as a hit. See, their fancy carbon tubing? Whipped against and over our shinai. Because apparently, lightsabers can do that (???).

And it STILL didn't seem as ridiculous as that video.

[Dooey Jo]

Not about actually learning how to fight with a saber, apparently. As a matter of fact, they lambasted us behind our backs at our 'japanese technique' (re: efficient), and cited the reasons the 'masters' kept defeating us was because of their amazing saber technique. No, actually, they won because they use a strange SCA wound system and happily let 'whip' shots count as a hit. See, their fancy carbon tubing? Whipped against and over our shinai. Because apparently, lightsabers can do that (???).

Oh yes, it's canon. Watch the Obi v. Darth fight in ANH, frame by frame.

[DogsOfWar]

How do you think light-whips work? They're just lightsabers with the "flex" setting turned up!

[CDiehl]

fancypants carbontube sabers

Am I wrong for picturing some thin, light PVC tubing being used for these? Also, do they pad them at all, or just put a guard on them like the SCA does with rattan?

cited the reasons the 'masters' kept defeating us was because of their amazing saber technique.

Sounds to me, from the sentences after this, that their "technique" is basically whipping people with their thin, whippy little swords instead of actually, you know, learning to control their weapons. They just want to make a virtue of their lack of skill and laziness.

See, their fancy carbon tubing? Whipped against and over our shinai.

If I were a total bastard, and a lot less safety-conscious, I'd let my opponent take a swing with his whippy POS weapon, then hit it as hard as I can with the shinai. I'll bet money that the pipe will break. When it does, I'll tell them that that's the reason you don't use weapons like that in a fight, because they're fragile and unsafe.

[lord Martiya]

Not about actually learning how to fight with a saber, apparently. As a matter of fact, they lambasted us behind our backs at our 'japanese technique' (re: efficient), and cited the reasons the 'masters' kept defeating us was because of their amazing saber technique. No, actually, they won because they use a strange SCA wound system and happily let 'whip' shots count as a hit. See, their fancy carbon tubing? Whipped against and over our shinai. Because apparently, lightsabers can do that (???).

Ugh... Lady Lumiya...

[Joviwan]

Am I wrong for picturing some thin, light PVC tubing being used for these? Also, do they pad them at all, or just put a guard on them like the SCA does with rattan?

A little bit. Instead of thin, light PVC tubing; picture thin, light, inter weaved carbon fiber material, almost identical to the material they used for stunt sabers in Ep2 and Ep3 that was so amazingly resistant to shock and impact damage (the, uh, primary kind of damage they take when being bashed around against each other.) Shit cuts like a mother if you don't plug or tape up the tips, but otherwise, it was unpadded. Not nearly as badass as the SCA's "Stick with a Handle".

So yeah. The stuff holds up pretty well for extended use, and their rods tended to last quite a while. Just, you know, their main future goal (Fanfilm) will be almost entirely self-defeating when ever they get to rotoscoping the damn thing. But that's digressing.

Yeah... Just a bunch of glorified larpers in their jedi costumes. Some of those guys were actually nice, and two of them actually studied SOME kind of swordwork. But basically, they made a playground game, and then they cheated at their own rules.

EDIT: So, you know, I make sense.