Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

Stormbringer · 08-27-2008, 11:00 AM

I was looking over Gizmodo, and I saw that they recently had a photoshop contest, "135 Ways to Ruin the Olympics Using Technology". Among them were several fencing-related entries (including one that took second place):

Image 01
Image 02
Image 03
Image 04
Image 05
Image 06

So... Thoughts? Opinions? Other photoshopped images to be shared?

noodle · 08-27-2008, 11:33 AM

nothing terribly original. i could link quite a number of similar contensts with similar themed entries.

oiuyt · 08-27-2008, 11:35 AM

From the article:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizmodo

If your entry didn't make it into the following gallery, it's probably because you included a lightsaber in there somehow. I got about 30 entries of fencing with lightsabers, so don't feel bad that yours didn't make it in. Thanks to everyone who entered!

And yet that also described the 2nd place image.

Comments about the fencing pictures:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SheFaliCaster

is second place ruining the olympics, or making them awesome?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Get Em SteveDave

If you parry, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GirlGadget

What contest were these judges watching? Sure the lightsaber match scores high on technical ability, but should have had abysmal scores for originality and artistic merit. The dancing wrestlers score high in originality and low in technical ability.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaiserMacHead's

The lightsaber fencing is the coolest, and the wresting with the dance lights is the MOST LOLworthy! LOL

-B

oiuyt · 08-27-2008, 11:38 AM

No comments on the fencing image that took second being an example of ruining of the Games because the fencers are 2 1/2 minutes into the bout without having scored. :)

-B

piste off · 08-27-2008, 11:42 AM

I can't help to think that there will be a time shortly (if we are not there already) that the techology will be there to have real-time overlays to fencing media that use some of the "light-sword" concept.

Think the moving WR line in swimming, or glowing puck in hockey.

I'm sure this has been discussed (I remember it somewhere), and has the purists reeling - but it would involve no or little changes to our sport but might be the ticket for getting more appeal. One of the feedbacks that I get constantly from non-fencers is that it is impossible to follow the action - this would greatly help that issue.

Anybody really working on that concept? Brad - do you know of anything?

R-

noodle · 08-27-2008, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piste off

I can't help to think that there will be a time shortly (if we are not there already) that the techology will be there to have real-time overlays to fencing media that use some of the "light-sword" concept.

Think the moving WR line in swimming, or glowing puck in hockey.

I'm sure this has been discussed (I remember it somewhere), and has the purists reeling - but it would involve no or little changes to our sport but might be the ticket for getting more appeal. One of the feedbacks that I get constantly from non-fencers is that it is impossible to follow the action - this would greatly help that issue.

Anybody really working on that concept? Brad - do you know of anything?

R-

if they have the overlays going, then they could also potentially make computer-based refereeing possible. i'd like to think that this would be the approach, not the whole lightsaber thing.

Sean Butler · 08-27-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noodle

if they have the overlays going, then they could also potentially make computer-based refereeing possible. i'd like to think that this would be the approach, not the whole lightsaber thing.

Interesting, but I think we will always need a referee and the computer will simply be an increasingly better tool for helping to determine RoW.

The lightsaber thing, if done right, could create a more watchable sport. I am not saying that the blades should look like Star Wars lightsabers, I just mean that highlighting the blades with color or brightness could help the laymen see what's happening on the TV broadcasts. Though as I say that I have to readily admit that 1080P televisions and proper lighting will do an equally good job without any extra computer effects.

noodle · 08-27-2008, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Butler

Interesting, but I think we will always need a referee and the computer will simply be an increasingly better tool for helping to determine RoW.

no question about that, but having computer-aided refereeing would make the sport look a lot less subjective and reduce some of the criticisms of it.

but then again, it would require a hard, cut in stone interpretation or revision of the rulebook to code against.

piste off · 08-27-2008, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Butler

Interesting, but I think we will always need a referee and the computer will simply be an increasingly better tool for helping to determine RoW.

The lightsaber thing, if done right, could create a more watchable sport. I am not saying that the blades should look like Star Wars lightsabers, I just mean that highlighting the blades with color or brightness could help the laymen see what's happening on the TV broadcasts. Though as I say that I have to readily admit that 1080P televisions and proper lighting will do an equally good job without any extra computer effects.

I was thinking of something that was definately not overdone like "Star Wars"... and with the right technology the extent they are highlighted could be adjusted to be "optimal."

Have to disagree on the 1080P comment, at least as far as I understand it. I had the Olympics streaming to a 52" Samsung flatscreen and the audience (non-fencers) could hardly see the action even though it looked really clean to me. I think that is the issue; it may look OK to us but to the untrained eye...

R-

NGV · 08-27-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Butler

The lightsaber thing, if done right, could create a more watchable sport. I am not saying that the blades should look like Star Wars lightsabers...

It would be pretty cool if they did, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1DtMTFcXh8

Stormbringer · 08-27-2008, 06:13 PM

Would such an overlay, were it ti be employed, be active for the duration of the bout, or only at specific times?

I would guess that such an overlay would be used during the slow-motion replays, since I can see some actions (especially in foil) simply creating "clouds of color"...

Also, for epee and foil, would it be better for the overlay apply to the whole blade, or to only the point?

fencerbill · 08-27-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oiuyt

No comments on the fencing image that took second being an example of ruining of the Games because the fencers are 2 1/2 minutes into the bout without having scored.

-B

Look again. Several indications that it was from the Modern Pentathlon. Row of people close to strip, numbers on the back of the fencers and the number of strips within view.

So only 28 seconds into the bout and when will you ever see a MP bout in progress with a score on the machine?

oiuyt · 08-27-2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fencerbill

Look again. Several indications that it was from the Modern Pentathlon. Row of people close to strip, numbers on the back of the fencers and the number of strips within view.

So only 28 seconds into the bout and when will you ever see a MP bout in progress with a score on the machine?

Oh sure. Bring in additional facts and ruin a perfectly good joke.

-B

Codex · 08-27-2008, 11:34 PM

What is image 3 supposed to be?

oiuyt · 08-27-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Codex

What is image 3 supposed to be?

Mario being hailed as the best?

-B

Sean Butler · 08-27-2008, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piste off

I was thinking of something that was definately not overdone like "Star Wars"... and with the right technology the extent they are highlighted could be adjusted to be "optimal."

Have to disagree on the 1080P comment, at least as far as I understand it. I had the Olympics streaming to a 52" Samsung flatscreen and the audience (non-fencers) could hardly see the action even though it looked really clean to me. I think that is the issue; it may look OK to us but to the untrained eye...

R-

As far as I know we don't currently have any 1080P feeds on Brighthouse cable here in Florida. The only 1080P signal I currently get is from my Blu-ray player. The computer feed from nbcolympics.com while good, was no where near blu-ray quality. I was projecting a bit since I haven't actually seen fencing in 1080P, but the things I have lead me to think that with a fast enough refresh-rate on the TV, you'd very likely get a very watchable TV fencing bout. Combine that with Tivo and rewind/playback of live signals and you'd have your own instant replay too. Personally I think this would be better than glow-sticks. :-)

fencerbill · 08-28-2008, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oiuyt

Oh sure. Bring in additional facts and ruin a perfectly good joke.

-B

But it is so very, very seldom that we get to correct you.

FoilyDeath · 08-28-2008, 01:11 PM

I want lightsaber fencing...I have sworn to personally hunt down Roch if he threatens to touch foil again, but I would make an exception for glowy foilo vision:P

Doesn't duel in the desert or something have some sort of glowing thing on the blades? Or am I completely imagining things again?

Sean Butler · 09-02-2008, 10:23 AM

Hi FD,

Are you saying you want the actual metal to glow for the fencers, or do you simply want an enhanced TV image which makes the blades look like lightsabers? The latter I could see someone doing just for fun, but to make the foils themselves glow would be to me the most distracting, silly, and pointless change we could make.

To me, fencing is a sport which has a great deal of dignity and history. I really wouldn't want to turn it into a Star Wars side-show.

black card · 09-02-2008, 11:15 AM

those really suck