Topic: Modern Gladitorial Combat?

[yammahoper]

I'm posting a link to an article about a new space age suit of armor that is designed to allow full on melee combat.

The video shows a fight with staves.  I wonder how resistant the armor is to blades and heavier weapons, but the article clearly states they intend to host duel with a variety of weapons and cultural martial art styles. 

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/unified-weapons-master-future-fighting/#skip-video

[Thom @ ICE]

Sounds great, but here is the issue...


If the strikes don't actually hurt, and you can be smashed over the head with a staff repeatedly without effect - then it is not a valid fight. 
It becomes D&D Gladiators... You fight each other until you do enough "hit points" of damage to kill.
Instead of being Rolemaster Gladiators...  As you fight and are injured, your offense and defense are both weakened - leading to a downward spiral that brings you to your "death"
And if they really want to make it cool and exciting, during the combat there should be included a camouflaged (since invisibility is not possible) turtle walking on the battlefield.

[Cory Magel]

Actually, I would be ok with it being the equivalent of having hit points.

In mock combat people do not fight in the manner they would if they were fighting for their lives for fear of seriously harming one another.  While part of the problem still exists with such a suit (you may take bigger risks because you know you are not going to be harmed) it does allow you to go 'all out' so to speak.  Which is more realistic that a traditional sporting event.

[yammahoper]

I imagine the blows still hurt.  Stopping a blow from causing serious bodily harm is one thing.  Eliminating pain another.

Is it time to start a new business training turtles for the arena?

[markc]

 I think that depending on the cost that has a chance of taking off for a period of time. I can see a lot of SCA people interested but again the main factor here would be cost and the fact that I think you could have trouble in larger scale combat (but this could be worked out at a later time) and I think the SCA guys would like to do it in a natural setting so sensors of some sort would have to be set up in the woods or about the terrain.
 I think at some future time some sort of pain feedback system would also be used in addition to the health bar ti aid in the combat realism.


 For myself I have often wondered about carbon fiber armor with some highly impact absorbing material underneath and other materials sandwiched in between or in some type of layered system. I have also wondered on just how maneuverable the suit would be and from the video it looks fairly agile right now, compared to those I have seen in the past.
 The other question is that, can the suit be adapted and used for anything else?


MDC
   

[Warl]

accidents could still happen there, I see the under armpit areas and other joints have gaps that one could take wounds through.... and a good slam to the head by weapon or ground impact could still cause neck injuries and concussions just like a football player...

[Cory Magel]

What we need are virtual combatants.  But you'd still have the problem of people taking more risks than they would if the fight were truly life and death.
You don't know what someone will do or how they'll react until their life is truly on the line.