Improv Advent #13

13 - Street Fighter

from Bernard.Gif

Preface: I was not good at SF2. I would pretty much just use Chun-Li and headstomp over and over.

But stick with me.

Remember Street Fighter? In a match you couldn't turn around, you always faced your opponent. If you threw the stick backwards you'd walk backwards and go into a block. If you put the stick back and down, you'd turtle up protecting your shins. Blocking was very important. Blocking was also very boring when both players were conservative. Even then, if a player went on the attack his opponent could just keep their guard up, and unless the aggressor was good at it the match would become a boring ol'blockfest in the corner.

Action only progresses with risk. You have to open up yourself to getting hurt to have something happen. That means in your characters, they have to be able to be hurt. And that comes from being active, from accepting and giving as good as you're letting yourself get get. When people think of blocking in a scene, think of it as literally putting your hands up and preventing anything your partner is doing from landing. Think of the most boring Street Fighter fight: two Blankas, in opposite corners, cowering (or just doing that electrity thing) as the timer ticks down.

 For a fun match, especially from the POV of the audience, there has to be the back and forth. YHou try a punch, it might land, it might get countered. But something happened. You have to take open yourself up to take some licks too for it to be interesting.

HERE COMES A NEW STRAWMAN

But wait! I'm really good at Street Fighter! I know how to do unbeatble bullshit! You won't even be able to get a move off, but there will still be action!

The novelty of an unbreakable combo or glitch expires pretty much after you see it once. Similarly an untouchable character is fun for a little bit. But then we get it, and then it just gets annoying.  In fact everyone just wants you to lose. But you can't do that can you? No because you're character doesn't want to lose, so why should you?

You should because that doesn't exist in real life. You should because it's really hard to have a interesting scene with a superman. You should because playing invincible is unseemly, annoying, and bratty. You should because you've accidentally got some of your ego invested in your made-up, disposable puppet.

 You should because you'll have more fun playing when you're not afraid of getting hurt.