On Guarding
WATCH OUT!
That’s how fast you have to respond to an attack, so you’d better make sure your block is quick to pull off! Blocks can be either general or positional.
General blocks are found in action games—a single button press to cross weapons, cross arms, or lift a shield to block an incoming attack. These all-purpose blocks can be used for any situation or enemy. It doesn’t matter whether your shield is a one-handed buckler or tall Roman Scuta; the function is still the same: the player blocks an attack with the press of a button, holding it aside during the rest of combat.
Don’t underestimate the use of sound effects in conjunction with a block. A nice loud “CLANG!” lets the player know he’s successfully executed a block. Sound cues provide important information to the player and help to differentiate between a miss and a block. Have the blocked hit create some sparks or some other effect (as long as it’s...