SR Systems - 5 Animals Kung Fu Fighter

Hello readers, it has been a fairly long time since I last posted. Today I will talk about one of my favorite creations to date. This is, as far as I know, the first of its kind in Second Life. I present you the 5 animals kung fu fighter.

This is a step on the original kung fu fighter - the first item i created for sale. However, rather using basic fundamental techniques, this weapon utilizes the more advanced animal techniques. Animal styles are a trademark of most kung fu styles. While any kung fu student starts off by learning the basic fighting methods highlighted in the basic kung fu fighter, their empty hand techniques will become deadly when they employ the animal styles.

Kung fu is such a broad term, encompassing literally thousands of styles, that there are just as many animal techniques. This weapon is based on Hung Ga Kung Fu - the basis of Jow Ga Kung Fu, which i study in RL. The 5 animals represented in this weapon are Dragon, Crane, Snake, Leopard and Tiger. I will briefly explain the features of each one.

1) Dragon : This is a broad attacking style. The hands and finger form a dragon's jaw, and attacks come from out wide. The dragon's strength is in wide motions and strong strikes.

2) Crane : The crane is an elegant bird, with quick attacks. The hands and fingers form beaks, that attack sensitive soft spots on your opponent. However, a crane also spreads its wings and flies high and far - kicking techniques. The Crane's strength comes from its deceptive elegance.

3) Snake : One of the most popular styles, especially in movies. The hands form a snake head/spear shape, and also attacks the soft pressure points of your opponents. Strikes are sudden and quick, unexpected just as a real snake would. The snake's strength is surprise.

4) Leopard : The leopard uses paws, which are formed by bending the fingers back, but not into a fist. Like the snake and crane, these paws are used to attack the sensitive, soft joints of your enemy. The leopard's strengths are in its sneaking attacks (stronger strikes however, than snakes).

5) Tiger : Last but not least is the hard style of the tiger. The tiger style is aggressive and aim to inflict maximum damage with every strike, just like the dragon. The tiger's hand strikes utilize the tiger claw form, and it's strengths lie in aggression and powerful strikes.

As all my creations, it works with the usual meters, and I refer you to the July 2009 post on Shaolin Hook swords for technical details. Visit us inworld, or follow the link below to buy it on xstreetsl. As always, I leave you with a video demonstrating the animations

SR Systems - 5 Animals Fighter

SR Systems - Tiger-Dragon Katana

For my second post of the day, I present you something slightly different from SR Systems. My main inspiration behind the weapons I design is my real life studies and training in Kung Fu. Hence, most of my weapons are from traditional Chinese Martial Arts.

However, once in a while, I enjoy exploring other eastern martial arts and learning about them. Previously, I gave you the nunchaku, my first foray into a different, non-chinese weapon. Also sold at my store is the Shuriken - my first "ranged weapon" creation.

Sticking with the Japanese theme, I present you this time the legendary blade of the samurai - THE KATANA. While i like to think of the Katana as the japanese analog of the Jian, it is a very different type of sword. It can be argued that the Katana is the sharpest sword ever created, and it's multiple folding manufacture process makes it arguably one of the strongest. Ofcourse, it is a one sided blade, while the jian is double sides. And while the Jian is meant to be a primarily piercing weapon along with slicing from all directions, the katana is almost strictly designed to be hand held guilotine with single strike. Hence, if one were to compare the two weapons, they are different completely different sets of techniques, and both have their advantages and disadvantages like all weapons do.

In the end, your personal preference, and competance at using the weapon, is what matters most :) A samurai will train in striking fast and with surprise, letting the weight of the katana give his strike massive momentum, which then gets focussed along its fine edge. A kung fu master will use many motions and move around, making multiple deadly slices at sensitive regions of the body (like the wrist to disarm your opponent) with both sides of the sword, before piercing into the crucial organs. I give the Katana a chinese influence with dragon and tiger tsuba (cross guard) - two opposite forces that bring balance, like the yin and yang.

As all my creations, it works with the usual meters, and I refer you to the July 2009 post on Shaolin Hook swords for technical details. Visit us inworld, or follow the link below to buy it on xstreetsl. Also, i leave you with videos demonstrating the beautiful weapon that was the "soul of the samurai"

SR Systems Tiger-Dragon Katana

SR Systems - Guan Dao

Hello again dear readers,

Today, I present to you the weapon of one of china's greatest warriors. To many this man is a god that epitomizes loyalty and righteousness. He is General Guan Yu, and SR systems is proud to present his weapon, the Guan Dao.

The Guan Dao is made of a large blade at the end of a staff, similar to a Glaive or Japanese Naginata. However, the blade of the Guan Dao is significantly heavier than that of a European Glaive or Naginata. The opposite end of the weapon is composed of a spear tip for stabbing. The weapon is wielded like a combination of the spear and sword.

This particular design pays tribute to the great general with a symbolic lion and dragon facing the moon design.

On a technical note, it works with DCS, CCS and WARPs (soon to be XRPS i believe) combat systems. Like the Shaolin Hook Swords and Tiger-Dragon Katana, it has 4 modes of operation and a power attack. I refer you to the Hook Swords post in July 2009 for more details on the operation modes.

To purchase the weapon, visit the inworld store, or follow the link to xstreetsl

SR Systems Guan Dao

SR Systems - Shaolin Hook Swords

Hi friends, and thank you as always for reading. My humblest apologies for the delays in updating this blog. But sometimes, we run into life and get too busy :P Today i present to you the shaolin hook swords - one of my proudest and favorite creations.

Hook swords serve many purposes. For starters, the edges serve as basic blades, just like swords. But the ends of the handles are sharp and protruding as well, acting like daggers in close range. The crescents on the handle may be used to block any sharp weapons. Finally, the hooks on the end can be used to disarm an opponent by stealing their weapon, or to hook the two swords together and swing it as one long range, lethal combination.

The double hook swords, also known as tiger hook swords, are found in almost any traditional kung fu - but i personally chose to dedicate this one to the shaolin monks as it is them, afterall, that began kung fu :)

On a technical note, the weapons work with DCS, CCS and Warps meters. But they also come with many new features that were never present in any of my previous items. The weapon operates in 4 modes:

1) Standard RP mode - no push, no bullets. This does the standard melee damage as defined by the sims

2) Bullet On, Push Off - This is usually referred to as combat mode. In this mode, every move you make fires close range, invisible bullets. As a result, you get to do extra damage in addition to the standard melee on each hit.

3) Bullet Off, Push On - Like my previous push weapons, this one does the standard melee damage, and pushes your opponent away in sims that allow push.

4) Bullet On, Push On - A combination of 2 and 3...deadliest of the 4, but may not be allowed in all sims!

In addition, the weapon has a "power attack" - an explosion that lets you cause damage from a distance. This gives the weapon ranged attack capability, or "magic" as some may describe it.

The weapon is available inworld (link is on the right), or on xstreetsl via the following link.

SR Systems Shaolin Hook Swords

Finally, as always I leave you with videos illustrating the weapons :)

SR Systems Double Broadswords

Hello again, and a big thank you as always for reading this blog. Today I update it with the follow up to my broadsword - the double broadswords! This is a dual set, and is appropriately animated. I like to think of the animation I created for it as a combination of the short range broadsword, and the very short range double daggers. In usual SR Systems fashion, i've done my best to keep them realistic, but ofcourse, fun! The philosophy of the blades is identical to the single broadsword. This double set, in RL, is a trademark of the Jow Ga Kung Fu System. Hope you enjoy these!

SR Systems Double Broadswords

SR Systems Double Daggers

Hello dear readers
I must first take this opportunity to apologize for the delay in posting this, but sometimes real life takes you by surprise. Rest assured, I have made new items that are in my store, and would love to make posts for each of the new items with videos.

And so I shall begin with the "Mizu" Kung Fu Double Daggers. Who said that only long range weapons can cause damage? The double daggers illustrate that with speed and agility, one can easily get close and make the kill, before their opponent can finish swinging their spear. Infact, the spear tip may not even reach them!

Note, however, that speed and agility are key. When training with the daggers, I've noticed the senior students in my RL kung fu classes use a lot of aerial techniques, as well as "light footed techniques". You are not aiming to decapitate your enemy in one blow - to do so with small blades like the daggers would take too much effort. Instead, you close the gap, and get inside your opponent's "open zone". In this region, his weapon becomes too long to cause damage. Imagine your enemy holding a staff at its end. To inflict maximum damage, he needs to hit you with the opposite end, not the middle or grip end (torque = force times distance for the physics nerds like me). Once you're inside his open zone, you can deliver multiple stabs and slashes. In a few short moments, the bleeding in multiple places will cause a pressure drop and loss in consciousness, before death kicks in.

The double daggers designed for second life illustrate the same principles. Hence you will notice the animations use flips, spins and kicks. And just like real kung fu daggers, the tassels not only add beauty and grace, but also distraction to the enemy's eyes. The weapon like all others also comes with a push version to send them flying. As always, I leave you with videos illustrating the product. Enjoy!

Double Daggers

SR Systems Nunchaku

Hello again friends.

First of all, thank you for reading this blog, and an even bigger thanks to everyone that has made a purchase from SR systems! Today I would like to present you with another item available at our store - the Nunchaku.

This weapon originated in Okinawa, and was originally a farming tool. However, when weapons were banned by the royalty, the secret martial arts system of Karate was founded, and soon the farming tools were turned into effective weapons. The Nunchaku has also been used by practitioners of Escrima and Hapkido. But ofcourse, the nunchaku has to be famous thanks to the most popular martial artist/actor of all time - Bruce Lee. And ofcourse, remember Michaelangelo from the ninja turtles?

This would be SR systems' first non-chinese weapon. The design is made with flexi parts so that the nunchaku swings realistically. It works with DCS/CCS/WARPS combat meters in Second Life, and is available in three colors. All colors are metallic, and I'll be glad to provide custom colors for free.

I leave you with videos demonstrating the weapon. Enjoy!

Metallic Black
Metallic Red
Metallic White (Silver)