In the scifi novel Hard to Be a God future-Earth history researchers are sent as observers on an alien planet that is still in its medieval times. The protagonist, Anton, is said to possess swordsmanship skills that are estimated to be known on that planet in only about 200 years. This obviously rescues him several times, though is not of any significance to the plot. I was interested in how did he acquire such skill.
Imagine you are training agents to be sent on alien planets or into our own past. How do you teach them high swordsmanship mastery? I mean, training with wooden dummies can only go so far. Sparring combats better not be conducted with real weapons or few of your agents will survive the training. If given real blades trainees will be required to pull their blows for the same reason.
If your civilization is already sufficiently advanced to send spies on other planets, probably you can build agile anthropomorphic robots. Cheaply. So they can be cut to pieces without regret. And plausibly they will be able to put up a realistic fight without endangering the training human. For example withdrawing the blade in split second before beheading a student who’ve failed his exam.
Again, probably these training bots can simulate human adversaries sufficiently close. Tactics learned fighting in training better be very close to those needed in actual battles. As a side note, as far as I know, computer game AIs do not imitate human players close enough yet. If you plan on participating in cyberchampionship you need to train against human opponents. Playing with bots even all days long won’t get you far.
My next proposal is to fence in virtual reality. Like in The Matrix movie. I don’t know what is technologically more complicated, building human-like fighting bots or developing so thorough brain-computer connection. But seems like both are achievable in principle.
And then my thoughts went off wondering. Like imagine that humanity has advanced technologically but not very much culturally, maybe even regressed somewhat. So we decide to build a Coliseum and insist on real humans fighting there. No robots, no VR. This has to be real! But we would like gladiators not to die. We are not monsters, mind you. Obviously enough, advanced medicine should be able to cure dismemberment with the same perfection broken limbs are mended now. But what about damage to the brain. It has too fine structure.
What if we make use of the same technology that helped us with transportation. Gladiators have their minds backed-up and in case of misfortune at least all one have to lose is the memory of one’s.. well, losing. Such approach will be useful in training also. Trainees should have experience of fighting other humans. On the other hand, losing memory of critical failures is undesirable. Bots and VR should probably be used too.
Now armed with all these technology advances humanity will be able to achieve hitherto unseen levels of swordsmanship skills.
Why stop only with swordsmanship. We’ll be able to train other skill involving danger. Firefighters, police, acrobats, sportsmen. Astronauts, miners, again firefighters will not be risking their lives so much. We can even enjoy some hobbies more.