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Abstract

Fencing is often depicted in video games with a medieval setting. Due to the limitations of their interaction methods and commercial concerns, they are typically unable or unwilling to fully capture the historical realities. First hand knowledge on the topic is difficult to acquire, as the training of historical fencing as sport (HEMA) is inaccessible to many. This paper investigates the viability of Virtual Reality to serve as a training and educational tool on the topic of historical fencing. For this purpose a proof-of-concept application with a corresponding tangible is created. The tangible is designed to mimic a 15th century longsword, taking its dynamic properties into account. The application consists of three exercises depicting fundamental fencing techniques. The success of this prototype is evaluated by means of a user-study, including a small pool of subject matter experts. Evaluation of the data supports the usage of VR. The application’s average SUS-Score is 81.15. The desired teaching effect is achieved, with users’ average performance scores improving by over 97%. The added value is demonstrated by means of A/B testing, with an average score improvement of 16%, though comparative data regarding the user ratings is inconclusive. The subject matter expert interviews are overall positive, with a noted advantage over traditional training of edge alignment. This demonstrates the viability of VR for the training and teaching of historical fencing. Further research is required to tackle some of the challenges arising from the unique requirements of armed combat sports.

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