If I can get a stable internet connection I want to fork the sp part of OJK so I can play around in that. It would be great to finally be able to alter animations and see the workings under the hood. I've been pondering your original question. Do you really need to do anything to encourage close duels? As a sp game why worry about how others want to play the game? You like close duels and so do I. So we play up close. Maybe someone else doesn't. Though I've kind of come up with a solution for close fighting via animations. I'm thinking of making a one-handed Polish saber style. The basic attacks and parries have all been brainstormed and I have come up with two versions: a basic and an advanced form. The basic style will behave like a blue style blocking and yellow style attacking statistics. I'd set a two or three combo limit. This reflects what I see in beginner and intermediate level fencers. The advanced would have yellow statistics in defense, and blue level attack power. The difference would be that I'd put counter attacks into it's parries and attacks into its transtions. That way a combo attacks and repostes would encourage staying in range. The attack and defense values would be play tested of course. Those are just rough ideas. Until we get the code figured out for adding styles I'm thinking of trying out the advanced style and replacing Tavion or Desann in the meantime.