Wind in an action-adventure sailing game?
Author
Hi all,
I have been working on an action-adventure sailing type game for that last few months in my free time and I have hit a spot where I need some feed back about a particular feature that I am considering adding. I'm considering making the sailing aspect of the game reliant on the direction of the wind, or in other words you can only sail where the wind blows you. I realized that this would force the player to use sailing techniques like "tacking" to get where he/she wants to go. So my real question boils down to weather or not this would make the game more fun, or would just make it hard for new players to "learn the ropes" :) The main focus of my game is really not to be a sailing simulator but instead to be like a space action adventure game on-water.
I'm relatively new to game design (and programming itself for that matter) so feedback and comments on other parts of the game's design are very welcome! :)
thanks,
---
Stevo
If it's more of an action game then a strategy game then I would let them said directly against the wind. Just slow them down based on the wind speed or something like that. Also, increase their speed with the wind and maybe add some lateral movement based on wind speed/direction.
In other words, give it an effect, just don't let it limit their movement and don't make them learn things like tacking (although if the wind slows them down enough this might still be a valid albeit unnecessary action).
In other words, give it an effect, just don't let it limit their movement and don't make them learn things like tacking (although if the wind slows them down enough this might still be a valid albeit unnecessary action).
What is the rest of your game design like? Can you change your world around to readily support a wind cycle that supports what your player is likely going to want to do? (meaning, if you have 3 points, A, B, and C, the player is likely to want to travel in the pattern of A, B, and C, and the winds just happen to blow roughly in that pattern)
You can always put it in as part of the game options.
Super easy: Put out more sail, means your boat goes faster straight forward, doesn't matter what way the wind is blowing, you just have a gas pedal.
Extra hard: Realistic wind patterns and sailing physics. You don't learn a topsail from a yardarm, then you're more than a little screwed and should go back to an easier setting.
You can always put it in as part of the game options.
Super easy: Put out more sail, means your boat goes faster straight forward, doesn't matter what way the wind is blowing, you just have a gas pedal.
Extra hard: Realistic wind patterns and sailing physics. You don't learn a topsail from a yardarm, then you're more than a little screwed and should go back to an easier setting.
Playing Zelda: The Wind Waker, I found the wind aspect more annoying than anything else. Before I could start sailing, I had to change the direction of the wind, and if I wanted to go in a direction the wind wasn't blowing in, then I either had to change it again or travel at a sub-optimal speed. I'd say let the player do what they like. You might consider having "wind" hazards, but I wouldn't make the wind a global aspect of transportation.
You may add tacking, but make it optional. If the player does, he will get faster to the places he'd like to go, but it's not neccesary..obligatory to learn.
-Stenny
-Stenny
You could have tacking, but also have "tradewinds".
Ie, if you are going from point A to point B, there is almost certainly a flow of wind that will get you there. Going from B to A would involve travelling on a different set of "tradewinds".
The game engine could tell you that the proper route from A to B involves first reaching the correct tradewinds and using them to cross the deep sea.
...
A simple implementation of tacking isn't that hard. Start with the assumption that the water is stationary.
Different ships tack differently. This can be represented by a graph of angle-vs-speed, or a graph of wind-angle vs speed against the wind and lateral speed.
This makes some ships faster with-the-wind, and other ships faster against-the-wind: a nice bit of texture to the ships.
With the right UI, controlling a tack wouldn't be that hard. The player would indicate which direction she wants to go in and which direction she is willing to tack in. Swapping tack would reduce your speed for a period of time.
Ie, if you are going from point A to point B, there is almost certainly a flow of wind that will get you there. Going from B to A would involve travelling on a different set of "tradewinds".
The game engine could tell you that the proper route from A to B involves first reaching the correct tradewinds and using them to cross the deep sea.
...
A simple implementation of tacking isn't that hard. Start with the assumption that the water is stationary.
Different ships tack differently. This can be represented by a graph of angle-vs-speed, or a graph of wind-angle vs speed against the wind and lateral speed.
This makes some ships faster with-the-wind, and other ships faster against-the-wind: a nice bit of texture to the ships.
With the right UI, controlling a tack wouldn't be that hard. The player would indicate which direction she wants to go in and which direction she is willing to tack in. Swapping tack would reduce your speed for a period of time.
Author
Thanks everybody for the replies. The ideas that really caught my eye were the ones by NotAYakk and Talroth that suggested making "trade winds" from one common point to another. It makes the game more realistic and more fun at the same time but the only problem that i can see would be a lack of maneuverability that you would have if you engaged another ship in combat (or they engaged you).
Sorry for my noobishness (is that a word?) about sailing but are these techniques the same for ships like these?
This is the artwork that i based my ship models off of,
and this is what it looks like in the game.
I'm not sure if it makes any difference or not, I'm just wondering. [smile]
Considering the other comments, I think I'm getting a pretty good idea of what the line is between fun and annoying wind.
thanks again!
---
Stevo
Quote:A simple implementation of tacking isn't that hard...
Sorry for my noobishness (is that a word?) about sailing but are these techniques the same for ships like these?
This is the artwork that i based my ship models off of,
and this is what it looks like in the game.
I'm not sure if it makes any difference or not, I'm just wondering. [smile]
Considering the other comments, I think I'm getting a pretty good idea of what the line is between fun and annoying wind.
thanks again!
---
Stevo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_tactics_in_the_Age_of_Sail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacking
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Points_of_sail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacking
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Points_of_sail
Wind Waker is the only real point-of-reference on this one. I personally loved the semi-realistic wind interaction, and I did a lot of tacking.
However, it must be noted that I am in the minority on this situation, as the vast majority of conversation I have seen on the subject was that the average player hated it, and resorted to using their whistle to change the wind direction every time they made a turn. That wouldn't bode well for an action game.
However, it must be noted that I am in the minority on this situation, as the vast majority of conversation I have seen on the subject was that the average player hated it, and resorted to using their whistle to change the wind direction every time they made a turn. That wouldn't bode well for an action game.
My understanding is that, in the age of fighting sail, utilizing the wind properly was an artform, one that could make a huge impact on the outcome of a fight or the duration of a journey.
That said, I'm not sure it would be popular in a video game. Realistic simulation isn't always terribly popular (Any Falcon 4.0 devotees out there? I can't even turn the bastard on, with all those switches in the cockpit), and if you work too hard to be faithful, you'll wind up alienating a lot of people.
That said, I'm not sure it would be popular in a video game. Realistic simulation isn't always terribly popular (Any Falcon 4.0 devotees out there? I can't even turn the bastard on, with all those switches in the cockpit), and if you work too hard to be faithful, you'll wind up alienating a lot of people.
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
