3D construction in 2D space
3D construction in 2D space
We will start a series of posts about core changes introduced in the next update.
One of those changes is 3D physics, which is more akin to 2.5D.
Earlier, we mentioned that we would turn the game physics from 2D into fully 3D. We've already released a preview version of that new system. 3D is fantastic and delivers some great new possibilities. However, it also brings some disadvantages.
[h2]Advantages[/h2]
[h2]Disadvantages[/h2]
As you can see, there is only one advantage but numerous disadvantages. Even though all these shortcomings are solvable, careless implementation of some solutions could turn Celestial Command into a completely different game. Something like a flight sim with a first or third-person view. Such a game will have very little in common with the original concept and resemble hundreds of similar games on the market. A solution like this is undesirable.
Therefore, we've come to the 2.5D solution that keeps the benefits of 3D while avoiding all the problems.
[h2]How it will be done[/h2]
The game will have a fully 3D construction system. All modules will be placeable on the top and bottom and rotatable. Turrets will rotate not only left and right, but also up and down.
However, all in-game objects will lie on a 2D plane. Ships won't have up and down controls. Only the yaw axis will be steerable.
Such a system will have some odd issues, but they are all easy to solve:
Those plans may sound a bit weird, but the test outcomes were positive, both in orbital and planetary game modes.
In the end, we will have 3D ships with the pleasant simplicity of 2D navigation and control.
We will start a series of posts about core changes introduced in the next update.
One of those changes is 3D physics, which is more akin to 2.5D.
Earlier, we mentioned that we would turn the game physics from 2D into fully 3D. We've already released a preview version of that new system. 3D is fantastic and delivers some great new possibilities. However, it also brings some disadvantages.
[h2]Advantages[/h2]
- The possibility to rotate and place any module in 3D provides freedom in spaceship construction. In 3D, even a few modules make it possible to create a large number of various ship designs. Also, the ships no longer look flat, and large cannons stand out when placed at the top.
[h2]Disadvantages[/h2]
- Navigation could be challenging. In space, there are very few landmarks that allow you to understand your ship's position. Especially if we are talking about altitude in a top-down view.
It turned out very hard to comprehend whether an object sits above or below the ship. Is it an obstacle or not? It theoretically can be solved with good navigation tools, plus putting all the asteroids on one plane, but that leads to another problem. - Navigation would become less fun. If all asteroids are in one plane, you can fly above or below them. As a result, the space will become empty and boring.
- Implementation of AI navigation in 3D is excessively complex. It's a technical issue, but still.
- Manual control of weapons would become redundant. Most likely, the enemy ship will be at a different altitude, so all projectiles could miss the target when trying to aim from a top-down view. Of course, there is an auto-targeting mode, but manual control still can be fun.
- Placement of engines would become finicky. Several additional engines will be required on the top and bottom of the ship to stabilize its rotation. Having to place them will be more annoying than fun.
As you can see, there is only one advantage but numerous disadvantages. Even though all these shortcomings are solvable, careless implementation of some solutions could turn Celestial Command into a completely different game. Something like a flight sim with a first or third-person view. Such a game will have very little in common with the original concept and resemble hundreds of similar games on the market. A solution like this is undesirable.
Therefore, we've come to the 2.5D solution that keeps the benefits of 3D while avoiding all the problems.
[h2]How it will be done[/h2]
The game will have a fully 3D construction system. All modules will be placeable on the top and bottom and rotatable. Turrets will rotate not only left and right, but also up and down.
However, all in-game objects will lie on a 2D plane. Ships won't have up and down controls. Only the yaw axis will be steerable.
Such a system will have some odd issues, but they are all easy to solve:
- If part of a ship falls off, it will be pulled slowly towards zero altitude.
- If a ship is tall and its center of mass shifts up or down, the craft will move vertically to keep its center of mass at zero altitude.
- A ship's pitch and roll axes can misalign due to external forces, but they will stabilize automatically.
- If docking ports are at different altitudes, ships will move up or down to align for docking.
Those plans may sound a bit weird, but the test outcomes were positive, both in orbital and planetary game modes.
In the end, we will have 3D ships with the pleasant simplicity of 2D navigation and control.