Registered: Jul 2000
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Newtonian or non-newtonian physics

Newton or no newton, that is the question.

Overall we've seen games like I-War take a shot at this style of gameplay and then games that I do not care to remember offer an "arcade" and a "real" model at the same time.

Babylon 5: Into the Fire promised a fun newtonian mode which would be balanced even for multiplay. I-War 2 doesn't seem to do this as every game I've played of it has a maximum speed per ship much like FreeSpace.

Of course a non-newtonian model with sliding and the rotational or "shelton slide" being in it offers much of what a newtonian model promises.

Then again, a true space sim can be met by adding in full newtonian physics and blackout/redout with G-Forces. One complaint by some people is how space sims are the "bastards of gaming, being not quite a flight sim but not quite an arcade game" the closest thing being to this I'd assume are the mech combat games.

Some like Freelancer and at times Bridge Commander remove the player from flight control, so the actual physics model hardly matters compared to the gunnery and fire control. This however is not an option for any game wanting to be a true successor to the throne of military space simulation, though an autopilot formate option is excellent to have.

Now I pretty much posted this exact same thread at HLP, however do you think that the B5: ITF model worked? Sorry if it seems like this is a lead-on to something, but I am curious since many of you followed the game closely.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 1477

Newtonian or non-newtonian physics

Newton or no newton, that is the question.

Overall we've seen games like I-War take a shot at this style of gameplay and then games that I do not care to remember offer an "arcade" and a "real" model at the same time.

Babylon 5: Into the Fire promised a fun newtonian mode which would be balanced even for multiplay. I-War 2 doesn't seem to do this as every game I've played of it has a maximum speed per ship much like FreeSpace.

Of course a non-newtonian model with sliding and the rotational or "shelton slide" being in it offers much of what a newtonian model promises.

Then again, a true space sim can be met by adding in full newtonian physics and blackout/redout with G-Forces. One complaint by some people is how space sims are the "bastards of gaming, being not quite a flight sim but not quite an arcade game" the closest thing being to this I'd assume are the mech combat games.

Some like Freelancer and at times Bridge Commander remove the player from flight control, so the actual physics model hardly matters compared to the gunnery and fire control. This however is not an option for any game wanting to be a true successor to the throne of military space simulation, though an autopilot formate option is excellent to have.

Now I pretty much posted this exact same thread at HLP, however do you think that the B5: ITF model worked? Sorry if it seems like this is a lead-on to something, but I am curious since many of you followed the game closely.

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There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots; but no old bold pilots.
-Chuck Yeager

• [url="http://www.adamantpacified.org/"]adamantpacified.org[/url]|[url="http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/"]FreeSpace Watch[/url]|[url="http://dynamic4.gamespy.com/~freespace/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=9"]Nodewars Moderator[/url]

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Registered: Oct 2001
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IFH(I've Found Her) will give you true physics and all that goes with it, it'll be the closest thig to ITF we'll see. TBP will give us that great freespace combat in the B5 universe.


I feel that there is no right way, i like both ways.

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Registered: Oct 2001
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IFH(I've Found Her) will give you true physics and all that goes with it, it'll be the closest thig to ITF we'll see. TBP will give us that great freespace combat in the B5 universe.


I feel that there is no right way, i like both ways.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: The Land of Square Lights
Posts: 541

I'm for the in between. There should be some newtonian models, but the gameplay should be good too. It would be nice if I could go by just using the tophat straight up, down, left, right etc.

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Registered: Feb 2001
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I'm for the in between. There should be some newtonian models, but the gameplay should be good too. It would be nice if I could go by just using the tophat straight up, down, left, right etc.

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Registered: Feb 2001
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Newtonian is the way to go. its just so fun to put engines to the max, go real fast, then turn around and fire at the enemy pursuing you or to strafe along the side of a capital ship.

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Registered: Jul 2000
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What I'd love to be able to do in TBP is allow for more proper sliding. You'd still have your max forward speed....but hit the right key and you can get a sort of afterburner boost to the left or right...and sustain that long enough to slide past a capital ship.

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What I'd love to be able to do in TBP is allow for more proper sliding. You'd still have your max forward speed....but hit the right key and you can get a sort of afterburner boost to the left or right...and sustain that long enough to slide past a capital ship.

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Registered: Dec 2001
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quote:

---

Originally posted by Zeronet
Newtonian is the way to go. its just so fun to put engines to the max, go real fast, then turn around and fire at the enemy pursuing you or to strafe along the side of a capital ship.

---

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Registered: Dec 2001
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quote:

---

Originally posted by Zeronet
Newtonian is the way to go. its just so fun to put engines to the max, go real fast, then turn around and fire at the enemy pursuing you or to strafe along the side of a capital ship.

---

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Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:

---

Originally posted by IceFire
What I'd love to be able to do in TBP is allow for more proper sliding. You'd still have your max forward speed....but hit the right key and you can get a sort of afterburner boost to the left or right...and sustain that long enough to slide past a capital ship.

---

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Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:

---

Originally posted by IceFire
What I'd love to be able to do in TBP is allow for more proper sliding. You'd still have your max forward speed....but hit the right key and you can get a sort of afterburner boost to the left or right...and sustain that long enough to slide past a capital ship.

---

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Registered: Oct 2001
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It would be great if someone could teach the AI to slide.

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Registered: Apr 2001
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We'd have to work on the AI a bit to do that.

The Drift idea sounds good too.

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We'd have to work on the AI a bit to do that.

The Drift idea sounds good too.

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Registered: Feb 2001
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Is it possible to add slide only to human players? And leave the computers without it -- or simply they wouldn't be able to use it so their AI shouldn't get f*cked up.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: The Land of Square Lights
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Is it possible to add slide only to human players? And leave the computers without it -- or simply they wouldn't be able to use it so their AI shouldn't get f*cked up.

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Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Suomi Finland
Posts: 16

Hmm? Was I wrong when I thought that adding Newtonian laws to FS2 universe was one of the first priorities in the source-code project?

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Sheffield UK
Posts: 1913

i like the idea of the drift button .....but im interested what happens when you let go, say yuod swung round 90 degrees, i'd like the idea of drifting into the new direction as you would in a newtonian model, but only half newtonian, all intial direction is redirected to the new direction you are facing (so once again you would be traveling in a straight line)....

this would prodive some interesting tactics in a basically non-newtonian, (but with the ability to be kinda half newtonian when holding down the drift key)

note drift key cuts out all about to thrust, you can only rotate when held, so you kind of become like a rotating turret travelling in a straight line.



i dont think a true newtonian flight model will ever be as much fun, if you do want true newtonian i think good acceleration, moderate top speed, and good manouverability is needed to produce a fun(ish) game ihmo.

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