Tank controls

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Tank controls are a control system used in video games whereby players control movement relative to the position of the player character, rather than the perspective of the game camera. [1]

Contents

System

In a game with tank controls, pressing up on the game controller moves the character in the direction they face, down reverses them, and left and right rotates them. [1] This differs from many games, in which characters move in the direction players push from the perspective of the camera. [1] The term "tank controls" comes from the steering mechanisms of old tanks, which had to stop completely before turning. [2]

Tank controls were common in 3D games in the 1990s, such as Grim Fandango and the early Resident Evil and Tomb Raider games. [1] [3] Tank controls allow players to maintain a direction when the camera angle changes. The Grim Fandango designer Tim Schafer chose the system as it allowed the developers to create "cinematic" camera cuts without disrupting the controls. [4] Shinji Mikami, the director of the first Resident Evil (1996), felt the use of fixed camera perspectives and tank controls made the game scarier. [5]

Criticism

Tank controls have been criticized as stiff or cumbersome. [4] They have become less common over time and free-roaming cameras have become standard for 3D games. [2] The remastered versions of Grim Fandango,Resident Evil, and Tomb Raider include alternative control schemes, and later Resident Evil games discarded tank controls. [5] [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "A eulogy for tank controls". PC Gamer . 20 February 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 "[Horror Declassified] An Examination Of Tank Controls". Bloody Disgusting . 23 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  3. ↑ Todd, Hamish (1 March 2013). "Untold Riches: The Intricate Platforming of Tomb Raider". Game Developer . Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  4. 1 2 Matulef, Jeffrey (26 January 2015). "Bringing out the Dead: Tim Schafer reflects back on Grim Fandango". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  5. 1 2 Mielke, James (4 June 2020). "Resident Evil Creator Talks Zombies in 2020 and How His Games Will Change Post-Pandemic". IGN . Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  6. ↑ Castle, Katharine (17 January 2024). "Don't worry, Lara's tank controls are still an option in Tomb Raider I-III Remastered". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Retrieved 16 February 2024.
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