Tank controls
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]
System[edit]
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[edit]
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 and Tomb Raider games discarded tank controls.[5][6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "A eulogy for tank controls". PC Gamer. 20 February 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ a b "[Horror Declassified] An Examination Of Tank Controls". Bloody Disgusting. 23 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ 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.