Should the origin be changed?

by **-Kirby-** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:17 pm

The coordinates in this game start top-left. The top left corner is (0,0), and the numbers along the y-axis increase as you go downwards.

Why on earth was the game designed this way?

Instead of the coordinates starting with (0,0) at the bottom-left like on a graph, the top row is zero. If the game was modeled like a normal graph, upward would be increasing and eastward would be increasing. But currently it's as if we're staring at the fourth quadrant of a graph rather than the first (with negative numbers being absent of course). I believe this is supposed to be some kind of worldwide convention for graphs in math, if I'm wrong let me know. Inb4 it's just an American thing (but I doubt it).

Anyway. Should the origin be changed to bottom-left instead of top-left? Or what about centering it in the middle of the map and introducing negatives? We're probably all kinda used to top-left by now, but what about the new players this game hopes to attract? Or, does the origin being top-left provide an extra challenge that we would rather not do away with?

Curious to read responses!

by **Jordann** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:53 pm

strange, for someone so adamant on such minor details of the game remaining the same youd propose such a drastic change. I feel like itd be fairly confused for a decent amount of the time if this were changed. probably file it under 'if its not broke dont fix it' ya know.

by **-Kirby-** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:27 am

Jordann wrote:strange, for someone so adamant on such minor details of the game remaining the same youd propose such a drastic change. I feel like itd be fairly confused for a decent amount of the time if this were changed. probably file it under 'if its not broke dont fix it' ya know.

Perhaps the coordinate system, too, should be the player's option ;)

by **Jordann** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:33 am

-Kirby- wrote:
Jordann wrote:strange, for someone so adamant on such minor details of the game remaining the same youd propose such a drastic change. I feel like itd be fairly confused for a decent amount of the time if this were changed. probably file it under 'if its not broke dont fix it' ya know.

Perhaps the coordinate system, too, should be the player's option ;)

setting this precedent the possibilities are literally endless!

by SW » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:55 am

This coordinate system is common for video games and graphics.

by **resilience** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:09 am

Slicing the map into 128x128 quadrants with negative numbers would make finding a location a little more intuitive but I really don't think anyone's actually had too much trouble with this since the co-ordinates show up in real time on your scope and in map.

-128,128 I 128,128
I
I
I
_________I_________
I
I
I
I
-128,-128 I 128,-128

I do however, look forward to mapping my way through the vector field once SW gets the extra dimensions up and running. Base is here [193,163,25]

by **PRIDE** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:25 am

i like kirbys idea

by **Cdub** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 1:10 pm

Its a good point, I have found myself having to dumb it down when trying to pinpoint coords too, but at this point I don't see why we should have it changed. 10 years ago this would've been a great idea but now its a little late in my opinion

by **shermanfrombf** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 3:12 pm

never too late to improve the game. I agree with Kirby 100% it seems weird and I always had trouble pinpointing coordinates too cause it's not typical of a graph we learned in school

by **Frost** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 12:37 pm

how do you all have a hard time with coordinates? thats possibly the easiest thing know to man kind...

its all about the x,y axis.... maybe i find this stuff incredibly easy cause ive always taken advanced math in school? :smart:

to throw a curve ball into this thread, how about getting rid of the coords system all together?

Example: when a player said "Come get me! 59,189" with my idea it would say "Come get me! 463 meters away"

by **TM3** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:15 am

Never really noticed it before but this explains why I'm terrible at finding coordinates in this game although I've taken math through diff eq. Good find Kirby although I'd say just leave it or have the option. I know I'd change it if I had the option to do so.

by **Dopatonin** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:32 am

Human beings are notorious for being able to adapt to almost any situation. Therefore, I am amazed at how many people are complaining about this. Is it unintuitive? Yes. But should you have gotten used to it by now? Double yes.

I'm pretty sure it is the way it is because of the way that programming works. Origins usually start at the top left in that case. Changing it to the proper coordinate system would not noticeably improve the game, imo.