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
editIn 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] The term differs from the controls of literal tank driving games like Battlezone where dual analog sticks are mapped to the treads of the tank which may be moved together or alternately to turn.
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
editTank 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.