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[sargent_stick]

Hello, i'm not sure if there already is a topic about this, but i did a search and couldnt find one.

I was wondering what type of movement is better in a Top Down Shooter game:
Fixed movement: When you press any movement keys, you move directly in that direction. You body still points towards the mouse.
Or
Mouse movement: Like the other one, your body is constantly pointing towards the mouse, however when you use the movement keys you move towards or around the mouse.

I had a little debate with myself, and thought of a few pros and cons.

Fixed movement:
Pros:

• Easier to move and shoot in another direction
• Easier to navigate with less thought, ie. you can just glimpse at were your character is and move him easily while not worrying about the mouse
• Generally easier to use, especially if the game is fast paced
• Feels better to some players

Cons:

• Not realistic, ie. your body is facing in a completely random direction to the way your walking
• Very hard to animate the sprite due to the way his body would act.

Mouse Movement:
Pros:

• More realistic, because you wont be walking in funny directions compared to where your looking
• Easier to animate
• Better for a slow-paced game as you cant run in and shoot
• Better for non-linear maps, as in your not stuck on a set path

Cons:

• Cant move through maps quickly
• Strafing is very annoying, making it hard to poke around a corner to kill someone

I just touched on some pros and cons there but i will add more if anyone comes up with some more. But i was wondering what your views about them are, which do you prefer? Also, which do you think would suit an open-ended game, a bit like GTA?

[THE KAPPTIN]

Generally the best practice is to include both and let the player use whichever they choose.

There are people who prefer each way, and even if you put it to a vote, the people whose way you don't choose won't like your game as much.

Although, I find that fixed movement gets less of a negative reaction, probably because it's easy to adapt to, even for fans of the other style (whereas mouse movement can be really hard to adapt to). So if you HAVE to include just one, I think fixed movement is the better choice, because it's more accessible.

If you include both choices, make sure the player's movement speed is the same for both, e.g. you can't run faster by going diagonally, and the speed you move when strafing is the same as the speed you move when going straight.