Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design

Putting It Together

Designing a vehicle simulation is primarily a question of research and compromise. Unless your game is a lightweight simulation such as Super Mario Kart, vehicle simulation is the most technologically oriented of games. Much of the entertainment value comes from the feeling of controlling a real machine instead of meeting strategic challenges or taking part in a story. To provide that value, you will need to research your vehicles thoroughly. If you're designing a military vehicle, you can probably find much of what you need from the Jane's Information Group, publishers of such volumes as Jane's All the World's Aircraft, and, of course, from the vehicle's manufacturer. For automobiles, the various enthusiast magazines offer ...