Geometry/direction/movement/speed/distance

[Li Meiyang]

Maybe this is already obvious to some people, but it just occurred to me that running in any of the cardinal directions North East South or West is slower than moving NE, SE, NW, SW.

One step moves you one tile in any direction, but look at the triangle below. The two sides running N to S and W to E are both 9 tiles (and nine steps). The diagonal line (hypotenuse) is a greater distance (12.7) yet still only nine tiles and nine steps.

12.7 - 9 = 3.7

3.7 is 41% of 9

So that means you move 41% further (or faster) running NE/SE/NW/SW than you do going N/S/E/W, yeah? Unless I'm missing something.

I remember in AD&D diagonal movement on the grid cost you one extra step for every two. In other words moving two spaces diagonally counted as 3, 4 counted as 6, etc. But in UO there is no penalty, so you just gain all that distance.

That's a really significant difference, and worth putting to use in pursuit or flight, or just travelling in general...

This would be really useful at sea as well. I will start to apply it for hauling up MIBS by favoring "forward right/left" over "forward" on course to the markers.

[nubnub]

Yep, maximize those stealth steps...

[keelonzo]

"faster" for stealth, but the fastest ways to outrun someone in the wild is to find a seam between the trees and follow it - serpentine = caught

[qwebirc41039]

your describing something all pros like me implicity already knew

[archaicsubrosa77]

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line
Oh my GOD! That's like what goes up must come down!
Someone should put that on paper
Just teasing.

On that note, why are there famous quotes of common sense by so called super geniuses? Makes me want to slap a few teachers...and society who was awestruck at the time.