Unreal Tournament's Sniper Rifle: A Balancing Act Between Physics and Gameplay

This article delves into the physics model of the sniper rifle in the classic game Unreal Tournament. While the game uses a 'hitscan' mechanic, ignoring real-world factors like bullet travel time and drop, this simplified model generally provides a smooth gameplay experience. However, on the iconic map 'Facing Worlds', the unrealism of this simplification becomes more noticeable. The article compares different games' approaches to projectile physics, explaining the trade-offs between realism and gameplay in game design, ultimately concluding with the philosophy, "All models are wrong, but some models are useful."