Measurements Conversion Information

Research By: Feddel 'Bloodguard' White III ([email protected])

Purpose:

 to establish a unit of measurement by which real world linear measurements and be equated with ZED and Tribes unit of measurements to make accurate buildings, structures and objects for Tribes maps.

Definitions

Zed is the object designing tool used to introduce new buildings, structures and non-interactive objects into Tribes.

.m(tribes) is this author's term of explaining the method of measuring linear distances in Tribes as evidenced by using the 'Targeting laser' or 'Beacon' devices during Tribes game-play.

Zedunits is this author's term for explaining the measurements indicated in the ZED tool environment while designing objects for introduction into Tribes.

RealWorld is this author's term for explaining normal feet or metric units of measurements as they are used to compare zedunits and .m(tribes) to linear measurements in the real world.

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This author makes one assumption in order to establish the following methods of measurements.

A light armor warrior (player) in Tribes will be an average of 6 feet tall.

Experiments were conducted on zed objects to determine what size of openings and spaces would allow the light armor warrior to pass through, under or in-so as to establish the body space needed.

This screenshot shows what is required to allow a lights body space to pass through.

Observation based on experiments : A light armor warrior has a body space that requires objects to be 76.6 by 36.1 zedunits to pass through, under or in-between.

Combining the assumption with the observation makes this conclusion: it seems right to establish the light armor warrior height of 6 feet realworld at 76.6 zedunits as the base line for determining how to build objects in the ZED tool.

This comparison allows us to establish that 1 foot realworld is equal to 12.68333 zedunits.

This conclusion then generated an experiment to document what were the comparable .m(tribes) measurements to known zedunits.

The Experiment

Based on the above conclusion:

1 mile realworld of 5280 feet is equal to 66,967.98 zedunits.

A roadway was created in ZED and translated into Tribes. Then a 'Beacon' was placed at one end of the roadway. After traveling the length of the roadway to it's end, it was possible to read the .m(tribes) measurement from the 'Beacon'. It showed 2090.98 m.

That makes 1 mile(5280 feet)realworld to be equal to 2090.98 m in Tribes. And 1 foot to be equal to 0.396019 .m(tribes).

If this calculation is correct then a zedobject with a measurement of 76.6 zedunits should measure about 2.376 (round it to 2.4) m in tribes.

A 'Beacon' placed at the top of the threshold after it was laid along the ground.

Using either a 'Targeting Laser' or 'Beacon' or both, you can see that the measurement is verified (taking into account any inaccuracies).

Subtract the 2.0m from the 4.5m and you get 2.5 m. Very Close!

This experiment basically confirms the base line and allows designers to accurately create real to life buildings, structures and objects in Tribes.

To make life easier for the designer, he can use excel or another spreadsheet program to setup automatic conversion formulas where all he has to do is key in a number in feet or .m(tribes) or zedunits and find the wanted measurement.

Example below is taken from Excel.

Enter value here 12 zedunits / 12.68333  = 0.946124 feet Enter value here 5280 feet x 12.68333 zedunit base  = 66967.98 zedunits Real world feet to Tribes Measurements 2090.98 .m(tribes) divided by 5280 feet  = 0.396019 .m(tribes) 6 feet 2.376114 .m(tribes) 5280 feet divided by 2090.98 .m(tribes)  = 2.525132 feet 2090.98 5280