Floating supports? Give me a break!

[brett]

I just got the game last night and I love it...  just finished the 16 normal levels.  But now I'm at complex level 3, and it just seems a little ridiculous.

Yes, I understand how to use the mid-air anchor points.  That's not the problem.  The problem is simply my psychological state.  WHY are they there?

I mean, come on.  You sit down and play through some of the game, and just when you're starting to feel a sense of accomplishment, as though there was some legitimate real-life skill involved, you get floating things to attach your bridges to.  What gives?  I thought this game was trying to be an architecture simulation, and just assumed that in such a capacity the laws of nature would be included.  Is this just to make things more interesting?  What am I going to run into at higher levels--perhaps certain areas of the landscape will have inverted gravity fields?

OK, I'm not that terribly upset about it, and sure, I'm being a bit sarcastic, but isn't anybody else a little disappointed by this?

I suppose I can pretend that I'm constructing a bridge in a fjord that happens to have some well-marked areas of extremely sturdy rock along the walls of the canyon I'm working in...

[VRBones]

Quote: from Brinx on 9:23 am on Oct. 20, 2001
Hey VRBones! Don't I know you from the Lionhead channel?

[panther]

I think it's important to note that features such as unlikely anchor points boost the appeal of Pontifex.

Many designs from land anchor to another land anchor, ultimately end up very similar. Adding the mid-air anchor points is not just fun, but extends the possibilities for bridge design by a massive amount.

More mid-air points please.....makes for a great alternative to land anchors.

Regds to all....

[pasqualz]

This has been discussed before. Many think the best thing to do is pre-place a full support structure from the ground to teh anchor point. That would make things more "legit"

[Borogove]

If it helps, just imagine that there's a huge great big overhanging cliff off to the side...

[VRBones]

I didn't mind it at all, and it also encourages you to think laterally. If you think floating anchors are wierd, wait 'til you get to some really funky problems along the way ;)

[falkon2]

I just imagine there are pillars that support them free of charge. If it bugs you that much, you can always upen up the level editor and make a replica of the level where pillars of ground reach up to the anchor points. Actually I think that's a design idea CL should have thought up before the release of the first build =)

[mendel]

Yeah, I imagine there being concrete towers that support them - these can't be modeled adequately using the "truss" system, so they're left off. But then I'm good at abstract thinking anyway...

[Brinx]

Hey VRBones! Don't I know you from the Lionhead channel?

Sure, mid-air supports are a bit fantastic, but so are bridges which just barely stand the load

[mendel]

Bridges which barely stand the load are realistic if you assume all loads (train weights) are doubles compared to reality to allow for a safety margin, because Pontifex is a design tool. Just back down to normal (or even easy) when your bridge barely holds up on hard and see everything run smoothly in "real life" simulation ;-)

[JohnK]

Besides, Pontifex has never claimed to be a 100% accurate simulator. I've played some that are (structural engineering challenge comes to mind) and they aren't nearly as fun as Pontifex because they are too hard to make any good looking bridges. Pontifex still uses many 'real-life' engineering principles and is great fun too. I like Pontifex, realism quirks and all.