Champions Online is a 3D game that actually allows players to use the Z-axis – something not many games do. That opens up some very interesting possibilities for 3D-shaped attacks. Read on for the math lesson.
Using a cone from the front means targets at ground level are hit in a triangle-shaped AoE with a length of 50ft. Bringing in a bit of trigonometry, the width of the triangle would be:
2 x tan(22.5) x 50 = 41.4ft
And the area of that AoE at ground-level would be:
0.5 x 41.4 x 50 = 1035 sq. ft
But this is a 3D game, so what happens if the AoE is used from the top? Think of a torchlight shining down. It makes a circle on the ground, and the higher you go, the wider the circle gets. At maximum range, it’s a radius that’s half of the width of the cone, or 20.7 ft. Unlike a torchlight though, it doesn’t get weaker. And the surface area it hits at ground level:
π x 20.7² = 1346.14 sq. ft
A 30% bigger AoE with a much easier to manage shape. That’s also almost double the size of the 15ft radius targeted AoEs like Conflagration. Obligatory video of what can be done with an AoE of this size follows:
