Star Citizen FPS mode to incorporate breathing into gameplay

The developers of Star Citizen released a lot of new details about the FPS mode of this upcoming blockbuster space sim. The article reveals the FPS mode will let you running in three different aim stances: the lowered stance, the ready stance and the aim down sights (ADS) stance. The aim stances affects how fast you can move, how wide your view of the battlefield is and how accurate you can shoot.

Also detailed is how the game will incorporate stamina and even breathing to achieve higher realism. You can read the full details over here.

We intend to prove that breathing can be an active, interesting part of the FPS experience. Soldiers must control their breathing in order to fire more accurately, so why not simulate that in the game? Firing at the top and bottom of each breath, or holding your breath entirely, are ways soldiers learn to fire their weapons most effectively, so it makes sense to reward players for having the skill and patience to do the same.

Firing at the top and/or bottom of your natural breaths mean that there is (briefly) no movement of the upper chest to move the barrel, making your shots more accurate. Holding your breath is another way which can be used for a longer stabilization time, at the risk of waiting too long and needing to catch your breath — with a resulting loss of stamina, should you hold it too long!

These “natural pauses” during the breathing cycle will only occur while in the Aiming Down Sights stance. There will be a pause at the top and bottom of each breath. During this pause there will be almost no movement to the sights and it will be the best time to fire. We might also tighten the spread of the rounds when firing at these points.