Swimming

When an animal is in the water, if their feet cannot touch the bottom, they are considered to be swimming. Swimming is one of three types of movement, the others being terrestrial movement and flight. Playable creatures in Beasts of Bermuda harbor a wide array of aquatic capabilities, ranging from ineptitude to proficiency.

Swimming as an Aquatic Creature

The Mosasaurus is Happy in the Water

Aquatic creatures live their entire lives in the water, and thus are highly specialized for aquatic movement. An entirely different style of movement has been granted to these animals. Rather than using the turn radius style movement most terrestrial creatures follow, aquatic creatures can change their orientation simply by having the player move their camera, often very swiftly. The creature will always face the direction of the camera while the player is holding forwards, but will rotate left, right, or towards the camera if the player presses other movement keys. This is different than terrestrial creatures, where orientation of their animal will follow a more fixed radius on the terrain. Aquatic creatures are indeed very agile swimmers.

Aquatic creatures are significantly faster than their terrestrial counterparts while in the water. Most have speeds exceeding even the swiftest land animals.

Rather than be concerned with immediate death by drowning, aquatic creatures must manage their air supply using a different, more dynamic, specially designed mechanic. More aerobic activities deplete air faster than sedentary activities. Replenishing air is as simple as returning to the surface for a breath.

Swimming up and down can be controlled both with the pitch angle of the camera as well as with use of the jump and crouch keybinds.

Swimming as a Terrestrial Creature

The Pachycephalosaurus is Scared in the Water

terrestrial creatures are unanimously poor swimmers. They float lazily to the surface when no control input is provided by the player. Use of jump and crouch will allow the player to slowly ascend or descend in the water. Unlike aquatic creatures, they do not have a separate, dedicated system designed around their swimming capabilities. They are often restricted to a similar movement type they are bound to on land, where turn radius and speed dictate their course for the most part. Worse, with the exception of the Acrocanthosaurus, they suffer a further reduced rate of turning while swimming. Most of these creatures are very easy prey for aquatic creatures while in the water, and can put up little fight.

Some terrestrial creatures cannot use their attacks or abilities in water. Most notably, the Apatosaurus and Parasaurolophus cannot stomp.

Terrestrial creatures will suffer extreme loss of comfort if swimming in deep saltwater.

While submerged, terrestrial creatures are at risk of Drowning.

Swimming as a Semiaquatic Creature

The Ichthyovenator is the first semiaquatic creature added to Beasts of Bermuda. Semiaquatic creatures are very adept at swimming, but hold some limitations that aquatic creatures do not harbor. They have the same swimming movement style as that of aquatic creatures, allowing tremendously improved aquatic maneuverability over their terrestrial counterparts. Unlike aquatic creatures, however, they still have breath. When breath is exhausted, they rapidly perish, as terrestrial creatures do. The amount of time semiaquatic creatures can spend underwater, however, has been greatly extended by a factor of 5, allowing an animal the size of the Ichthyovenator to breath for nearly five minutes on one breath.

Semiaquatic creatures have improved underwater vision, allowing much higher visibility than terrestrial creatures.

While adept at swimming, semiaquatic creatures often aren't quite as fast or as agile as a fully aquatic creature in the water.

Swimming as a Flying Creature

The Pteranodon will be the first flying creature to be added to Beasts of Bermuda. It is not yet in-game, and the mechanics of flying creatures in the water have yet to be completed.