Stickbow Target Archery Forums

Todd,
The Freestyle compound folks already have a program that gives them their marks to set their scopes. It uses arrowspeed, height of the peep, the thread twist of the sight adjustment to factor things in. Very, Very accurate.

In trad archery there are variables that the Freestyle folks don't have to content with too much with like poor releases or consistant drawlength problems. If you go the ballistics section of Steve Jackson's site you can see what just a few feet per second difference will do to a shot at say 60yds. Puts you off target at long ranges. Remember the arrow drop values given are from a 90 degree shot to the earths surface. Since we shoot in an arch I divide that value in half it gives you an idea of how high your gap should probably be under ideal conditions.
Good stuff looking forward to seeing what you comeup with.

I'm familiar with the site, and looked into trajectory formulas on other sites as well. When you start getting into the physics of air resistance on an arrow it gets far too complicated for me. Since the arrow arcs through the air, its surface area is constantly changing. Not to mention the fact that the spinning and rotation alone affect the trajectory. So the formulas I currently use in my program assume a point mass flying through a vacuum.

I don't think I want my game to require the user to put in shaft diameter, fletching height and length, etc. I may introduce a general air resistance factor if the arrow flight seems too wacky, but right now it seems pretty close.

Nice group
Light trail sounds like a great idea -- wish I could have it on my real arrows.

Maybe you should have a rain mode too. As the feathers get wet, have the arrows gradually hit lower and lower, until they saturate
And a badly-spined rain mode -- where, as the feathers get wet, the arrows start to curve sideways.