Three dimensional ship direction names

[Shadowcatbot]

Random though, you know how ships have port, aft, starboard, and bow? What would up and down e called? Topside downside?

[Luna]

Does this really matter?

[Vinyl]

up

Dorsal _____

down

Ventral _____

[Ivan2006]

^

[Tau]

I think we should just call them the x, y, z axes. Nautical terminology is confusing and outdated.

[Ivan2006]

We aren't talking about axes, we are talking about directions.
And although it is outdated, I guess most people still use it.
Tho some might just say 'left' 'right' 'front' 'back' 'top' 'bottom'...

[cats]

We're not talking about directions, we're talking about anatomy, undoubtedly.

[Error]

Fore, aft, port, starboard, dorsal, ventral. Front, back, left, right, top, bottom, respectively.

[Ivan2006]

We're not talking about directions, we're talking about anatomy, undoubtedly.

Yeah, actually what I was thinking about, but a better word didn't come to mind.

[҉]

But what do you call it when the decks are arranged like an actual rocket, so the front of the ship is above the crew's heads?

[Prototype]

I think you would refer to forewards as being the normal direction of motion of the ship. Or you can use X+, X-, Y+, Y- and Z+ Z-

[Error]

Bow/fore. Front of the ship.

Dorsal/ventral are tiehr arbitrary or not used in that context.

[Tau]

Directions are too complex. I suggest that we make the world's first 1-dimensional spaceflight simulator.

[Chairman_Tiel]

I agree with vinyl and ivan.

Though you have to wonder why the concept of space warfare beyond naval combat imported into vacuum scares so many people, at least in the video game market. Homeworld should've really done better than it did.

[Ivan2006]

I think the reason many make space warfare basically naval-warfare-imported-into-space is to appeal to a wider audience, as having full 3-dimensional maneuvers would propably confuse 50% or more to a point where they won't be able to follow the plot in a movie or orient themselves on a battlefield in a game respectively. In gaming, 3D-movement is generally harder to code I would imagine, but propably mostly to allow people who don't understand basical orbital maneuvers to play the game.