The Method
From the simple equation V = dP/dt, we can derive Vt = (P1 - P0) assuming V is constant.
This leads to V = D/t, D being the displacement from Position 0 to Position 1. Since we're going to be traveling in a straight line in ONE direction, D is also distance.
Now this equation isn't that useful, so we'll put it in a ratio: V2/V1 = t1/t2. (The distances cancel out)
This is equivalent to two objects traveling across the same distance D with object 1 moving at velocity V1 and taking time t1 to get across the distance and object 2 moving at velocity V2 and taking time t2 to get across the distance. This simple ratio is what we'll be using to empirically determine BASE movement speed.
I'll be using a grenadier with +50 mspeed (and none from equipment/cash bonuses) and a harlequin (haha rogue, no) with +0 mspeed (same deal-o). I'll explain my character choice in a bit.
Assuming x is base movement speed:
The grenadier's mspeed will be (x + 50)
and the harlequin's will be x
So (x+50)/x = t2/t1
Using frames as a measure of time, we can almost precisely determine the ratio of velocities; the only possible errors in calcuation is the estimation of when a character's movement actually begins and when it has stopped. I will explain how I minimized these later on.
The Data
Here are two videos (I encourage you non-believers to download each one and analyze the frames yourself if you don't trust my calculations).
Harlequin:
Grenadier:
The harlequin starts running between frames 776 and 777
The harlequin stops running between frames 1314 and 1315
The grenadier starts running between frames 601 and 602
The grenadier stops running between frames 1005 and 1006
The calculations
The harlequin takes t2 = 538 frames to go distance D
The grenadier takes t1 = 404 frames to go distance D
This arrives at the equation of one variable: (x+50)/x = 538/404
Now we'll look at the fraction 538/404. If you divide it out, the value turns out to be 1.33168-----. We'll approximate this with 4/3. This approximation could be risky in that the ratio isn't that solid, however I want it to be. By simple math we know 4/3 = 200/150. Given that (x+50)/x = 200/150, we quickly
determine x to be 150 movement speed.
The conclusion
The conclusion here is surprisingly that there is no conclusion yet. (WHAT A TWIST - M. NIGHT SHAMAMALSYALYN)
We have to determine if different classes have different base movement speeds.
Edited by SharpEye, 31 October 2010 - 11:36 AM.