Petit Planet: How to Manage Ferry Traffic and Docking Zones

To prevent character movement bottlenecks around ferries in Petit Planet, space out coastal docking points and keep transit pathways free of physical obstacles. Because ferries follow fixed automated movement cycles, avoiding player blocks requires designing clear coastal landing areas.

Setting Up Docking Zones

Placing docks randomly along narrow channels or too close to one another causes ferry models to overlap, creating physical and visual barriers.

• Centralize Docks in Open Terrain: Place main docking points along wide, accessible coastlines near primary travel zones rather than scattering them across narrow shoreline strips.
• Limit Hub Connections: Restrict the number of active ferry routes connecting to a single hub to spread transit density across different sections of your coastline.
• Account for Turning Radii: Leave spacious openings around shorelines to accommodate ferry arrival animations and vessel turns without blocking land pathways.

Preventing and Clearing Movement Obstructions

A docked ferry's collision box can extend beyond its visual model, trapping your character against nearby walls, cliffs, or decorative objects. Forcing your character through a docked ferry model will not clear the block.

To maintain clean traffic flow and avoid getting stuck, apply these layout practices:

1. Maintain Dock Clearance: Keep at least two character-widths of open walking space clear around every dock perimeter.
2. Clear Arrival Trajectories: Remove fences, furniture, and decorations from direct landing paths and coastal walkways.
3. Wait Out Docking Cycles: If a ferry is currently blocking a narrow passage, wait for the automated vehicle to complete its set cycle and depart.
4. Time Resource Travel: Observe ferry arrival routines to navigate coastal routes during lower-traffic windows.