How to play Okmeydanı: rules, controls and wind

How did archers shoot on the real Okmeydanı?

Ottoman archers shot two kinds of shots on the ground: range shots, as far as possible, and puta shots at a target. Where a record arrow landed, a range stone was raised and the shot was carved on its inscription. Ranges were often remembered by the wind they were shot in. The game's two kinds of levels and its stone-raising reward come from this tradition; the stones, masters and distances in the game are fictional.

Goal

The game has 24 levels in 4 chapters: 16 range levels and 8 target levels. In a range level you try to pass the old stone on the field; if you do, a stone with your name is raised where your arrow lands. In a target level you shoot at a ringed board and collect points. You cannot lose: replay a level as often as you like, and clearing it opens the next one.

Controls

Press anywhere on the screen and pull your finger left: the bow draws. While pressing, slide down to raise the angle or up to lower it. Lift your finger and the arrow flies. Tap during the flight to speed it up.

The angle is kept from one shot to the next. If you barely pull and let go, no arrow is used.

Draw, golden zone and shaking

The half ring next to the archer shows the draw. Release in the golden zone at its end for a clean release: the arrow leaves 3 percent faster. Hold the bow at full draw for too long and your arm tires, the angle shakes by a few degrees and the gauge turns red. The arm holds about 1.5 seconds with the training bow, 2.2 seconds with the target bow and 1 second with the range bow; the thumb ring adds 0.8 seconds.

Wind

Every level has a wind named with one of Istanbul's traditional wind names: Yıldız, Poyraz, Gündoğusu, Keşişleme, Kıble, Lodos, Günbatısı, Karayel. A tailwind carries the arrow further, a headwind cuts it short. In later levels the wind comes in gusts; the meter at the top and the flags on the field show its current strength. The wind is stronger higher up: shooting a little higher in a tailwind and a little lower in a headwind goes further. In calm air the longest shot is close to 40 degrees.

Range levels and stars

In a range level you have 3 arrows and your longest shot counts. Passing the old stone gives 1 star. The yellow pegs a little beyond the stone mark 2 and 3 stars: about 4.5 percent beyond the stone for 2 stars, 9 percent for 3 stars. The first stone stands at 110 metres; the last and biggest, the Record stone, at 450 metres. In headwind levels the stone is closer.

Target levels

In a target level you have 5 arrows. The rings score 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2 from the centre outwards, so 50 is the maximum. An arrow that passes under or over the board scores nothing. The 1, 2 and 3 star thresholds of each target level appear on the result screen. Target distance grows from 30 to 170 metres; in later levels it changes from shot to shot and the far target is bigger. The faint trails of your previous arrows stay on screen, and the round window at the top right shows your hits on the board.

The Bowyer: choosing bow and arrow

Choose bow and arrow from the Bowyer button on the map, or from the gear button at the bottom left while aiming. The target bow and target arrow unlock after level 2, the range arrow after level 6 and the range bow after level 12. The target bow has a wide golden zone but less range; the range bow is the strongest but its golden zone is narrow. The light range arrow flies furthest but feels the wind; the heavy target arrow flies shorter but the wind barely moves it. The thumb ring (after level 9) and the siper (after level 15) are fitted automatically; the siper lets you draw the range arrow further back for more distance.

Range of the Day and helpers

After level 4 the Range of the Day opens: every day everyone shoots 3 arrows in the same wind and the longest shot goes to the leaderboard. If you want, you can watch a short ad for two helpers: Master's eye shows a longer path of the arrow in that level, and One more arrow gives an extra arrow when you were very close to the stone or a few points short of a star. There are no helpers in the Range of the Day.

Common mistakes

• Releasing before the bow is fully drawn: the arrow leaves slowly and falls short of the stone.
• Waiting too long in the golden zone: your arm shakes, the angle drifts and the clean release is lost.
• Shooting the light range arrow into a headwind: the wind throws it around; in a strong headwind the heavy target arrow goes further.
• Not waiting for the gust: releasing while the meter shows a headwind costs a few metres.
• Setting the angle from scratch on every target shot: small corrections based on your last arrow's trail are faster.
• Shooting too steeply on range levels: above 50 degrees the arrow stays in the air but does not travel forward.