I realized I had a big knowledge gap when it came to platformers, so I covered Elec Head to study basic and unique system mechanics. This project helped me learn that sometimes the best solution for a problem is the simplest.
Duration: 09/25/2022 - 10/02/2022 (1 week)
Tools Used: Unity, C#, Aesprite
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Discoveries
Before this cover I had made other platformers but the jumps always felt off. Through research I learned that jumps have 3 phases: ascent, hang time, and descent. Knowing which part to exaggerate can make a gigantic difference in the way a game feels. In Elec Head the final 2 phases are exaggerated to emphasize how heavy the metal protagonist is while still giving players a forgiving jump.
Making a Better Jump
In Elec Head the player can launch their head at objects to supply power to them. My first attempts to emulate this were filled with confusing errors. Objects would stay powered on, some wouldn’t get powered at all. After giving it a thorough effort I consulted a mentor and found a simple, strange solution. Every frame every object is turned off, then checked to see its connection to the player’s head, then turned back on based on their status. Objects not in the camera’s view are not checked to conserve memory. This made the gameplay match player expectations without negatively impacting their experience.
Complex System, Simple Solution
Learnings
Utmost care needs to be put in basic player actions. These are often done hundreds of times in a playthrough and they have to feel good every time. This doesn’t mean they need to be overtly complex though. Often the best actions are straightforward with consistent feedback and reward loops.