Designing platformers

[v1rus]

So, any good articles/handbooks/whatevers on platform design on the web?

Bonus question, which platform is rather well-designed in your opinion?

 

[Mustawd]

Youtube has a ton of tutorial vids on how to make one

 

[v1rus]

Youtube has a ton of tutorial vids on how to make one

Well, what exactly do you mean by that? I'm after something that would provide some theoretical/logical explanations on what good design in a platform is. You know, the general do's and dont's (Never place checkpoint after ______ cause then _____ would happen, and that confuses the player, blah, blah blah)

 

[Excidium II]

If you played games you'd know.

 

[Mustawd]

Youtube has a ton of tutorial vids on how to make one

Well, what exactly do you mean by that? I'm after something that would provide some theoretical/logical explanations on what good design in a platform is. You know, the general do's and dont's (Never place checkpoint after ______ cause then _____ would happen, and that confuses the player, blah, blah blah)

I mean there are a ton of tutorial videos on how to make platformers. Some go into the design of platformer levels. I typed in "2d platformer design" and got a list of hits on youtube. Some of them are your typical 15 yr old kids makes a platformer, but others seemed to really go into quite a bit of depth.

 

[v1rus]

If you played games you'd know.

That's quite true, and i did play games, so I probably know. But research never hurts.

 

[Siveon]

Bonus question, which platform is rather well-designed in your opinion?

Well designed platformers?

Mega Man 2, Castlevania NES, Castlevania: SOTN, Super Metroid, Super Mario 3/World, Super Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, Shovel Knight, Crash Bandicoot, Super Meat Boy, Mega Man X, Hard Corps: Uprising, Contra. There's definitely more I'm missing, but these are the ones I've played. Platformer is a pretty generic term at this point, so I didn't know what you were going for.

Spoiler

inb4 Sonic.

 

[Excidium II]

Spoiler

inb4 Sonic.

Yeah?

 

[Ivan]

3D: Mario 64, Galaxies, 3D World, Banjo 1+2, Rayman
2D: Donkey Kong Country 1+2, Rayman Origins+Legends


aaaaaaaaaand we're just in time 4:

 

[Siveon]

Rayman Origins+Legends

I knew I was forgetting something.

 

[Mustawd]

Did some google legwork for you v1rus

http://subtractivedesign.blogspot.com/2013/02/making-platforming-games.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedesign/comments/2fbwzj/2d_level_design_theory_advice_appreciated/
http://devmag.org.za/2011/01/18/11-tips-for-making-a-fun-platformer/
http://devmag.org.za/2011/07/04/how-to-design-levels-for-a-platformer/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISutk1mauPM

 

[xxxCatholicKillahxxx]

All the games I would have suggested have been mentioned already apart from Tomba!/Tombi! for the Playstation. While not a pure platformer, it is more of a light metroidvania.

 

[LESS T_T]

This is about a very specific subject and not necessarily about platformers, but would interest you:

The Theory and Practice of Cameras in Side-Scrollers: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iNSQIyNpVGHeak6isbP6AHdHD50gs8MNXF1GCf08efg/pub?embedded=true

Video version:

 

[Cadmus]

Platformers are the next worst thing after the Holocaust.

 

[Ivan]

fuck off. platformers offered me some of the most magical moments of escapism, plus they usually have badass muzik.

unless, of course, you're just being

 

[TheGreatOne]

^ He's probably a story/athmospherefag who can't into challenge
@OP Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis/Mega Drive) is a good one to cover after you've covered the essentials (Mega Man 2+9+X, Mario, Sonic 2, Rayman Origins or Legends, Donkey Kong Country 1 or 2, Super Meatboy). There's a shit ton of Japanese games on 16&32 bit systems like that which aren't really popular but have more solid&challenging design than majority of modern platformers (like Pulseman on Mega Drive, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood on PC-Engine and Gimmick on Famicom).
As far as puzzle elements go, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and it's sequel on the PS2 feature great level design with out ignoring mechanical, platforming based challenge. Though beware that they're unbearably cutsey. Tonally the complete opposite, Oddworld: Abe's Oddyssey and Exoddus are more methodical and even more puzzle oriented, with less emphasis on platforming, as they're cinematic platformers with realistic movement&fall damage. Gameplaywise, not really what you're looking for if you want to make a run of the mill platformer that's fun to play, but otherwise they're excellent.

I'd also recommend taking a look at the Crash Bandicoot series (1-3) even though they're 3D, they have a lot of side scrolling segments with nice design (chaining jumps etc).

 

[Cadmus]

fuck off. platformers offered me some of the most magical moments of escapism, plus they usually have badass muzik.

unless, of course, you're just being

yes, hating retarded pixelated side scrollers makes me edgy

 

[TheGreatOne]

No, attention whoring does.

 

[v1rus]

Bunch of awesome recommendations and links, tyvm Codex bros. Already played a good deal of those games (Crash & Rayman games, Meatboy, Braid, Rocket Knight, Contra Hard Corps, and so on, and on). Since the common complaint was that I wasn't specific enough, let's narrow it down to modern/indie games.

^ Tonally the complete opposite, Oddworld: Abe's Oddyssey and Exoddus are more methodical and even more puzzle oriented, with less emphasis on platforming, as they're cinematic platformers with realistic movement&fall damage.

Ye, cinematic platformers, gotta love 'em. Heart of the Alien, Flashback, Heart of Darkness, Prince of Persia. Brilliant stuff.

 

[Mustawd]

Some more about level design on Super Mario and Super metroid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBmIkEvEBtA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGWHxQ2WcBE

 

[Mustawd]

Apparently this book is a great resource. https://bossfightbooks.com/products/spelunky-by-derek-yu

Ok, I'm done. Sorry, I got kind of autist about finding resources.

 

[Siveon]

Aquaria

Aquaria is a metroidvania but I don't see how it can be a platformer. What with the free movement and all. Maybe I'm just being pedantic.

Contra Hard Corps

Just to clarify, since this game almost never gets mentioned, I was talking about the spiritual successor to Contra Hard Corps, Hard Corps: Uprising. Absolutely phenomenal but it's only on last gen consoles.

 

[v1rus]

Apparently this book is a great resource. https://bossfightbooks.com/products/spelunky-by-derek-yu

Ok, I'm done. Sorry, I got kind of autist about finding resources.

What ya apologizing for? More resources, the merrier.

Siveon

Nevah heard of it :O Gonna give it a spin, i love meh sum hard corps

 

[Mustawd]

What ya apologizing for? More resources, the merrier.

In that case....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0c5Le1vGp4

 

[vortex]

Which engine has easier workflow to make such a game ? UE4 or Unity?