Topic: Midair Jump Adjustments in 2D platformers.

[Ratty]

Reading some metacritic reviews of a throwback Indie game I've been enjoying a lot lately, Volgarr The Viking (a Rastan-like game with controls also somewhat similar to Classicvanias) I noticed someone complaining about the lack of the ability to adjust your jump arc in midair without using the doublejump attack. Saying "All the good retro games had that" uh no they didn't.

I'm reminded of how often I see the jumping mechanics matter-of-factly listed as a "negative" of the Classicvanias and it always makes me cringe. What's so wrong with having you need to know where you plan to land before you make a jump? If the rest of the game design is tight I think it's actually preferable. Midair adjustment often comes off to me like a crutch for lazy stage design or slippery controls. Fellow Castlevania fans and retro gamers, what do you think?

[theplottwist]

Reading some metacritic reviews of a throwback Indie game I've been enjoying a lot lately, Volgarr The Viking (a Rastan-like game with controls also somewhat similar to Classicvanias)

First off. This game REEKS of Capcom's Magic Sword. Loved it, playing it.

I noticed someone complaining about the lack of the ability to adjust your jump arc in midair without using the doublejump attack. Saying "All the good retro games had that" uh no they didn't.

I'm reminded of how often I see the jumping mechanics matter-of-factly listed as a "negative" of the Classicvanias and it always makes me cringe. What's so wrong with having you need to know where you plan to land before you make a jump? If the rest of the game design is tight I think it's actually preferable. Midair adjustment often comes off to me like a crutch for lazy stage design or slippery controls. Fellow Castlevania fans and retro gamers, what do you think?

I agree. I'm tired of seeing people complain about how Castlevania had a poor jumping mechanic. That's completelly unbased, and generally comes from people who do not know how to plan ahead or have poor reflexes. The classicvanias' level design was perfect in this sense, with Castlevania III being the pinacle of level design (for me, at least). Every gap and hole was conceived to be a perfect plaforming challenge. They replicated this on Castlevania: Adventure Rebirth. When I unlocked the "classic jumping", I activated it imediatelly. You can clearly see that the game was designed with this mechanic in mind.

However, I don't see the midair adjustment as an excuse for bad level design, since, I believe, the level design must come after the mechanics for the character were already established, meaning that the challenge will always suit the mechanic (That, of course, when the developer is not in fact lazy).

Not to mention that "jumping without return" is actually realistic xD

[Ratty]

First off. This game REEKS of Capcom's Magic Sword. Loved it, playing it.

There's probably some influence from Magic Sword yeah. If you mean you're playing Volgarr be aware that there is a save-system of sorts. In world 1-1 (the first screen after the startscreen) if you jump up into the crevice behind the checkpoint crystal you'll be warped to your farthest accessed level. The crevice is just stone until you defeat the first boss of course.

I agree. I'm tired of seeing people complain about how Castlevania had a poor jumping mechanic. That's completelly unbased, and generally comes from people who do not know how to plan ahead or have poor reflexes.

Yeah, sadly you'll see this in every genre to a degree. There are people who actually think Doom and Serious Sam are badly designed because they're not like modern FPSs were you can soak up damage and auto-heal over time. When actually it's apples and potatoes.

The classicvanias' level design was perfect in this sense, with Castlevania III being the pinacle of level design (for me, at least). Every gap and hole was conceived to be a perfect plaforming challenge.

I agree. It's a beautiful thing to see. The designers on Castlevania 1 and especially 3 showed a level of artistry rarely seen before or since. "Difficult but fair" doesn't begin to do it justice.

Not to mention that "jumping without return" is actually realistic xD

Yeah, I somtimes mention this though of course when you're dealing with games with vampires or all other manner of ghastly monsters it's kind of a moot point lol.

[Inccubus]

Reading some metacritic reviews of a throwback Indie game I've been enjoying a lot lately, Volgarr The Viking (a Rastan-like game with controls also somewhat similar to Classicvanias) I noticed someone complaining about the lack of the ability to adjust your jump arc in midair without using the doublejump attack. Saying "All the good retro games had that" uh no they didn't.

I'm reminded of how often I see the jumping mechanics matter-of-factly listed as a "negative" of the Classicvanias and it always makes me cringe. What's so wrong with having you need to know where you plan to land before you make a jump? If the rest of the game design is tight I think it's actually preferable. Midair adjustment often comes off to me like a crutch for lazy stage design or slippery controls. Fellow Castlevania fans and retro gamers, what do you think?

I agree 100%. It's made worse by people who cling to "realism" in games being better yet when push comes to shove they prefer the "better" jump physics. That's defined as hippocracy.