Reworking the 2.5D Platformer
Objective: Making a more refined 2.5D side scrolling platformer
Within the past few months, I decided to diverge my studies for Unity and game development to learning how to create 3D assets within the program called Blender. While this journey has not been completed yet, I believe I have the basic know-hows to create low polygon 3D objects that can be used within my 2.5D platformer game.
While learning Blender, my initial vision of creating a platformer game has changed significantly. This is mostly due the limitations in my “then” knowledge of 3D and lack of level planning and design. I mostly wanted to keep the environmental level design realistic and true to reality, but since that was boring and hard to recreate inside a game. The idea had to be adjusted to the point where it did not carry the initial concept.
For this year, I decided to let my imagination loose and go full creative mode and embrace fantasy. That said, the bullet points that was mentioned several mediums before still hold true.
1. Create an own Character Controller from scratch
2. Have custom “walking, jumping, special, Idle” animation
3. Create an Unique 3D/2D environment/stage design
4. Have at least 3 to 4 different stages
5. Use the new Unity Input System for Movement
6. Optional (create an Mobile port for Android with touch control)
7. Create collectables and destructible
The only difference this time is that I am starting with an level design concept first. This is what failed initially during my first attempt, was that I did not have a clear vision on how the level layouts should be like.
I opt for an grid like setup that allows and modular construction. That way I can easily add and take away the layout if the gameplay testing turns out the level doesn’t work or just requires small changes.
Once I have decided on a theme, I am going to import this layout into Blender. I decided to construct the entire platform in a 3D object to make that 2.5 dimension illusion. Then the player and some interactable objects can be 2 dimension.
In the next medium article, I will go over what I have changed in the Unity and scripting side. I will still be using the New Unity Input system for movement, but because the character has changed now, there will also be some other changes that come along with.
