ABSTRACT
For basic platformers, the levels and obstacles were designed and balanced around only a small number of jumps the player could perform. In order to create higher skill challenges and design, indie developers began to use what we’ll call “physics-driven platforming” to greatly expand what a player could do. With physics-driven platforming, a character still has a minimum and maximum jump distance, but the jumps in-between are not locked. Super Meat Boy also featured physics-driven platforming, but was more focused on obstacle design. Even though physics-driven platforming allows for the same obstacle and enemy designs as traditional platformers, they do require a different focus on level design to make them work. Physics-driven platforming is about presenting a highly technical challenge to the player. Physics-driven platforming will often challenge the player to steer and readjust their character multiple times per second to pass an obstacle.
