I’m wondering what people think about the ideal controls for a 2.5d game that allows full 3D movement in all directions, like “Little Nightmares” ? If you haven’t seen this game, it’s somewhat like “Limbo” and “Inside” except it allows full 3D movement (within a limited area on either side of the horizontal “path”). Some reviewers have said the controls are difficult with a keyboard, and gameplay footage shows people having some problems. I’m not sure what control method is used, but I think it’s the usual W/S = forward/backwards, A/D = rotate left/right. Maybe it would be easier to use A/D = move left/right and W/S move away/towards camera?
Here’s some gameplay footage which shows movement away from the camera at the beginning of the footage (notice he walks toward the staircase in the background) and likewise at other points, such as in the bedroom where he jumps up on the bed by moving away from the camera, and so on:
Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 1 featured those kind of controls in the past. It is not the most common way of controlling characters these day, and usually is used in racing games, for controlling cars, tanks, and so on. Also, I believe that all mech warrior titles featured those kind of controls for walking, except that in addition to that you had separate controls for rotating the cockpit.
One issue with WSAD controlling movements relative to camera is changing camera angles (basically when passing from one zone to another where camera is looking at the scene at different angle, you’ll need to preserve original direction of movement, unless player changes it, even though it no longer corresponds to new camera-based directions).
The other issue is that WSAD relative to camera movement is that it allows rapid change of direction. instant 180degree turn on the spot, for example. Those will require fine-tuning, and this kind of control may not be suitable for games that are supposed to be slow/meditative/etc.
So, ideal controls would depend on the kind of 2.5d game being made. Racing/machinery - definitely forward/backward and turn. Rapid action movement? WSAD relative to camera. Anything in between - the choice depends on desing decisions.
I meant moving in the z-axis rather than moving directly relative to the camera itself.
I also should have said that the rotation would normally be done with the mouse rather than A/D.
Does anyone know what controls “Little Nightmares” uses? Players are clearly rotating the character.
Honestly Bob - it looks to me like that game was designed specifically for controller input - then ported to keyboard controls. Have you found any comments on controller (gamepad) input not working as expected?
If I were creating this game, I’d relate the game to a complete 3D game instead of consider it to be a 2.5D game, with respect to the controls. It seems there is much greater 3D movement than other 2.5D games which commonly are 2D platformers with 3D graphics and a little extra depth - like Limbo and Inside.
Thinking of it as a 3D platformer instead of a 2.5D game really makes the choice of control set up kinda obvious - I think. wasd for movement, and other buttons for actions, but the controller (gamepad) as the primary input for most of the gamers who will play the game.
For another example of a 2.5D game that had some odd 3D movement/controls, consider watching Total Biscuit review of Trine3.
Players don’t seem to be having any trouble when using a controller, as far as I can tell; just the keyboard evidently. The design is rather strange (well, ok, the whole thing is strange).
