Player object jump distance and speed issue

[Dzhakov]

Hello, I have an issue with my player object.

I want the player object to jump and to be able to control it while in the air and that all works but it feels I can move too fast left or right, while jumping wich leads to covering a lot of area.

I want the jump to smoother so when I jump, I move left or right at a reduced speed and fall down in a shorter distance.

Here is my code:

using System;
using NUnit.Framework;
using UnityEngine;

public class PlayerController : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private Transform groundCheck;
    [SerializeField] private float groundCheckRadius = 0.2f;
    [SerializeField] private LayerMask groundLayer;
    
    public ContactFilter2D ContactFilter;
    
    private float _forwardInput;
    
    // jumping logic
    private float _sideSpeed = 6f;
    private float _mSideSpeed;
    public float jumpVelocity = 6f; // Initial upward velocity when jumping
    
    private bool _isJumping; // true when the hero is in the air
    private float _verticalVelocity; // current vertical velocity
    private bool _isInTheAir;
    public Rigidbody2D playerBody;

    public bool IsGrounded => playerBody.IsTouching(ContactFilter);
    

    private void Start()
    {
        playerBody = GetComponent<Rigidbody2D>();
        playerBody.freezeRotation = true;

    }

    // Update is called once per frame
    private void Update()
    {
        if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Space))
        {
            _isJumping = true;
        }
      
        _mSideSpeed = (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.LeftArrow) ? -_sideSpeed : 0f) + (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.RightArrow) ? _sideSpeed : 0f);
        
    }

    private void FixedUpdate()
    {
        Vector2 currentVelocity = playerBody.linearVelocity;
        if (_isJumping && IsGrounded)
        {
            currentVelocity.y = jumpVelocity;
        }

        playerBody.linearVelocity = new Vector2(_mSideSpeed, playerBody.linearVelocity.y);
        currentVelocity.x = _mSideSpeed;

        playerBody.linearVelocity = currentVelocity;
        
        _isJumping = false;
        _mSideSpeed = 0f;
    }
}

Also here is a video of the issue:

I tried reducing the speed while in the air but that causes the object to fall down slowert and thats the furthest I got. Any ideas? thanks in advance!

[Kurt-Dekker]

@Dzhakov

I can move too fast left or right

You would need separate values for movement on ground or in air.

This could be in the form of either:

• different speed limits
• different control effectiveness
• possibly different damping when in air.

If any part of your velocity is impacted by the Rigidbody dragging on the ground, then you would need to factor in the PhysicsMaterial2D frictional properties because obviously those would NOT be affecting the character when in air.

And you want to get away from gigantic hairy lines of unreadable code like this one:

@Dzhakov

        _mSideSpeed = (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.LeftArrow) ? -_sideSpeed : 0f) + (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.RightArrow) ? _sideSpeed : 0f);

If you have more than one or two dots (.) in a single statement, you’re just being mean to yourself.

Putting lots of code on one line DOES NOT make it any faster. That’s not how compiled code works.

The longer your lines of code are, the harder they will be for you to understand them.

How to break down hairy lines of code:

http://plbm.com/?p=248

Break it up, practice social distancing in your code, one thing per line please.

“Programming is hard enough without making it harder for ourselves.” - angrypenguin on Unity3D forums

“Combining a bunch of stuff into one line always feels satisfying, but it’s always a PITA to debug.” - StarManta on the Unity3D forums

If you want an example of a jump-buffered coyote-time kinda 2D controller, here’s mine:

Coyote Time Jumping and disconnecting input gathering from input processing:

Jump buffering with New Unity Input system

Absolutely NOTHING about coyote jumping or any of your game logic should care where the input comes from. Separating input concerns from game logic concerns: make variables to represent possible player input intent Each frame: gather input: → clear those intents → load input into those variables from input sources <---- this is the ONLY part that cares where the input comes from process input from those variables: (note how NONE of this cares where the input came from) → movement …

[Dzhakov]

Thanks for the above and yes, the code can def be better.
I did not consider the friction on the ground compared to the object being in the air, that is good to know.

Is the jump buffer the prefered way to do jump logic?

[Kurt-Dekker]

@Dzhakov

the code can def be better.

No prob, I only point it out because code like that becomes a blocking point for extending and improving your code, because to do anything meaningful you have to first decompose it, then recompose it.

That’s why most of my code is one (maybe two) things per line, line after line going down, but some people just don’t like that verticality. I love it.

@Dzhakov

Is the jump buffer the prefered way to do jump logic?

Players like it because it feels like they got something for free.

Same goes for coyote time.