Level Up.pdf

104 LEVEL 5 The Three Cs, Part 1—Character
Hoists and Teeters
Hoists and teeters are two very
useful tools for players to help them
get around and avoid dying. The hoist
allows the player to reach a height
slightly higher than their jump allows.
The teeter acts as a warning to the
player that they are too close to an
edge and may fall.
Not all games have or need hoists
and teeters. However, if you are
going to use these moves, make
sure you account for them when
creating your player metrics. A hoist
generally adds anywhere to a full
body length of the character to their
jump height.
When a player is in a hoist position
but hasn ’ t moved back up onto the
ledge or dropped down to the ground
below, it is called a hang. Some games
will bypass this state entirely by having
a player automatically hoist themselves
back up, while other games use the
hang for gameplay, allowing players to
hang from objects and surfaces while
waiting for timing puzzles and other
hazards to pass on by.
I have found hoists, hangs, and teeters really good
opportunities to add character to your player. For example, you
can have a character react humorously to the fact that they are
hanging for their life or about to fall off a cliff! Remember, these
animations need to cycle as the player may leave their character
literally in a cliff- hanger!
You will have to be careful of what I call the “ Wily E.
Coyote effect. ” Remember in those old Chuck