Invisible Grid: Difference between revisions

A set of spatial constraints, not visible to the player, determines the actions taken by a character in certain contexts. It is most common in 3D [[Platformer|Platformers]]s, but is on the decline. Essentially, it marks where each jump will land and where the next climbable branch is, therefore automating the platform jumping mechanic.

While this takes much of the guesswork out of the process, and therefore allows the player to move quickly without aiming his jumps, it also creates artificial restrictions on the player's actions. One major feature of a game with an [['''Invisible Grid]]''' is the lack of an [[Jump Physics|ability to steer in the air]].

Games which make continual use of the [['''Invisible Grid]]''', not only for jumping but for walking as well, are often said to be "On Rails", as if the game was played from a railcar. This style of play is common for [[Light Gun]] based games and for [[Adventure Game|Adventure Games]]s using a first person view with prerendered scenery. It is uncommon in other genres.

** ''Lunar'' has a grid, but it's rather fine-grained (characters are 2 squares wide, for instance) and the lack of direct control over the [[PC|PCs]]s' movements hides it rather well.

* Early dungeon crawlers, even 3D ones which were measured in cubes, and all turns were 90 degrees. (See [[Faux First Person 3D]].) Texture repetition revealed the grid. Examples include some ''[[Ultima|Ultimas]]s'', ''[[Wizardry]]'', and TSR's ''Pools of Radiance'' series.