I’m building a dungeon RPG on my own. It’s called Dungeon Wanderers — a co-op action game you can dive into with up to four players. I plan to write about the development from time to time, like this.
This time, I want to talk about movement.
Movement is a quiet, unglamorous part of a game. You just walk to where you’re going. But when I look back at the time I actually spend playing, the time spent moving is often longer than the time spent fighting. It seems like a waste for that longest stretch to be nothing but a chore.
So the starting point this time was simple: I want movement itself to feel good.
You start running by flicking the stick
How to trigger a dash took some thought.
Binding it to a button is the easiest option. But the controller buttons are already full, and holding a dash button down the whole time is tiring for your fingers and not very interesting as an action.
So I went with this: flick the stick quickly and you break into a run. Tilt it gently and you walk; push it sharply and you dash. The momentum of the input carries straight into the run. I think this small bit of effort turns moving into something you actively play with, rather than just hold.
On keyboard, you run by holding Shift. I kept that one straightforward.
Heavy gear makes your feet heavy
I also made it so that heavier equipment slows you down.
The point isn’t to be inconvenient — it’s to create a choice about what you bring with you on a dive. Do you go in heavy and sturdy, or take lighter gear for speed? I wanted weight to be something you feel in your movement, not just a number on a screen.
This speed difference also changes with the type of weapon and whether you have it drawn or sheathed. Running with a heavy greatsword still drawn is a little slower, for example. I’ll be dialing in the exact numbers through playtesting from here.
Feel over spectacle
The thing I consistently care about in this game is feel, more than spectacle. The same goes for movement. I’m not after a flashy dash effect. I want the things that settle into your hands and body — flicking to run, sensing the weight.
This part is still being tuned. It isn’t finished. The direction I’m aiming for is simple: movement that feels like play rather than a chore.
Next time, I’ll write about throwing out a feature I had built myself, all for the sake of that smoothness.
