I know, I know, you can do it. So can I. But it's more of a subconscious mental exercise. A shadow game, helped by years of experience. Do you guys really feel comfortable judging distance, and such, in a 3D platformer? Assuming no camera issues, do you think it could ever be fun to have a super-difficult 3D platformer? Lost Levels 3D?

When platforming went 3D, most of the 'platformers' actually became adventure games. With the 3DS's's's 3D display, will it be possible to have a purely skill-based game? Just a bunch of platforms, suspended in air? I would have loved to have tried the catforming demo on the 3DS for myself. I hope that it works. It would make for a true functional difference for a 3D display. Maybe one that could even apply to other genres.

Yeah, even to this day I get a little anxious when making jumps on those mushrooms in the Tall, Tall Mountain stage of SM64.
I'm with ya. I really, really hope the 3D on the 3DS makes 3D platforming a reality.

Certainly not the way I do in a 2D space. There is a part of me that wonders if 3DS will essentially make 3D platforming feel like 2D platforming. Maybe. Maybe not.

I think Super Mario Galaxy handled 3D platforming pretty well though. The camera angles, the planetoids, the 2D sections, everything sort of combined together to get around the inherent limitations of 3D platformers.

Yeah, I feel comfortable platforming in 3D. I have had some issues from time to time, but I've gotten the hang of it. Despite that though, I'm still excited to see how platforming will work with 3D images.

I've been waiting for a Super Mario 64: The Lost Levels for a long time.

Wouldn't mind seeing it on Wii, but I guess 3DS would probably be better.

Yeah, as long as the controls are solid... the reason a lot of 3D platformers fail is because they control awkwardly.

No, I much prefer 2D.

There is a distinct feeling I get from 2D platforming that I never quite achieve with 3D platforming. It feels almost second nature, and I don't even have to try. I believe 3DS will change 3D platforming for the better and I can't freakin wait!

3DS TO THE RESCUE! I can do it, but its pretty much a crapshoot, and the number one reason why I think developers include things like the waterpak (FLUDD) for that extra 'oomph' to get you past a miscalculated misstep.

I disagree that 3-D platformers became adventure games. So you're basically saying that Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 are the same genre of game. They're not, at all. And yes, I've never had a problem platforming in 3-D space. I'm one of the people that thought Sunshine's camera worked just fine.

No. I've played very few of them. Prince of Persia and SMG are the only ones actually, I think. SMG was fine after I'd played for a while, but now I suck at it again.

Depends on the game and the controls for jumping. For the Mario 3D games I get anxious because you got only one jump, and his momentum is a bit realistic. But in a game like Jak and Daxter or Banjo Kazooie, where you have a second jump and physics often go out the window and there are much less bottomless pit, I feel more safe and natural. I think thats why I didn't like Mario Galaxy much, to much precision platforming over bottomless pits.

In fact, I think I just hate bottomless pits in general, always have. Probably why Mario has always been my least favorite. Also why all the new Sonic games suck. You can count all the bottomless pits in Sonic 3 & Knuckles on one hand, but now they're FUCKING EVERYWHERE.

Bottomless pits do make me uncomfortable, whether it be 2D or 3D. If there isn't any danger, other than having to do the platforming all over again without consequence, I feel about equally as comfortable in 3D as I do 2D. Unless of course the controls are clunky and the camera moves around a lot. Control has to precise, the character model needs to react quickly, and I prefer it when the camera moves as little as possible.

3D platformers make it more difficult since there are 360 directions to be aware of instead of two. Lighting and shadow definitely help us determine where we are in that space but it take much more precision on our part to keep the character on track with so many more directions. 3DS will definitely help but I believe the precision difficulty of 3D plateforming will still be there. Basically, I see it mainly as a D-pad vs. Analog stick situation.

That being said, I feel comfortable after learning the "feel" of a 3D game. I definitely get the "feel" quicker in 2D platformers.

nate38 said:

I've been waiting for a Super Mario 64: The Lost Levels for a long time.

What... the extra Stars in Super Mario 64 DS weren't enough for you...?

Ive never had any problems judging distance in 3D platformers. I actually wish that developers make them a little tougher.

@gamewizard65

Pretty much the same here. Don't really have and didn't have any problems with distance judging in 3D platformers. And considering I have trouble gauging proper depth in real life, that's saying something about me. Then again, the 3D I play in is still on a 2D screen, so...I dunno.

GameDadGrant said:

nate38 said:

I've been waiting for a Super Mario 64: The Lost Levels for a long time.

What... the extra Stars in Super Mario 64 DS weren't enough for you...?

Oh man, it's been a while since I played those...I barely even remember them. Besides, there were only like 30 of them! I want MORE. And a control stick, of course.

I'd like to try the extra stuff from SM64 DS with a non-frustrating control option. My guess is that we'll eventually see Super Mario 64 3DS.

@CB200
Depth perception is realized through a combination of 3D physical cues (like the stereoscopy that we naturally get when using both eyes at the same time) and 2D visual ones (like the relative size of something, or the position of its shadow). Maybe you're better at the 2D stuff. That sometimes happens when people have poor vision in one eye.

I've never really enjoyed 3D platformers as much as their 2D bretheren, mainly due to control issues. Even in the Galaxy games, at times I felt quite uncomfortable when juggling multiple factors while platforming.

Wow I always thought my problems with 3D games (ignoring that I HATE jumping in 1st person) came from my extended SNES playtime because everyone I know has no problems at all navigating 3D spaces.

My first humble jumps in 3D were made in Prince Of Persia Rival Swords (The Two Thrones remake for wii) and prombtly laughed at by my girlfriend who grew up during the PS1 and PS2 jumping days. I wouldn't say I hate 3D jumping it just pusches the uncomfortable scale up to 11.

During the N64/PS1 and GCN/PS2 generations the Jump&Run fan in me died a little each day because I had to resort to playing RPGs and Action Adventures Although the Gothic Series is just awesome...well part 1 and 2+addon at least.