Game Mechanics: Grappling Hook, Bouncing, Carrying, and Ladders

Game mechanics are the foundation of any interactive experience, shaping how players interact with the world. There are four major mechanics in Apartment 20: fishing rod (grappling hook), bouncing, picking up and carrying, and ladders, all of which are utilized throughout the game for quest progression and exploration. These mechanics really add to the flavor and the juice to our game.

Grappling Hook

A grappling hook is a staple mechanic in many action and exploration games, offering dynamic movement and creative traversal opportunities. The grappling hook in our game, Apartment 20, will take the form of a fishing rod. The fishing rod will be used to help reach platforms or areas that can’t be reached by our diminutive protagonist, Ace.

Bouncing

Bouncing mechanics add an element of physics-driven fun and challenge, often used for platforming and momentum-based movement. Our movement is physics-based and revolves around the bouncing off of angled cushions to get to places the player can’t reach through conventional jumping.

Picking Up and Carrying Objects

Carrying some objects is essential for environmental interaction, being used in puzzle solving, traversing, and quests. The mechanic allows the player to move specific objects by either pushing or carrying the object depending on its size. The player does that by pressing the interact button while next to the object. The player then can move the object around and release it by pressing the interact button again.

Josh P, Apartment 20 Gameplay Programmer