Sidescroller, not platforming

[guest509]

There are side scrolling games that are not platformers, like Elevator Action and Kungfu. Has anyone tried making a procedurally generated game with those as a model? I think Red Rogue is a bit like this.

The main problem I see with platformer level generation is it is the actual spacial layout that is important. A top down game can focus more on content of the rooms, it's not so important exactly where the rooms are in relation to everything else. Put in another way a plaformer level is interesting do largely to its architecture, while the same is not as true for a top down game.

So I think that's why we are't seeing a lot of good platformers, but we are seeing some good side scrollers.

Maybe?

[Vanguard]

The main problem I see with platformer level generation is it is the actual spacial layout that is important. A top down game can focus more on content of the rooms, it's not so important exactly where the rooms are in relation to everything else. Put in another way a plaformer level is interesting do largely to its architecture, while the same is not as true for a top down game.

I have nothing to add, but I wanted to say that this is a good observation.

[guest509]

I think you can cheat though Vanguard, by making the architecture again not matter so much. Do this by having your side-scroller man fly in some way. Either with a jetpack, joust style wing flapping, or just zero gravity like in Hero Core.

Also Dig Dug had some gravity elements, with the falling rocks.

Or you can take the platforms out and just have a sidescroller but not a platformer. I think a procedural Elevator Action would be awesome...