Project #1: Same Game, Two Feels
The web player for the game can be found here.
One of the most obvious differences between heavy and light modes are the visual and audio changes. In heavy, the background and player become metallic, and the music has a very industrial sound to it.. In light mode, the background becomes a sky setting, which most people associate with flying or floating, and the background theme becomes a much slower and higher pitched track.
The player has aesthetic differences between modes, as well. In addition to changing materials, the heavy-mode player is larger than the light-mode player. Upon landing in heavy mode, there is an audible thud and accompanying dust cloud from the impact. In light mode, there is no impact, but instead a trail of light coming off of the player at all times. A light trail is used in many games to represent flight, which adds to the feeling that the player is more light weight than normal.
While the controls stay the same, there are some minor tweaks to the acceleration values that greatly impact the feel of the character. In heavy mode, the player has much slower acceleration and deceleration, giving the sense of having high inertia. While it jumps faster, it also falls faster, which, while technically not following the laws of physics, still gives players the sense of a heavier character. In light mode, the player has a much higher acceleration and can control the character more freely. The jump speed is far slower, which gives the appearance of low gravity. A final more subtle change is that the player is unable to adjust his mid-flight trajectory while in heavy mode, whereas he has some control over his flight path while in light mode; this further emphasizes the weight of the two game modes and is one of the biggest differences in the two modes’ feel.
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