Jellyfish Platforms

In Wayfinder’s Crucible world region, the mystical jungle-like environment is broken up by steep changes in elevation that compose a large gorge. To bridge some of these gaps and provide the player with more traversal options, we created floating platforms. The platforms’ visuals land somewhere between a living jellyfish that entices the player to approach, and a large mossy rock, to communicate that the player may stand on them.

IDLE ACTIVITY

Since these platforms are based on living creatures, I wanted to ensure they felt alive even when the player wasn’t directly interacting with them. However, this idle behavior needed to be subtle enough that it would not interfere with the level platforming elements.

In their idle state, the jellyfish are capable of:

  • Bobbing
  • Rotating
  • Pulsing
  • Jiggling

The internal values controlling these behaviors are all randomized between platform instances, so no two platforms will sync up their movement in an unnatural way.

IDLE ACTIVITY

Since these platforms are based on living creatures, I wanted to ensure they felt alive even when the player wasn’t directly interacting with them. However, this idle behavior needed to be subtle enough that it would not interfere with the level platforming elements.

In their idle state, the jellyfish are capable of:

  • Bobbing
  • Rotating
  • Pulsing
  • Jiggling

The internal values controlling these behaviors are all randomized between platform instances, so no two platforms will sync up their movement in an unnatural way.

REACTIVITY

These living platforms also react to the player! When player lands on them, the platforms:

  • Push downward and rebound to their original positions
  • Surface jiggle and emissive pulse
  • Play fungal spore VFX and otherworldly sound effects

REACTIVITY

These living platforms also react to the player! When player lands on them, the platforms:

  • Push downward and rebound to their original positions
  • Surface jiggle and emissive pulse
  • Play fungal spore VFX and otherworldly sound effects

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT

Since Wayfinder supports online co-op play, the jellyfish platforms needed to be able to support network replication to clients. It was critical that the jellyfish platforms match exactly between party members to avoid potential de-sync issues from differences in collision or placement of the platforms.

There were some notable challenges in implementing multiplayer support:

  • Idle movement variables needed to be randomized per floating platform, but set from the host for all clients to match
  • The jellyfish’s organic, non-symmetrical shape required the collision mesh to move exactly in step with the visuals
  • The vertical rebound from the player landing on the jellyfish needed a maximum offset in case party members repeatedly jumped on it

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT

Since Wayfinder supports online co-op play, the jellyfish platforms needed to be able to support network replication to clients. It was critical that the jellyfish platforms match exactly between party members to avoid potential de-sync issues from differences in collision or placement of the platforms.

There were some notable challenges in implementing multiplayer support:

  • Idle movement variables needed to be randomized per floating platform, but set from the host for all clients to match
  • The jellyfish’s organic, non-symmetrical shape required the collision mesh to move exactly in step with the visuals
  • The vertical rebound from the player landing on the jellyfish needed a maximum offset in case party members repeatedly jumped on it

Special thanks to Eleanore Falck and Will Santos for helping to bring these platforms to life!