{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/movement-platforming--t006","type":"mechanic","id":"movement-platforming--t006","lang":"en","title":"Climbing and holding onto surfaces","summary":"The player uses a suitable surface for hand and foot support. Grabs, climb boundaries and transitions determine the available route.","updatedAt":"2026-10-21","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/movement-platforming--t006/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/movement-platforming--t006.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/movement-platforming--t006.md","aliases":["Climbing surfaces"],"tags":["Movement and platforming","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-b8626268f7974a44","source-ad5935e19b434514","source-8b181715b5c89953","source-a05c1a03957ea296"],"sources":[{"id":"source-b8626268f7974a44","title":"Godot: 2D movement overview","url":"https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/tutorials/2d/2d_movement.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-ad5935e19b434514","title":"Maddy Thorson: Celeste & TowerFall Physics","url":"https://www.mattmakesgames.com/articles/celeste_and_towerfall_physics/index.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-8b181715b5c89953","title":"Godot: CharacterBody3D","url":"https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/classes/class_characterbody3d.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-a05c1a03957ea296","title":"Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/climbing-over-fences","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The player selects a sequence of handholds and manages grip capacity to change height without safe ground below."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t006-variants\"></a>\n\n- Explicit handholds: movement connects marked points within reach. <a id=\"t006-v1\"></a>\n- Climbable surfaces: material, slope or traction determines access. <a id=\"t006-v2\"></a>\n- Grip reserves: exertion limits long climbs and makes rest positions valuable. <a id=\"t006-v3\"></a>\n- Slip recovery: a failing grip can be rescued by catching a lower hold. <a id=\"t006-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"A cliff offers a short overhanging route and a longer path through a recovery ledge.\n\nPrototype check: Disable exertion and compare routes: the constraint should change choices while leaving at least one viable path."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Movement connects input, trajectory and accessible space. Players assess support, speed and remaining abilities, choose an action and correct their motion through feedback. These ten directions range from flat platforming to underwater movement. A first prototype needs only a few surfaces and one distinctive rule; the camera, collisions and return of control should explain success or failure. Godot documentation provides implementation examples, while the Celeste and TowerFall author describes one approach to movement and platforms; these choices are not mandatory in every engine."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"movement-platforming","id":"t006","title":"Movement and platforming","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/movement-platforming/#t006","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-21","title":"Climbing surfaces","description":"The player uses a suitable surface for hand and foot support. Grabs, climb boundaries and transitions determine the available route.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/splinter-cell-fence.webp","width":600,"height":328,"game":"Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)","sourceUrl":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/climbing-over-fences","originalUrl":"https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/splinter_cell_climb_fence.webm","sourceFrameSeconds":4.5,"credit":"Ubisoft Montréal; clip via GameMechanics.org","rights":"© respective game rights holders. Clip source: GameMechanics.org. All rights reserved.","caption":"A chain-link surface as support","alt":"Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002): Sam holds a chain-link fence while crossing its top edge.","markers":[{"x":45,"y":53,"label":"Hands and feet use the surface for support"}]},"tips":["Distinguish climbable surfaces from decoration.","Check transitions to edges, ground and adjacent supports."],"examples":[{"title":"Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/climbing-over-fences"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/movement-platforming"}}