{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/movement-platforming--t009","type":"mechanic","id":"movement-platforming--t009","lang":"en","title":"Swimming and underwater movement","summary":"Movement through water adds ascent and descent to ordinary navigation. Resistance changes acceleration, braking and tool use.","updatedAt":"2026-10-21","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/movement-platforming--t009/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/movement-platforming--t009.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/movement-platforming--t009.md","aliases":["Underwater movement"],"tags":["Movement and platforming","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-b8626268f7974a44","source-ad5935e19b434514","source-8b181715b5c89953","source-4e22a7f341a5d0ce"],"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-4e22a7f341a5d0ce","title":"Subnautica","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The player moves through a resisting volume, choosing depth, effort direction and when to return to the surface."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t009-variants\"></a>\n\n- Buoyancy: no input causes rising, sinking or neutral depth. <a id=\"t009-v1\"></a>\n- Air reserves: time or access to replenishment limits distance from the surface. <a id=\"t009-v2\"></a>\n- Currents: water motion combines with controlled speed and changes the route. <a id=\"t009-v3\"></a>\n- Medium transitions: entering water or reaching shore explicitly changes available actions. <a id=\"t009-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"An underwater passage offers a short strong current and a long sheltered loop with an air-replenishment point.\n\nPrototype check: Compare movement with and against the current; players should understand relative speed and retain a way back."},{"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":"t009","title":"Movement and platforming","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/movement-platforming/#t009","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-21","title":"Underwater movement","description":"Movement through water adds ascent and descent to ordinary navigation. Resistance changes acceleration, braking and tool use.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/subnautica-scanner.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Subnautica","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/264710/ss_e182b6b20bb797500f9f63c561586d920d44e37c.1920x1080.jpg?t=1777456112","credit":"Unknown Worlds Entertainment","rights":"© Unknown Worlds Entertainment. All rights reserved.","caption":"Navigating a three-dimensional underwater space","alt":"Subnautica: a swimmer with a scanner moves among underwater rocks and creatures at different heights.","markers":[{"x":48,"y":48,"label":"Landmarks at different depths"},{"x":11,"y":79,"label":"First-person view underwater"}]},"tips":["Tune depth controls separately from view direction.","Keep landmarks recognizable when ascending or turning."],"examples":[{"title":"Subnautica","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/"}]}},"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"}}