---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-rappelling
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-rappelling
lang: en
title: Rappelling
summary: >-
  A rope supports the character beside a vertical surface and controls descent.
  The player chooses a stopping height and an exit point.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-rappelling/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-rappelling.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-rappelling.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Game design techniques
  - Movement
sourceIds:
  - source-bd88af94d6b9becd
  - source-6d85e70186c2d6d2
sources:
  - id: source-bd88af94d6b9becd
    title: 'Game Mechanics: Rappelling'
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-6d85e70186c2d6d2
    title: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling/game/tom-clancys-splinter-cell
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: game-mechanics
    id: gm-rappelling
    title: Game design techniques
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-rappelling'
    categoryIds:
      - gm-category-movement
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
    title: Rappelling
    description: >-
      A rope supports the character beside a vertical surface and controls
      descent. The player chooses a stopping height and an exit point.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/traversal-rappelling.webp
      width: 600
      height: 428
      crop:
        x: 170
        'y': 110
        width: 430
        height: 318
      game: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)
      sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling'
      originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/splinter_cell_abseiling.webm'
      sourceFrameSeconds: 2.89
      credit: Ubisoft Montréal; clip via GameMechanics.org
      rights: >-
        © respective game rights holders. Clip source: GameMechanics.org. All
        rights reserved.
      caption: Controlled descent along a facade
      alt: >-
        Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Sam hangs from a rope in front of a window
        on the facade.
      markers:
        - x: 48
          'y': 56
          label: The character is supported beside the facade
    tips:
      - Allow speed control and stopping before the desired exit.
      - Match rope exits to usable surfaces.
    examples:
      - title: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)
        url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages
  checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
  gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference
  URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film
  analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are
  upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics
---
# Rappelling

id: game-mechanics--gm-rappelling
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-rappelling
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-rappelling/

A rope supports the character beside a vertical surface and controls descent. The player chooses a stopping height and an exit point.

## At a glance

![Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Sam hangs from a rope in front of a window on the facade.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/traversal-rappelling.webp)

[Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling) · © respective game rights holders. Clip source: GameMechanics.org. All rights reserved.

[Source recording](https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/splinter_cell_abseiling.webm), 2.89 s

1. The character is supported beside the facade

- Allow speed control and stopping before the desired exit.
- Match rope exits to usable surfaces.

- [Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling)

## How it works

A rope supports the character while descending along a surface.

## Variants

### How the technique works

<a id="gm-rappelling-rule"></a>

- A rope supports the character while descending along a surface. <a id="gm-rappelling-definition"></a>

## Context and limits

All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.

- [Game Mechanics: Rappelling](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling) (id: source-bd88af94d6b9becd)
- [Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/rappelling/game/tom-clancys-splinter-cell) (id: source-6d85e70186c2d6d2)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors