---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-stairs
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-stairs
lang: en
title: Walking on stairs
summary: >-
  Stairs connect different heights along an ordinary movement route. Characters
  traverse them without extra commands or snagging.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-stairs/
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-stairs.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-stairs.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Game design techniques
  - Movement
sourceIds:
  - source-54add3461aee5e85
  - source-68e049f94d4efd86
  - source-b74c95c32575ee02
  - source-df9ed2d1b2e7ac06
sources:
  - id: source-54add3461aee5e85
    title: 'Game Mechanics: Walking on stairs'
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-stairs'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-68e049f94d4efd86
    title: 'Condemned: Criminal Origins (2006)'
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-stairs/game/condemned-criminal-origins
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-b74c95c32575ee02
    title: The Last of Us (2013)
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-stairs/game/the-last-of-us'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-df9ed2d1b2e7ac06
    title: Spiritfarer
    url: 'https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: game-mechanics
    id: gm-walking-on-stairs
    title: Game design techniques
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-walking-on-stairs
    categoryIds:
      - gm-category-movement
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
    title: Walking on stairs
    description: >-
      Stairs connect different heights along an ordinary movement route.
      Characters traverse them without extra commands or snagging.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/spiritfarer-fishing.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      crop:
        x: 638
        'y': 263
        width: 750
        height: 487
      game: Spiritfarer
      sourceUrl: 'https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://thunderlotusgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Spiritfarer-SCREENSHOTS-01.jpg
      credit: Thunder Lotus
      rights: © Thunder Lotus. All rights reserved.
      caption: A passage between deck levels
      alt: >-
        Spiritfarer: wooden steps connect the main deck to the platform where
        Stella is fishing.
      markers:
        - x: 69
          'y': 66
          label: Steps between deck levels
    tips:
      - Align the visible stairs with the movement collision.
      - Check speed and camera behavior in both directions.
    examples:
      - title: Spiritfarer
        url: 'https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/'
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
---
# Walking on stairs

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

Stairs connect different heights along an ordinary movement route. Characters traverse them without extra commands or snagging.

## At a glance

![Spiritfarer: wooden steps connect the main deck to the platform where Stella is fishing.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/spiritfarer-fishing.webp)

[Spiritfarer](https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/) · © Thunder Lotus. All rights reserved.

1. Steps between deck levels

- Align the visible stairs with the movement collision.
- Check speed and camera behavior in both directions.

- [Spiritfarer](https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/)

## How it works

Character locomotion accommodates steps and elevation changes.

## Variants

### How the technique works

<a id="gm-walking-on-stairs-rule"></a>

- Character locomotion accommodates steps and elevation changes. <a id="gm-walking-on-stairs-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: Walking on stairs](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-stairs) (id: source-54add3461aee5e85)
- [Condemned: Criminal Origins (2006)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-stairs/game/condemned-criminal-origins) (id: source-68e049f94d4efd86)
- [The Last of Us (2013)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-stairs/game/the-last-of-us) (id: source-b74c95c32575ee02)
- [Spiritfarer](https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/) (id: source-df9ed2d1b2e7ac06)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors