30th November 2004, 1:08 PM
Quote:Yes, there are three visible dimensions. But the actual gameplay is just 2d that weaves around in this 3d environment... it probably would be harder to do than a standard 2d game, and it makes it look more unique (with curving and branching paths that split from eachother and stuff), but calling it almost a different genre? I'd definitely not say that. It's just a somewhat different take on the same genre.
Who the heck called it a different genre?? Sidescrolling platformers are sidescrolling platformers! "2.5D" is just used to indicate that it's a sidescroller that looks the same as a normal 3D game.
Quote:Hmm... that is a good question, about how you would go about designing it. I guess you would just make the level and then later set the camera and path (like for GGA where it splits and the different paths seperate into totally different areas)... so from a technical perspective yes it is 3d. But from a gameplay perspective it isn't really. Like take Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth (the one topdown scrolling ship-shooter for the n64) for the N64. It's "3d" as in it uses polygons, ships fly down into the field, guns below the area you can shoot shoot up at you (and you can't hit them), etc, but all you can do is go along on this plane... obviously it's using a 3d engine as there are all the bullets and ships that use the third dimension, but for you yourself it might as well not be there (and those things I described aren't things that would be impossible in 2d either, of course...).
Did you not read my post? Seriously, I doubt you read any of it.
The math involved is 3D, thus is is a 3D game. End of discussion.
Quote:It gets fuzzy for cases like Duke Nukem 3D, though... that is more 3d than non but it still is using some of those 2d tricks.
Some of Duke's engines are 3D, while others are not. There's not just one "graphics engine".