I've been working on a 2D fighter for a couple weeks now and am getting close to having something playable. The goal is to give it the feel of a VS game (like MvC).
So the art style will be cartoony and players will have super moves that they can use when a super bar fills. But I wanted to get some peoples opinions on movement.

I already have the standard walk, double forward tap to run, and double back tap to jump back done. But what's tricky is jumping mechanics.

If you are standing still and you jump, should hitting left and right after you're in the air move you left or right? Real world physics says no, but that ability would definitely be useful for dodging slow moving projectile attacks. What do people think of allowing this?

The only fighter I know of that allows for the player to jump while already in the air is Smash Bros. Is this normally left out because it's not realistic? I've always preferred the ability to double jump because it allows me to have much finer control over my character. What others think of double jumping in fighters?

I never look at directions before I play a game and while playing BlazBlue for the first time recently, I was surprised to see my instincts programmed into the game. One of these was aerial recovery. If you get hit hard in the air, your character is knocked back and unable to attack or block until he hits the ground. But, shortly after you get hit, you can hit jump to recover and you can jump in the direction you pressed out of your incapacitated state and attack or block earlier.

I don't really want to do a carbon copy of that mechanic so what are some other recovery mechanics people have seen in fighters? Or does anyone have any ideas of their own they'd like to share?

The last aerial ability I'm considering is the short hop. The advantage to this is clear in Smash Bros., where the objective is to ring out your opponent, but I'm not sure if it would work as well in a KO match. Does short hopping sound like a good mechanic to have in a 2D fighter with a KO objective to you? It would certainly allow for more interesting combos, although I think it would require making the characters bouncy, like in Smash Bros., for it to work well. Or do you think it would be way too powerful and lead to matches ending too quickly because of the ability to add in aerial attacks to your combos on the ground?

If you have any other thought or comments on player movement in a 2D fighter, please share.

Double Jumps:
The double Jump can be good as it allows the player to control the height of their jump. Without this control voe rthe height, all jumps are the same and can seem too unrealistic.

However, instead of having the player press the jump when they are near the top of their jump (eg: super smash bros. brawl), have a double tap to jump does a higher jump, or a hold of the jump button gives a higher jump.

If you use the "hold increases jump height" method, you can make the jump height feel more analoge and more in the player's control. IF you also add in strategies that can take advantage of different jump heights then you could end up with some interesting combats.

Aerial Recovery:
With Aerial Recovery, this can be a good way to give the player more choices. Instead of just punishing them for not recovering, you give the a choice as you wat to do. A recovery move will give them more distance from the enemy, pehaps allowing them to avoid stun locks or other special combos. However, if they choose not to recover, they can land nearer the enemy, but risk getting caught in a stun lock or combo.

So useing an aerial recover as a combo breaker could be a good idea.

Other thoughts:
Have a look at this article from Gamasutra: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1733/rock_paper_scissors__a_method_for_.php

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Original post by homer_3 The only fighter I know of that allows for the player to jump while already in the air is Smash Bros.

It might be time for some background research, because every one of these series (and certainly many others I don't remember) features double-jumping:
Marvel vs Capcom
BlazBlue
Guilty Gear
Arcana Heart
Garou
King of Fighters

Even Street Fighter has at least one character who double-jumps.

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Is this normally left out because it's not realistic? I've always preferred the ability to double jump because it allows me to have much finer control over my character. What others think of double jumping in fighters?

It's included more often than not, because it leads to interesting, dynamic play. Realism has nothing to do with this stuff.

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If you are standing still and you jump, should hitting left and right after you're in the air move you left or right? Real world physics says no, but that ability would definitely be useful for dodging slow moving projectile attacks. What do people think of allowing this?

If you don't have a good reason to put it in, then don't. Various air moves can be used to similar effect but are more deliberate and interesting.

Quote:

The last aerial ability I'm considering is the short hop. The advantage to this is clear in Smash Bros., where the objective is to ring out your opponent, but I'm not sure if it would work as well in a KO match. Does short hopping sound like a good mechanic to have in a 2D fighter with a KO objective to you? It would certainly allow for more interesting combos, although I think it would require making the characters bouncy, like in Smash Bros., for it to work well.

King of Fighters' foundation is short hopping. Garou has it as well. I'm not sure what you mean by 'bouncy'.

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Or do you think it would be way too powerful and lead to matches ending too quickly because of the ability to add in aerial attacks to your combos on the ground?

I'll answer your question with another question: would punch attacks be too powerful and lead to matches ending too quickly because of the ability to add in punches to your combos?
Both questions are totally nonsensical.