Background Types (and why Parallax is important)

There are several different 2D background types, which I talk through in this video (spoiler, parallax is the best)
#shorts

[@loyaleling]

Terraria is a great example of this because in the settings you can switch between modes

[@wn4426]

I love it. I think having many layers is the best option, but my PC isn't amazing so having the option to flatten or remove it helps SOOO much with performance

[@BurningMarsh]

⁠@@wn4426not to be rude but you must have a laptop or something cause my switch and xbox can handle them both perfectly fine I know they were optimized for those but I feel even a lower-end desktop should be able to handle base terraria well

[@wn4426]

@@BurningMarsh nah its just an old pc

[@gumbitoicic9977]

​@@BurningMarshlaptops are pcs

[@cloudy7092]

not really, if you put paralax at 0 it still moves

[@stumonster6091]

If your looking to impress you tech high school class, parallax is godly. I made a 2D game for my ITM major, it was terrible, hardly anything worked how i wanted and it was mostly a sprite test. But one thing I had from the beginning, great parallax backgrounds and even some foreground. It easily was the thing that got me as high a mark as I got, and genuinely I loved the look of it.

[@sakuya9017]

I'm trying to learn how to make the parallax effect with unity. Nice tid bit of info here, thanks!

[@rafeverao4105]

I just love the little bird character. I'm learning how to do something I love while watching a cute lil guy. love him.

[@nottechytutorials]

I never thought about different layers like that. Thanks for the tips.

[@darkfrei2]

Very nice! Can you show how to code it?

[@jameswales2122]

There's a few ways to do this. I would do it by taking the change in the position of the camera and moving each layer with the camera but at a decreased amount of change

[@zergrush8709]

I’ve heard that you use a 3d camera and just place objects that move slower further away from the camera and objects that move faster closer to the camera. You can then also put stuff in the foreground too (in front of the player). I believe this technique is used in hollow knight.

[@razacmarx1441]

​@@zergrush8709 why not just use some functions, for example, foreground = f(x) =x, background f(x) =x/2, or similar functions to calculate map positions from zhe theoretical player position. You could also use mod(x, y) to generate a background loop, etc.

[@justaway_of_the_samurai]

The last one adds depth, but kinda unrealistically. In reality there wouldn't be several mountains in the background being displaced that quickly relative to each other and the camera. It IS still a good option though for placing other various background images with closer range in the scene. So you can use this for layering trees in a forest, with a single mountain in the background, or a brick wall that the player is passing directly in front of.

[@ebobab9564]

Yes but that is quite solvable, no? Instead of having a rigid mountain just have it move very slowly whereas the trees move much faster

[@mmoommee666]

Yoo those are my parallax backgrounds, thanks for using it!

[@LandoGame]

Games such as hollow knight despite being a 2D game are actually made in 3D so they can use multi-layer parallax Extremely well by Literally putting layers that are further away, further away from the camera

[@eboatwright_]

Really awesome! :D

[@adityapawar4692]

If u use each type based on the player traveling distance like if the player is traveling from city to city its should be multi layer showing he is covering great distance, or if the player is moving in city it should be single layer as he is moving short distance (across the city) or if he is in a cave or dungeon it should be fixed or flat as he is moving a single structure.

[@Mernom]

I remember figuring this stuff out in the Jazz Jackrabbit 2 map editor when I was a kid.

[@purplerain3109]

Moving in a straight line vs. A diagonal line vs. moving in a circle!

[@valletas]

The first level of my game uses like 7 background layers and 1 front layer for parallax

[@chefdunsparce4254]

Peak background music

[@snowset675]

There aren’t a lot of channels on shorts about game design, and as I’m trying to learn Godot, I could use your videos’ help. Subbed!

[@brandonclark171]

You should show each onion of the code, background, and layers.

[@veggiet2009]

Also can implement alternate universe physics by making the background move faster than the player... Definitely use sparingly

[@user-gy9dh2ox6p]

Who made the assets? I wanna make a game with that bird

[@cesarsalad]

would do if i knew how to do it 💀

[@treymtz]

Need help? If your on Unity, there are many example scripts ready to go and all you need to do is slap it on a gameobject to get it working. There are simple ones that work quick and easy, as well as more complex ones that allow for customization.

[@cesarsalad]

damn, thanks

[@Isaak0923]

I love your discord server :)

[@dungeon_delvers]

Hmm, flat feels close, each type of parallax pushes it out farther, and fixed feels the most distanced. I wonder what inverted parallax would feel like? Either the opposite direction or quicker than the camera

[@george36615984]

Inverted would feel weird, the fastest movement being from the farthest background would probably make it seem like the character is spinning the camera while going in a straight line something. Or there would be some sort of disconnect like with optical illusions I think.

[@samlewis6487]

You can make easy parallax by just having the game exist in a 3d space with 2d motion and having the background be literally behind the foreground

[@poshpolygon1494]

Way to go!!! 50th Like

[@poshpolygon1494]

It really gives detail

[@ngohieu8165]

Elonmusk background: background moving reverse direction

[@BlueAndy_]

Isnt the fixed background moving with the same speed as the camera?

[@griswoldthegoblin9420]

Did you make a tutorial on how to make such a simple platformer?

[@Display_Name774]

Interesting even tho I'm looking at the parallax mod for Kerbal space program

[@mars4480]

Flat is best for rooms, fixed is best for short periods (so it still looks livley) for very far backrounds, like oceans, forest tops, deserts etc. Basicly the horizon (tho can work for other) Single layer is classic but basic, its great for runner levels! And multi layer is great for, as seen here, for backrounds like mountains, forests, human structures and other- pretty obviously- layerd backrounds. So all can! Be fluid with your work! Dont be scared to try something new!

[@appledrawss1353]

quick question: *how* do you make multi-layer parallax

[@GreenGoblinCoryintheHouse]

This channel makes me wanna leave everything and get on game dev but i suck at coding. It will be a nightmare.

[@diagojonathan]

Can you make the background move on its own, like in terraria

[@user-ly7vp5ng2z]

also topdown games?

[@ZaneDragonBorn]

Do these rely on the plastyer staying in place and world move around them or can the player move around with a parallax

[@MemeCheryl]

Does the parallax run a check every frame to see if yout character is still on screen?

[@Freelancer-dev]

❤

[@yagami1160]

multilayer parallax was the first thing I developed in first month of learning coding

[@TheLoneBit]

Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland was my favorite game as a kid. I beat it from beginning to end several times. Good times. Rainbow Resort was always a good song from the track.

[@SoftHyphen.]

Difficult? Just steal the code from some kid on the internet

[@randommewtwo]

Kaiso parallax, where every pixel moves at its own speed

[@sugarpoyon2077]

Where can I see that? Sounds pretty interesting

[@AizzurasReaper]

@@sugarpoyon2077 I think it was a joke.

[@sugarpoyon2077]

@@AizzurasReaper I w a n n a s e e t h a t

[@HunterGoodin]

If you’re talking about backgrounds, zoom out the camera. The focus of this educational content isn’t the player, it’s the background. The furthest back layer is barely present. Also don’t have platforms that take up most of the screen when you jump onto them.

[@joshuakelly9390]

It really upsets me how much bad advice this guy gives. At least this one was just a "what not to do" vid