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What is the name of the common and oft-reimplemented game mechanics in which the level is a 2D grid consisting of obstancles, and the player can move from their current position in any direction (up, down, left, right) but will then move all the way until an obstancle stops him?

One example of this game mechanic is the Slippery Ice Tile in the Pokémon games.

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  • Isn't the answer to your question in the tags for this question?
    – Zibbobz
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 18:51
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    No, even the sliding puzzle tag doesn't fit. Unsure there's actually a term for this.
    – Jonathan Drapeau
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 18:52
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    I am unaware of any specific terminology given to this game play mechanic..
    – James
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 19:02
  • This reminds me of the old Warcraft III map Slide Ninja Slide.
    – Shelby115
    Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 0:35
  • I don't see how this is primarily opinion based?
    – Ben
    Commented Sep 24, 2014 at 21:10

2 Answers 2

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You are looking for Frictionless Ice

Ice is not merely slippery; it's a physics-defying miracle lubricant that renders characters unable to make the slightest change in direction until the inevitable collision with an obstacle or wall, or in more malevolent circumstances, until the character is sent hurtling down a bottomless pit. So much as a single step of forward momentum is enough to send the character, puzzle block, or otherwise significant object sliding three screens in that direction. Of course, there is no diagonal.

This is actually developed from an old physics problem that goes with the study of Newton's law of motion (for each action there is an equal but opposite reaction).

The idea is that you would throw an object, which would cause you to receive the opposite and equal force to the throw, and move in a direction exactly opposite to my throw with just as much force as whatever was tossed.

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  • I know of one game that has diagonal ice sliding, Runescape in the skill Dungeoneering there is a puzzle that has pressure pads on ice and you can slide diagonally across the ice. runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Ice_puzzle I haven't played another game that has this but thought it was interesting that the definition says no diagonal and Runescape seems to have broken this trend. :)
    – Fogolicious
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 21:14
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    I don't think we can really call TVTropes an authoritive source on gaming terminology.
    – Frank
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 21:56
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    @Frank Why not? Is there a more authoritative source on media terminology you'd like to cite?
    – Comic Sans Seraphim
    Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 1:45
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    More recently: Pokemon X/Y allowed diagonal sliding. I think one puzzle room was impossible until you figure out the game broke from tradition of cardinal directions only sliding. And then the rest of the sliding puzzles were too simple.
    – Trent Hawkins
    Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 2:06
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Sliding mechanic... That is in call of Duty: Warzone and Apex Ledgends for example and talks of it coming to Fortnite. But is a little different from what I think your talking about. HYPEX @HYPEX Epic are working on Sliding movement. This update they added a new movement type named "Sliding".

It will increase your FOV by 15 when you're sliding and it will make your camera shake, with a cooldown of 2 seconds. I don't know the release date or if it's gonna be be an item! 3:24 PM · Sep 16, 2021

Basically it's a button that makes you slide for a period of time. The only noticable difference is it has a timer and is a game mechanic you use. What your talking about goes as far or as long as you want until stopped by running into anything and is a game movement. Hope this info helps towards figure it out.

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    This doesn't answer the question that was asked. They gave examples of types of games that represent what they are talking about - it has nothing to do with generic sliding in any of those fps games.
    – n_plum
    Commented Sep 22, 2021 at 16:13
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    As much as your answer might answer what was asked in the title in the broad sense, looking at the context the description of the question adds your answer doesn't answer the question, at all. Make sure what you are answering to applies to the full question.
    – Fredy31 ♦
    Commented Sep 22, 2021 at 16:41

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