The Descent - how game devs learned to love ladders

The article explores the complex history and design challenges of implementing ladders in video games, using Arkane Studios' famous "Fuck ladders" design philosophy as a starting point. Before Arkane Austin was closed, the studio had 20 design philosophies on its walls, including that phrase, which originated from co-founder Raphael Colantonio's belief that ladders were too much work. This led to Dishonored replacing ladders with hanging chains, though those proved equally labor-intensive. The piece details the many technical questions developers must answer when creating functional ladders, such as whether players see their hands and feet, can pull out weapons, slide down, or jump off, and what happens if they are hit or climb the wrong side. It contrasts older, buggy ladder implementations—like the deadly ladders in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six on PlayStation or the awkward magnetic climbing in Source Engine games—with modern "sticky ladders" that work smoothly. Liz England, a former lead designer at Ubisoft and Insomniac, explains that ladders are "horrible" because they put players in a different move state that can lead to bugs, such as getting stuck or being unable to use weapons. The article concludes by comparing the complexity of ladders to doors, another seemingly simple object that poses significant design challenges.