Implementing a "Conjure-to-Climb" Mechanic in Unity & C#

Shanmukha Srinivasa — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:13:47 +0000

The Concept

In my recent project, Arcane Ascent, I wanted to move away from standard double-jumping. Instead, I implemented a system where the player can "manifest" a temporary platform beneath them mid-air. It creates a high-risk, high-reward movement loop.

The Logic (The "Magic")

The core challenge was ensuring the platform spawns exactly where it needs to be and disappears quickly enough to prevent the player from just standing still.

1. The Spawning Script
I used a simple Instantiate call triggered by a cooldown to prevent "staircase" spamming.

public GameObject magicPlatformPrefab;
public float cooldown = 1.5f;
private float lastConjureTime;

void Update() {


  if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Space) && Time.time > lastConjureTime + cooldown) {
        ConjurePlatform();
    }
}

void ConjurePlatform() {
    // Spawn the platform slightly below the player's feet
    Vector3 spawnPos = transform.position + new Vector3(0, -1.0f, 0);
    Instantiate(magicPlatformPrefab, spawnPos, Quaternion.identity);
    lastConjureTime = Time.time;
}

2. The Self-Destruct Sequence
To keep the "arcane" feel, the platform shouldn't just exist forever. I used a simple Destroy(gameObject, lifetime) in the platform's own script to handle its cleanup.

What I Learned
Layer Collision: I had to ensure the player didn't get "stuck" inside the platform's collider if they conjured it too late.

Visual Feedback: Adding a simple "flicker" animation before the platform disappears was crucial for player timing.

Check it out on itch.io!
https://shanmukha.itch.io/arcane-ascent

DEV Community: Shanmukha Srinivasa

Implementing a "Conjure-to-Climb" Mechanic in Unity & C#

The Concept

The Logic (The "Magic")