Coyote time
Let players jump a moment after they run off a ledge.
Players press jump when they think they are still on the edge, which is often a few frames too late. Without a grace window, the game eats the input and it feels broken. A short window (around 80 to 150 ms) makes jumps feel fair without anyone noticing it is there.
Try this: Jump a split second after running off the ledge. Then press C to switch coyote time off and try the same jump.
grace zone (where a late jump still works)saved jump
Run at the gap and jump at the very last moment.
Prompt bit
Works for 2D or 3D in any engine (Unity, Unreal, Godot, web). Paste the short one for a quick fix, or the detailed one when you want it done properly.
Add coyote time to jumping: start a timer when the character stops being grounded, still allow a normal jump while it is under 0.1 to 0.15 s, and clear it the moment that jump fires so it can never become a free double jump.
Add coyote time to the character's jump (same idea in 2D or 3D, any engine). Keep a timeSinceGrounded value: set it to 0 every frame the character is grounded and add delta time otherwise. Allow a jump if the character is grounded OR timeSinceGrounded is below a tunable coyoteTime (default 0.12 s; 0.08 to 0.15 s is normal). Only open the window when the character walks, slides or is pushed off a ledge, never after a jump, and close it the moment the jump fires so it cannot give a second jump (also ignore stale grounded checks on the takeoff frame). Pair it with a jump input buffer (default 0.1 s) so presses just before landing count too. Expose coyoteTime and bufferTime as tunables and log each coyote jump so I can test it.
Where it's used
- 2D platformers: running off ledges, crumbling blocks and moving platforms
- 3D platformers and action games: jumping off cliff edges, rooftops and narrow beams
- First-person movement and parkour: sprint-jumps off edges and stairs, where you can't see your feet
- Wall jumps, ledge grabs and mantles: the same short grace after losing contact with a wall or ledge
- Mobile and touch games: touch input lands later than a key press, so a grace window matters more
Common mistakes
Not closing the window when the jump fires (players find a hidden double jump), opening it after a jump instead of only after walking off, or making it so long (0.3 s or more) that players visibly jump off thin air.
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