2D Cameras for 2D platformers

Importance of the camera to display info the player needs to know; a simple system that many game developers neglect sadly and stick to something simple instead of changing it's functionality to something more useful. 

Position

The position of the camera should be shifted based on where the player is going, Pizza Tower does this system where as the player speeds up that further ahead you can see the placement for where the player will be going, giving the player more time to figure out what is ahead of them, this is useful because you're focusing on where the player is going rather than where they are.

That pointing where the player is going is important if you want them to successfully traverse the landscape of the 2D platformers.

Making it where the spot the player isn't facing as in behind them, they're more likely to deal with a problem from behind for the player.

For the Y position if the character is falling, the camera should go down, if the player is going up, it should show the player the threats above before jumping up. You should never have a blind spot, at least have where the player is going tell the most info.

Where the player isn't going should tell the least info; info complexity is a thing and so you want to limit that complexity but maximize the amount of useful info the player needs to know in the moment.

Camera speed

Making it where the camera is not going to be too fast or too slow; should always keep up with the player and be forgiving with the kind of info it'll give to the player.

Size

The size should be showing where the player could land and possible threats with nothing being off camera to allow the player to see what is ahead like in the Mario bros games with the camera being a simple tool

Goal for my game Camera

My goal is to have the camera change for it's set up and position to allow the player to see what possible threats are up ahead of them and give them time to react and act in a timely manner rather than experience an issue right away.

This means vertical and horizontal this is the case for the player and how the Camera will be following them.

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