Nifflas' Support Forum

Level Editing Support => Knytt Stories Level Editing Support => Topic started by: MilkMan on July 14, 2009, 19:34:44

Title: What to have as secrets?
Post by: MilkMan on July 14, 2009, 19:34:44
I have no good idea really, alternate ending maybe but that is still a bit :/ to me.

What do you think makes a good secret? :)
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Bored2death on July 14, 2009, 19:41:21
A secret that is hard to find, but maybe is a really cool, unique area, with cool graphics, and funny dialogue.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: LPChip on July 14, 2009, 19:43:35
You can have different things in a secret, and it doesn't even have to be an ending.

The objective of the secret would be to give the player a little bit of extra and a notice that its a secret.

For instance, if you have a level with difficult jumps, you can put a high jump powerup in a secret area. If the player finds it, the level suddenly becomes alot more easy.

Another idea is to create an image that looks very nice, or even a quote that has a deepfull meaning. If the player finds it, thats his reward.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: RunMan on July 14, 2009, 21:29:24
Also a reference to your friend / someone who helped you with a level is nice :)
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: MilkMan on July 14, 2009, 21:36:36
All good suggestions :)

I think i have an idea, if i can ever finish my level.

Keep the suggestions coming!
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Purple Pineapple on July 14, 2009, 23:21:42
Quote from: LPChip on July 14, 2009, 19:43:35
Another idea is to create an image that looks very nice, or even a quote that has a deepfull meaning. If the player finds it, thats his reward.
But if the level is too hard, they might be desperate for a way to get through an area, thus making them jump around at the walls.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: LPChip on July 14, 2009, 23:39:55
Quote from: Purple Pineapple on July 14, 2009, 23:21:42
Quote from: LPChip on July 14, 2009, 19:43:35
Another idea is to create an image that looks very nice, or even a quote that has a deepfull meaning. If the player finds it, thats his reward.
But if the level is too hard, they might be desperate for a way to get through an area, thus making them jump around at the walls.

I'm sorry, but I don't see how that would affect having a secret area get screwed up...
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Bored2death on July 15, 2009, 04:30:59
He's just saying that the secret will be more likely to be found, because they will be jumping around searching for it.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: koromi on July 15, 2009, 08:21:22
an effective secret is one that rewards the player by being discovered - so the secret is so difficult to find that a powerup reward isn't necessary to give the player a sense of satisfaction in the discovery.

and as a side note: if you advertise your level as containing secret areas, they aren't secrets anymore, just areas you do not know the location of.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Pick Yer Poison on July 15, 2009, 08:28:29
One word (or two, depending on how you look at it):

Userbar.

That's my preferred reward. :)
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: koromi on July 15, 2009, 08:44:43
if someone has a userbar that proudly displays they've found a secret it isn't a secret anymore and anyone who has the whim can look in the editor / .ini / worlds folder or copy and paste.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Pick Yer Poison on July 15, 2009, 09:07:12
Quote from: koromi on July 15, 2009, 08:44:43
if someone has a userbar that proudly displays they've found a secret it isn't a secret anymore and anyone who has the whim can look in the editor / .ini / worlds folder or copy and paste.
Now that's just plain dishonest. You can't stop people from doing that, so let them do that. But keep a list of people who have PMed you for a userbar, so you can rip anyone else a new one. :shifty:
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: TechnoGeek on July 15, 2009, 23:58:29
you could make an IRC channel and op anyone who you know has found the secret (sorry for stealing/posting your idea, data  C))
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Purple Pineapple on July 16, 2009, 04:11:10
If you tell them there's a secret, it's still rewarding to find it.
If you look in the editor, you get rewarded, but there's no feeling of accomplishment.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: AClockworkLemon on July 19, 2009, 03:11:03
Personally, I just make an area that is obviously NOT part of the level, often quite silly.
Take happyland in FEAR for example. The level is all dark etc, but the secreat area is a big green smily face on a rainbow background.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Purple Pineapple on July 19, 2009, 04:06:19
And you didn't even spoiler tag your own level. X)
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: AClockworkLemon on July 19, 2009, 04:19:02
So?
The hard bit is finding it, And then getting to it.
I mention it in the level's post, FGS, its not a big secret, more like a hard-to-find-area-that-makes-you-feel-happy-that-you-found-the-damn-thing
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: inky84 on July 19, 2009, 08:35:20
I think a good secret is extremely humerus, in a blatant type of way (not the path to the secret being blatant, the secret itself)

e.g: OMG A SECRET!
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: AClockworkLemon on July 19, 2009, 10:13:20
I kinda like The Squashed Orange's
"Secret area FTW" myself XD
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Salmoneous on July 19, 2009, 13:51:31
In my opinion a secret must be worth finding. A reward is much better then a congratulations message.
Here are some ideas:
* Have one of the four colored keys in secret area.
* Have a hint to something (Like a hint to a bigger secret).
* A teleportation system that can teleport to all areas in the level.
* Secret ending!

But a funny message is also nice. Like in A strange dream.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Dandelion on July 19, 2009, 16:45:26
Quote from: a clockwork lemon on July 19, 2009, 10:13:20
I kinda like The Squashed Orange's
Spoiler: Sahara secret (click to show/hide)

You know, you really should spoiler tag that. The Squashed Orange might not want you revealing it.
As for what to put as secrets, something random, a key or power-up needed to get to a secret ending, or even just a screen with someone saying something is good for me.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: Purple Pineapple on July 19, 2009, 18:52:53
Quote from: Salmoneous on July 19, 2009, 13:51:31
* Have a hint to something (Like a hint to a bigger secret).
That leaves the problem of what to put in the bigger secret.
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: TechnoGeek on July 21, 2009, 16:55:57
Quote from: a clockwork lemon on July 19, 2009, 03:11:03
Personally, I just make an area that is obviously NOT part of the level, often quite silly.
Take happyland in FEAR for example. The level is all dark etc, but the secreat area is a big green smily face on a rainbow background.
and when i saw that the first time i was like, what the heck? and then i couldn't escape from it XD
Title: Re: What to have as secrets?
Post by: bunnrey on October 05, 2009, 05:24:44
in caverns I put
Spoiler: OMG EXTRA BIG SECRET (click to show/hide)