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Temporary => Knytt Stories Level Releases => Topic started by: Zetta on January 17, 2010, 17:47:57

Title: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 17, 2010, 17:47:57

So.

This was my magnum opus of Knytt levels, my first and last.

I worked on this nonstop for almost six months, and then, when I was ready to release it, I stopped. I'm still not quite sure why. All I know is that I found this level, 98% completed, in a folder while sorting through my games trying to free up disk space.

I haven't played it through again yet, all I did was add an ending to it.

Basic premise: Juni gets involved in a teleporter accident and is kicked off to some world. The goal is to find your way back home. Cliched even when I did it, to be sure, but I focused more on level design than a brilliant plot.

Here's what to expect:

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

• The first ever (at least, that I know of) An intentional wallswim
• Recolored tilesets, because I was too lazy to make my own
• A hub world, six areas, a large secret area with an event to trigger, and the obligatory hidden keys
• Awesome platforming action. If you're looking for eye candy, look somewhere else.

>>Download v1.0.1 - Mediafire (http://www.mediafire.com/?2rime24yrym)<<

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Pumpkinbot on January 17, 2010, 20:23:01

Quote

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

The first ever (at least, that I know of) intentional wallswim

Nein, both Farik's "Ascention" and my "The Mysterious Grotto" used wallswims to fake flying up. ;)
I'm gonna try this, though, just for the hell of it. :D

Edit: Might I suggest a mirror download?

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Widget on January 17, 2010, 21:12:20

Quote from: Pumpkinbot on January 17, 2010, 20:23:01

Edit: Might I suggest a mirror download?

Quoted for... (you know the rest)

Quote from: Megaupload

The file you are trying to access is temporarily unavailable.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 18, 2010, 00:53:23

Quote from: Pumpkinbot on January 17, 2010, 20:23:01

Quote

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

The first ever (at least, that I know of) intentional wallswim

both Farik's "Ascention" and my "The Mysterious Grotto" used wallswims to fake flying up.

And Wall Swim Heavan by Xia'   

Okay. I'm stuck. I got double jump, and can't access the area to the far right top anymore. I also found

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

The area closed off by the miners'(?) committee, but that doesn't lead anywhere, atleast not with only three powerups.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: special_d on January 18, 2010, 01:17:41

I'm trapped between a code gate and a teleporter that doesn't go anywhere...

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Pumpkinbot on January 18, 2010, 01:59:15

I return with reviews! On a scale of 1-10, I give it a "good". b(^-^)

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Miyako on January 18, 2010, 03:43:21

God I hate Megaupload.. guh..
Use a good file sharing place like.. Mediafire.

Invisible blocks and guess jumping does not make for a good level. Problems so far:

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

- Font for text sequences sucks.
- Eye puzzle was sort of random. Should maybe tie it into the story.
- No save points on the invisible block jumping puzzle is stupid.

Not looking good for this level.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 18, 2010, 04:26:16

Do keep in mind this was my first, so I'm more than open to criticism.

Quote from: Megaupload

The file you are trying to access is temporarily unavailable.

ffff, I'll try to get a Mediafire link up soon. Thanks for the heads-up.

Quote from: Purple Pineapple on January 18, 2010, 00:53:23

Okay. I'm stuck. I got double jump, and can't access the area to the far right top anymore. I also found

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

The area closed off by the miners'(?) committee, but that doesn't lead anywhere, atleast not with only three powerups.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Yes, the High Jump and Double Jump areas close off once you get the items from them. It's to keep the flag warps that keep those areas working from fouling up.

That area requires the High Jump, Double Jump, and Invisible Eye, IIRC.

Quote from: special_d on January 18, 2010, 01:17:41

I'm trapped between a code gate and a teleporter that doesn't go anywhere...

Picture or room coordinates would be very helpful, or at the very least what area you're in.

Quote from: Miyako on January 18, 2010, 03:43:21

Invisible blocks and guess jumping does not make for a good level. Problems so far:

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

- Font for text sequences sucks.
- Eye puzzle was sort of random. Should maybe tie it into the story.
- No save points on the invisible block jumping puzzle is stupid.

Not looking good for this level.

Fair enough. I'd rather have an honest criticism than a blind 10/10.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

-Font is an acquired taste, I suppose. I was trying to get the 'NES excuse plot' feeling, but in retrospect, I probably should have been much less wordy in that case.
-Hm, looking at it now, it is kind of random. Maybe I should change the background to a day one to sort of get away from the 'lol ur in space nao' feeling?
-I didn't find it that difficult, but then I do have a lot of patience. Did you go into the invisible block jumping stage before or after the mountains?

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Miyako on January 18, 2010, 04:39:12

Before, and I just finished it. I'm liking it so far, I just finished the huge climb so I'm set now, I can strategy jump. Its looking good. I'l retract the thing about the font. Its less the text and more tha black on white that bothers me and yes your idea for changing the background was a good one. Keep up the good work.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 18, 2010, 04:51:55

Excellent! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it so far.

I chose white on black as part of that minimalist aesthetic of the game (translation: they were placeholder cutscenes that I ended up leaving in because I was too lazy to make actual pictures).

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 18, 2010, 05:42:50

Quote from: Zetta on January 18, 2010, 04:26:16

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Yes, the High Jump and Double Jump areas close off once you get the items from them. It's to keep the flag warps that keep those areas working from fouling up.

That area requires the High Jump, Double Jump, and Invisible Eye, IIRC.

Well, I don't have, nor can I find High Jump and Invisible Eye.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 18, 2010, 06:16:39

Quote from: Purple Pineapple on January 18, 2010, 05:42:50

Well, I don't have, nor can I find High Jump and Invisible Eye.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Invisible Eye is below the purple void rooms just to the east of where you fall in. Once you have that, the path to the High Jump over to the

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

west and then up

will reveal itself.

And it was very hard not to make a "so we put a spoiler tag in your spoiler tag" joke right there.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Vinterrun on January 18, 2010, 18:55:35

Explored everything possible, got the power ups... sorry dude but over all it`s quite boring.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 18, 2010, 21:29:00

Quote from: Vinterrun on January 18, 2010, 18:55:35

sorry dude but over all it`s quite boring.

Ouch. Well, I can see that, the level design is less for beauty and more for challenge. I hope I at least managed to entertain you for an hour or so. :P

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 18, 2010, 21:59:03

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Oh! I missed the secret passage on the eyeball screen. :P

EDIT:

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Woah hoah! This level becomes so awesome when you fond the (secret?) area! P.S. How far out into space do you have to wallswim?

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 19, 2010, 00:10:05

Quote from: Purple Pineapple on January 18, 2010, 21:59:03

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Woah hoah! This level becomes so awesome when you fond the (secret?) area! P.S. How far out into space do you have to wallswim?

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

I really am proud of that section. Just keep going right, you'll find something when you're supposed to change directions.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 19, 2010, 01:32:53

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Okay. I pushed the red button labeled "Do not push" and now I'm in the space station again. I also found a secret passageway where you go right and the moon comes closer to you and on the third screen it stops and turns blue.. but I can't interact with it.

What do I do next? Do I really have to

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Go back into space?

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 19, 2010, 04:25:00

Quote from: Purple Pineapple on January 19, 2010, 01:32:53

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Okay. I pushed the red button labeled "Do not push" and now I'm in the space station again. I also found a secret passageway where you go right and the moon comes closer to you and on the third screen it stops and turns blue.. but I can't interact with it.

What do I do next?

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

That passageway will only open once you have all four keys. You must be missing the blue key, so that means you probably missed the underground secret area.

Spoiler: Hint 1 (click to show/hide)

Protip: the blue key is hidden in the underground area where you found an item before...

Spoiler: Hint 1.5 (click to show/hide)

It's not in the Gate Ruins.

Spoiler: Hint 2 (click to show/hide)

If you missed this passageway, it's because the powerup you got makes you leave and reenter the room for it to start working.

Spoiler: Hint 3 (click to show/hide)

It's hidden under a dark purple void early in the game.

You don't have to go back across the spacewalk once you activate the warp back down to the planet's surface, IIRC.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 19, 2010, 05:51:03

Quote from: Zetta on January 19, 2010, 04:25:00

Spoiler: Hint 2 (click to show/hide)

If you missed this passageway, it's because the powerup you got makes you leave and reenter the room for it to start working.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Nice idea. Always wondered if someone would do that. I'll go back there in the morning.

Wait.. the eyeball, right?

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 19, 2010, 13:10:52

Quote from: Purple Pineapple on January 19, 2010, 05:51:03

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Nice idea. Always wondered if someone would do that. I'll go back there in the morning.

Wait.. the eyeball, right?

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Yep.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Vinterrun on January 19, 2010, 15:28:23

Quote from: Zetta on January 18, 2010, 21:29:00

Quote from: Vinterrun on January 18, 2010, 18:55:35

sorry dude but over all it`s quite boring.

Ouch. Well, I can see that, the level design is less for beauty and more for challenge. I hope I at least managed to entertain you for an hour or so. :P

Yeah you did  C)p

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 19, 2010, 23:46:27

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

I give up. I've got the umbrella. Where's blue key?

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: special_d on January 20, 2010, 00:13:05

Okay. I'm stuck at x1010, y1004.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 20, 2010, 03:03:15

Quote from: Purple Pineapple on January 19, 2010, 23:46:27

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

I give up. I've got the umbrella. Where's blue key?

Spoiler: Hint 1 (click to show/hide)

It's in a hidden passage off one of the pipes...

Spoiler: Hint 2 (click to show/hide)

It's in the rightmost section of the underground cave.

Spoiler: Hint 3 (click to show/hide)

The hidden passage is in the ceiling of one of the pipe paths, somewhere you couldn't get to before draining the cave.

So, announcement.

The Star Trek Online beta obliterated my computer, along with the only copy of Nightly Symphony v1.1. I'm not about to let this stop me, but do note that this means it'll probably be a good while before a patch comes out.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 20, 2010, 03:19:15

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Okay. In the ceiling of a pipe? That's just cruel. Anyway, from the sound of your older post I need more than one key. They're just so hard to find, though. I think I'll just give up. It was fun for awhile. Some nice challenges. Yeah, sorry. I just don't have the willpower to look through every square inch of they level for three other keys.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 20, 2010, 04:05:56

Quote from: Purple Pineapple on January 20, 2010, 03:19:15

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Okay. In the ceiling of a pipe? That's just cruel. Anyway, from the sound of your older post I need more than one key. They're just so hard to find, though. I think I'll just give up. It was fun for awhile. Some nice challenges. Yeah, sorry. I just don't have the willpower to look through every square inch of they level for three other keys.

Yeah, fair enough. I did hide the keys perhaps a little too well. You're not missing much, just the ending cutscene.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: AA on January 20, 2010, 10:45:32

Nice level so far, but there's a lack of Save Points, not so much in challenge areas (where you might have used less to make it harder), as in exploration areas: there are so many blind jumps that it's easy to fall to your death and respawn to a far away Save point.

There's a good variety of challenges so far, and I haven't seen any bugs or glitches.

A couple of things:

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

After you get the High Jump power-up, if you jump to the upper screen and then fall down, youend up in a harder version of the climbing section.
<sorry for the quality, I forgot about JPG artifacts and MS Paint>
(http://i49.tinypic.com/1pgzlf.jpg)
(http://i48.tinypic.com/n6cms4.jpg)
Was it intended to work that way?

Also, I went pretty far into the laser climb at the leftmost part of the map, but I fear I'm missing the umbrella; wouldn't it be better to put an obstacle that requires the umbrella a bit earlier (same goes for the Hologram)?

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 20, 2010, 14:10:45

Quote from: AA on January 20, 2010, 10:45:32

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

After you get the High Jump power-up, if you jump to the upper screen and then fall down, youend up in a harder version of the climbing section.
<snip>
Was it intended to work that way?

Also, I went pretty far into the laser climb at the leftmost part of the map, but I fear I'm missing the umbrella; wouldn't it be better to put an obstacle that requires the umbrella a bit earlier (same goes for the Hologram)?

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

fffffff... It sounds like the flag warpI set up isn't working properly. I'll check that out.

The umbrella is actually supposed to be optional, though you're probably right about the hologram.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: AA on January 20, 2010, 17:09:57

My bad, I finally realized that part could be done without the Umbrella.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 21, 2010, 04:05:52

Quote from: special_d on January 20, 2010, 00:13:05

Okay. I'm stuck at x1010, y1004.

Okay, just looked into this one: The shift isn't working right. It's supposed to teleport you back to the hub world, but it's not for some reason. Thanks for pointing that out.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: AA on January 21, 2010, 21:56:32

This level is very hard! The challenges are fine (mosty classical, but that's to be expected), but the items are really well hidden.

Spoiler: Keys... (click to show/hide)

How do you reach the Red Key? I've used the editor to spot the keys (and still can't find the yellow one), but the red one... I tried jumping from the area below, but I don't think I can jump high enough.

A couple of void screens I've found are attached. The second void can be reached if you jump up from there to the upper screen, then before falling down you quickly get to the right and back; it's not likely to be found,but it's easy to fix.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Purple Pineapple on January 21, 2010, 23:00:13

Quote from: AA on January 21, 2010, 21:56:32

Spoiler: Keys... (click to show/hide)

How do you reach the Red Key? I've used the editor to spot the keys (and still can't find the yellow one), but the red one... I tried jumping from the area below, but I don't think I can jump high enough.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Try the water. Left of the pseudo-start.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 22, 2010, 01:52:15

Firstly, let me address this post:

Quote from: AA on January 20, 2010, 10:45:32

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

After you get the High Jump power-up, if you jump to the upper screen and then fall down, youend up in a harder version of the climbing section.

I've only been able to reproduce this glitch once, and never again. I'm still not quite sure what's causing it, because it looks to me like it's working fine.

Quote from: AA on January 21, 2010, 21:56:32

Spoiler: Keys... (click to show/hide)

How do you reach the Red Key? I've used the editor to spot the keys (and still can't find the yellow one), but the red one... I tried jumping from the area below, but I don't think I can jump high enough.

Spoiler: Red Key (click to show/hide)

No, you can't jump high enough from the ground, or at least you shouldn't be able to. But then how else could you possibly get to the key...? This one is possible without the umbrella, but the umbrella makes it significantly easier.

Spoiler: Gold Key (click to show/hide)

Check the Red Pipes area very closely and commit suicide in an unusual place. This one doesn't require any upgrades beyond what it takes to get to that area.

Also, thanks very much for the complements and void reports. :D

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: AA on January 22, 2010, 09:33:47

Quote from: Zetta on January 22, 2010, 01:52:15

I've only been able to reproduce this glitch once, and never again. I'm still not quite sure what's causing it, because it looks to me like it's working fine.

I'll explain how I think it works: to the right of the screen in the attached picture (x1009y999), as well as in the screen above that (x1009y998), Flag Warps are placed so that entering those screens will warp the player one screen to the left, which is the screen you came from. If you are in the upper screen (x1009y998) and exit right, you'll end up on the same screen, only on the left side, so you have enough time to change directions and exit the screen left: since there's no Warp instruction for exiting left, you simply end up in  (x1008y998), i.e. a void.

If you thought Flag B would have superseded Flag A in the Flag Warp, you'd be mistaken (I believe the game checks Flags in order); otherwise there's really no problem, just put an empty sky screen in x1008y998 and you're done.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: drwright on January 28, 2010, 16:25:29

I am stuck here, see stuck pic below. After I press the button I cannot go anywhere

Okay I went back and restarted this level because I figured I missed a powerup, well I did but then I found myself in another impossible situation, see stuck 2 pic below. The shift takes me nowhere and one screen back is a code room and I do not know it.

There are many places in this story where you get stuck and cannot advance or go back to fix what you missed. Very unfortunate because the other parts are fun.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: AA on January 28, 2010, 19:50:15

Quote from: drwright on January 28, 2010, 16:25:29

I am stuck here, see stuck pic below. After I press the button I cannot go anywhere

Okay I went back and restarted this level because I figured I missed a powerup, well I did but then I found myself in another impossible situation, see stuck 2 pic below. The shift takes me nowhere and one screen back is a code room and I do not know it.

There are many places in this story where you get stuck and cannot advance or go back to fix what you missed. Very unfortunate because the other parts are fun.

For the first screen

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

You can jump up that ledge on the left and fall back down safely

The second is a known bug (see this post (http://nifflas.lpchip.nl/index.php?topic=2564.msg29625#msg29625)), but I don't know whether Zetta has uploaded a fix or not.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: drwright on January 28, 2010, 22:04:13

Quote from: AA on January 28, 2010, 19:50:15

For the first screen

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

You can jump up that ledge on the left and fall back down safely

Thanks but you can't if you get here without the double jump..... one of the shortcomings of this level, being able to get somewhere without something you need and not being able to go back. A good knytt level allows for this.

Quote from: Zetta on January 21, 2010, 04:05:52

Quote from: special_d on January 20, 2010, 00:13:05

Okay. I'm stuck at x1010, y1004.

Okay, just looked into this one: The shift isn't working right. It's supposed to teleport you back to the hub world, but it's not for some reason. Thanks for pointing that out.

And no fix for this?!?!? just broken....


[mod]Merged doublepost.[/mod]

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: AA on January 28, 2010, 22:34:47

Quote from: drwright on January 28, 2010, 22:04:13

Thanks but you can't if you get here without the double jump..... one of the shortcomings of this level, being able to get somewhere without something you need and not being able to go back. A good knytt level allows for this.

Right, I forgot about that passage! I suppose the problem lies in the jump you can see in the attached screenshot.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: radonschism on January 30, 2010, 02:18:22

The tileset is incredibly grating, but that's not really your fault. My major complaint is that there are too many screens that are just walking in a straight line to get to the next screen. Kind of silly.

Title: Re: [Hard] Nightly Symphony
Post by: Zetta on January 30, 2010, 07:27:05

Quote from: drwright on January 28, 2010, 22:04:13

one of the shortcomings of this level, being able to get somewhere without something you need and not being able to go back. A good knytt level allows for this.

True, but I'm not able to catch all the little sequence breaks. I do have a life outside of Knytt Stories, you know. :P

Quote from: drwright on January 28, 2010, 22:04:13

And no fix for this?!?!? just broken....

I'd hoped to include some new features in the next patch, truthfully, but I'm just not sure I'll have the time, so I'll just release the new bug-fix patch now.

Download Nightly Symphony v1.0.1 (http://www.mediafire.com/?2rime24yrym)