[Puzzle/Challenge] [KS+] Deep Freeze

I really like the minimalistic look to this.

I really like the minimalistic look to this.

I'm glad you like it!  Really, though, it's just me taking Egomassive's gorgeous Yellow Submarine tileset and simplifying it down to something more approachable for someone like myself.

On that note! I've been experimenting with visual touch-ups between creating screens.



I'm not sure what level of detail I should go for on the bouncers, but I'm certain it shouldn't be any more detailed than this.  I feel that, where it's appropriate, I'd like enemies to match the player and the rest of the level.  I feel a little weird about it now, but I think that may just be because I've been looking at the normal bouncers for so long.

I continue to get consistent work done on Deep Freeze.  Since constant, pure level-designing can tire me out pretty quick, I've been slowly learning to get over my fear of visual flair:



The idea for these actually came from Vegetal Gibber's thought to use basic shapes - since the area in this screenshot is one that focuses heavily on the use of the purple disappearing blocks in KS+, I thought it might be really cool to have little versions of those hanging out in the background - and possibly even the foreground!  You can see that I've got a blurred version and a not-blurred version in the screenshot.  I'll have to figure out how to approach blurring.

I like the bouncers. I think they fit in well with what I've seen of the level. Also, that effect is very nice. Definitely adds a nice touch.

Looks pretty cool! If I may suggest, the effect would be even better if you made different sized versions of the block, making them blurrier (and darker) as they get smaller. This would add a nice sense of depth to your background.

Looks pretty cool! If I may suggest, the effect would be even better if you made different sized versions of the block, making them blurrier (and darker) as they get smaller. This would add a nice sense of depth to your background.

That's the plan!  I'd also like to have ones that are just HUGE, and very blurry, as prominent foreground elements.  I've been trying to come up with a unique "shape" for each area, it's proven to be quite tough.

As I've been saying, continuous, good progress has been happening with Deep Freeze over the last month or so.  The penultimate area, which had barely even been started not too long ago, is now almost complete!  After that, there's just one, final area to go, and that's already partially complete.  I'm beginning to get very, very excited.

Between dealing with the especially busy end-of-semester studies and working on some other levels for other things, Deep Freeze progress slowed a bit over the last few weeks, but should be picking up very soon.  In spite of the slow time, I'm happy to announce that the last golden creature has been placed - the level's second-to-last area is more-or-less complete, with the only remaining component being cleanup and some small extra bits.  I'm almost there!

Can't wait for this!

Well, it took me about two weeks longer than it should have, but the core level design of Deep Freeze is complete!  I still have cutscenes, visual touch-ups, music extensions, and a lot of invisible tiles to worry about, but, for all intents and purposes, the level is now fully playable from start to finish.

Awesome! Really looking forward to his one.

I think you guys are gonna like this level a lot!

Be warned though, cause it's not for the weak-of-will.

I know you were pretty close to release, Ult. How much longer are you going to keep us waiting?

I know you were pretty close to release, Ult. How much longer are you going to keep us waiting?

A tiny bit more playtesting needs to be done, then a bit more polishing based on that feedback.  So soon!

BALANCING DIFFICULTY IS REALLY HARD



That is all.