KS Round Robin - Reloaded

I make the music tracks mono on purpose for the smaller file size. For most background music it's not important, but I admit Sion's tracks did lose something. It sounds like there are some phase tricks in it which don't work in mono. But, I thought they still sounded good for background music. As for "repairing" them, getting the original files would have been a good idea. I cleaned up what noise I could and shortened one track so it wouldn't abruptly end mid-note. Wako-kun's midi sounded slightly better in stereo too. It's probably more noticeable due to it's simplicity. I use Audacity for all my music editing, and I use it like a blunt instrument.

I recognized the character, I just spaced it when adding credits to it. I was trying to make it fit in an area smaller than a frame, helps prevent user errors.

I'll take another crack at it. The music in particular. Then I'll re-up it.

1) The changes to the lab 4 region, the AMAZING notes, and how it ties in why their is a guy just sitting at the lab 4 entrance are fantastic.  BUT, how do you get back out???  I walked in there right after getting the climb power up but that is not enough to get me back out.  There is a switch, but it doesn't work.  I'm using KS+... could that be the reason?  (Edit: Bah, never mind, just a tricky jump.)

2) There is still no place for the umbrella and we have even more locations to use it.  I personally would like to see it show up before we happen on lab 3, because of the two updrafts there, but would that create problems with the core challenge course?  So far, all the things the updrafts lead to are just bonus secrets, so I suppose either 1, it could show up later and if you really want the bonus material you can go find it out, but that would be a lot of back tracking, or 2 we can give it at some other point and perhaps even make one of the updrafts a required step in the game.  And by the way, the updraft leading to the hot springs if very cool.  I wish there was something more happening up there than just a cool location.  Anyway, I was thinking the guy in the attic in the village, perhaps there could be a way to get up to him and he could give you an umbrella.  Don't know why he would, but it just seemed like a good way to solve the umbrella problem.

3) I'm not positive I like the way the lab 1 entrance works.  First, because it is a dead end right now (that screwed up my save file,  but I have sense learned to edit the save.ini files thank goodness), and secondly, I really liked how you use to go up into that last whole of light in the last background screen like you were emerging up into a dry lab (though it led to the sky for some bizarre reason at the time).  I dunno, this is just personal picky-ness, but I thought I would bring it up.

4) I got very confused once I got into lab 4.  There is the beginnings of a local history, but it is blank and there seems no other hint to lead the player back to lab 2.  Are there plans to help that out, or did I miss a hint?

5) So, I just figure out the scenic rout to receive card 2 (I think that is the card... the one that is in the reactor).  Nice job!  I like how it ties in to the flooded lab 1, though I don't think it you can get to the other side of this room from lab 1, which would be cool.  I would suggest that cracked glass would not be the clue and the way into the sign room, but a port whole tile.  As for a hint that there is an easy route, how about a note somewhere that mentions an emergency cooling shaft located right before the reactor area?  I would just like to see something that clues a new player in to the reality of an easy path, because I didn't even know it was there my first time through.  I might have found it if it was my first time through, but I'm very unsure of that.

6) I keep noticing a flaw in the snow animation where it creates a white line across the screen.  This happens anywhere it overlays with a white back ground.

7) What if we at least tried to tie the linear green fire road (was that the name?) in with the rest of the game by having it at least mentioned somewhere.  Something like: "There is a strange ancient device in the ice caverns that claims to lead to the future.  Whatever that place is, there is an annoying person there who wants to race.  I'd just stay away from him unless you have to go there for research purposes.  He really gets under my skin."

So, in spite of my criticisms, this is looking SO fantastic!  I LOVE all the changes!  This level is turning out so fantastic.  And call me completely neardy, but it is REALLY exciting to finally get in to Dr. Wood's lab!  :D  

Edit: where is the old friend's house? prob with knytt+

...and I've been in the reactor for 30 minutes... isn't there suppose to be an easy path?  Did I miss it or has that not been done yet?

Edit again:  So I hope this isn't annoying.  I was thinking the game was playable now, but after FINALLY getting through the reactor (I never want to do that again so long as I live) I can't figure out the step after lab 4.  There is the beginnings of a local history, but it is blank.  Ok, got it, back to lab 2.  But there doesn't seem to be any hint to go back to lab 2.  Could we get one?

1.) That's not a switch. It's a shovel.

2.) The umbrella is in there already. It's available near the end. It is hidden which is fine because it only leads to bonus stuff.

3.) I veto moving lab 1. The cutscenes are finished and they say where it is. Evil's screens actually make sense this way. It's the end game, so there's no need to come out. We can put a return/quit screen after the ending, and change the "I can swim here" sign to a "there's no turning back" sign.

4.) When you're supposed to go to lab 2 isn't obvious, but I think players can figure it out. The diary mentions a locked room in lab 2. If you go to lab 2 there is a sign saying you need level 2 clearance. Then, you get a level 2 card.

The local history is a cutscene that I'm holding until the end. It is not important to navigating the level. It gives no hints, just explanations.

5.) I agree that the easy reactor route isn't obvious enough even though it has sparkles. I was thinking we could put a save point by it to really bring attention to it.

7.) Sergio said he had an idea about Greenfire Road. I'd talk to him before doing anything there. I really don't think it needs anything. A computer mentions that they haven't been able to duplicate time travel technology which is a clear reference to the Road.

When I was still working on Lab 1 I had a guy in the dry areas of the lab still in his room playing video games. He had no idea that the cataclysm had occurred, and in fact the scientists used a part of the room he was in for storage space (he'd been there quite a while). It'd be nice if whoever wants to work on Lab 1 did something similar.