Do Not Pick Up The Key [challenge/hard/short - now with bonuses in KS+]

Ladies and gentlemen! Roll up, roll up, for the greatest show in this thread!

Do Not Pick Up The Key is an all-new level, containing some totally semi-new tilesets, two three music tracks that may have been written especially for this level except that they weren't, and a whole host of challenges between you and the goal of the level; not picking up the key!

That's right, you're on an epic quest to not do something! 'But surely the easiest way not to do something is to not undertake the quest', I hear you cry, and of course you're right! But where's the fun in that? Where's the challenge? Where's the adventure?

So gather your wits and prepare your senses! Turn down the lights and turn up your speakers and prepare for the greatest adventure you'll have in the entire duration of the next half an hour: Do Not Pick Up The Key!

EDIT: version 2 now available

Download Do Not Pick Up The Key v2

(Note: this level is still fully-compatible with basic KS but contains some animated COs only visible if you play with Egomassive's KS+ mod.)

And while that downloads, why not look at the pretty screenshots and read what some of the world's top reviewers are saying about 'Do Not Pick Up The Key'...


"Do Not Pick Up The Key is a jewel amidst mildly luminous pebbles, with heart-touching characters, beautiful graphics and challenges that will stretch your wits and reflexes like a hearty jog stretches your legs, all forming a gripping level that is both a mirror and a shadow of today's society, raising thought-provoking questions about the nature of the modern human condition."
Robert Zeiger, game critic.

"I've had more fun watching men's tennis."
Gerald Hutch, miserable goit.

"What's this got to do with knitting then, lovie?"
Sue (from catering).

(no)
That was quite thoroughly entertaining, a really solid level and very funny at the end. I didn't find any bugs or typos, though I didn't try to break the level much; I was too busy trying to get through the screens intact  I must admit I cheated to see what would happen if I did get the key, rather than play through it again, but I'll definitely do it properly when I'm less tired (yeah, absurd completionist attitude but it's worth replaying anyway  ).

bug: going down from x1010y992 (I can get past the spiky thing using umbrella) leads to a void, followed by a non-void screen

(no)
Well, that was fun. Like Widget, I cheated to see what would happen if I took the other path. Looks like I made the right choice!

Some thoughts on the ending:
There were a few frustrating bits, but overall I really liked it.

Yes
Absolutely loved it. Had a lot of fun playing, it was a bit challenging for me, but that only made it better.
Also, I stared at the key for like 2 minutes before deciding what to do, that's usually a sign that a game is really good for me.
Even though this isn't and environmental level, it is beautiful, ever screen felt alive and dangerous. It really feels like you put a lot of work at each individual screen.
And yay, I'm in the credits for an awesome level

@Ort: Dang and blast! I tried that ten times without luck; problem was I kept forgetting I had the umbrella when I was testing.

Thanks for the positive feedback everyone! I'm glad you all liked it! I did put design effort into each screen though I confess I was extremely lazy with the end of the temple. But I'm very glad you all enjoyed it!
The very first inspiration for this was 'You have to Burn the Rope' but it spread out a lot from that; originally I was thinking it'd be just a short one-area level, but then suddenly that laboratory decided that, instead of being longer, it wanted to open out onto a mountainside, and then I decided to take it as far as I was comfortable to take it.

yeah, absurd completionist attitude but it's worth replaying anyway.

Yay! I have replay value!

(no, yes, without cheating)

the first custom music track is too loud, the second one doesn't fit the area at all

No I didn't pick up the key I think your level was really good
I have allways wanted to know what someone else think about my levels You see on my account name; Zelos.

(no)
I had fun playing this level. Some of the challenges took quite a few tries but the save points were never so far apart as to make it a chore. I happily played through again today and chose the other ending -
Also, it was fun hearing chiptunes, although like ortoslon I felt they didn't fit the areas they were used in.

(No then Yes)
The fishing pole was perfect! I know it's a small, insubstantial part, but I really liked it! I stopped and watched it for a couple minutes even though it really wasn't doing anything. The humor was quite good too.

The fishing pole was perfect! I know it's a small, insubstantial part, but I really liked it! I stopped and watched it for a couple minutes even though it really wasn't doing anything.

I'm glad that there are people that like that stuff, even though I am yet to make a level with a lot of detail, I know that these little things are a pain to get perfect. A lot of the time I spent with the level I'm currently making was wasted with tiny things most people won't notice.

(no, yes, without cheating)

the first custom music track is too loud, the second one doesn't fit the area at all

Having taken a school course about presenting an argument, I dislike the way you present opinion as fact.


Glad you liked it, Ego and Rai It was only a little thing TBH and didn't work out as well as I'd hoped, but it's good. I'm rather glad that that knytt doesn't move in a way that breaks it, for which I can only thank Nifflas.

being a brevity nazi, I omit "I think/feel/believe that" when I state an opinion that can't be mistaken for a fact

Yes >_> I jumped over it, went to the next screen, stopped 5 pixels short of the trip wire, then ran back and grabbed it.

(It was worth it. I regret nothing!!!!!)

Very nice level here! Pretty hard to me. I'd say hard-very hard, but then again, I just get frustrated easily by having to replay hard screens because of less save points. Buuuuut less save points is part of hard so yeah.

Anyways, lots of fun! The music didn't really bother me much, I thought it was kinda fitting.

Loved the little details scattered around. Like the fishing pole, the lights on the springs, the little blinking lights on the fan switch, etc.
The pressure plates were really cool too.

Yes >_> I jumped over it, went to the next screen, stopped 5 pixels short of the trip wire, then ran back and grabbed it.

Holy shoot that's exactly what I did