The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]

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Offline Polana

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #120 on: October 05, 2013, 19:34:21 »
I played it three times in a row and I don't feel bored by all that running around, screen transitions worked properly for me.
I am amazed by how well planned your level is - first time maze and then challenge, both brilliant. Those cobras and the rest of the level reminds me a lot The Realms of the Pharaoh, but this ones is better. I guess I can give you a :hiddenstar: now.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2013, 18:26:34 by Polana »

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Offline Headgrinder

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #121 on: October 05, 2013, 20:53:47 »
I'm still super busy with RL stuff, but playing through this briefly,
Spoiler: (click to show/hide)
  I'll try to get time to play it again soon and perhaps figure if I'm doing it wrong.  Likely I am.  :crazy:

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Offline Firecat

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #122 on: October 05, 2013, 22:07:04 »
Spoiler: Headgrinder (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: (click to show/hide)
There's 110011 kinds of people in the world. Those who understand binary, Those who don't, and those who confuse it with ASCII.

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Offline Talps

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #123 on: October 06, 2013, 00:38:23 »
I was ok with the maze; I liked the solution with the sloped screen transitions; none of the jumps were too hard. There was one artefact I struggled to find  and I could moan about it, but ultimately a maze ought to not be so easy that you can do it without thinking about it. I think it worked pretty well.

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Offline sergiocornaga

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #124 on: October 06, 2013, 15:04:55 »
Are we really suppose to be able to jump over the pink spike walkers?

In most cases I believe they're supposed to be impossible to jump over, but they sure don't look it. My suggestion for this would be to give them custom sprites with spikes that extend a few pixels higher than they do currently. I realise the collision mask would be unchanged, but I still think this could work.

There was one artefact I struggled to find

Same here, but in the end I found it pretty easily by looking at the map, noticing the dungeon was rectangular, and heading for the gap in the block. From a gameplay perspective, doing this worked really well... which is why I feel like the room layout shouldn't be altered, as has been suggested.

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Offline egomassive

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #125 on: October 07, 2013, 05:22:12 »
There was one artefact I struggled to find
Same here, but in the end I found it pretty easily by looking at the map, noticing the dungeon was rectangular, and heading for the gap in the block. From a gameplay perspective, doing this worked really well... which is why I feel like the room layout shouldn't be altered, as has been suggested.
I'm thinking well placed decorations may alleviate some of the confusion. It will help distinguish similar looking screens from one another.

That's a good argument for simple shaped temples. The map-radar power is treated as a bonus power in this level, meaning a player may never collect it. Still, making a temple in the shape of a skull is an appealing idea.

Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #126 on: October 19, 2013, 11:46:34 »
I just finished the beta. I didn't find the maze too hard (despite not realising I had a map available), none of the jumps were too hard (the snake bouncers over the water were normal at most and everything else was easy) and I really, REALLY liked the main mechanic of the dungeon. You get one  :hiddenstar: for making the level itself, which was great, and will get a second :hiddenstar: (as soon as the forum will let me) for making the drop-through floors. They are perfect and I really hope they show up in other areas. Amongst the ideas you didn't use:

 
Spoiler: (click to show/hide)


The level wasn't as hard as I usually like them, but the beta would be one of my favourite levels if it were released as is. I can't wait for the full thing! Given how excellent it was, I have only four minor complaints and two more major complaints.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

All in all, a very promising start to what looks likely to be one of the best KS levels ever.
I've never meta pun I didn't like.

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Offline egomassive

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #127 on: October 19, 2013, 18:22:49 »

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Offline egomassive

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #128 on: December 05, 2013, 20:07:13 »
Due to unfortunate news about Advena and overall forum sluggishness, I've decided to release a screen-shot of a custom character I'm working on. I'm having a long weekend which I'm using to make some progress.

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Offline Polana

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #129 on: December 07, 2013, 11:46:45 »
This is so cute...both cat and house they're in.
Does this mean that Juni will be running around with living animal on her head for a while ?

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Offline egomassive

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #130 on: December 08, 2013, 03:16:08 »
This is so cute...both cat and house they're in.
Does this mean that Juni will be running around with living animal on her head for a while ?
Yes, there will be several sections where an animal rides upon Juni's head. I hadn't realized how much Cave Story influences me until after I drew Juni with a cat hat. :)

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Offline Talps

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #131 on: December 08, 2013, 14:07:57 »
Hmm, I don't remember that in Cave Story... But then I never got all the way to the end so maybe I missed something.

The custom character looks great; it'll be a lot of fun looking at that and giggling to myself.

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Offline Widget

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #132 on: December 08, 2013, 14:41:31 »
Hmm, I don't remember that in Cave Story... But then I never got all the way to the end so maybe I missed something.
Spoiler: Re: Talps (Off-topic) (click to show/hide)

Due to unfortunate news about Advena and overall forum sluggishness, I've decided to release a screen-shot of a custom character I'm working on. I'm having a long weekend which I'm using to make some progress.

The custom character looks great; it'll be a lot of fun looking at that and giggling to myself.
It's a fantastic piece of spriting. I'm once again dumbfounded at the detail you've managed to get in such a small image. I struggle to even resize an icon without obliterating all the fine detail, to say nothing of the messes I've made of RM2k sprites trying to effect a simple recolour; and those are twice Juni's size :oops:
« Last Edit: December 08, 2013, 14:56:50 by Widget »

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Offline oskop

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #133 on: December 25, 2013, 19:17:41 »
looks v. nice! when will it be out?

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Offline egomassive

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Re: The Tree of Knowledge [challenge/normal/large]
« Reply #134 on: December 27, 2013, 01:22:47 »
looks v. nice! when will it be out?
I can't predict. I've a long way to go and very little time to work on it at the moment.