[Challenge/Small/Easy] Journey to the Golden Land

[Vegetal Gibber]

Hi everyone! It's been quite a while since I last posted here. I've been away from the Knytt Stories level-making community for a really long time, but I recently started to play the game again and it made me remember the good times here in the Nifflas Support Forum. So here I am... glad to be finally back!

Anyway... I made this small and simple level a few months ago for my friends, who in the end didn't even bother to check it out, so I decided to polish it a bit and release it for everyone to enjoy (or not).

It's just a pretty easy exploration-based challenge level with custom graphics and music. Your mission is to help Juni search the forest and the underground caves for the four secret keys to the Golden Land (and, of course, to get to said place).

Give it a try if you want to pass the time with something simple and relaxing. Don't expect anything epic and/or sophisticated, though... it's been so long since I made one of these I forgot how to do all those fancy shift and warp tricks

Download link

Mirror (Knyttlevels.com)

Screenshots: See the attached pictures below

Spoiler: Credits and other info (click to show/hide)

Level design, (ugly) tileset and (even uglier) art by me.

Music tracks:

• "Elven Lullaby" by Lumiere Tales
• "Film" by Frozen Silence

[egomassive]

What a nice surprise! This was a pretty little level with simple but well designed exploration. I liked the art work too.

It surprises me sometimes how uninterested friends can be in KS. You get reactions like, "Oh, it's one of those games." It's like the whole platfoming genera is too old-fashioned, but then they go play a match-3 game.

[sergiocornaga]

Nice level! The painterly tileset was a good stylistic choice, but the custom animations were the best visual touch. The Golden Land was especially pretty.

Spoiler: Bugs and criticisms (click to show/hide)

• A void screen at x999y997 is accessible.
• I had to use the editor to find the blue key. The detection area was small enough that I'd only walk into it if I suspected a secret passage in the first place.
• The last area was a bit confusing in terms of what's solid and what's not. I felt a bit like I should be able to walk on the platforms in x1006y1000, and the green hills in x1007y1000 were background scenery while the one in x1009y1000 wasn't.

[Talps]

That was a sweet little game. I thought your graphics were nice, apart from the ugly straight-edged treetops, but the little detail of the flapping leaves in the trees was very cool.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

I didn't have much trouble with the blue key: I think its hiding place was something of a KS cliche - never trust a small cave in KS!

Like Sergio, I'd say it wasn't immediately obvious what was solid and what was not, though it was easy and safe enough to learn by experiment so it wasn't much of an issue.

All in all I'd say it was fun and really pretty - I especially loved the picture from the closing cutscene. Reminded me of Cerin Amroth in Lothlorien (that's a 'Lord of the Rings' thing).

Oh, and I have never managed to get any RL friends interested in KS.

[Vegetal Gibber]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Glad you liked the level

I agree with the criticism here. The tileset could benefit from a few extra tiles (especially for the treetops), and the layout of some of the screens can be a bit confusing. My summer vacation starts tomorrow, so I'll probably have plenty of time to work on a revised version of this (and another map I left unfinished years ago). I'll take everyone's opinions into consideration.

And yes... it can be very frustrating trying to convince friends to give your own stuff a try. Even when you develop a full game instead of an add-on. Even when you make it just for them. And even... oh well, you get the idea

[pfrangip]

Beautiful little level!

I love the tileset! I did not mind the square trees, especially with the blowing leaves, I felt they kind of "fit" the atmosphere. The whole thing felt very minecraft-y, very "you're on an unexplored, private little island, with not a care in the world."

I enjoyed the music a lot, too.

I got my brother into KS, but no one else. I do feel its extremely under appreciated. I realize the "glory days" of KS are in the past, but I still feel like there is still SO MUCH it has to offer.

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

• I, shamefully, had to cheat to find the blue key.
• Two wallswims located in the climb powerup cave

[Vegetal Gibber]

Thanks! Well, I used to play single-player Minecraft quite a bit, so it probably had some influence in my work even if that wasn't my original intention   Fortunately, you can enjoy the exploration here without the constant fear of a creeper exploding on you.

...I think 

[cqn]

I enjoyed some details, especially the self-made artwork. Nice level.

[CWolvie]

Very nice and interesting level according to the screenshots. I'm glad that someone created his own tileset (you know, I like original KS tilesets, but it's nice to see something different).
I'm downloading to play it as soon as possible .

[McGloomy]

A very pretty and fun little level! I loved the music. I also had some trouble finding that one key, but it was actually nice to have a little challenge towards the end. I'm looking forward to that unfinished map of yours! 

[Lingon]

Nice level!

Always good with custom tilesets. 
One thing I personally find annoying (not just here but in all ks levels) is when the music is cut and starts over all the time. Its hard to work around though if you do not create a very linear level.

[Vegetal Gibber]

Thanks for the kind words guys

Based on the feedback I got, I've put together a revised version of the level:

[ Journey to the Golden Land v1.1 ]

(The link on the first post has also been updated)

Spoiler: List of changes (click to show/hide)

• Fixed the void screen and the two wallswims.
• Made the blue key a bit easier to find by extending the detection area.
• Added extra tiles for the treetops to make them look less "boxy".
• Added more shadows and darkened tiles to some of the final area screens, to make the backgrounds a bit more obvious.

[Healy]

This was lovely. Perked me right up after a bad day. Thank you!

[Vegetal Gibber]

Glad you enjoyed it

[Fubaka]

Guess who started doing reviews again? 

Check it out: http://nifflas.lpchip.nl/index.php?topic=6604.msg69450#msg69450