[KS+][Challenge][Very Hard/Hard/Lunatic] The Dithered Temple

* 1.04 - Added a save point and a few decorations that were present in the "Original version" but missing from some of the "Light version" screens.

* 1.03 - Added a few extra hints for some secrets, moved the title sign at the end of the "Dark Cistern" area (so it doesn't overlap with the 2-way platform on the way back from the garden) and fixed a couple SGEs.

* 1.02 - Added a fix for the slowdowns in the "Corridor of Trials" area when playing in older machines.

* 1.01 - Fixed a void screen and a few non-solid tiles.

* 1.00 - Initial release.

So I found a void screen. It's after the Chamber(sp?) of Trials and like one screen before the temple opens to the plains. It appears you're missing some layer 3 tiles on the right side of the screen. Do Did you intend to put a secret here?

Were you doing anything special in the Chamber(sp?) of Trials? I experienced some unusual slowdown there. For context, I use a fairly venerable machine to play KS, and have come to expect anything graphically intensive to slow gameplay down, but there doesn't seem to be any obvious culprit here. Pretty sure I was using a KS+ that's a couple versions behind, if that's relevant here.

I got two artifacts on my first runthrough (One in the garden, the other in upper halls), and while I saw the key graffiti, I didn't manage to figure out getting the key. (I did find it later.)

Also, it's tricky, but you can get to the Flooded Courtyard treasure chamber, without the hologram, from the room with the yellow lock.

And that just-out-of-reach (and non-functional) bounce pad is just mean for anyone who doesn't already know where everything is.

I mostly beat the Inner Temple - I beat one screen quasi-legit (cheated to place I had gotten repeatably to avoid tedium, continued normally from there - it was the screen with the ceiling fireball spewers) and had to skip a screen because of the flying spewers. As I have mentioned, graphically intensive things (like the tint) slow gameplay down. The thing here is, while it slowed down the projectiles, it didn't really seem to slow down the rate at which they were spewed. I'm pretty sure you did not intend a constant stream to block my way.

The "Inner Temple" area uses a filter that mimics a monochrome amber monitor to some degree (plus a psychedelic "palette cycling" CO for the breather rooms). Also, the "Shadow Forest" area has a couple alternate "graphics modes" for an even more retro experience (requires finding 5 purple artifacts).

Also also, there's a completely useless but kinda cool easter egg that you can access at the starting area, if you manage to do something unexpected instead of entering the temple normally.

So I found a void screen. It's after the Chamber(sp?) of Trials and like one screen before the temple opens to the plains. It appears you're missing some layer 3 tiles on the right side of the screen. Do Did you intend to put a secret here?

Nope, that was just a genuine mistake   I forgot to fill that area with solid tiles after adding the shadows. It should be fixed now.

Were you doing anything special in the Chamber(sp?) of Trials? I experienced some unusual slowdown there.

I think that might be caused by the "autosave" triggered right when you enter the room. I added it to prevent the player from accidentally dying right after entering the room before they were able to use the save point, but it seems this can cause slowdowns in older machines (since the shift is triggered constantly). I'll see if I can do something about it.

Also, it's tricky, but you can get to the Flooded Courtyard treasure chamber, without the hologram, from the room with the yellow lock.

I'll probably leave that as it is now. Some players have a lot of fun trying to take unexpected/unintended shortcuts, so I'm okay with it! (unless this causes a wallswim or something like that)

And that just-out-of-reach (and non-functional) bounce pad is just mean for anyone who doesn't already know where everything is.

Sorry about that! I added that bounce pad just for decoration because the screen looked a bit too empty. I tried placing it very high so it wouldn't confuse the players too much, but it seems this wasn't enough so I may remove it altogether.

The thing here is, while it slowed down the projectiles, it didn't really seem to slow down the rate at which they were spewed. I'm pretty sure you did not intend a constant stream to block my way.

That was not intended at all. It's weird, because that screen doesn't have any autosaves, overlay attachments nor full-screen COs. Maybe the AND tint is just really slow in older machines. I'm not sure if there's anything I can do to fix it, though   (other than disabling the screen tint for all those screens). Perhaps I could try making a "low detail" version of the level in the future.

...or did I? :P2

The README at the beginning of the level brought me way back and resurfaced some memories I forgot I had! Old APOGEE games, Lemmings, Sierra Adventure text games, playing this brought a lot of that back. I LOVE the palette and the tilesets, I LOVE the menu, I LOVE the music. Everything about this level is TOP QUALITY RETRO.

I thought the "Very Hard" base game was difficult! Imagine my surprise when I found there's a true LUNATIC set of challenges! I can't even beat the first one right now, I may have to practice to be able to beat it!

I also made a spin-off of this level named The CGA Temple. It's much shorter, easier and not nearly as challenge-based as this one, which is why I didn't mention it in your thread, but if you feel like going even further beyond in revisiting those long-forgotten old PC memories, feel free to give it a try.