Ok, I'm making the update of SD1 and would like to hear from players about their experiences of a couple of the last levels.
Cave 42 (the "hall of mirrors") - To be honest I've never been able to finish this screen without using save states. It's just insane. Especially the bottom half. Should I remove this level, keep just the top part, or keep the whole thing? Did some masochistic person find it fun?
Cave 43 (the screen that could very well make you hate Amoebas) - How about this one? It's quite tight to pull off, certainly possible but it always seems so oppressive when I play that I make savestates.
46 + 47 are staying in because I really like how they play even if they're very difficult.
I agree with you on 42, as I had plenty of trouble, also! Maybe you could keep the same concept, but just make a less compacted puzzle with only 2 parts that, each, take up the whole height of the level
On 43 - I seriously like the concept but, indeed, it is quite a challenge to pull off as is. Personally I might: a) Have a mere 1 square of amoeba to start with in the lower left, and entirely remove the upper right. b) Raise the time limit. c)Thin out the boulder on top a bit so they're easier to direct/control. d) Any combination of those things.
Hopefully, you'll find these helpful!
Boulders are round.
Fireflies are square.
I need to find
a'way out of here.
I didn't actually played those yet. Though if you need savestates, something really is seriously wrong with them, I'd say.
To quote something from some time ago:
RTADash wrote:Once I save a version of a cave, I make sure I can complete it succesfully at least 3 times in a row (no saving in the middle) before "admitting" it into the game.
Eventhough, I didn't tried it yet, I think, this is a very good idea.
LogicDeLuxe wrote:I didn't actually played those yet. Though if you need savestates, something really is seriously wrong with them, I'd say.
To quote something from some time ago:
RTADash wrote:Once I save a version of a cave, I make sure I can complete it succesfully at least 3 times in a row (no saving in the middle) before "admitting" it into the game.
Eventhough, I didn't tried it yet, I think, this is a very good idea.
It's certainly a good idea if you want your game to be fun! But in some cases you are designing your levels for boulderdash pros, at the time I made SDI I was fascinated by the idea of very complicated levels which have a particular solution hidden in the chaos. Take for example the bottom half of cave 42:
The solution here, while almost unplayable to normal players, is quite fascinating and involves some very devious manipulation (I have the solution of this and almost all of these caves in Vice replay format, if anyone's interested).
My standard practice from now on will be to throw all my really hard levels into a special 'bin' and make a game for boulder-experts out of them. Such a game could include other funny or unusual outtakes from the cutting room floor as well!
RTADash wrote:I agree with you on 42, as I had plenty of trouble, also! Maybe you could keep the same concept, but just make a less compacted puzzle with only 2 parts that, each, take up the whole height of the level
On 43 - I seriously like the concept but, indeed, it is quite a challenge to pull off as is. Personally I might: a) Have a mere 1 square of amoeba to start with in the lower left, and entirely remove the upper right. b) Raise the time limit. c)Thin out the boulder on top a bit so they're easier to direct/control. d) Any combination of those things.
Hopefully, you'll find these helpful!
Thanks for your suggestions. What I've done is remake 42 to have a much easier 2nd half (lower half), and on 43 I've made the solution less 'tight' and easier to pull off.
Spoiler about this level (highlight to read) :
If you aren't making a dirt pyramid before you drop the boulders, you're doing the level a much harder way than intended! hehe
Sendy wrote:My standard practice from now on will be to throw all my really hard levels into a special 'bin' and make a game for boulder-experts out of them. Such a game could include other funny or unusual outtakes from the cutting room floor as well!
Sounds like a good idea. I'm also thinking of revising some of my games. My caves sets just don't feel like being part of a set sometimes. Some are quickly thrown together, some are ridiculously easy and others are insane.
Maybe when I find a way to optimize and clean up the code, I might be able to improve the compatibility to BD1, BD2 and PLCK and even bring the level feature back. (Eventhough, only a few games were actually designed for levels, ie. many just don't make sense on higher levels.)
This would also require a change in the Construction Kit to support object based caves, but don't expect it to match the Gdash editor. That would be just too much for a plain C64.
Sendy wrote:My standard practice from now on will be to throw all my really hard levels into a special 'bin' and make a game for boulder-experts out of them.
A very good idea! I also have plans for years to make a series of extreme puzzle caves. I already have a few ready, but it takes ages to create and finetune these caves, making it as difficult as possible....
However, I personally wouldn't make updates, as different versions will get spread around... Although there are some "mistakes" in my games for sure.
Sendy wrote:Cave 42 (the "hall of mirrors") - To be honest I've never been able to finish this screen without using save states... ...Especially the bottom half... ...Did some masochistic person find it fun?
I've used my Saved Point about 1,321 times, am I close to the Magic Number yet??? I'm still married so I think that qualifies me as a Masochist, the fun went out of it for me around reload 857
Sendy wrote:The solution here, while almost unplayable to normal players, is quite fascinating and involves some very devious manipulation (I have the solution of this and almost all of these caves in Vice replay format, if anyone's interested).
Well there is my problem...I'm Abnormal
I can break the Left Wall and get the required Diamonds, but then I have no way to break the Right Wall. I think I see the Solution but Rockford isn't consistent enough in what he does and to be honest I'm just tired of trying
I need the Solution to Cave 42 please Sendy (or anyone) EDIT: I don't need it anymore
Currently playing:
- Crazy Dream Dash 01
- Sendy Dash 02 Quote of the Week: I don't mind having a Bad Reputation...as long as I had fun earning it.
Arno wrote:Sendy wrote:
My standard practice from now on will be to throw all my really hard levels into a special 'bin' and make a game for boulder-experts out of them.
A very good idea! I also have plans for years to make a series of extreme puzzle caves.
Wanna play!!!!
I have been thinking of something like this, too. But then I put my hardest ideas into level 5 of my games
I'm actually playing SD1 (on gdash), and I find (most of) the levels quite amazing and fun I'm surely not good enough to play through the game from level 1 to 47 without the 'good old' game over screen, yet I really like it.
I would be very much interested in a video solution of cave 42, though I've not played so far yet. I cannot see any chance to solve the lower half from the map. OK, with a bit luck, I could blast the right wall, because then I cmight be able to push a rock over the empty space. But the left wall...? If it were possible to take some influence on the firefly next to the left wal, between the two rocksl...? But how should this work?
I also have plans for years to make a series of extreme puzzle caves. I already have a few ready, but it takes ages to create and finetune these caves, making it as difficult as possible.... 
I'm still married so I think that qualifies me as a Masochist, the fun went out of it for me around reload 857 
