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Caravel Forum : DROD Boards : Architecture : Standing Stone to Monolith (My second... well third attempt at a hold)
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Songsmith
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icon Standing Stone to Monolith (+3)  
Some time ago (I don't know... maybe two years ago?) I posted up a small one-level hold here in architecture called 'Standing Stone'. I have now re-worked this into into a four-level (+ bonus level) hold, which includes not just the new and improved standing stone level, but also a hold I started for a competition (but never submitted), and a few ideas that had been lurking round my mind for a while.

I think it's probably complete, and was tempted to post it straight into the 'Holds' forum. But then common sense took over, and I decided to ask if any of you would be willing to play it through and see if it needs any reworking. Any constructive feedback is welcome (please be gentle with me!).

Yours tremblingly (holding breath!)... :unsure

Jan


07-18-2006 at 02:22 PM
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Chaco
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icon Re: Standing Stone to Monolith (0)  
Good idea. No matter how good you think you tested your hold, bugs *will* creep in.

Playing through...

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07-18-2006 at 02:25 PM
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Ezlo
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Finally finished the first level, all I say is to please add a checkpoint or two to the enterance of level 1.

EDIT: Also, the crossword puzzle is very easy to crack, even though I know you know that. I'm just mentioning it. There are better ways to do it than what you do.

[Last edited by Ezlo at 07-18-2006 09:22 PM]
07-18-2006 at 09:21 PM
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Songsmith
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subkel wrote:
I love it, but I'm stumped at Level 4 2S2E. I just can't get anywhere in time.
There are an exact number of moves you must use to get to the first two positions.

Click here to view the secret text

Spoiler:
Click here to view the secret text

Even more spoilers:
Click here to view the secret text

After that it's just a case of taking your time and killing the remaining monsters.

Hope this helps :)

Jan

[Last edited by Songsmith at 07-19-2006 09:28 AM]
07-19-2006 at 09:15 AM
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Songsmith
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Ezlo wrote:
Finally finished the first level, all I say is to please add a checkpoint or two to the enterance of level 1.
Actually I thought I might have made this room too easy! OK, I'll do that on the next edit.


Also, the crossword puzzle is very easy to crack, even though I know you know that. I'm just mentioning it. There are better ways to do it than what you do.
Ah -- I was hoping this would be more difficult than it apparently is. Any suggestions you have for increasing its difficulty would be very welcome. :)

Thanks for the feedback.

Jan


[Last edited by Songsmith at 07-19-2006 09:26 AM]
07-19-2006 at 09:25 AM
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Chaco
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I entered from the SW, killed the tar and mud mothers, then remote-killed the goblins with bombs. Pretty easy.

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07-19-2006 at 12:55 PM
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bandit1200
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Level 4, 4S. I don't see any way to get through
Click here to view the secret text


Edit: Cancel the above. I couldn't see the wood for the trees.

Level 4, 1W. You made it possible to kill the brain without dropping the trapdoors.

The scroll in the exit of level 4 is rather superfluous, especially as it says the same when the door is no longer there.

Edit 2: I must have missed a room/some rooms because I can't drop the master doors for the bonus level, but I've been through it a dozen times and can't find anymore. Maybe it's the woods and trees again. :)

It's an entertaining hold from my point of view, but with a little too much QWing, or in my case ASing, at times.

[Last edited by bandit1200 at 07-19-2006 03:46 PM]
07-19-2006 at 01:43 PM
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Songsmith
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bandit1200 wrote:
Level 4, 1W. You made it possible to kill the brain without dropping the trapdoors.
Oops!! Thank you - I'll definitely fix that!

Jan

07-19-2006 at 04:10 PM
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Songsmith
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Chaco wrote:
I entered from the SW, killed the tar and mud mothers, then remote-killed the goblins with bombs. Pretty easy.
I assume you're talking about 1N... yes I have made that rather easy haven't I. It was intended to be a difficult puzzle -- but it somehow got away from me, and became easier and easier. I think this room might (might!! -- nuh-uh - definitely!!) need some serious re-design work.



[Last edited by Songsmith at 07-19-2006 04:15 PM]
07-19-2006 at 04:14 PM
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Kevin_P86
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Songsmith wrote:
Ah -- I was hoping this would be more difficult than it apparently is. Any suggestions you have for increasing its difficulty would be very welcome. :)

Well, as it is, the correct orbs simply open the respective doors - therefore, the order is irrelevant. Second, there are some other orbs that I found which simply toggle one or more doors, which can be used instead of the ones that open them. With only five doors and so many orbs I think you'd have a tough time ensuring a unique order for five orbs (at least without making it just as obvious as it is now to find the correct orbs).

One thing you could do (that would be a lot more work) is to script the orb actions. That way, when clicking on the orb in JtRH it would not tell you what the orb does. That would make it at least considerably harder to cheat.

However, even if you do the scripting thing, you should still do something to the orb actions to at least decrease the number of solutions (as it is there are many). Probably the best way would be to have the "wrong" orbs close all 5 doors, and the right ones open the corresponding door, and close those after it. For example, if the word was "swine", the "s" orb would open the first door and close doors 2 through 5, the "w" orb would open the 2nd door and close doors 3 through 5, the "i" orb would open the 3rd door and close doors 4 and 5, etc.

Or, if you wanted to be really mean, you could have the "wrong" orbs close another door that starts open and can never be opened once closed.

Hope that helps.

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07-19-2006 at 06:03 PM
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Elfstone
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Songsmith wrote:
Any constructive feedback is welcome (please be gentle with me!).

Songsmith, I'm working through your Hold and enjoying it.

May I make a suggestion? I'm currently on L2 (yes I know I'm slow :~( ) and I feel that 1S1W desperately needs checkpoints, for those of us who are just journeymen at this game. One small mistake and I was right back to the beginning, over and over and . . . . . (groooooaaaaaaaannnnn!).

Also when I accidentaly backed into 1S1W from 1S (the wraithwings startled me) I found that the black doors were back up and I would have to cut through mud again to safely dispose of all of it, and the tar, and then get back out of the room, using the top right exit instead. A checkpoint near the fuse would have made life easier.

Elfstone

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07-20-2006 at 01:20 PM
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Songsmith
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Elfstone wrote:
Songsmith, I'm working through your Hold and enjoying it.
Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it. :)

I'm currently on L2 (yes I know I'm slow :~( )
Don't worry about it -- after all it has taken me two years to do something I thought I'd be able to do in about five or six months!!

and I feel that 1S1W desperately needs checkpoints
You're right... yes, I'll add at least one.

Thanks for the feedback :smile



[Last edited by Songsmith at 07-20-2006 02:34 PM]
07-20-2006 at 02:28 PM
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Songsmith
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Kevin_P86 wrote:
Or, if you wanted to be really mean, you could have the "wrong" orbs close another door that starts open and can never be opened once closed.

Ooohh!! I like that idea!! Thank you very much.
Just call me The Old Meany :lol

I also like the idea of closing off the forward doors, so they have to be opened in the right order. Thanks Kevin.


07-20-2006 at 02:32 PM
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