Dischorran
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File: Washed Ashore.drh (11 KB)
Downloaded 57 times.
License: Public Domain

EDIT: Sword not included.Now includes sword for extra value, free!

Mostly because it's there, I figured I'd try my hand at the RPG level editor and see what I could come up with. This is the result: a single-level hold, level set, whatever you want to call it.

Since I was particularly taken with the grappling hook, this hold features it prominently. It also features a custom sword: the quirk of the sword is that its attack value is equal to the defense value of the last enemy killed. In other words, if you want to kill a spider, it's probably best to kill an evil eye first, rather than going at it right after killing a roach. And then don't waste the "charge" on a roach!

Since this hold offers more opportunity than most for optimization via different routes through the hold (and is a bit on the small side), I've added achievements tracking various subscores and other things to try. See how many you can get that you shouldn't be able to, and let me know how!

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[Last edited by Dischorran at 11-08-2010 08:19 PM]

skell
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Ok, it might just be me, but I didn't find any sword anywhere I was able to access, nor I had one in the beginning.
A bug perhaps?
EDIT: I meant, An overlooking, perhaps?

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My website

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[Last edited by skell at 09-20-2008 07:55 AM]

Someone Else
Level: Smitemaster

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You haven't put in the character for the sword. So it's not a bug, it just isn't complete. Do you need help putting one in?

Dischorran
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Looks like the problem is that I made the level in my "general repository" hold, copied it over to a new hold for export, and the actual scripted sword didn't get copied with it, which is annoying. I'll post a new version ASAP.

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Someone Else
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Still doesn't work for me.
It's good now!

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[Last edited by Someone Else at 09-20-2008 08:14 AM]

Dischorran
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Alright, I re-exported and renamed the file to be absolutely sure the right one's there. If the sword's still not there, we might have an export bug.

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Someone Else
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This is very good. It's an ingenious idea, and quite difficult, what with my optimizing tendencies. I think there's a bug with the saving, which makes it a pain.

Someone Else
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And complete! Or almost, as I don't want to play through it again to get rid of one pesky roach. Some comments:

Brilliant idea! I think that you can probably get a longer hold if you try (some of the rooms weren't even used), but I like it as it is.
Possible spoiler:

Tahnan
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Someone Else wrote:
This is very good. It's an ingenious idea, and quite difficult, what with my optimizing tendencies. I think there's a bug with the saving, which makes it a pain.

Oh, crud! Never mind optimizing. If I have this right, somehow my sword's attack variable is reset upon restoring. That has to be a bug.

EDIT: wait, it's not happening every time. But I've definitely got a save where my attack is "10"--is that a save bug, or did something (erroneously?) reset my attack?

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[Last edited by Tahnan at 09-20-2008 06:32 PM]

Dischorran
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You shouldn't be able to have an attack of 10 anywhere after the first room (even brains have a defense of 1). There was a bug in early versions where if you attacked something that you couldn't, it would register a defense of 0 and you'd get your attack reset, but the script now explicitly checks for a positive value before setting your attack.

However, the sword does initialize itself to 0 upon being picked up; that's to prevent abuse of dropping it to preserve its charge, which isn't a problem in this hold. I can check later to see if it's reinitializing itself when the game's loaded; if so, I'll remove the "feature" and update this post.

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Tim
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Most of the stuff is interesting, although using the speed potion in the final room makes this hold incredibly easy.

By the way, is it possible to use the mirrors? I don't think it's possible to move them to the beams.

I suggest you add a score checkpoint before you submit.

I think I'd give this hold about 7.5, both fun and difficulty.

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The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

Someone Else
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Also, if you enter a room with your sword on a monster, your attack decreases(or increases) to the same amount as if you had just killed it.

And conquered!

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[Last edited by Someone Else at 09-20-2008 09:31 PM]

Dischorran
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Alright, I've posted a new version containing a few of the bugfixes that have come up. There's now a barrel blocking the jump past the aumtlich; if you exit the level the rock golems, it should require getting hit three times by the beams, only once if you block the aumtlich with the mirrors (which *is* possible). There's now a checkpoint at the very end; I had sort of assumed that scores would end up getting uploaded anyway, but having the explicit report is indeed a good idea. The speed potion is now out. As for the room entrance problem, that sounds like a bug on Caravel's side.

For feedback, since I can't see what people are doing, I'm interested in a few things in particular:

Also, I currently don't plan to expand this into a multi-level hold, or even a sprawling single-level hold. Take this into account on recommendations for submission.

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[Last edited by Dischorran at 09-20-2008 10:19 PM]

Dischorran
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Alright, the save/load bug has been fixed (I hope!). For beta purposes, Tendry is now accessorized with a tool that reports his current weapon attack, and what the game *should* think that the weapon attack is. New version's up top.

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Monkey
Level: Master Delver

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Quick Note: I'd make "Variable Reporter" a command, not equipment.

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lurking

Dischorran
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Another beta's up. I've added a few barrels, rocks, and bushes as decoration, and tightened up the health supply just a little. Let's consider this a release candidate.

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Dischorran
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New version. I do not approve of either getting the bronze shield first thing or of getting a much higher score from *not* taking the passage with the blue door.

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Blondbeard
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That was fun! I got a score of 733 by going through the blue door. The only thing I think I did "wrong" was to take the bronze shield first

Oh, and I don't like hot tiles that much. They are messy, and tedious in my opinion. Mainly because if you use them you can't explore freely, or you'll lower your score in the end.

Edit: I messed around a bit to get a good score, and landed at 881. And I don't understand what the lucky gold is for. You don't need gold for anything anyway, right?

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[Last edited by Blondbeard at 09-23-2008 04:27 PM]

Dischorran
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You and TFMurphy keep doing that. The next version is going to have a freakin' DOOR under the bronze shield, and I'm moving the nearby key! And you're both still going to find a way to get it first.

The hot tiles are part of the optimization game. Learn to love 'em. Or at least learn to love quicksave. They stay in.

The lucky greckle is

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Blondbeard
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Dischorran
Level: Smitemaster

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Since potions are going to stop blocking grappling with the next patch, this needs a new version, now attached to the first post. I've also added a red scroll, and I'm not even charging HP for it.

At the moment, I'm leaving the alternate solutions for the aumtlich the way they are. This may or may not be the best option.

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Blondbeard
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Still best to get the bronze shield first...

Seems as if the hold got a bit harder. I optimized better, but still only got a score of 877. I saved the green key this time

Edit: Yay! 886 score. I believe I'm starting to get pretty optimized on this hold.

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[Last edited by Blondbeard at 10-02-2008 07:46 AM]

Dischorran
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The recent discussion on modifiable checkpoints made me realize that DROD RPG supports an achievement and ranking system. So I've implemented it here. The hold scores as per normal, but there's a second level that has 11 more checkpoints, each temporarily altering HP to give a custom number of points:

5 checkpoints tracking monsters killed, monsters *not* killed, grappling jumps made subtracted from 200, moves made subtracted from 4000, and times turning the sword subtracted from 1000 (the latter three so that higher scores represent greater efficiency).

6 checkpoints tracking specific actions made (or not made), for a single point at the checkpoint. Said actions are labeled in the final room; I'm weighing the option of leaving the conditions secret in the final hold.

I could use more ideas for achievements of either type, and would also appreciate input on appropriate maxima for the first type.

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bwross
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Dischorran wrote:
I could use more ideas for achievements of either type

Charity... based on the amount of greckles you pulled out and are now going to give to the Stalwart War Orphans Fund (they must have one considering how many of them die). This, of course, will require using the Lucky Greckle as much as possible to maximize... something which isn't exactly trivial given how much easier it is to traverse the rooms with the Grappling Hook.

bwross
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Blondbeard wrote:
Oh, and I don't like hot tiles that much. They are messy, and tedious in my opinion. Mainly because if you use them you can't explore freely, or you'll lower your score in the end.

I don't mind them... getting around them is part of the options and trade-offs. They're all avoidable unless you specifically choose to use the routes they cover. Only one is particularly vexing because it's the only route into a medium potion... but that's okay because that just means that you need to find a way to get there when you're low on HP (or do without that potion and the 5 points it can give).

They don't really stop you from exploring freely. Exploring freely and playing for score are two completely different tasks. Save and then do your exploring before reloading and trying to do it right... you'll never get it right without knowing what's in the other rooms, and once you know that you should be able to minimize things like hot tiles. Me, I explore aggressively with the only goal of exposing as many rooms as quickly as possible... I take screenshots, montage them together with a script, and bring them up in another window. It's only then that I really start playing a level at all.

Dischorran
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Just a minor update. I've added bwross's achievement and one other and adjusted a couple of details.

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Blondbeard
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Okay. I've played around some with the hold, and I like the self evaluation system. To me it seems to be easiest to get points by not moving many steps. I got more than 2000 points doing that.

Dischorran
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Hmm. I could tighten up the requirement a bit for that one. On the other hand, points are counted individually for each category, so what really matters is the high scores list, which is independent of what number I'm subtracting moves from.

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Blondbeard
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Yes. That's true.

Dischorran
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Beta 10 is posted, containing one new achievement, an adjustment to another (now there's a reason to keep dragging yourself over hot tiles), and a few adjustments to the text. At this point, end-stage beta testing is still appreciated, but I think the hold is essentially ready for submission once CaravelNet high scores are operational for the RPG and the HAs reopen the submission process.

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[Last edited by Dischorran at 11-30-2008 05:24 AM]