The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

File: Ice Palace_030910_2.drh (31.7 KB)
Downloaded 101 times.
License: Public Domain

Hi all,

Here's a hold that I suddenly found on my hard drive, and remembered about from ages ago.
This is technically my 2nd hold, since it was started long before Unfriendly Islands. Thus, I had to make a few changes (mainly getting rid of about a dozen aumtliches and greckle chains that I thought were such a great idea at the time, though I've kept a few) before I felt I could post it here.
Due to it being shuffled about from computer to computer while being edited, it no longer really retains its original authors name (I didn't really know about all this back then) but I don't think that really matters.
Also, it snows everywhere, including underground. That's a consequence of me turning on snow on one room, then turning off environmental effects (due to bad computer) and forgetting all about it. Just turn off environmental effects for now while I get around to fixing it.

I did test this overall, and didn't optimize too well but still had a fair amount of HP left over in the end, so I'll wait and see if everyone else finds it too easy or not.

Edit: Latest is a few posts down

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[Last edited by The Stew Boy at 11-14-2011 07:25 PM]

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

A couple of isues: First the major one. Is it OK to use the portable orb in The Basment 1S2W, and obtain the hook early on? It's vastly superior to using it in The Basement 3S1W. Also: You might want to take a look at the green keys available. It is quite easy to realize you are doomed because there are no green keys left to collect, and you need one to proceed.

I suspect you want to make the probable US with the portable orb. Waiting for an answer before playing on.

Nice hold, by the way!

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

For some reason, it didn't even occur to me that you could use the orb for the hook. Yeah, you're not supposed to do that, I'll fix.
Also, I'll add another green key early on.

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

As I said: Nice hold. My Treasure Reached stats where: 3220/298/262/20/3/0/0. As in your last hold greckles stop having any meaning after a while, but you still use greckle gates. I also felt the hold could be expanded. I didn't want it to end right after defeting the three adders. Up to you, I guess.

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

File: Ice_Palace_040910.drh (31.5 KB)
Downloaded 61 times.
License: Public Domain

I guess I could keep on expanding a bit, getting up to the 330 ATK range and so on, but it'd have to end somewhere, and I'm not sure where it could go after the adders, or even if I want to continue it. I'll keep it this way for now.
Do you think I should put a 4th adder in? I think your stats could accommodate another 2 adders, but that's probably optimizing really well.

Anyway, I fixed those 2 major issues (and in consequence added a couple gems (for a choice) that could theoretically change the whole gameplay), and deleted several of the greckle doors. I think I only put them in because I felt there should be 'something' there, and I thought greckle gates were 'cool' back then.

I'll wait for other people to try this hold, too. I hope there are other people who regularly check this subforum

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[Last edited by The Stew Boy at 09-04-2010 11:37 AM]

Budja
Level: Roachling
Rank Points: 11
Registered: 06-07-2008
IP: Logged

A nice hold.
Unfortunately I haven't got far enough to be able to give suggestions, but that I have seen (3/4 of first level) is great.

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

The beginning is definitly the hardest, so if you make it through you ought to be able to complete the hold. I'd say obtaining the woden sword was the hardest part for me.

I don't think a fourth adder is really needed, but adding one would definitly be fine by me. One thing you can think more about in the future is the rewards/cost ratio. I felt that the rewards in the multiplyer 1 areas you found later in the game wasn't as juicy as the rewards in the multiplyer 2 or 3 parts, even though you sometimes used multiple gems and potions.

I certanly hope others will check this hold out. It's definitly worthy of playing.

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[Last edited by Blondbeard at 09-04-2010 03:37 PM]

Lamkin
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 606
Registered: 08-17-2008
IP: Logged

The Stew Boy wrote:
I'll wait for other people to try this hold, too. I hope there are other people who regularly check this subforum

I'll try and play through it over the weekend. But while playing through an RPG hold from the Architecture board is enjoyable, I'm of the opinion that it's somewhat pointless for people to offer suggestions and comments about a given hold and then find that the thing just sits on the Architecture board, seemingly forgotten.
I guess all I'm saying is that it'd be nice to see some (or all) of those holds eventually finished and submitted to the HAs for promotion to the Holds board.
And I don't mean to sound as if I'm singling you out, Stew.

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[Last edited by Lamkin at 09-04-2010 05:03 PM]

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

The Stew Boy is a safe bet Lamkin. He already have a hold on the holds board, and he is rather swift at making changes due to sugestions. A raw model when it comes to RPG architects

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

Well, I guess the x1 gems all go towards defeating the final adders.

Also Lamkin, this hold is pretty much finished (I really don't want to continue something that I started a year or so ago, I'm only putting it up here in case people want to play it), so I don't have any excuse for not putting some last touches on it.

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3624
Registered: 10-06-2005
IP: Logged

In The Basement 1N3W, it's possible to open the greckle gates and kill the brain, then lock the greckle gate at (4, 2) and step onto the closed black door, then deal with non-brained monsters.

The architect might want to put orthosquares on one or both doors to prevent this.

____________________________
Quick links to my stuff (in case you forgot where it was):

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

File: Ice Palace_300910.drh (31.6 KB)
Downloaded 53 times.
License: Public Domain

I think I'll do it this way instead. Thanks for that though!

ryani
Level: Roachling
Rank Points: 13
Registered: 01-22-2007
IP: Logged

Blondbeard wrote:
Also: You might want to take a look at the green keys available. It is quite easy to realize you are doomed because there are no green keys left to collect, and you need one to proceed.

Agree here, this just happened to me. I have about 15 yellow keys though, maybe someplace that lets me trade away extra yellow keys for green?

ryani
Level: Roachling
Rank Points: 13
Registered: 01-22-2007
IP: Logged

Just finished this hold.

6550/295/262/16/3/0, 2644 pts.

I really wanted there to be a grappling hook later on; I made several choices in rooms to give up some short/medium term benefit to try to set up the grapple to be really good. For example, the room with a soulless guarding three potions, and a choice between a potion, an attack gem, and a defense gem. The attack and defense gems block off the soulless, so I took the potion with the idea of getting the attack/defense gems later via grapple. Otherwise I would have just taken the attack gem.

Thanks for the hold, it was fun!

Edit: missed a secret room, new stats 7030/299/266/16/3/0, 2688 pts.

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[Last edited by ryani at 10-10-2010 07:27 AM]

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

File: IcePalace_7nov2011.drh (31.6 KB)
Downloaded 52 times.
License: Public Domain

Updated, finally. Quite a few changes.

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

Allright :-) Having played for quite some time now I definitly recognize the hold. It's quite well-balanced and challanging. I have beaten the soldier now.

Edit: And done: 2264 points (with some more to pick up).

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[Last edited by Blondbeard at 11-07-2011 08:43 PM]

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

Thanks! Anyone else?
I'll probably just submit it as it is in another week if nobody else replies.

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

There are some minor issues, like being able to cheat you way to some power ups (being sworded while you are probably suppsed to be sworded).

The biggest issue is still the "green key trap" In the begining you are doomed if you use green keys where you aren't supposed to.

The Stew Boy
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 247
Registered: 05-10-2005
IP: Logged

File: IcePalace_15nov2011.drh (31.6 KB)
Downloaded 69 times.
License: Public Domain

Blondbeard wrote:
There are some minor issues, like being able to cheat you way to some power ups (being sworded while you are probably suppsed to be sworded).

What do you mean by this?

The biggest issue is still the "green key trap" In the begining you are doomed if you use green keys where you aren't supposed to.

Yeah, forgot about those. Are these two the ones you meant?

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

Minor issues:

In what way does the greckle door in front if the goblin in basement 1S2W help you?

The palace 6N7W: You can pick your sword and shield right up after you've dropped them. Perhaps you meant for the presure plate to toggle the door?

Well... That's all I've got

I approve of removing green doors that are impossible to open (within the key economy), good change.

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[Last edited by Blondbeard at 11-15-2011 05:58 AM]

Budja
Level: Roachling
Rank Points: 11
Registered: 06-07-2008
IP: Logged

A minor thing but in the Palace 3E, the pressure plate closes the already closed tar gate.