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mxvladi
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 icon The Pile of Puzzles (+2)  
A few rooms I made in spare time. Some of them were made rather recently (a few weeks ago), some were sitting on my hard drive for about a year.

All rooms are completable. The difficulty varies: a few rooms are very easy, some are rather hard.
[Last edited by mxvladi at 01-05-2013 12:00 AM]
11-11-2012 at 08:27 PM
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navithmastero
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I'm liking it so far, though I would add some more stuff to fill in in some spots. Alot of the rooms (nearly all of them are quite open, and I don't think it would hurt to have some stuff in some of the gaps.
The puzzles are rather interesting, most are too hard at a first glance, and as such, need some thought, so I would put the edit to 'Anyone Edit' for now so that we can see all the rooms.

-nm

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[Last edited by navithmastero at 11-11-2012 10:03 PM]
11-11-2012 at 10:02 PM
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blorx1
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OK I've beaten the hold save two rooms, one which I'm too lazy to do and on the other I'm probably missing something obvious. Some Specific comments.
Click here to view the secret text

All in all, some very solid, clever rooms. I have no complaint with the aesthetics, which I've come to expect from a mxvladi hold.

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11-12-2012 at 12:24 AM
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mxvladi
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navithmastero wrote:
Alot of the rooms (nearly all of them) are quite open, and I don't think it would hurt to have some stuff in some of the gaps.

You do have a point about 2S, but it might get changed into a puzzle room(and become less empty). As for other rooms: I think they have just right amount of things thrown in. Not too empty, not too cluttered with stuff.

[...]most are too hard at a first glance, and as such, need some thought, so I would put the edit to 'Anyone Edit' for now so that we can see all the rooms.

Most of the hold is nonlinear, so player can access most of the rooms from the start, anyway.

On the other hand, I don't see why not make this "Anyone-edit", so if you insist...


blorx1 wrote:
Click here to view the secret text

Click here to view the secret text



1N1W: I really liked this one, others may dislike the movement order trick, but I felt like this was a great room.

That's one of my personal favorites, too.

1N1E: This one was clever, I managed it without the hint, or even knowing the decoy mechanic, but assumed that such a trick had to be necessary.

Good. I tried to make the trick rather intuitive, so player can figure it out by himself.

(now, I just hope you did what I intended, but it sounds like you did)


1W: This one was also pretty simple, but a tad annoying, since clearing out all the mud was a bit of a chore after ensuring that it was solvable.

Yep, it's not the best room in the hold. I have some plans regarding it, though: it might become a part of larger puzzle.

Click here to view the secret text

Click here to view the secret text


Click here to view the secret text

Click here to view the secret text


Click here to view the secret text

Click here to view the secret text



All in all, some very solid, clever rooms.

Thanks :)
[Last edited by mxvladi at 11-12-2012 12:53 AM]
11-12-2012 at 12:50 AM
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blorx1
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File: TPOP The Only Level 1S1E Victory.demo (1.7 KB)
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 icon Re: The Pile of Puzzles (+1)  
Now I've beaten the entrance, and I feel like I should have caught that trick. I think 2S1E could be made into a less trial/error room by putting pressure plates underneath the mothers and having each of them open a door to the roaches, since the only challenge for me is in dealing with the first two spawns and in dealing with the huge tar blob(which I haven't done yet). Also, I'm definitely doing what is intended for 1N1E I've attached a demo for 1S1E and I'll describe my solution for 1S1W.

First I let the giant out and broke it by the gel baby, then and used another rock pile to make a bit of a wall, I killed another golem and manipulated the last golem until the wubba was trapped,
Click here to view the secret text
I'll post a demo for the other 1S1W if you need it.


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11-12-2012 at 01:44 AM
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mxvladi
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I might change 2S 1E a bit in the next update. I might also move it to a different location.


I like your solution to 1S 1E. While not 100% intended, it's about as difficult as the intended one. I'll leave that room as it is.


I see what you're doing in 1S 1W, and that pretty much ruins the room. I'll see how I can fix that.
[Last edited by mxvladi at 11-12-2012 02:05 AM]
11-12-2012 at 01:50 AM
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navithmastero
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mxvladi wrote:
navithmastero wrote:
Alot of the rooms (nearly all of them) are quite open, and I don't think it would hurt to have some stuff in some of the gaps.

You do have a point about 2S, but it might get changed into a puzzle room(and become less empty). As for other rooms: I think they have just right amount of things thrown in. Not too empty, not too cluttered with stuff.

Honestly though, it's your choice, I just prefer my rooms to have more stuff in them. ;)

-nm

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Click here to view the secret text
11-12-2012 at 01:06 PM
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mxvladi
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Update:

1S 1W (hopefully) fixed

2S 1E moved at 2W and changed a bit

some minor changes to 1W (shouldn't break any demos; hopefully doesn't introduce any unintended solutions)

There's also a secret room somewhere in the hold now! (it's in progress so far, though)
[Last edited by mxvladi at 11-13-2012 01:45 AM]
11-13-2012 at 01:42 AM
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blorx1
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File: TPOP The Only Level 1S1W Victory.demo (1.6 KB)
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 icon Re: The Pile of Puzzles (+2)  
I like the new changes, but I think I found another unrelated unintended solution(it might be intended, but I doubt it) in 1S1W. I still haven't found the intended one. I managed it without the decoy in this one. The demo is attached. I get the feeling that if this isn't the intended solution I won't actually be able to find the intended solution.

I like the secret, but I think that there is a backtracking issue regarding the secret room however.
Click here to view the secret text
.

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11-14-2012 at 12:47 AM
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mxvladi
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blorx1 wrote:
I like the new changes, but I think I found another unrelated unintended solution(it might be intended, but I doubt it) in 1S1W. I still haven't found the intended one. I managed it without the decoy in this one. The demo is attached. I get the feeling that if this isn't the intended solution I won't actually be able to find the intended solution.

Dang, it's harder to fix(and it's a nice solution, too). I'll see what I can do about it. EDIT: hrm, I have a fix in mind... we'll see if that works.

I like the secret, but I think that there is a backtracking issue regarding the secret room however.
Click here to view the secret text
.

...and that's what happens when I don't test stuff properly. The fix is easy, anyway. Will fix in the next update (which will happen right when I'm done with making puzzle for secret room).
[Last edited by mxvladi at 11-16-2012 06:32 PM]
11-14-2012 at 04:09 AM
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mxvladi
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Update:

Backtracking issue in 1W (traversing back from secret room) fixed;

1S 1W changed in a way which invalidates *any* solution which involves holding central pressure plate with monster. Sadly, it also makes the intended solution a tiny bit harder, but still doable. (I may give hints about intended solution on request)

There's a new 2S 1E. That room's different from the rest of puzzles. It's also quite crowded. I'm satisfied with the design this time, though (the previous version of this room was *much* uglier).


To do: puzzle for secret room, maybe 1-2 more required puzzles.
11-19-2012 at 10:53 PM
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blorx1
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I've played the new room and I really like it. It took me a while to figure out the trick, and then to realize that I wasn't counting the length of the loops properly. I still haven't gotten around to beating 1S1W in the intended manner, but I think I could still use my old solution if I placed the decoy to block the soldier's entrance and then removed all of the horns without summoning a soldier.

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11-20-2012 at 03:00 AM
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mxvladi
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blorx1 wrote:
I've played the new room and I really like it.

Good!

I'll note that this room was inspired by "Snake Spiral" hold made by StuartK (which can be found here). I've decided to make an actual puzzle out of it, rather than wait-for-eternity type of room. ;)


I still haven't gotten around to beating 1S1W in the intended manner, but I think I could still use my old solution if I placed the decoy to block the soldier's entrance and then removed all of the horns without summoning a soldier.

Gah, can't believe I didn't see that. Fixed, anyway. *Now* I don't think there are any good decoy placements you can use to completely block left entrance.
[Last edited by mxvladi at 11-20-2012 07:50 AM]
11-20-2012 at 06:43 AM
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blorx1
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I've just about given up on beating 1S1W. I don't know enough about the soldier algorithm to know how to get him stuck on the plate. The two tricks that seem plausible as solutions are using the decoy to make him switch between targeting the wubba and a gel baby, to keep him stuck. I don't know enough about a soldier's pathfinding to do this though.

If it isn't that trick, I assume it has something to do with the waterskippers, which I haven't found a use for yet.

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11-22-2012 at 08:02 PM
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mxvladi
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blorx1 wrote:
I've just about given up on beating 1S1W. I don't know enough about the soldier algorithm to know how to get him stuck on the plate. The two tricks that seem plausible as solutions are using the decoy to make him switch between targeting the wubba and a gel baby, to keep him stuck.

You're quite close. Quite.

Click here to view the secret text

[Last edited by mxvladi at 11-22-2012 08:33 PM]
11-22-2012 at 08:23 PM
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blorx1
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Ok I've solved 1S1W now; I'm glad that the solution doesn't use require something weird like I was trying to do. I ended up trapping the wubba elsewhere, but my solution is close enough. Finding a spot for the decoy wasn't really that bad either.

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11-22-2012 at 09:25 PM
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mxvladi
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Glad to know you're done with 1S 1W.

By the way, how would you rate this hold's difficulty? (I'm horrible at determining my own holds' difficulty, so I'll probably put your rating (+-0.5 brains) in "author's difficulty" when I submit the hold)


Also, update:

I've made 2S a bit more interesting: it now showcases a weird Halph trick (though not in a form of puzzle).

There's a new room at 2S 1W. I'm not 100% satisfied with it, so it might get changed a bit later, but general idea will remain the same. I'm not really sure how difficult it is.

2S 1E has minimal changes (different floor under serpents - doesn't affect demos in any way).


I think I'm done with required rooms now. Now, I just need to think of something to put in the secret room... :hmmm:
[Last edited by mxvladi at 11-23-2012 05:41 PM]
11-23-2012 at 05:23 PM
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blorx1
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I've finished the new room, it's about on par with 1N1W and 1N1E since like those it requires knowledge of a couple of briar tricks that a lot of people don't know. I'd probably give the hold a 7 or 7.5 for brains, though it's about the same difficulty as your last hold.

About 2S1W, I can see why you aren't satisfied with the room, since for me, the main struggle was fiddling with the snake to get the briar to time properly. I'm not sure about how it could be fixed. In addition is it intended that one can take the mirror out of the snake area at the cost of only two snake segments? I couldn't use it in my solution, but it is almost possible to solve the room that way.

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11-23-2012 at 06:59 PM
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mxvladi
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blorx1 wrote:
In addition is it intended that one can take the mirror out of the snake area at the cost of only two snake segments? I couldn't use it in my solution, but it is almost possible to solve the room that way.

Nah, not intended, but I don't really care - I'm not going to leave mirror there for the final version of the room, anyhow, as it's certainly not the best obstacle to use in this case (I initially wanted to place crumby wall there, but it left grass floor underneath, which just doesn't look right). In fact, I might even remove the rattlesnake if I think of more elegant way to make the puzzle work.

And it's good to know that the room is about as difficult as 1N 1W and 1N 1E: this is the difficulty I intended for it.
11-23-2012 at 09:05 PM
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mxvladi
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Update:

1. 2S 1W changed. A lot. In fact, it's a different room now, though with the same trick in mind. Not sure how difficult/fun it is.

2. Secret room done, and I like how it turned out: more difficult than I expected (it was meant to be more entertaining than difficult).

Hmm, it seems I'm done with the hold now. I might submit it to HAs in a week or two.
12-18-2012 at 11:07 PM
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blorx1
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I've beaten the two new rooms.
The secret is definitely a marathon room, though it was nice that as a wubba I had much less trouble manipulating the aumtlich. I like it as a whole, though I didn't find it all that difficult. I didn't use the two soldiers at the bottom, is that intended?

I like the new 2S1W, since I remember the previous version being a bit trial and errorish to find the right spot for the rattlesnake. This version is much easier if one knows the necessary briar tricks, which I like.

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12-18-2012 at 11:50 PM
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mxvladi
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blorx1 wrote:
I didn't use the two soldiers at the bottom, is that intended

Yess, they're absolutely useless.


Also, I decided to make a (rather simple) puzzle room in 2S. Obviously, it should be possible only after blue doors have toggled (hopefully the dialogue in the room at least makes it clear that it's not possible with the "bad" Halph).
12-22-2012 at 01:31 AM
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blorx1
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I've looked at the new puzzle, and assuming that it worked the same way as the old room, then it should be possible. My saves are being screwy, and I don't feel like replaying a bunch of rooms just to test out a puzzle that I can tell is possible. I'm pretty certain that it isn't possible to solve the room before clearing the level.

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12-22-2012 at 03:18 AM
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