Announcement: Why not try our official idea generator for inspiration when making puzzles?


Caravel Forum : DROD Boards : Architecture : Like Grains In An Hourglass (Some lower-tier time rooms (Last update: Apr. 29th 2016))
New Topic New Poll Post Reply
Poster Message
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged

File: Like Grains In An Hourglass.hold (13.9 KB)
Downloaded 23 times.
License: Public Domain
icon Like Grains In An Hourglass (+2)  
This is a time token oriented hold that focuses on more open-ended puzzles that don't require messing with the time stream. I made this because I felt there weren't quite a lot of puzzles in the vein of TSS' Temporal Anomaly, which I felt had the best time token rooms. Hopefully you folks will enjoy it as well. :)

Version History
Click here to view the secret text

Enjoy! :)
-Jeff_Ray ===

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by Jeff_Ray... at 05-04-2016 11:46 PM]
06-27-2015 at 12:11 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
noma
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 1594
Registered: 11-22-2006
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Enjoying the hold so far. Stuck on a few rooms but in the meantime...

US in WFTT 1S, 2E: you only need one time clone. It can clear all the roaches and then lure the Gentryii head a few squares west of the exit leaving it clear for Beethro to exit.
07-01-2015 at 02:10 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
Insoluble
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 1638
Registered: 09-04-2014
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
I love it so far! Here are some comments as promised in chat. Since most of the rooms seem pretty open, I doubt if I would be able to fins any truly broken rooms.

The entrance: It wasn't to hard to come up with a strategy.
Click here to view the secret text
Is the conquer token there to prevent an unintended solution? I don't fully understand why it is there since you need to go through the area it is in to activate the pressure plate anyway.

1N and 1N1E These were both nice little applications of monster preference decisions between time clones and Beethro. I like that they were side by side since they rely on the same mechanic. Though both were fairly straightforward, they were also quite nicely executed.

1S This was a lot of fun. It took me a couple of run throughs to figure out exactly how much I needed to trim off of the eastern path, but it was a nice puzzle.

1S1E Fairly straightforward.
Click here to view the secret text


1S2E, While did end up using 2 time clones just to make things easier, I agree with Noma that 3 is probably overkill.

____________________________
Links to neat forum tools that I always have trouble finding:
Click here to view the secret text

07-01-2015 at 06:29 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
TripleM
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1373
Registered: 02-05-2003
IP: Logged

File: LGIAH We Fall Through Time 2E Victory.demo (2.5 KB)
Downloaded 22 times.
License: Public Domain
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
I only used one time clone in 1N2E as well.

Is this is intended solution for 2E? It felt a bit wrong doing so much work before stepping on the time token.
07-01-2015 at 07:29 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Show all user's posts Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
I uploaded a new version! Three new rooms are added, as well as two challenges for the unintended solutions that were found in 1S2E and 1N2E (that second one isn't scripted in yet though).

Insoluble: On second thought, the arrows AND conquer token in Entrance do seem a bit superfluous. I'll remove the extra arrows in the next version. Otherwise, glad to know you like the hold so far. :)

TripleM: This solution is different from the one I intended, but it doesn't seem to defeat the purpose of the room, so it's fine by me.

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

07-03-2015 at 05:16 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Topic bump! I haven't gotten any comments since my last version, does this mean this is ready to publish? While I'm at it, could someone go over the secret rooms (the one that's accessible and the others too) and give me thoughts on those?

If things are fine, I'll be publishing to HA by the end of the year, most likely.

Thanks in advance,
-Jeff_Ray ===

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

11-18-2015 at 05:59 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Posted an update with a small US fix in 2S.

If there really isn't anything left to fix, then I'll be posting this to the Hold Admins sometime around Christmas.

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

12-09-2015 at 07:46 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
Insoluble
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 1638
Registered: 09-04-2014
IP: Logged

File: Like Grains In An Hourglass.demo (16.5 KB)
Downloaded 23 times.
License: Public Domain
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+3)  
It's been half a year since I played through this so I started over from scratch. Everything seems great so far, but I have two small comments.

1N2E: The challenge scripting seemed to work fine for me. Time to change the scroll to reflect that?

2S1E: From talking with you in chat I think my solution may be unintended. I did not use the two time tokens in the 1 wide passages. Demo attached.

EDIT: Actually I just attached my demo for everything in case there are other unintended solutions.

____________________________
Links to neat forum tools that I always have trouble finding:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by Insoluble at 02-02-2016 05:57 AM]
02-02-2016 at 04:00 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Just looked through the demos, and nothing in particular stands out as bad. Though you make pretty much all my rooms seem easy! xD

Your solution to 2S1E sounds like it could be made into a challenge. It's clever enough for one anyway. :)

As for the challenge in 1N2E, the problem is that at this stage, it's awarded even if the player uses two tokens... unless it miraculously works as it should on your end. xD I'm considering removing that extra time token as it makes the room pretty much trivial anyway...

Anyway, what are your thoughts on the new rooms? (The bottom 3 rooms plus the secret rooms)

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by Jeff_Ray... at 02-04-2016 04:40 AM]
02-04-2016 at 04:39 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
Insoluble
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 1638
Registered: 09-04-2014
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+1)  
Jeff_Ray... wrote:
Anyway, what are your thoughts on the new rooms? (The bottom 3 rooms plus the secret rooms)

The bottom three:
2S: This was a nice room. Probably the trickiest of the bottom three. It was a bit hard to parse what's going on at first. Definitely a room that benefits from the just-go-in-and-see-what-happens method of play. Getting my time clone to not die was a bit fiddly since it involves predicting where the roaches will be. It probably isn't so bad if you aren't trying to optimize though. I typically don't care much for time clone rooms that require you to do a bunch of stuff while predicting where monsters will be in the future, but this one was fun.

2S1E: I can't comment on the intended way of doing things since I apparently broke things. I guess as much as I love time clones, I always instinctively try to find a way to use fewer time tokens than the room provides (usually, but not always, using fewer time clones will get you a better score for the room.) It was a neat room though.

2S2E: Fairly straightforward but fun room. Roach manipulation like this is always pretty fun, and alternating between Beethro and time clones to attract them is a neat concept.

Secret rooms
Click here to view the secret text


____________________________
Links to neat forum tools that I always have trouble finding:
Click here to view the secret text

02-05-2016 at 01:20 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
New version! I'm hoping for this to be the final version before the HA. Here's what's new:

3.0 (March 28th 2016) (Release Candidate)
-> Moved south secret, added new room in its place.
-> Challenge for 1N2E scripted

Enjoy!
-Jeff_Ray ===

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

03-28-2016 at 11:36 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
abe10
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 18
Registered: 03-14-2014
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
So THAT is what you can do alone. Awesome Work!! Also, I do believe that 1N2E is broken. How exactly are we supposed to get off of the thin ice over water? The player can leave, but the time clone dies. The time clone can leave, but then the player dies.

____________________________
My avatar is a cool gif I found on the Kongregate forums.
Click here to view the secret text

03-30-2016 at 12:05 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Oh shoot. I didn't test that at all. >_> Let me fix this...

EDIT: Fixed.

3.1 (March 29th 2016)
-> Removed extra time token and challenge for 1N2E. The "challenge" is now the normal solution.

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by Jeff_Ray... at 03-30-2016 04:16 AM]
03-30-2016 at 04:13 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
Insoluble
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 1638
Registered: 09-04-2014
IP: Logged

File: Like Grains In An Hourglass.demo (16.6 KB)
Downloaded 19 times.
License: Public Domain
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
The new room seems fine. Same basic idea as the secret room but without having the tight horde management efficiency. I didn't find anything unintended. I also replayed the secret room and 1N2E so I have a full set of demos in case you need it.

____________________________
Links to neat forum tools that I always have trouble finding:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by Insoluble at 04-08-2016 04:30 AM]
04-08-2016 at 04:30 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+2)  
3.2 (April 12th 2016
-> Moved and added a bunch of checkpoints
-> Fixed up challenge script in 1S2E (need someone to confirm it's possible in this state!)

ALMOST THERE! Just a little more and this hold will be HA ready! :D

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

04-12-2016 at 10:16 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
uncopy2002
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 431
Registered: 07-28-2014
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+2)  
drod.log seems to suggest there's something in your script that needs fixing:

LGIAH: We Fall Through Time: 1S2E: Character script is in an infinite loop
LGIAH: We Fall Through Time: 1W: Character script is in an infinite loop


1S2E challenge script is totally broken:

1. Temporal clones are entity Temporal projection, not Double. So you should check for entity type Temporal projection instead.

2. Wait While is basically just a sort-of negation form of Wait If, except it's only sort-of and it's not intuitive and it has problems on edge cases.

3. Umm, then I can't follow the flow of the code anymore. There's even a Goto without any reason, which causes the game to complain about infinite loops. Goto loops require a Wait 0 inside the loop, otherwise the loop will keep running during the same turn.

Fixed script:
Click here to view the secret text


For 1W it's the same problem as point 3: You need a Wait 0 inside any Goto loops to prevent infinite loops.

[Last edited by uncopy2002 at 04-13-2016 06:01 PM]
04-13-2016 at 05:33 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Show all user's posts Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Alright, I have posted an updated version with the modified scripts in 1S2E and 1S1W. They should work now; if they don't, let me know.

EDIT: I forgot to add Wait 0's to the many characters in 1W. That's done too.

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by Jeff_Ray... at 04-28-2016 09:26 PM]
04-28-2016 at 09:20 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
komachi
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 158
Registered: 07-30-2012
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+1)  
Solved every room except 2E (and the two secrets rooms) which I'm stuck, I'm going to try it tomorrow.
Comments of every room.
Click here to view the secret text


As I said in the comments, 1S 2E challenge it's still broken. If you activate the plate and clean the room, you can use split tokens freely and the challenge is rewarded always.
I added a fix where if a double is found in the split token area after cleaning the room the challenge isn't rewarded. It's just a suggestion maybe someone have a better way to solve this.
 If ... 
wait for entity double at 22,10,26,11
Go to Challenge Failed
else if
Wait for entity Player 0,0,35,8
...

Except the challenge, I didn't found anything broken.
Overall It's a fun small and not so difficult hold with timeclones. :)
04-29-2016 at 12:14 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Alright, made the fix to the challenge issues komachi mentioned. Let me know if something still needs fixing.

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

04-29-2016 at 06:00 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
komachi
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 158
Registered: 07-30-2012
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
I mastered the hold, I liked a lot the three rooms left.
comments:

Click here to view the secret text

The challenge is still broken, you need to test if temporal clones are inside the area in the loop not outside.
Another idea (more ugly) is use green open doors in the split tokens.
04-29-2016 at 01:36 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Another fix was made. This time, I did some more in-depth testing and now it should be taken care of! I hope... xD

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

04-30-2016 at 04:36 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
komachi
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 158
Registered: 07-30-2012
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+1)  
Yes it's solved, everything it's fine now. :thumbsup.
04-30-2016 at 09:34 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts This architect's holds Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Excellent! I'll wait on the comments of one more tester who told me they'd be working on the hold sometime in the following week, and then if nothing else arises, it will finally be time for HA publication! :D

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text

04-30-2016 at 10:38 AM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
Nuntar
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 4576
Registered: 02-20-2007
IP: Logged

File: LGIAH We Fall Through Time 1S2E Challenge completed.demo (4.9 KB)
Downloaded 21 times.
License: Public Domain
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+1)  
Jeff asked me to post this challenge demo.

____________________________
50th Skywatcher
05-01-2016 at 11:24 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
LeoS
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 276
Registered: 04-02-2015
IP: Logged

File: Like Grains In An Hourglass LeoS.demo (10.3 KB)
Downloaded 22 times.
License: Public Domain
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (+1)  
There's a nice balance of horde management, monster manipulation, and linchpins here. Some of the timeclone (TC) journeys felt a little long in execution, but most of the time, once a room is cleared, it's fun - and satisfying - to watch the demo to see the little 'Beethro ballet' you created. I doubt I've added any US but my demos are attached.

The upside-down clouds in the central lake are a neat graphic touch.

Room comments:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by LeoS at 05-04-2016 10:14 PM : proofread fail]
05-04-2016 at 10:12 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Show all user's posts High Scores Quote Reply
Jeff_Ray...
Level: Smitemaster
Avatar
Rank Points: 962
Registered: 05-16-2005
IP: Logged
icon Re: Like Grains In An Hourglass (0)  
Thank you for your input! You didn't mention anything about 1S2E, but I think that one's been covered to death by now anyway so it's fine :P

All the demos were fine, aside from a US in 2S1E which I like enough to leave unimpeded as it's neat enough! I'll be posting this to HA shortly! Thank you all for testing! :D

____________________________
I make Let's Plays too!
Click here to find out my LPs' progress, and find out what I plan to tackle next!

Currently playing:
Click here to view the secret text


My Holds:
-Completed:
Click here to view the secret text

-Work in Progress:
Click here to view the secret text


[Last edited by Jeff_Ray... at 05-04-2016 11:52 PM]
05-04-2016 at 11:42 PM
View Profile Send Private Message to User Send Email to User Show all user's posts High Scores This architect's holds Quote Reply
New Topic New Poll Post Reply
Caravel Forum : DROD Boards : Architecture : Like Grains In An Hourglass (Some lower-tier time rooms (Last update: Apr. 29th 2016))
Surf To:


Forum Rules:
Can I post a new topic? No
Can I reply? No
Can I read? Yes
HTML Enabled? No
UBBC Enabled? Yes
Words Filter Enable? No

Contact Us | CaravelGames.com

Powered by: tForum tForumHacks Edition b0.98.8
Originally created by Toan Huynh (Copyright © 2000)
Enhanced by the tForumHacks team and the Caravel team.