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Level: Legendary Smitemaster
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Well, after taking a break from DROD architecture, here's a new offering. I've designed this hold to be accessible to newer DROD players, so there are only a few monsters and elements featured here. Nonetheless, after some gentle ramping up, this hold will make you think carefully! Hopefully this will be fun for novices and veterans alike.

Join the smitemaster Polya as he investigates another one of those suspicious vanishing building teams.

noma
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1594
Registered: 11-22-2006
IP: Logged

Go play this hold. There is something here for everyone and it's a lot of fun. I'm going to pretty much re-post what I wrote on the Architecture board...

Pickle Cellar gives a gentle introduction of elements, but with enough challenge that the player won't get bored, which is a hazard with some intro holds. It's got clever lynchpins that are still achievable by a beginner, and you almost won't notice as the difficulty level increases because you're being led along. Some of the secret rooms are pretty tough, but all are achievable with a little persistence and maybe a visit to H&S. All in all an excellent hold.

kieranmillar
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 2846
Registered: 07-11-2014
IP: Logged

I very rarely vote a hold 10, but this is one of those holds. Incredible.

While I haven't played a huge number of holds and haven't been around as long as many others here, there have been two times when playing DROD where I've played something that has not only been extremely enjoyable, but also left such an impression on me that it's caused me sit up and re-evaluate my thoughts and ideas about level design. The first time this happened was when I played Temperature Anomaly in TSS, and the other time is Pickle Cellar.

There's something very JTRH-ish about this hold. I think it's the lack of any pressure plates. This hold instead opts to use smart monster setups where monsters will get trapped over trapdoors or will kill you from behind if they don't end up in the right place, and it gives the hold a very unique feeling over the sort of rooms I'm used to playing.

Slightly tougher than I'd thought it would be going into but that only made it all the more satisfying to solve. A thoroughly enjoyable and very polished hold. Well done Chaco!

martz
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 416
Registered: 08-19-2005
IP: Logged

Really really good hold. Introduces elements and concepts in a natural way. I like the fact that the secret rooms are not really hidden but might need a bit of work to access (similar to how the majority of them were in TSS). It would certainly work as an entry-level hold although it does get harder. The secret rooms and the post-mastery level prove a lot more challenging but they are optional so that's perfectly acceptable. All in all another top quality hold from a top architect.

Difficulty: 6
Fun: 8

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Without struggle, there is no progress, so get up, get out, and go make the rest of your life the best of your life; you deserve to live the life that YOU want to live...

Progress - Gavin G