eatmorepies
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 11-24-2010
IP: Logged

File: Halphs Secret.hold (4.8 KB)
Downloaded 54 times.
License: Public Domain

Here is my first published hold. In this hold, Beethro Budkin must confront the most arduous task he has ever had to take...cleaning Halph's dungeon.

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[Last edited by eatmorepies at 12-28-2017 03:37 AM]

Dischorran
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 3414
Registered: 09-10-2005
IP: Logged

Welcome back! Here's how the architectural process works. People have been pretty good about giving feedback lately.

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Insoluble
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1639
Registered: 09-04-2014
IP: Logged

File: Halphs Secret.demo (14.6 KB)
Downloaded 52 times.
License: Public Domain

Welcome to the architecture board. It's great to see more new architects making holds! As Dischorran mentioned, this is the place to let other DROD folks take a look at your hold and make helpful suggestions for how to polish it up for eventual publication.

Here are some suggestions that I'd recommend to get you started.

1) Mark the hold as "anyone edit" while it is on the architecture board so that people can test it more easily. You can change it back before it gets published.

2) Place at least one or two checkpoints in any room with either a monster or a room exit. If you need help deciding where to place them I'm happy to offer suggestions.

3) Download the demo's attached to this post if you'd like to see how I solved your rooms. You can watch these after downloading them by pressing F6 in a room then clicking the "Import" button at the bottom. I can provide commentary too if you'd like.

In general I thought this hold have a very nice atmosphere. The difficulty is pretty low compared to a lot of recently released holds, but that's not a bad thing. It's similar in difficulty to Avos' Dungeon released last year and a lot of people liked that one.

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Links to neat forum tools that I always have trouble finding:

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[Last edited by Insoluble at 03-01-2017 02:52 AM]

Matt2k
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 01-11-2006
IP: Logged

Good start! Needs to be a bit longer.

eatmorepies
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 11-24-2010
IP: Logged

Insoluble wrote:
Welcome to the architecture board. It's great to see more new architects making holds! As Dischorran mentioned, this is the place to let other DROD folks take a look at your hold and make helpful suggestions for how to polish it up for eventual publication.

Here are some suggestions that I'd recommend to get you started.

1) Mark the hold as "anyone edit" while it is on the architecture board so that people can test it more easily. You can change it back before it gets published.

2) Place at least one or two checkpoints in any room with either a monster or a room exit. If you need help deciding where to place them I'm happy to offer suggestions.

3) Download the demo's attached to this post if you'd like to see how I solved your rooms. You can watch these after downloading them by pressing F6 in a room then clicking the "Import" button at the bottom. I can provide commentary too if you'd like.

In general I thought this hold have a very nice atmosphere. The difficulty is pretty low compared to a lot of recently released holds, but that's not a bad thing. It's similar in difficulty to Avos' Dungeon released last year and a lot of people liked that one.

How do I run your demo file?

eatmorepies
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 11-24-2010
IP: Logged

I made an update to the hold. It fixes a bug in which the goblin could be killed prematurely in Second Level: Once West.

Insoluble
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1639
Registered: 09-04-2014
IP: Logged

If you click on the link, depending on your browser you'll either download it directly to some folder or you'll be given the option to open it directly with DROD (the later option is easier). ONce you've done this:

1) Open up the hold in DROD and go to any room you'd like to see the demo for. This works either in the editor or while playing.

2) type the F6 button on your keyboard to open up the demo menu.

3) If you don't see the demo there on the screen already, click the "Import" button at the bottom of the screen then select the path to the folder to which you downloaded the file. The demo file should appear.

4) Once you've successfully imported the demo, you should be able to view demos for all rooms.

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Links to neat forum tools that I always have trouble finding:

Dischorran
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 3414
Registered: 09-10-2005
IP: Logged

eatmorepies wrote:
I made an update to the hold. It fixes a bug in which the goblin could be killed prematurely in Second Level: Once West.

I can still chase the goblin into the orthosquares, kill it, and step off the arrow to the south.

You might try playing some user-made holds to get a feel for how people approach level design.

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Insoluble
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1639
Registered: 09-04-2014
IP: Logged

Dischorran wrote: You might try playing some user-made holds to get a feel for how people approach level design.

This is definitely good advice. I'll add to that and say that Avos' Dungeon is a good one to try out in that it is going for a similar difficulty level to what you have here so far. It may give you some ideas as to how you could add more rooms to what you've posted and polish the ones you currently have (don't forget to add checkpints!)

In addition to that, you may want to read through some of the architecture threads giving advice for building holds linked to here.

Hold Design tips See in particular #4

Construction Methods This one is a long read, but has a good discussion of some different ways to make various types of puzzle rooms.

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Links to neat forum tools that I always have trouble finding:

eatmorepies
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 11-24-2010
IP: Logged

File: Halphs Secret.hold (2.9 KB)
Downloaded 54 times.
License: Public Domain

Hello. I made an update to this hold. It fixed the issue in Second Level: Once West, and adds a checkpoint in Second Level: Twice West.

The new file has been attached to this post.

azb
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 494
Registered: 03-08-2014
IP: Logged

In Second Level, 2W, I don't need the goblin to do any work for me, as I just slay it and use the golem to form a stepping stone. Is this intended, or did you want the player to use the goblin somehow?

Other than that, the hack n' slash rooms are very easy but still enjoyable to unleash your fury on roaches and rock golems, and the few puzzle rooms are pretty decent, too, if not easy.

Remember, before publishing a hold, you should look for unintended solutions and make sure the player does what you wanted them to do (in room 1W, for instance, manipulate the goblin through the maze instead of simply slashing him early or midway).

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Please feel free to test the ultimate JtRH tribute: Journey to the Fabled Kingdom today!

eatmorepies
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 11-24-2010
IP: Logged

I created an update to Halph's Secret!

The new file has been attached to my original post.

Resert On
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 37
Registered: 05-02-2017
IP: Logged

File: Halphs Secret ROD.demo (4.8 KB)
Downloaded 44 times.
License: Public Domain

In Second Level: 2W, I just slay the goblin and use the golem as a stepping stone. Is this intended?

In Second Level: 1W, instead chasing goblin through maze, I just slay it in ortho square.

I have attached the demo. This demo is for the hold in first post.

Sorry for my bad english.

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