Xindaris
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1824
Registered: 06-13-2015
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File: Strange Alchemy.drh (70.4 KB)
Downloaded 2 times.
License: Public Domain

This is still in a very early stage of development, I think, but I just spent a ton of effort getting some graphics to look halfway decent so I wanted to share anyway.

This level set is (at least in part) all about some really bizarre potions. "Weapon eater"? "Double health"? "GREP"??? "Shovel Rotator"!?!? You'll just have to find out for yourself...in the handy tutorials within the first level. They open up some interesting possibilities, I think. There are some other fun things happening too, like a monster that explodes on death.

As of right now, the first level is """complete""", and then I have the second level done through 1N (which is after a sort of miniboss you'll want the stats from the other available rooms for before trying to fight). I'm aiming for a slightly strange structure where you can sometimes (for the price of not getting some good stuff) skip a boss and plan on coming back to it later. There will be even more weird gimmicks in level 3 or 4, I think; the player character is supposed to be an alchemist, so she'll get to brew some potions of her own.

Anyway...if you feel like trying the first bit of the levels out, let me know what your opinions/stats wind up being. Maybe it's data I can use to rebalance stuff, or decide how to build what comes after. Or if you feel like just using the potions I've made graphics for so far (which is all but 2 of the potions) in your own thing, have fun.

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109th Skywatcher

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[Last edited by Xindaris at 09-26-2025 06:51 PM]

Someone Else
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2414
Registered: 06-14-2005
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Fun! Here are my stats for the Entryway Floor:



There is a lot of freedom in the shovel count, though. If it's important enough in future levels, I'd likely be able to manage to get several hundred shovels (by sacrificing other things).

I left 1 DEF (for 20 GR) and (obviously) got the sword.

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In level 2, the Unstable Creation doesn't blow up the powder kegs.

The keg in 1E doesn't make sense to use - even at my low 15 DEF, it's 128 (130 from potions) damage from the Blue Decoy vs 65 (and 30 HP from potions). Similarly, I can't find a use for the crate because I can just use the tunnel to go back. It seems like I could have used the crate if there wasn't a tunnel (I'd just need to take some hits from the goblin). Is there something wrong with this room?

Overall, it seems fun. I feel like I'm going to get very annoyed by the fiddliness of swapping GR and REP, but I can't be sure.

Xindaris
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1824
Registered: 06-13-2015
IP: Logged

For the powder kegs not blowing up, you'll need the bleeding-edge update from this thread, sorry. I should've remembered that was a recently reported and fixed bug (specifically, in 2.0.2).

The idea with 1E is that you can use the central crates to get past all of the green doors (in exchange for yellow keys), and the crates that are past those green doors are just for going back if you did that. The northern one is squeezed against the top of the room, so I went with a cracked wall+force arrow instead. But alternatively, you could walk on the crates past the yellow doors, then use green keys, in which case the tunnels let you go back.

I could consider doing something else with the powder keg. Or maybe the blue decoys need an attack buff, I dunno.

____________________________
109th Skywatcher

Here are some links to Things!

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[Last edited by Xindaris at 09-13-2025 05:29 AM]

Xindaris
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1824
Registered: 06-13-2015
IP: Logged

Update!

I completely finished building Refrigerator! I'm pretty happy with the results, but balance tweaking always might be possible later.

The blue decoy's stats were indeed buffed, and a bunch of other various things done. The most important change, however, is that the "second half" of Refrigerator is finished, in which you have to choose between going after a gimmicky sword or a gimmicky shield, then fight a boss before you can try to go get the other piece of equipment.

If you have trouble, note that things are balanced around the expectation that you're leveraging the double health potions to a reasonably high effect. And yes, you can get yourself 900+ shovels not far into Refrigerator. Doing so will have some benefits, and some costs...


...Lots of the new things don't have graphics yet, sorry.

____________________________
109th Skywatcher

Here are some links to Things!

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[Last edited by Xindaris at 09-26-2025 06:56 PM]