NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

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File: Nanfro Budkins First Dungeon.hold (56 KB)
Downloaded 110 times.
License: Other
From: Unspecified

All right, my hold is almost ready for uploading. Before the release I'd like some last-minute testing and requests for changes. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like comments on as many rooms as possible.

Thanks in advance.

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1187
Registered: 06-17-2003
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Not to sound impatient, but I'm guessing the lack of replies means everyone is happy with my hold in its current state?

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

Stefan
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2119
Registered: 05-25-2004
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I can play through it again to see if I can find anything strange, but not before sometime on monday next week.

____________________________
0.099³

cbemom
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 36
Registered: 10-11-2004
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I'm rather enjoying this hold - not too difficult on the first couple of levels. I prefer architects who make me think, rather than wearing out my fingers.

Level 1 - 2N2W can be a little tedious - perhaps a crumbly wall in one of the S cagess?
1N2W - clever version of the roach maze
1W - Dances with roaches!

Level 2 - no problems. 2N2E - Whew!

Level 3 - Singing mimics? Do they do harmony?
1S1W - the orb banging mimics get old fast
2W - I don't like timed rooms but this one was fair - made it with a dozen moves to spare.
I agree that 1N1W is a great room.

Level 4
1N needs a checkpoint. It took me several tries to learn how to move, and starting from the beginning was not fun.

1W - very nice imagery.

I'm currently stuck on 2N, and 2N1E - could you give a couple of hints. I rather not skip them.

Kathryn

NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

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File: Nanfro Budkins First Dungeon.hold (56 KB)
Downloaded 102 times.
License: Other
From: Unspecified

Okay, here's release candidate #2, with changes made according to cbemon's comments. And cbemon, could you please tell me where you're having trouble in the two rooms on Level 4? It would make helping you easier.

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

cbemom
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 36
Registered: 10-11-2004
IP: Logged

in 2N, I assume

I cannot get to the nw orb without being overrun.

In 1N1E (not 2N - my mistake), I simply cannot get that blasted ww to cooperate in it's own death.

BTW, I'm finding level five my favorite so far.

Kathryn

[Edited by cbemom at Local Time:05-22-2005 at 03:39 PM: typo]

KevG
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 333
Registered: 08-16-2004
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Just wanted to let you know I'm currently testing your hold. I've completed level 1 and most of level 2. I won't have much more playing time today, but I'll have plenty of time tommorrow.

Nothing really to comment on yet. I thought L2 1N1E was kind of pointless while doing it, but the "security" scroll makes it all right.

So far, it's a very well done hold. I'm really enjoying it. I'll finish it tomorrow or Tuesday and write up my thoughts.

TripleM
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1379
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So far I've been through everything up to all but about a room of level 4, and haven't found much to comment on. Nice hold.

cbemom wrote:
in 2N, I assume

Click here to view the secret text

×that you have to leave the ww in the ne corner for last, preventing a sword swing sw.

I cannot get to the nw orb without being overrun.

In 1N1E (not 2N - my mistake), I simply cannot get that blasted ww to cooperate in it's own death.

Yeah, I found this a bit tricky.

Stefan
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2119
Registered: 05-25-2004
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TripleM wrote:

In 1N1E (not 2N - my mistake), I simply cannot get that blasted ww to cooperate in it's own death.

Yeah, I found this a bit tricky.

In that case, I think I've found a trivial solution:

____________________________
0.099³

cbemom
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 36
Registered: 10-11-2004
IP: Logged

okay, decided to come back to the level four rooms later.

comments for level five - this is my favorite level so far.



2S2W - why the complicated orbs? design choice?

3S3W - very good

3S2W - my first thought was "EEP!" but found the room enjoyable, remembering the immortal words "Don't Panic"

2S - gave me fits. I hate this kind of room, and will quit playing a hold with more that a couple of these. I was not able to finish the room. Has anyone else done it? There are just too many queens. I am a moderate player (on level 25 of DROD:AE) and found this room too hard.

Now wearing out my brain on level six - argh, snakes, why is it always snakes?

Kathryn

KevG
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 333
Registered: 08-16-2004
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cbemom wrote:

Click here to view the secret text

×the secret room didn't register with JTRH as secret - the popup didn't show - what a brain buster(yea!)

2S - gave me fits. I hate this kind of room, and will quit playing a hold with more that a couple of these. I was not able to finish the room. Has anyone else done it? There are just too many queens. I am a moderate player (on level 25 of DROD:AE) and found this room too hard.

The room really isn't that bad. If you're on level 25 of KDD, you've done much worse. Try knocking out the top queen first, the bottom middle queen next and then the right hand queens.

So far this continues to be a very well done dungeon. I just finished up level 5. I'll get back to it tonight.

No real comments on any rooms. So far I'd give the hold a 4 for difficulty. Most of the rooms are challenging, but there aren't any major stumpers. The first five levels at least are ready to release as is.

Well, almost. I've found a couple of typos in your scrolls.
L3 Entrance: Should be you'll instead of you.
L4 2N 2E: "This are getting out of hand" should be either "this is" or "things are"

Banjooie
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1645
Registered: 12-12-2004
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4, 2N1E: Why, oh why, is that roach thing in there? Also: I approve of wraithwing mazes.

NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

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Registered: 06-17-2003
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cbemom wrote:

Click here to view the secret text

×the secret room didn't register with JTRH as secret - the popup didn't show - what a brain buster(yea!)

That's because this is an AE hold. When I make a JtRH version, the room will be marked secret.

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

KevG
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 333
Registered: 08-16-2004
IP: Logged

NoahT wrote:
That's because this is an AE hold. When I make a JtRH version, the room will be marked secret.

It would probably be a good idea to either remove or change the scroll. Right now it's kind of confusing.

cbemom
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 36
Registered: 10-11-2004
IP: Logged

okay -
Level six - I skipped several rooms - a couple of comments

2S1W - was fun

2S - was just plain tedious. twice around for each section, then twice around again - argh! I did like the trapdoors

Level seven 1N is missing the fourth orb

NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1187
Registered: 06-17-2003
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cbemom wrote:
2S - was just plain tedious. twice around for each section, then twice around again - argh! I did like the trapdoors

Does this imply that you what me to make changes? If so, what changes?

Level seven 1N is missing the fourth orb

I just looked at the room to make sure and all four orbs are there, all of which are working. Are you sure the orb is missing? If it is, I don't know why.

Thanks for your comments!

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

KevG
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 333
Registered: 08-16-2004
IP: Logged

Figured I'd report in on level 6.

1S1W: I can't get the wraithwing safely around the bottom corner.

3S1E: I'm about 2 or 3 moves too short and don't really have a clue how to shave any off.

1S1E, 3S1W: I don't see how to keep the snake in place to prevent unkillable roaches.

1S and 2S were fine. I wouldn't mind a nudge in the right direction on the other 4.

Stefan
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2119
Registered: 05-25-2004
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Ok, I have once again played this hold from start to finish (I think it's the third time now).

I couldn't find any general comments about the hold in any of my previous posts, so I'll write a few words now. Overall it is a very well made hold with some interesting rooms. I also very much like the difficulty curve of this hold; It starts off rather easy, but then gradually gets more challenging until the very last - and in some cases very difficult - eight level.

I don't have many room specific comments (if any), but at least I can tell you that many of the rooms have high replayability value

Some of my favourite rooms are:
L4:2N1E
L6:1S1W
L7:2S1W
L8:1N1W
L8:2E

Least favourite rooms:
L5:3S2W (too much mindless hack-n-slash)
L6:2S (the serpent loop is perhaps a bit too long and uninteresting)
L7:2N

I don't think I've found any trivial or unintended solutions, except that I was able to do L7:1N1E one spawn cycle quicker than required. However, if you want to, then I could export my (JtRH-)demos for you to watch.

____________________________
0.099³

NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1187
Registered: 06-17-2003
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Stefan wrote:
However, if you want to, then I could export my (JtRH-)demos for you to watch.

Sure thing.

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

Hatlore
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 42
Registered: 10-13-2004
IP: Logged

I enjoyed your hold until 3rd floor 1n1w.

Since you consider it the "best room on that level", the rest of the hold suddenly doesn't seem like a worthwhile endeavor if I can expect more rooms along that line.

[Edited by Hatlore at Local Time:06-03-2005 at 07:43 PM]

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
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What? Do people give negative mods for saying bad things about a hold(I saw Hatlore had gotten one). That can´t be good. I mean it might lead to better holds if architects gets feedback from both those who likes the hold and those who don´t. Sorry to go of-topic like this.

Oneiromancer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2936
Registered: 03-29-2003
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Unless it was Noah doing the modding (in which case I can't blame him ) I am sure that it was not what Hatlore said, but rather how he said it. There are better, more constructive ways to criticize someone's hold.

The modding system is inherently self-correcting, Blondbeard. If you don't like how someone modded Hatlore, mod him up yourself to cancel it out. If a post continues to have a negative mod for a long enough time, obviously most of the people that read it agree with the sentiment, or at least don't disagree with it strongly enough to vote their own opinion.

Game on,

____________________________
"He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." -- Tad Williams

eytanz
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2708
Registered: 02-05-2003
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I modded Hatlore's reply down.

I did it because his post contains almost no useful criticism; he doesn't say what he doesn't like about the room, what Noah can do to improve it, or anything like that. Instead, he just posted a rather vague criticism and then went on to insult the entire hold because Noah put in a scroll saying that he liked the room best.

Negative criticism is good, but it should be A - respectful of the effort the hold author put into the hold (some hold authors clearly put no effort into their hold, and thus this doesn't apply. Noah is not one of those authors), and B - constructive, so that the hold author can actually learn something from them. Hatlore's comments are neither.

[Edited by eytanz at Local Time:06-04-2005 at 12:52 AM]

____________________________
I got my avatar back! Yay!

NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

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File: Nanfro Budkins First Dungeon.hold (56.5 KB)
Downloaded 69 times.
License: Other
From: Unspecified

Alright-here's release candidate #3, and I now have entered the hold into the Beta Holds section of my profile. All further discussion should go on the Nanfro Budkin's First Dungeon Beta Holds board. I'll shortly give invitations to all those who signed up for testing availability on CaravelNet.

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

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[Last edited by NoahT at 07-02-2005 10:26 PM : Forgot attachment]