Tscott
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 382
Registered: 02-10-2003
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File: Overground.hold (4.8 KB)
Downloaded 68 times.
License: Public Domain

I've been on and off working on a new hold. I don't want to say the name of this hold, but its initials are Here's just one level out of four planned- so if you test this now, don't be surprised if you see it again elsewhere.

This level is small and VERY action oriented. I want the other levels to be more puzzle based, but the ideas for original puzzles are slow in coming. Right now I'm curious to know how this level is received, the difficulty (I'm thinking it's hard to very hard), any problems you might notice, and things like can I improve checkpoint placement, etc. Thanks.

____________________________
And I can recall our caravel: a little wicker beetle shell with four fine maste and lateen sails,
its bearings on Cair Paravel. O my love, O it was a funny little thing to be the ones to've seen.
-Joanna Newsom "Bridges and Balloons"

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[Last edited by Tscott at 02-24-2006 04:11 PM]

Rabscuttle
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2460
Registered: 09-10-2004
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Some fun hack & slash Have to go find the secrets now.

Something you might have overlooked is the possibility of hitting bombs while standing on arrows. So, for example

Doom
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 3226
Registered: 07-05-2004
IP: Logged

A few room comments:

2W - This got a little repeating to me after a while. Also, I'm sure I've seen very similar room(s) before. I also think that something very close to 1N has been used in other holds already.

Secret room:

1N2E: The character opens the gate even if you don't kill all tar/mud babies in the end. Not too serious, but...
edit: Forgot to metion, the red door is useless too.

The other rooms weren't generally very difficult as long as you were at least relatively efficient. Those didn't really require any special planning in my opinion.

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[Last edited by Doom at 02-24-2006 01:05 PM]

Tscott
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 382
Registered: 02-10-2003
IP: Logged

Rabscuttle wrote:
Some fun hack & slash Have to go find the secrets now.

Something you might have overlooked is the possibility of hitting bombs while standing on arrows. So, for example

Click here to view the secret text

×1S can be completed before the queens spawn once, which probably isn't intentional.

Thanks, that's definitely not intended to be used in the solution. I've added two bombs north of the top two arrows- out of the way, but within range that will prevent the player from using this to their advantage in 1S (and a certain secret room too).

There's two places in 1E where this can be used to an advantage, but the room doesn't become trivial. I may just leave that room as is.

____________________________
And I can recall our caravel: a little wicker beetle shell with four fine maste and lateen sails,
its bearings on Cair Paravel. O my love, O it was a funny little thing to be the ones to've seen.
-Joanna Newsom "Bridges and Balloons"

Tscott
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 382
Registered: 02-10-2003
IP: Logged

Doom wrote:
A few room comments:

2W - This got a little repeating to me after a while. Also, I'm sure I've seen very similar room(s) before. I also think that something very close to 1N has been used in other holds already.

Hmmm, I liked 2W and don't think I'd seen it elsewhere. As for 1N, I know I've personally used the "4 queens in corners and 4 in the middle" layout before in another hold, and I'm sure others have too- but the queens in this hold spawn 5 roaches at a time.

1N2E: The character opens the gate even if you don't kill all tar/mud babies in the end. Not too serious, but...
edit: Forgot to metion, the red door is useless too.

The main thing I was going for was making it look like the character had built all these blockades around his house to keep his roaches out. The functionality of the doors wasn't too much of a concern here.

____________________________
And I can recall our caravel: a little wicker beetle shell with four fine maste and lateen sails,
its bearings on Cair Paravel. O my love, O it was a funny little thing to be the ones to've seen.
-Joanna Newsom "Bridges and Balloons"

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
IP: Logged

H I J K L M N O, right?

Alright, I'll give it a go and see how, as a non-expert DROD player, the difficulty stacks up. I've mastered H I J K though, so this shouldn't be too hard.

____________________________
Quick links to my stuff (in case you forgot where it was):

larrymurk
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1913
Registered: 12-09-2004
IP: Logged

I'd say this preview was fun and about the difficulty I enjoy.

Entrance: easy.
1W: Easy, 2 tries.
2W: Easy, but might be better solutions.
1W1S: Medium/Hard: By far the best room for me. It took me many attempts until I found a strategy that worked!
1N: Easy.
1S: Easy.
2S: Harder and more fun than 1S.
1E: Pretty easy. OK.
2E: Easy/Medium. OK.

All in all, F-U-N !

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
IP: Logged

Well, uhm...

It wasn't, in fact, as easy. I haven't even beaten most of the rooms yet.

So far, I'd definitely call this harder than H I J K though.

____________________________
Quick links to my stuff (in case you forgot where it was):

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

Okay... Here's what I think. Overall: Quite nice. The rooms has a good, medium difficulty, but it feels like they're quite a bit tedious. Also the way in which to solve the rooms is pretty much the same, and I feel that there are several holds with similar rooms.

2W is the most tedious room, and also reminds me of rooms in other holds. It is very beutifull though.
The rest of the rooms where quite nice...


I would rate this hold a seven.

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[Last edited by Blondbeard at 02-25-2006 11:57 PM]

Tscott
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 382
Registered: 02-10-2003
IP: Logged

I forgot one question I wanted to ask. Did the fact that there were no visible grid squares detract from the enjoyment of this level?

____________________________
And I can recall our caravel: a little wicker beetle shell with four fine maste and lateen sails,
its bearings on Cair Paravel. O my love, O it was a funny little thing to be the ones to've seen.
-Joanna Newsom "Bridges and Balloons"

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
IP: Logged

Oh, no, it didn't. The image floors definitely contributed to the "farm" theme of the level. Individual grid squares never gave me a problem.

P.S. I finally beat the hold after much work. I'd rate this an 8 with 7 difficulty.

____________________________
Quick links to my stuff (in case you forgot where it was):

larrymurk
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1913
Registered: 12-09-2004
IP: Logged

Yeah, I didn't notice any problem with the floor tiles used.

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

Me neither! The floor works well enough.

Curzon
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 92
Registered: 01-09-2006
IP: Logged

I liked it.

I found the required rooms were not too hard and well designed.
The secret rooms are tough (I didn't solve them yet).

Overall very good looking.