12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 789
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File: Krightons Castle.hold (87.1 KB)
Downloaded 66 times.
License: Public Domain

For the past few hours, I've been listening to some Webfoot DROD music and building the first level of a hold I'm busy making.

The first level is reasonably simple. It consists of a few strategy rooms, two light logic rooms, two cheap knock-offs, a secret room, and a room with scripting added to the puzzle. Veterans won't have a hard time with it.

Don't worry about impossibilities. I have tested all the rooms (singly, not in one playthrough), so if you want a demo on a certain room, excluding the secret room, you shall get it.

There isn't a specific "end staircase". Rather, the last accessible staircase leads to a level designed to inform the player they have reached the end of the hold. As more levels are added, the staircase that leads to the Waiting Room will change to match the final staircase reached by the player.

Enjoy!

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

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[Last edited by 12th Archivist at 04-19-2014 07:02 AM]

vittro
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 482
Registered: 04-17-2005
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First Floor 1E : you can solve this without using the mimic potion.
First Floor 1N : backtracking issue if you come from 2N (I think).

____________________________
http://vittorioromeo.info

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[Last edited by vittro at 08-09-2010 03:55 PM]

Odyssey
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 124
Registered: 09-09-2009
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Hello;

Are you supposed to be able to conquer First Floor: 1E without the mimic potion? Noticed that Beethro comments on this once you do so - I think that the room should have that unintended solution. I like it.

For 1N - what is the point of the arrow at (26,16)? Also, there is a backtracking issue here if you enter from 2N.

Looking nice so far - enjoyable hold.

____________________________
55th Skywatcher

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[Last edited by Odyssey at 08-09-2010 04:18 PM]

12th Archivist
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vittro wrote:
First Floor 1E : you can solve this without using the mimic potion.

Really? Interesting... I will have to add some more speech for the player should they manage that.

First Floor 1N : backtracking issue if you come from 2N (I think).

Yeah, you're right. I will have to fix that.

Are you supposed to be able to conquer First Floor: 1E without the mimic potion? Noticed that Beethro comments on this once you do so - I think that the room should have that unintended solution. I like it.

No, you were supposed to use the mimic potion.

For 1N - what is the point of the arrow at (26,16)? Also, there is a backtracking issue here if you enter from 2N.

I know about the backtracking issue. However, I'm not at my computer at the moment, so I'll have to look at that when I return to my computer of choice.

Looking nice so far - enjoyable hold.

Thanks! If you have any more comments, please share them! I enjoy the feedback.


____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 789
Registered: 12-07-2008
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I have updated the hold with the bug fixes mentioned above. There is now a pressure plate that opens the door. This should solve the backtracking problem. I have also added an If, Speech command if the player finishes the room without the use of the mimic. Lastly, a checkpoint has been added to 1E.

This is just a quick fix. I might have the next level of content released a number of hours from now. It'll be better, trust me. Less of a slaughtering introduction.

New version is in the first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

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I have updated the hold with a few rooms of the second floor. I have also added a bit of scenic stuff to the first floor. In addition, I have added another chat between the Tar Technician and Citizen 4, which can be read after you finish the first floor.

There's also a new room in Castle Exterior. The warp room should help testers get to the new levels quickly.

New version in the first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 789
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This version simply fixes the various unintentional solutions to Second Level: Once East. Now, there is a penalty to dropping the trapdoors early to prevent four of the queens' spawns from reaching you (two tiles for each corner are now pit, not walls, meaning briar cannnot grow past them, killing the roaches). Also, it used to be possible to let the briar kill the northern and southern queens early, as the blocking-the-rock-golems mechanic did not function. Now it does.

I shall release a version with the rest of the Second Level before 24 hours from now. Please comment on the current content by telling me what you liked, disliked, what you thought could be improved, unintended solutions, etc.

New version in the first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
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Finished the rest of the second level.

New version in the first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
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Finished the Third Level except for one secret room.

New version in first post.

I noticed there have been a large number of downloads yet nobody is commenting. It's not uncommon for people to test but not comment, but I would appreciate just a few notes on how things are doing. I consider it to be a very bad thing when the only testers that comment back are HA members. Not that this is anywhere near submitting of course...

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

Marcefabian
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 08-10-2010
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File: KC Second Floor 1N Victory.demo (1.8 KB)
Downloaded 53 times.
License: Public Domain

Well, I Like The Hold, But It Have Some bugs

First Floor 1S: You Can Complete The Room Without The Speed potion, Because The Monsters Can Use The Presure Plates Without Trigger The Sistem

You Can Solve This Replacing The "Wait for Entity" with "Wait for entity Player Monster"

In The Second Floor 1N 2W, if you conquer the secret room, you cann't Backtrack, and you cann't conquer first the secret room because you need kill the guard to open the door.

And, Second Floor 1N Room is Easy, and Can Be Done Without The Arrow Token, this room is too easy for the Twelfth floor, and if you change the doors opening (if the SW presure plate toggle the north goblin door and the NE toggles the South goblin) The Room Can Be Solvable Without The Invisibility potion

I attach a demo of teh Second floor 1N Completed without the arrow token

12th Archivist
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Marcefabian wrote:
Well, I Like The Hold, But It Have Some bugs

First Floor 1S: You Can Complete The Room Without The Speed potion, Because The Monsters Can Use The Presure Plates Without Trigger The Sistem

You Can Solve This Replacing The "Wait for Entity" with "Wait for entity Player Monster"

Hmm... I didn't know that. Thanks for mentioning that. I'll get that fixed.

In The Second Floor 1N 2W, if you conquer the secret room, you cann't Backtrack, and you cann't conquer first the secret room because you need kill the guard to open the door.

You're right about this. I solved the room but didn't solve multiple rooms. I'll get this fixed.

And, Second Floor 1N Room is Easy, and Can Be Done Without The Arrow Token, this room is too easy for the Twelfth floor, and if you change the doors opening (if the SW presure plate toggle the north goblin door and the NE toggles the South goblin) The Room Can Be Solvable Without The Invisibility potion

I know it's easy but has good potential for being more difficult. The scroll in Darkness of the Mind states that I haven't made any changes to the room though I will by the time the Twelfth Level is being made.

I attach a demo of teh Second floor 1N Completed without the arrow token

Thank you for including this. From my memory of the room, I can't imagine how the room is possible without the arrow token, so the demo is greatly appreciated and will help me toward making a harder (and more interesting, so it doesn't feel like a cheap cop-out) version of the room.

I don't have access to the hold right now, so I won't be able to post the new version for a few more hours. Thanks for commenting Marcefabian!

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 789
Registered: 12-07-2008
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This is the new version, complete with a full fourth level. I spent as much time as possible (about 2-3 hours) on a good majority of the rooms so they are as good as possible. I intend to apply the same work ethic on every following level so testers and eventual players feel like they are playing a hold that is worth something, not just thrown together.

This new level also show signs of breaking level encapsulation, meaning that this new level is impossible to conquer. Do not fear, for you can still reach the exit stairs, which lead to the Waiting Room.

New version is in first post as always.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

---

[Last edited by 12th Archivist at 09-24-2010 04:49 AM]

12th Archivist
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Quick fix. All doors on Fourth Floor properly highlighted and the talkers (the Negotiator and Halph) speak in more practical areas.

New version in first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

Marcefabian
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 26
Registered: 08-10-2010
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File: KC Third Floor 1N2E Victory.demo (1.4 KB)
Downloaded 54 times.
License: Public Domain

After you Fixed The Backtracking Problem, I continue Playing you hold, now i'm stuck in the Third Floor 1N1E, i don't know how to make the slayer cross the small bridge before me, and, i comquered 1N2E, but i don't know if i have completed it as the intended way.

i attached a demo of the 1N2E (third floor)

12th Archivist
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File: KC Third Floor 1N1E Victory.demo (2.2 KB)
Downloaded 53 times.
License: Public Domain

I checked your demo. Since it doesn't break anything significant, I won't change the room.

Attached is the demo for Third Floor: Once North Once East. It's possible, but hard.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

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Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the hold. It's not that my week as been particularly busy, it's just that there are other things I should be doing.

As of right now, there are about four rooms total I still need to complete and test. However, this shouldn't take too long to finish. Some of the rooms are pretty good.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

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Registered: 12-07-2008
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OK, I have finished the Fifth Floor. There's a lot of rooms, so pace yourself.

New version in first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

CuriousShyRabbit
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3170
Registered: 10-14-2006
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I see the 2nd floor room with the scroll asking "experienced smitemasters" if it was solvable is gone. Perhaps I'll play more of this hold then. As long as I don't come upon another such room...

Castle Exterior

First Floor - An okay roach horde management level.

As a general comment, some of the speech in this hold is a tad on the narcissistic side. Personally, I'd rather learn more about who King Krighton is and why Beethro has a problem with him, than about what 12th thinks of his own architecture. Perhaps that will change as I progress further in the hold.

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

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CuriousShyRabbit wrote:
As a general comment, some of the speech in this hold is a tad on the narcissistic side. Personally, I'd rather learn more about who King Krighton is and why Beethro has a problem with him, than about what 12th thinks of his own architecture. Perhaps that will change as I progress further in the hold.

Narcissism, eh? Personally, I felt that the speech in the first level and second level was simply the delver's thoughts on the architecture, not my own thoughts. Nevertheless, your point about the story is correct. Speech is being changed as I... type.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

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12th Archivist
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OK, I have changed and added a lot of speech that the player makes. Now, a good deal of story is revealed.

Also, in the editor, one can see the Sixth and Seventh Floors with some rooms in them. Ignore these for now. They are not developed and shouldn't really be part of the released content so far.

New version in first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

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I have completed the Sixth level. This time, puzzles revolve around manipulating Halph! This level is shorter than the last (eleven puzzles instead of the Fifth Floor's sixteen) and so shouldn't take as long.

Enjoy the new content.

New version in the first post.

EDIT: I forgot to mention there's a good deal of additional story revealed in the new level. Believe me, I have excellent plans for Halph in terms of non-intrusive story.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

---

[Last edited by 12th Archivist at 10-31-2010 01:10 AM]

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3674
Registered: 10-06-2005
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File: KC Fourth Floor 5N1E Victory.demo (1.9 KB)
Downloaded 50 times.
License: Public Domain

There's an unintended solution for Fourth Floor: Quince North Once East.

You don't have to keep the guard alive, since it's possible to fry goblins on the square (27, 25) while the player character (Beethro? or is this a new guy?) stands on (29, 25).

Demo attached, but I think you probably get the idea.

==

Also, I'd like to ask for a passageway from Fourth Floor 1S1E to 1S, blocked by a green door in 1S1E, so I can just walk directly to the west side of the level and go see the open blue door, instead of having to walk all the way around the level again once I've beaten Fifth Floor Once North.

==

The character dialogue in Fourth Floor Once East repeats on subsequent visits following the "level clear".

==

The staircase in Fourth Floor: The Entrance ends the hold, and by poking around in the editor I think it's supposed to go to Fifth Floor Thrice North Once West, since the staircase in that room returns to Fourth Floor: The Entrance.

==

I'm liking this hold so far! The third and fourth levels have been pretty tough - the third level requires some pretty demanding slayer manipulation and knowledge regarding how he moves.

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

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[Last edited by Chaco at 11-01-2010 04:52 PM]

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 789
Registered: 12-07-2008
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Chaco wrote:
There's an unintended solution for Fourth Floor: Quince North Once East.

You don't have to keep the guard alive, since it's possible to fry goblins on the square (27, 25) while the player character (Beethro? or is this a new guy?) stands on (29, 25).

Demo attached, but I think you probably get the idea.

Thanks. I'll get this fixed... or something.

Also, I'd like to ask for a passageway from Fourth Floor 1S1E to 1S, blocked by a green door in 1S1E, so I can just walk directly to the west side of the level and go see the open blue door, instead of having to walk all the way around the level again once I've beaten Fifth Floor Once North.

That's probably a good idea. I may add a passage blocked by a blue door to allow quick travel.

The character dialogue in Fourth Floor Once East repeats on subsequent visits following the "level clear".

OK, I'll get this fixed.

The staircase in Fourth Floor: The Entrance ends the hold, and by poking around in the editor I think it's supposed to go to Fifth Floor Thrice North Once West, since the staircase in that room returns to Fourth Floor: The Entrance.

That's quite a problem! This will be a priority fix when I get back to my home computer. (Don't have DROD on this one.)

I'm liking this hold so far! The third and fourth levels have been pretty tough - the third level requires some pretty demanding slayer manipulation and knowledge regarding how he moves.

Yep. The Third Floor introduces the slayer only as a plot element. You need to know all but how to kill him to pass the level. If you enjoyed the slayer puzzles, good! I plan on having the Ninth and Fifteenth levels both including him again. Meanwhile, the Fourth Floor definitely hogged a lot of my time as I developed puzzles for them. In general, all of the levels after the fourth will get this treatment. I hope other testers and players will really enjoy my hold because of it.

Searching for the right balance between fun and difficulty...

Developing new content. Bug fix version coming very soon.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

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This is the bug fix. In Fourth Floor: Quince North Once East, you must keep the guard alive to kill a roach in a separate chamber. The passageway from Fourth Floor: Once South Once East to Once East is in place. The speech in Once East of that level has been fixed. The staircase bug should be fixed now.

If you poke around in the editor, you may notice rooms for the Seventh Level already in place. Ignore these for now.

New version in first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

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Sorry for the long delay.

The Seventh Floor is here! This time, puzzles revolve around serpents, rattlesnakes, and adders! Halph will be somewhat separated from you throughout the level, meaning he can only talk to you and occasionally be a room hazard.

On this level, I have aimed for a variety of snake puzzles, ranging from efficient killing to close manipulation. Don't worry, there isn't any long-ranged manipulation you might need a snake clock for.

In my opinion, two of the hardest rooms in the hold can be found here, both involving rattlesnakes, briar, and speed potions. Enjoy knowing they are possible. One of the downsides of testing your own architecture is that you don't even know if your puzzle can be conquered. This gives rise to one of the upsides of testing: the feeling of being able to conquer the room you set out to make really interesting.

Again, enjoy.

New version in the first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

vinheim
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 300
Registered: 05-31-2007
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Hold is looking great from what I can see in the editor. I started with the latest level (7th) in case you already got comments from the previous levels via PM or something. I'll just give unintended solutions and scripting bugs since the rooms are already good.

3N 3W: Unintended solution, counting the plate distance, it seems I have to have the adder eat everyone. However, I can just hit the plates instead. This can be fixed by having both plates toggle (one opens) and have a path for the roach such that Beethro has to lure the roach out once the doors are open.

2N 4W: Scripting bug when coming through Halph's path, Halph comes in with normal speech.

3N 2W: Same as above.

4N 2W: Unintended solution I think? Halph opened the roach gates once guard was out. Halph opened EVERY door around waterskipper nest. Guard killed waterskipper nest. Guard kept plate open while I made it dance on the spot. Left the main area and lured the guard on the hot tile.

2N 2W: Same scipting bug as the 2 above.

1N 2W: Scripting bug, you make Halph enter the upper of the 2 east entrances making me have to enter the lower one and exit back just to enter 1N 1W properly.

Entrance: Unintended solution? Opened the first door with the roach queen, kept the second door down with the adder, both died on hot tiles, no need for any adder eating or roach spawning.

That's all for now. Will try to catch up on the lower levels. You have some daunting battlefield rooms here (the 2 briar/rattlesnake/speed potion rooms and the adder/hot tile/fegundo one), but they aren't too difficult so they're still a bit fun.

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[Last edited by vinheim at 12-05-2010 01:46 AM]

12th Archivist
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Thank you for your comments, vinheim. No, I haven't received any comments via PM, so I would gladly accept yours for previous levels should you choose to write any.

I will fix the problems deemed needed for fixing and include them in the next major version. You'll see it soon. Not quite as soon, obviously, as if I just fixed everything and dumped it in its own, special version and released it, but soon enough.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

12th Archivist
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 789
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The new version is here. Funny how much work you can get done when you spend half the day building.

This version doesn't contain the Eighth floor. Rather, it contains an improved First floor as well as the bug fixes vinheim mentioned.

Patch list for First Floor:


Patch list for Seventh Floor:


New version in the first post.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!

vinheim
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 300
Registered: 05-31-2007
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7th level
Secret room: There is no conquer token.
New puzzle room: This was a nice room, a relaxing break from those difficult battlefield rooms. I got rattlers in dead ends making sure their head is adjacent to a trapdoor diagonally so I could kill it up to it head and escape from the dead-end.

6th level
1S 1W: From the looks of things, do I have to lure the wraithwings into the areas with the roaches? Cause it looks possible without. Also, I did not hit the arrow rotator.
2S 1W: I only needed Halph for 1 area, the one before you fight the golems.
2W: Ok, the hold was awesome so far, but now I'm stuck. Surely, killing the goblins on the left and right are easy, but in order to get the other 2 goblins into the hot tile, I'd need something that isn't a roach on those plates, and there is only one mirror. Halph pathfinds to me with knowledge of how force arrows work so I can't trick the kid into pressing a plate for me. How do I solve this?

And I'll do this backwards for other testers who are working their way forwards

Now I'm off to test more of Chaco's new hold, but I'll be back tomorrow (or the next day) with more comments.

EDIT: Just some quick comments. Still couldn't do 2W, so I solved the rest of the level using the editor. Solving 1W was awesome. Definitely keep it in. Also, why is 2W unrequired? Lastly, why do you have those tunnels leading to 5th floor? Since 6th floor HAS to be completed before even getting to the main part of 7th floor, there is no real use of those tunnels (unless there is some story reason for it).

EDIT 2: I see! Darkness of the mind has 2W in it, but with an invisibility potion. You forgot to include this in 6th level.

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[Last edited by vinheim at 12-05-2010 02:11 PM]

12th Archivist
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File: KC Sixth Floor 2W Victory.demo (1.3 KB)
Downloaded 49 times.
License: Public Domain

vinheim wrote:
7th level
Secret room: There is no conquer token.

Oh. Forgot about that. Sorry, I'll include this fix in the next version.

New puzzle room: This was a nice room, a relaxing break from those difficult battlefield rooms. I got rattlers in dead ends making sure their head is adjacent to a trapdoor diagonally so I could kill it up to it head and escape from the dead-end.

Not really new, but it does have a less obvious entrance than the other rooms. Heh, I have a solution that lets the player drop all the trapdoors, , but I didn't enforce it for other players.

6th level
1S 1W: From the looks of things, do I have to lure the wraithwings into the areas with the roaches? Cause it looks possible without. Also, I did not hit the arrow rotator.

Really? That's an unintended solution. May I see a demo of you solving the room this way?

2S 1W: I only needed Halph for 1 area, the one before you fight the golems.

Intended. Halph can be more or less useful, depending on your smitery skill.

2W: Ok, the hold was awesome so far, but now I'm stuck. Surely, killing the goblins on the left and right are easy, but in order to get the other 2 goblins into the hot tile, I'd need something that isn't a roach on those plates, and there is only one mirror. Halph pathfinds to me with knowledge of how force arrows work so I can't trick the kid into pressing a plate for me. How do I solve this?

It relies on a nasty trick involving Halph and the mirror. Attached is a demo of the event in action.

And I'll do this backwards for other testers who are working their way forwards

Great! I always need more sets of eyes on my work so I can improve it properly.

EDIT: Just some quick comments. Still couldn't do 2W, so I solved the rest of the level using the editor. Solving 1W was awesome. Definitely keep it in. Also, why is 2W unrequired? Lastly, why do you have those tunnels leading to 5th floor? Since 6th floor HAS to be completed before even getting to the main part of 7th floor, there is no real use of those tunnels (unless there is some story reason for it).

I'm glad you liked Once West. That was a bit of a tough one to make and I worried nobody else would be able to solve it. Twice West shouldn't be unrequired, so that has been fixed. Lastly, the tunnel in Once North is there because it leads to a roach in the inaccessible part of the Fifth Floor entrance, allowing you to kill it and be closer to solving the room. To advance to the Eighth Floor (just the waiting room in this case), you need to complete both the Sixth and Seventh Floors, go through each tunnel, kill both roaches, and return to the Fifth Floor to go down the stairs. An interesting event occurs when you're about to walk down that no one should miss...

EDIT 2: I see! Darkness of the mind has 2W in it, but with an invisibility potion. You forgot to include this in 6th level.

Nope.

____________________________
It was going well until it exploded.
~Scott Manley

Check out the DROD Wikia project here!