Voting is over.
Time to clap & cheer for the winners of the 15th Deadlies!
It's has been too long already (almost halfway into 2019...), so let's get on with it.
1) Best Custom Game Element
Water barrels from S A N D by Xindaris
The water barrels are quite simple, really. But boy, what puzzle opportunities do they open up!
By stabbing a barrel, a small puddle of water is created. The barrels themselves can be pushed around and that's all that's needed for two levels full of entertaining puzzles. Who'd ever figure that water skippers
on land would be so much fun?
Early 2019, the 'cousin element' Oil barrel was introduced. We can only hope that Xindaris will sometime build a synthesis hold around those two concepts.
2) Design Excellence in a Modification or Addition
Skell, for creating DROD online
DROD online is, well, not online anymore actually. But for the time being, it was actually possible to share the experience and play two-player DROD in your browser.
This has definitely been a magnificent programmer's feat. Thanks for creating this, Skell!
3) Technical Design Excellence in Scripting
Puck fellow, by Disoriented
Just when you thought you had seen all versions of 'Look, I did an implementation in drod of this game which is not drod', Disoriented comes along and builds a completely functional Pacman level. Including ghosts.
Tucked away far into the post-mastery content of Blind Race #5, this really deserves some more attention. So go play Blind Race #5 and enjoy the various goodies in the PM area.
4) Technical Design Excellence in Layout and Aesthetics
12) Novice Architect Award
Tinytall Tower by Trickster
A very successful debut by Trickster indeed, winning two prices at once. Granted: winning the novice architect award as only contestant is not convincing. But winning the Layout and Aesthetics throphy proves that this is not just a price for lack of other options.
Each level consists of only one room (excluding the many, many secrets). This room is the same for each 'floor' of the tower and actually pretty small in size. But within this tiny space, many interesting puzzles of increasing difficulty have been packed together. And just parsing the rooms to get a feeling for the possibilities and interactions is a joy by itself. A refreshing new way to experience DROD!
5) Technical Design Excellence in Concept
Blockerture Science Laboratories by Xindaris
The cake is a lie. But fortunately, there's no cake in this hold. Building upon the concept of pushable blocks, Xindaris has managed to liberate a whole new class of puzzles. The hold starts off with an introduction level and three levels that allow you to practice with different types of blocks. In the last level, all types of blocks and interactions are integrated and after that, there's a whole post-mastery level as well.
The references to Portal will leave everyone familiar with that game smiling throughout the hold. The cynical computer guiding you through the levels is especially funny.
6) Creative Design Excellence in Storyline
9) DROD Hold of the Year
...she'll carry a really big sword by Insoluble
With this magnificent hold, Insoluble has managed to make a very convincing experience in multiple ways. The story is wonderful, taking the side story of the 149th Critic from TSS and building a whole new narrative around her. Artwork is wonderful as well, with painted (!) custom graphics.
Level layout is beautiful and allows the player to roam around each level freely. In fact, all of the blue doors have holes in them that allow the player to slip past and experience the levels in every desired order. This is a very player-friendly setup, because some of the puzzles are quite difficult. In this hold, it's always possible to continue playing, even if you've failed to complete a couple of rooms.
Guaranteed to keep you vexed until the end!
7) Creative Design Excellence in Difficulty
Decadent in Chrysalis by BoyBlue
It was a pretty tight vote this year, but in the end, this hold won out over the others. Not too much of a story line, and - in the words of the author - "
not well polished"
. But that remark must be a mistake. Because it is a wonderful hold. Full of puzzles, that are all quite approachable, although many of them are very difficult.
Aesthetics are not meant to blow you away perhaps, but don't be fooled, level layout choices definitely work out well here to guide the player through the levels. After 6 years and 3 days, we
finally had a new hold by BoyBlue. And now we want more.
8) Creative Design Excellence in Entertainment
Don’t Play This Dumb Hold by Disoriented
The title says it all. Don't play it. It's dump. Really. Stop reading this text and skip to the next category.
Unless... You like to play a fairly big bunch of super nice puzzles, that are tied together by not much more than a bit of silly dialogue and a positively surrealistic ending.
And well, perhaps a fairly big bunch of
super nice puzzles is really all we need for this perfect DROD experience.
And did I mention that most of the puzzles are of the very original kind?
10) DROD RPG Level Set of the Year
2018 Year of RPG Compilation coordinated by Kieranmillar
Many architects will share in the glory of this year's Best RPG Award. Being a compilation where the theme was 'Basically anything for DROD:RPG', you can expect for quite some diversity. Overall, a pretty accessible hold @ 4 brains, but with a 9 for fun, it clearly stands out as a must-play!
Congratulations to Kieranmillar and his co-creators Hyperme, Lucky Luc, Mauvebutterfly, Nuntar, Skell and Xindaris.
11) Best Voice Artist in a Distinct Role
Xindaris and Disoriented for the team effort in Blockerture Science Laboratories
Well, this is kind of embarrassing for me, since I completely overlooked the fact that a tiebreak was needed for this category.
Luckily, it actual seems quite right to let both voice actors share the praise. Blockerture Science Laboratories was the only hold this year with voice acting and Xindaris and Disoriented show how much it adds to the DROD experience! A cynical Beethro and a cynical Computer within a single room and talking to each other. What more would you need for funny dialogues?
We definitely need more holds with voice acting.
13) Erik Hermansen Award for Lifetime Architectural Achievement
Disoriented
Witty, original and sometimes pretty difficult, Disoriented designs holds that optimally use the incredible variety of DROD elements in novel and interesting ways.
It's hard to think of a single 'Disoriented style' that stands out. Rather, Disoriented manages to surprise us anew each time. Beethro's Dream contains several (!) scripted elements that could each make for a complete stand-alone hold by themselves. In this year's Entertainment Award-winning hold he explores the limits of silliness and just for good measure, 4 'quick lunch break' holds have been thrown in after that.
Keep up the good work, and keep us busy and amazed!
14) Best Community Contributor
Chaco
Chaco's witty and to-the-point forum contributions can be noticed by all visitors to the forum. What's perhaps less well-known, is that Chaco does a tremendous amount of work behind the screens as Hold Administrator.
Do you enjoy all those nice holds that are available for download? Every wondered who puts them there? Chaco is at least a big part of the answer in many cases. Checking solutions and potential playability issues for each and every one of the holds that are being submitted, the Hold Administrators are very important to safeguard a smooth and enjoyable playing experience.
And Chaco may just be the most prolific of all HAs.
15) Best DROD Video Presentation
Chaco
The award for best video presentation also goes to Chaco this year.
If you are interested to experience how a really good player goes about solving puzzles: go watch Chaco's stream. Within seconds of entering a room, Chaco often manages to point out the most important elements, interactions and caveats for the puzzle. While many players will just dive in and first try to play around a bit in a room, Chaco basically stares at a puzzle and analyses it until the solutions is inevitably found. Deduction at its best! And watching Chaco's recording is definitely a great way to become a better player yourself!
____________________________
Autocorrect is
not my friend. Apologies for the typos.
[Last edited by Dying Flutchman at 05-11-2019 08:39 PM]
