Well, I just finished playing through the newest version. My thoughts:
The overall design could be improved. It wasn't until I got to 2W that I realized I had missed 2N 1W, so I had to backtrack all the way there (at least you were kind enough to take that possibility into consideration). Then when I got to the exit I realized there were secret rooms that were required...I don't know if you planned it that way or not. I know the Happy House secret rooms weren't required, so they remained secret for me until I found out they existed. Anyway, backtracking for secret rooms isn't a big deal, but backtracking for required rooms can be annoying. It doesn't break the hold, of course, since I can get there, but it's something to think about. One other thing: I liked the whole "
plumber"
thing and the rivers of tar, but they kind of clashed with the whole "
cube"
motif. Perhaps it would be better if you split this hold into two, one focusing on cubes and the other dealing with the "
tar spill"
.
And I know you said in your other hold's thread that this was your first attempt, but I'll make other comments pretending I didn't hear that.
Specific rooms (or groups of rooms):
2N: I cleared this room by killing the right brain, killing the other brain, then going after the mother and then mopping up the queens and everything else. Took me a few tries, but not too bad.
3N and 3N 2W: I liked these mini-puzzles...good practice for 1S 1E.
1N 2W: that queen behind the red door is a "
timer"
, eh? You know you don't have to right-click to get the room stats, you can also hit the Enter key...

I bet you could do something more to make that queen more of a timer for the room, that you have to do it quickly or you're screwed...the room is trivial once you leave the upper right portion.
2W: did you intend for the goblins to be killed within their section? I pulled them into the queen's area and blocked them with roaches...made it pretty easy.
1S 2W: clever, good variation on some of the themes in this level.
1S 1W: using the alcove to the left of the bottom checkpoint I was able to kill of the initial wave of roaches, making this room pretty trivial. Which was okay with me, really...I didn't want this room any harder!
1S: this room was really easy, but it looked like it was intended to be a lot harder. Is this the case?
1S 1E: this room was fun, I liked looking ahead to see what to do, but then halfway through I was able to easily get to the outside and kill both tar babies, without having to go into the rightmost chamber. Was this intended?
1E -- 2N 1E: clever rooms, I almost solved 1E using the 1N 1E method before I decided "
to hell with it"
and used the mimic potion. Then in 1N 1E I couldn't kill the serpent because I was trying to use the bottom left corner. When I tried the top left corner it worked on the first try. Stupid serpents. 2N 1E was almost a joke though...perhaps it should be the middle one.
3N 1E: I wanted to kill the queens after hitting the orb, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor and went back and killed the brain. I was just getting attacked from both sides. Is it required to kill the brain first, or were you able to do it last?
Now to the secret rooms:
Click here to view the secret text
×Actually, the only one I have a comment on is 2N 4W. I died lots of times in totally idiotic ways before I finally just let the tar mother grow and close in the monsters. Stupid goblins...
Whew...I think I am DROD'ed out for a few days...
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