Level Design Contest #22 - Playing Phase (Discussion Topic)

[IchoTolot]

ok, solved Icho's Rule 2 level
This one took time to know where to jump, platform and fence as I kept doing these in the wrong places, but through trial and error I finally got the placement of them correct so the Neutrals made it
to the correct exits.

Your solution is intended!

[ericderkovits]

ok, solved RTW's(Round The Wheels's) Rule 3 level. I have 2 solutions

1) where I used all skills except for the jumper pickups
and
2) where I used the jumper pickups but then had 1 builder left.

[Flopsy]

kaywhyn's solution to my R2 level "Let's Play Some Games" on his video is a back route sadly.

I've uploaded an update to this level in the update topic.

[ericderkovits]

Solved Crane's Rule 3 level Immortal.

Used all skills.

replay attached

[ericderkovits]

Solved Flopsys' Rule 2 level

[ericderkovits]

Solved Dullstar's Rule 3 level Chamber of Mummies
Seems like an open-ended level.

[ericderkovits]

solved Icholotot's Rule 3 level Trinity of the Crypt

[IchoTolot]

solved Icholotot's Rule 3 level Trinity of the Crypt

Intended solution! Great job!

[ericderkovits]

Ok, Now I finished the final rule 3 level. Kaywhyn's The Love-Hate Triangle.

Wow alot of pickups in this level. Think it kinda helped though as not too many options to do, so it not only, I think, forces the intended solution but also kinda gives it away.

At first it looked intimadating but due to so many pickups, it wasn't super difficult. (I guess having this many pickups in the level was because Armani kept backrouting it).

I notice when there are alot of pickups in packs, it kinda gives solutions away, but also helps with backroutes.

So as far as the your 3 LDC levels, to me from easiest to hardest were

1) Rule 2 (liked this music the best of the 3)
2) Rule 3 (liked the design the best of the 3)
3) Rule 1 (liked the tricks used the best of the 3)

It took me probably the longest to actually do your Rule 1 once it got patched, due to a few tricks in the level(also due to no pickups-which does sometimes give solutions away)

[kaywhyn]

@eric Your solution is 100% intended. Nice job! Yes, I had a feeling that with all the pickups that are in the level that it would make it easier than usual. However, at some point, because Armani kept backrouting the level so much I kind of was "screw it, I'm not going to take any more risks by not making more skills pickups." IMO, the intended solution is just too cool to adapt any other. I really love the sense of urgency at the very beginning, and I'm quite amazed that I was able to figure out the right number of lemmings to provide nearly on my first attempt too before the start becomes a problem and the solution wouldn't work. 20 was just the right amount split among 5 entrances and the 3 preplaced lemmings. I also like how you can get the same number of lemmings for each exit.

However, now that you mentioned it, I might be able to return it to its former difficulty by removing some pickups and applying other fixes. I'll need to think about it some more, or if I decide it's not worth the hassle, I'll just leave it be, particularly since it's always risky to revert changes after the intended solution has finally been enforced in the most recent version.

So as far as the your 3 LDC levels, to me from easiest to hardest were

1) Rule 2 (liked this music the best of the 3)
2) Rule 3 (liked the design the best of the 3)
3) Rule 1 (liked the tricks used the best of the 3)

It took me probably the longest to actually do your Rule 1 once it got patched, due to a few tricks in the level(also due to no pickups-which does sometimes give solutions away)

Wow, that's awesome that I managed a separate "best" category for each of my contest levels in your view. I think so far the only replays I've gotten are from you, Armani, and Crane. I've also gotten replays from Flopsy (for R1) and WillLem (R2), but they were unfortunately backroutes. Because of this, I actually don't have too much data/info on the difficulty of my levels, especially my R2 and R3. So far, everyone's saying that my R1 is a hard level, but that's because more people have tried my R1 than my other two contest levels so far. I definitely be happy if others can play my levels, as I'm always looking for ways to improve, particularly since these are the very first levels I have ever made. Of course, I understand how busy everyone else, and hence there's no rush to get to these levels ASAP. Really all I (or any of us, really) can hope for is that people play them and send/give me replays/feedback, but no one is forced to play any of these levels.

Thanks again for playing, the replays/feedback, and for your kind words/compliments!  

[ericderkovits]

Ok. Final level of the LDC #22 finally solved

Armani's rule 2 level. This one was the hardest level of any to find the solution. Still WillLem's rule 2 level is the hardest one though since the level is huge and requires so much time to solve.
Luckily though his level furnished plenty of skills(although I used every one except for 3 gliders.)

here's how I figured how to solve Armani's Rule 2 level.

Spoiler

I was trying to figure out how to get a lemming down in the open space below that rightmost top button, since I knew that there is the spot for the fencer cloner had to be placed.
so finally I thought of jumping a lemming before that top right button and stoning him for the next lemming to jump and hit him to turn him around so he can glide down to that area to fence/clone.
So by using the stoner up there by the top right button, I then had to clone a stacker over that small spike spot on bottom left floor.
Wow what a tricky level.

Now I'm awaiting for both Icho to solve the contest levels and when Kaywhyn is ready, to resolve a few of the levels(ie Armani's rule 3, Flopsy's rule 2 Level,  and Crane multi version(No.18-wow so many attempts) Rule 1 level).

[kaywhyn]

Armani's rule 2 level. This one was the hardest level of any to find the solution.

Definitely. There's a lot of things that fail by a pixel or more, but really the hardest part is just a trick that, at least for me, hasn't been seen all that much and hence it took me a really long time to come up with it, especially since it was difficult for me to wrap my head around a few things that happen in the level no matter what. It's somewhat obscure as well.

Still WillLem's rule 2 level is the hardest one though since the level is huge and requires so much time to solve.
Luckily though his level furnished plenty of skills(although I used every one except for 3 gliders.)

I haven't seen your solution, but based on the very little skills you had left you really overcomplicated it. WillLem pointed out to me that the restarts I did were absolutely unnecessary, as there was one section in my solution where I could had saved a lot of skills on top of the many I had left.

It's also interesting that you thought WillLem's R2 was the hardest. As you might had guessed, none in this contest were really difficult for me except for both Armani's R2 and R3. These two were the last levels I solved out of everything else, with his R2 taking the longest because it stumped me for a while.

when Kaywhyn is ready, to resolve a few of the levels(ie Armani's rule 3, Flopsy's rule 2 Level,  and Crane multi version(No.18-wow so many attempts) Rule 1 level).

I'm flattered that you would like me to resolve the most recent versions of the contest levels, but don't worry too much about me or how others are doing in regards to playing the contest entries. There's a couple of others in addition to the ones you named that I need to resolve anyway I simply decided to take a break from the contest levels after solving every level at least once. I will come back to them in due time.

[IchoTolot]

Solved and uploaded my playthrough of the R1 levels today.

Links to the videos:

1.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnWA7nShPDk
2.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2OaZitfW6I
3.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4f3dyxECZ8

I also attached my replays.

[ericderkovits]

ok, Here is another solution (even beating Icho's 1 over) for Armani's Rule 1 level (Childhood Dreams) (saved 2 over the requirement)

[ericderkovits]

ok, Here is another solution for Dullstar Rule 1 level(not only saving the miner like Icho did but also saving a climber and floater)