[Earth] Stormghost Quintessence

'Twas the Choco Latte Contest 2022.
Sux
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[Earth] Stormghost Quintessence

Postby Sux » Sun Aug 21, 2022 5:51 pm

Last edited by Sux on Mon Aug 22, 2022 3:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

cato
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Re: [Earth] Stormghost Quintessence

Postby cato » Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:15 am

I think there is a fine line between having a lot of nicely synchronized gimmicks that have great potential and combining everything that overwhelms the player. Quite frankly, I liked the idea of not using Shockplatforms made by Enjl but using Tesla coils and electrical NPCs to trigger the platforms. Visual-wise, I think the level looks great with the Dark Fortress section. It fits being a lightning stronghold.

However, gameplay-wise, I don't think I have a great time with it. To be honest, your previous Chocolate Contest entry scored quite well, despiting having similar complexity of the gimmicks. Wormhole stuff is equally challenging to keep an eye on to electric shock platforms. So I believe the very capable judges would have no big problems completing this level.

Just to be sure, the level does feel overwhelming. Conservatively, each gimmick is introduced naturally and steadily. In your case, each segment would start from Electro Spinies, Electro Boos, Thunder Lakitus to the floor, timed Tesla coils, Tesla coils activated by Electro Boos, Thunder Lakitus to the water, then everything else together. And then there are some arbitrary challenges, such as using the Fishing Boo, the Eerie, the moving Boos, and the Cheep Cheeps, some of which aren't too necessary.

I am fine with combining the spinies and the boos before the first checkpoint. However, having a long vertical autoscrolling section, filled with both things from the previous section, with offscreen (with warning signs) Lakitu, and ends with a Tesla Coils Star Coin would be too much for a 2nd section.

Although section 3 is used for introducing the Tesla Coils that are timed and controlled by Boos, I think that section alone warrants a Bouncypit.lua, together with the vertical autoscrolling section. While you have to time your Tesla Coils grabbing jumps before they activate, it is quite easy to fall in the pit and have to restart.

And then there is section 4, where the best is expected when combining everything at once. Some parts are without consistency (Thunder Lakitus triggering at a different time due to no Spawnzones). Although I liked the part you have to jump out of the water for a brief moment, the whole section feels very long and tiresome, especially if you can't take another hit. Sending back to the checkpoint is a nightmare. The setup immediately after it is just a waiting game, when the electro Boo circle is open, the electro Boo isn't activating the Tesla Coil and the timed Tesla Coil isn't activated at the same time.

I didn't beat the whole thing by legit means, simply because I don't have the patience to deal with the overwhelming difficulties and long sections. Either by dying multiple times to pitfalls, or bad timing with the electroshocks, it wasn't a fun experience. Certainly, I still think you will be doing fine since the gimmicks, the visuals, and the setups have quite the appeal, even if it isn't easy. Players who are good at the game would surely have no problems with it. I don't think you can fix anything in 4 or fewer hours, but if you want to, go ahead.


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