GARDENS OF PURITY {v.2.0 OUT NOW}

[Waddle]

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐋𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬.

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬,

𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐦.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓!

Catch a glimpse: show

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
This episode comprises a collection of loosely tied levels in an atmospheric and immersive hub world. The levels within range from Link-based combat-oriented platformers to the eldritch experiences of Flurret Path, or the unique movement options of the inconvenient ascent. Further, this episode is expected to grow as time goes on. The hub will expand outward, with new unlockable paths and content behind them. There is currently no roadmap or release date for such expansion, but it is most certainly a possibility.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭
Presently the episode contains over 12 levels!

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦
Myself, mostly, though significant credit goes to Enjl for helping me conceptualize and realize the Gardens.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐠

Spoiler: show

Version 2.0:
• Global: Incorporated LittleDialogue
• Trial of the Moon: added
• Woods: added
• Fixed a few bugs
• Hub: Escalated.

Version 1.1:
• Outset Keep: Added a checkpoint halfway through the second section
• Drenched Mire: Added a checkpoint halfway through the top half's second section
• Drenched Mire: Improved and polished some cruel setups
• Drenched Mire: Nerfed the menace Mud Mouser
• Hub: Escalated.

[Blake Izayoi]

Absolutely incredible. This is a must play!! The visuals especially are stunning.
Congratulations on the release of the episode. It's also exciting to hear this episode will be expanded in the future.

[SuperAlex]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟

Wow I Récord the Episode damageless

[georgespezi12]

The mouser in the lower path of the mire feels much like a big difficulty spike compared to the castle mouser

Also this:

[Waddle]

The mouser in the lower path of the mire feels much like a big difficulty spike compared to the castle mouser

Also this:

Hehe, yeah, noticed that one. As for cave mouser, he requires a different approach I think! Staying patient and focusing on blocking Mouser's attacks is the way to go.

[SuperAlex]

I Récord the Episode please

[Archived]

Archived

[georgespezi12]

Accessiblity options would be great for newer players.

[Sambo]

You've got some great stuff here! The levels are tough, but really well-designed. The hub gives off strong Fez vibes with its relaxing ambient music and air of mystery.

This may be because I don't play Link much, but the Swordmaster levels were especially hard, and it felt like there were a lot of cases where the cost of death was too high. I think there should probably be more checkpoints in the first two of these levels.

In the Peach level, the secret path that leads to Chavel (I think that was the singing creature's name?) is basically impossible to find. I had to cheat to find it. The tight passage right before Chavel's room is too small to squeeze through, so I had to cheat at that, too. I was able to figure out the hint in that room, though, and use it in the appropriate locations.

Like I said, though, this is episode is really great, and I would recommend people to give it a play (unless they're new to SMBX, because it is pretty hard).

[Waddle]

You've got some great stuff here! The levels are tough, but really well-designed. The hub gives off strong Fez vibes with its relaxing ambient music and air of mystery.

This may be because I don't play Link much, but the Swordmaster levels were especially hard, and it felt like there were a lot of cases where the cost of death was too high. I think there should probably be more checkpoints in the first two of these levels.

In the Peach level, the secret path that leads to Chavel (I think that was the singing creature's name?) is basically impossible to find. I had to cheat to find it. The tight passage right before Chavel's room is too small to squeeze through, so I had to cheat at that, too. I was able to figure out the hint in that room, though, and use it in the appropriate locations.

Like I said, though, this is episode is really great, and I would recommend people to give it a play (unless they're new to SMBX, because it is pretty hard).

I'm glad to hear the overall experience was a good one! Seeing FEZ cited as a vibe brings me great joy, since it was an enormous inspiration going into this whole thing.

The Link levels are comparatively difficult I think, and if I were to do an updated release (which I might do very soon) I'll certainly touch them up a little bit. I think during testing I got a bit of designer's tunnel vision, since I've played around with Link so much.

As far as the overly cryptic Cheval passage is concerned, I'm always conflicted with these sorts of things. I secretly quite like locking content behind these ridiculous barriers to where figuring it out is a proper challenge, but at the same time if resorting to the editor or cheating feels unearned, or if one feels like there was never any chance of coming to it without cheating, then maybe it's gone a bit too far. I think I'll at least make the cramped hallway easier to squeeze through (it is possible, though hard, to do without cheating).

Thanks for play!

[Waddle]

Version 1.1 is out now! See the changelog for further details, and the main post for the updated download link.

[Waddle]

Hello hello! Version 2.0 is here. See main post for changelog and updated DL link.

[Archived]

Archived

[Waddle]

Hello hello! Version 2.0 is here. See main post for changelog and updated DL link.

Is it gonna be one level per update or are there more plans than that?

I'm honestly not sure. I roll out updates whenever I have the creative juice for doing so, and whenever I have a batch of new content I feel is worth sharing. That might be one level, that might be four levels. We'll see how it goes, though, this'll be the last update in a while (as I hopefully work towards something major).

[LooKiCH]

I have such a problem, I collected 13 crystals, and the wall with the levels shown on the gif does not open for me. When I watched the video on the passage of this episode, that wall was open, what could it be connected with? I updated the episode, it still doesn't work for me

[Emral]

I have such a problem, I collected 13 crystals, and the wall with the levels shown on the gif does not open for me. When I watched the video on the passage of this episode, that wall was open, what could it be connected with? I updated the episode, it still doesn't work for me

Crystals have no bearing on when that gate opens. There are some secrets in the levels of the Blademaster's Halls that it seems you haven't found yet.

[LooKiCH]

I have such a problem, I collected 13 crystals, and the wall with the levels shown on the gif does not open for me. When I watched the video on the passage of this episode, that wall was open, what could it be connected with? I updated the episode, it still doesn't work for me

Crystals have no bearing on when that gate opens. There are some secrets in the levels of the Blademaster's Halls that it seems you haven't found yet.

ah, I missed one moment on the hike, there, in Link's level with 2 crystals, I saw a head in one section, which will open the wall

[LooKiCH]

I went through a new level of the episode - Woods, there are only 3 crystals, one, of course, I collected, and the remaining 2 how to take without changing anything in the editor, I don’t know, I looked in the luna.lua file, I didn’t understand anything there, I tried in other ways (such as killing all NPCs, etc.), nothing happened

[Waddle]

I went through a new level of the episode - Woods, there are only 3 crystals, one, of course, I collected, and the remaining 2 how to take without changing anything in the editor, I don’t know, I looked in the luna.lua file, I didn’t understand anything there, I tried in other ways (such as killing all NPCs, etc.), nothing happened

There are a few subtle hints in the level as to how to get its two final gems. That flower at the start of the level looks familiar. And is that... a familiar shape, below the unopenable door?

[LooKiCH]

I tried to go through The Primordial and Flurret Canyon to all endings, the problem is that if you go through Flurret Canyon first to all endings, then in the Woods level it is possible to do only the ending for Flurret, you won’t even do the main ending. To make the rest of the endings in this level, you need to go to the save1-ext.dat file and find ["flurretTrueEnding"]=true, change 'true' to 'false'

And also I noticed a bug when passing to the 3rd ending, you either erased the warp to another section, or forgot to erase the warp to 1 section