Because I seem to have the terrible habit of making everything I create into some sort of challenge/puzzle/maze/rpg/thing.
The gist of this challenge is to make your way around the various platforms to reach the portal at the top. The challenge itself is relatively short, only about seven checkpoints.
Obstacles include: spikes, gaps, disappearing platforms, spear-firing jack-o-lanterns, disgruntled trees, player-activated traps, etc.
If you don't want a walkthrough or any sort of explanation I'd advise you skip to the bottom of the page.
Images:
Overview. The green pads are checkpoints, and the portal in the middle is your goal. The checkpoint to the far right is where you start. If you activate the sign on the adjacent platform you will see this image right here. This explicitly shows you what you're striving for, and gives you a reference point.
This was probably the most difficult part of the challenge. On the forth platform there's a door that requires a yellow key to open it. The floating key on the next platform however, simple disappears when you touch it. This is in fact, a ghost key. This was added to confuse players and force them to look elsewhere for a key. Next, you're supposed to jump down to a lower platform, (shown above) into the water to avoid falling damage, and enter the three openings turning on each of the valves found inside. In the third opening there's a room with spikes and another opening on the opposite end, too high off the floor to reach, and directly over the spikes. The object here is to activate all the valves, thereby raising the water level, and allowing you to swim through the space between the ceiling and floor spikes, enter the gap, grab the green key, exit the same way you entered, and use the key on the key pad located on the platform to the right. This activates the jump pad which enables you to jump onto the smiling tree, then upward and close by a checkpoint pad. (Also, I'm not sure if this is worth mentioning but touching some of the protruding "roots" will activate spikes to shoot upward and skewer you. That is, the ones located around the angry tree.)
This seemed to prove too much for players, both in figuring out what to do and then following through. Having witnessed many a player attempt my
other challenges, this comes as no surprise.
It's actually not that hard if you just use a little logic and common sense.
Challenge lobby.
Help section of the lobby.
Outside the lobby area, available only to challenge winners. (I need not be reminded how boring/bland/boxy the lobby is. It's just that...a lobby.) Winners are eligible for special privileges and access to certain areas. This includes the skybox.
Winners can access the skybox through the bonus area of the main lobby. The switches scattered around activate
traps directly beneath them. Some spawn projectiles, some activate hidden spikes, and some toggle the events on certain bricks which causes players to be propelled upward and smack into the skybox at a high velocity.
Edit: More screenshots added.
Winners/Deaths
Scores desceding
- Pieslapper / 104
- Mr.Noßody / 105
- Darkfire / 114
- Codyth / 177
- Xanner / 189
- Grogzor / 259
- Cipherneo / 356
Updates:
- Return-to-lobby system added to all checkpoints. You can do this by activating one of the print bricks surrounding the checkpoint.
- Due to countless complaints and overall failures, I have added a key-saving variable to the green key-pad. After you pick up the key for the first time you need only activate the pad to receive another one. Players no longer have to get in and out of the spike chamber with the key, as was originally intended.
- Consequently this invoked the problem of "key sharing" that is, players throwing keys to other players so they don't have to obtain the key on their own. Because of this, I've added a number of events to prevent key sharing and announce to all players via minigame when it occurs
- Added second floor to bonus area.
- Areas modified and spikes added to prevent cheating.
- Timeouts have been added to most all switches, JVS content, and pads.
Known Issues:
- Some jump pads have to been known to occasionally malfunction.
- Some events may malfunction under major stress i.e. from a large amount of players condensed into one spot.
More updates to come
This challenge allowed me to experiment with different strategies in order to find out what made a challenge fun to players, and how many of my
own ideas players will accept as "fun". This has also given me insight as to what needs to be accomplished in future challenges I have in the works. As far as I know every thing has been fool-proofed to make cheating all but impossible. Please report any problems you may experience. I'm open to suggestions as to what to add to outside the lobby area, and what modifications need be made (if any) to make the challenge or specific areas easier, harder or more playable. I've tested this challenge myself in its entirety many times. And by tested, I don't mean going over the same spot until it appears to be plausible then F8ing to another area.
Implementations made here such as checkpoint, portal, pad designs, areas, etc. will more than likely be carried over to future projects. Although lobbies may vary, I plan to keep most things constant.
Any questions regarding future challenges that have already been covered here will be referred back to this tread.
