Create better Level 3

[grady404]

I think I have a pretty good one, tell me what you think. If it is to your satisfaction, consider this issue closed. Make sure it's easy enough for a new player to understand. level3.json.txt

[cooperuser]

Yeah this is better, I just think that it is still a bit hard for level 3

[grady404]

You do? Oh well. We should probably get some playtesters before we jump to that conclusion, since they might actually appreciate that the game jumps right into the challenge (unlike a lot of other comparable puzzle games), as long as the level isn't hard enough to make them give up. In addition to the old level 3 being difficult-ish, I actually found a design flaw in it, which is a very bad thing (while difficulty isn't necessarily a bad thing). It wouldn't be considered a flaw for a later level, but the thing is, the player doesn't know that blocks can stop other blocks yet (i.e. that they won't stick together like light blocks would), and the player pretty much needs to know that to complete the level, unless they're prepared for a lot of trial and error.

[grady404]

I'm going to mark this as closed for now, unless playtesters complain that the level is too difficult.

[grady404]

Crap. Making a level that does teach them that is actually very difficult.

[cooperuser]

I know, I had Ken play the game yesterday, and when he got to the old third level, he was stuck for quite a bit

[grady404]

Yeah, now I realize why

[grady404]

The one that's now called Doubles, not the one that's now called Amorphous, right?

[grady404]

Because Amorphous used to be level 3, I showed it to you in class and you said it was WAY too hard

[cooperuser]

No it was Doubles

[grady404]

Yeah I figured, and I now realize that level is also too difficult for a Level 3 due to its poor design

[cooperuser]

If got it!

[cooperuser]

we take First Steps, add a tile in the top right corner, and place another block

[grady404]

???

[grady404]

Oh um ok let me try that

[cooperuser]

Here ill post a screenshot in a minute

[grady404]

Personally I think that's way too easy for a level 3. A lot of these puzzle games have super shallow difficulty curves, and people get tired of easy tutorial levels

[cooperuser]

[grady404]

But for that level they pretty much need to know that blocks can stop blocks, the level doesn't teach them that.

[cooperuser]

no?

[grady404]

How would it?

[grady404]

They'll just kind of slide the blocks around and be stuck for a while, unless they happen to move Block B left as their first move.

[cooperuser]

They would realize that they wont be able to do anything, and try to do new things

[grady404]

Well, you could argue that would happen in Doubles

[cooperuser]

but Doubles was way harder

[grady404]

But actually, I like that idea of trying things... so I think I'm going to see how the playtesters do with Doubles (under a different name) as their fourth level

[grady404]

No, isn't this harder than Doubles? Try to beat it

[cooperuser]

Shouldn't level four teach them that all plates need to be on?

[grady404]

That's um... that would be Correspondence (although I might use a different level to teach that if playtesters don't perform well with that one)

[grady404]

Correspondence is actually level 7 (it's also the first level with 3 blocks)

[cooperuser]

[grady404]

Level 1: Blocks slide until they hit a wall Level 2: Blocks must stay on top of plates Level 3: Blocks can be used together Level 4: Blocks can't be pushed by other blocks Level 7: All plates must be activated to win

As far as I know those are the only important things the player needs to know... can you think of any more?

[cooperuser]

I changed it a bit, now there is no shuffling

[grady404]

That level looks better, but it would be nicer if the design were a bit more streamlined (maybe make the main area smaller)?

[grady404]

And isn't there a key command to screenshot a window?

[cooperuser]

oh yeah...

[grady404]

Command+Shift+4 then hit space

[cooperuser]

yup ....

[grady404]

^^^ you can't think of any more core mechanics the player needs to know, right?

[cooperuser]

At this point in time, no

[grady404]

Oh btw do you have a good idea for a new name for Doubles? I can't call it that anymore because Level 3 is Doubling Up...

[cooperuser]

[grady404]

To use Excel terminology, why is there a tile at C5?

[grady404]

Btw I think this is way harder than Doubles

[cooperuser]

To stop the player from moving F4 to C4 to C2, and then B4 to F4, then C2 to C4, then F4 to D4 to the goal

[cooperuser]

By the way, as far as I can tell, this level is 12 moves

[cooperuser]

11 in that picture, 12 in the final version I updated

[grady404]

Block B left Block B down Block A up Block A right Block B up Block A left Block A up

[grady404]

Then you don't have to go through the tunnel

[cooperuser]

damn..

[grady404]

wait, that's actually a great level on its own LMFAO