April 2017 Time Trial - Random No More

[M11k4]

Results!

1. Ihavenoname248 15
pts 915 +(239)+ (0) + 243 +(906)-> 1158 MS

2. Kevin_________ 12
pts (0) + 241 + (0) + (0) + 905 -> 1146 MS

3. rubenspaans___ 10
pts (0) + 243 + (0) +(241)+ 882 -> 1125 Lynx

4. Xindictive_____ 8
pts 880 + 214 + (0) + (0) + (0) -> 1094 MS


Congrats to IHNN for pulling out the win with these uninviting levels! I honestly used these levels because I didn't want to play them and knew I could concentrate on CCLP4 voting. That actually sounds worse than I meant it, as a big reason I couldn't participate was that I designed the second level around in a way where it would not have been fair for me to participate. Still, the design of the first level might be a low point for the levels I've made for these competitions. Great work from all of you, and in particular Ruben's score of 243 without boosting in Lynx stands out to me as very nice work. Thanks to all of you for bearing with(out!) me through this month.


More design related comments:
<div class="ipsSpoiler" data-ipsspoiler>

[Click to Show Content]

I learned now that if I have a level that is simply too complex like the first one here, and I try to make a simpler version of it, I really need to make a simpler version. I like the idea that a simpler version can exist and be part of a competition, but it really means the original level could be simpler to begin with and the second level should be even more simple than I first think. Like if you look at the simpler version of the second level (Simply Dissenter, #4), you'll see I could still have made it a bit easier, and the middle version of the first level was also pretty pointless.
I made these levels at least a year apart from each other and it tickles me a bit to now look back and see how similar the concept ended up. Both were based on previous Time Trial levels with a heavy random component. Both were trying to do something non-random with the underlying structure. Clearly, the second level worked out much better. What I tried to do with it was to take the structure of the chips in the rooms and see how they could be picked up the quickest. The interesting bit about this was that doing so required as many turns between the rooms as possible, that is going through the rooms in a straight line always lost some moves. So I mapped out a path that I thought was good and then started adding obstacles into the rooms in such a way that the timing of the planned route was not affected. This is the first time I designed a level around a route instead of the other way around! So this is the main reason why I couldn't participate on this level, and you will find my original route that scores 247 MS in the second video below

And here are some of the quickest solutions:






Leave comments! (like how everyone picked up the extra yellow key! (well, except Kevin, but his solution is not shown))

-Miika