Utility Pack - Discussion

[random 8]

35: Extremely precise timing is required; in Lynx, a delay of even a single tick can kill Chip. Or am I doing things wrong?

You're probably doing it wrong. The only things that require timing are the tank and maybe tank button presses.

[chipster1059]

Here's my solution, no ultra precise timing required

Maybe it doesn't need to be THAT precise. But still, I'm not very good at levels that require (not so) precise timing.

You're probably doing it wrong. The only things that require timing are the tank and maybe tank button presses.

...which amounts to pretty much the entire level.

[random 8]

Maybe it doesn't need to be THAT precise. But still, I'm not very good at levels that require (not so) precise timing.

So your shortcoming makes the level bad?

...which amounts to pretty much the entire level.

I don't know. Personally, i found the pink ball/block/lock mechanism and the amount of thought it requires to be more significant than the tank.

[chipster1059]

So your shortcoming makes the level bad?

Perhaps "terrible" isn't the best choice of adjective, but fact remains that my poor dodging skills prevent me from finding the level fun.

I don't know. Personally, i found the pink ball/block/lock mechanism and the amount of thought it requires to be more significant than the tank.

There is a difference between puzzle difficulty and action difficulty. While figuring out the puzzle may be a challenge, executing the solution still consists mainly of tank dodging.

[random 8]

There is a difference between puzzle difficulty and action difficulty. While figuring out the puzzle may be a challenge, executing the solution still consists mainly of tank dodging.

You said the tank dodging is "pretty much the entire level." I'm saying the level is more than its action difficulty.

[chipster1059]

You said the tank dodging is "pretty much the entire level." I'm saying the level is more than its action difficulty.

I agree that there is more than action difficulty to the level. What I meant was that executing the solution was pretty much only dodging the tank.

[Flareon350]

More feedback!

5. Nether Fortress

This was one of my favorite levels in the set it comes from and replaying it definitely brought back some good memories. The overall design and aesthetic is very nice and enjoyable to look at and the level itself didn't get boring. My only nitpick with this is the block pushing near the bottom was kind of tedious but I know that could be have been a lot longer and I appreciate the designer didn't abuse that. Otherwise, a fun level to play!

10. Wall Jumping Up Waterfalls

Loved the concept, loved the design, loved the title. But it wasn't as fun to play as I had hoped it would be. The starting room especially, I wish that was at the end of the level instead of at the start because I did not enjoy having to redo that segment every time I messed up elsewhere, it just made it less fun.

12. Aggressive Colony

Now this is a great melee level - one of my favorite ones actually! And I don't even like melee levels to start with! Not only was it contained (which I really, really appreciate!) but I enjoyed playing it a lot. Never got frustrated with dumb deaths and that is always a good thing. CCLP4 is gonna need a couple dodging themed levels and I really hope this will be one of them.

15. Colour Rush

Least favorite level: Colour Rush

Ouch. I honestly don't see why this is with J.B. because I certainly think there's much worse levels in this pack. But opinions are opinions, and my opinion is that I liked this level, though the time limit is a bit too strict. There's a level similar to this seen in the Souvenir Pack that I strongly prefer over this but regardless, this was a pretty good time crunch challenge.

23. No Return Level

Your first word in your title summarizes my thoughts on this one. Why this made it in voting is beyond me. Yeah that's harsh but levels that intentionally require guessing and nothing more? Come on, let's move on from that please.

29. Air Shaft

Okay so I can't always avoid talking about my own levels and as much as I don't like doing that, I want to with this one. This is one of my favorite blue wall maze levels, if not my absolute favorite. Not just because I designed it but because the lost factor remains throughout the playing experience, which was my main goal. If CCLP4 is going to continue the trend with the decade messages, this would be a perfect fit for the Level 61 slot.

36. Forsythia

My favorite level from probably my favorite designer Do I need to say more? This version of the level still has 4 chips counted for so I guess I'll say that. But seriously, this was just so much fun to play and the recessed wall/fire boot section was very well done. I will be very disappointed if this doesn't make it in the final set.

37. Shemozzle

My favorite level from another one of my favorite designers Also my favorite time crunch level ever, this never got boring to play and the design/theme/concept of this level is amazing. Another level I really hope gets into the set.

44. Fiery Fogstorm

Again being one of my levels, I can't avoid talking about this one either. I was a little surprised (not disappointed) this didn't make it in CCLP1 and honestly I think this level has a better chance for this set instead of CCLP1. Most of the reason why I think this is due to the force floor precision timing in the lower right, which is probably the reason why it didn't do well in CCLP1 voting. But for a set like CCLP4, a little bit of precise timing that doesn't really punish you wouldn't be so bad. However, all that aside I do still think this level is fun to play and is a good example of how to use invisible walls in a good, non-annoying way which was my overall goal.

Favorite level: Forsythia (36) / Shemozzle (37)

Least favorite level: Brute Force (4)

[Ihavenoname248]

Brute Force (#4): That blocksliding section was painful, which is a shame because without needing to manage the tanks there this could actually be a fun level. I especially liked the key room- very clever tank usage!

Wall Jumping Up Waterfalls (#10): I like the concept I used here- hadn't seen similar "fill the central force floor slide" levels at the time I designed it...certain parts of the implementation, on the other hand, I don't like. I shouldn't have started the level off with a lengthy sokoban, or included two potential collision herding puzzles afterwards. Honestly I feel like if the puzzles were in reverse order it'd be stronger, but as it is it's still a good level: but can definitely see the complaints here as I have them too.

Endless (#16): For a primarily row-based aesthetic, this actually looks pretty nice! The puzzles involved aren't too difficult on thinking them through, but they're complicated enough that you really can't just blitz through. I don't think the method I used for the northeast fireball/recessed wall section was the intended one: I had several stray fireballs, extra recessed walls and I believe an extra block. Still, fun puzzle!

Xehanosia (#19): This is one of the best open collection levels I've ever played.

No Return Level (#23): Why? I thought we were past "lol guess right or restart" levels? There's really no redeeming qualities to this one- closest comparisons are Cellblocked and Pentagram. Cellblocked has a structure to it that makes it clear where you can and can't go, and Pentagram has a pattern that removes the guesswork once discovered.

The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything (#28): Cardinal sin of level design: unclear trap connections. It's not terribly interesting, and the red key seems to cook the level if obtained when it looks like you're supposed to have to set up a partial post later. Teleport shenanigans + traps + no real options + blind timing = not a level I enjoyed.

Shemozzle (#37): That's a rush level. I like those quite a bit actually, especially in the 'variety' category like this one. Time limit is a little lower than I'd have set it- I finished with 21 seconds left after a little bit of practice. The fireball room in particular I'm not really a fan of, but that's a minor nitpick on an otherwise exceptional level.

Life, the Universe, and Everything (#40): Very enjoyable and relaxed variety level. No really connecting theme, nothing tedious or all that difficult, either. Just a collection of fun sections composed very well- there's open-ended options!

Push (#42): Very strong first room, very strong yellow lock room...unfortunately, the level suffers from rigidness and repeating known (or even trivial, such as the second room) sections over while trying to figure out the core puzzle. Still a strong candidate, just not as strong due to the room ordering.

Exercising Bug (#50): There are levels that work well as puzzles. There are levels that work well as levels. There are puzzles that work well as levels. This is a puzzle that's no fun to play, as attempts take upwards of 3 minutes just to see if you hit on the right idea. I love the concept here, but hate the execution: on a smaller scale this would be fantastic.

Favorite level: Green of Tourmaline (#25)

Least favorite: No Return Level (#23)

Non-obvious least favorite: Exercising Bug (#50)

[ajmiam]

Now this is more like it! Plenty of strong candidates all over this pack.

Some favorites:

#5 Nether Fortress: The aesthetic of the bombs everywhere and the gravel in the starting area is just fantastic. It's cool that you have to blow some of them up to get into various rooms, but it's pretty easy to tell which ones need to go. A level full of manageable puzzles that unravels itself as you go. Being able to have free reign to blow up a bunch of the bombs in the south due to the cloner was also cool. One minor point of confusion was the room with the fireball cloner, as I didn't quite grasp what was causing the continuous cloning until after a couple tries. Once I did, it became a frantic and exciting dodging challenge in an otherwise fairly calm level.

#18 Magic Block: The solution to this level is not hard or involved. In fact, there's not much freedom or decision-making at all. But hot diggity dog, is it creative! It felt like a real magic show, as the illusion was flawless. The designer knew exactly what the room would look like after each step in order to replicate its appearance in the next.

#35 Colour Control: Let's just say this manages to pack an impressively devious puzzle into a small space. Quite a few factors have to be accounted for with the limited resources you have. It does require precise timing, but it's short enough for that be nothing more than a very small annoyance.

#36 Forsythia: What can I say? The level has some creative puzzles that mesh together really well. The fire boot/recessed wall contraption is something that I've never seen anywhere else, and the Monster Sorter section is a different take on something that I've only rarely seen. The way the blocks are re-used later in the level after you solve the initial sokoban is just a beautiful design choice.

#39 Toggletank Factory: Hectic! That's how it appears at first glance, and then you realize how well everything is set up for you to avoid causing disruptions to the monster cycles. It takes a bit of foresight--recognizing that you shouldn't venture into the southeast before you pick up a blue key, and that you shouldn't let the horizontal pink balls into the path of the vertical one that bounces from (26, 9) to (26, 15), but these were easy enough to spot that I don't consider them unfair. It's still a pretty tense level with lots of dodging, but in my opinion it's fun to discover and solve each new challenge in it.

Honorable mentions:

A couple of blue wall mazes. I actually prefer #9 Dayrdreamer's Maze over #29 Air Shaft. Both were easy to get lost in, but Air Shaft consisted mainly of a tree of twisty-but-ultimately-linear paths where your only challenge is making sure you remember to push on every wall, whereas Daydreamer's Maze had loops and, in my opinion, a more logical structure, making it a more likable experience to solve. I finished Daydreamer's Maze with only 84 seconds on the clock (which is pretty close to my initial solve time of Mazed In) so I agree with Chipster that its time limit could be bumped up a bit.

Others I liked included Pongo, Alcnalkcxa, Frozen Waffle and The Crusher. Also, One Tank's Adventure is in my top 3 of my own levels that I really want to see in CCLP4, just because I'm not sure I've seen a level that focuses so strongly on the concept of escorting a single tank. I wouldn't mind seeing Brutal make it in as well, as I think it's a tough but fair level that's decently fun to play...but I can see how the beginning ball challenge might turn a few people off.