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General Help Do you use tricks when you play?

Discussion in 'Level Play Help' started by D.S.Masters, Nov 17, 2016.

  1. D.S.Masters

    D.S.Masters Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Film

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    So... are there any of you out there - and I'm presuming that there are - who use tricks to shortcut a level when you play? Obviously, some levels are built so that tricks are needed, such as "Square one iii" by @vince, where falling / tripping on air is needed (that's a fun level). But what about the levels that don't require tricks - do you use them? For example, "Square one" by @vince - there are no tricks needed for that, but after the exit moves for the first time, you can trip on air to reach it and short-circuit the level. Or "Switcho chango" by @sawdust - you can use autopilot to shortcut the level, no need for R.

    I do it both ways: I'll play the level the proper way first, and then I'll play it again using the very few tricks that I actually know. I'm not really fond of levels that require tricks... some of the stuff by @richardfu drives me up the wall, and "Square one ii" by @vince is one that I know how to finish, but I'd prefer not to, so I don't have it.
     
    mothproof and vince like this.
  2. explorer

    explorer Active Member

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    My personal tastes? If I haven't won a game, whether video / computer, a physical race, or a board game with others, without resorting to a shortcut or trick to get around the intended rules and procedures, then I haven't really won it. The same goes for steroid use, because if you have to take a drug to do better than someone who didn't use the same treatment, then you didn't win, the treatment did.

    Others can have a different opinion on it, and I'm okay with that. I'm speaking purely for myself and whether I feel I accomplished something, or not, by getting around the rules. Some people like getting to the finish line no matter how they do it. It doesn't really affect me if it's in a small, one-person game.
     
    Ginger and HackedUp like this.
  3. cpw

    cpw Retired Moderator

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    I surely do, though I also make sure I could figure out the intended solution for levels that seem worth playing. Boogie bot / Tripping on Air are the two tricks I only use as a last resort -- especially since they don't require very specific block arrangements to be performed, the creator could easily overlook shortcuts like these (so I don't think it's the creator's responsibility to prevent them).
     
  4. cpw

    cpw Retired Moderator

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    @D.S.Masters As for @richardfu_ 's material I find the tricks mostly intuitive by design, since he usually presents them in a relatively straightforward way. I'd like to think that @retrograde 's levels are much more cryptic (even when based on the very same tricks) :D
     
  5. Frenzies

    Frenzies Administrator Staff Member

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    Yes, I like finding shortcuts in a level, although I often try to complete it the right way after that. Sometimes it's even harder to find a shortcut than complete it the right way, though.

    I don't really like complicated combos of tricks now. Since I went inactive, I've been looking for levels with just simple tricks/no tricks at all. It takes away some of the puzzle aspect and is probably the reason I didn't complete some of @richardfu_'s latest levels (and some others, too). Don't get me wrong, his levels are still awesome (and I'm really sad that he stopped creating :'( ) but I'm looking for less complicated stuff now. Luckily, @sawdust came back and provided just that. I'm also hoping to see more of @KPACABA's work.

    @cpw Yeah, it's virtually impossible to completely stop those tricks. The best thing you can do is to prevent your level from being to vulnerable to it. For example, if you can trip and fall to the finish from the start of the level, that's a problem, although it still wouldn't be the creator's fault.
     
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  6. trids

    trids Famous Member

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    "shortcut", "cheat"... These are such unnecessarily negative ways to describe a solution. As if there are Solution Police, ready to pounce on any lateral thinker who refuses to conform to their preconceived ideas of what is intended.

    For me, the best puzzles have more than one solution. Sometimes it's difficult to tell which one of several solutions is the intended one (like @explorer's clever sharp corners puzzle). And that's great! All solutions that are achievable within the confines of the game are valid, in my opinion... Whether or not the designer intends for there to be multiple solutions to his puzzle.
    :p
    Each solution, intended / alternative / shortcut, is a source of enjoyment when mastered. And therefore it is to the credit of the designer if his challenge supports multiple solutions. He loses nothing. Why should he fret or frown if a player finds a different path? Let him rejoice!

    At least he will have learned something, and his experience will be the richer for it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2016
    mothproof and retrograde like this.
  7. ColdBlast

    ColdBlast Member

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    I fear when people first finish the original levels, and try their first community levels, scanned levels that rely on moves not required for the original suite of levels (or perhaps intended to be possible at all) are extremely frustrating and can be a real turn-off. (I'm experiencing this myself right now, and I am sure I am not alone.) Is there a tag of some sort for levels that can be solved using only "classic" moves, nothing beyond those needed to solve the original levels, or for levels that can't be solved without resorting to special moves?
     
    mothproof and AelJerzhee like this.
  8. EL797

    EL797 Famous Member

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    I love to use tricks when I’m playing or making levels, so I used them.
     
    Adiorama likes this.
  9. D.S.Masters

    D.S.Masters Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Film

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    Most members who post levels will let you know - either in the level description or the comments - whether tricks are needed or not. A lot of levels are 'clean', no tricks, but yes, there really should be a tag on levels that lists it as 'no tricks'. However, there are actually tricks in the original 50 - mainly autopilot and R bot maneuvers. For yourself, try playing any community levels that are listed 'for kids', and work your way up from there. I know how to do a few tricks, but others are beyond me - but it's not the tricks / exploits that make a level interesting, it's the design and the gameplay. Folks like @Star Penguin, @Block builder and @gmacpro are usually pretty good about letting you know that there are tricks involved, and what they are, before you even download a level.
     
    gmacpro likes this.
  10. D.S.Masters

    D.S.Masters Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Film

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    As long as you mention in the level description that there are tricks required to complete a level - that's the fair thing to do. And yes, you have some interesting levels so far.
     
    EL797 likes this.
  11. EL797

    EL797 Famous Member

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    I add some tricks in my levels, but I will not let the players know until they ask. Also, I think ‘clean’ levels can have tricks too.:)
     
    Nekorama likes this.
  12. Lyracian

    Lyracian New Member

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    The main issue is not knowing if a trick is the intended solution or not.

    There are a few levels I have done where I have accidentally triggered the exit with a dragable Block. If I can see what looks like a ‘normal’ solution with the robots I will play again otherwise I move on.

    Most of the levels I have done by Jarvis seem to need the draggable blocks unless I am completely missing something
     
  13. Adiorama

    Adiorama Famous Member

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    Me too
     

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