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nGord

Praying For Rain

B is stuck at his once oasis, which is now quite parched. Will the rain he is praying for save him? [This is my first ever level. I know I've critiqued hundreds. Hopefully you'll be kind. Free camera not required but an exploit is. Please see the Caption tab for more details on hints, etc. Thanks.]

Praying For Rain
nGord, Oct 2, 2016
    • vince
      @nGord
      Well, you could have used the falling trick ;)
    • Frenzies
      @vince I also hate that, lol.
    • Block builder
      Is there a difference between the two? :confused:
    • Frenzies
      @Block builder That's a completely different trick. You may not know it. It's in @vince's Square One II
    • TR O
      Wow:eek::eek::D! @nGord very first level! At first I though someone was disguising nGord as the profile pic is changed.
    • Block builder
      @Frenzies Yes I know that level. To me both tricks are the same.
      You give B momentum while he steps off and looses control, causing him to fall.
    • Rating:
      4/5,
      TR O
      @nGord Funny level! I think the lord has heard B loud and clear LOL.

      @Block builder
      It's easier in this way but not consistent. Sometime will fall just too far.[​IMG]
      nGord likes this.
    • nGord
      Thanks a lot guys! Thanks for the suggestions, debate, and finally a rating!

      I'll reiterate my opening disclaimer: "The point of this level was more about the art..." ;)

      To be honest, it also had some to do with showing that the desert trick wasn't too hard to figure out. In my excitement of having figured it out, compounded with actually having a playable level for the first time too, I may have not made the best choice in falling mechanic (and I knew it).

      Unfortunately, I have been super busy writing documentation (you will see soon) and so I have not had a chance to play Square One II yet. :(

      OK, since reading @vince's suggestion of a different mechanic, I went ahead and used a different one (and one that I thought he meant). Here it is:
      [​IMG]
      May you please let me know if I should publish this as a second version, leave it as is, go with @vince's actual suggestion, or some other suggestion? Thanks! [I'm tired.]
    • Gepeto
      How did I miss your level yesterday (for me) ??? :eek: OK... for the moment B still praying and refuses to watch the spoilers, but he begins to need a lot of faith :D Good to see this oasis. I'll have a drink in memory of B (but miracles are possible) ;)
    • nGord
      @Gepeto - If you get a chance to see this message before you post your verdict. Please give the new version a try too (it's in a spoiler just before your first message). And then let me know which way I should go. If I should go with posting the new version as a second level to the forum, then I'd rather you rate the second one once I've posted it as a second level. I guess that's obvious since you would already think it better. I just think the art is not as good. Oh well...
    • Rating:
      5/5,
      Gepeto
      OK. I was about to write a review when I've seen your request about your new level. I'm a little bit confused. I was able to solve the current level but not the new one :confused:
      The current level was tricky but possible with the falling trick from above. It's great as this is supposed to be used this thime (I hope...). I spend much more times to find out your draggable! :eek: I need to show that to my kid to know if it's challenging for him :D. So I only found a way to fall like this.
      [​IMG]
      I tried several times and that worked for me. I don't know if you had something else in mind.

      About your updated level, I just can't figured out how to move the draggable... As we need to go in a specific location to manage that I am not sure if sometimes it doesn't depend on the screen size of the equipement. I have seen the stair in the clouds so I suppose that's to avoid the falling trick, but I wasn't able to release the slider from above.
      So (about the current card) you're revisiting the theme of a desert beautifully. If only this time it was possible to show the green grass to mimic the leaves of the baobab :p
      So:
      • That's your first level :eek:
      • It is indeed really challenging and simple :cool:
      • I love the concept, the atmosphere and the theme
      Good job!
      nGord likes this.
    • Frenzies
      @nGord That's not what @vince was talking about, but I like the 2nd one much better.
      The only problem there is that it was hard to see and click the block after the stairs, but I guess that's intended so that you won't notice it disappear when you find the hidden draggable ;)
      The trick used in this on is way too annoying.
      nGord likes this.
    • Block builder
      This must for sure be the first level with the most comments. :D Thanks for explaining the two tricks. @Frenzies and @TR O.

      I wasn't too annoyed with the first version of the level (I am with this website always going to page 1 of the comments, even when you click on a new message notification). Also because it is clear that you have to use some trick.

      I believe I did something like the falling trick, but with an 'S'-turn. Maybe it's a falling/inertia hybrid.

      I like the more minimalistic cloud of the first version more, art-wise.
      nGord likes this.
    • Frenzies
    • Block builder
      @Frenzies You sure? I did this:

      [​IMG]
      (2nd click just before B enters the block with the dot)
      TR O and nGord like this.
    There are no comments to display.
  • Album:
    First Levels by nGord
    Uploaded By:
    nGord
    Date:
    Oct 2, 2016
    View Count:
    16,949
    Comment Count:
    102
    Tags:
    desert effect
  • The point of this level was more about the art and of course to show that the Desert Effect could be discovered by others. I tried to include as much gameplay as could fit, but in doing so I incorporated some design elements that I am not proud of. My apologies in advance.

    For those that don't like the exploit used in the original upload, here is an alternate version of the level with a simpler exploit (hint: stand B on the pillar and send him to the stair block):
    [​IMG]

    Hints to the original version:
    What goes up, must come down.
    So we know that stone blocks can't move. You're getting warmer though...
    This level relies on an inertia-based exploit. As much as I personally detest inertia-based exploits, I had little other choice to make the level this compact. You may need to be gentle with its execution too - so as not to have B fall too far away.
    From upcoming documentation:

    DISCOURAGED BUGS OR EXPLOITS
    “Boogie Bot Bug”

    If you move B back and forth, especially around the corner of a hole or set of blocks, he will get dizzy. If you get him dizzy enough, his weight will be enough to make him fall (either up onto or down from a block).

    First demonstrated and implemented in a level by @Weders, 4 June 2016
    The Boogie Bot Bug is an inertia-based bug because it uses B's inertia to fall. If you move B back and forth around the inside corner of the cloud above the win block, you'll notice that he'll start leaning into the corner and eventually he'll fall into it.

    The Desert Effect:
    Credits:
    @meko - for spurring me on to figure out the Desert Effect on my own;
    @Weders (and others) - for the exploit used in the original version;
    @meko - for the exploit used in the above Alternate (Third) version.