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The issue with free draggables

Discussion in 'Level Creation Help' started by Astral_Mage, Aug 22, 2016.

  1. Astral_Mage

    Astral_Mage Well-Known Member

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    So the issue with free draggables is that it can be abused, in levels where it is not intended to win by dragging those draggables to the win box bypassing the level mechanics.

    So what are your thoughts about it guys? When to use them & how? What are the potentials of the so called "free draggables"?
     
  2. Frenzies

    Frenzies Administrator Staff Member

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    Well, it can depend on the level. KPACABA's Libra used them perfectly, but I think he deleted it for some reason. Big Draggables can't go through small spaces, so you can use that to prevent it from activating the Win Block. I wouldn't recommend using them, though, as they're (for the most part) unpredictable (one of the exceptions is the Libra).
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2016
    Astral_Mage likes this.
  3. richardfu_

    richardfu_ Retired Moderator and Featured Levels Manager

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    I like to keep things under control so I almost never use free draggables. If you are to use them, you need to check the entire level and make sure the free draggable doesn't cause any unintended solution.
     
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  4. nGord

    nGord Standby Administrator, Retired Moderator Staff Member

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    Even when they can't be used to shortcut the level they pose problems. The same goes for places where they are enshrined in other blocks. One case example is @Gepeto 's promising but glitchy Headache where it would easily come out of its housing. Some authors intend to have the players align free draggables through a hole, which is quite painful to do as they don't align well. Apart from the crude unpredictability of them, I've also seen examples of where they are hidden or just simply obscured from the logical path and the player is expected to make a conclusion that something illogical is required. Rather frustrating all around to the point for me that I've started to give up on levels such as @Ricko 's otherwise nice Coffin Mystery.

    @Astral_Mage To answer your question directly, I believe they should be used under the following circumstances:
    - there is no way that they could be used to trigger the end button directly or indirectly (say by flinging something)
    - they are not intended to be slotted into hard places;
    - they are restrained to a single block (or a plane of blocks) and not expected to leave their original plane.

    The exception being where the author clearly articulates that the level is for playing around with free draggables just for the randomness factor - some people may like to goof around that way.
     
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  5. nGord

    nGord Standby Administrator, Retired Moderator Staff Member

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    I appreciate your stance (and love your levels because of it). I would just change "solution" to "situation" in your quote.
     

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