Virtual Reality - Survival Challenge (Spotlighted!)

[v0rtex•]

http://lbp.me/v/qskvsw

Virtual Reality - Survival Challenge by v0rtex2002
A survival challenge based on the Virtual Reality Training section of my 00Sack-Betrayed level. Make your way through each room before your time expires and the next room drops down around you. The longer you stay alive, the less time you'll have.


Here's a fun game to keep you busy until they release the water.
Even if you don't typically like survival challenges, you may like this one!

It's based on the Virtual Training section from my 00Sack-Betrayed level. If you've ever played it, you'll probably recall the section where the rooms drop down around you as you play against the clock. Well this takes that concept, adds some steroids, and makes a whole level out of it.

It's a survival challenge, so of course, you only get one life. As each new room drops, you need to find the path to the green platform that has risen up (there may be more than one to choose). On the way, grab as many score bubbles as you can. When you get to the platform, you can wait (there's a timer - denoted by a series of lights along the bottom of the room) or you can grab the platform (R1), and the next room will drop down.

Once you've made it through all the rooms, it will all start over again... but the timer will get a little shorter with each new cycle of rooms.

So go have fun and see if you can get the high score!!

A few pics:








Video (thanks JKThree, great job as usual):
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwKKpuUgGDM" rel="prettyPhoto" title="">Watch YouTube Video]

One small piece of advice: it may behoove you to hold on to the platform as the new rooms drop - the surrounding floor (when the current room is demitted) is electrified.


Hope you enjoy it. I spent painstaking hours getting the timing and sequencing right. But once I did, it made adding rooms to it very easy and the whole thing got really fun again.

Thanks so much to Morgana, Ccubbage, BurnVictim, Gilgamesh, and RangerZero for their playtesting skills and awesome feedback and suggestions!

I'd also like to credit rtm223 for his outstanding demitter technology and all of the Logic Pack crew for some of the great stuff I learned from your work.
I should also credit whomever I got my fonts from, but I can't remeber now... sorry.

[Gilgamesh•]

This level is very fun. It's basically a race against the clock, and each time you make a full pass of the course, the clock is set shorter! So not only must you make it to the green platform before the timer is up, you also have to collect as many points as you can because the next time around you won't have the time to collect them all.

I think the best part is definitely when the clock speeds up to the point where one slip-up means you won't have time to finish. It's the most nerve-wracking, yet exhilarating moment when you get to the green platform just as the stage disappears. There's no question that it takes skill, nothing is up to chance in this challenge.

and hearted, this is great. Now I can't wait for someone to beat my high score.

[Morgana25]

It's brilliant to play and even more brilliant if you consider all the switchwork and logic required to set this up. It's completely addictive and very very fun. Us bubble freaks have a hard time leaving those lovely bubbles behind to make it to the green platforms. Vortex - you diabolical madman - how could you torture me like this!

5 stars & hearted - of course! Congratulation on pushing through on this one. I think you'll have a hit on your hands.

[RangerZero]

Just played that baby again and I'm still impressed!
You know, I am the perfect example of what you say up there. Normally, I don't like survival challenge but this one is a blast to play. Exactly my type of thing even thought I'll probably never beat the CRAZY score Gilgamesh got.
It looks great, very polished and well designed. I like when I discovered that some rooms have a faster way to get through for those later rounds when you don't have time! I don't really have a con about anything really. You just pulled off not only a fantastic level but also original to boot!

+ heart

.

[v0rtex•]

Just played that baby again and I'm still impressed!
You know, I am the perfect example of what you say up there. Normally, I don't like survival challenge but this one is a blast to play. Exactly my type of thing even thought I'll probably never beat the CRAZY score Gilgamesh got.
It looks great, very polished and well designed. I like when I discovered that some rooms have a faster way to get through for those later rounds when you don't have time! I don't really have a con about anything really. You just pulled off not only a fantastic level but also original to boot!

+ heart

.

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. I know exactly what you mean. I actually don't like most survival challenges either. On top of that, I rarely play my own levels for the fun of it - it's always a test in some way or another. But I actually really like playing this one.

And you're right about Gilgamesh's score - Holy Crap! The gauntlet has been thrown down folks!

[RangerZero]

Let's compete for second place!

.

[piggabling]

This looks GREAT! I loved that training part in your first level and have been constantly checking your page for new 00Sack levels, but this looks just as good! I'm going to play it soon!

[v0rtex•]

Let's compete for second place!

.

Sounds like a good plan to me. But I bet someone here on LBPC has the skills to beat the Gilg.

[Gilgamesh•]

Sounds like a good plan to me. But I bet someone here on LBPC has the skills to beat the Gilg.

You guys give me too much credit. I could probably have gotten a higher score, but I lost tailwind once I beat Ranger's score. The only reason I went so high is because it was addicting.

I'm usually not a particularly good minigame player. I haven't even played all of the Story Mode minigames.

[CCubbage]

I gave you input in beta... I really have NO critisism - this level is fun and addicting. An absolute BLAST to play. I'm definately going to go for a higher score when I get home.

and a !

[rtm223]

What the hell happened to:

It's still a WIP, and I have a fair amount of thermo left, so this is just the start.

That was 3 days ago! now it's all done and dusted and released. You move fast young man!

[comphermc]

Huzzah! Second place! Roughly 112,000! I completed the circuit about 6 times, but was very conservative about it. Catching Gilg is definitely possible, but it would be tough.

This level was a blast. The only criticism I can think of is that it's tough to figure out which plane you are on in some areas. This would likely deter newcomers. Once you play it a few times, it's not too bad. I think it may just be the use of the VR grid material... I preferred the look of the fire room, personally.

There was one room (2nd or 3rd), where it looked like there were supposed to be pistons moving up and down, but they were stationary. Or am I mistaken?

Either way 5 stars and a heart. I hope you have a contest for the design of rooms for this. I would totally participate.

[brnxblze]

Oh...my...God! This is my favorite concept of ALL-TIME and you made a full level out of it? Playing it ASAP!

I hope you have a contest for the design of rooms for this.

I agree, that would be great!

Edit: Just played and it did not disappoint. REALLY great level! Could be one of my favorites ever. Definitely in the top 5. It's just so much fun! The only thing I can think to suggest is maybe, since it's a "Challenge" level, you should add something to the beginning to show high scores. Maybe move the "Info" box over and put something that you grab and it shows the scoreboard or something like that. 5 stars because it didn't let me give any more, a heart and "Timing" tag for you!

Edit 2: Just wondering, what's the thermo looking like ATM?

Edit 3: Ahh, I almost caught up to Compher's score . So many close calls on that run, this is just too fun. **** you v0rtex I have finals to study for!

[comphermc]

I just noticed the pictures so I have a reference. The third room... this was really the weak room for me. It was too cluttered to really see what was going on to the right. I wasn't sure what those five vertical strips were going in the background either... they just seemed to obscure my view of the bubbles back there. I would've also liked to see the point bubble button and grab pad be swapped in position. It just didn't have the same flow as the other rooms.

Sorry if I seem all negative, but you're the one who made me play the same room 10 times!!

The rest of them were spot-on, though.

P.S. - it's hilarious that you can jump at the last minute, have the whole room disappear under you, and have a new room appear as you land on the pad. Good times.

[v0rtex•]

This level was a blast.

Thanks!

The only criticism I can think of is that it's tough to figure out which plane you are on in some areas. This would likely deter newcomers. Once you play it a few times, it's not too bad. I think it may just be the use of the VR grid material...

Yeah - I think more than anything it's the fixed camera facing straight on. Am thinking about tweaking this...

There was one room (2nd or 3rd), where it looked like there were supposed to be pistons moving up and down, but they were stationary. Or am I mistaken?

I agree that this is the weakest room... It's not readily apparent where to go, the layers are confusing, and the design is just too cluttered.

I hope you have a contest for the design of rooms for this. I would totally participate.

Haha... That is exactly what I plan to do. All through the design of this I have kept this in mind and have deliberately built it to be very dynamic and modular. I could see releasing this several times over, just using different rooms every time. But yes... there will be a design contest for this coming up very soon.

That was 3 days ago! now it's all done and dusted and released. You move fast young man!

The timing, sequencing and demitter engine were the real work in this level (all hidden to the player). That took weeks to work out. Once I had it working and started designing rooms, they really came fast. It is very modular and compact. Very little logic to any of the rooms, just platforming and bubbles, so they are pretty easy to crank out.