Topiary Tower Tragedy

[optimafrogg]

I've spent a lot of time tweaking and adjusting for the past few months, and I think I've finally finished my first LBP2 level. There's a bit of a grab bag of platforming elements within the level containing

- Lots of grappling hook action
- Epic grabinator sequences
- Sackbots/Enemies
- Crazy Awesome Cinematics!! (but they're really just average)

http://lbp.me/v/146jsv

[Sport_dude]

Added to queue, will try tomorrow

[nerzdadestroyer]

me too. i will help. any other levels you want reviewing?

[gigglecrab]

Have added to queue,will leave feed back tonight

[gigglecrab]

Sorry for double post, didn't want to just edit post as thread wouldn't get bumped.


Well not long after i dropped into the level i was admiring the lighting & atmosphere, which i always look for in levels, and the items and decorations are used very well. It all perfectly suited the unique theme you have created,i loved the little garden looking parts, oh and that sackbot running on the wheel made me laugh lol. I found it very entertaining and i never got bored even at some parts when i was not sure what to do. Oh and the story is cool too. Just afew things i noticed :

There is a part where you can see the default floor, i really hate seeing that as it breaks the levels theme and illusion, but i was quickly drawn back into the level, maybe put a cam there to look up?

The area left of the first tower with the switch at the top looked abit empty, i think a little decor there or some structures would just make it look alot better.

I liked the boss fight and its phases, plant boss fights ftw! But maybe make the jelly balls destroy when they hit the bulb? Or maybe they do, i noticed on my boss fight they dont always destroy themselves when i want them too. (the "poop" i mean)

When you teleport after killing the vine boss, use a controllinator teleport instead of gas, just because say if someone was trying to ace it would be a little annoying getting that far and dying.

overall i think it's a great level and very fun to play

[optimafrogg]

I'll definitely make those changes, though I'm running out of thermo... As for the jelly, how did you do it? Just impact sensors I'm assuming? Also I was considering making it a deathless teleport after the boss, but I wanted it to be multiplayer friendly and it seemed kinda overly complex with the amount of thermo I had left . But thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

[Sport_dude]

ok you wanted feedback.
At the part with the bounce pad turning in circle, there was deadly gas on back of it and some time when we try to get on the bounce pad instead we get killed by the gas.( i didn't finish lvl, i stoped there because i couldn't do it, gas keep killing me )
Also that part was really hard and wasn't really well made.
Repetitive stuff,could have added more structure,design,decoration,etc... And average made me click ''boo''.
If you make some change i could try it again and rate ''yay''.

[optimafrogg]

Ok, thanks Sport_dude, I'll take that into account and see how I can make it easier for you. I'll let you know when i've fixed it . Appreciate the feedback.

[gigglecrab]

Yeah put an impact switch on the jelly connecting to a destroyer, and make sure it activates by an impact with a keyed object. Then just put the key on the bulb. And about the rotating platform part, just put a thin layer of plasmafied hologram (brightness set to 0 and sound off) on the same layer of the circle the platforms are bolted to. it will stop players going beyond the plasma. Hope this helps

[Bryoshe]

I will play it tonight or tomorrow

[silmedriel]

Well I have to try just for the title.

If you have time: Silence in the Library
http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/sho...in-the-LIbrary

[RagTagPwner]

Just played it. Visually, this is a very unique level (well, as far as I've seen in LBP2). It's got an obvious Eve's Asylum inspiration, but there is enough that's different about it to keep it very unique. I particularly like the color scheme and use of the color correction. While there is nothing particularly original about the gameplay, it is still fun and new in a way. At some of the parts, what I was supposed to do wasn't fully explained, but that is not a complaint on my part. It may be old school, but I kind of enjoy fuddling around trying to figure out what I'm doing. Besides, I never spent more than 30 seconds trying to figure it out (unlike this one temple level I played...). There isn't much to say about the story as it's your basic "Save the _____" with no depth or interesting characters, but the level didn't really need a story, so a lack thereof does not detract from the overall experience.

All in all, good job.

[optimafrogg]

Ok. So I changed the boss jelly to destroy on contact with the boss thanks to gigglecrabs wonderful assistance, and I'm pretty sure I've fixed the part sport dude was having trouble with. The problem was that you were jumping to the middle layer from the back layer which the game doesn't like. I already had poison gas back there do
I tried plasma but it produced similar results so I got rid of that one wheel completely andade it a swinging section.

Also ragtag? Which parts were not so clear? I know you said It wasn't a big deal but some people may not be as tolerant as you are

[EnochRoot]

Really enjoyed this level.
Well considered use of materials and lighting, an engaging plot device to drive the action, lots of variety of variety and challenge. I really liked the colour corrected lighting combined with the chequered material, gave it quite an original look. Some interesting switch puzzles used to destroy the vines and open passage further into the level. The flying winged platforms looked pretty neat especially combined with the bright flourescence of the light cubes and bounce pads, once again adding to the original look. I thought the Boss whilst well made (looking slightly like a plant from mario world or that old ps2 platformer Klonoa2) could have taken less hits to destroy.
Overall an original themed well thought out level worth a smile, good job!

F4F: http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/sho...OW-WHITE-Noire

why anyone would give it a boo is beyond me?!

[Bryoshe]

I've just played your level and I think that is a good one C: I love atmosphere and decorations, only 2 things:

1) in the part of flyer trmpolines (sorry for my bad english ^^'), where you use grabinator for reach the upside, the checkpoint is not attached to background, so saboys
may fall down.
2) in the part of little green sackbot with (the little monster) the switcher is not easy to find.

I hope that can help you to improve this great job ^^