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Tiki Island Chapter 1

Archive: 18 posts

Name: Tiki Island Chapter 1
PSN ID: Fastbro

I proudly present my second level!

Tiki Island Chapter 1: Land Ahoy!
The story, Sackboy has been travelling or days... without seeing land. But then, an island appears. Like anyone would he begins to search the island. But what does he find?

This was originally going to one whole level, but the thermometer wouldn't allow me to fit in the whole story. So I decided to expand the story and split into 3 parts! (The other 2 coming soon) I've tried to put a bit of everything into the level. Platforming, puzzles, story, etc. Please feel free to report any glitches you may find. Happy playing!

NEW PICS:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/thedoctorwho/TikiIsland1x.png
Ooh... Title!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/thedoctorwho/TikiIsland2x.png
Puzzle Time!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/thedoctorwho/TikiIsland3x.png
Return the Idol!		2010-01-18 21:48:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277

Hey Fastbro,

Wow! This was a significant improvement in terms of aesthetics and construction from your previous level. I see you got acquainted with the corner-editor--doesn't it make things a little more natural? Also, I liked how you paid attention to every single area as I didn't experience any sense of emptiness in terms of aesthetics. I definitely got the lost jungle island vibe, and I really enjoyed the platforming, architecture, and color scheme in the underground tribal section (it was a prison, correct? Sorry, I'm so forgetful).

Anyways, the story seemed less engaging for me compared to your previous level, but maybe it was because I was deprived of an ending in this multi-level project. However, I expect levels within a series to have a minor ending to give a sense of finality to the level, but leave the "major" ending hanging to be resolved in the future. Maybe the character has to find multiple idols or meet different villagers in various levels before accessing a sacred temple in the last level or something...Maybe this is asking too much, but I felt the ending was a bit abrupt.

I also miss the little details you presented in the last level, particularly with the snooping of the character's diaries. Small things like those give a lot of depth to characters, but here, you seemed to play it safe by using story-level stickers for characters, and I didn't get much personality from them.

Now it's time for me to be nitpicky, if I wasn't already. The beginning was awkward technically. The boat didn't move, and I was wondering whether I missed the activation area or something so I started moving around until the boat started to move. When I fell down, so did the sail. The concrete looking blocks at the end also ruined the jungle vibe for me--they didn't look like they belonged, both in terms of material and shape. Change it to more earthy looking textures and roughen up the shape a bit.

Also, I have mixed reactions when it comes to the backtracking you employed in the level. Backtracking gives sort of like an open-world feel where you can explore and move about freely to work out puzzle like amazingflyingpoo did successfully in Now and Then. In your level however, it just felt like a rewind. This was perhaps because I had to go through the same obstacle six times (because you used the same mechanism in the lower and upper levels, and you had to pass through both sections three times). Maybe an entirely new platforming and/or puzzle would've been better to retrieve the key...but then again, I know how frustrating that thermo can be...

Overall this was a good level, and I enjoyed seeing your progress compared to your first level. Aesthetics were wonderful, and gameplay was varied and exciting. I gave you 4 stars for your first level, and you obviously improved in this level, so I guess you deserve one more star. So here's 5:star:s for a job well done. I look forward to finishing the story!

Scared of the sand skull's omen,
jeffcu28		2010-01-19 04:20:00

Author:
jeffcu28
Posts: 648

Thanks for the 5 stars!


Anyways, the story seemed less engaging for me compared to your previous level, but maybe it was because I was deprived of an ending in this multi-level project. However, I expect levels within a series to have a minor ending to give a sense of finality to the level, but leave the "major" ending hanging to be resolved in the future. Maybe the character has to find multiple idols or meet different villagers in various levels before accessing a sacred temple in the last level or something...Maybe this is asking too much, but I felt the ending was a bit abrupt.

The level originally had an bit of an ending. But I wasn't sure if it was worth putting in so... but now its been mentioned I'll go and add it back in.


Now it's time for me to be nitpicky, if I wasn't already. The beginning was awkward technically. The boat didn't move, and I was wondering whether I missed the activation area or something so I started moving around until the boat started to move. When I fell down, so did the sail. The concrete looking blocks at the end also ruined the jungle vibe for me--they didn't look like they belonged, both in terms of material and shape. Change it to more earthy looking textures and roughen up the shape a bit.


I had a problem making the beginning. I did what the player to move to fast past the text so I increased the Time. But for some reason it increases the pause at the beginning as well. I'll try and play around with this a bit more. If anyone has any suggestions on how to fix this please share. Also I'll make a small change to the beach and the flag.


Also, I have mixed reactions when it comes to the backtracking you employed in the level. Backtracking gives sort of like an open-world feel where you can explore and move about freely to work out puzzle like amazingflyingpoo did successfully in Now and Then. In your level however, it just felt like a rewind. This was perhaps because I had to go through the same obstacle six times (because you used the same mechanism in the lower and upper levels, and you had to pass through both sections three times). Maybe an entirely new platforming and/or puzzle would've been better to retrieve the key...but then again, I know how frustrating that thermo can be...

Before I published the level I let a friend play it. He had the same reaction as you with the backtracking... I've thought of a better replacement insted of backtracking (a new section!) so I hope you enjoy it.

I hope you'll be willing to replay the level after I've made these small changes.

(ps. a diary may appear in the new area )

EDIT: Updated and improved!		2010-01-19 16:09:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277

The boat takes too long to start. I think you might hav increased the pause instead of the time. Also I'd make characters out of materials and stickers Insteadof just stickers because they looked pretty lifeless2010-01-20 08:13:00

Author:
Unknown User

The boat takes too long to start. I think you might hav increased the pause instead of the time. Also I'd make characters out of materials and stickers Insteadof just stickers because they looked pretty lifeless

I will check the boat again. I have no idea why its taking so long...		2010-01-20 08:28:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277

Fastbro, level is great. I played it yesterday evening and I can not remember, that there was some very big pause before boat reached land. All level well made and interesting for playing. Maybe there is no any fantastic inventions, but for platform style - it is good level with well done design and gameplay. One thing that I did not like - long returning to the beach for key with all this obstacles on the way. Maybe it is better to do another place for finding the key? It is only IMHO. Anyway - level is very well made, all things is on its places and impressions after playing are very good! My 5 stars and I will looking for you next levels!2010-01-20 11:32:00

Author:
Domik12
Posts: 838

I think I should tell you that the backtracking section has now been taken out. Insted theres a completely new section.2010-01-20 16:05:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277

The level is good and feels very long, with so many different sceneries there's never place for boredom.

Like others have already pointed out, the ship takes too long to start moving. If I hadn't read the feedback on this forum, I probably would have exited the level, retried and then quited again to play another level, believing that yours was broken. It's certainly something that you need ironing out.

In the waterfalls section, I got stuck. It was my fault, but I can imagine more people getting killed there. When you reach the wider rocks, the moving platform that helped you cross may get back if you run too fast to the right (and it's natural to do that, because the wide rocks let you run, unlike the thin ones). I sensed that the moving platform was supposed to do that, so I kept running and jumping to the right... but then I couldn't cross one of the gaps and died. It was not until like 20 tries that I realized that I was supposed to move slowly, so the moving platform would keep going to the right.

The ending was kind of a letdown after the interesting story and characters I had met until that moment (you have quite a talent there, as your previous level had interesting dialogues, too). Maybe you should have left us with a cliffhanger.

Anyway, like I said it was a good level. A great improvement from your earlier effort.

Keep up the good work!		2010-01-20 17:25:00

Author:
Lleonard Pler
Posts: 277

It was good and looked nice aesthetically, but you could have (like other people have said) made the end a little less abrupt.2010-01-20 17:43:00

Author:
Pete1991
Posts: 225

Just a note, I made a smaller update earlier adding a sign saying "please wait" at the beginning. I've tried to shorten the waiting period as much as possible.2010-01-20 18:27:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277

Looks like you just published an update - there are zero plays and hearts.

The level is definitely broken. You do nothing but spawn into the air and drop into gas, instantly killing you. I counted 20 deaths before I decided to restart, then waited it out to maybe 30 or 40 deaths and still nothing. Definitely fix it ASAP!		2010-01-20 19:24:00

Author:
Taffey
Posts: 3187

Thanks for telling me! I'm right on it. I'm beginning to think that boat isn't worth putting in...2010-01-20 19:26:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277

Start the boat already at the beach, and then shift the intro text so that you see it as your running along the beach. (Or alternatively add on to / stretch the beach out to the boat and leave the text where it is).

So basically you can start on a boat that's already been washed ashore.		2010-01-20 19:35:00

Author:
SirPaper
Posts: 150

Start the boat already at the beach, and then shift the intro text so that you see it as your running along the beach. (Or alternatively add on to / stretch the beach out to the boat and leave the text where it is).

So basically you can start on a boat that's already been washed ashore.

Thank SirPaper, I used your idea. The sailing scene at the beginning didn't seem worth it. Ok, the level is updated and fixed! (hopefully for the last time!)		2010-01-20 19:51:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277

I'll download and play it again. Too bad you had to remove the sailing part, it was a good idea! But it wasn't worth it if you couldn't fix the waiting time. I know from experience how annoying it is when you plan a cool section but after a lot of work you can't make it work and have to remove it.2010-01-20 20:00:00

Author:
Lleonard Pler
Posts: 277

You always have to be willing to, as I call it, "kill your babies". By this I mean that it is very easy to get attached to a certain character, section, or aesthetic and it's hard to see when it just doesn't work. Friends are good for this, because they have no particular emotional attachment to anything you've made, and when they think something sucks they'll let you know.

Anyway, just played this and had a great time. I don't have any new groundbreaking comments that haven't already been detailed, but I'll go through my thoughts anyway. It's a good straightforward level with standard platforming, side challenges such as looking for a key and opening doors, and an interesting story. It's too bad it all wouldn't fit into a single level, but you are clear in your explanation of there being a part 2 so I have no complaints about that. I particularly like your visuals around the waterfall section, and the jagged edges of the broken pathway are very nice. I like the moving platform as well, but if you jump too far away it will reverse direction and leave you stranded. You probably can't increase the trigger radius of the directional proximity switch any more, so just leave it as is.

Overall I liked your use of camera zones and you clearly went to a lot of effort to properly frame everything. Unfortunately, the result is that the camera moves around too much. I merely found it distracting, but people prone to motion sickness might actually get woozy from it. It just seemed that every few steps the camera would shift in some direction or other, particularly around the section where you grab the sponges and slide up and down the slopes. I'm sure you don't have quite as many camera zones as it seems like you do, but part of your problem is the transitions between them. When two zones are close to one another, they effectively overlap and give you a third zone. Add in the before and after effects of walking into and then out of the two zones, and now you essentially have 5 zones. If your cameras are zoomed out or in to the maximum and/or if the angle is extreme, there's another layer of shifting which brings you up to 9 zones for just 2 cameras. It is not worth another republish to fix the cameras - just keep it in mind for your next creation. Be subtle with your camera work and spend extra time to make sure different areas flow nicely into one another. Just do lots of walking through your level and adjust it until you like it.

Regardless, I like the level and I'm really happy to see you eager to make updates. That's a big factor in becoming a top notch creator, so keep it up! This gets my thumbs-up: 4 stars!		2010-01-20 20:50:00

Author:
Taffey
Posts: 3187

Amusing level, this. Looks like I got the enhanced version, because I got the diary (funny). I don't have many gripes with the level; waiting for the boat to start took too long, and the camera zones at the beginning were annoying in some places. I thought the floating platform reversing was part of the challenge, didn't mind it at all. 2010-01-20 21:13:00

Author:
Rogar
Posts: 2284

Decided to add some pictures!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/thedoctorwho/TikiIsland1x.png
Ooh... Title

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/thedoctorwho/TikiIsland2x.png
Puzzle Time!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/thedoctorwho/TikiIsland3x.png
Return the Idol!		2010-02-08 19:26:00

Author:
Fastbro
Posts: 1277


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