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Cave Story

Archive: 23 posts

Cave StorySyroc
Trapped in the darkest corner of a cave. Will you survive? Can you escape?

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/6629/cavestory.png
Dragons! Spiders! Fireflies! And not a lot of light.

Cave Story is probably the most challenging level I've build so far. It's set in a cave () and the path is mostly linear, but there are some hidden areas for you to explore. There is also a small puzzle that seems to be puzzling some people even though it's not particularly difficult. The reason for that may or may not be due to there being very little handholding. No conveniently placed arrows. No lights shining on the switch you have to press to advance. Nothing, you either figure it out yourself or you are stuck.
That said I've added a whole lot of checkpoints after noticing that many unlucky testers didn't get very far.

For the first time I've actually bothered to include some characters and came up with an overarching story (which has a few holes due to thermo constraints admittedly).

Be warned that it may take a while to load, I've used Aya's thermo glitch. I promise you it's worth your while though. There are a few hidden areas and prizes for you to pick up.

Lag can absolutely kill this level by the way. I'm not saying you should play it on your own (It works fine with multiple players), but you might want to play it with people who have a good connection. Some jumps may otherwise be quite impossible.

Feedback is more than welcome of course, but I know already that is dark and some jumps are a bit tricky. It's not meant to be accessible.

PS: I know that you call fall out off the level by jumping forwards or unluckily falling of a cliff. That's done on purpose as well.

This is my last level in LittleBigPlanet 1. See you again in LBP 2.

PS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcKFVOXKRh4&feature=player_embedded		2010-08-26 13:35:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

Looks great! I'll try to play it later. 2010-08-26 16:01:00

Author:
iGotFancyPants
Posts: 1355

Ze rock scenery, she looks slightly less jaggy! Tres awesome!

Gonna play this now ;P		2010-08-26 17:12:00

Author:
Unknown User



Why didn't you tell me it was out?!

I'm off to play! 		2010-08-26 17:18:00

Author:
Alec
Posts: 3871

Well I just played the level and it was real fun

Positives:
+Theme looked really good on the level like the way you built it
+Visuals looked great
+Intro with the bird was prety cool
+Platforming was perfect
+Fun/Exciting keeps you interested throughout the whole level
+The ride at the end out the cave was very good
+Fireflies good job on making those
+Gameplay was awesome action till the end

This is a MUST PLAY level keep up the good work::star::star::star::star::star:		2010-08-26 21:12:00

Author:
Sabre_
Posts: 653

Thank you, Sabre_.

It's a dragon not a bird, but that's okay. ^.^		2010-08-27 11:58:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

I'll replay and butcher it when I get home from work huhuh.2010-08-27 12:07:00

Author:
BasketSnake
Posts: 2391

I'll replay and butcher it when I get home from work huhuh.

I've changed some of the sections you have criticized a few days ago. 		2010-08-27 17:39:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

Wow!

Loved it, you did really catch the cave effect with the right fitting materials and decorations. A lot of challenging gameplay/puzzles and much variety. The fireflies was a nice touch, but I wish they (or at least some of them) moved instead of just floating and not moving

I rated the level 5 stars and gave a well deserved <3		2010-08-27 19:37:00

Author:
Alec
Posts: 3871

I agree about the fireflies. That's what I had planned initially, but in the end I couldn't be bothered really.
The wings actually move a tiny bit. (thanks to BasketSnake for that)


Has anyone found the secret caverns, yet?		2010-08-28 10:01:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

I agree about the fireflies. That's what I had planned initially, but in the end I couldn't be bothered really.
The wings actually move a tiny bit. (thanks to BasketSnake for that)


Has anyone found the secret caverns, yet?

Oh okay, didn't notice the wings moved, sorry!

And secret caverns you say? I'll see if I can find them! 		2010-08-28 11:06:00

Author:
Alec
Posts: 3871

Loved your previous levels. Here goes!

- Got game over twice while attempting to explore.
- After the pillar room, there are no bubbles on the top left bit? (with half pillar that a firefly is looking at)
+ "Flowing" electricity looked great.
+ Double flippy zipline was cool too.
- "mommy" stopped shooting after 20 seconds or so.
- Got squished via small corner and jetpack during the bomb puzzle. (below checkpoint)
- Lighter is pretty hard to find imo. I only found it via last resort. (grabbing everywhere)
+ Flame trail was awesome. (I was working on something similar at one stage)
+ awesome way to introduce the green monster. I was like, "arh, must be broken I'll just grab randoml..OMFG what is that!?"
- But in all seriousness I went downwards from that jetpack room into the water where I could either drown or get red gassed. Best to close this off if possible.
- Perhaps wait a while to re-emit the zipline?
- The next checkpoint spawned me in the inescapable green water below the first time. (and the third time). It happens if players are running right/left on respawn. Which most players do.
- On the elevator. Shooting/killing the monsters don't give the player anything. They still shoot if you hit them, and you pass them too quickly to kill them imo.
- Fireballs/bubble elevator was kinda weird. I got a bubble chain without getting hit most of the time.
+ Liked that extra "flicker" pathway.

Daylight! *cue MGS sfx* *highscore!*
Hmm, yeah I hearted it. (+ 5 stars)

Biggest niggle; The fireflys didn't move. =(
I would suggest some double life checkpoints in the eariler stages too.
I had no lag whatsoever playing alone.
Some platforms perhaps need a touch more light, and I had a few minor layer switching problems. Also didn't like the leap of faith.
The creatures where the highlight for me (especially that green monster intro I mentioned), nice level overall. 		2010-08-28 12:05:00

Author:
midnight_heist
Posts: 2513

- Got game over twice while attempting to explore.
Yup, happens to me too from time to time. Caves are dangerous.

- After the pillar room, there are no bubbles on the top left bit? (with half pillar that a firefly is looking at)
No, not every side passage needs to be filled with bubbles.

- "mommy" stopped shooting after 20 seconds or so.
Shouldn't happen unless you somehow bomb away her mouth. The emitter is set to infinite. Changed the head from polystyrene to wood just in case.

- Got squished via small corner and jetpack during the bomb puzzle. (below checkpoint)
Fixed

- Lighter is pretty hard to find imo. I only found it via last resort. (grabbing everywhere)
Yes, that was by design. But I placed a light near it now. If people can't find it now, that's too bad.


+ awesome way to introduce the green monster. I was like, "arh, must be broken I'll just grab randoml..OMFG what is that!?"
Excellent that's exactly what I wanted it to feel like.

- But in all seriousness I went downwards from that jetpack room into the water where I could either drown or get red gassed. Best to close this off if possible.
- Perhaps wait a while to re-emit the zipline?
- The next checkpoint spawned me in the inescapable green water below the first time. (and the third time). It happens if players are running right/left on respawn. Which most players do.
Done. Done. And fixed.

- On the elevator. Shooting/killing the monsters don't give the player anything. They still shoot if you hit them, and you pass them too quickly to kill them imo.
You get points for everyone you kill and a little jingle if you kill them all. Plenty of time to shoot them, imo.

- Fireballs/bubble elevator was kinda weird. I got a bubble chain without getting hit most of the time.
Changed that to be more dangerous and a bit more random. I honestly only put that in there because I needed to get higher up, but hadn't had much thermo left and didn't want to make a normal elevator again.


Biggest niggle; The fireflys didn't move. =(
Rejoice! I've overcome my unwillingness and made almost all of them move. It is better.


Some platforms perhaps need a touch more light, and I had a few minor layer switching problems. Also didn't like the leap of faith.
It's dark on purpose. There already enough bright caves in LBP. ^.^
Nothing much I can do about the layer changing sadly.


The creatures where the highlight for me (especially that green monster intro I mentioned), nice level overall.
Thank you! And thank you for the feedback. 		2010-08-28 14:25:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

I've put a double life checkpoint near the fire shooting dragon bit, eventhough I think that if people find it too hard they are just not careful enough.

Also closed a gap in a very dark spot that I did not know about.		2010-08-29 09:02:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

Syroc's goodbye to LBP1's create mode is - great! Making a level dark is a good excuse for material overuse

Now for cons:
-After ramming off the excess rocks in the very beginning, if you fall off there into the water, you won't usually die, but have to swim to the gas. I'm lazy!
-The secrets might be useless, because most of us are too afraid of the dark to explore, and the deaths surely slander the rest of the enthusiasm
-The green monster boss was almost the easiest ?bstacle in the whole level...

Then pros:
+Fireflys: simple, cute, good to look at. A nice detail.
+The temple part with the electric wall: it did look good!
+The first boss battle (read: avoidance) with "mommy" was very simple, but oh so annoying
+The deep water in the dark, and the lightbulb fish () looked great!
+The whole water part was creepy, what with the eyes staring in the dark...
+The fire fuse and the light FX looked great, alonng very many other things
+How much fun can it be to feed explosives to green monsters?
+The two parts of ascension were both very nice

Overall, a very nice and atmospheric level for those whose screens can differ different shades, AKA very dark. Very.		2010-08-29 15:50:00

Author:
Unknown User

Glad you enjoyed it.


-After ramming off the excess rocks in the very beginning, if you fall off there into the water, you won't usually die, but have to swim to the gas. I'm lazy!
I shall raise the gas a notch.

-The secrets might be useless, because most of us are too afraid of the dark to explore, and the deaths surely slander the rest of the enthusiasm
Heh, yeah well.

-The green monster boss was almost the easiest ?bstacle in the whole level...
Yes, too true. I'm not good at making bosses.

Overall, a very nice and atmospheric level for those whose screens can differ different shades, AKA very dark. Very.
^.^

Thank you very much for your feedback.		2010-08-29 18:47:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

This level is great Syroc. Had me go back and play it twice. >.< Brought friends the second time. xD The visuals I must say are simple, but delightful. The fireflies really brought out a cave like feeling and I really enjoy your material usage seeing as how you avoided the general cave stone material used by most (it gets tiresome to see...). All of the gameplay was absolutely fantastic. Loved the battering ram idea, loved the match and bombs, the boss fight (or should I say fights) were creative and very unique.

All in all, this is a must play level. :3 :star::star::star::star::star: <3		2010-08-30 21:48:00

Author:
AeroForce22
Posts: 392

I just played this course and I loved it!! It was kinda creepy at the start of it though 2010-08-30 21:52:00

Author:
Dazzle Eyes
Posts: 35

Thanks for playing it. Glad you got some enjoyment out of it.


The visuals I must say are simple, but delightful.
The power of the octagon shape! 		2010-08-31 10:57:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

Is this based off of that indie game called Cave Story?

That was one of the best evar.		2010-08-31 14:08:00

Author:
AbstractSam
Posts: 332

Is this based off of that indie game called Cave Story?

That was one of the best evar.

I'm not sure but I would have thought so... 		2010-08-31 14:21:00

Author:
Dazzle Eyes
Posts: 35

Is this based off of that indie game called Cave Story?

No, I only chose the name because it is set in a cave and was going to have a story, but I had to cut the characters due to thermo constraints. At one point I couldn't even place a scoreboard in the level...


That was one of the best evar.

Oh, in that case it totally is. Go play my level, you will love it! 		2010-08-31 15:03:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193

Here is a video of the level in case you don't dare to enter the cave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcKFVOXKRh4&feature=player_embedded		2010-09-06 08:10:00

Author:
Syroc
Posts: 3193


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