Home    LBP Showcase / Reviews / Recommendations    Level Showcase    Cool Levels
#1

Through a Nightmare, Darkly

Archive: 21 posts

Through a Nightmare, DarklyFoofles
The storm outside is nothing compared to the darkness that consumes your subconscious. The light is always there for those brave enough to seek it...
I had this concept for a level for over a year already and finally decided to make something of it. It's different from my usual hop and bop styled levels, it's more centric on puzzles and platforming and ... well you'll see.

Also published using the LBP1 oc/water beta client so it's available on lbp.me : http://beta.lbp.me/v/39q4

Enjoy!

Screens grabbed from lbp.me:		2010-10-19 19:58:00

Author:
Foofles
Posts: 2278

Sounds good, I'll play it when I can get on my ps3. Just curious, isn't through a nightmare, darkly a quest in oblivion?2010-10-19 20:42:00

Author:
Radishlord
Posts: 706

Sounds good, I'll play it when I can get on my ps3. Just curious, isn't through a nightmare, darkly a quest in oblivion?

Yes... I came up with this name a while ago, and thought it sounded so cool and original until I played oblivion and saw that in my journal. lol... I'm still keeping it though! 		2010-10-19 22:39:00

Author:
Foofles
Posts: 2278

Cool ill check this out soon. Check out my serenity level but first let me check out your level as soon as I can2010-10-20 06:58:00

Author:
Henred
Posts: 123

I am beta challenged, would you kindly post some screen shots?

It sounds good just from the title though.		2010-10-20 07:10:00

Author:
TheAffected
Posts: 626

Sure! The look is really simple compared to most of my levels with tons of decoration details, but it works really well for the theme and it looks surprisingly good in LBP2, I posted a couple screen grabs from LBP.me.2010-10-20 15:09:00

Author:
Foofles
Posts: 2278

Ohhh looks good.2010-10-20 16:18:00

Author:
TheAffected
Posts: 626

Feedback:

Positives:
+Specials effects were really good
+Visuals looked awesome
+Gameplay was good
+Theme of the level was great
+Puzzles were really good
+Platforming was fun

Overall this is a must play level::star::star::star::star::star:
Dont really have to return the feed but if you want its the 1st one in my sig 		2010-10-20 20:20:00

Author:
Sabre_
Posts: 653

Hi foofles - I just stumbled over this thread and... wait.... where're the bunnies?????? LOL...

I will try this level asap - I'm really looking forward - the screens look awesome....		2010-10-20 21:25:00

Author:
(___NEO___)
Posts: 206

I failed to realise this is a beta level 2010-10-20 22:03:00

Author:
Radishlord
Posts: 706

I failed to realise this is a beta level

This is on regular LBP! I published it to the LBP1 beta client as well, but it's on LBP first and foremost!		2010-10-21 01:51:00

Author:
Foofles
Posts: 2278

I'll definitely check this out, it looks fantastic. I'll try to post feedback by Friday night.2010-10-21 04:21:00

Author:
booXely
Posts: 654

You made a good level there !
I liked the intro with the storm outside
I was really found of the puzzles with the mirrors, very good idea.
Nice use of the clock theme for the visuals, background and atmosphere (particularly the area with all the clocks).
Anyway a good job !		2010-10-21 16:34:00

Author:
onisdream
Posts: 80

Very nice level foofles.

I liked the intro sequence very much and since I played Trindall's outstanding "Lightbringer" I'm a BIG fan of lightbreaking-elements. To play around with all these mirrors is fun.

Pros:
- Level concept
- Atmosphere
- light-reflecting elements
- visuals and style
- plattforming elements

cons:
- thought it would be necessary to reflect the light throug the whole level. I wonder when the light-beam ends and didn't continues
- cart-system needs another checkpoint - it was a bit tricky due to the fact that the cart moves on when the player needs too much time to pull the leaver at the wall to the right: if he is too slow, there's no chance to proceed: you have to die and restart this section - and all in all the way to the next ch-p was long and not so easy
- the change in level-structure (house, rock/cave, clocks) was a bit weird :-) I mean there's nothing wrong with it cause it's something you wanted to create and so you have your reasons - it was entertaining but I just didn't expected it...
- NO BUNNIES :-)) lol


All in all a very solid level with nice plattforming and great elements. I gave :star::star::star::star:.

my newest level (co-op) didnt get a feedback for a few days now and I guess there is no need for antoher detailed feedback cause all has been said allready. But it would be nice if you try it and write a short comment in my level... thx in advance :-)		2010-10-21 18:45:00

Author:
(___NEO___)
Posts: 206

Wow! I have never seen a level like this before! The dark lighting makes the gameplay of this level radical and the light reflection puzzles are ingenious. The mine cart ride is the most challenging obstacles of the level, but a lot of fun. I also liked how the level ends. Overall, this is level is a masterpiece. 5 :star:s and a <3.

Thanks for beta testing "The Hero Chronicles LV8 Phantom Planet part 1". Play and F4F the final version of it and part 2 as well.		2010-10-21 20:18:00

Author:
JustinArt
Posts: 1314

cons:
- thought it would be necessary to reflect the light throug the whole level. I wonder when the light-beam ends and didn't continues

I'll agree with you, my whole plan going into this was to have lots of light based puzzles but I couldn't get so many things working right Maybe I'll take those ideas into LbP2 since they work well in there.

I'll check out all the levels as soon as I can, thanks all for checking it out.		2010-10-21 20:23:00

Author:
Foofles
Posts: 2278

Played the level last night, tried a couple of times, fumbling around in the dark, but never made it through. I didn't give it a do-or-die attitude though, so I am looking forward to trying again. I agree with much of the above as far as comments go. Loved the lightning and opening scene; use of "light mirrors" was nifty, etc. Got stuck on a part that didn't seem to activate, maybe we were doing it wrong. Will try again. Great level!2010-10-21 20:36:00

Author:
Quazau
Posts: 44

Here is my feeback, I also found a level hole, I'll post the details at the bottom.

Aesthetics: :star::star::star::star::star:

Well done dark levels are a favorite of mine, and this is definitely one of them. Good choice of materials, zany level design, and some nicely designed props makes this a great looking level.

Gameplay: :star::star::star::star:

I thought the gameplay was good, but a bit hard to follow wat some points, especially when the light beams moved off screen. Nvertheless, it was good.

Creativity: :star::star::star::star:

I haven't seen the reflecting light gameplay idea many times, and in this level you really got the light to reflect very naturally. I also really enjoyed the clock parts.

Final Thoughts: Overall, a :star::star::star::star::star: level, I really liked the concept of it, and it was a nice change of pace from your bunny levels (not that they're not fantastic). Regarding the level hole: On the part with the flippinng platforms with spikes on one side, if you walk off the top right one while the bottom left one has it's spikes upturned, you fall behind then thin piece of rock and fall of the level. Just adding some gad behind it would be fine, as it was hard to re-create, and did it accidentally the first time.		2010-10-22 03:11:00

Author:
booXely
Posts: 654

Hello, I've just finished playing your level, it was a pretty fun level with a whole bunch of gameplay. It all flowed pretty smoothly except the area that was similar to the Elephant Temple level from Story Mode, it was too long for me, I died about 7 times in that area, it wouldn't be as frustrating though if it had an extra checkpoint in between, or was just shortened overall. The visuals were great, the materials blended together very well, and the beginning/end parts of the level were really cool. Nice job, I rated the level :star::star::star::star::star:. 2010-10-22 04:25:00

Author:
X-FROGBOY-X
Posts: 1800

Hi foofles,

Let me start by saying that the visuals in the level are great. Often building interiors in LBP seem cheesy but the start to the level with the dark and the storm outside felt just right.

I think the puzzle with the light reflection is a great idea. You can completely ignore this suggestion, I am a physicist and therefore prone to outbursts of geekiness!

When the mirror is rotated it affects both the angle of incidence and reflection. In short if you rotate the mirror through say 45 degrees then the light will be reflected by 90 degrees. So if the "reflected" light is being emitted by the mirror, then the motor for the light needs to be twice the speed of the mirror. Could the light be mounted to say some dark matter inside the mirror? That way a wobble bolt could be attached to both the mirror and light independently.

Sorry, got a bit carried away there. In summary nice work with the lights!

I have to say my motor skills must be off because I couldn't complete the runaway cart bit. Maybe a checkpoint half way would help, and possibly infinite life checkpoint, depending upon how kind you're feeling! I have to guiltily admit I got bored of dying after my second run through the level and gave up at that point.

I did spy one bunny, rather large and flaming. It reminded me for some bizarre reason of donnie darko. Maybe it should really be "Through a Nightmare, Darko"!

Thanks, Mark		2010-10-22 10:39:00

Author:
sparkle80
Posts: 27

Thanks for the input guys.

@sparkle, I figured it would be simpler gameplay wise to have it the way I have it lol, the light does reflect right off of the mirror that moves vertically though.

I'll look into adding a halfway checkpoint on the runaway platform section.		2010-10-22 14:36:00

Author:
Foofles
Posts: 2278


LBPCentral Archive Statistics
Posts: 1077139    Threads: 69970    Members: 9661    Archive-Date: 2019-01-19

Datenschutz
Aus dem Archiv wurden alle persönlichen Daten wie Name, Anschrift, Email etc. - aber auch sämtliche Inhalte wie z.B. persönliche Nachrichten - entfernt.
Die Nutzung dieser Webseite erfolgt ohne Speicherung personenbezogener Daten. Es werden keinerlei Cookies, Logs, 3rd-Party-Plugins etc. verwendet.