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#1

Dark Heart of the Wood

Archive: 20 posts


I'd really appreciate a little feedback on this adventure level. The puzzles are gentle and I put a lot of effort into making this fun to traverse, scenic and non-linear as possible. I hope this is a blast to dive into even if you don't want to complete the story objective. Take whichever route looks fun or interesting and who knows what you might discover.

This is also built to WORK IN SINGLE PLAYER. Ever since I first heard of the VS Camera allowing players to take separate paths I've been imagining what it would be like to have separate experiences for additional gadders in the same level. In here, there's treetop houses, caverns behind waterfalls, ruins, amusing wildlife, boats etc etc..

Hope you give it a whirl.

http://lbp.me/v/xt-ppk
2011-02-16 12:03:00

Author:
Tanuki75
Posts: 172


DeKay told me great things and was really excited about this level!
I will queue it immediately!
2011-02-16 12:08:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112


I'll play this2011-02-16 14:58:00

Author:
Angelgozen
Posts: 286


I like the pics looks like alot of detail put into it, I like the style of the level Ill definatly check this soon ^____________^.2011-02-16 15:14:00

Author:
Bloo_boy
Posts: 1019


Looks sublime. Q'ing for later. If you want to return the favor, check out my Sacknight level. http://Lbp.me/v/xqgfb42011-02-16 16:19:00

Author:
Hoplyte
Posts: 100


Played your level. At first i didnt know what to do, im just not used Playing free roam. But after i found the first fairy it didnt take long before i found them all. Cool graphics and you spend allot of time making Sure everything was clear. Only thing i missed the first time was the trigger in the treehouse. Overall very good job!!


https://lbpcentral.lbp-hub.com/index.php?t=49396-Raiders-of-the-Last-Couric
2011-02-16 18:58:00

Author:
Unknown User


I played this level a while ago, I gotta say its really beautiful, I love the calm quiet artistic style it had, the music fit perfectly, my fav part was the water vehicle you made, that was awesome ^____^

I havent found all the fairies yet but Ill try again soon, Great level
2011-02-16 20:38:00

Author:
Bloo_boy
Posts: 1019


That was beautiful! I was playing for at least an hour and having a wonderful time doing it. Great design and layout. It works so well as a puzzle, don't change a thing

Looks like you put a great deal of time and effort in to it and that shows!

Thanks for making it
2011-02-16 23:27:00

Author:
lochnar
Posts: 59


This level is legit! I'm playing through it now, and it's absolutely gorgeous. It feels like there's so much history to the world, and the little touches of it falling apart - awesome.

The glass bricks and stained glass window. The grass effects. The boats. All wonderful. I also love the exploration aspect and the difficulty it takes to find all of the faeries.

I had trouble in one area. I went down below the grass line and saved one of the lights, but I had not yet activated the motor moving the log up and down, so I had to suicide and respawn.
2011-02-17 03:37:00

Author:
Hoplyte
Posts: 100


Awesome level! You did a really good job with the visuals, (especially the falling bricks), and I liked how creepy the cave made everything. Plus, the water-boat-thing you made was fun to ride, and worked perfectly! Thanks for the great level!2011-02-18 03:32:00

Author:
Jdsfrog
Posts: 97


A really enjoyable level, although I couldn't find the last fairy.
I got to a blue circle thingy that I couldn't interact with (on the left area).
Other than that the environments were awesome, the atmosphere was unique and the concept is new and fresh.
Very nice level.
2011-02-18 08:26:00

Author:
saarraz1
Posts: 86


That was pretty cool. Found all the fairies.
Some nice little details, and the gameplay mechanics (hints/etc) were solid.
My favourite bit was the fire/chimney!

I'm glad you took advantage of the vs camera. It would be handy in this level.
Shame there are no points/scoreboard. :/
A few minor layer switching issues, but on the whole quite polished.
+ <3
Any plans to make another free roam platformer?
2011-02-18 11:06:00

Author:
midnight_heist
Posts: 2513


I enjoyed playing this level enormously yesterday. You have created a very beautiful forest world for people to explore. The free roam nature of the level works very well - you soon get a hang of the geography and there are all sorts of different and fascinating places to explore. Very nice use of materials (that green sequin and leaf material looks fantastic) and there were lots of nice touches along the way, like the dragonfly who follows you for a while and the little fish that swims right alongside you underwater.

It wasn't all forest either, the folly, the grotto and the graveyard broke it up nicely and kept things fresh. The glass temple with the statue and the little dining area were both gorgeous.

I enjoyed the gameplay too - the challenge of finding the faeries is pitched just right - not too difficult and not too easy. It was fun swinging and grappling around and, as others have said, the pedallo was great.

All round one of the most enjoyable and prettiest levels I've played in LBP2 so far. I gave it a and a heart.

I had a bit of a problem at the scoreboard but it may have been a server problem rather a bug. I found all the faeries and was guided to the waterfall where the scoreboard is meant to be but none appeared and my score was not uploaded. I was just kicked straight to the rating and "return to pod" page so I'm not on the scoreboard for the level and it looks like I didn't complete it. Oh well I shall just have to re-play, I guess, which is not a chore! Maybe it was something to do with playing it single player.
2011-02-18 11:08:00

Author:
shropshirelass
Posts: 1455


I played this yesterday and here is my feedback:

First off the idea behind the level is very nice and the level looks really great: the atmosphere is awesome and the change of light is always fitting (like in the water part). The nonlinear approach is extremely interesting. The level itself has no real danger but i guess that was not the point of the level. The only thing i'd change is the fact that the level doesn't really help the player in directing him where he is supposed to go, i know that the level is nonlinear but i could see player revisiting the same areas again because they don't know if they have got everything. I also ran into a glitch during the level: After a while i opened a box with an insect in it, but every time i entered the box i was crushed by an unseen force. The insect itself also followed me for a while and then disappeared without warning.
In the end i believe more visual feedback to the players to show them what to do would improve the level and help the players. Apart for that the level is really great.
2011-02-19 11:54:00

Author:
Vergil
Posts: 155


I am here, therefore queuing. Pictures look awesome, btw. 2011-02-19 12:23:00

Author:
creator22
Posts: 162


Very very nice level2011-02-19 13:33:00

Author:
Angelgozen
Posts: 286


Queued
Link to my F4F lvl: http://lbp.me/v/xqebve
2011-02-19 15:05:00

Author:
Unknown User


I just played it, and it was a really enjoyable and relaxing level. There was so many things to look at, and each part had something different about it so it was easy to not get lost too much and also stopped the level feeling repetitive. Finding the fairies was a real challenge, but it was fun to do, and the gameplay was a lot of fun too. The visuals were really nice to look at, and the relaxing gameplay helped to be able to take it all in. Great job. 2011-02-19 18:41:00

Author:
Moonface
Posts: 310


Thankyou all for your feedback, i'm looking into fixing the odd glitch here and there. As it's a 'Versus' level a score isn't uploaded for a single player, but I hope it's enjoyable without that feature. If you play with others though, and you know the faerie locations quick enough to collect the most - it will count towards your Versus stats for Pins and Trophy support (so not all bad for competitive types). I don't know if I'll make more free roaming levels as I like to keep my levels varied. Here are the Faerie locations if you got frustrated:

1- On the treetop, just right of the start point.
2- Far right past the graveyard and crumbling rocks, floating between 2 trees.
3- In the giant treehouse (pull down key with grappling hook), light the oven then pull the bounce pad from under the chair to ascend to the faerie.
4- Top right corner, fountain cave. You will need to grapple the tree roots from the left side to get there.
5- Left side, fountain cave. Either drop down from the muddy river or grapple up from where the water begins. The faerie is floating in an enclave.
6- On the muddy river. Stand beneath the statue and wait for the visual cues to open this route.
7- Underneath the crystal folly. Grab the cup in the folly that has a blue ring. Under the folly use a winched branch to descend to the faerie.
8- Cabin ruin, top-middle of the treehouse village. The faerie's inside the shaking wardrobe, drag the crowbar over to open it, which is on the same screen.
9- In the hanging dining area, treehouse village. The faerie appears if you climb above the dining area and cut the strings (grab where there's a blue circle). The whole platform drops into the water and a faerie appears above the candle.

There's an easter egg - If someone's goes inside the cave (making the global lighting dark) Torches flare up outside and ghosts appear all over the map - which only others will see.
2011-02-22 11:19:00

Author:
Tanuki75
Posts: 172


Awww, I saw this had 19 comments, 1 away from Cool Levels section, so basically I felt it was my duty to award that honor

From what everyone says it's awesome so I'll try it.
2011-03-04 04:32:00

Author:
Jayhawk_er
Posts: 403


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