Archive: 38 posts

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Hello! So, as an LBPer who likes good action and extreme challenges that get the adrenaline flowing, I have made this thread for all those who either want to test their skills or improve them! The purpose of this thread is to, not only post difficult levels, but to generate discussions of levels posted here for feedback purposes, tips/tricks, or just to vent about how frustrating "Flyo's Nightmare" is. This is how it will (hopefully) work. You can post any level that you deem to be challenging (use "The Bunker" as a guide. If it's as hard as or tougher, then it probably belongs here), including your own stuff. HOWEVER: If you post your own stuff you will be "required" to do a write up (critique or otherwise) of any other level posted in this thread per level of your own that you post. That way it's less about self promotion and is geared more towards the communal aspect. Generating discussion of this one sub-genre (hard-core/difficult) is the over all goal of this thread. With all that being said, it stands to reason that I will go first. I'd like to post the following levels: ROBO-RAMPAGE X ROBO-RAMPAGE X 2 both by Dimo1138 And I'd like to post, and comment on, the following: Run, Sackboy, Run by ooDorienoo Well, hells bells, this level is really hard. I figured I'd put this up here first to set the bar REALLY high. I've actually have not been able to finish this one! This is really a level only for the savant. You will either be able to do it, or not. Don't, however, be disappointed if you can't because this is one tough cookie! As the title implies, you need to RUN! FAST! You cannot sit still at all in this level, as you are constantly put under pressure by a massive electric death wall. Just follow the yellow path and you'll be fine! (yeah, right!) This level was a little lacking in the looks department and seemed that at times was a little luck based. But, as is the case with difficult games, a little repetition should get you through it (eventually). Terror's Manor by OboroShogun This level, while not nearly as difficult as Run Sackboy Run, is presented in a much more attractive manner. That is not to say that it's without challenges! This level is somewhat deceptive in that it starts very easy and puzzle based and then, the next thing you know, you're having to time your jumps precisely to reach victory. This level contains, what I would have to say are my favorite things, enemies and boss-battles! While the enemies were a bit easy to pass, you might not have the same luck facing THREE bosses! I found the second of the three to be the easiest, but I can see some having a bit of a tough time with the first. The final boss is less a boss and more of a platforming type experience, but no less fun or challenging. I had heard that OboroShogun had nerfed the difficulty a little bit at one point and the only regret I have is not being able to play the original, more difficult version. So, now it's your turn! If you like a good challenge then come and participate! Don't worry, I will be back and I will continue doing write-ups, so make sure you post some good ones! See ya'!

2009-01-28 22:02:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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Hmmmm an entire thread to promote your levels............ yada yada. the end.

2009-01-29 00:52:00 Author: squishy_squid Posts: 64

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no, It's a thread to promote DIFFICULT levels, not necessarily your own. One that I've never been able to pass is Bossanmaku Rave. It's in the level showcase, and I find it INSANELY though, barely even got to stage 3.

2009-01-29 01:43:00 Author: DRT99 Posts: 431

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Didn't you have another one of these not too long ago?

2009-01-29 02:12:00 Author: Whalio Cappuccino Posts: 5250

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Didn't you have another one of these not too long ago? There was another very similar thread by the same author. It was deleted by his request. I beleive he's written this one to try and be a bit more community friendly. Still, though, if you keep repeating this experiment too much Dimo, well, let's just say it's not a good idea. :kz: A difficult level I found today was Metal Revolution by Risen/Blorf. I found it to be quite punishing in terms of a learning curve and quite unforgiving if you do the wrong thing. It did not seem unfair though, just unforgiving. It wasn't really my cup of tea, I'm personally not a fan of hard levels. But to each his own.

2009-01-29 11:23:00 Author: Elbee23 Posts: 1280

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Hello! So, as an LBPer who likes good action and extreme challenges that get the adrenaline flowing, I have made this thread for all those who either want to test their skills or improve them! The purpose of this thread is to, not only post difficult levels, but to generate discussions of levels posted here for feedback purposes, tips/tricks, or just to vent about how frustrating "Flyo's Nightmare" is. This is how it will (hopefully) work. You can post any level that you deem to be challenging (use "The Bunker" as a guide. If it's as hard as or tougher, then it probably belongs here), including your own stuff. HOWEVER: If you post your own stuff you will be "required" to do a write up (critique or otherwise) of any other level posted in this thread per level of your own that you post. That way it's less about self promotion and is geared more towards the communal aspect. Generating discussion of this one sub-genre (hard-core/difficult) is the over all goal of this thread. With all that being said, it stands to reason that I will go first. I'd like to post the following levels: ROBO-RAMPAGE X ROBO-RAMPAGE X 2 both by Dimo1138 And I'd like to post, and comment on, the following: Run, Sackboy, Run by ooDorienoo Well, hells bells, this level is really hard. I figured I'd put this up here first to set the bar REALLY high. I've actually have not been able to finish this one! This is really a level only for the savant. You will either be able to do it, or not. Don't, however, be disappointed if you can't because this is one tough cookie! As the title implies, you need to RUN! FAST! You cannot sit still at all in this level, as you are constantly put under pressure by a massive electric death wall. Just follow the yellow path and you'll be fine! (yeah, right!) This level was a little lacking in the looks department and seemed that at times was a little luck based. But, as is the case with difficult games, a little repetition should get you through it (eventually). Terror's Manor by OboroShogun This level, while not nearly as difficult as Run Sackboy Run, is presented in a much more attractive manner. That is not to say that it's without challenges! This level is somewhat deceptive in that it starts very easy and puzzle based and then, the next thing you know, you're having to time your jumps precisely to reach victory. This level contains, what I would have to say are my favorite things, enemies and boss-battles! While the enemies were a bit easy to pass, you might not have the same luck facing THREE bosses! I found the second of the three to be the easiest, but I can see some having a bit of a tough time with the first. The final boss is less a boss and more of a platforming type experience, but no less fun or challenging. I had heard that OboroShogun had nerfed the difficulty a little bit at one point and the only regret I have is not being able to play the original, more difficult version. So, now it's your turn! If you like a good challenge then come and participate! Don't worry, I will be back and I will continue doing write-ups, so make sure you post some good ones! See ya'! I like how I can't finish your levels, but I finished Run Sackboy Run easily.

2009-01-29 11:25:00 Author: Unknown User

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The icy-ness of Robo Rampage X 2 is very evil minded!! Those levels rule though.

2009-01-29 12:30:00 Author: OboroShogun Posts: 37

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There was another very similar thread by the same author. It was deleted by his request. I beleive he's written this one to try and be a bit more community friendly. Still, though, if you keep repeating this experiment too much Dimo, well, let's just say it's not a good idea. :kz: A difficult level I found today was Metal Revolution by Risen/Blorf. I found it to be quite punishing in terms of a learning curve and quite unforgiving if you do the wrong thing. It did not seem unfair though, just unforgiving. It wasn't really my cup of tea, I'm personally not a fan of hard levels. But to each his own. I can't help it.... I have to say something on the subject of "Metal Revolution". I was going to reply on the showcase, so I played this game. I wanted to make it all the way through, so I really worked on it. It was HARD and I think my brain hurt by the time I rolled over the finish line. Then....... I went back and played it one more time..... By this time I had learned the rolling technique a little better. All of the sudden a lightbulb went off! I was FLYING through this thing, grabbing the sides, rolling the wheel from the top to get hidden points.... Since the first week of it's release a while ago, this is the only game I have consistently popped back into every week just to give it another go. My 6-year-old son (who can barely get his grip around the controller) saw me playing it a little. Last week while I was working he went into my recent list and found it. He yelled from the other room "DADDY, I DID IT!!!". I came in and found he had made it all the way through the entire level without me helping at all. The only reason I'm posting this is: this is one of those few games I would strongly recommend authors practice a bit before forming a final opinion. It's rare in LBP that this is necessary, but it is so intelligently designed you may get a few ideas. It is well balanced, has perfect puzzles, and is incredibly rewarding. It's only weakness is an un-LBP-like mechanic that takes some practice. But only a weakness from a standpoint of mass-approval, not from a standpoint of game design.

2009-01-29 14:01:00 Author: CCubbage Posts: 4430

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I can't help it.... I have to say something on the subject of "Metal Revolution"... Well, I've heard great things about this level as well, and I've finally had a chance to try it myself. I'm always a player that likes to stand still and think, a "Look before you leap" type player in a very literal sense. Levels where you need to constantly move and react in LBP or else you die tend to frustrate me. I still hate the bunker in the story mode. I have 100% of the items from that level, and am not too eager to ace it. It took me maybe 2 months of trying before I finished the level itself, and I still by no means can cake walk it by any stretch of the imagination. Metal Revolution though, by nature of it's wheel design, means that you need to be reacting on the fly with the wheel gameplay mechanics. It's a great level and I can see it being a great challenge, and I will likely come back to it and give it another go sometime, but it just felt far too "move or die" for my likes, a category I always hate in LBP. It's nothing personal against the author, I can and do appreciate the unique gameplay elements he has put in and the high level of design polish he has used to make very precise puzzles. But, well, it's just not the way I play. That's my problem though, not Risen's. :blush:

2009-01-29 14:33:00 Author: Elbee23 Posts: 1280

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Wow, I didn't expect to see so much discussion so quickly! And it seems that most of it is even relevant. @CCubbage-Metal revolution sounds cool, I'm going to give it a shot. I must agree that there is something about that feeling of being able to fluently do something that, previously, seemed impossible. @Creative-Huh, it just goes to show you that even skillfully players have their strong and weak points. For instance, I sometimes have problems with swinging from wheels, sections like that always frustrate me for some reason. Everybody is different. While you're here, if you had such an easy time with Run, Sackboy, Run would you mind maybe putting some tips or suggestions up? I would like to finish it at least once and it would be helpful to anyone else on this thread that ends up with a personal vendetta against that level! @squishy squid and whaaaaaale-Can we try and stay relevant, please? Read the first post, it sums up the entire topic. Once you got it down, then you are more than welcome to come back and participate! @Elbee23-Y'know, the look then leap mentality is the best way to be. There are many levels out there that players can just walk through. Having so many levels like that makes it so that when players get to a mildly challenging level they loose their edge, let their guard down, and claim it to be "impossible". But, in what other game do they expect to just walk right through? The look than leap mentality, I would say, contributes to about 50% of someone's over all skill. Being attentive and alert is really half the battle. @DRT99-Thank you. Alright, don't want to waste a post and not put up a level or two! The Stone Temple by Doctor Ramatool This one was pretty moderate, but still very difficult. This is like a Mario World castle stage on steroids. The look of the level is basic, but serves the purpose. The precision of the machinery is almost as impressive as the skill it takes to make it through. To lighten the load a bit, safe spots are marked, so you know where you can stop and take a breather. The whole level is mostly the same type of challenge but it gives you the whole spectrum of that challenge from absurdly easy to outright frustrating. The Trial of Skill by Shining Aquas This was neat. I found this level long before I ever posted here, back in the day when it looked like an entirely different level. There are some moments in this one that may make you curse and others that are so easy you have to laugh. A simple side step to the back plane will get you by the giant chinese star but only perfect timing will get you past the spinning wheels over fire. To be honest, I have yet to beat this one. The second set of disappearing blocks did me in. If anyone has any tips or tricks for this one, let me know, because I've got a personal vendetta against this level now, and I won't rest until it's been defeated! Alright, we're off to a decent start! I'll be sure to check out metal revolution as well as Boss Danmaku Rave (that one's been on my list for a bit). In the meantime, let's keep 'em coming!

2009-01-29 15:07:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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@Creative-Huh, it just goes to show you that even skillfully players have their strong and weak points. For instance, I sometimes have problems with swinging from wheels, sections like that always frustrate me for some reason. Everybody is different. While you're here, if you had such an easy time with Run, Sackboy, Run would you mind maybe putting some tips or suggestions up? I would like to finish it at least once and it would be helpful to anyone else on this thread that ends up with a personal vendetta against that level! ------------------ Run fast. Lol, no seriously a tip is: wait until pistons stop moving and then drop down. eg. Don't let go of grabbable material as soon as it stops. Wait until it stops completely, then run. It may sound like it would slow you down but trust me, it doesn't. Out of curiosity Dimo, how far did you get in Run Sackboy Run?

2009-01-29 16:55:00 Author: Unknown User

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I'll have to play the Run level... I still haven't beaten your X 2 either. I Keep trying it with a friend, instead of retrying solo. I only have one level I consider difficult for people, but when I play it I can skip through it like a super natural monk on a lily pad. In order to get the high score I have, you have to do the top path almost to finish, double back through the top path, hit the switch and do the lower path without dying once... on top of this there's 6 point gourds in the level and 3 are hidden. I suppose it's not fair to set an impossible bar in your own level, but meh... I've received a couple PM's from people who dedicated themselves to beating the level and were like "I FINALLY DID IT, DUDE!" - which made me happy. I never really thought it was difficult, just an interesting sequence of jumps and timing based on the natural fall of ruined and collapsed architecture. I moved a few things closer after cutting the pillars and letting the objects fall to make the jumps possible and that was that. One thing about the difficulty of the jumps in that level, is that it's based on running jumps. You have to play it as if it were the original Tomb Raider on PS1. You must step back to the edge of the platform you're on, run, jump at the last possible second, and hold X for the maximum height and length. It's really not hard if you understand this principle. The thing about the difficulty in the upper path is that you must step out as the hand of God comes back for the first half of the area, but since you're moving closer towards the center of a moving objects path, you must logically step out after it passes when you reach the halfway mark - otherwise you go kerplat and bzzt. It's the traditional stealth gameplay on a new level I'm all for difficulty, and I think it's too subjective a thing to cater to. If you really want to make a long standing classic, it can't be done in a bite-size, fast-food wam bam thank ya ma'am manner... give me a sense of accomplishment, an adrenaline rush on top of your amazing experience. I've seen lots of creators cater to demands for an ease of access, and I think it takes away from the thrill of conquest... the thing is that I don't think the gamers who demand this easy play will be the one's returning to play more than once. They'll be onto the next cakewalk. So you can either capture a handful of loyal player, or the fickle mass audience.

2009-01-29 18:41:00 Author: Unknown User

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Hello, would have gotten back to you guys earlier, but I wanted to try some levels first. @Creative-Well, I can't really begin to guess how far I made it seeing how I don't know how long the level is and I haven't tried it in a while, so my memory is a bit hazy, but I'd say probably about 1/2-2/3 of the way through. I'm going to try it again using your advice, seeing how I always jumped off as early as possible, as opposed to waiting for the movement to stop. @NinjaMcWZ-Hey, umm, it could be me but I didn't happen to catch the name of the level you posted. I do, however, know what you mean when you create an exceptionally difficult level and receive messages from those that have completed it. I, personally, have, and prefer a more dedicated following, even if it is a small one. Anyway, here we go! Metal Revolution by Blorf Well, I didn't find this level to be too tricky to finish, although I didn't spend a lot of time trying to get the secret/out of reach points. I also, did not manage to get my wheel all the way home. I felt the concept of this level was well structured and the implementation of the creators ideas was done very well. But, like I said, I didn't find it to be too hard. I may revisit this one to try and get all the extra stuff, and if I find a considerable increase in difficulty doing so, I will update my comments on this level. Boss: Danmaku Rave by Bridget_ Holy crap....This is the first level I've played in LBP that had me CURSING THIS STUPID THING!!!! The first two sections weren't that bad, but it took me, like, twenty some-odd tries to get past the third phase, and when I saw the fourth, I just flat out quit. I know, not the type of behavior I should be doing, but, ****, this level is freakin' hard! Now, I don't often find myself saying things like this (this is the first), but I think this level could actually be toned down a bit. It's all good, but by the time you make it to the final phase chances are you have very few lives left to deal with an incredibly difficult attack pattern. Kudos to the three guys on the score board! Even though this level is EXTREMELY difficult, it did give me what I was looking for, (and a bit more) and that's one heck of an adrenaline rush. I'm still tweaked!

2009-01-29 20:00:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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Sorry, I wasn't trying to spam the thread. It's False Idols II: Divine Intervention. You'll probably breeze through it, but if you look at the scoreboard you'll see that you're the only person with the #1 or 2 position besides me... if you can find the gourds and ace both paths in one sitting. I recently added a few more points, and haven't aced it in awhile, so you might actually end up getting the #1.

2009-01-29 21:09:00 Author: Unknown User

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Sorry, I wasn't trying to spam the thread. It's False Idols II: Divine Intervention. You'll probably breeze through it, but if you look at the scoreboard you'll see that you're the only person with the #1 or 2 position besides me... if you can find the gourds and ace both paths in one sitting. I recently added a few more points, and haven't aced it in awhile, so you might actually end up getting the #1. Yo! No worries, man! Spam away if that's what makes you happy! I don't know about getting the top score, it seems you may have a bit more skill than I do! I've seen your name on some score boards and I always end up right below you! Anyhow, I'll definitely give it a play, as I'm trying to play everything that's been posted, and more. In the meantime, you seem like a very articulate fellow, you should (if you have the time, of course) post some write-ups of your own on this thread, I'm sure people will like to hear second opinions (or first or third, whatever!).

2009-01-29 21:38:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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Metal Revolution by Blorf Well, I didn't find this level to be too tricky to finish, although I didn't spend a lot of time trying to get the secret/out of reach points. I also, did not manage to get my wheel all the way home. I felt the concept of this level was well structured and the implementation of the creators ideas was done very well. But, like I said, I didn't find it to be too hard. I may revisit this one to try and get all the extra stuff, and if I find a considerable increase in difficulty doing so, I will update my comments on this level. Dude, if you look above I mentioned my 6-year-old finished Metal Revolution. It is definately not hard, just requires learning the mechanics. HOWEVER - the challenge is to finish the entire thing with your original wheel. It took me numerous times, but I managed to get every point bubble and prize I could see, AND get to the end with my original wheel. The last time I looked, I still had by far the #1 score. Beat it and I will be very impressed. Also try Expedition Yagon - Part 1. This one is a well-crafted adventure but was pretty difficult. (I think the author toned it down a little from the last time I played. I'm going to need to go back in and see how much)

2009-01-29 23:20:00 Author: CCubbage Posts: 4430

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Boss: Danmaku Rave by Bridget_ Holy crap....This is the first level I've played in LBP that had me CURSING THIS STUPID THING!!!! The first two sections weren't that bad, but it took me, like, twenty some-odd tries to get past the third phase, and when I saw the fourth, I just flat out quit. I know, not the type of behavior I should be doing, but, ****, this level is freakin' hard! Now, I don't often find myself saying things like this (this is the first), but I think this level could actually be toned down a bit. It's all good, but by the time you make it to the final phase chances are you have very few lives left to deal with an incredibly difficult attack pattern. Kudos to the three guys on the score board! Even though this level is EXTREMELY difficult, it did give me what I was looking for, (and a bit more) and that's one heck of an adrenaline rush. I'm still tweaked! Ah, I've got people cursing at the screen! Well then.... my work here is done Most things I make are going to be very difficult like this. One thing about creating levels like this, is I often am going to make them in such a way so that they challenge ME. Im used to games that are *MUCH* harder than anything this boss produces...... YouTube - Mushihime-sama (Arrange) Final Boss & TFB (fail lol) the fight in that video is the type of thing Im used to playing. I get alot of inspriation and ideas from just this one game alone. For the record, I *have* beaten the nightmare in that video, but it took me a year (literally) to do it. Im better at these now though. That's not me playing in that vid. One hint for Danmaku Rave, for you or anyone else trying it: Much like alot of shmup games I've played, these patterns are partially designed to scare you into making mistakes. They're meant to be hard to read and look like insane, chaotic nonsense. That being said, there's always some way to do them that minimizes danger. Even the 4th pattern isnt AS hard as it looks. There's a certain trick to it.... I wont give it away, but I'll just say "watch your feet". And keep in mind: I could have made this HARDER, yet still technically fair Anyway, I like the idea of this thread. It's nice to see more people that enjoy a challenge in gaming like I do. And it's so very, VERY nice that LBP is so flexible, that people can make and find levels of any difficulty they choose. I intend on trying out most of the levels listed here, and also posting descriptions of a couple that I've found while playing online, but I'll do that tomorrow. I can think of one in particular I found recently that I'd like to mention but I cant for the life of me remember the name, and the game isnt on right now for me to look it up.....

2009-01-30 09:56:00 Author: Bridget Posts: 334

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I think I've actually watched that video before... I've neglected the shmup genre for so long in leu of J/RPG's and obscure 2D platformers as my niche of choice, but I used to beast at them. On the game board I go to there's a handful of dedicated arcade junkies, and one guy always tell this story about a legendary Japanese business man who beat a game like that on one credit on his lunch and left without a word. Niche games have such a cool subculture, like followings for the elite Street Fighter players etc I've been really happy that genres like this, and advanced interpretations of old school genres are being kept alive with a small following and the advent of both new and old downloadable games on PSN, Wii store, and Live. It keeps the market alive for the 10 man team that wants to make the best shooter ever, and otherwise would never have a US market.

2009-01-30 10:29:00 Author: Unknown User

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I think I've actually watched that video before... I've neglected the shmup genre for so long in leu of J/RPG's and obscure 2D platformers as my niche of choice, but I used to beast at them. On the game board I go to there's a handful of dedicated arcade junkies, and one guy always tell this story about a legendary Japanese business man who beat a game like that on one credit on his lunch and left without a word. Niche games have such a cool subculture, like followings for the elite Street Fighter players etc I've been really happy that genres like this, and advanced interpretations of old school genres are being kept alive with a small following and the advent of both new and old downloadable games on PSN, Wii store, and Live. It keeps the market alive for the 10 man team that wants to make the best shooter ever, and otherwise would never have a US market. Agreed on all of that. Though I personally think the shmup genre would do a little better if more of them would at least TRY to come to the states..... but for games like the ones in the video, you have to import them, usually. Other than that, most shmups are now on the PC. There's a TON of them (and I dont mean Touhou). I wish there were more 2D fighters though. Guilty Gear (of course) and Street Fighter, those have always been my thing. Hoping SF4 comes out well. It better, lest I Hulk Smash something to bits in great rage. And I think games like LBP are absolutely excellent for helping to revive certain genres. LBP shows how much fun a good 2D platformer can be.... hoping thusly to see more in that genre soon, and not just on the DS or something. Not that the DS isnt great.

2009-01-30 11:58:00 Author: Bridget Posts: 334

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My goodness. I've been playing versions of Space Invaders and Galaga for my "Good Ship Prometheus" level. The system I have currently set up as a gameplay test could get set to make some very, very hard firing patterns. Not quite the "whole screen of full purple death" sort of things that were linked in the video, but still, complex waves of bullets swamping the screen should be doable, it would just depend if the emitters and thermometer can handle them. Still though, I'm not a fan of hard games myself. But when I get the level up to beta I might point out some settings I've set and ask if people want things like more or less heatlh, different move speeds for your own ship and enemies, different firing patterns... Maybe I'll release a "normal" and "hard" version of the level. I'd need other people's opinions and feedback to make a hard one though. I know I probably would not be able to finish it. But it's good to see people still enjoying that genre. I like it when it's just casual and "humanly possible", but I'm well aware it can go crazy hard. A level I've found hard but others have said as more medium is the full extended mix of CCubbage's Splat Invaders Saga. It's got similar gameplay mechanics with a sackboy and a paintanator. The alternate ending looks like the difficulty ramps up a bit.

2009-01-30 12:26:00 Author: Elbee23 Posts: 1280

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@CCubage-I was a little confused at how to approach Metal Revolution as far as this thread is concerned. I got somewhat conflicting opinions of the same level from yourself and Elbee23 and my comments on the level were just that, not any type of response to either one of you specifically. I hope you weren't offended, I was just trying to ***** the level based on my own experience and opinions. Although, I can imagine that making it to the end with the original wheel as being much more difficult, which is kind of neat, really, in the sense that you are able to play this level as a casual player and as a "pro". It's like a "choose your own adventure" kind of thing. @Bridget-First, I just want to say: welcome! and thanks for joining us! I also use a similar method when creating. I like to be challenged, so I try to make levels that challenge me first, then I worry about others. What I do a little differently is when I am making an obstacle or enemy/boss I make it as difficult as possible. After it meets those standards I usually pull it back a shade or two just to make sure that I'm being fair and to make it a bit more accessible to the general public . The end result usually is a really challenging level that has little to no "unfair" or "cheap" moments. I have to say that I am impressed with your ability and skills, and am hopeful that you will have some really cool stuff to contribute. @Elbee23-That sounds great. I think it would be really cool if you could make a "hard version". If at all possible it would be better, I think, if you could somehow make them both in the same level and have the difficulty ramped up by means of sticker switch or something else along those lines, that way you would generate more plays on one level, but still be able to offer it to both player types. I understand that the limitations of the game may not allow it, but if it is at all possible I think it would be cool. Also, if you get to a point making any kind of "hard mode" I would be more than happy to test it out for you. Also, I have played Splat Invaders Saga and it was done VERY well. I, personally, would consider it to be middle of the road in the difficulty department, but that is not to say it doesn't have it's challenges. Plus I'm a big fan of "Galaga" (class of 81!) so these types of levels, difficult or not, are going to be some of my favorites. @Everybody-On a small side note: I was kind of wondering how old all you guys here are. I'm 27 and grew up with Mega Man, the original Ninja Gaiden, Contra, and other games that existed before massive memory storage, and one of the only ways to give a game replayability was to make it difficult. I, in my experience, haven't met many (there have been a few I was made aware of when Mega Man 9 was realeased) younger people that enjoy being pushed to the utmost limits or being given a particularly difficult challenge. You guys seem to have what I consider to be a good attitude towards a challenge and it just made me curious as to how old you guys are. I'll be back soon with a quick write up of Expedition Yagon - Part 1 and False Idols II. I'd like to hear more opinions on some of the levels listed here, so, please feel free! You don't need to be an expert reviewer and there are no guidelines to how your write-up needs to be formatted, so any kind of comments will do. See you guys soon!

2009-01-30 17:41:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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I'm not an Immense fan of Impossible levels myself, but, I'd play Danmaku rave a few hundred times untill I beat it, as long as there is some form of information as to how the boss was made, Pictures, anything.

2009-01-30 17:42:00 Author: DRT99 Posts: 431

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@CCubage-I was a little confused at how to approach Metal Revolution as far as this thread is concerned. I got somewhat conflicting opinions of the same level from yourself and Elbee23 and my comments on the level were just that, not any type of response to either one of you specifically. I hope you weren't offended, I was just trying to ***** the level based on my own experience and opinions. Although, I can imagine that making it to the end with the original wheel as being much more difficult, which is kind of neat, really, in the sense that you are able to play this level as a casual player and as a "pro". It's like a "choose your own adventure" kind of thing. Nope, not offended in the least. It's kind of interesting when you are reading someone elses message that sometimes you can miss the humor element (basically, everything I write is either informative or tongue-in-cheek - never emotional... just not in me). What I meant to say is that if my 6-year-old can do it just about anybody can so unless you are trying to reach the ultimate goal of the level, there is no point in putting it in a "hardcore" list of levels. It's a fantastic game, but probably belongs more in a puzzle category than an "OMG!!!!! My nerves are shot!!!" list. (by the way, I'm 39 and grew up between the Pong and Atari 800 days - I even owned the original Odysee system from 72)

2009-01-30 18:17:00 Author: CCubbage Posts: 4430

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@CCubage-It's weird sometimes how poorly the spoken word translates to text. Anyone who ever tried typing sarcastically would know! Anyway, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't offending anyone, I have been misunderstood a few times and I just wanted to make it clear that I'm here to make friends, not enemies! Also, you're old! (sarcasm, ha!) No, really, I remember my first gaming experience was the Atari 2600 way back when I was really young. Can't say that I "grew up with it" because it wasn't long after that that the original Nintendo came out, so... Anyway, there was something about your last post that got me thinking. While puzzlers don't often make it across the threshold into the "hard-core" genre, does that necessarily mean that they can't be listed here, in a thread concerning difficult levels? The word "challenge" can easily apply to a puzzler or other type of genre. You can be challenged mentally (different than mentally challenged lol) by a puzzler just as much as you can be challenged "physically" by a platformer. With that being said, a lot more levels would be relevant to this thread. What are you guys' thoughts on this? Lastly, I am having what can only be described as "server issues" at the moment and I've been unable to play ANYTHING today! It really stinks! As soon as I'm allowed to load levels again I will pick right back up from where I left off.

2009-01-30 21:11:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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When it comes to difficulty, I'm not sure wether I'd prefer to be physically challenged or mentally challenged.

2009-01-30 21:37:00 Author: Unknown User

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When it comes to difficulty, I'm not sure wether I'd prefer to be physically challenged or mentally challenged. That was very insightful! (sarcasm? you be the judge!)

2009-01-30 21:59:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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Hold on... I just got that... mentally challenged... hah. by the way, I know it is not "super hardcore", but if you beat Splat Invaders Saga now there is a much more difficult version you can jump into. Got rid of the shields (no more hiding...), the mother ship fires missiles twice as fast, put a lot more aliens in the big elevator shaft, and made the plamas in the core fire a lot faster. And since this isn't the original, I can ramp it up more if necessary (in fact, I'm thinking of slowly making little things more difficult while I work on my next level...)

2009-01-31 01:21:00 Author: CCubbage Posts: 4430

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Hold on... I just got that... mentally challenged... hah. by the way, I know it is not "super hardcore", but if you beat Splat Invaders Saga now there is a much more difficult version you can jump into. Got rid of the shields (no more hiding...), the mother ship fires missiles twice as fast, put a lot more aliens in the big elevator shaft, and made the plamas in the core fire a lot faster. And since this isn't the original, I can ramp it up more if necessary (in fact, I'm thinking of slowly making little things more difficult while I work on my next level...) Hey, that sounds really cool. I'll be definitely checking that out this afternoon.

2009-01-31 15:38:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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I guess that's the good thing about the "top down shooter type" levels within LBP. You can really make them incredibly hard if you had the inclination. I have given some thought about a hard mode for my upcoming level. Depending on thermometer usage, I'll either put it within the same leve but unlocked by a sticker switch, or just have a key to a harder version at the end of it. I don't think I would have even considered this as an option if it was not for this thread. Thanks everyone for the idea. Anyway, I am 30 years old. Although I did grow up in the age of 2D platforming shooters, I was not necessarily all that good at them. I'd focus more on roleplaying, strategy and adventure games, so I don't necessarily have the reflexes of an experienced sage. :blush: We do get a vast age range in these forums though. There are a few early teenagers, and we even have someone who is 8 years old. It's quite interesting the melting pot of ideas and experiences people have.

2009-02-01 05:49:00 Author: Elbee23 Posts: 1280

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Ok, trying out a few of the levels mentioned in this thread and gonna drop comments here: Robo-Rampage X: Ok, this was entertaining, lol. I could see the Megaman influence from the moment I entered the stage. Loved the big "D" right before the boss rooms, lol. Only problem I had here was at the first boss, those little eyeball things have a strange hit-point to them; I swear some shots just went right through. The 2nd boss was pretty neat. Though, you can completely avoid that "rising platform" attack if you just stand right next to the entrance door...... dunno if you knew that or not, figured I should point it out. I love that you put the vanish-blocks in there too, lol. One of my levels does that, "The Castle of Dr. Insano". Try zooming out the camera on those sections so the player can see more of the blocks at once. Robo-Rampage X2: Ok, I'll be honest: I didnt actually finish this one. Not because of the difficulty. I got to the "elevator fulla crabs" part, and that's not so much difficult as it is just extremely obnoxious. It'd work alot better if the bloody Paintinator A: had auto fire, and B: didnt have that wierd THING about not firing at point blank range. As it is, I can only smash the fire button quickly for so long; once my arm tires (which happens fast) I'll always stop whatever level Im on. Also, the midboss, ah, I actually killed it without moving. I stood on the first of the 3 platforms the entire time and just fired at it. Im guessing that's not really supposed to be able to work, I figured it'd be good to point it out. Both of those levels are very pretty.

2009-02-01 09:03:00 Author: Bridget Posts: 334

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Tried out "Run Sackboy Run". Honestly, I didnt like this one. One thing I've learned from the shmup genre: There's a big, big difference between "challenge" and "cheap". "Trial and error" gameplay does not make for actual challenge, honestly.... which is basically all this one is. Alot of developers and designers never seem to understand this. Once I'd seen a section in this level exactly once, I was able to pass it every time. But see, you arent gonna get through this the first time. Cause the level design will have you crashing into a danger you couldnt see until it was already there..... thus you *had* to have already seen it, and remembered it was there, to pass it. But once you'd done that, it was pretty easy. Reminds me of making speedruns through Megaman 9's levels, except that this is forced. Didnt bother finishing this. I dont like trial-and-error type gameplay, and once I realized that that's all this was, I figured it was just taking up time I could be using to try other levels.

2009-02-01 09:15:00 Author: Bridget Posts: 334

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I'm not an Immense fan of Impossible levels myself, but, I'd play Danmaku rave a few hundred times untill I beat it, as long as there is some form of information as to how the boss was made, Pictures, anything. I could provide some pics from the editor, or a short vid, if you'd like. Pics might be easier, I could illustrate what each section is or does. Still likely wouldnt be that easy to understand though, due to what it looks like. The thing that controls the boss is basically this gigantic (multiple screens worth) tangle of blocks, pistons, and switches. It's not really possible to see which switch is going where..... it ends up looking like this forest of green cables all connecting to the boss. And then the boss itself also has it's own switches that are actually on it. The red and blue gas, those are actually gas "wheels" that are bolted to a small bit of dark matter, and they spin. I can get some pics though if you'd like, just let me know. Also, each part of that fight is honestly a good deal easier than it looks; even the 4th pattern. It is however, designed to seem otherwise...... keep that in mind. Entirely possible to ace it. Ok, and I tried out "Terror's Manor". Honestly, this one actually wasnt very hard at all. But it was unique. I dont see that many levels that attempt to be puzzlers, I really dont. There were some neat sections to this, and a couple of annoying points too. It was also well designed and each area made sense, really. Fairly nice looking too. Though I didnt do that section, whatever the heck it was, with the bazillion button switches. @Bridget-First, I just want to say: welcome! and thanks for joining us! I also use a similar method when creating. I like to be challenged, so I try to make levels that challenge me first, then I worry about others. What I do a little differently is when I am making an obstacle or enemy/boss I make it as difficult as possible. After it meets those standards I usually pull it back a shade or two just to make sure that I'm being fair and to make it a bit more accessible to the general public . The end result usually is a really challenging level that has little to no "unfair" or "cheap" moments. I have to say that I am impressed with your ability and skills, and am hopeful that you will have some really cool stuff to contribute. Haha, thanks for the compliment I generally follow the same design philosophy as you.... nice to meet someone else on here that thinks that way! Though, according to most people I know, my idea of "challenging" tends to be a little warped thanks to all of those shmups. If I were to actually make something in LBP be as freaking hard as it could possibly be, ahh, well, have you ever heard of Kaizo Mario, or Mario Frustration? Think of that, except without the cheapness; it'd be that difficult, lol. As it is, even Danmaku Rave COULD have been harder. I dont think I've ever fully died when fighting the thing. At most I might lose 1-3 lives on the 4th pattern. But I figured I'd hit a good level with where it ended up being. Also, the game would explode if I tried to add anything else, haha. Now Im going to mention a couple of levels that are in my hearted list, for you to try, that I found to be difficult. (not insanely difficult though). "The Wicked Which of the Four Towers" by Stupendous__Man (that's 2 underscores there). This level isnt very pretty, but it's well done in terms of design (except for the obnoxious "balloon" room, you'll know that when you see it). Essentially there are 4 "towers" that increase in difficulty; the 1st is the easiest, and the 4th is supposedly the hardest. Though, honestly, number 3 ends up being the most difficult. I liked that part. Prepare to die a buncha times trying that section. The level definitely has some flaws, but not many, and it is obviously designed to be a pure platforming challenge. "Walker Takedown Challenge (HARD MODE) Beta" by Asmodon. I've seen alot of "boss levels". Levels that are basically just a big boss fight. But I've seen VERY few that I considered to be any good. This is one of those few, though it's not perfect. The idea is simple; the level starts out, and there's this huge quadruped mech that walks forward. you have to chase after it, and find a way to destroy it before it reaches the end. Now, the mech itself doesnt do a whole lot more than walk forward (which is cool in it's own right), and occaisionally fire a cannonball from the front (which wont hit you unless you're stupid, lol). But the key term here is "find a way" to destroy it. The method of destroying it wont be obvious right away at all..... it's interesting, because it ends up being puzzle and boss at the same time. New dangers will present themselves as you figure out each part. Unfortunately, the fight is rather short, when all is said and done. I'd like to see a larger version of this one. Very worth a try.

2009-02-01 10:07:00 Author: Bridget Posts: 334

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Hello! I was going to post all this stuff yesterday but just as I was going to play these levels I received invites from three people at once. So I ended up doing some x4 stuff with my good friends xKappax (Fall of Winter) ZX497 (Re-Color etc.) and Vanmeria (who doesn't advertise his stuff on line, but should) and ended up having the most fun playing LBP since it was released! @Bridget-Yeah, I agree with Terror's Manor not being that difficult and I really can't blame you for not enjoying Run Sackboy Run. It is a bit hit or miss. @CCubage-My bad, I totally forgot to try the hard version of Splat Invaders Saga, but don't worry, I liked the original a lot, so I'll definitely get to it. Anyhow, I got to play a few, so.. Expedition Yagon part 1 (can someone tell me the creators name? I forgot to write it down.) This level was done quite nicely and the only thing preventing me from calling it "difficult" is the infinite lives. There was a couple of seriously tough jumps in this level and the puzzles and decor were also really nice. It did tick me off a bit, though. I was at a part where I had to take a "jewel" with me into the lava to unlock four different switches and for some reason they stopped appearing leaving me with nothing to do and nowhere to go! Not sure how or why this happened but, as you can imagine, I wasn't too happy about it. False Idols II by NinjaMcWZ Okay, I need to get to this one again because I only took the top path but I wanted to share my thoughts on what I had seen so far. I can't lie, the Fist of God is a bit unforgiving but I managed to make it to the end on my first play through. The top path was short but the detail was great and it was a tricky obstacle, providing the type of thrills I look for. Good timing is a must, but this should be doable by everyone here on this thread. Anyway, Ninja, the reason why I didn't do the bottom path was because I couldn't get there. I must have missed something. There seemed to be a folded up stairway that I couldn't get to. If you don't mind, let me know what I was doing wrong. I also got to a couple of Bridget's picks. The Wicked Witch of the Four Towers by Stupendous__Man Ha! You weren't kidding. This level isn't the best looking level I have seen but aside from that it had it's moments. The first two "towers" didn't provide too much of a challenge, but the obstacles were laid out well. The third tower was a bit more exciting, but I don't think it served up anything that anyone here wouldn't be able to handle. Now, the fourth tower, I was trekking along at a nice comfortable pace and arrived at one obstacle that was unique and very tricky. It's hard to explain, but you had to jump from a spinning wheel to a grabable sponge spinning around a piece of fire. It was, like I said, unique in the sense that I had not encountered an obstacle quite like this before. Naturally, I died here a few times trying to feel it out and by the time I was getting the hang of it I realized something. Only four lives? WTF? Not to complain, but making difficult levels requires a certain degree of "finesse" and I feel knowing when to give players four or eight lives is a big part of that. I feel all the gates before hand being fours were very doable. An eight would have been nice there, especially being so far into the level. The biggest problem with that is that the rest of the level was not really good enough to do again just for the sake of one obstacle. Don't get me wrong, this level is worth a shot, I just can't see myself giving it another go, at least for a while. I looked for Walker Takedown Challenge but found only one level (with a similar name) by that author that was not locked. I played the one with the similar name, but didn't find it that interesting, so if I'm in the totally wrong place, let me know!

2009-02-01 19:12:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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You're supposed to pull the switch when it tells you to choose life or death, and choose to destroy the world. I'm about to make sure I didn't somehow screw this up in a recent edit. brb with verification. Yeah, it works... I just moved the switch now to be a little more visible, put it in a more logical place (underneath the sphere), made it bigger, and added an extra lighting effect: a much stronger, heavenly halo of light surrounding the sphere should now shut off when the planet is destroyed.

2009-02-02 00:27:00 Author: Unknown User

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You're supposed to pull the switch when it tells you to choose life or death, and choose to destroy the world. I'm about to make sure I didn't somehow screw this up in a recent edit. brb with verification. Yeah, it works... I just moved the switch now to be a little more visible, put it in a more logical place (underneath the sphere), made it bigger, and added an extra lighting effect: a much stronger, heavenly halo of light surrounding the sphere should now shut off when the planet is destroyed. Thanks, Ninja, I didn't even notice it. I'll give that another shot maybe sometime this afternoon.

2009-02-02 14:22:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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Anyone who wants to check out Splat Invaders Saga Hardcore, it's out there if you get the key finishing the regular version. Expedition Yagon part 1 (can someone tell me the creators name? I forgot to write it down.) This level was done quite nicely and the only thing preventing me from calling it "difficult" is the infinite lives. There was a couple of seriously tough jumps in this level and the puzzles and decor were also really nice. It did tick me off a bit, though. I was at a part where I had to take a "jewel" with me into the lava to unlock four different switches and for some reason they stopped appearing leaving me with nothing to do and nowhere to go! Not sure how or why this happened but, as you can imagine, I wasn't too happy about it. If you didn't get past the lava jewel part, you didn't get to the hard part yet... piece of cake up through there... wait until you finish with the jewel and sail BACK to the temple.... I've never seen the jewel not keep appearing unless there is still one out there (but you may have broken it somehow...) There are, I think, 4 or 5 areas you need to break open using that chunk you carry with you down into the cave maze.

2009-02-06 22:42:00 Author: CCubbage Posts: 4430

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Hey guys, Sorry for not posting in a while. School really just picked up and is consuming a lot of my time. I was going to just post a list of really tough levels from my hearted list but I haven't even really had time to power up my PS. When I get some time, however, I'll update this post with some B.A. stuff for you guys to play. Anyhow, how about that spotlight? I saw a few guys (and girls) from this topic up on that list. It kind of made me a little proud to see that many difficult levels on the spotlight and really kind of proves me wrong that the challenging levels get over looked. And in this case, I don't mind being proven wrong! Keep up the good work guys! I'll be back.....

2009-02-10 03:10:00 Author: Dimo1138 Posts: 179

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About the Run Sackboy Run level, it's extremely unforgiving, and you need atleast 100 plays to beat it About 10 to practice each part, but once you get further, you die there since you have no idea what to do there. I did plan to beat it though, and after loads of tries i did.. And the best reward of all, i got the nr 1 score :O

2009-02-10 18:39:00 Author: ThommyTheThird Posts: 440

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