[Map for CFD2012 ] "The Descent" -File and discussion thread

[Komag]

that torch back thing was fixed/tweaked, I forgot the setting but it's in the round-robin thread somewhere like a week ago

[SpiderFighter]

that torch back thing was fixed/tweaked, I forgot the setting but it's in the round-robin thread somewhere like a week ago

Yep, Neikun's pretty brilliant fix was to move it outside the map! I just haven't needed to use it yet. The only reason it popped into view is because I did some redecorating. Plus, the other thing was driving me crazy. lol

[SpiderFighter]

Ok...new version:

• Fixed all destroy/spawn plates by adding timers to slow things down a bit (which means our marching patrols should work great for everyone now!)
  Cleaned up the downstairs hallways (no more one-room at a time)
  Fixed the stairs downstairs
  The secret area downstairs is now more easily seen from the switches that open it
  The downstairs ogre can now be seen through a portcullis, and will ignore the player
  The first (upstairs) ogre now exits from the teleporter maze instead of just appearing in the hallway (and he will no longer explore the upstairs area until he has checked out the long corridor first)
  Fixed the torch handle sticking through the wall before the Archer/Pit room
  Fixed the twitchy spider north of the catacomb room (noticed on on JW's last video, thanks!)
  The player now has to find his/her way back from the catacomb area (no more self-raising secret wall) [NOTE: I just have a placeholder switch for tonight, until I can come up with a better puzzle/means to open it]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/55cu73du8jlb6 ... nt_09g.dat

Fingers crossed; this one should finally be playable by everyone.

[JohnWordsworth]

Awesome changes. Will have another run through this evening!

[Ancylus]

I hate to bring bad news, but...

SpoilerShow

A summary of events after the teleporter maze: stepped out of nook and immediately back to trigger the mobs, killed spider from there, fought skeleton at north end of room, kited another spider to south end of room and killed it there, got the bomb, fought the skeleton patrol along the length of catacomb room, didn't press button, on exit found patrols stuck in place.

A save from inside the catacomb room shows that the patrols were bugged already before I left, but I don't know whether it happened when I first stepped inside or during the fight. A few more attempts failed to reproduce the error. I think the change of timing may have made the problem less likely to occur, but apparently didn't remove it entirely.

[SpiderFighter]

I hate to bring bad news, but...

SpoilerShow

A summary of events after the teleporter maze: stepped out of nook and immediately back to trigger the mobs, killed spider from there, fought skeleton at north end of room, kited another spider to south end of room and killed it there, got the bomb, fought the skeleton patrol along the length of catacomb room, didn't press button, on exit found patrols stuck in place.

A save from inside the catacomb room shows that the patrols were bugged already before I left, but I don't know whether it happened when I first stepped inside or during the fight. A few more attempts failed to reproduce the error. I think the change of timing may have made the problem less likely to occur, but apparently didn't remove it entirely.

Argh. Ok, well it's not all bad news, right? The fact that you couldn't replicate it again (coupled with John's smooth playtime last night) makes me think we're on the right track. I'll just increase the timers to a full second. If that doesn't do it, then I'm at a loss for an answer. Although it does make me wonder what will happen in a couple of years, as processor speed increases.

Honestly, you must be as sick of this map as I am by now!

@JW: I'll upload another version later this morning with the increased timer (and maybe a few more things. I have a puzzle in mind I was starting yesterday morning when this all blew up, involving the Serpent Bracer (which should really be in this level, due to all the $%#! spiders). It would fit nicely between the item plate puzzle room and the archer pit room.

For now, I'll take the current file offline.

Thanks again to everyone for your patience. I honestly thought this was going to have to be scrapped when Ancylus and I were banging our heads against the wall earlier this weekend.

[EDIT, @ Ancylus: Looking at your picture (thanks), I'd say it happened during the fight. I see at least 5 patrols there, and there would only be 4 unless you stepped on the plate inside the catacomb room more than once. That also makes me think we've almost got this bug squished!]

[SpiderFighter]

In the upcoming version (0.9h):

• - Increased the timer speed to 0.7 (Any higher, and I'd be afraid of people actually being able to witness the spawning, which wouldn't be good. Actually, I'm still afraid of that happening on faster systems.).
  
  -From this map forward, none of the destroy/spawn plates will activate more than one time, as this seems to be the reason why we're getting multiple spawns. To that end, this update:
  
  - Sets three of the touchplates that destroy/spawn to "Activate Once." The first is inside the catacomb room, the second is just past the Cruciform lock, and the third is in the short hall just before the final spider room.
  
  -Sets the rest of the touchplates that destroy/spawn to decrement connected counters before destroying and spawning, to help further reduce the chance the player will see what goes on behind the curtain. Two of these are set to decrement to 4 before destroying/spawning: The first is in the short hall way that opens up after the catacomb room (where the spider catches you from behind); the second is on the same tile as the corpse/note that talks about "paths" (before the archer pit room). The final plate is set to decrement to 6, and is just before entering the 4-alcove puzzle room.

I wish there were a more certain way of doing this, as given enough time the patrols will eventually catch up to each other and stop moving, but the small chance of the player seeing that is better than (at the very least) having a room full of patrols or (at the very worst) experiencing a full-blown crash.

I'm going to export and play it through completely, just to make sure I didn't miss any of the plates, and to make sure the counters are appropriate for their locations. If all goes well, I should have the fixed file uploaded in about a half hour. I have limited time to work on the Bracer puzzle today, so that version (if I go with it) may not be ready (I'll know by 1pm est).

[EDIT: Holding off on the update, as the bracer puzzle looks like it will work; regardless, there will be a file uploaded by 1pm est.]

[EDIT @ 12:52pm:] We are now at version 0.9i! This version includes the above changes, plus:

• - Added descriptions to all of the Crowerns' shiny objects
  - Added another very important item (with description)
  - Added a new puzzle that will allow you to get the Serpent Bracer (one of my favorite items in the game)!

I'm praying everyone has a great night and a fun, smooth gaming experience.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eqigore3tk0xi ... nt_09i.dat

[Xanathar]

Tested version "i" and arrived at red teleporter. Had a lot of fun! Interesting puzzles all around, balanced encounters, too many spiders (I'm arachnophobic). Great work!

SpoilerShow

I actually had an overpowered party, as being lazy I imported one from some previous run of the descent itself, I found the red teleport with characters at 5th level. Party was a sword fighter, a dagger rogue, a fire mage and a second ice mage - this was also metagamed as vaguely knew the items in the first rooms. If you want I'll be happy to replay it with a weaker party.

I know there will probably be other frankenlevels before yours, but I still point out that there were no missile weapons nor axes - porbably worth checking that the players have a way to get them before yours, specially considered your level has a good sword and good maces (ogre one and a knoffer).

Timing on the archer's room was very tight on my system (a very fast core i7 laptop with a sucky nvidia video card) - I had to rely on the metagaming fact that jumping in a pit which will be closing (even if displayed almost wide open) will not cause a fall down. Thanks to the mage-heavy party, I killed the archers at range with ease, so I didn't have to worry about them when crossing the pits anyway.
Also very tight is the timing of the "throw the stone after teleporting", but could be managed too.

Very minor issue #1 - fell down from a pit in the archers' room. Entered the green gem crowern passage. Going back, in the room where the two snails were, there is a flickering pillar.

Very minor issue #2 - the two patrols deadlocked each other.

Stats:

SpoilerShow

[SpiderFighter]

Tested version "i" and arrived at red teleporter. Had a lot of fun! Interesting puzzles all around, balanced encounters, too many spiders (I'm arachnophobic). Great work!

SpoilerShow

Very minor issue #1 - fell down from a pit in the archers' room. Entered the green gem crowern passage. Going back, in the room where the two snails were, there is a flickering pillar.

Very minor issue #2 - the two patrols deadlocked each other.

Stats:

SpoilerShow

Thanks, Xanathar! I'm glad you made it through alive. lol
I'm ready to can the whole marching patrol thing though. Can you remember where you were coming from when you noticed them deadlocked?

(Great job too; 53 minutes is impressive!)

[Xanathar]

I edited my post while you replied.. read it again, I added a few things, specially the fact that my party was overpowered