Stage select feature?

Some of the levels can be VERRY frustrating. I have given up on several level packs either temporarily or permanently, and even taken long hiatuses form the game itself after spending months trying to pass a level w/o any hope.

Someone here mentioned that you could use the level editor to either mark the levels as complete or make your own level packs with the existing levels such that you won't be forced to complete the more difficult levels from the beginning.

However, I feel a stage select mode built into the game would be better. Let those with a competitive spirit play the game as originally intended while letting the rest of us with a curious mind explore the whole level packs. For the latter, a mechanism to play levels before clearing one of 2 previous levels BUT to keep high scores from being allowed oughtta give both sides what they want.

12 comments

Ibanez

Sounds like a good idea to me!

I have used the level editor to play levels I can't get to or work on bits I can't get right, but I think allowing them to be played, but not submitted, until you've progressed is a good idea.

Lee

this is a great point - you paid for the game, but can't play the whole thing, just because you have difficulties with 2 levels in a row.
I couldn't agree more - you should be able to play the lot, but perhaps not be able to submit a time, until there are no double consecutively-incomplete levels prior to that one in your saved best-times.

ackmondual

hmmm, now that I've re-thinked this, there really shouldn't be any reason Y u can't jump ahead to play and submit later levels. I'm guessing the vets and others who've made it there may argue they've earned the right to submit scores for those later levels. Any other reasons against this I may have missed?

Either way, my original post still stands. At the very least, let us play any level anytime, if not compete any level at anytime.

Kristopher

If you're not playing for the Hall of Fame, unlocking the levels gives you a reason to beat all of the levels.

blocking the levels is not necessarily bad (and it is a long tradition in games, isn't it?). by completing a level you gain access to the new, previously unseen area of the game, it is a "prize" that encourages more efforts

Ibanez

Well after reconsidering I'm siding with Sz, it's actually quite exciting when you finally beat a level and are rewarded with a new level you haven't previously been allowed to play. Almost all games are like this - you don't get to jump to the last level of Manic Miner, or Age of Empires campains, or even Breakout - you progress through, and experience the adventure. Having it all available to you right from the start destroys the allure and challenge of discovering the treasure!

Lee

interesting to read your opinion Ibanez, given that you are still working your way through the game, you are in a better position to comment.
I just wonder if more people would be attracted to the game if they could play more of the levels and maybe see them on-line, even if they can't "compete" with those non-conforming scores

PMD

How about as a compromise, make it a 3 level window instead of 2. Sometimes there are two in a row that are really hard for someone and three would lessen that chance it becomes a block. Just a thought.

Ibanez

Increasing the levels allowed window would be a good compromise. In general the levels get harder as a pack progresses, so in some ways the earlier levels are giving the training you need to gat anywhere on the later levels, so skipping too many wouldn't help anyway. Of course there are some exceptions!

mike flips

Ackmondual - using the level editor you can play these levels, and you can even rearrange packs so that there are never 2 levels in a row that are hard...

however, i do agree with you. Most of the people commenting are people that play the game competitively and I dont think any of us have ever stopped and thought, "maybe ackmondual just wants to play for fun"

If someone just enjoys playing different levels for fun, here is my idea, which i think would be really neat and easy for Sz to do.

On the website, there could be a level pack creator. Each level from all the packs (and entire packs if you want) will have a little +/- button on it. They will start off all unchecked, and you go through all the different level packs and check off what levels you want to be in your custom level pack. When you are finished, you click done, and then from the database, it creates your own custom level pack with all the levels you have selected, and all of these levels will start unlocked. Then it allows you to download the pack / save it in your profile for later use.

The fact that the levels are unlocked will make non of the levels be eligible for the hall of fame but this will let people who purchased/play bike or die for fun to get the most out of the game.

it makes Sz happier because more people will play because this will add the "fun" factor and it makes people like Ackmondual who play for fun be allowed to play all the cool levels that they want to without having to go into the editor.

Ibanez

I don't think there needs to be a distinction between playing for 'fun' or 'competitively', either way I say it is more fun if you have to complete levels before you can move on - it's that 'climbing the mountain' gives the sense of achievment thing, and in this case the fun and desire to do better - not just being put there.

Kristopher

It's a nice idea, MF. Or maybe the players could download all of the levelpacks and have the option to play a random level?