Beta 2: Magma Peak

[Semi-Native]

16094 HARD

I just went back over the Hard version to see if there were any areas that were too easy. Really, I only came up with this one room, where maybe the bouncing eyeball could be faster, or add another critter. Overall, I think it's very balanced for a hard mansion.

[VernJensen]

Actually, in that room you posted (16094) I just discovered there is a cheap death from the eyeball if you climb up from the ladder in the floor. Will be fixed.

** Oh wait, that's in *Blackheart Keep* 16094 that it's a cheap death. Lol.

[VernJensen]

Okay, for *Magma Peak* hard the reason this eyeball isn't moving faster is that, when you're traveling down on the moving platform into the heart of the mountain, it can't go fast enough to fall on top of you. So these

elevator rooms

have to be somewhat easier to avoid cheap deaths.

[MTGA]

Normal

16495

reappearing on top left after dying, the conveyer belts were stopped.

exited room and re-entered and they were moving again.

[RobSeegel]

Magma Peak - HARD

I played this level first, and I didn't have much in the way of comments. Nothing serious stood out as being wrong, but I did question whether I was playing the Hard version several times.

While it was a fun mansion and well-designed, I was surprised that I was able to finish the entire mansion without having to restart from a save point. I think it was easier than the other Hard mansions I've tried so far, and perhaps closer to some of the harder

Normal

mansions.

The only comments I had recorded were about the keys from nowhere in two rooms: 16092 and 15690. The first of these rooms at least hinted at a missing or hidden item. In both rooms they also materialized in plain sight once triggered, so at least there was this.

In rooms with treasure, there's a jingling noise if there is still something hidden, which can be very useful, but it doesn't appear to apply to hidden keys. I have to admit though that even the jingle was lost to me when I play without sound (as I often do).

The irony isn't lost on me that on one hand I'm commenting that the mansion was perhaps a little too easy, and on the other I'm saying that hidden keys are too hard. Oh well... at least I'm consistent when it comes to hidden keys.

[VernJensen]

Rob -- As of beta 2, there is always a sparkling light effect that happens when you enter rooms with hidden treasure or keys, in additions to a special sound. So even with sound off, it's supposed to be obvious, if you've played the tutorial and know about this.

I think Mt. Peril breaks this rule in one room, and I intend to change that, but if you run into a hidden key *without* the sparkle animation, definitely let me know what mansion and what room.

[VernJensen]

Oh, and also, Magma Peak I attempted to make

hard

by adding more keys/doors, and making it harder to figure out where to go next. Not as much by increasing sheer number and speed of the bad guys... that's harder to do in this mansion due to its layout.

[VernJensen]

16092 and 15690 - Oh okay, you are right. No sparkles or sound in this room for the hidden key. I will do something to change that, in all difficulties.