The Castle map is finished now. It’s…complicated. I did a run through of the thing and I found out that the critical path is 97 screens long, if you take the backtracking into account. Let me type that out again and add a little emphasis, 97. In other words it’s longer than than both Stages 1 and 2 combined. Filled to the brim with devious traps to boot.
Backtracking of course is the key bit here, and I’ve an idea about how to avoid the Fail. Basically, the entire level is designed around 5 switches. 3 of which are in an area dubbed “The Control Room” in the lower area and 2 in the other far reaches of the Castle. Between each of these are a wide variety of traps, enemies and other tricks that execute things faster than a Texan Judge. However, the key conceit of the stage is that the Security System has been activated and The Thief is tasked with shutting it down and escaping. So, by activating the different switches, different traps are activated or deactivated in different parts of the Castle. So, even though you may pass through an area more than once, the traps and the solution to passing it are different each time.
Having finally laid it all out, I’m quite happy with it. It’s a fitting end to the pure gameplay of the game. The next area, The Tower, is mostly plot centric, like the Shagohod area in MGS3. Consequently it leaves me less room to do the kinds of things I have in the Castle. Now, map in tow, I can put on the headphones and get this thing done.
-In Sound news, I’ve narrowed down the search to a short list of about 3 people. I’ve also found some people that, while aren’t good for this project due to the kinds of music that they do, would be fuggin great for the EP.
-Oh, and I’m still #1 on internet for “Indie Confessions” and most variants. Of course, nobody reads this, so that amounts to less than dick.