Alexfrog
06-08-2004, 02:27 PM
My quest, 'The Crimson Mists' is coming along well, and I've gotten over most of the hurdles in learning zquest, so it should probably move along even faster now. I've completed about 1/3rd of the overworld screens, 2 level dungeons and 4 mini-dungeons...and tested them out.
Things I am trying to do with the quest:
1) All the level entrances and special item locations are hidden, but there are always clues to help show you where to search, and also to tell you what is around the area, so you wont just miss something critical and go on without it and get stuck.
2) The quest is challenging but not overpoweringly so. I am pretty good at the game, and died a few times in getting through the first two levels, but made progress while I was doing it and it wasnt frustrating. Would probably be a bit harder if I didnt know where everything was. ;)
If I put several difficult dungeon rooms in a row, and youve only got 4 hearts, youre going to be getting a heart or a fairy after each of those rooms to keep you going...and you'll be glad its there. I really love rooms with a red darknut and a couple other enemies and shooting statues on the sides, when youve got the basic shield and 3-5 hearts. You gotta keep running around to avoid the fire, while trying to hit that guy from the side. ;)
3) You have to work for everything (mini dungeons for special items like heart container pieces and so on), but the reward is roughly equivalent to the difficulty. (If the entrance to that mini-dungeon was hard to find, the area will be easier. If its obvious ('wow, that tree is a surrounded by a different color grass, lets burn it'), then it'll be tough).
4) There are sometimes alternate, easier solutions to more difficult puzzles, but they'll cost you something, (like you pay more rupies or something).
5) The overworld has varied, interesting terrain areas, and also clues to tell you 'ok, I'm really in a new area now, did I get everything out of the previous area before I go on?' And there might even be a guy telling you how many things there were in that area, so you'll know you got it all. (Its always frustrating to not know if you have missed something or not).
6) I promise you, there is always exactly one special item in each dungeon level. If you got it, you know thats all you had to find. If you didnt find one, you know there was actually something there so look for it! This is something that frustrates me when its not the case, just like if the 'one secret per screen' rule is broken.
I like to know when I have solved the puzzle so I can go on to the next one...
Hopefully I will have it completed in late June.
Things I am trying to do with the quest:
1) All the level entrances and special item locations are hidden, but there are always clues to help show you where to search, and also to tell you what is around the area, so you wont just miss something critical and go on without it and get stuck.
2) The quest is challenging but not overpoweringly so. I am pretty good at the game, and died a few times in getting through the first two levels, but made progress while I was doing it and it wasnt frustrating. Would probably be a bit harder if I didnt know where everything was. ;)
If I put several difficult dungeon rooms in a row, and youve only got 4 hearts, youre going to be getting a heart or a fairy after each of those rooms to keep you going...and you'll be glad its there. I really love rooms with a red darknut and a couple other enemies and shooting statues on the sides, when youve got the basic shield and 3-5 hearts. You gotta keep running around to avoid the fire, while trying to hit that guy from the side. ;)
3) You have to work for everything (mini dungeons for special items like heart container pieces and so on), but the reward is roughly equivalent to the difficulty. (If the entrance to that mini-dungeon was hard to find, the area will be easier. If its obvious ('wow, that tree is a surrounded by a different color grass, lets burn it'), then it'll be tough).
4) There are sometimes alternate, easier solutions to more difficult puzzles, but they'll cost you something, (like you pay more rupies or something).
5) The overworld has varied, interesting terrain areas, and also clues to tell you 'ok, I'm really in a new area now, did I get everything out of the previous area before I go on?' And there might even be a guy telling you how many things there were in that area, so you'll know you got it all. (Its always frustrating to not know if you have missed something or not).
6) I promise you, there is always exactly one special item in each dungeon level. If you got it, you know thats all you had to find. If you didnt find one, you know there was actually something there so look for it! This is something that frustrates me when its not the case, just like if the 'one secret per screen' rule is broken.
I like to know when I have solved the puzzle so I can go on to the next one...
Hopefully I will have it completed in late June.