After reading about a glitch involving warp rings in the original NES 2nd quest and watching videos of gameplay from the 2nd quest (many which appear to be emulated), it appears that the whistle warp ring in the second quest is slightly different from the first quest. However, the warp rings are identical in both the proposed first and second quests.
Although someone should try to confirm this first, it appears that a few pairs of warp locations need to be swapped: locations 2 and 3, locations 4 and 5, and locations 7 and 8. Locations 1, 6, and 9 remain unchanged between quests. Also, this makes sense if you match the dungeon palettes with the warp locations (same with how the triforce piece locations relate between the two quests). Likewise, why would completing level 4 allow you to whistle warp straight to level 5, thus making the raft optional?
Yeah, apparently I posted the same thing here without knowing of this thread. 😛
The internal level numbers are indeed tied to the level palettes; the game just tells you you're in a different level. Whistling straight to what you're told is level 5 shouldn't work, since that's still actually considered level 4 by the game...
I saw that post too. It looks like the easiest way to fix this bug is to reset the triforce pieces to their 1st quest layout, and then simply change the level numbers (which is only 3 pairs of DMaps that need their level numbers swapped). This fix is essentially imitating what the original game did.
This should be proposed2nd.qst with the changes that HeroOfFire proposed. The level numbers and triforce piece locations are switched around appropriately. I don't see any real disadvantage to doing it this way other than the fact that it will break older 2nd quest save files.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=N9CKRVTC
Do we want to change proposed3rd to match this standard?
Saved in 984.
Done.
I don't think 3rd's whistle warp destinations should be changed, though.
Not to needlessly necropost, but I believe this one should be put in "exterminated"?