Insane Mazes Options

[bulmabriefs144]

I think I've designed a pretty good maze (the black sections are where I intend to place treasure chests), but I've got to check a few things. First that the maze has no completely cut-off sections, second that the maze has an unblocked path to its end, and third that there are enough chest rooms (4 stray chests, plus about 14 consecutive, plus about 6 more, so there should be at least 24 in theory). Could someone check it out? I'll do so too, but it gave me a headache just to make...

Also, what are your thoughts on mazes? Are big labyrinths enough or should you complicate them with traps? What about stuff like fog?

(Looks like I have at least 24, I scrolled down too fast and lost count, checking the main path, and then I'll go bit by bit through quadrants. Okay, fixed it so the main path is actually doable. It didn't seem to be at the time of post, so I removed a wall or three)

This post has been edited by bulmabriefs144: Mar 25 2012, 03:21 PM

[bulmabriefs144]

Can anyone give me some help? My eyes are crossing trying to look at this thing, trying to find the areas that are broken.

[kayden997]

noob question, how do you open these?

[bulmabriefs144]

Okay convert and number it to a map lmu, such as Map0001.lmu

Make a new rpgmaker 2k3 project, and replace map 0001. That should do it, if not I'll give my lmt (which is the map database). Close and open the project and it should show the update.

[kayden997]

*whistle* that... it a big map.
I was going to say "include teleports" but that would make it more confusing.
Erm... Traps ain't a bad idea... But depending what they do. Like if they set me back to the beginning then *throws computer screen.*
Fog... Like fog of war or just fog fog?

[Essenceblade]

This.... this is a map, and a half.

And when I say, map, and a half, I mean, map, and a half.

...


Well, at first glance, just wow. I can't believe you actually did this. That's just, whoa! That's actually a pretty nice labyrinth. Though it's insanely large, I hope you plan to add things like save points and such. 'Cause godayuuum, If I'm walking around and then I find out I'm going the wrong way, I'd better hope to god my character has the speed of sonic the hedgehog.

What I was thinking, is just to get the player set on a bit of a course, you create color-coded doors. Maybe add hidden code messages on walls or transcriptions, so when the player examines them, they remember a certain "order" or "code" to warp around the map respectively.

Traps, hmm, for a large map like this, I guess almost any trap would be fine, like "Walk here, and you get shot at by an arrow" - "Walk over this, and you trigger a boulder that makes your character run back a few paces"

Fog may be good in CERTAIN parts of the map. Say when you're walking southward into the darker territory.

Overall, a good map, but as I said, it's best to have some way to get around quicker over areas you've already traced.

[bulmabriefs144]

I know how to make region based arrow traps (I made a timed laser room). I think though that the maze is complicated enough without traps, and dying from too many arrow shots might equally cause a thrown computer. The boulder thing might be good, if it's one time or there's some way to move past before the next boulder drops. I may consider fog or some creepy floor effect as a concentration breaker though. I may make savepoints in some of the larger treasure rooms (or extra rooms). I could try to change the tiles, to another color when they've been walked over, but... I've done that with a much smaller map and it ended up being over 500 tiles, and creating some lag. A map this size? 250,000 (minus the corners). No freaking way.... What might work is having an extra event where you can choose to get sent back to start if you open a treasure chest.

[amerk]

Boulder ideas aren't bad, and don't necessarily have to hurt the player health wise. Instead, they could potentially hit the player and force the player to start over from the last save point.

Also, some clever puzzles versus just walking from point A to point B will help break up the monotony. And I like your idea of effects, depending where they are in the maze. Is this supposed to be a sort of secret area? If so, including harder traps or puzzles that can frustrate a player may not be a bad idea. If it's required, then keep the traps/puzzles on the lighter side.

I'd also recommend no random based encounters for this area, as that may just add to the frustration, but that's just a suggestion.

[Essenceblade]

Well my idea for boulders would be that the player triggers it, and is forced to run in a straight line or "to the closest turn they see possible."

E.G

[Show/Hide] Example

P ; Player / Position.
B ; Boulders.
T ; Triggers (They trigger B (boulder motion)) and unlock ((-) Colour coded door)
S ; Triggers (G) corresponding to the colour.
G ; Gate that blocks any passage.
- ; Colour coded door. Opened when the corresponding (T) has been activated.
L ; Loot (Treasure)
N ; Non-passable wall that is only destroyed by being hit by a boulder (in which the boulder is destroyed too)
-> ; One way passage.
E; Exit

(All G on the map start as closed gates)

Why such a crude diagram and what the heck am I looking at, you ask? I shall explain.

The player starts out at P(Player).

You have the choice to go left or right. Going right is a bad decision, so we'll explain going left first.

Player goes left and triggers T, which in turn, opens -.

The player is forced to run down a vertical path without stopping, otherwise they're hit by a boulder (You could code this to automatically make the player run southward, kinda like an ice puzzle.)

Along the way you step on a S, but nothing happens, we'll find out later.

You step on a S. Which luckily opens the G straight ahead of you.

You step on another S, which slams the G shut, and traps the boulder behind it.

To your left you see L. You pick it up and get (E.G gold).

You head south and see there is an N. It looks brittle enough to be broken down with heavy force, but not by a human.

You head east past a One-way, which in turn means you cannot go back the way you came.

You head east more and touch a T, which in turn opens a -.

You are automatically(or manually) forced to run upward when you notice a G which was opened when you triggered a S earlier.

Straight through the gate you step on another S which closes the G tight and locks the boulder behind it.

You travel west and find L (E.g Bronze Sword).

You head north and find yourself at another N but knowing you cannot break it, you head west.

You find yourself back where you started, but this time heading west, the pathway is boulder free, meaning you can travel southward without a risk of an ambush.

You step on the S again, and hear feint rumbling and a loud crash in the distance.

You head east and find L.

You try to head south but the B is blocking both the passage to the switch, and heading southward any more. (Note at this time you can skip getting the rest of the L and just take the E, but for the sake of the diagram and completion, I'm going to get all the loot).

You decide to head back up north and back to where you started.

You head east to the end of the passageway and notice that the N and B have been disintegrated, revealing a small passageway.

You head north up the passageway and step on a S. You hear feint rumbling followed by a short crash.

You hear a few steps north to find L.


You go back down south and the direction you came and find yourself at the start.


You head west and into the boulder free passageway again.


You head southward and find that the B has crashed into a N in the distance, revealing another new passageway.


You keep heading southward until you reach a wall.


You then head eastward until you reach another wall.

You see a passageway up north and head toward it.

You find L and it just happens to be something rare! (E.g Dragon Band).

You also notice another N, but it doesn't look like it can be broken by you, and there are no more boulders you've encountered that head southward. So you head Southward.

You head Westward until you reach another wall.

You then head North in a straight line until you notice the E to your left.

You take it and exit the puzzle. Hurray!

Yes, I was extremely bored when I did this.

[bulmabriefs144]

Boulder ideas aren't bad, and don't necessarily have to hurt the player health wise. Instead, they could potentially hit the player and force the player to start over from the last save point.

Also, some clever puzzles versus just walking from point A to point B will help break up the monotony. And I like your idea of effects, depending where they are in the maze. Is this supposed to be a sort of secret area? If so, including harder traps or puzzles that can frustrate a player may not be a bad idea. If it's required, then keep the traps/puzzles on the lighter side.

I'd also recommend no random based encounters for this area, as that may just add to the frustration, but that's just a suggestion.

You get a bonus item for 100% chest completion. Since many of the chests in the first game are not in the second, I designed a dungeon (based loosely of Tower of Druaga) with chests which is the 20 floor puzzle thing I mentioned in another thread. Then I realized I overlooked a bunch of early game chests, so I added a giant pyramid (well really a ziggurat, with a floor entrance) that had this maze inside. There are definitely no random encounters, but also no puzzles (it would likely frustrate people more) There's two other labyrinths in this game, the first is a hedge maze which is very easy and has fog and frame borders, and the second is a final maze puzzle that involves false walls. Basically, I figured this was mainly a hidden rewards challenge, with the added issue that if you never figure out a way out of the maze, you can't claim the loot.

This post has been edited by bulmabriefs144: Mar 21 2012, 09:28 PM

[Resource Dragon]

Well my idea for boulders would be that the player triggers it, and is forced to run in a straight line or "to the closest turn they see possible."

E.G

[Show/Hide] Example

Youplayocarinaoftimemuch? <--Seriously though, it reminds me of the boulders you dodge when getting the kokiri sword.

And wow. I've never seen such a big map... O_____o

[Essenceblade]

Actually, no I never played OOT.

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(LEGASP!!)

I just love those types of puzzles.