New Level -- Double Take

Muzozavr · Post by **Muzozavr** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 1:31 pm

Recently I had time to create a level based on a wild and extravagant idea I've had. It doesn't quite match the deviousness of what I wanted to achieve, but it's close. Very close.

Big thanks to Amnon for testing this -- I did remember the fiasco of four consecutive versions on "In the Middle of Nowhere" and I didn't want that to happen again. This time no alternate solutions were found, so I could just immediately post this on the forum, but better be safe than sorry...

My final warning that is also a hint if you know how to interpret it: the solution can be very time-consuming. It's more than possible to complete the level on time (and still leave with a reasonable time bonus) and I made sure to give you the full 15 minutes on the clock, but even that might not be enough. You might want to try this level in untimed mode first, just to figure out how it works. According to Amnon, figuring out certain moves and bits of the solution can easily take hours.

So, for those who dare or those that are merely curious... I present this diabolical construction, entitled Double Take.

Two rooms, two pairs of spheres, two pairs of buttons... how hard can this be??

Amnon · Post by **Amnon** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:16 pm

One more warning if I may add: if you don't have quick fingers, don't attempt this level!

Muzozavr · Post by **Muzozavr** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:35 pm

Amnon wrote:One more warning if I may add: if you don't have quick fingers, don't attempt this level!

This is somewhat true, but there are no events that don't allow you to plan ahead. Also, you don't need any timing per se, just speed. So, yes, quick fingers are needed, but the action element isn't as difficult as you're making it sound. Anyway, simply figuring out what to do is the real meat of the challenge.

Amnon · Post by **Amnon** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:36 pm

Yes, that's what I meant - well-planned fast finger moves, with as much rest as you like in between.

Muzozavr · Post by **Muzozavr** » Sun Apr 05, 2015 10:33 am

It's been almost a week and no one (other than Amnon, who tested the level for me and beat it successfully) has reported any signs of progress...

So I will give you a hint that divulges the main idea the level is based on...

You might have tried pushing the yellow spheres manually and noticed that this is of no use.
The cleverest might have even figured out that you need to nudge the yellow spheres with a blue sphere to have separate control over individual yellow spheres. So you need to get one blue sphere out of the first room.
But what you probably haven't figured out is that the sphere that returns to the first room isn't blue.

The trick is not just to get one blue sphere out of the first room, but to switch it out for one of the yellow spheres. Only then does the level become solvable.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Apr 05, 2015 3:14 pm

Hi Muzo,

I am stumped, and not even able to escape from the first room.

I believe that I've tried every combination with the two spheres.
Does the quick move Amnon mentions happen in the first room?

Chip · Post by **Chip** » Sun Apr 05, 2015 3:50 pm

Hi Muzo

I played the 'mixed double' many times now, but my left team doesn't want to go where I need it.
Guess I missed the quick finger move so far, but I'll keep at it.

Muzozavr · Post by **Muzozavr** » Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:11 pm

Mark wrote:I am stumped, and not even able to escape from the first room.

Well, considering that the left blue sphere has a hidden rainbow coin in it, escaping the first room as a standalone puzzle is actually really easy with a simple "down/up" move... but that's a red herring because this is not what you have to do. You have to do something very different. My previous hint will tell you the "trick".

If you absolutely need them, here are the moves needed to achieve the first part of the solution:

Push the spheres up, collecting the "hidden" rainbow coin.
Push the top sphere left, then quickly push the bottom sphere down before the top sphere stops.
Push the spheres right, wait for both to stop.
Push spheres down, wait for both to stop.
Push top sphere up and quickly run to stay on the other button.
This will get one blue sphere out of the first room.
After that, prepare yourself for excruciatingly precise remote control with several quick moves involved. You will not get out of the first room until the final steps of the solution. There's a reason "Claustrophobia" was one of the working titles of the level.

Chip wrote:I played the 'mixed double' many times now, but my left team doesn't want to go where I need it.

If you already have one "mixed double" in both rooms, you're more than halfway there, but the remainder of the solution is almost stupidly precise. You'll need to play some roundabout with both spheres to get the left spheres into satisfying positions. There are various "circles" available in the first room, intertwined together, allowing you to "rotate" spheres in different directions. You'll need them all plus a certain one-time-only path to get the right spheres on the buttons and the left spheres into good positions -- not directly on the left buttons, but in usable spots.

I told you this is one puzzle better played untimed.