Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 158/195 levels released, NEW: "False Prophecy")

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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Tech Warrior » Tue Oct 05, 2021 3:17 pm

Amnon wrote:
Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:18 pm
Just completed level #136 (Hell's Kitchen).

It was nice, no more than 9/10 in difficulty, I especially liked the puzzle with the two reflectors and cannon.

What is this "secret ingredient"?

For now I will continue with world #13 as it comes and as my time allows, I can see about two months work still there before I even download world #14.
Nice, I am curious about some details regarding your solution - I think I axed any potential alternate solutions, but maybe you can verify: did you use the cannon + reflector to destroy the keg and other boxes in the generator hallway? And which generators did you use in your solution (you didn't need all of them)?

BTW, the secret ingredient was the red link sphere, which you would have already figured out (it wasn't written on the initial note).
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Amnon » Tue Oct 05, 2021 11:58 pm

Regarding the cannon+reflector: No, I did not use the cannon this way: it only shot something once, then dumped in the water to bridge the gap to the second (boulder) generator.

The generators I used are: Boulder, prism, forward /, wooden box, metal, red-spheres
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Tech Warrior » Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:34 am

Amnon wrote:
Tue Oct 05, 2021 11:58 pm
Regarding the cannon+reflector: No, I did not use the cannon this way: it only shot something once, then dumped in the water to bridge the gap to the second (boulder) generator.

The generators I used are: Boulder, prism, forward /, wooden box, metal, red-spheres
Oh, this is VERY interesting... it's been a while since I played this level - I really should have recorded my solution right after refining it, so I could try comparing with your moves. It does seem like most of the steps are the same, particularly regarding the moves around the red teleporter, except that: you clearly do not destroy all the kegs, and have therefore not needed to use a cannon to destroy the generated keg next to the generated metal box.

I don't think I'll revise the level, because again - it seems like the general steps are the same. Just some slight differences, which keep the puzzle a little open-ended. I will now go record my solution, then I'll show you so you can compare the steps.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Amnon » Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:20 am

Regarding the kegs, no, why should I destroy them? I do destroy a large number of kegs in order to 1) make crossing safer; 2) get the pink-cubes bonuses; 3) destroy all prisms and forward reflectors, but that's about it.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Amnon » Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:52 am

Just completed "The Devil You Know" (#139).
I agree it is of difficulty 8.5/10.

Thanks!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Tech Warrior » Fri Oct 08, 2021 5:28 pm

Nice work!!

I guess that just leaves 130, 135, 137, and 140 to go. 135 and 137 should be easier puzzles, but you let me know if that is actually the case.

I still intend to get my solution for Hell's Kitchen recorded, but I still don't have access to the levels/RTW yet - so it will be a little bit longer to get that together.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Amnon » Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:30 am

Just done The Water Hole (#137) - nice and not too difficult, thanks!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Amnon » Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:34 am

Just done Temptation (#135) - thanks!

Next I will go for the big Lava Lakes (#130), even if it will take me a whole year...
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Tech Warrior » Mon Oct 11, 2021 4:20 pm

Amnon wrote:
Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:34 am
Just done Temptation (#135) - thanks!

Next I will go for the big Lava Lakes (#130), even if it will take me a whole year...
Nice work!

Hopefully Lava Lakes doesn't take a full year, but as long as it continues to keep you entertained, regardless of how long it takes, then I've done my job.

Enjoy!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 149/195 levels released, NEW: "Meet the Neighbors")

Post by Tech Warrior » Wed Oct 13, 2021 4:07 am

FINALLY back and can continue releasing the levels... here we go with one of my favorites:

Lv150 - "Glitch Gridlock" (9.5/10)

One of my favorite recent puzzles, and OH MY GOD is this one of my most polished levels to date... It's a classic puzzle of glitch-filled chaos (is that an oxymoron??), as the name suggests, and I am incredibly satisfied with how it turned out. It took many months to fully design, and if you do manage to solve it, you are an absolute genius.

Download Notes:

Extract the level into your 'WD15 - Into the 5th Dimension' folder. Extract the 'fireisle' folder into your CustomModels directory if you didn't yet get it from the initial world download.

Enjoy!!
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Last edited by Tech Warrior on Thu Oct 28, 2021 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Quest for the Five Elements - a 195-level RTW expansion pack
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:10 pm

Hopefully Lava Lakes doesn't take a full year
No, it took me less than a week.

But no way I could have completed it without looking at the editor when some equipment failed to work as should.
That hidden object was totally unfair and raises the difficulty level to 15/10...
But yes, with the editor it is indeed a 10/10, not because the puzzles are that difficult, but because there is so much to do which must be done so carefully that my final, successful game took just over 75 minutes.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Tech Warrior » Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:27 pm

Amnon wrote:
Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:10 pm
Hopefully Lava Lakes doesn't take a full year
No, it took me less than a week.

But no way I could have completed it without looking at the editor when some equipment failed to work as should.
That hidden object was totally unfair and raises the difficulty level to 15/10...
But yes, with the editor it is indeed a 10/10, not because the puzzles are that difficult, but because there is so much to do which must be done so carefully that my final, successful game took just over 75 minutes.
Yes, the length itself is the reason for the difficulty - in fact it is not all that tough, but rather open-ended. But regarding the hidden object: did you read the note by the link spheres, which indicates the location of the chomper? There is given a specific visual pattern of the cone/walls which is not replicated in any except one spot, where the chomper is. If you did read this and it still wasn't helpful, I'll take any suggestions on how to make it more approachable, while still preserving the misdirection in that area.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:40 pm

Regarding the hidden object: I saw the note, but since I knew that this is a misdirection and also that the activation had nothing to do with what actually happened, I assumed that all the notes are misleading nonsense and paid no attention to them. Perhaps if the note was placed in some trusted area instead, perhaps even somewhere where there is a little puzzle to get there, then I could have taken them more seriously (but still, I can't tell whether I would understood them).
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Tech Warrior » Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:57 pm

Okay, I see how this could be the case, given that none of the other notes in the level have practical use in the puzzle, so it is easy to dismiss the useful one as not being relevant. Perhaps if I were to: simply reference the fact that some things don't work as they should, it will compel the player to focus on finding the matching cone arrangements, thus helping to realize the last chomper must be "drawn out" from the matching location.

Thanks, I'll make this adjustment soon. I guess now you are onto #140, which is more of a proper 10/10 puzzle. But given how "Abandoned Well" took longer to solve than "Lava Lakes," I've no way of anticipating how long the finale will take. If there is a level that would take you a year, it probably is this one. I can say that it is one of the most insane levels in the full series. However, I'll mention that in order to beat one puzzle in particular, some knowledge of the story is required, so just keep that in mind and pay attention to the notes.

For practicing individual sections, use the provided Template level - it doesn't spoil elements by default (i.e. generator types), but because of how interconnected the level is, I cannot simply provide "sections" for you to practice. You'll need to edit the template to practice the sections yourself.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Sun Oct 17, 2021 3:23 am

Yes, a more explicit hint would prompt me to look for the said landscape feature: weather I then actually be able to find it is a different question because it would require some different skills than what it takes to solve Wonderland games.
I guess now you are onto #140, which is more of a proper 10/10 puzzle.
I thought this would be my next one, once I make up for neglecting the other aspects of my life, but...
after warning me that:
If there is a level that would take you a year, it probably is this one.
and also that:
I'll mention that in order to beat one puzzle in particular, some knowledge of the story is required
I guess that I will skip #140 for now and start with World 14 because, I'm afraid, I never had the patience to study the children's tale behind the series (worlds, elements, friends and enemies, etc.).

A whole year's playing just one level? I should probably wait for a prolonged COVID lockdown before starting...
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Tech Warrior » Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:02 am

Amnon wrote:
Sun Oct 17, 2021 3:23 am

A whole year's playing just one level? I should probably wait for a prolonged COVID lockdown before starting...
Well, to be fair, I don't really know how long it would take you - maybe you have never needed a year to solve a puzzle. For example, at first I presumed that Lava Lakes would take you far longer than it did, but in fact you solved it quickly, much faster than Abandoned Well. I now realize why: Lava Lakes' individual puzzles were relatively isolated, making them easier to solve, while the entirety of Abandoned Well was far too connected together as a single puzzle in order to solve entirely in your head, without making some attempts. My point is that the finale is much more designed like Abandoned Well, just on a much, much larger scale - so reasonably it should take longer to solve. By all means, I intend for it to be a fun solve - but it will not be easy. It's probably the hardest level in the series - this is with intention.

Regarding the story aspect - I already figured you probably weren't well in tune with the story elements. At this stage, there is already a lot to keep track of there (obviously I went absolutely overboard on story with this series, but that was intentional). I'm happy to tell you what you would need to know, should this be preferred (nothing very specific - it's actually related to a gate code in the level and there's a good chance you would guess it anyway).

Anyway, World 14 is a great step down in difficulty should you want a break from the recent difficulty curve before doing #140.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Sun Oct 17, 2021 2:38 pm

Just completed #141 (Blast to the Past) and #142 (Destiny Vortex) - easy stuff, thanks!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:49 pm

Just completed #143 - Inverse Reactions: amazing work to construct such a thing, I think its difficulty level is at least 8/10.

Thanks!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Tech Warrior » Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:08 am

Amnon wrote:
Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:49 pm
Just completed #143 - Inverse Reactions: amazing work to construct such a thing, I think its difficulty level is at least 8/10.

Thanks!
Nice, glad you enjoyed one of my favorites. Difficulty updated!
Quest for the Five Elements - a 195-level RTW expansion pack
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:51 pm

Just completed The Safe Zone (#144) - much fun, thanks!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Tech Warrior » Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:33 pm

Amnon wrote:
Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:51 pm
Just completed The Safe Zone (#144) - much fun, thanks!
Nice, is a 6/10 difficulty rating appropriate, or did I low-ball that one as well? Also wondering if I rated #141 and #142 too high considering how fast you solved them.
Quest for the Five Elements - a 195-level RTW expansion pack
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:43 pm

Nice, is a 6/10 difficulty rating appropriate, or did I low-ball that one as well? Also wondering if I rated #141 and #142 too high considering how fast you solved them.
Yes, all three levels should probably be rated 6/10.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Thu Oct 21, 2021 2:27 am

Just completed A Shortcut Through Space (#146). I would rate it 6.5/10 in difficulty.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:11 am

Just completed Take the Long Way 2 (#145) - I hate it!!!

Well, difficulty level of 7.5/10 is probably correct.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:50 pm

Just done The Thunder Portal (#147).

Very nice. I think it is difficulty level 8/10.

Thanks!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Tech Warrior » Thu Oct 21, 2021 2:35 pm

Wow, you're catching up fast (but I figured this would be the case). The finale is particularly crazy, but in terms of solving it shouldn't take too long (maybe).

I guess I need to hurry up with the new levels.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Sun Oct 24, 2021 5:54 am

Just completed The Freeze (#148). Nice level, I would rate its difficulty 9.5/10.

Thanks.
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Sun Oct 24, 2021 3:17 pm

Done "Meet the Neighbors" (#149): It's a real mind-bender so I will give it the difficulty of 7.5/10.

Thanks!
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Tech Warrior » Sun Oct 24, 2021 3:52 pm

First, CONGRATULATIONS on completing CHAPTER THREE - "Crystal City Chaos." You've conquered the crux of some of the Quest's most difficult and challenging levels. Of course there is still Lv#140, but that level alone does not impact your hard work throughout Worlds 10-14.

Now you are onto the final chapter - Chapter 4 - "The Beauty of Blitzkrieg," which will offer very different puzzle approaches, and will heavily incorporate word games as you have begun to see in Lv149 and Lv110. I'm still bugfixing Lv151, which has proven a significant challenge to construct for reasons you will soon see.

Enjoy #150, which is one of my favorite and cleanest puzzles (unless you find a loophole, which I don't expect, but you'll know if you do).
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Re: Quest for the Five Elements (RTW level pack - 150/195 levels released, NEW: "Glitch Gridlock")

Post by Amnon » Thu Oct 28, 2021 12:48 pm

Just completed Glitch Gridlock (#150), what a monster, but what a beauty, definitely a 9.5/10 and I am more than convinced that I have done it as intended.

Thanks!!!
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