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[Bongo Bill]

Work on Exquisite Knorpse 3 will begin shortly after the ending of Vampires vs Werewolves VII, out of deference to Friday, who will surely punish us most severely if she becomes overworked. I'm posting this thread early, however, because several people including myself have expressed interest in making this happen, and I didn't want the moment to pass.

What the fuck is Exquisite Knorpse 3?
Exquisite Knorpse 3 will be the third (and probably final) collaborative Knytt Stories level produced by this community. Each participant makes a section of the level, containing a single powerup, knowing only the locations of the exits of the sections which preceded them and the powerups expected at that location.

Why is this probably the last Knorpse?
Because people will be more interested in participating it if they think it's their last chance. If you are from the future, please do not spoil whether or not we succeed in never doing another one.

I'm sick of Knytt Stories!
So don't make an area and/or play the game.

How can I help?
Currently, we're not yet working on the level. We're currently in a "planning" phase where we actively discourage actual work. If you want to do a level, start thinking of a super creative idea for your area that will be an amazing surprise for all the others. Prototyping is acceptable as long as you do it in secret.

These things need to be done:

• Find a dedicated and handsome volunteer director to manage the level thanks Newbie
• Decide on a title (optional)
  
• Lay down some ground rules to help make it a better game than the last two Knorpses
• Recruit participants and assign them powerups
• Depending on the schedules of the above participants, determine the order in which the areas will be experienced
• Beg for art

So, the list, as it currently stands:

THE ABILITIES
Double Jump - Kayma
High Jump - Brentai
Hologram - Friday
Key: Red - Zaratustra
Key: Yellow - Bleck
Key: Blue - Catloaf
Key: Purple - Yyler
Proximity Detector - Newbie
Running - Lobst
The Eye - Healy
Umbrella - Bongo Bill
Wall Climb - McDohl
ANY - Constantine


THE ORDER OF AREAS VISITED
1. Lobst - Running
2. Kayma - Double Jump
3. McDohl - Wall Climb
4. Newbie - Proximity Detector
5. Bongo Bill - Umbrella
6. Yyler - Purple Key
7. Brentai - High Jump
8. Catloaf - Blue Key
9. Zaratustra - Red Key
10. Bleck - Yellow Key
11. Healy - Eye
12. Constantine - ANY
13. Friday - Hologram

Additionally, areas without any powerups can be made, as well as areas that, potentially, remove powerups. As long as it is known what powerups you enter and leave with, everything is fine. Managing their order and the way they fit together is the duty of the director, who alone can see how everything works.

After EK2, we saw some general trends in the various areas which, it was resolved, ought to be curbed from the beginning. Things like:

• Too many fire shooters
• Nondeterministic obstacles often creating impossible situations
• Highly tricky obstacles a long way from a save point
• Occasional poor visibility of save points and enemies

Some unobtrusive rules of thumb regarding these particular problems should be agreed on by all participants, for the benefit of all players, especially Frocto.

It is my personal belief that creativity in level design can be enhanced by designing levels for a less-powerful protagonist, so I'm going to suggest that we concentrate the non-ability-enhancing powerups (the keys, eye, and detector) more in the early parts of the game.

Additionally, since it was such a hit in EK2, we might want to have an extended endgame gauntlet containing a brief reprisal of an area from each participant.

Questions, comments, suggestions, demands, claims, coordination, and donations to the Citizens Against Frocto's Liver Foundation go here.

[Friday]

Yep. Still up for this. Have been since 2 ended.

[Brentai]

There's a pretty nasty precedent for letting me do something right after Friday, but okay.

[Bongo Bill]

I think you forgot your emoticon.

[Friday]

Nah. Everyone involved has to take the oath of non-fuckery.

(The Oath reads as follows: I, as a level designer, hereby do solemnly swear; that I shall refrain from the overuse of fireshooters, random bullshit, and generally painful sadistic fuckery. Furthermore, if I still do feel compelled to create entire areas filled with bullshit and pixel perfect IWTBG jumps and umbrella mazes, I shall make these areas optional, and never required in order to proceed.)

But yeah, I want an emphasis on clever level design over DO THIS ROOM UNTIL YOU HAVE IT ROTE MEMORIZED.

[Brentai]

I did beat myself up a little after I posted that for failing to say "right on top of Friday", yeah.

(The Oath reads as follows: I, as a level designer, hereby do solemnly swear; that I shall refrain from the overuse of fireshooters, random bullshit, and generally painful sadistic fuckery. Furthermore, if I still do feel compelled to create entire areas filled with bullshit and pixel perfect IWTBG jumps and umbrella mazes, I shall make these areas optional, and never required in order to proceed.)

I may have to run one of my proposed areas by you as it kind of bends that Oath over and spanks it, but in a good way.

[Brentai]

...

[Zaratustra]

suggestion as to how this could work:

1) each person makes their own area, separately, at the same time
2) each person joins the areas of two other people

[Bongo Bill]

I had an idea that would mean additional work for the director: everybody makes a rough draft of their area in sequence, containing the general layout, with the powerup, all the screens they intend to use "claimed," and all the exits/entrances in place. They return it quickly and pass it on to the next person, while they can continue to work on their area in parallel, with the finished version being merged in on top of the rough draft.

[Kayma]

I'm in. Gimmie double jump.

[Bongo Bill]

If you intend to participate and you have a strong preference for Zara's modified Knytt Stories engine, please say so here so I can tell you why you're wrong we can get an idea of how many people would be really unhappy working in vanilla Knytt Stories. The last poll suggested that there was more interest in seeing the modified version, but I'm not certain how much of that support was due to burnout, nor how much came just from players and not creators. Feelings can change over the course of months, after all.

I'm not in charge of this! I don't want that responsibility! If the people want Zaramod, then Zaramod they shall have. I've been acting under the assumption that vanilla would be chosen, which of course is not a fair assumption in light of the poll in the older thread.

[Bongo Bill]

The wise and experienced Newbie has declared himself the director, and commanded that we use vanilla Knytt Stories! All hail Newbie and do great honor unto him.

[Lobst]

My offer still stands from the last thread -- I can do all necessary art; the intro and outro, at least!

I can also take a level design slot.  High Jump Running & Starting Area (sorry) is my first preference; otherwise, one of the keys.  Anyone is free to usurp my slot in either of these places if they really like.

[jsnlxndrlv]

Shit, I didn't even see this thread.

suggestion as to how this could work:

1) each person makes their own area, separately, at the same time
2) each person joins the areas of two other people

This is what is going to happen. The only wrinkle is that to avoid the possibility of impossible space and hopefully prevent me from having to make a ton of warp tiles to get the map's edges to fit together, I'm going to be zoning the map before it gets redistributed for step 2. Everyone should have effectively limitless space for the second part, but you might have kind of a bizarrely-shaped area to work in.

[Zaratustra]

ok I'm in too

let's go with standard engine w/e you're all whiners

[yyler]

I will participate under the conditions that I am given the purple key and we use vanilla Knytt. I'll take all the keys if need be, though.

[Brentai]

Oh hi who are you.

[jsnlxndrlv]

THE ABILITIES
Double Jump - Kayma
High Jump - Unclaimed
(Hologram) - (Either won't be available, or won't be until very last)
Key: Red - Unclaimed
Key: Yellow - Unclaimed
Key: Blue - Unclaimed
Key: Purple - Yyler
Proximity Detector - Newbie
Running - Lobst
The Eye - Unclaimed
Umbrella - Bongo Bill
Wall Climb - McDohl


THE TURN ORDER
1. Lobst - Running
2. Kayma - Double Jump
3. McDohl - Wall Climb
4. Newbie - Proximity Detector
5. Bongo Bill - Umbrella
6. Yyler - Purple Key
?. Friday - Unspecified
?. Brentai - Unspecified

[jsnlxndrlv]

I'd respond to PMs right now but it's kind of a busy father's day, since this is also my first chance to get decorations and music confirmed for the wedding in November. I'll be back tonight.

[Brentai]

I have absolutely no requests.  Stick me where you wanna.  I wasn't 100% serious when I asked for the ending, especially after remembering what it did to me last time.