(http://i.imgur.com/y1vEqfr.png)
{ DOWNLOAD (50,43 MB) } (http://www.mediafire.com/file/ln4a9nocvrdaz52/ixMarcel%20-%20Saving%20Thalanill.knytt.bin) { MIRROR } (https://www.dropbox.com/s/45947qj7z3cjpif/ixMarcel%20-%20Saving%20Thalanill.knytt.bin?dl=0)
Make sure you have the latest version of KS+ installed!
Type: Epic/Scenic/Challenge | Size: Large (~320 unique screens) | Difficulty: Normal/Hard
Requires: egomassive's KS Plus mod [ Download KS+ ] (http://egomassive.com/ks/) | Time to complete: ~60 minutes
Embark on a thrilling journey to save Juni's hometown!
Explore a big, carefully crafted world (featuring dozens of custom tilesets, backgrounds and Custom Objects).
Take on various, unique challenges utilizing KS+ features.
Find secret areas and collect hidden creatures.
Localise the source of an ancient evil force...
Screenshots:
(http://i.imgur.com/fbJ1Irt.png)(http://i.imgur.com/NaUXF6W.png)(http://i.imgur.com/BFevwOO.png)(http://i.imgur.com/wCR3X2o.png)(http://i.imgur.com/72nscA4.png)(http://i.imgur.com/VdiDGDH.png)(http://i.imgur.com/sVoH1j5.png)(http://i.imgur.com/vyVmKDY.png)(http://i.imgur.com/TtIpdeZ.png)(http://i.imgur.com/TPu0BdM.png)
Tips & Tricks:
You can set the window size with Ctrl+Z, then enter the cinematic mode by pressing Ctrl+X. It's a great way to experience this level.
You can jump down through some platforms by pressing Down+Jump button.
If you come across a hidden cat, press Down to learn its name.
Make sure to grab the Detector early on. Pay attention to your surroundings when it glows.
There are 25 Golden Creatures to collect.
There are two slightly different endings (which one you get depends on how many Golden Creatures you collect). You can also access an extra bad-ending cutscene (as soon as you get the Umbrella).
List of all the Nifforum cats:
The idea of cats named after Nifforum members was taken from Drakkan's Frozen Mountain 2.
Cwolvie
Drakkan
egomassive
Firecat
Fubaka
ixMarcel
LPChip
mechamind90
Nifflas
Oft99
pfrangip
Purple Ink
SC
sergiocornaga
StraightFlame
Talps
Ultigonio
Vegetal Gibber
Video walkthroughs: (SPOILERS!)
By mechamind90 on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAj6siCYnOOn1ezUJIDpTkNkuAsH_U39v)
By DonDoli on twitch.tv (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/232891771)
Full credits:
"Saving Thalanill"
a Knytt Stories level by ixMarcel (2016-2017)
CREDITS:
=================================================================
Music:
Song21 - "Lone Harvest" by Kevin MacLeod
Song22 - "Waterfall Cave, variation 2" by Nifflas
Song23 - "Infinite Depths" by Nifflas
Song24 - "The Cave" by Nifflas
Song25 - "Forest Sky, variation 4" by Nifflas
Song26 - "Vind" by Nifflas
Song27 - "Over Under" by Kevin MacLeod
Song28 - "Forest Level, variation 1" by Alterfish Gravity
Song29 - "Moonlight Flying" by soundimage.org
Song30 - "Timeless Temporary" by Nifflas
Song31 - "Nifflas Forest, variation 1" by Peter Enroth
Song32 - "Reversed" by Nifflas
Song33 - "Reversed" by Nifflas
Song34 - "Heart of Nowhere" by Kevin MacLeod
Song35 - "Deep Noise" by Kevin MacLeod
Song36 - "Vinden upphφr klockan elva" by Nifflas
Song37 - "Noire #1" by Music By Pedro
Song38 - "Cymbal" by Nifflas
Song39 - "Prelude to Ansturia" by Fubaka
Song40 - "Waterfall Cave" by Nifflas
Song41 - "Heartbeat sound" by justsoundfx
Song42 - "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod
Song43 - "Autumn Snow" by Nifflas
Song44 - "Castle, variation 1" by Nifflas
Song45 - "Greylands, variation 1" by Decibelter
Song46 - "Greylands, variation 2" by Decibelter
Song47 - "Instructions" by cdnalsi
Song48 - "Doppelgδnger" by ixMarcel
Song49 - "Chase Pulse Faster" by Kevin MacLeod
Song50 - "Investigations" by Nurykabe
Song51 - "Underwater, variation 2" by Nifflas
Song52 - "Reversed" by Nifflas
Song53 - "Vanish" by Nifflas
Intro54 - "Boss Battle" by magafi1984
Song54 - "Boss Battle" by magafi1984
Song55 - Part of "Megalovania" by Toby Fox
Song56 - "peece2" by Knyttster
Song57 - "Power Down 9" by Eric Matyas
Song58 - "Closing in" by Eric Matyas
Song59 - "Horrible Realization" by Eric Matyas
Song61 - "Charged Laser" by LegoLunatic / "Power Down 9" by Eric Matyas
Song62 - "Charged Laser" by LegoLunatic
Ambi23 - by Nifflas
Ambi24 - "Distant Tension" by Kevin MacLeod
Ambi255 - "Creepy Percussion 10" by Eric Matyas
"Laser" sounds taken from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
"Pick" sound taken from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
-----------------------------------------------------------------
=================================================================
Tilesets:
Tileset0 - "Tundra" by egomassive & Headgrinder; based on a tileset by Smashy
Tileset2 - "Ickle Forest" by Oft99
Tileset3 - "Knytt Skyland" by Velvet
Tileset6 - "Not Quite Dr. Clichι's Underwater Lab" by Nifflas; edited
Tileset7 - "Knytt in Hobbitown" by Davide "Imaddo" Lumacowic
Tileset8 - "Greenstone Halls" by Oft99 / Valius / Egonaut / other names
Tileset11 - "Polluted Growth" by Oft99; mixed with "Poisonous Forest" by Nifflas; edited
Tileset12 - "Tale of Two Castles" by Michael Vendittelli; edited
Tileset14 - "Ancient Lands" by blox master
Tileset15 - "Evil-Ville" by Comhon (from Knytt); original by Nifflas
Tileset16 - "Painted desert tileset" by Smashy; edited
Tileset17 - "Quick Tileset Designer" by Mr. Monkey's; mixed with "More plants" by Elder; edited
Tileset20 - "Community Tileset #1" by Nifforum
Tileset22 - "Poisonous Forest" by Nifflas; edited
Tileset23 - "All-purpose tileset" by Smashy
Tileset87 - "Dark Mountain Lake" by Nifflas; edited
Tileset88 - "Versus Sinrevah" composed from tilesets by Oft99
Tileset118 - "The Green Forest" by Velvet (from Knytt); original by Nifflas
Tileset120 - "Knytt tiles" by Looki (from Knytt); original by Nifflas
Tileset175 - "Blue Furniture" by Davide "Imaddo" Lumacowic
Tileset216 - "Bullrose Village" by Salmoneous
Tileset222 - "olive Rock" by Lingon
Tileset243 - "Amber Woods 2" by Fubaka
Tileset245 - "Painted desert tileset" by Smashy
Tileset246 - "Amber Woods 1" by Fubaka
Tileset248 - "Basalt Woods 2" by Fubaka
Tileset250 - "Basalt Woods 1" by Fubaka
Tileset251 - "Flower garden" by Nifflas; edited by dandelion
Tileset252 - "Silhouette tileset" by Atilla
Tileset255 - "White Meadows of Heaven" by Oft99
=================================================================
Gradients:
Gradient2 - from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Gradient3 - by ixMarcel
Gradient7 - by Fubaka
Gradient11 - by bdwhw.com
Gradient12 - "Gradient128" by Nifflas; edited by ixMarcel
Gradient13 - "Gradient128" by Nifflas; edited by ixMarcel
Gradient15 - by bgfons.com
Gradient16 - by Fubaka
Gradient18 - by blox master
Gradient22 - by Nifflas
Gradient26 - by Purple Ink
Gradient27 - by bdwhw.com
Gradient28 - by lewiswolke
Gradient34 - by bdwhw.com
Gradient45 - by blox master
Gradient60 - by bgfons.com
Gradient67 - by Purple Ink
Gradient75 - by bdwhw.com
Gradient76 - by bdwhw.com
Gradient85 - by ixMarcel
Gradient86 - by ixMarcel
Gradient141 - by legolasgirl1987
Gradient252 - by sftextures.com
=================================================================
Custom Objects:
covering.png by Vegetal Gibber
indignant.png by Vegetal Gibber
pointing.png by Vegetal Gibber
Attach2.png by Vegetal Gibber
BrownCat.png by Comhon
BrownCatNight.png by Comhon
Dark1-5.png by ixMarcel
doppelganger.png by Nifflas; edited
Flower.png by Neoriceisgood
Fountain.png by legolasgirl1987
Intro.png by ixMarcel
JuniNight.png by Nifflas; edited
JuniOld.png by Pumpkinbot
JuniOldS.png by Pumpkinbot
knytttophat.png by Salmoneous
knytttophatAPP.png by Salmoneous
knytttophatDIS.png by Salmoneous
lay.png by Nifflas; edited by Purple Ink
lightning.png by blox master
Sign.png by Davide "Imaddo" Lumacowic
sit.png by Purple Ink
stand.png by Purple Ink
Title.png by ixMarcel
Trees.png by Nifflas; possibly edited by Dynamite
UJuniNight.png by Nifflas; from the templete collection by egomassive; edited
fade.png by Ultigonio
Boss by /u/C-T (on reddit)
=================================================================
Special thanks to:
egomassive for creating KS+ mod.
Fubaka for hosting the EPIC KS Level Competition Mark II and giving me the permission to use his song.
Purple Ink for giving me the permission to use one of his COs, betatesting and feedback.
StraightFlame for betatesting and feedback.
Vegetal Gibber for custom-made Juni animations.
Drakkan for the idea of cats named after Nifforum members.
EDIT:
I gotta say, this "Cinematic mode" is great! I've been using "Fullscreen" this entire time, which distorts eveything, but cinematic mode keeps the aspect ratio. Great tip!
EDIT 2:
YEEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
TEMPLE GUARD!
(http://i.imgur.com/SVTH6Q9.png)
XD
No, but in all seriousness, you did a REALLY GREAT job with this level. I can definitely see why it took you a while to make. I do feel that the length of some areas are disproportionate to others that are longer (COUGHthepurplecanyonareaandthedarkblueforestCOUGH) but some sections (like the Waiting Room) are fan-flippin'-tastic.
HOLY.
FLIPPING.
COW.
THAT WAS THE BEST ENDGAME BOSS BATTLE I'VE EVER SEEN!! I j- How d-- But y--[slaps self]
Sorry. Sorry. Got a bit ahead of myself there. Anyways, THAT WAS SO COOL. GOD.
However, I do have to admit, I did savecheat a bit here (commence crowd booing)--HEY YOU'D DO IT TOO--because of the difficulty, but other than that? Top marks on the ending. Top. Marks. Well done, sir. I'm putting this level on the Juniverse.
(...also, is the boss a reference to another level? Just curious.)
I might have to review this one soon. ;)
Well done, Marcel. Well done.
I'm glad you enjoyed this level so much! And I get to be on the Juniverse? Sweet.
The boss battle was heavily inspired by Undertale. I tried to recreate the turn-based system in Knytt Stories, then decided to make it a part of the level.
And yes, there are a lot of deliberate references to other games/levels (the battle dialogue mentions Eurydice, The Tower of Lightning, Dark Sea and Shipwrecked). ;)
The challenges were, as promised, quite creative. I agree with the feedback above, the final battle mechanics were impressive, and I loved the homage paid to both Symphony of the Night and Undertale. They were a bit on the hard side, but just enough to keep me coming back for more whenever I failed.
The aesthetics were also really really good. I loved the amount of different looking areas and how unique each of them felt. My favorites were the Shadowlands and the Salfinn Caves areas. In fact, I was cursing all the time at the flying enemies in the Shadowlands because they kept killing me while I was checking out the backgrounds on each new screen X)
Also, it was pretty neat to find the cat named after me in a very similar way to the how I intended the player to get the golden cat in Exploring the Golden Land 8)
I also took the time to write down any issues I noticed while I played, in case you're interested in polishing this level even more:
SGEs:
- x1000y1000: The grass tile at x4y0 has a flat bottom border, which makes it look a bit weird.
- x1082y1015: Tile x21y8 is not a corner.
Void screens:
- x1015y997: When trying to climb up the wall (after getting the double jump)
- x1008y1001: Trying to double-jump to the left.
- x1008y997: Can be climbed up after getting the double-jump.
Other issues / Suggestions:
- There's a cat with an empty sign at x1005y999.
- It's unclear for the player if they should try to collect the golden creature in x1087y1007 as soon as they reach that screen or if they should try to find the umbrella first. Since some golden creatures can apparently be missed if the player doesn't collect them when they first spot them, this caused me to keep trying to collect that particular creature for quite a while even though I was not supposed to, because I was afraid of not being able to return to this screen later.
- The Sign4 text in screen x1085y1005 seems to refer to a key as "it", but this word is not mentioned in any of the previous signs. The intended meaning is still very easy to understand, but it'd be a better idea to replace "it" with "the key", just in case.
- There doesn't seem to be any way of coming back from x1085y1019 after petting the cat when you first reach the Salfinn Caves area. I'm not sure if petting all the cats unlocks anything in the game, but leaving a way out of that room would put the player more at ease (so they don't get the nagging feel that they might be losing progress by not saving the game afterwards).
- A save point right at the start of the Basalt Woods area (or at the end of the Shadowlands) would be nice. I died a few times there when I mistook a background branch for a platform and the last save was somewhat far from that screen.
- There's an extra blank space in the sign text at x1118y1012, between "The living" and "are not".
- For some reason, Juni was in her black silhouetted form after leaving the Starfield Peak area, and stayed that way even after reaching Eternal Glade. I'm pretty sure this wasn't supposed to happen, but I'm also not sure if I did something unexpected to trigger this. Fortunately, I noticed this and was able to correct it manually by editing the savegame file before reaching the end of the level. It may be worth giving those shifts a second look to ensure that this doesn't happen to other players, though (maybe their collision box is set to "Spot" instead of "Square" and I managed to slip through them on sheer bad luck :P2 ).
- Adding some "Soft" objects to the battle menu screens would minimize the amount of walking sound effects played when using the battle menus. This would probably require disabling the overlay feature, since I see you're already using layers 4-6 for other objects, though, so it's probably not worth the trouble.
- The foreground animated water in the Yrra Swamp was a nice touch, but it doesn't look that great due to its low resolution. A blurry version of the water animation would be better suited for this purpose. This is just my opinion, though.
Not much more to say, except that you definitely earned this :hiddenstar: from me. Thank you and congratulations on a superb job! ;)
Unlike everyone else I seem to be hating the boss which has me completely stuck.
I can't see my own character; I can't judge where I am on the screen let alone work out how to avoid that third pass which is too high to jump. I can't see how this is beatable, which is really annoying considering how much I was enjoying the level up to this point.
On a less negative note, that opening gave me chills, it was so good.
And I can't help but notice that you put me in a position to help distract Juni so that ghost can kill her. Did you... make me a villain?
EDIT:
Ah, I see. In addition to making me invisible you switched my upgrades around without warning so I'm making blind jumps with upgrades I don't even know I have. Closing my eyes might make this slightly more difficult. <_<
EDIT:
And thanks to the lasers now I know you've also slowed me down so my judgement is way off.
FINAL EDIT:
Right, well I beat it. Judging by the fact that Juni stayed black through the first part of the credits it looks like I hit a bug which is why my character was invisible through the boss fight and it was so hellish. This isn't really consolation for me; it ruined the level.
I'm sorry, this was really wonderful, really special up to that point. If that is a bug you need to figure it out and fix it because it's virtually a save-breaker. If not, I really don't understand how anyone could enjoy that.
FINAL FINAL EDIT:
I did like the references. And Veg, I got 26 golden creatures! You lose! Good day sir!
(not sure whether Vegetal already got a couple of these)
-In Blue Caves, trying to go up the passage you go down after getting the detector results in a wallswim
-Though technically not an error, it bugs me that the top of the red waterfall in that Knytt-esque village does not respect certain spatial considerations. Namely, up one, right one for the top, and right TWO, up one from the bottom. (lovely foreshadowing of Crimson Valley, btw)
-Also, it's tricky, but you can climb up the wall on the east side of said village after getting the double-jump
-In Salfinn Cave, four tiles was not enough to keep me from making my way around the corner on the screen with three droppers and the one directly left of it. (I remain convinced I could make it all the way back if I could jump just right from the edge of the golden snail screen)
Does the Queen of Shadow show up in the stinger regardless of whether you defeated her or not? EDIT: like, is that something that should only happen if you don't defeat the Queen?
: I know that when I found the umbrella in Meadows of Heaven, I immediately Ctrl-r'd, because the entrance shut behind me, and I didn't know if that was a point of no return. (In that area, I got the golden creatures not past that point without using the umbrella.)
Also, it took me quite a few tries, but I managed to make it back from petting ixMarcel's cat without cheating, so it is possible.
Is Basalt Woods just a homage to Cosmic Meltdown, or are you trying to imply some dimensional interference on the part of the Queen of Shadow? or both?
I note that the Junis the Queen of Shadow lists are mainly heroic sorts. Is the Queen of Shadow familiar with Junis that aren't globe-trotting day-savers, like the Juni from Capitalism?
I'm pretty sure the bug is due to Shift A in screen x1184y1024 being of type "Spot", which makes the collision box smaller than the full tile, and might cause individuals with very bad luck (such as Talps and myself) to slip through without triggering it. Changing it to "Square" should solve the problem. It'd be a good idea to edit all other similar shifts too, just in case.
D'oh! I assumed there were 25 creatures in total due to the statement in the "Tips & Tricks" spoiler box on the first post. If there are indeed 26 creatures, I've been cruelly lied to... which means there's another evil force at work here besides your cat :P
Also, mad props to you for beating the final boss while being invisible :whoa: (maybe this could be turned into a "Lunatic mode" feature?)
I believe the cats are basically just easter eggs, so the issue of it being very hard to return to the previous screen after petting ixMarcel's cat is just a minor gripe of mine, since I wasn't sure if I should invest the time to make the jump and come back safely after petting the cat or just fall into the water and continue from the last save.
The same can be said about the golden creature at x1087y1007. It's just a matter of putting paranoid players (such as me!) at ease and maybe prevent them from spending a few extra minutes on something that should be done later. It wasn't a deal breaker for me at all, though.
Man, I should really get some sleep...
Thanks everyone for feedback! I'm going to fix the issues as soon as I can. In the meantime, use Vegetal Gibber's advice or go up and down the slope between Yrra Swamp and Starlight Peak.
It makes me very sad that you couldn't enjoy the battle sequence I spent so much time working on (All because of some stupid shifts... :(). I've tested them countless times, so did the testers, yet you still triggered the bug. Damn :moody:.
But... Apparently it didn't stop you from defeating the boss. You're insanely good :shocked:. This needs to be referenced in the updated version of the level.
Sinrevah shouldn't appear again after you've defeated her. This is yet another weird bug... I have no idea how that happened (you got the bad ending instead of the good ending).
As for the Basalt Woods, it just shares the tileset with its counterpart from Cosmic Meltdown.
The Queen of Dark Spirits may or may not know all the Junis. I wanted to emphasize the fact that she appears in a lot of different levels (ever since the release of Knytt Stories - almost ten years ago) and she had a hard time trying to stop the player from completing the objective.
I also got the ending bug where I got the bad ending after earning the good! (I'm having all the luck!)
Also, the hero of Eurydice wasn't called...
I was a little disappointed that upon reloading my finished save I couldn't view my collection screen or to back to see the other end.
I know I went back with the umbrella, and frantically pressed esc when a cutscene started playing. And then I ended back up in Meadows of Heaven.
Also, I saw that Defend/Attack screen twice because I wasn't quick on the uptake and got shrapnel'd. The second time I ran straight towards the XX.
Do these help narrow it down?
(I must confess I probably had an easier time than I ought with that boss battle. I suspect you didn't intend for the gravespikes to shift out of existence before they reached me. Yay lag!)
Regarding Basalt Woods, I note the fairy after the umbrella course omits Shadowlands, Basalt Woods, and Starlight Peak in his/her directions to the Nit Flower. And then there's that ominous shadowy overlay. And Basalt Woods is where Sinrevah first shows up in person, to escort you under the water and to the Waiting Room... You sure Sinrevah wasn't pulling dimensional shenanigans?
Hmm. I think one of Bloxmaster's levels had an entity with that sprite setting the objective. What do you make of that in light of your level? (Admittedly I never managed to finish the level, so I don't know whether this turned out to be a deception.) Also, Sinrevah obviously is frustrated by Juni completing her objectives. Does she take solace in peeking into universes where Juni cannot win? or pratfalls a lot?
(Also, it's probably more since A Strange Dream, since The Machine didn't have any shadow people in it.)
I did some debugging and found out that Flag0 is set ON in both routes ("defend" and "attack") after beating the boss. Removing the "ShiftFlagOn(A)=0" line at x1218y1032 in the World.ini file fixes the incorrect ending scene issue.
I experienced this bug in my playthrough, but I didn't even realize this wasn't the correct sequence. In fact, I thought the boss being there watching you at the end of the good ending was intentional, as if it was some sort of cliffhanger hinting at a possible sequel :P2
Also, I noticed a typo in the first screen of the credits cutscene (Scene1.png - "stories" is misspelled as "sotires"). Not sure if this has been already reported, though.
OK, I've updated the level and fixed the bugs. Everyoby who's played the day one edition - sorry for the inconvenience!
Changelog:
Fixed voids and SGEs
The "permanent dark silhouette" bug is fixed
You can now actually access the good ending
Added Talps mode: You cannot see Juni for the duration of the boss battle Added an unsatisfying easter-egg hidden screen (x1003y1002 in the editor)
Hold ↓ key at the "bad-end epilogue screen" to be teleported to the Defend/Attack screen (so you can see the good ending - it's really nothing special, but gives you a sense of closure instead of a cliffhanger)
Actually, one of the Waiting Room's doors leads to a section mimicking Bloxmaster's unreleased level (https://nifflas.lpchip.nl/index.php?topic=308.0). I liked the idea that you can also enter "unfinished worlds' from there too.
As for Sinrevah, I'm sure she's enjoyed watching Juni fail in certain worlds over and over again, but it just isn't enough!
Finished it in two sessions. No bugs, everything just flowed along nicely.
I enjoyed the challenges and the moody dark areas the most!
The animations on Juni just before the boss battle was a really cool surprise, and well done. The boss itself was also awesome of course!
Nice work!
I only just recently started playing Knytt stories, and have been binge-playing a ton of different stories by a ton a different designers. That being said, I think this one is my favorite so far! Very challenging without feeling totally impossible. I think my favorite part was the nod to Twin Peaks, and that this entire part of the game felt like a bunch of little mini-games within the game itself
Juni animations before the final boss
At x1009y998, if you go up at x1y0 you end up in a wallswim. whoops 2 month old bump sorry
(video link) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR3hVFGfJfc)(http://i.imgur.com/19AKGEU.png)
specially the boss, the boss is too much for me. I am stuck on (i think the 4th challenge) the one with spikes on the floor and 3 also spiky guys following you, I can do the 2 first jumps alright, but the 3rd, with the spiky thing also coming from the ceiling... is there a trick or advice I should follow to pass that screen? i would love to finish the game now that I have gone so far...
I think the trick was to release the jump button shortly after you jump from one platform to the other (instead of just holding the button) so you don't hit the spiky block on the ceiling, then doing a double jump as soon as the spiky block passes you (this time holding the jump button all the way).
The only problem was Shadowlands, because everything is pretty much pitch black, so it's an exercise in jumping over completely invisible water or whatever there is on the ground that kills Juni. Had to save-cheat a lot there. I do suspect it wouldn't be so bad with different monitor settings.
I tried to recreate the turn-based system in Knytt Stories
That's a task best fit for KS Ex, there anything's possible :)
I replayed the level, with the main goal to see Shadowlands as they should be seen. It's crazy how much my monitor devours dark colors with the settings I use! Beautiful place!
However, the most beautiful place for me was WaDF-like black forest with dark-blue gradient.