17 seconds on world 3-9?

[Marka]

Does anyone have ANY idea how Lilrex did that?

[Kvalsternacka]

I'm guessing he/she found a way to glitch the physics on the spike ball, making it jump out of the loop it's stuck in until you solve the puzzle. I think I saw it happen once during beta, but was never able to reproduce it.

[Marka]

That's what I guessed too, but I just couldn't make it happen

[Doomsday One]

I can confirm that the impossible-to-beat time can be beaten by making the ball leave its loop.

In other news, I am now first place on that level :D
(Took me about 2 tries; I got very lucky)

EDIT:
I can now replicate the *ahem* "strategy", and have improved my time to a SOUL-CRUSHING 15.5 SECONDS.
Man, I've always wanted to say that.

Anyway, you guys can probably do it now that you sort of know how. Best of luck!

[Kvalsternacka]

Not bad! I think I eliminated the possibility to do that on most levels, but I apparently missed 3-9. I don't think I will remove the exploit as for now, it's pretty funny.

[sirphoenix]

funny, i raced that level yesterday probably 100 times to improve my time and asked myself the same question.

but shouldn't times that have been exploited in some way be removed from the scores?
if that glitch gets fixed in the future noone will ever be able to beat it.

[Kvalsternacka]

Yes, if the trick is removed then times utilizing it will also be removed, without a question.

The possibility to clear the level that way is indeed unintended. However right now anyone can do it if they figure out how, I assume at least. But, if it's performed like I think it is, it IS a borderline glitch. What do you guys think? Should I remove it?

Oh and if you haven't guessed already, I'm sairons colleague, the other half of noumenon games ;)

[Doomsday One]

But, if it's performed like I think it is, it IS a borderline glitch.

If you like, I can PM or email how I managed to do it. Alternatively, I just post how in the thread so everyone has a level playing field.
I don't feel that they way it is done (or at least how I did it) is 'glitchy'; it doesn't involve reactivating the green wall while the spike ball is halfway through it or anything like that. At the same time, I have no idea whether it could be considered 'fair'.

Until a decision is made however, I'm perfectly happy sitting in the first place position. Take all the time you need - I mean it ;)

[sirphoenix]

there are some other times where i've no idea how they were made or even possible like:

2-1b: 45 sec
2-9 : 17 sec
3-6 : 52 sec
3-13: 58 sec
4-2b: 35 sec
4-3 : 29 sec
4-4 : 15.9 sec
4-6 : 56 sec
4-8b: 21 sec
4-8c: 19 sec

all thos levels have mechanism that need you to wait for something (i.e. a ball dropping or an elevator) in order to continue.

so how were those times done? it just seems impossible ;)

[Kvalsternacka]

If you like, I can PM or email how I managed to do it.Please do. I cant seem to replicate it.


@sirphoenix
Just took a look and play at the list of levels and I can actually see how those times are possible on all of them. Even took second place on 3-13 by accident when trying tricks/routes. Sorry about that :)

Also the top times on 4-1... I can see how they got them, but the fact that they did blows my mind.

[sirphoenix]

really? I'd like some hints on those then.

2-1b:
it takes me at least 35-40 seconds to reach the ball, then another 10-15 seconds to push the ball sideways (since it needs enough momentum to make the push).
after that i still need to get speed myself and reach the finish which takes another ~10 seconds or less.
so lets see, 35 sec + 10 + 10 = 55 sec, so where do you cut 10 secs off? any shortcuts?

3-6:
nevermind, i just made a 54 sec time.
still wondering where one could get another 1.5 sec out of this since you can only control your flight/speed a 2 points in this level, everything else is waiting for elevators ;)

3-13:
well i really tried a lot, especially in the beginning but it nothing gets me close to those missing 19 seconds on this one.
so what't the trick?

[Kvalsternacka]

I don't wanna spoil too much since anyone can read this, but I can say this:

2-1b:
It was a good friend of ours who made the level and the way you get those times is likely a slight miss in the level design on his part. It's perfectly legit however and does not require glitch-like tricks. Was probably the one that took me the longest to figure out how people did.

3-13:
Afaik, most of the time is probably saved during the puzzle. I also managed to save a lot of time during the climb in the room with the fire balls. The rest of the level is too straight forward to have any significant tricks.