Hi,



We have a fat buzzsaw buzzing. Zzzzzssss. And a lix.
Should the lix die if she touches the saw with her foot?
Should the lix die if she touches the saw with her head?
Should the lix die if she touches the saw with her body? She would pass through small terrain gaps.
What happens when she's a climber? The climber's head has a different x-coordinate than the foot.
What happens when she's a platformer? A platformer's head is lower than a walker's.

If we check at the head at all, should mechanics depend on the spritesheet? C++ Lix examines the spritesheet for the eye, then checks there. The examination happens at program start, not at compile time. You affect physics when you alter the spritesheet. In total, C++ Lix checks for traps at (foot), (4 hi-res pixels above the foot), and (eye).

I'm considering to check at (n hi-res pixels above the foot) for n = 0, 4, 8, 12, or even for n = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. The check would be independent of the lix's job. Both ideas catch the thin laser beams, these beams have a thickness of 4 hi-res pixels.

12 hi-res pixels over the foot is slightly lower than a walker's eye. Walker's eyes are bopping up and down at 13 and 14 hi-res pixels above the foot. The lix in the image would still burn. 12 pixels is considerably higher than a platformer's eye at 7 to 10 pixels. In a minority of platformer frames, even the hair is below 12 pixels.

Earlier discussion with geoo, beginning right after the colorful github pushes.
<geoo> I'm not sure what's best here, really. Maybe make a thread.

-- Simon

I agree with all of these points. An excellent treatment of the problem.

Do prefer a strict, skill-independent rule over a per-skill rule, even if the per-skill rule were independent from the spritesheet?

Lovely example level. I lose a cuber and the miner, saving 8/9. Is there a way to save the miner?

-- Simon

Yep, got it now. This solution doesn't feel hackish, but I am used to these trigger checks. The D port migration will be an excellent opportunity to simplify mechanics.

There's a good easier puzzle in this level. Even with platformers grilled under the sawblade, 90 % of the level idea can be salvaged.

Agree on discoverability of the mechanics. The skill-independent checks can be at the foot only, or at several points above the foot, too. I like the checks at several points, because all traps so far are designed with this in mind. A trap works different from an exit, where the foot must be at the door. Different opinions welcome.

-- Simon