Instead of using talismans, why not create a repeat of the level that moves the exit to the talisman-flag position and has a save requirement of 1? If you want to enforce that the level must still be solved, this can be enforced in two ways in the repeated level:
- Put an unlock button at the flag's position, replace the exit by a locked exit (and keep it's original position).
- Put a cloner pickup-skill at the flag's position and raise the save requirement by 1.
One thing I noticed is, that there have been almost no streams with the goal to achieve talismans, but lots of streams to solve level packs. This tells me:
- If a level designer really wants other players to try an alternative version of the level, it is far better to add a new level that enforces the alternative solution, instead of adding a talisman.
- Existing talismans should not by any means make it harder to play the basic version of the level or have any chance to confuse players. (Currently this is done perfectly, with talismans giving no visual clues in the level that they exist.)
If you do this, do not repurpose decoration. Make a fresh gadget, ideally the talisman sprite iteslf.
Totally agree here, because we don't want players to spend hours getting to various decoration flags in a level that was made before this feature was introduced.
... it could look like a smaller exit that'll raise a flag once a lemming enters.
Such a design has a huge potential to confuse players, who might think this is just an alternative design of a real exit.
(And yes, we have object markers, but they are only displayed in clear physics mode and secondly a player may feel secure in their knowledge that the smaller exit actually is an exit and not double-check this.)
