Alf's Escape Discussion

[Crashpunk]

I don't like very or overly difficult games. They make me rage a lot. I obviously don't like to rage but it's pretty hard to keep it under control. Yes I understand why people do like hard games and yes I know the feeling once you beat is so satisfying. But I cannot play a hard game without raging at some point.

On that note. Alf's Escape is the cruelest, evil and difficult piece of DLC I have ever played. Most of it is fine. Pretty hard in places yet very enjoyable. Seeing the Paramite and Scrab in the same sections made the child in me jump for joy. (I've been waiting so long to see that.)

Then I came across The Slaughter House. With the big saw... And controlling both Abe and Alf...

Holy. shit.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this. I literally went ape shit. In fact that's the most I've ever raged at a video game...

I understand what I need to do. I was so close at one point, it's just I wasn't quick enough at the end. What really gets me is the saws which are nearly impossible to duck under that requires millisecond timing. Not only that, but you have to time it with Alf's level.

After a few attempts I'd admit, It's pretty doable. But I was just so frustrated at the time, I just had to stop my recording. I was that bad.

I'm going to return to at a later date. Hopefully I'll do it first time.

[Varrok]

Can't you play it on easy? Does it have difficulty levels?

[Crashpunk]

Saws kill you in one shot no matter what difficulty your on? (I think)

Also my problem is the timing. The saw at the top catches up with Alf no matter what I do.

[JennyGenesis]

I think the saws that go really fast is a bad point to this DLC, they are difficult to navigate, but it's not a fair challenge, it's sheer luck you are forced to roll under them, but abe rolls so slow now that it's near impossible to do it when you are taking your time, I think this DLC would have been far better if the saws were slower just to make the package play more fairly.

[Crashpunk]

I've got to agree. The saws are stupidly fast. I understand it's meant to be hard but holy shit, it's nearly impossible. I often wonder if I'm I missing a lever to make them slower or something.

[Connell]

I'd just like to say I disagree. It's all about getting used to being aware you are in charge of 2 characters. All of the obstacles align to each other and it's just about choosing the time when it's safe to go for both of you. I would say it is a fair challenge. I could understand why some people would struggle a bit first time though.

Also, I'm sure you guys at JAW have already had a few notifications of this, but since downloading Alf's Escape my leaderboard has stopped working again. Same "connection error" problem.

And I really didn't notice that "special character". Just looks like another slig to me.

[JennyGenesis]

Even when you are on the way to find Alf, the saws are still near impossible!

[OWI_Alex]

I'd just like to say I disagree. It's all about getting used to being aware you are in charge of 2 characters. All of the obstacles align to each other and it's just about choosing the time when it's safe to go for both of you. I would say it is a fair challenge. I could understand why some people would struggle a bit first time though.

You can, of course, ask Alf to wait...

As long as you're quick at the start and only really focus on Abe, the saws aren't much of an issue later on. And we assume when you play Alf DLC that you're already good with timing a roll under the fast saws.

There's no trick to them, it's just timing and positioning Abe in the right place.

Also, I'm sure you guys at JAW have already had a few notifications of this, but since downloading Alf's Escape my leaderboard has stopped working again. Same "connection error" problem.

Nope, first notification. Odd.

We do have an issue with zero times on the leaderboard though that we're sorting.

I think the saws that go really fast is a bad point to this DLC, they are difficult to navigate, but it's not a fair challenge, it's sheer luck you are forced to roll under them

This is like your comment earlier that it's impossible to turn the possessed Slig to shoot the baddies in the control room. It's not luck, it's timing.

[Crashpunk]

Honestly. I'm just butthurt because it's very unforgiving and find it impossible to complete.

It's not the game's fault I suck at it.

[Slog Bait]

Literally all the gameplay complaints I've heard since the release of NNT sound like timing issues on the players' end

Like for awhile I understood the controls were kind of clunky but watching people play it I have a hard time believing it's the controls at fault because the gameplay seems intentionally heavy anyways

[Connell]

We do have an issue with zero times on the leaderboard though that we're sorting.

I'd actually like to amend my statement, the problem began occurring after I'd completed Alf's Escape and I was manually taken to the leaderboard. I think that was the same thing (completing it) that triggered the leaderboard to break in the main game.

[MeechMunchie]

I agree that it's not obvious, but that's what I was told.

Maybe putting a big yellowish light behind him wasn't the best idea.

[JennyGenesis]

This is like your comment earlier that it's impossible to turn the possessed Slig to shoot the baddies in the control room. It's not luck, it's timing.

Actually, it was not me that said that, I actually praised that bit because of the genius way the puzzle is laid out, I got through the puzzle (after a few tries) with no problems, on a replay though I did discover a slight exploit where sligs from the left can't see Abe.

[V_O_T]

Finished it today when I got some free time.

While it is difficult, I find it satisfyingly difficult. The trick is in the elbows when getting frustrated. But seriously, for some reason, the moment i started to think "If it has to be done this way, then surely I can do it to because it was designed that way." After i said that I swept through it with ease. I dont know if its magnets or anything but I enjoyed it a lot

Are there any secret areas in this chapter? Also, are there things we havnt found yet in the game itself? (i.e. easter eggs, etc)

I wanna know if we are still missing out on something lol.


Also, has anyone gotten their NnT poster yet from the contest?

[Vykker Lady]

I didn't think it was too incredibly difficult. At least once I figured out exactly what I needed to do. Having save states helped A LOT.

Overall, I thought it was enjoyably difficult. It was such a fun experience! It felt like a real challenge for veteran OW players (I do feel sorry for any newcomers... good luck to ya!). The whole time I was playing, my inner child was flipping out over how amazing and new everything was. My favorite bits were the protecting chanting Abe as a slig/protecting Alf with the electricity lever sections. I thought the idea of that was so cool. (Did they do something similar in AE? If so, I'm drawing a blank and can't remember) And those saws, man. They were great.

Now, this is me playing on normal. I'll have to go back and play on hard difficulty without using save states to give myself a real challenge. In which I'm sure I'll start to rage, throw my controller down, etc.

[Connell]

My favourite areas were the security screen section with the sligs and slogs, and the huge advertisement posters that you have to sneak past towards the end. Both really beautiful. Hardest part for me was DEFINITELY the bit where you had to guide Abe through the alternating electricity gates on the way to Alf, reminiscent of AE. Quicksaves were used in abundance there. I kept quicksaving, loading it and counting the beats until the gate in front of me turned off, until I could load the quicksave, count it out and then run through, and repeat. Literally couldn't do it any other way.

I too liked the bit where Abe had to get through the moving security lines and if you triggered one Alf was absolutely destroyed by all those electricity gates below. Very enjoyable.

In fact, the whole design of the DLC felt very Exoddus in nature, I'm not quite sure what it was but I think Oddysee's puzzles were more integrated into the world (might be nostalgia clogging the truth here) Whereas Exoddus was a lot more "HERE'S LOADS OF ELECTRICITY BARS AND SLAM DOORS THAT MAKE NO SENSE AND NOW YOU'RE VERY AWARE YOU'RE SOLVING A PUZZLE IN A GAME". This isn't exactly a bad thing though as at the end of the day, we are solving puzzles in a game and it makes for some very unique and interesting gameplay.

A good "extreme" mode would have been to have the game automatically reset to when you find Alf if you ever have him die. Really make it feel like you have to keep his ass safe.

[OWI_Alex]

What's everybody's times?

Actually, it was not me that said that

Oops, sorry.

[Connell]

Mine was like an hour and 24 minutes or something like that by the end of it, but that was with leaving the controller and many stops to marvel at the new areas. I'm sure I will be able to cut that down significantly (considering I'm pretty sure I'm still number 1 on the board for Rupture Farms ) in later playthroughs, but I want to wait until my leaderboard is working again so I don't have to re-submit all the times again and all that fiasco.

[JennyGenesis]

I dont know what was better. The gameplay or the environments. Both were amazing.

[HOMINIX]

I've peeked at some gameplay on youtube, and it looks like you guys have done an awesome job at making the puzzles fit right in with Oddysee. At some moments, from what I saw, I was reminded of extended boardroom/boiler challenges. I like that you've taken advantage of the more finely aimed throw mechanic and based some obstacles around precise throws.

I love this stuff. New content for Oddysee that fits right in with the original games?? It's one of my childhood wishes! Good work, guys.

[Oziah]

Honestly don't the understand the difficulty complaint at all :O

Oddworld was always legendarily difficult. For players like myself who find the main game easy, this DLC rectified that and presented a solid but fair challenge.

And my time was like 1hr 4mins or something. Terribly slow but I'll beat that easily next time

I would honestly hope that an Exoddus remake's 'hard' mode could be equally challenging

[HOMINIX]

Oh god, if an Exoddus remake had sizable new areas squeezed in between existing segments.... I think I might buy it 3 times.

[Scrabaniac]

I wonder if the Devs ever played around with a 2 player Alf's Escape Option.. One player controlling Alf.. That would have been awesome to see!

I think that if they ever add an "Extreme Mode" (or "Endangered", referencing the creatures :P) They would simply remove Quiksave, and health regeneration. It would have to be worth a good Gold Trophy though haha!

[JennyGenesis]

Well adding the two player mode would remove the fun and the challenge.

[HOMINIX]

Well, I'd think it would've been built differently to make it challenging for 2 simultaneous players, not the existing course with an option to control Alf.

[Scrabaniac]

It wouldn't remove the difficulty if you had to operate levers etc to help out the other player above/below you

[Michael]

I'm also having leaderboard trouble, my times never show for Alf's Escape or the main game. In addition, after finishing Alf's Escape, I started the main game from scratch again. First time I died (stockyards, triggering the alarm and being blown up) I got the 'Alf is dead!' message! Only happened once, after that it went back to normal.

Overall, I thought Alf's Escape was fantastic! I loved the harder puzzles (not too bad I found, as long as you quiksave at the right moment!), especially having to defend Abe with the slig under the security room

With the main game based so closely on the original, this is the first really new portion of the game showing JAW's aptitude for level design, which I think was handled with full competence. Very well done, extremely faithful to the original and the new elements like the buzz saws were brilliant! I have complete faith in the team with the next project, whatever it may be!

[scorptatious]

Initially, I was kinda disappointed by this because I thought I was going to play as Alf.

But looking back, as a series of challenge levels that involved escorting Alf out, it was very good. And hey, I got it for free so there's that.

[Xavier]

Initially, I was kinda disappointed by this because I thought I was going to play as Alf.

Thinking of it that's probably because it's called "Alf's Escape", a better description would have been "Alf's Rescue".

But I'm not sure it sounds as good.

[Getchapants]

The amount of times this has crashed on me is ridiculous I can't even get up to alf at this rate