Improving the gameplay of a difficult obby

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#1

Today, I decided that the hardest zone in my game isn’t hard enough, so I want to revamp it.

However, I want it to be well designed, not the generic “Impossible Obby”.

These are the gameplay ideas I want to avoid entirely:

  • Platforms smaller than 0.5 studs in width or length.
  • Intentionally making the player hit their head to cut short their jump.
  • Conveyors that make the player go left and right to avoid kill blocks.

And these are the gameplay ideas I want to lessen the use of:

  • Tower of Hell style kill blocks (neon blocks on platforms meant to catch the player’s feet).
  • Rotating kill blocks.

What can I do to make the zone hard, yet enjoyable and satisfying to beat? The theme of the zone is an icy dark cave, not a classic suspended obby.

#2

Maybe, you can add some “speed jump” parts, or conveyors by changing the velocity.

#3

What would I do with these conveyors? Like I said, I would prefer not to use them to push players into kill blocks.

#4

No, so they would keep putting the players to fall down into the “death zone.” So, they move the character, and they should try to avoid falling.

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#5

Hmm, that does sound appropriate to the cave theme, and there are a few places in the zone I could use this idea. Thanks for bringing it up.

#6

Introduce the player to about one or two different obstacles not seen throughout the obby. Then, use these obstacles, and other previously used obstacles in complex ways, in order to make the obby harder and fresh.

To make it enjoyable, all you have to do is give the player a smooth and fair experience. To treat the player fairly, correctly guide the player. For example, if there was a stage with two ways to complete, an easy way, and a hard way, tell the player that there are two ways to get past the stage, and they can choose where they want to go.

It’s all about achievement and effect. Have the player feel accomplished, maybe by telling them “Wow, that was a hard stage, but you beat it! Nice skills!”. That makes the player feel good, because they persisted through a toughie. As for effect, do something cool when a player clears the stage, like make some particles shoot through the checkpoint, and make it nice. That makes the player want to get to the next checkpoint, to see that coolio effect again.

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