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Ideal Pathway Level Design

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williamlixu edited this page Oct 22, 2019 · 21 revisions

Cheat codes:

Cheat codes have been added to aid the testing of Life of Wilbur. They are as follows:

  • Press p in a room to skip the room and load the next room
  • Press F1 to unlock all levels
  • Press F2 to lock all levels

Notes for Completing Levels

  • Changes/interactions in the past will effect the future but changes/interactions in the future has no effect on the past.
  • You must get both adult and child Wilbur to the exit sign.

Fixed Level Design

  • Level design is fixed in the placement of tiles, game objects and rooms to form a level. Levels are built from rooms that feature either a puzzle or NPC dialog.
  • The levels are structured in a way where the player learns more game mechanics and ideas to solving puzzles and use what they learn to solve further, more complex levels. For example, the first two levels are "tutorials", giving the player insight into how the time travel mechanic works, the idea they are playing as the same character across two timelines, the need to get both Wilbur's to the exit and how changing the past (e.g. by pushing a box) can be used to get around obstacles. The first level with breakable ice (level 1-3) introduces the breakable ice in a non-punishing way as child Wilbur simply has to run across the ice and the ice does not appear in the future. Then, the breakable ice is used in more complex applications in future levels.
  • Some levels play on variations from previous levels. For example levels 1-3 and 1-5 (the ice lake levels) as well as levels 2-1 and 2-5 seem similar but have different solutions. On the surface, the level may seem the same but there is a slight trick. Once the player realises and solves the puzzle, it gives them a greater sense of satisfaction. This was positively received in playtesting.
  • Levels are also loosely structured by story, fitting into the theme of each level
    • Level 1 is located at the base of the mountain, featuring caves and lakes
    • Level 2 is located on the ascent up the mountain. The goal in levels are sometimes higher up than where Wilbur starts.
    • Level 3 is close to the Summit at the top of the mountain. It is set in a blizzard.
  • The NPC levels and Wilbur monologues add to the story as well as highlight the effects of climate change. For example, the first level shows of the controls and Wilbur monologues to expose the story of going to the Polar Bear Summit.
  • The final level is a “boss” level, introducing a new blizzard level. The player uses all the knowledge from the previous puzzles to navigate up the mountain, navigating multiple puzzles and platforming challenges in a row to reach a satisfying conclusion.
  • In designing levels, we kept the scoring system (game time) in mind. There are "skips/time saves" for advanced players that you can try find to do levels faster than the solutions presented here. For example, in most levels with multiple boxes, you can complete them with some fancy jumps using one less box than the level gives you.

Ideal Pathway

To gain the full experience of the game, it is recommended to talk to all the NPC characters. It is also recommended to make an attempt of all the levels yourself.

Below is a guide to completing all the levels:

Level Name Screenshot Solution
Level 1-1 1. Press C to go through dialogue
2. Walk towards the exit sign with the arrow keys
3. Jump over the table with space
4. When reaching the exit sign, press X to go to the future
5. Get adult Wilbur to the exit
Level 1-2 1. Push the box over the spikes location as child Wilbur and then move child Wilbur to the exit sign
2. Swap to adult Wilbur, use the box to jump over the spikes, and then move adult to exit sign
Level 1-3 1. As child Wilbur, run over spikes quickly to not fall in water
2. As adult Wilbur, jump over water using boxes as platforms
Level 1-4 Easy
Level 1-5 1. As child Wilbur, run over ice to get to the other side. Move two leftmost boxes while doing so to evenly space boxes to make future Wilbur's jumps possible
2. As adult Wilbur, jump over water using boxes as platforms
Level 1-6 1. As child Wilbur, move box to the left of Wilbur to leftmost hole
2. Platform to other box and push into rightmost hole
3. Move both Wilbur's to exit platform
Level 2-1 1. As child Wilbur, use box on ground and platforming to get the second platform
2. Push both boxes over spike location
3. Use platforming to get adult Wilbur to the end
Level 2-2 1. As child Wilbur, push both accessible boxes to right hand side
2. Platform up cliff using ice platforms
3. Push box at top of cliff down and on top of the other boxes (in shape of stairs)
4. Get both Wilburs to the end sign
Level 2-3 Easy
Level 2-4 1. Push box underneath floating box and change times. The box will fall on top.
2. Form stairs in future to get up to sign post. In past use ice platforms to get to sign post
Level 2-5 1. Use box on ground to get future wilbur over first set of spikes
2. Follow steps of level 2-1 to complete level
Level 3-1 Easy
Level 3-2 This room consists of three puzzles. The remainder is platforming

1. In the first puzzle (image), push the box off the platform to the left as the child platform
2. In the second puzzle (image), push the upper box off the ledge. Then push one of the boxes off the ledge they are both on
3. In the third puzzle (image) Push the top box off the ledge to make a staircase
Level 3-3 Easy

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