Fun, but not exactly mind-blowing.

[Haligen]

Sorry to take this thread into a different avenue. I may just start up a thread for this if enough people ask this question.

Onto the answer.

The old levels were apart of the design process. I had to create them to create the later levels. They were just a previous iteration of a level. One of the old levels, the one with the white road, is actually the oldest level we have in the game. That one probably came from first-playable if I remember correctly. It's a level I had to create to get experience with working in the editor and seeing what's possible with it.

The older levels are decent enough to add into the game, but not as polished as the levels that are in story-mode. The city layout, and decoration within the levels were just not up to what I was doing in the later story levels which is why we placed them in the "old level" section of the game.

Some level layout issues exist with the old levels as well, such as placeholder art and hand crafted set pieces that I had to make on the fly. The newer levels have objects that are specifically built for some of these issues. There were also some areas within the older levels that seemed odd gameplay wise, and visually(camera tracking and such).

[BraveDude8]

Sorry to take this thread into a different avenue. I may just start up a thread for this if enough people ask this question.

Onto the answer.

The old levels were apart of the design process. I had to create them to create the later levels. They were just a previous iteration of a level. One of the old levels, the one with the white road, is actually the oldest level we have in the game. That one probably came from first-playable if I remember correctly. It's a level I had to create to get experience with working in the editor and seeing what's possible with it.

The older levels are decent enough to add into the game, but not as polished as the levels that are in story-mode. The city layout, and decoration within the levels were just not up to what I was doing in the later story levels which is why we placed them in the "old level" section of the game.

Some level layout issues exist with the old levels as well, such as placeholder art and hand crafted set pieces that I had to make on the fly. The newer levels have objects that are specifically built for some of these issues. There were also some areas within the older levels that seemed odd gameplay wise, and visually(camera tracking and such).

Aha. Thanks Haligen, although you have to admit its good that the levels you rejected are excellent

[Norro]

Saw Ride is a pristine example of a difficulty curve that's akin to saying "No, you are not winning, stop trying.". No indication of what to do, no realistic way of getting across without saying a few prayers and hoping that the game will stop being a bastard and actually let you win. I had to abuse the area that you can drive on at the bottom of the map without dying and jumping up to the platform (with varying degrees of success). I shut the game off after that level, and I doubt I play that mode any more.

You have to think outside the box sometimes. Lo and behold:
http://youtu.be/_TqEsu_Nju8

If you would've tried stunt mode you might've found out that you can fly without wings(sort of). Note that I made this video just for you. And if you really perceive it as the game telling you "No, you are not winning, stop trying."... well, I'll just say that older games never asked you "can you do that?". NR is more of an old game than one of the new mainstream games that are getting easier by the year.

Also it's called challenge mode for a reason.

[BraveDude8]

Saw Ride is a pristine example of a difficulty curve that's akin to saying "No, you are not winning, stop trying.". No indication of what to do, no realistic way of getting across without saying a few prayers and hoping that the game will stop being a bastard and actually let you win. I had to abuse the area that you can drive on at the bottom of the map without dying and jumping up to the platform (with varying degrees of success). I shut the game off after that level, and I doubt I play that mode any more.

You have to think outside the box sometimes. Lo and behold:
http://youtu.be/_TqEsu_Nju8

If you would've tried stunt mode you might've found out that you can fly without wings(sort of). Note that I made this video just for you. And if you really perceive it as the game telling you "No, you are not winning, stop trying."... well, I'll just say that older games never asked you "can you do that?". NR is more of an old game than one of the new mainstream games that are getting easier by the year.

Also it's called challenge mode for a reason.

When I figured out how to fly like that, this is my face

o_O
O_o
O_O

[NekoShell]

Saw Ride is a pristine example of a difficulty curve that's akin to saying "No, you are not winning, stop trying.". No indication of what to do, no realistic way of getting across without saying a few prayers and hoping that the game will stop being a bastard and actually let you win. I had to abuse the area that you can drive on at the bottom of the map without dying and jumping up to the platform (with varying degrees of success). I shut the game off after that level, and I doubt I play that mode any more.

You have to think outside the box sometimes. Lo and behold:
http://youtu.be/_TqEsu_Nju8

If you would've tried stunt mode you might've found out that you can fly without wings(sort of). Note that I made this video just for you. And if you really perceive it as the game telling you "No, you are not winning, stop trying."... well, I'll just say that older games never asked you "can you do that?". NR is more of an old game than one of the new mainstream games that are getting easier by the year.

Also it's called challenge mode for a reason.

The point I was trying to make is that there's challenge, and then there's frustration; the challenge mode in this game crosses into frustration more than challenge. Thinking outside the box is fine, but I have to actually care about the mode in question to do that, and I don't think that will ever happen.

I've played older games before too, I know their difficulty sometimes went to an extreme, but they had the bonus of still being enjoyable and not wanting me want to punt my controller into my monitor into my wall.
The challenge mode of this game doesn't, and I'm totally thankful it's completely optional, same with stunt mode, because I'm not a completionist or a score fiend.

In the end though, it's pretty heavy on YMMV.

[Norro]

When I figured out how to fly like that, this is my face

o_O
O_o
O_O

Believe me when I first succeeded in doing that I was laughing for a good 20 seconds

[BraveDude8]

When I figured out how to fly like that, this is my face

o_O
O_o
O_O

Believe me when I first succeeded in doing that I was laughing for a good 20 seconds

There is a sort of awesomeness when you figure stuff like that out XD

[Tasgall]

So, I decided to fly through a level with no booster and/or wings:

http://youtu.be/0QGG0Ffcz0Q

[NekoShell]

So, I decided to fly through a level with no booster and/or wings:

http://youtu.be/0QGG0Ffcz0Q

And so you did. And it was hilariously amazing.

I wonder if the developers programmed it that way intentionally..

[BraveDude8]

So, I decided to fly through a level with no booster and/or wings:

http://youtu.be/0QGG0Ffcz0Q

And so you did. And it was hilariously amazing.

I wonder if the developers programmed it that way intentionally..

Wouldn't be surprised...