Adam's Level Pack 1
for the Jetpack Retrofit Contest 2010
by Adam Dobay (formerly known as DobaySoft)
Contact address: adamdobay [at] gmail [dot] com


Dear Adam & Jetpack fans,

	This is the first group of old and new levels of mine, remade specifically for the 2010 Jetpack Retrofit Contest. Over the past few weeks, I have carefully reviewed and updated more than fifty levels I have made in the 90's, and the couple dozen I have made during my nostalgia period in 2008 and since the contest was announced. With about thirty levels still left to assess and a number of continuous level series left out to be used as basis for Jetpack 2 mission packs, here is a top selection of 22 levels sorted by difficulty (2 easy, 10 medium, 6 hard and 4 expert -- see below for descriptions). You can help my work immensely by providing feedback on some level sections which need further testing by players other than myself. In the specific level notes below I mention some of the points of interest, but if you find other sections that prove too hard for the intended difficulty setting.
	
	Now a few words about the intended difficulties. The easy levels are designed especially as beginner stages, so they are intended to be suitable for the early part of the game. Medium levels are somewhat longer than easy ones and require a general understanding of how things in Jetpack work, but should not contain particularly difficult areas. For seasoned players, however, both easy and medium levels include optional challenges for extra gold.
	Levels I have classified as hard are tightly designed stages that require some experience with the game, but have been designed in a way so they can still be tackled by less experienced players, given that the option to slow just the monsters down is included.
	Expert levels are the ones that contain either particularly tricky puzzles, need quick skill or precise timing, or all of the above. With monster slowdowns, they are probably not harder than the ones given in Adam's (the other Adam's :) favourite levels list, but they were designed for later levels. I have included these levels because also contain some of my favourite designs.

	As a basic rule for design, I usually put in different sections testing different skills, with much emphasis on the design aesthetic. My goal is to create levels that are aesthetically pleasing while also fulfilling their function in the given game environment. While some levels contain puzzles and areas that might need some pondering to beat, I like to avoid using methods that trick or trap the player or which otherwise create a frustrating experience.
	A fan of my old levels pointed out that he remembers recognizing my levels by the letter D they started with, so the current naming structure is the D followed by the difficulty setting (E for Easy, M for Medium, H for Hard and X for Expert) and then the level name indicator.
	
	I hope you have fun playing these levels.
	
Adam Dobay


	

Easy levels
===========

1. A stroll in the park (D-E-PARK.JET)
The level design was inspired by the music track submission "Phenomenon" by Coda. It aims for a classic Jetpack/Lode Runner feel.

2. Rockfall (D-E-ROCK.JET)
The level design was inspired by the early part of Coda's track "Puzzling". I used the bat monster because it is not that often used in early levels.


Medium levels
=============

1. An army of five (D-M-ARMY.JET)
I was wondering whether to use five or just four robots for this level. But since players have both a monster stopper and a half tank jetpack at their disposal, they can always turn to those in case the level turns out tricky.

2. Caverns made of brick (D-M-CAVE.JET)
The half tank jetpack should be enough for the part of the level that requires flying, but can be replaced by a full tank if deemed too hard for beginners.
The level design was inspired by the beginning part of Coda's music submission "Rad".

3. Chimneyphaser, candy-stealer (D-M-CHIM.JET)
This level would perhaps go best with the Christmas theme. The peculiarity of this level is that you can't take on the monsters by yourself, you have to figure out ways to trap them or lure them away from the gems you're trying to get.

4. Get Down Underground (D-M-DOWN.JET)
First I had the squiggly design for the rocks but felt the level too empty so added the top and bottom sections to give it a frame. Again, based on feedback, the jetpack can be replaced with a full tank one.

5. Jetman of the Jungle (D-M-JNGL.JET)
A straightforward level with difficulty advancing with every floor. Originally there was more backtracking, but that made the level a bit boring so I replaced some gems with gold instead. I also took out some of the monsters because of the slowdowns the layering caused in the level.

6. Platform jumper (D-M-JUMP.JET)
I like this level because of the simplicity and the arrangement of the brick platforms. During testing, I had no problem with the spikes on the left side of the top right platform, but it can be removed if it turns out to be an issue.

7. The Sunken Ship (D-M-SHIP.JET)
I kept going back to editing this level many times, originally titled "Ice is Nice" about ten years ago, because I knew there was something good in it to be found. The finished version incorporates the unique ship design I stumbled upon by accident. I also added optional jetpacks and an optional loot, while taking out some of the monsters to fit a normal difficulty setting and to smoothen the rhythm in which the rockets appear in the same place. The bottom left corner maybe a bit too hard to tackle for a medium level.

8. Springtime Extravaganza (D-M-SPRI.JET)
This is a peculiar level in the sense that I have not touched it since I made it more than ten years ago. I like the relative simplicity and that the player can take different routes to get all the gems.

9. Crowded Teleports (D-M-TELE.JET)
I chose this level for the pack because the player can choose the difficulty for themselves by deciding whether to collect the top gems one at a time or trying to snatch both in one go. Again, a monster stopper was included to help the player.

10. Stone Tree (D-M-TREE.JET)
I rarely use go-through walls but this is an exception. I like how the mirrored design of the level is integrated into the puzzle. It does take some time to figure out where the hidden areas are, so this might be the hardest of the medium levels.


Hard levels
===========

1. After so many years (D-H-AFTR.JET)
This was the first level I made after picking up Jetpack more than ten years of absence, hence the name. It has quite a number of small, skill-based puzzles.

2. Rocket camp (D-H-CAMP.JET)
Here I was experimenting with the need to memorize movement patterns.

3. The Ladders Look Safe (D-H-LADD.JET)
I toned this level down as there were too many robots and rockets in the original. Now it should be okay, especially with the monster slowdown option.

4. Scaling New Heights (D-H-SCAL.JET)
I like this level because of the different utilizations of the pink blocks, but I always feel as if there's something missing. There's something glitchy with the Jetman's jumping control around some blocks and it really shows in this level.

5. Spring Break (D-H-SPRI.JET)
The hardest in this level is that on normal speed, you have to be quick to beat the rolling marble before it blocks your way later on. But it shouldn't be a problem if slowing down monster speed. In the worst case scenario, the marble could be replaced with a robot. I'm not sure that the second spike that you have to jump over at the beginning of the level is easy to jump over or not, I'd like some feedback on whether to remove it.

6. Temple Complex (D-H-TMPL.JET)
This is one of my favourites in terms of design, I really like what you can make with darker bricks and grass.


Expert levels
=============

1. Flying Fortress (D-H-FORT.JET)
I classified this in the "expert" group because of the many tricky situations faced by the player. It's still the easiest of the bunch.

2. Pink Is My Favourite Color (D-H-PINK.JET)
From all those I have ever made, this is perhaps my favourite level of all time. Many routes to take, lots of small challenges, much emphasis on jumping, and quick skills needed throughout. Could perhaps qualify as a "Hard" level if the difficult rocket jump was taken out at the very beginning. I'm biased about the difficulty because I've tested this level a couple hundred times, so I'll let you have a go and see what you think.

3. Rock the Puzzle (D-H-ROCK.JET)
A very hard level included mainly for enthusiasts. It's both puzzle-y and skill-oriented, quickly alternating between the two.

4. Inner Sanctum (D-H-SANC.JET)
I found the original version of this level extremely hard so I toned it down. It started out from the symmetric orientation and went from there. The two sides kind of remind me of the opening bird head from the NES Super Mario 2 (or Doki Doki Panic).