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Midnight Mansion 2: The Haunted Hills (Mac only) >> Game Bugs ?! >> A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
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Message started by Rohful on 29.08.2010 at 19:45:27

Title: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Rohful on 29.08.2010 at 19:45:27
Hi, haven't been here in a long time! I just downloaded the MM 2 demo, and from the first half-hour of what I've played, I've really enjoyed it! The new art style, original soundtrack and creative gameplay elements have really made this feel like a sequel. :)

My first problem is that in Mt. Peril (Easy), you can get stuck in room 16500. I came down the moving platform moving into this room, then I activated the switch to the left and quickly left the platform while it moved up. I couldn't go anywhere else from here. If I died in this room, I would restart in it… so, I'm stuck. See the attached screenshot to get a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Next, I got a minor bug which I think had to do with minimising the game window into the Dock. From what I remember, the game window was covered in black and moving the cursor inside that area would reveal a square area relative to where the cursor is. I don't know how to reproduce this unfortunately.

Lastly, I don't know if this bug has existed since MM 1. you're able to constantly use a lever switch in midair if you access it from a platform where you can reach the switch. You can jump from the position of the switch or repeatedly use the switch while in mid-air. Maybe in some rare situations this could allow for mansion exploits? I recorded an MM movie file, though it didn't save in the User Movies folder. (a demo limitation?)
MtPerilEasy-Stuck.png (356 KB | 558 )

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Rohful on 01.09.2010 at 20:18:58
Just found another Jack-stuck in the room above - found it by accident. I've made  and attached a little video to show both Jack-stucks described in this post.

Also, recording MM movie files have started to work for me. I think I was just looking in the wrong place for the movie files...
http://www.actionsoft.com/forums/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?action=downloadfile;file=Midnight_Mansion_2_-_Two_Jack-stucks.zip (11329 KB | 531 )

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Alan Falcon on 04.09.2010 at 15:29:07
I encountered this Jack Stuck as well.  Thankfully there was a save point not too far before it happened, but it's still a Jack Stuck.  Not sure what the solution would be, except maybe increase the speed of the platform so it is harder to jump off?

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Rob Seegel on 04.09.2010 at 16:07:51
One fix would be to replace these kinds of platforms with bat (in this case, gray) platforms instead, since they reappear if Jack somehow falls/jumps off the platform and they leave the room without him. Any place where jack cannot leave the room any other way and platforms of this type are being used to travel to a different room there is the potential for a Jack stuck.

Room 15701 is another potential jack stuck if Jack doesn't have a blue key and the platform leaves without him.

I believe that suspending the game then returning to it should cause the platform to reappear. Same with using a save area. Unfortunately.. just workarounds until a fix can be made.


Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by brell on 04.09.2010 at 19:05:27
Or program this type of platforms to also reappear in the room Jack is in.

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Rob Seegel on 04.09.2010 at 23:39:37

brell wrote on 04.09.2010 at 19:05:27:
Or program this type of platforms to also reappear in the room Jack is in.


True... I wondered why all the platforms didn't get the same treatment in that regard. When Vern said he was modifying them to act that way I thought he meant *all* moving platforms.


Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Alan Falcon on 05.09.2010 at 02:23:58

Rob Seegel wrote on 04.09.2010 at 16:07:51:
=I believe that suspending the game then returning to it should cause the platform to reappear. Same with using a save area. Unfortunately.. just workarounds until a fix can be made.


I didn't realize that worked...  good to know.  I agree that I think it would be good (and not game breaking) if platforms like this would reappear after a short time once they've completely left the room.

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Rohful on 05.09.2010 at 20:35:35

Quote:
Or program this type of platforms to also reappear in the room Jack is in.

I think this would be a better fix, as the bat platforms remove the need for the switch next to the platform and then you lose part of that 'elevator' feeling of the area. Plus it could potentially solve problems for other mansions in the long run.

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Rohful on 13.10.2010 at 14:24:24
*bump*

Found another JS in Leofani Manor Normal, room 16501. You can get the bat platform to somehow skip the trapdoor at the bottom, and shoot all the way to the top of the room! If you jump off the platform when it is about to enter the next room, you'll unexpectedly just pass the trapdoor. See the attachment.

If you jump to the left, you will get permanently stuck (since you'll restart on what is considered 'safe ground' such as on top of that generator seen in the screenshot)

Also, I sometimes have problems with jumping constantly on fast downwards platforms as well - sometimes I'll die from being considered falling too far when the platform moving downward should catch my downwards momentum.
mm2-js-leofani-normal.png (305 KB | 512 )

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by rose on 14.10.2010 at 01:28:51
I have learnt the hard way to never jump from the mobile bat platforms when they are moving!

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by brell on 14.10.2010 at 02:13:07
That rule is good Rose - so long as you know when to break it  ;)

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Anthony on 14.10.2010 at 05:14:47

Rohful wrote on 13.10.2010 at 14:24:24:
*bump*

Found another JS in Leofani Manor Normal, room 16501. You can get the bat platform to somehow skip the trapdoor at the bottom, and shoot all the way to the top of the room! If you jump off the platform when it is about to enter the next room, you'll unexpectedly just pass the trapdoor. See the attachment.

If you jump to the left, you will get permanently stuck (since you'll restart on what is considered 'safe ground' such as on top of that generator seen in the screenshot)

Also, I sometimes have problems with jumping constantly on fast downwards platforms as well - sometimes I'll die from being considered falling too far when the platform moving downward should catch my downwards momentum.


This is impossible. I just checked and there are invisible blockers I placed above each trap door in all three difficulties. Are you sure you didn't do something about those blockers?  :o

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by Rob Seegel on 14.10.2010 at 12:07:05

Anthony wrote on 14.10.2010 at 05:14:47:
This is impossible. I just checked and there are invisible blockers I placed above each trap door in all three difficulties. Are you sure you didn't do something about those blockers?  :o


Actually, it's not impossible - I was just able to duplicate it myself in the level builder, and yes, the hidden blocker was in place so it shouldn't have happened... but it did. The only thing I can think of was due to some game glitch the platform appeared in the next room above the hidden blocker due to Jack jumping immediately before leaving the room below the one with the trapdoor.

I ended up stranded on the ceiling, but no less stuck. It's definitely a game issue, Anthony. Your setup was reasonable and the issue shouldn't have been possible.

Title: Re: A Jack-stuck, oddity and potential gameplay exploit
Post by VernJensen on 13.11.2010 at 02:48:02
The first bug reported in this thread has been fixed in an update. The second bug I will have to look into at some point in the future.

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