The pictures on the map could reflect the size of the mansions: a large castle for a 200 rooms mansion, vs. a hut for a 20 rooms one for example.

So the map would be peppered by huts, schacks and shrubberies between castle, keeps and manors.

Okay, so it's clear we won't be doing away with large mansions.

But what if, like ToyBox suggests, there were small ones between?

More specifically, what if the game had *paths* from one mansion to the next? When you first start out, you have only one option of what to play first. But it's a small mansion... maybe a short cave, that when jack gets to the end, there is just an exit, not treasure. But upon beating it, 2 more paths open up. Maybe one leads to another "connecter" area (perhaps a "forest" or other outdoor area), and one bigger "real" mansion.

So no, you wouldn't likely replay the little ones very much, but they give this sense of progression, and a story could be worked in, such that at each point, things happen.

Like for the first mini mansion, when you first start it, a person comes up to you and says:

"Jack! Your sister has disappeared! Someone said they thought they saw a woman being dragged up north by a big creature late last night! But Jack… the way to the castle is through the Forrest of Terror! Please be careful!"

You can't do story like that if you can play the mansions in random order like you can now. But you could have a story if it was more controlled.

I like Toybox's idea of lots of smaller-to-midsize areas and a few large mansions. Perhaps you need to clear out some number of smaller areas before you can get to a larger one.

This may be controversial, but one thing that I'm not a fan of in the current game is three sets of very similar mansions. I'd rather see either:

A) three different sets of mansions - so that it feels like different stories. Not Simply: A - Easy, A - Med, A - Hard. A, B, and C would be very different in size and difficulty. This would by my *least* preferred approach.

B) An overall story that starts off with easier areas, but is mostly Normal as the game progresses (possibly with some optional Hard areas that have to be unlocked.) This would have a map more along the lines of what Toybox suggested.

I kind of like this idea, except for if you have folks who only play easy mansions, then at some point they would be unable to continue on, which kind of stinks.

C)  Could be thought of as a combination of A and B, though really it's just a variation of B.

  1.) An easy mini storyline with easy mansions that could serve as a warm-up. (it's own unique game map). All easy, many short, but perhaps ending with a normal mansion.

  2.) A separate "Main story" more along the lines outlined in idea "B". Different map/story from Easy. Perhaps without optional hard areas.

  3.) A handful of standalone hard mansions, perhaps with their own mini story/stories. They would be lengthy and better able to support a standalone story of some kind. These mansions might function in a similar way that the included custom mansions do now, and offer a difficult challenge to those who are interested.

The "C" option is my favorite. I figure this approach gives something for everyone. The easy players have a complete though much shorter "story" they could play through. There would be a large story at mostly Normal (and some easy) mansions. Finally, there would be a few lengthy Hard mansions. It would also be the most work to produce.

Edits: to better show my preference. Basically, it progresses from least to most preferred.

That might not work the best, seeing brand new players to the game will have a hard time playing normal mode mansions. My little brother today was telling me how hard normal mode seems compared to easy. With 30 lives it would only add to new player's frustration.

Now what might make it better though, is to have what Rob suggested the first mansions to be quite easy, and progress to normal mode throughout the game with hard it's own category.

Jacob, you think that half the players don't see anything beyond Easy?

It seems reasonable to me that Normal mansions might be able to played with infinite lives. It could be that you simply make that a setting (like the violence setting) that can be in effect throughout ALL mansions.

It kind of begs the question though... should you be allowed to record a high score in a non-easy mansion if "infinite lives" is in effect? I would say "no"