(V5.4) Dimension Switchback

[Flushex]

So far, it's pretty fun!
Small cosmetic issue I noticed that doesn't really matter:

[ToasterApocalypse]

So far, it's pretty fun!
Small cosmetic issue I noticed that doesn't really matter:

I kept on reminding myself to fix that, but it looks like I forgot.

[FIQ]

You can sequence break directly to Glitch City as soon as you start the level due to the go-through-inversion-planes bug.

I hate that bug. Is the only way for him to fix it to change the bounce barrier into a warp token barrier?

You can just place the barrier a bit higher.

[ToasterApocalypse]

You can sequence break directly to Glitch City as soon as you start the level due to the go-through-inversion-planes bug.

I hate that bug. Is the only way for him to fix it to change the bounce barrier into a warp token barrier?

You can just place the barrier a bit higher.

I'll do that then

god darn sequence breaks

atleast I have something else to fix so 4.2 isn't (as) minor

[FIQ]

You can fix gravitron flinging easily.

You can check how I solved it in Back to VVVVVV and just replicate that solution.

Basically you just extend the script area the whole way down to the lower gravity line (the one that disappears when the gravitron is done running).

[Flushex]

You can sequence break directly to Glitch City as soon as you start the level due to the go-through-inversion-planes bug.

I hate that bug. Is the only way for him to fix it to change the bounce barrier into a warp token barrier?

You can just place the barrier a bit higher.

Better yet, if I remember correctly, there is a tiny ledge right below the barrier that allows you to do the sequence break. Just remove that ledge and you can leave the barrier and the rest of the room the way it is.

[Flushex]

DISCLAIMER: LONG AND BORING FEEDBACK AHEAD. AVERT YOUR EYES IF YOU'RE NOT TOASTER

I am still struggling on the final boss fight, but I want to give my feedback up this point anyway.

Glitch City:
I started out being kind of annoyed with Glitch city for some reason, but that immediately changed when I got to the room
FFFFFFFUNNNNNNNNNN. That room and the following rooms of the same style were incredibly entertaining and innovative.  It added a whole new element of strategy that I was not expecting. Instead of charging into rooms triggering all the enemies at once, I found myself slowly inching my way into rooms, triggering enemies, then backtracking into temporary safety. I was approaching rooms in a very methodical way, which is not something I usually do with VVVVVV. Absolutely brilliant level design here. The room names may have been absurd/ridiculous at some points, but room naming is probably the least important thing about level design, so meh.

Glitches in Glitch City:
Only noticed one, and it barely even entered my radar, but from the transition to "crumble" from "can't relax", the walls
don't line up evenly on the far right, so if you jump from there, you'll hit a wall glitch. I'm only mentioning it because I noticed it; didn't bother me at all.

Dimension Lutsk:
This was another great addition. It has that great balance of difficulty that I've come to love about Switchback (not unfairly hard, but not boringly easy). I guess I have less to say about this one, because it consisted more of straightforward challenges. I did really enjoy the quaking effect, as well as the 'quickly-bounce-this-line-to-trigger-an-opening-to-the-next-room!' effect, which I've seen before, but seemed different here as you had to activate them in the heat of the moment or you'd die.

Glitches in Dimension Lutsk:
Didn't notice any, but I've been known to miss some in the past, so who knows.

Final Battle (incomplete):
I'm liking it so far, and the story leading up to it does leave me with a "Hell yeah, I'm at the final boss" feel, but I'm still struggling with it, particularly with the third room. That's not to say I think you should make it easier, I just wanted to point it out.

All in All:
Chapter 4 is great. This was already one of my favorite custom levels when all you had was up to chapter 3, and I wasn't sure you'd be able to top Polar Dimension in my mind, but that was before I played Glitch City, as hideous as it was. I think I'll safely place my vote in Glitch City now. I'll update when I beat that damned boss fight, but until then, thanks for putting so much work into this level, as it's been great fun to play.

[SomniRespiratory Flux]

I've made it to partway through Dimension Lutsk, and I have to say, I'm extremely impressed with this chapter. The overall difficulty level has been high, but not frustratingly so. I concur almost exactly with Flushex regarding Glitch City; the later rooms really bring out a different playstyle, and it works much to the benefit of the level. I'll probably be seeing those squares in my nightmares though... I found the music track that plays in the second part of Dimension Lutsk (where I am now) to be rather darkly humorous considering the circumstances. Other than that, I don't have a whole lot to say yet. I'll probably hold off until I finish the level.

[FIQ]

I loved how you used the Gravitron enemies as surprise bullets.

EDIT: Have you thought of changing the soundtrack used for Vertigo boss fights to something like Positive Force? My reasoning is that, if you do this, and keep Piercing the Sky as the soundtrack for the last boss, then it might get another feel. (Too bad you can't include own songs, or it would make it possible to fix it in another way!)

[ToasterApocalypse]

Glitches in Glitch City:
Only noticed one, and it barely even entered my radar, but from the transition to "crumble" from "can't relax",

Now I need that :facepalm: thing, because that was in the Lutsk area.

(I voted for lutsk)

Well yeah, now that this is done I can get Dav to convert it again. I might add another trinket at some point, make an ending area that requires all of them, and then yay, we get a Chapter 5/epilogue

[Flushex]

BALRGARGUGHARGBKARGHGEQWRFO;JQERFKNWEKLRN

I finally got the last boss down to one health. One... health... Then I died in the stupidest way and I wanted to throw my keyboard across the room arg! And you said my level was hard?? Anyway, I ragequitted but I'm determined to beat it so I'll take another crack at it tomorrow.

[ToasterApocalypse]

BALRGARGUGHARGBKARGHGEQWRFO;JQERFKNWEKLRN

I finally got the last boss down to one health. One... health... Then I died in the stupidest way and I wanted to throw my keyboard across the room arg! And you said my level was hard?? Anyway, I ragequitted but I'm determined to beat it so I'll take another crack at it tomorrow.

Heh. Anyway, chapter 5/epilogue isn't coming for a while because I want to make a level based on time travel (Sort of like Capn Muffin's temporal ribbon.)

[Flushex]

Temporal Ribbon was fun, but it was prone to glitches which I'm not sure he ever ironed out. I'm sure you'll handle it though.

[SomniRespiratory Flux]

Well, I finished. 16/18 , 2278 deaths (at least in the run that finished), and about 4:52:00~ish for time. It's hard to know exactly what to put there...
I realized something about the bosses here. They remind me a lot of the level design of Deja Verdigris. The concept is the same: several rooms in a row with the same essential shape, just different contents and challenges. The main difference was that here, each room was its own design, and not a more complex variation on the previous rooms. While this makes the individual rooms feel more unique, it does take away the "roller coaster" effect in difficulty. For example, in the last boss, it actually seems for the most part to get easier as you progress. In the last room of the fight, I didn't die once. I'll go ahead and say that for me, the most difficult part of the boss was either the first room (it doesn't help that you start from there every time you die anywhere) or the fourth room (specifically, the bottom-right corner of it).
All in all, this level was very well-made, and shows a lot of effort in many different ways. There were several areas of the level I found to be great, but as I said earlier, Glitch City stands out, not only for it's rather... unique visual style, but for the gameplay aspects within. That, and it had been bugging me since the beta version that there wasn't anything to the left of the ship... I'm interested to know how an epilogue will be implemented, but I can wait for it. You deserve a break from this level. You certainly put in a lot of work on it.

That aside, there were some very minor things I noticed. In the sixth room of the final boss fight, there's a weird graphical discontinuity in the lower left. I can't tell what it is precisely, as it looks too small to be an issue with a badly-placed tile. It's not too distracting, but it does look odd. Other than that, I can't recall anything. Good work, and I look forward to your next level.

[Flushex]

Flux, I'm jealous you were able to beat the map before me. I died on the super easy very last life on the final boss, which made me rage quit hardcore. At least I can be satisfied that I have one more trinket than you, so ha (I also too have ~2000 or so deaths though).

Anyway, I feel the boss fight either needs to get easier with progression (like it currently does) or not start out so hard, otherwise it would feel like frustrating checkpoint starvation, which it is arguably bordering on as it is. Anyway, I struggled more with room 3 timing than I did with room 4, and I've seen every other room and know I am capable of doing all of them consecutively, and I plan on beating it tomorrow. I do agree with most of your points, and you seemed to have the same appreciation for glitch city as I did. Also, back to the boss fight, I didn't notice the graphical issue you pointed out in room 6, but I'll look for it tomorrow. 

Unlike you I haven't seen the ending, but I still want to push for Toast to work on the epilogue before starting a new level, as it's pretty cool we're playing a level that's longer than the main game, and he should probably finish it before he invests himself in a whole new level.