Tule Tree orb puzzle

[Joe Stanley Laserpants]

Who thought this puzzle was a good idea?

I have never encountered a more unnecessarily convoluted puzzle in a platforming game. Even watching a video walkthrough of this was maddening to just observe, let alone play.

Every other orb was difficult to obtain, but at least they were reasonable challenges. But that Tule Tree puzzle is simply sadistic. It's like suddenly cranking up the difficulty from 7 to 12. I'm not an amateur when it comes to platforming games, I've been playing action platformers for twenty years, and I have spent more than an hour attempting the Tule Tree orb puzzle and failing. Could they not have included at least one checkpoint half way through, so that if you die or have to quit you don't have to start again from the bottom?

I've played some really difficult games, but I've not played a game since I was a kid that has driven me to anger like this. Even the AVGN video game didn't make me so frustrated that I actually felt like smashing my controller.

This sort of thing should not exist in a video game. I play video games to relax, not to get stressed out. As JonTron would say, "...I have always stuck by the notion that I shouldn't have to practice a casual game with the same diligence that is required in neurosurgery."

So to sum it up, f-uck the good ending. I don't care anymore. Guacamelee is a good game, and a fun game, but the Tree Top orb puzzle has robbed me of any desire to ever play this game again once I've finished the story.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

I dealt with it by hitting my head against it a few times, then finding a Youtube video or two to study.

There's a little shortcut in a few places where you can stand on the edge of a platform.

Also remember you can indefinitely hold your position (and let yourself get a breather) by wall-grabbing.

It took me about an hour.

[Sarr.]

well, the good ending is not for everyone to see ;] tule tree was the most difficult one for me too, but enough to rage quit. i've had a few attempts at it too. the first section passed, gave up on the second. next time i try, the first one feels easy and i get to the next part, and keep trying, reached next section, stop there to figure out the strategy. IMHO it's not to be completed in 1/2h, it requires genuine effort to get there.

for me the missing skill was: when stuck to a thin dimension-switchable wall, dimension switch, uppercut, dimension switch, and you're on the other side. it makes one part of the treetops relatively easy. i've been stuck on this part for significant time, trying with precisely timed double jumps and other specials.

sometimes if you stick to a certain strategy and keep on failing it might make the challenge appear impossible while all you need is another approach. youtube videos will hint you an approach and you can certainly replicate it within reasonable time. you've managed to get all the remaining orbs so you have what it takes.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

The Youtube videos are also good for knowing exactly how much of this ♥♥♥♥ you'll have to put up with, and exactly what it'll be like.

It will spoil one joke though.

Anyway if not for the Youtube vids I'd probably have ragequit this.

On the other hand I almost did ragequit when I got to La Cueva de la Locura. I happened onto that location by accident. There was no save point nearby at all. I couldn't leave without losing progress. Had to force myself to complete that, because I knew there was gonna be something interesting past it. Even turned off the music just to get the rhythm right. That took me a couple hours I think.

Thankfully there was only one room of true madness.

I think the designers here are good at making things almost completely insane but not quite.

[Sarr.]

the design is just right, borderline impossible, however let's keep in mind that all this is optional, it's not like you have to go through all that. also what i think is worth mentioning is that every time you fail in those 'puzzles' it's your fault, not 'stupid game', there are no enemies there, you can take all the time you need. you need to figure it out and you need to execute the plan flawlessly. there is no luck factor there, if you can't make it, your best is not good enough and you just can't make it. fair enough i'd say...

... unlike the last f%$# level on hard where pretty much you can win a fight not being hit once or you get killed by the weakest guy on screen...

[Kjusiu]

Nah

[Sarr.]

... says someone who 100% the game in under 10h? ;]

[Joe Stanley Laserpants]

Originally posted by Sarr.:

you need to figure it out and you need to execute the plan flawlessly. there is no luck factor there, if you can't make it, your best is not good enough and you just can't make it. fair enough i'd say...

Yeah, the key word there is "flawlessly", to which I refer you above to my quote of JonTron.

When a game stops being fun and starts being work, it's not worth playing anymore.

[Sarr.]

everyone has a different threshold when it comes to "game stops being fun". a requirement of flawless execution is not that uncommon in games. collecting the orbs is the part where the devs are asking the player 'do you really think you are that good at this game?' and it's up to the player to decide. IMHO better than getting meaningless achievements for throwing 10 punches of making 50 jumps.

but yeah, i get the point. for me super meat boy dr fetus boss stage was the point i said to myself "f%$# it, i am too old for this, there are other games to play". but let's be honest, it was just sick, repeating the same sequence of perfectly timed jumps, most of the time living maybe 1/2s longer, again and again... as much as i loved SMB, i've stopped playing it right there.

in comparison, i'd say dying in treetops is not as harsh as it could have been - there are 3 sections, 2 save points for retrying. there is no time presure either, take all the time you need. you don't have to repeat mindlessly the same section to get to the part where you die, and waste n minutes each time. and once you know the drill, proper execution is not that far away.

[Astrogent]

I was able to do it after about half an hour of trying. It wasn't that bad and I thought it was kinda fun at some points. I don't really think it needed as guide as it wasn't that different from other puzzles from the main story. It was pretty challenging but it was a good challenge.

On the other hand I do think the Sierra orb was total bs. At least on the Tule Tree orb I felt like i died because it was my fault. The Sierra orb was just so annoying. I think Guacamelee is a great game but its kinda weird when it comes to actually platforming. When I think I am just above a platform and was safe to land, I end up falling through the platform. This happens probably 30% of the time. I think this happens because when you double jump, your character tucks their body in like a ball making their collision hit box appear smaller but it isnt and it stays the same size as if they where standing rather than being as small as the character somersault. This lead me to make little mistake that would cost me big timem especially on the small platforms of the Sierra Orb. I wish the platforming was just a little bit more tighter

[Reality]

The sequence of jumps was intuitive enough that I saw the route through at once, but it is still a bit hard to pull off. I'd say the main key to the last part is tapping the jump button lightly instead of holding it for full jumps, but the main game doesn't really prepare you for it very well.

[Aselleus]

I actually quit playing for a few months because of that puzzle. Every time I would start again I would realize oh, I'm still at that ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ puzzle and would try for a bit (because I had to teach myself the controls again) and then quit. I could get up to the bazillion rotating saws part, but that was it. I just couldn't get the timing of the dimension jumps right.

I recently tried again after I watched a YouTube video - I hadn't realized you can change dimensions immediately after doing a Goat Fly. After that I managed to get through it after 3 tries.

I liked the challenge though. I felt very accomplished (and relieved) when I got through it.

[Shadow Kael]

I didn't have too many issues with the platforming in Tule Tree Tree Tops. I actually beat it on my first try. Sure I fell a couple times but I never died. It's all about patience. When you reach the saw part near the top, just keep wall jumping and don't use the goat flight.