The Void – Level 2: Ideas and Improvement Suggestions

[russell-cj]

Here we’ll discuss ways to make Level 2 more engaging and balanced.
Ideas for adjusting pacing, difficulty, or visual storytelling can be added here.

Related discussion: The Void – Level 2: Bug reports and playtest observations #1425

[AlealarcViva]

This is my suggestion from level 2 #1419

[russell-cj]

Adding to what was mentioned above, I think it would also be interesting to explore subtle visual indicators or contextual prompts that appear only when movement slows down. That way, we maintain immersion while still guiding the player naturally through the level.

[Gatorrante]

Suggestion: Visual Indicator for Next Stitching Needle

To improve clarity during the stitching sequence, it would be helpful to add a visual cue for the next needle to interact with.
This could be implemented in two ways:

• A small directional triangle pointing to the next needle

• A highlight or glow effect on the target needle

As mentioned earlier in discussion #1425, this section can be confusing for players — especially in areas where the interaction range is only reachable from a specific position.
For example, in the second part of Stage 2, one of the needles is only accessible from the middle of the river, which feels unintuitive without guidance.

[Gatorrante]

Suggestion: Smoke Effect for Door Opening

The current door opening feels visually static.
To enhance the aesthetic impact, consider adding a smoke burst or “smoke explosion” effect when the door opens.
This could make the moment feel more dynamic and visually rewarding, especially if timed with a sound cue or subtle camera shake.

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Visual Sequence Example: Door Opening with Smoke Effect

Door Closed	Door Opening (with smoke burst)	Door Fully Open

Each stage could be enhanced with particle effects, sound cues, and subtle camera movement to reinforce the transition.

[russell-cj]

Suggestion: Visual and Narrative Cues for the Door Mechanic

I also suggest that during the door-opening action — which involves passing the thread through the six needles embedded in the ground to form a hexagon — the needles should light up or display a small visual effect when the player interacts with them.

However, to maintain the challenge and avoid revealing the solution too early, it would be better if the lighting or blinking occurs only after a certain amount of time.
In other words, if the player spends some time without interacting with the needles, they could start to glow or blink slightly as a subtle visual hint.
This way, the game provides progressive guidance without breaking the sense of discovery.

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💡 Optional Enhancement: NPC Interaction

Another option could be to include an NPC that gives a riddle or a short piece of text as a hint on how to open the door.
For example, the NPC could say something like:

“Six points mark the ground, connect them with a single stroke to reveal the hidden path.”

This would add a small narrative touch and help the player without breaking immersion.

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🗣️ Implementation Suggestion

For this interaction, the talk NPC system could be used, similar to how it was implemented in the stella_combat scene, where the character interacts with a castaway.
In this case, the NPC could be represented as a wise figure who gives the hint through a short dialogue or on-screen message.
This would keep consistency with the game’s style while adding a subtle but meaningful narrative element.

[manuq]

Thanks all for the feedback. From this I opened #1503 and #1504

We can do more cosmetic changes later, but these are the important ones, in my opinion. For the door, we also have this discussion open: #1418