just some normal ADOFAI
just some normal ADOFAI: Yeah Right
So I'm like scrolling through levels looking for something that'll properly destroy me, you know? Masochistic difficulty seeker and all that. Need that pain. And I see this one: "just some normal ADOFAI". Uh huh. Sure. "Normal". Right.
Anyway I'm playing while half-listening to some true crime podcast about... I dunno, missing socks or something. Multi-tasking king over here. And this level? It's got this thing where there's like... an invisible guide. Not literally invisible, but you can feel it. Like there's this line the planet wants to follow, and if you just trust it... sometimes it works? Other times you crash.
I'm in full detective mode now. Piecing together the clues in this deceptive rhythm. Because nothing about this is "normal". The patterns look straightforward but the timing is... off. But in a deliberate way? Like the designer knew exactly what they were doing.
And I'm trying to understand the level design principles here. Like, what makes this work? Or not work? Why does this section feel good but that one feels cheap? It's educational, in a "I'm suffering but learning" kinda way.
Funny story though - one time I was stuck on a level for DAYS. Couldn't figure out why I kept failing. Turns out my headphones had like 47ms delay. FORTY-SEVEN. Adjusted the settings and boom, whole world snapped into place. Felt like an idiot but also... relieved?
And finishing a level with a bunch of misses is such a hollow victory. Like "yay I did it" but also "wow I actually sucked at that". The real challenge is going back and doing it clean. Which I probably won't because I'm onto the next impossible thing.
Random thoughts while we're here: Does ADOFAI even work with multiple monitors? Like, if I have two screens, does it mess with the timing or focus? And what ARE the known "wall" difficulty spikes in the community anyway? Like, which levels are the gatekeepers that separate the casuals from the masochists?
"just some normal ADOFAI" is... not normal. But it's interesting. Good for analyzing design while your brain is half-occupied with other stuff. The deceptive patterns keep you on your toes, and trying to figure out the "invisible guide" is a puzzle in itself.
Back to my podcast. Something about a missing cat now. Equally mysterious.
