User blog:Tecku/TT: Tecku Does Dark Ages and Big Wave Beach

Well, this was a long time in the making. Of the many topic I've discussed here on Tecku Talks, one of the most recurring ones is the matter of the Dark Ages and Big Wave Beach. Some people like them, some people don't. And I'm one of the ones who dislikes them. However, as much as I find the worlds annoying, I must admit, there's a lot of creativity in them.

The worlds hold their own charm, and do sucessfully capture the mood of the era. And while I'm not fond of many of the new zombies, I will admit, there's a lot to be admired from them. Or al least, what they were trying to do. Yes, Wizard Zombie and King Zombie were terrible, but hey, they were original. The mechanics of neutralizing plants remotely and buffing nearby zombies were ideas that had never been attempted previously. So while I don't believe Popcap blanaced their zombies correctly, I do appreciate what they were willing to try out new ideas.

Now, to be blunt, I'm sick of talking about the same two worlds over and over again. There's only so many times where I can say "this zombie is bad" or "there should be more plants". That's why I'm settling the score once and for all. Instead of just saying how one or two aspects went wrong, I'm here to say how the whole levels could have been different.



TT: Tecku Does Dark Ages and Big Wave Beach



*** The Dark Ages***

Now, to be blunt, I'm still REALLY split on whether I should keep the PvZ2 style for mushrooms, or revert to the old style. Both sides have their up and downs, and neither method really breaks the game. I don't want to be indecisive, so I'll pick the PvZ1 style.....but I'm going to put my own twist on it. Keep in mind though, that this post will be as ambigous as possible on this matter, so if you want to regard it with the PvZ2 style, you can.



Dark Ages Plants:

- Sun Shroom

- Puff Shroom

- Sun Bean

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Fume Shroom

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Magnet Shroom

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Coffee Bean

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Coffee Bean is now free, but has a Mediocre recharge. In other words, mushrooms will not cost extra in the daytime levels, but they will cost an extra seed slot, and will have their cumulative time slowed. This gives the player new tactical options. They can choose to use only one mushroom, at the cost of an extra seed slot, or they can choose many mushrooms, though this will slow them down. The best strategy will be the middle ground, which incorporates 2-3 mushrooms with a mixture of daytime plants.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Ice Shroom

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Same as the PvZ1 version (cost 125 sun for Pv2 style)

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Plant Food (PvZ1 style only): Putting plant food on a sleeping Ice Shroom will cause it to wake up, freeze zombies, and deal extra damage to every zombie with an icy wind.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Zombies:

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Knight Zombie

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Jester Zombie

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Now works the same as the Hammer Zombie. Seriously, why did they change it in the first place?

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Wizard Zombie

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Originally, I was going to do a thing where Wizard Zombie makes zombies grow like the potion mechanic. But then I realized that I would have a "zombie buffer" zombie later on this list, which made this zombie superflous. Instead, Wizard Zombie now shrinks plants. Shrunken plants deal only half as much damage, produce less sun, and take extra damage. Wizard Zombie also eats any plant it reaches. However, if a Wizard is hypnotized, it will begin to shrink other zombies.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Blacksmith Zombie

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">The replacement for the King Zombie, Blacksmith Zombie buffs other zombies, without overpowering them. Blacksmith Zombie walks along the lane slowly, and has slightly less health than a Buckethead. Blacksmith Zombie can improve the toughness of any headgear (cone, bucket, or helm) ONCE. Improved headgear gains nails/bolts to mark it as improved. This makes Magnet-Shroom actually effective, as they will confiscate the entire headgear. However, since cones cannot be confiscated, it still gives him some utility.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">---Big Wave Beach

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">For starters, zombies on BWB do come come out as fast as they used to. Yes, they will come out slightly quicker than past levels, but with Puff-Shroom being less reliable, the last excuse for it is gone. Low tide zombies also now only spawn on the rightmost columns, and "specialty" zombie cannot be in the ambush.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Plants

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Lily Pad

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Tangle Kelp

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Guacodile

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Banana Luancher now costs 475

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Chomper now takes only 25 seconds to chew. Furthermore, when he finishes chomping, his burp will knock zombies backwards. Zombies with 12 health or less get sent further back. (Also, there is no more pause between planting him and having him chomp).

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Homing Thistle

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Bowling Bulbs' bulbs now recharge on a timer, not on whether or not there are zombies.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Pineapple Cannon

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Costing 425 Sun, Pineapple Cannon can target anywhere on the same lane, including behind. After firing, their spikey ammo reamins for a few moments, proding and poking at zombies passing through, even if the area in covered in water.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Umbrella Leaf

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Works the same as the first game. Protects plants from lasers, shrinking spells, beach balls, and harmful rays. Also protects nearby tiles from surfboards being planted.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Zombies

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Snorkel Zombie

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Surfer Zombie works the same as before, however, there is one major difference. When he slams the board down, he does it in the space between plants. In other words, he still creates a 'grave' when he reaches a plant, but the 'grave' doesn't interfere doesn't destroy plants, or stop new ones from being planted.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Beach Ball Zombie

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Beach Ball Zombie throws beach balls at plants. The beach balls then bounce from space to space, damaging and temporarily disabling the plants they land on. Beach balls will pop if they touch anything spikey, including spikey plants.

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<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">- Reflector Zombie

<p style="margin:12pt0in;line-height:16.5pt;">Reflector Zombies spawn in lifegaurd-like towers on the rightmost columns. They use their reflectors to focus rays of the sun onto plants, setting them on fire. Reflector zombies have high health, but their attack can be interupted if they take heavy damage.

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