Currently the only way to discover the level exit is to enter an adjacent cell. This is fine on smaller levels, but searching for exits gets frustrating as level size and difficulty increases. With that in mind I decided to add two new cell types to the game:
These are the navigation cells, and they solve the problem by hinting where the exit is. Inscriptions reveal the exit’s row or column number, and signposts point to it (but don’t show distance). I think there’s great potential for dynamic gameplay here, and the skill ceiling for using these cells to get to the exit faster is very high.
Some situations in larger levels:
- A player finds a signpost which points back towards where they came from. They find the exit is just out of sight from where they’ve explored, saving precious seconds.
- A skilled player finds an inscription and a signpost. With this info, they work out the coordinates of the exit and are out of the level in less than a minute.
Movement should be less monotonous now, because a quick run doesn’t just rely on typing fast but also on using these hints well. To compensate, the average distance to the exit has been increased.