Sincere thank you from the heart for the new SAB zone

[hugo.4705]

This year, 2023. 10 year s about the starts of the game, we finally receive a new zone. A WORLD 3 Zone. I know that SAB isn't the cup of tea of everyone, but this addition means a lot to me, along the years, I posted about SAB, concept plans for the zones, possible additions and how the additions are nice.

So I would like to send a virtual hug and a great thanks to whatever team who worked, maybe hardly on it, and really; it brings joys and spark into my heart. Maybe for some it is not big deal, but to me, and I hope some others SAB lovers, it means a LOT. And so I have no words how to tell how nice this is.

The zone, even, well, it is the purpose is in debug mode without checkpoint, there are still foes and cage boss at the end;

And gosh, what a zone. The size of it is impressing, and the new assets and mechanics too. I love the feels and how it renders, well, as a mine. That zone feels interesting to me, because somehow it seems like a preview of the 3 zones squeezed into one,  Sparkling pools (known with 2013 ketto lab secret achiev), Underwater caves/network,  Mines/Excavations. Note that I only made up that name based on how looked the area, and that I felt it could be subdivided in 3, well, like other worlds.

The rewards this year for the new set and annual achievs are also neat, to me they look like Old Asuran weapons, like the one that could have been used rata novans or quora sumians, indeed, their design remind me of veteran golems / the ones found in rata novus or draconic mons.

So yup I have fun in that new zone and I'm investigating every secret in it! Time for annual SABing and getting all the annual zone run achievs! That's my favorite moment of the year, and now also my favorite year.

Frankly, I am more than okay and happy if a new zone is added each year, it is cadence that is perfect if it can allows to finish SAB. But i already feels like there is 3 worlds instead of 2 now. Thanks you a lot.

I will not spoil how it looks precisely to make everyone enjoy it, about the length, I would say it is the length of the rapids, well, dunno, if speedrunned it feels like dark woods.

-Someone who discovered SAB 10 years ago and still haven't forgot about it haha.

 

[Gibson.4036]

Does it have all three modes, including Infantile Exploration?

After reading the blog post, I wasn't sure how much to expect of the Test Zone.

[Randulf.7614]

1 minute ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Does it have all three modes, including Infantile Exploration?

After reading the blog post, I wasn't sure how much to expect of the Test Zone.

Looks like it is path 1 so far (correct me if wrong). I assume we get each path annually and when we get all 3 they'll put it the other modes and achievements

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

4 hours ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Does it have all three modes, including Infantile Exploration?

After reading the blog post, I wasn't sure how much to expect of the Test Zone.

It's just normal mode, which I prefer personally.

And this seems to me to be a W3Z2 map. Doesn't fit Sparkling Pools, unless they're scrapping that original map tease. Not sure they would since it feels jarring to get to Vanquish's mines from Storm Wizard's tower.

Given the assets used, and some old posts by that_shaman, I think this zone might've been on the backburner works for ~4 years now.

So we might just get all of World 3 by 2027! 😄

[Randulf.7614]

Whatever it counts as, I’m glad to say I found it a lot more enjoyable than most of world 2. A focus back on exploring and less on over long level design. And a great soundtrack too.

Good job. Hopefully more next year

[Ashantara.8731]

I would also like to mention that, so far,  I had only one disconnect throughout eight played levels, and I also noticed a lot of objects are a lot more responsive this year. There are still a few bugged objects that create baubles in the wall which cannot be collected, but overall a big thank you for polishing the festival a bit more each year. Gameplay is significantly smoother. 🙂

Edited March 28, 2023 by Ashantara.8731