man this is weird to see lol, kinda lost for words to start this with honestly. don't remember my thought process when building aside from wanting it to be "near-impossible", though i probably didn't have any concept of standards at the time which is likely why the gameplay is so busted. cool to see it's still interesting to some people though. as for the decoration, i do get what people mean when they say it's better undecorated, though in my head i still view it and the rest of my layouts as technically unfinished since they're basically just the result of me building only what i have fun with and then posting it when i'm done with it. since exasperation's decoration was originally started only 3 months after the layout was uploaded, this vision has still stuck with me, just with better execution when i gave it to gdnacho to manage. given this mindset, i feel like it'd be wasteful to just abandon it and leave it undecorated, since even though personally i'm not extremely proud of the layout compared to my other more recent works, it is basically the sole reason i'm where i currently am in the gd community, so i sorta feel an obligation to honor that and get it "finished" (plus my friends keep telling me to) i think the best parts currently are the ones that really lean into weird avant garde styles, for example ihsa's part in the middle of the level and sycro's last wave (built before preview 2), me and gdnacho have talked a lot about the theming and how the level should feel, so hopefully when all the parts are done and polished it'll be satisfactory to at least more than 50% of playerbase ✅ anyway thans for vido
Thycket is a really underrated gameplay creator in general, iirc sea apologized to thycket for his completely harsh attack of the level later down the line after he found out he didn't get money off of the "clickbait title" lmao
hello person who made LIMBO which is a 2.1 Extreme Demon mega-collaboration hosted and published by MindCap, co-hosted by Djoxy and verified by BGram on 26 November 2022 after 109,490 attempts.[1] The level is designed in a 1.9 style with a mix of indigo, dark blue and red, similar to the last 25% of weoweoteo's Extreme Demon Marathon but more detailed. The theme is also similar to both Hinds' and Vlacc's parts in Cybernetic Crescent. It is made to be the hardest memory Demon without relying on visual interference while implementing unique gameplay mechanics. MindCap had stated that the version of the level from January 2022 would probably have fallen into the Top 20-30 of the Demonlist. Some playtesters had stated the buffed version that followed to be Top 1-difficulty. Considering that the level completely depends on the player's memorization ability, LIMBO will be hard to judge in terms of difficulty. On 27 August 2022, BGram returned to the level and started playing on a further buffed version that, according to him, might be harder than Slaughterhouse, the former Top 1 Demon on the Demonlist. This version ended up being verified by BGram.
@_tep i agree, that would make a lot of sense, maybe thycket could make the layout and mindcap could provide the decorators and maybe some deco himself, sounds like a fantastic idea, i might contact thycket about that (i mod his server)
I saw exasperation the day it came out coincidentally after seeing Thycket's channel a few days beforehand. I immediately became infatuated with the level because it was beyond anything I could imagine from the song to the gameplay to the atmosphere it conveyed. Needless to say this level was destined to be infamous from the very beginning and rightfully so imo. Like you said it broke standard conventions of layouts at the time, and I think exasperation gets bonus points for being made with that exact intention as thycket admitted, it wasnt just an accident how this level became famous. When I saw the sea video I was disappointed, sea bashed Thyckets video for being "clickbait content" and the level for being "terrible" but he completely missed the point, the level IS supposed to be ridiculous piece of sludge that is unbearable to play and watch because of the song and that ur supposed to waste 5 minutes of your life watching, so sea just made himself looks stupid, which was a shame. I think I made the first exasperation inspired level on the servers, the ID is 31345155 btw its nothing special though
Your interpretation of Exasperation as an incomprehensible lovecraftian gd level really added to this review of this level. I've always wondered if a lovecraftian level could ever be done in the medium of geometry dash and i think now that Exasperation is the closest thing to that. Great review by the way.
i feel that exasperation being a layout makes every bait and switch much more impactful (ie. needing to go past a portal that looks like the intended gameplay, blocks being intangible) decoration makes them just another unknown. you can't switch without the bait. people will just go "ok then..." rather than "WHAT", and that removes the point of it happening in the first place.
honestly, yeah exasperation its iconic in its own way the level was ahead. Not only because it managed to make one of the most awkard, mysterious and obnoxious level in the game, but it also made it unique nothing about level makes any sense and thats why its good the way it is its just something that you watch, finish the video and you ask yourself wtf happened or just starts laughing and another thing, the gameplay of exasperation is unironically better than a lot of top 50 extremes nowadays
also i still have the vivid memory of my 2017 decoration montage showing up in your top 50 demonlist demons and you mentioning it would be somewhere in the bottom, so to see you mention the new deco collab hosted by me... it's come full circle, I actually feel loke cryign+???+helpb As for your thoughts, we're really trying our best, we're a limited team, just want to let you know this has been planned since june 2017, the sentiment of it needing to remain a layout is one i saw a few times, but Thycket's vision lies elsewhere We would also like to work a bit on making the level a bit more dirty and broken to better match exasperation's vibes and we've also removed every creator signature from the level for ambiance purposes, however, I don't think it's fair to call it souless, i truly put my whole soul into it and there are many parts i think do stuff differently than other collabs do, ihsa's part being the best example As for its difficulty, that "balanced version" was made by me during 2020 in a few days, we're gonna start work on rebuffing everything back to its original difficulty, i cant guarantee itll come out completely unnerfed because we actually want it verified, bit by bit that is becoming more feasible
For me, I think impossible levels are at their best when they use the fact that no one is supposed to ever beat them to break any and all standard gameplay conventions to make something interesting or cool. This also applies to decoration too. One example that I am talking about is Tax Evasion. More specifically, the dual wave part. I think the effect of the two waves chasing each other is super cool, but it couldn't really be done in a level that is meant to be playable. This is because for the effect to work, you need the waves to go on the exact same path, which isn't really viable in levels that are meant to be played. My point is that impossible levels need to take advantage of their impossibility to make something really cool.
Exasperation is a great level to take inspiration from as a creator, it has so many unique ideas that didn't get fully realized (not to say that this level is bad, it just has so many ideas and it swaps between them once every few seconds so none of them get enough attention)
agreed. the appeal, to me, of it is that it feels like a sort of alternate take on a memory level, with the question-marked orbs and portals, unmarked and hidden to the player, and that it's intentionally only meant to be watched. that makes the level really important and i think more exists as a piece of art driven by geometry dash's engine than a level in itself, although in editor some of the parts are kind of fun.
wherwin. you are so based. ive been preaching the gospel of exasperation for years and im glad to see someone else put much of my thoughts into video form. im split on whether i personally consider this the best impossible level of all time, but its certainly up there. two things i would add: - when considering the community evel was released into, its even more amazing. it came out in march of 2017 when impossible levels were so unbelievably tired and did just about nothing else besides straightfly and wave spam. for thycket to make this at a time when impossible level creators showed miniscule artistry is commendable. - i think because the decoration is practically non existent and exasperation almost entirely relies on gameplay for spectacle, thycket produced some truly astounding sections of GP that have stuck with me ever since i first saw this level. the curvy ship, the dash orbs that cover the entire height of the editor, that part where the level becomes a 2 star, the wave corridor plucked out of a challenge level, and the entire last 20% of just increasingly challenging spam. its truly great stuff.
I think that the only way to exasperation being decorated is if the decoration was centered around dark backrooms level such as pool rooms or the beginner level but dark which share mostly the same atmosphere (mystery, unknown of whats coming next, scary, etc.) but still the layout is still good enough as it is. btw a great video as always :)
I love Exasperation too, i fell in love with it since the start and alongside Silent Circles are my two favorite impossible levels that I the most want verified
exasperation was i think the first impossible level i ever saw, and i felt such a wave of disappointment when i discovered that most impossible levels are not nearly as interesting or memorable
coming from someone who botted this level to record a showcase. this level's gameplay is SHOCKINGLY well structured and thought out. most levels like this back then would be straight up impossible in the sense of it being a metophoric brick wall. bots not even being able do do it. but this level is not only possible to bot. but fun to bot. which is rare for old impossible levels.
exasperation reminds me a lot of conical depression. its a basic, barebones level that exists solely to go against the norms of typical "uber hard levels"
the only way i support this getting decorated is as the most intrusive and pure effect level to the point it no longer even can be compared deco wise to anything else
I remember when Sea1997 back in the day absolutely slammed this thing. Honestly I always loved this level just because of how raw and unrestrained the entire thing is. The song is intentionally absurd and grating on the ears. The gameplay ranges from impossibly difficult to obnoxious to completely nonsensical with some of the funniest music sync I’ve seen in a while. I think “hostile” is the best way to put it in every sense of the word. It’s just so different and so unafraid to be exactly what it is and I’m all for it. I do think that this level should be decorated though. To each their own but I think the decorated version got pretty close to what the whole vibe of the level is, but I think that a new version is necessary. I’m imagining something nearly as minimal as the original layout relying more on screen effects than traditional block deco.
I like exasperation as a layout because it has emptiness, and I like when levels gives feelings. In my opinion it's a feeling that you cannot replicate in any way of decorating it. As a layout exasperation feels like one complete thing, however when decorated it feels like they sliced the level into different parts. Also the decoration steals your attention and visibility from the gameplay while as a layout the only thing you can see is how hard the level looks like in the infinite darkness.
Thematically it’s quite a great level. It’s length is but a testament of Thycket going the extra mile and doubling down on it even after seeing the level’s obvious dissonance with the GD standards for good stuff.
I’ve always loved this level for well many points you said in this video. It feels as if it were made to be off putting. Watching it always had this eerie vibe to it that I can’t even really describe. Thyckets choice to to record in the editor kind of adds to feeling as well. Like idk a void. A level not meant to be played. Not meant to have effort put into beating it as it’s off putting. And another thing that makes it so captivating is that the gameplay really is creative. I could actually say that about all of thyckets levels. No one makes gameplay like thycket does. Playing some of his not impossible levels the gameplay doesnt exactly flow but feels refreshing since there’s nothing else really like it. I mean not all of his levels are perfect examples but I can definitely think of a few really neat ones. But yeah rant over.
exasperation trying to be beaten as the new top 1 is literally the funniest thing imaginable. its literally a parody to silent levels (and by extension a parody of extreme demons) but we went full circle and now its going to be the new crazy level everybody is gonna froth at
i think i have swung back and forth with this level probably way more than any other. rn my opinion is that it's cool !! i do think it can be decorated while keeping true to the original but the current deco is just not it
what do you think could improve? are there any parts that you feel capture the OG feeling more than others? you're a really cool creator and im curious to hear of what you have in mind, perhaps it can help
I agree with the decoration part on how the parts suck the life out of it, and I feel like I did my decoration part justice. I made it more, themed and creepier than the other parts to show my love for exasperation, and I feel like I did a good job doing that.
This level inspired me to make a nightmarish 5 minutes of pain like it but less mysterious and more "THE HELL IS GOING ON I CAN SEE THIS BUT I CANT SEE IT MENTALLY"
while i may like levels like cyclolcyc, ballistic wistfully, vitrification, and formosa more, exasperation has one quality above the rest that will always make sure it's one of my favorite impossible levels: it's fucking hilarious
The decorated version is amazing. Also, the original exasperation seems like it was originally gonna be decorated since the first block in the level is decorated but then they gave up
You've became one of my favourite TH-camrs in the past few days. Your topics are really interesting and I'm having a really good time watching your content :)
This level has intrigued me ever since it released, but I think for me it's just because the gameplay is very unique and satisfying to watch. I think it can definitely work decorated since it still feels insurmountable in that form, and even if it is nerfed to be verified it's not like the old version's going anywhere.
Imo Exasperation is a unique level with gameplay i never seen before, a crazy song and theme, thats bc why is one of my favorite levels And some parts of the decoration is doing a good work like the last wave or the straight flying parts. I want this at top 1 forever
I love exasperation (and it’s sequels) because it’s just a GD layout which is usually nothing crazy but what makes it different is that it’s all in 0.5 speed using an entirely nonsensical song and gameplay you’ve never seen before. There’s also the fact that it’s just close enough to impossible that it looks mostly playable. And the only obscured thing in the level is the orbs and pads, everything else is just a super straight forward layout. But I can very easily understand why some people think it’s just a random garbage layout
the thing i remember as being odd about sea's video was that he acknowledged that the level name fit his reception of it, in that it exasperated him, because of the unconventional gameplay and song choice. i really think that wasnt far off from this look at the level, so i got kinda lost when he said that in his video.
4:27 this is something that I often see people say about it, and the reason that it’s wrong is because it’s based on how hard they would be to a hypothetical player that was infinitely good at the game, with hardware that could run at any frame rate. For example, it’s pretty easy to see why VSC x3 is easier than tax evasion or ballistic wistfully.
@@WHErwin Well, I still think that it’s cool to try to create impossible levels that are (theoretically) as hard as possible without using any inhumanly difficult spam.
@@Periwinkleaccount i feel like once youve made your level impossible thats kinda it. you have to do something else to make it interesting. not just make it more impossible
I like the exasperation deco as I feel it could not have been done any better without just leaving it as a layout. I see both the decorated version and regular version separately though, as watching the layout is still as enjoyable as when the level released, where most levels the layout is boring when you could just watch a deco version instead
i feel like if not for that title and thumbnail combination that the original showcase had sea probably wouldn't have cared much about the level. something about 2017 youtube video culture feels like the thing that it was making fun of with it's stupid title/thumbnail. well respected youtubers do that satire all the time now, but back then not really. most of the people making their branding look like that were just earnest youtube dickheads (sea included). i assume he saw that and it was enough for him to put it in the "souless garbage made for views" category. trust me, he would know what they look like. it takes one to know one.
I'm glad you made this. Exasperation is a level that's always stuck with me, and most of the criticism it gets is pretty undeserving. It's good in a similar way as to why the jank in devin2003's levels is actually good and part of the point.
FunFact! Jackal Queenston aka Renard also did some noise tracks that could resemble partiesover/pizzapiecirclejerk although they don't have as many memes and earrapes. You can find them under the lapfox lable and/or the aliases of Renard (Love Bite Album - Exhrathmica track recommend) Eugene (the whole character style is, (based on the wiki) called 'noise hop', my personal favorite for noise) Deuteronomy / download (ambient and noise wall style, for some, might not even sound like music anymore, but I'm not here to discuss that) Why am i sharing this? Cuz why not? More people should know about noise music. It's really niche but rather cool to see how far people can take, mix, and distort audio
Exasperation is a very interesting level but hey at least it's song isn't what ever that goofy lost re-mix is that is used in slaughterhouse and it's gameplay looks a lot more fun than an early 2.0 level! I like that you used Pikmin 2 music in the background Pikmin has an amazing soundtrack!
video is pretty entertaining, maybe even revolutionary too, but the decoration is far better than having the layout, it just enhances so many elements of the level
i remember i hated seas video on it years ago because i loved the level too lol. i love it as a layout but personally i think it could be decorated if done correctly. dont get me wrong, i like the preview posted 2 weeks ago but i feel like giving it weird 2.0 or 1.9 deco like thinking space or the big black might fit it better, but then again im a big fan of old geometry dash so thats probably getting in the way of what should actually be done compared to what i think. you can tell the level was meant to be decorated because of the singular decorated structure at the beginning of the level even in the layout version
Not gonna lie, this is definitely a horror level to me. Back when it was only released, i was genuinely terrified of it. The song and the possible rumors about the song's creator and just the unnerving atmosphere of the level made me feel uneasy when watching it
Structurally, the song is similar to noise music. Noise music doesn't have any beats and sounds like a bunch of sounds played at random, the song in exasperation can also be described the same way.
Ive had a similar view of the ILL and a lot of the levels on it, one thing i really like about older impossible levels is that their gameplay philosophy is just to be unforgiving and annoying. A lot of the newer ones you see, ones designed specifically for the ILL or otherwise, tend to just break the barrier of human capability for the sake of it and don't do much to stick out. I think this switch happened because in the early days of gd the limits of human capability and limits of the game weren't as well known, so to make an impossible level you just needed to make an approximation of what gameplay that seems very difficult and unfeasible to complete. Now you just have levels that require 1000fps frame perfects with two player gameplay and everything else to solidify that no human will ever come close to beating it.
gd content was pretty lackluster back in the day lmao. its crazy that sea was basically the bread and butter of gd youtube. in all fairness tho i love his space shit.
Exasperation is indeed a great level, as it makes bad gameplay actually fun and entertaining, i've played it myself (with noclip), and it's actually cool to play it
I honestly doubt that thicket was thinking that deep about the level, and instead I think that he just felt like "I'm gonna make an intentionally terrible and weird level"
I truthfully don’t even remember the last time I thought of this level. Essay time, I guess! It’s pretty obvious, looking at even the first few seconds of the gameplay, that this was never meant to be played, which is something I really admire. A lot of impossible levels around the same difficulty as Exasperation, nowadays, have a lot of players chomping at the bit to try and beat it, and even getting upset when said level isn’t possible, because they can’t play it. This, on the other hand, nobody even wants to touch (other than npesta maybe but his motivation is mainly “it would be funny”). I think there’s something to be said for making levels so bad nobody wants to play them. Part of why SEA’s videos were so well-received and (IN MY OPINION) still hold up today is because he actually gave multiple s__ts about researching and scripting his videos. Other than maybe RiverCiver (which I say because I don’t know when you really got into the groove of making content) there weren’t many people actually talking about stuff related to the game instead of simply playing it, so he had virtually no competition, and there weren’t exactly standards; just chuck some footage into a video editor, talk about a topic, add some faint music and editing, and you’re good to go. Nowadays, though, there’s a lot more people who mostly do commentaries. Some of them are really, really good, and others are Waboo. But if I had to guess, that’s why SEA is remembered so fondly, even if the videos themselves are lacking in some spots. Do I think Exasperation is best off with no decoration? Yes… kind of. As it stands right now, Exasperation doesn’t exactly need anything done to it; it can stand on its own, and it does so rather nicely. However, I think there’s something to be said about a possible decoration job. And when I say decoration job, I don’t mean crappy glow level number 63,927,179, but something that actually matches with the unease and the tension of Exasperation. Maybe something based off of a horror ARG, or an SCP, or something else. (Yes, I recognize that this goes against one of your points in the video, but I digress.) Thanks for bringing back this weird little memory engrossed in the minds of GD players. As a side note, I have 54% on Hypersonic, and I agree with pretty much all of your points about that. It seems like every part either looks good but plays like garbage, or looks like vomit but is really, really fun. And of course, there’s parts like Evasium that are neither good-looking nor fun. I doubt I’ll beat it on mobile (would be my third extreme on mobile if so), but maybe?
As someone who’s pretty familiar with what I’d say are the extremes of experimental music, I think that the music for exasperation is honestly not bad. I understand why people don’t like it, but it’s not nearly as jarring as pieces like “when the panting starts” by Wieland Hoban or even “Herma” by Iannis Xenakis (which I would not consider to be an extreme of experimental music as it’s very structured if you understand the math behind it). The song is definitely ridiculous but it’s not unlistenable.
honestly, this level kinda feels like it's telling a message about how the creator's gotten tired of having to deal with the standards of building a rated gd level. the one fully decorated block at the start is like the creator tried to make a real level but gave up at the start. and that would also explain why the level is called exasperation. idk, that's just the kind of feel i get from this level. i honestly like it though.
@@WHErwin yeah I worded that wrong, 'just kinda exists' was saying its beyond being good or bad simply because of how the level accomplishes being insufferable
Exasperation doesn't fail in any of the creative decisions it chooses. It's incoherent, unplayable, crude, and that's what it's supposed to be, that's what makes it charming. Which is why i agree with you so much on why I'm not a fan of this level being appropriated into a form that is more superficially appealing; either by being nerfed or decorated or both. Do we really want it to fit the standard so much that we're willing to strip it down from what makes it... Well, it? I'm not saying that it's inherently somehow above other levels or anything, just praising it for what it is. Anyway, silly geometry dash level 🐱
Right hand on the bible, Exasperation is the best impossible level and I hope that guy who got 52% on it, or his sons verify it and nerf the seocnd half
Loved this level when I was younger and was one of my greatest memories of this game. I do agree the gameplay is terrible and it is undecorated, but that ain’t the point of it really.
The redecoration reminds of kocmocs redeco completely ruins the vibe of the level. Kocmoc in my eyes is meant to be a empty, cold and bare like the darkest parts of space kind of like congregation. And the new deco looks messy boring and unoriginal. Exasperation is meant to be weird and off not to be decorated.
In hindsight, I'm kinda glad Sea1997 isn't making GD videos anymore. And additionally, I am baffled as to why I found them entertaining in the first place.
I agree with the decoration making the level worse. I’ve always thought that it’s weird that they gave a level with strange gameplay and a strange song decoration that is, dare I say, generic.
I know it's been years, but I don't like when people call Exasperation low effort. Sure, it has no deco, but I'd assume it takes a LOT of effort to make something like this. It's BORDERLINE impossible. BORDERLINE. There's been people beating specific parts, which means that even though it's not PRACTICALLY beatable, it's still THEORETICALLY beatable. And I like that a lot.
My personl favorite impossible level is ballistic wistfully. The song is just so unnerving and gets stuck in your head. I prefer a level with actual decoration to exasperation. „Oh buts thats the point of exasperation“ well then i dont like the point
it's a level that's literally supposed to make you mentally insane if you even try to beat it it's just so bad that it's good and trying to make it better only makes it worse
I think Ballistic Wistfully and CYCLOLCYC are more developed takes on this idea, minus the songs being more conventional but still weird. Eightos is going for a different thing though, and you clearly value how transparent the gameplay of Exasperation is. Personally all I see is a level that employs a few cool gameplay techniques with a lol haha random song and that's about it
man this is weird to see lol, kinda lost for words to start this with honestly. don't remember my thought process when building aside from wanting it to be "near-impossible", though i probably didn't have any concept of standards at the time which is likely why the gameplay is so busted. cool to see it's still interesting to some people though.
as for the decoration, i do get what people mean when they say it's better undecorated, though in my head i still view it and the rest of my layouts as technically unfinished since they're basically just the result of me building only what i have fun with and then posting it when i'm done with it. since exasperation's decoration was originally started only 3 months after the layout was uploaded, this vision has still stuck with me, just with better execution when i gave it to gdnacho to manage.
given this mindset, i feel like it'd be wasteful to just abandon it and leave it undecorated, since even though personally i'm not extremely proud of the layout compared to my other more recent works, it is basically the sole reason i'm where i currently am in the gd community, so i sorta feel an obligation to honor that and get it "finished" (plus my friends keep telling me to)
i think the best parts currently are the ones that really lean into weird avant garde styles, for example ihsa's part in the middle of the level and sycro's last wave (built before preview 2), me and gdnacho have talked a lot about the theming and how the level should feel, so hopefully when all the parts are done and polished it'll be satisfactory to at least more than 50% of playerbase ✅
anyway thans for vido
Oh shit it’s a famous person! Sign my toes pls
I agree
built after preview 2 not before jhgfdjgfhfj
toe signed@@helpfulapple3125
your level is good i remember seeing it a while ago
Thycket is a really underrated gameplay creator in general, iirc sea apologized to thycket for his completely harsh attack of the level later down the line after he found out he didn't get money off of the "clickbait title" lmao
Hello triangular collab host
pyramid man
hello person who made LIMBO which is a 2.1 Extreme Demon mega-collaboration hosted and published by MindCap, co-hosted by Djoxy and verified by BGram on 26 November 2022 after 109,490 attempts.[1] The level is designed in a 1.9 style with a mix of indigo, dark blue and red, similar to the last 25% of weoweoteo's Extreme Demon Marathon but more detailed. The theme is also similar to both Hinds' and Vlacc's parts in Cybernetic Crescent. It is made to be the hardest memory Demon without relying on visual interference while implementing unique gameplay mechanics.
MindCap had stated that the version of the level from January 2022 would probably have fallen into the Top 20-30 of the Demonlist. Some playtesters had stated the buffed version that followed to be Top 1-difficulty. Considering that the level completely depends on the player's memorization ability, LIMBO will be hard to judge in terms of difficulty.
On 27 August 2022, BGram returned to the level and started playing on a further buffed version that, according to him, might be harder than Slaughterhouse, the former Top 1 Demon on the Demonlist. This version ended up being verified by BGram.
Hello brain helmet
@_tep i agree, that would make a lot of sense, maybe thycket could make the layout and mindcap could provide the decorators and maybe some deco himself, sounds like a fantastic idea, i might contact thycket about that (i mod his server)
This video makes me so happy. Exasperation is unironically one of the best levels ever made in GD despite being a layout
Can you decorate exaspertion with your Ashley wave trials deco?
@Hello_._._. There's already a officially decorated version on Thycket's channel
I saw exasperation the day it came out coincidentally after seeing Thycket's channel a few days beforehand. I immediately became infatuated with the level because it was beyond anything I could imagine from the song to the gameplay to the atmosphere it conveyed. Needless to say this level was destined to be infamous from the very beginning and rightfully so imo. Like you said it broke standard conventions of layouts at the time, and I think exasperation gets bonus points for being made with that exact intention as thycket admitted, it wasnt just an accident how this level became famous. When I saw the sea video I was disappointed, sea bashed Thyckets video for being "clickbait content" and the level for being "terrible" but he completely missed the point, the level IS supposed to be ridiculous piece of sludge that is unbearable to play and watch because of the song and that ur supposed to waste 5 minutes of your life watching, so sea just made himself looks stupid, which was a shame.
I think I made the first exasperation inspired level on the servers, the ID is 31345155 btw its nothing special though
Your interpretation of Exasperation as an incomprehensible lovecraftian gd level really added to this review of this level. I've always wondered if a lovecraftian level could ever be done in the medium of geometry dash and i think now that Exasperation is the closest thing to that.
Great review by the way.
i feel that exasperation being a layout makes every bait and switch much more impactful (ie. needing to go past a portal that looks like the intended gameplay, blocks being intangible)
decoration makes them just another unknown.
you can't switch without the bait. people will just go "ok then..." rather than "WHAT", and that removes the point of it happening in the first place.
honestly, yeah exasperation its iconic in its own way
the level was ahead. Not only because it managed to make one of the most awkard, mysterious and obnoxious level in the game, but it also made it unique
nothing about level makes any sense and thats why its good the way it is
its just something that you watch, finish the video and you ask yourself wtf happened or just starts laughing
and another thing, the gameplay of exasperation is unironically better than a lot of top 50 extremes nowadays
Exasperation being slow but harder than slaughterhouse makes it better tbh. Slow gameplay is underrated
as a survivor of the sea1997 rant video, the thumbnail gave me whiplash
also i still have the vivid memory of my 2017 decoration montage showing up in your top 50 demonlist demons and you mentioning it would be somewhere in the bottom, so to see you mention the new deco collab hosted by me... it's come full circle, I actually feel loke cryign+???+helpb
As for your thoughts, we're really trying our best, we're a limited team, just want to let you know this has been planned since june 2017, the sentiment of it needing to remain a layout is one i saw a few times, but Thycket's vision lies elsewhere
We would also like to work a bit on making the level a bit more dirty and broken to better match exasperation's vibes and we've also removed every creator signature from the level for ambiance purposes, however, I don't think it's fair to call it souless, i truly put my whole soul into it and there are many parts i think do stuff differently than other collabs do, ihsa's part being the best example
As for its difficulty, that "balanced version" was made by me during 2020 in a few days, we're gonna start work on rebuffing everything back to its original difficulty, i cant guarantee itll come out completely unnerfed because we actually want it verified, bit by bit that is becoming more feasible
😃
For me, I think impossible levels are at their best when they use the fact that no one is supposed to ever beat them to break any and all standard gameplay conventions to make something interesting or cool. This also applies to decoration too. One example that I am talking about is Tax Evasion. More specifically, the dual wave part. I think the effect of the two waves chasing each other is super cool, but it couldn't really be done in a level that is meant to be playable. This is because for the effect to work, you need the waves to go on the exact same path, which isn't really viable in levels that are meant to be played.
My point is that impossible levels need to take advantage of their impossibility to make something really cool.
Exasperation is a great level to take inspiration from as a creator, it has so many unique ideas that didn't get fully realized (not to say that this level is bad, it just has so many ideas and it swaps between them once every few seconds so none of them get enough attention)
agreed. the appeal, to me, of it is that it feels like a sort of alternate take on a memory level, with the question-marked orbs and portals, unmarked and hidden to the player, and that it's intentionally only meant to be watched. that makes the level really important and i think more exists as a piece of art driven by geometry dash's engine than a level in itself, although in editor some of the parts are kind of fun.
The composer of the song for exasperation was high when he made it
and drunk
wherwin. you are so based. ive been preaching the gospel of exasperation for years and im glad to see someone else put much of my thoughts into video form. im split on whether i personally consider this the best impossible level of all time, but its certainly up there. two things i would add:
- when considering the community evel was released into, its even more amazing. it came out in march of 2017 when impossible levels were so unbelievably tired and did just about nothing else besides straightfly and wave spam. for thycket to make this at a time when impossible level creators showed miniscule artistry is commendable.
- i think because the decoration is practically non existent and exasperation almost entirely relies on gameplay for spectacle, thycket produced some truly astounding sections of GP that have stuck with me ever since i first saw this level. the curvy ship, the dash orbs that cover the entire height of the editor, that part where the level becomes a 2 star, the wave corridor plucked out of a challenge level, and the entire last 20% of just increasingly challenging spam. its truly great stuff.
last 20% is literally just the heartbeat wave spam on steroids
I think that the only way to exasperation being decorated is if the decoration was centered around dark backrooms level such as pool rooms or the beginner level but dark which share mostly the same atmosphere (mystery, unknown of whats coming next, scary, etc.) but still the layout is still good enough as it is. btw a great video as always :)
I actually really like what I've seen of the decorated version. All the flashing lights and the glitch effects really compliment the layout well.
I love Exasperation too, i fell in love with it since the start and alongside Silent Circles are my two favorite impossible levels that I the most want verified
exasperation was i think the first impossible level i ever saw, and i felt such a wave of disappointment when i discovered that most impossible levels are not nearly as interesting or memorable
coming from someone who botted this level to record a showcase. this level's gameplay is SHOCKINGLY well structured and thought out. most levels like this back then would be straight up impossible in the sense of it being a metophoric brick wall. bots not even being able do do it. but this level is not only possible to bot. but fun to bot. which is rare for old impossible levels.
exasperation reminds me a lot of conical depression. its a basic, barebones level that exists solely to go against the norms of typical "uber hard levels"
Honestly hating on exasperation is like saying flash bangs are bad because they're too bright
real
Real
When i was younger, i was afraid of this level
Lol I'm not surprised someone would be.
the only way i support this getting decorated is as the most intrusive and pure effect level to the point it no longer even can be compared deco wise to anything else
I remember when Sea1997 back in the day absolutely slammed this thing. Honestly I always loved this level just because of how raw and unrestrained the entire thing is. The song is intentionally absurd and grating on the ears. The gameplay ranges from impossibly difficult to obnoxious to completely nonsensical with some of the funniest music sync I’ve seen in a while. I think “hostile” is the best way to put it in every sense of the word.
It’s just so different and so unafraid to be exactly what it is and I’m all for it.
I do think that this level should be decorated though. To each their own but I think the decorated version got pretty close to what the whole vibe of the level is, but I think that a new version is necessary. I’m imagining something nearly as minimal as the original layout relying more on screen effects than traditional block deco.
I like exasperation as a layout because it has emptiness, and I like when levels gives feelings. In my opinion it's a feeling that you cannot replicate in any way of decorating it. As a layout exasperation feels like one complete thing, however when decorated it feels like they sliced the level into different parts. Also the decoration steals your attention and visibility from the gameplay while as a layout the only thing you can see is how hard the level looks like in the infinite darkness.
I think some gameplay elements and structures are genuinely really cool and creative.
Thematically it’s quite a great level. It’s length is but a testament of Thycket going the extra mile and doubling down on it even after seeing the level’s obvious dissonance with the GD standards for good stuff.
exasperation has that creepypasta, mysterious, and awkward feeling from the audio, and personally, i think its a good level.
And so Wherwin adds another opinion to his world champion collection of most contrarian GD takes possible
I’ve always loved this level for well many points you said in this video. It feels as if it were made to be off putting. Watching it always had this eerie vibe to it that I can’t even really describe. Thyckets choice to to record in the editor kind of adds to feeling as well. Like idk a void. A level not meant to be played. Not meant to have effort put into beating it as it’s off putting. And another thing that makes it so captivating is that the gameplay really is creative. I could actually say that about all of thyckets levels. No one makes gameplay like thycket does. Playing some of his not impossible levels the gameplay doesnt exactly flow but feels refreshing since there’s nothing else really like it. I mean not all of his levels are perfect examples but I can definitely think of a few really neat ones. But yeah rant over.
exasperation trying to be beaten as the new top 1 is literally the funniest thing imaginable. its literally a parody to silent levels (and by extension a parody of extreme demons) but we went full circle and now its going to be the new crazy level everybody is gonna froth at
i think i have swung back and forth with this level probably way more than any other. rn my opinion is that it's cool !! i do think it can be decorated while keeping true to the original but the current deco is just not it
what do you think could improve? are there any parts that you feel capture the OG feeling more than others?
you're a really cool creator and im curious to hear of what you have in mind, perhaps it can help
I agree with the decoration part on how the parts suck the life out of it, and I feel like I did my decoration part justice.
I made it more, themed and creepier than the other parts to show my love for exasperation, and I feel like I did a good job doing that.
This level inspired me to make a nightmarish 5 minutes of pain like it but less mysterious and more "THE HELL IS GOING ON I CAN SEE THIS BUT I CANT SEE IT MENTALLY"
while i may like levels like cyclolcyc, ballistic wistfully, vitrification, and formosa more, exasperation has one quality above the rest that will always make sure it's one of my favorite impossible levels: it's fucking hilarious
I JUST REALIZED THE THUMBNAIL IS BASED OFF OF THE THUMBNAIL OF SEA'S EXASPERATION VIDEO
The decorated version is amazing. Also, the original exasperation seems like it was originally gonna be decorated since the first block in the level is decorated but then they gave up
You've became one of my favourite TH-camrs in the past few days. Your topics are really interesting and I'm having a really good time watching your content :)
Bro its a level that uses a song with an earappe SPICY MEATBALL sound effect don't get emotionally attached what the fuck
This level has intrigued me ever since it released, but I think for me it's just because the gameplay is very unique and satisfying to watch. I think it can definitely work decorated since it still feels insurmountable in that form, and even if it is nerfed to be verified it's not like the old version's going anywhere.
I just think that I didn't have a sense of humor when this came out cause now I just find this level hilarious
Imo Exasperation is a unique level with gameplay i never seen before, a crazy song and theme, thats bc why is one of my favorite levels
And some parts of the decoration is doing a good work like the last wave or the straight flying parts. I want this at top 1 forever
i like the impossible level list because the hardest level on it uses my dubstep song i made when i was 13 and that makes me happy : )
I love exasperation (and it’s sequels) because it’s just a GD layout which is usually nothing crazy but what makes it different is that it’s all in 0.5 speed using an entirely nonsensical song and gameplay you’ve never seen before. There’s also the fact that it’s just close enough to impossible that it looks mostly playable. And the only obscured thing in the level is the orbs and pads, everything else is just a super straight forward layout.
But I can very easily understand why some people think it’s just a random garbage layout
wistful wild theme in the background is what makes this video a 10/10
Thank god this level actually exist and not some fever dream I'm going crazy in
Mama Mia! That’s a spicy meatball!
Let’s be real, if someone like krmal made the level sea wouldnt have said half of the criticism he had for the level.
nah if krmal made it the public opinion on it would be a second coming of that one dr seuss book the butter battle
I wanna see it be verified and rated, it would be the biggest trollface in GD history.
the thing i remember as being odd about sea's video was that he acknowledged that the level name fit his reception of it, in that it exasperated him, because of the unconventional gameplay and song choice. i really think that wasnt far off from this look at the level, so i got kinda lost when he said that in his video.
4:27 this is something that I often see people say about it, and the reason that it’s wrong is because it’s based on how hard they would be to a hypothetical player that was infinitely good at the game, with hardware that could run at any frame rate. For example, it’s pretty easy to see why VSC x3 is easier than tax evasion or ballistic wistfully.
i think its a meaningless distinction because such a player will never exist lol
@@WHErwin Well, I still think that it’s cool to try to create impossible levels that are (theoretically) as hard as possible without using any inhumanly difficult spam.
@@Periwinkleaccount i feel like once youve made your level impossible thats kinda it. you have to do something else to make it interesting. not just make it more impossible
I like the exasperation deco as I feel it could not have been done any better without just leaving it as a layout. I see both the decorated version and regular version separately though, as watching the layout is still as enjoyable as when the level released, where most levels the layout is boring when you could just watch a deco version instead
i feel like if not for that title and thumbnail combination that the original showcase had sea probably wouldn't have cared much about the level. something about 2017 youtube video culture feels like the thing that it was making fun of with it's stupid title/thumbnail. well respected youtubers do that satire all the time now, but back then not really. most of the people making their branding look like that were just earnest youtube dickheads (sea included).
i assume he saw that and it was enough for him to put it in the "souless garbage made for views" category. trust me, he would know what they look like. it takes one to know one.
absolutely visceral comment
@@GDNashitit's going to be visceral, it's from numptaloid
@@AustynLAgreed.
Even though its not a masterpiece by any means, this level has quite the unique charm and honestly, pretty good atmosphere
You still have to remember though that if a level is bad on purpose, it's still bad.
I'm glad you made this. Exasperation is a level that's always stuck with me, and most of the criticism it gets is pretty undeserving. It's good in a similar way as to why the jank in devin2003's levels is actually good and part of the point.
FunFact! Jackal Queenston aka Renard also did some noise tracks that could resemble partiesover/pizzapiecirclejerk although they don't have as many memes and earrapes. You can find them under the lapfox lable and/or the aliases of Renard (Love Bite Album - Exhrathmica track recommend)
Eugene (the whole character style is, (based on the wiki) called 'noise hop', my personal favorite for noise)
Deuteronomy / download (ambient and noise wall style, for some, might not even sound like music anymore, but I'm not here to discuss that)
Why am i sharing this? Cuz why not? More people should know about noise music. It's really niche but rather cool to see how far people can take, mix, and distort audio
Exasperation is a very interesting level but hey at least it's song isn't what ever that goofy lost re-mix is that is used in slaughterhouse and it's gameplay looks a lot more fun than an early 2.0 level! I like that you used Pikmin 2 music in the background Pikmin has an amazing soundtrack!
video is pretty entertaining, maybe even revolutionary too, but the decoration is far better than having the layout, it just enhances so many elements of the level
i remember i hated seas video on it years ago because i loved the level too lol. i love it as a layout but personally i think it could be decorated if done correctly. dont get me wrong, i like the preview posted 2 weeks ago but i feel like giving it weird 2.0 or 1.9 deco like thinking space or the big black might fit it better, but then again im a big fan of old geometry dash so thats probably getting in the way of what should actually be done compared to what i think. you can tell the level was meant to be decorated because of the singular decorated structure at the beginning of the level even in the layout version
Not gonna lie, this is definitely a horror level to me. Back when it was only released, i was genuinely terrified of it. The song and the possible rumors about the song's creator and just the unnerving atmosphere of the level made me feel uneasy when watching it
i didnt like the level back then but ive reached enlightenment through 100 gecs and lauras previous music and now i fw this level ong frfr no cap
Exasperation is like the backrooms of gd
finally a exasperation enjoyer
i think the deco version would be good if it wasnt so "lively"
like if it has almost/no movement and pulses
Truly the most Warholian of geometry dash levels
Structurally, the song is similar to noise music. Noise music doesn't have any beats and sounds like a bunch of sounds played at random, the song in exasperation can also be described the same way.
Ive had a similar view of the ILL and a lot of the levels on it, one thing i really like about older impossible levels is that their gameplay philosophy is just to be unforgiving and annoying. A lot of the newer ones you see, ones designed specifically for the ILL or otherwise, tend to just break the barrier of human capability for the sake of it and don't do much to stick out. I think this switch happened because in the early days of gd the limits of human capability and limits of the game weren't as well known, so to make an impossible level you just needed to make an approximation of what gameplay that seems very difficult and unfeasible to complete. Now you just have levels that require 1000fps frame perfects with two player gameplay and everything else to solidify that no human will ever come close to beating it.
I remember when SEA did a video claiming that this level was the "worst level ever" and everyone trusted him
gd content was pretty lackluster back in the day lmao. its crazy that sea was basically the bread and butter of gd youtube. in all fairness tho i love his space shit.
SEA1997 slander will not be tolerated.
Broke: Exasperation
Woke: Printer Noises buffdate
Exasperation is indeed a great level, as it makes bad gameplay actually fun and entertaining, i've played it myself (with noclip), and it's actually cool to play it
I honestly doubt that thicket was thinking that deep about the level, and instead I think that he just felt like "I'm gonna make an intentionally terrible and weird level"
probably! that doesnt really change how I see it, though
I remember this level when it came out and I loved it. Even after I watched Sea’s video
i got a wave of nostalgia when i saw bloodclot
I truthfully don’t even remember the last time I thought of this level. Essay time, I guess!
It’s pretty obvious, looking at even the first few seconds of the gameplay, that this was never meant to be played, which is something I really admire. A lot of impossible levels around the same difficulty as Exasperation, nowadays, have a lot of players chomping at the bit to try and beat it, and even getting upset when said level isn’t possible, because they can’t play it. This, on the other hand, nobody even wants to touch (other than npesta maybe but his motivation is mainly “it would be funny”). I think there’s something to be said for making levels so bad nobody wants to play them.
Part of why SEA’s videos were so well-received and (IN MY OPINION) still hold up today is because he actually gave multiple s__ts about researching and scripting his videos. Other than maybe RiverCiver (which I say because I don’t know when you really got into the groove of making content) there weren’t many people actually talking about stuff related to the game instead of simply playing it, so he had virtually no competition, and there weren’t exactly standards; just chuck some footage into a video editor, talk about a topic, add some faint music and editing, and you’re good to go. Nowadays, though, there’s a lot more people who mostly do commentaries. Some of them are really, really good, and others are Waboo. But if I had to guess, that’s why SEA is remembered so fondly, even if the videos themselves are lacking in some spots.
Do I think Exasperation is best off with no decoration? Yes… kind of. As it stands right now, Exasperation doesn’t exactly need anything done to it; it can stand on its own, and it does so rather nicely. However, I think there’s something to be said about a possible decoration job. And when I say decoration job, I don’t mean crappy glow level number 63,927,179, but something that actually matches with the unease and the tension of Exasperation. Maybe something based off of a horror ARG, or an SCP, or something else. (Yes, I recognize that this goes against one of your points in the video, but I digress.)
Thanks for bringing back this weird little memory engrossed in the minds of GD players.
As a side note, I have 54% on Hypersonic, and I agree with pretty much all of your points about that. It seems like every part either looks good but plays like garbage, or looks like vomit but is really, really fun. And of course, there’s parts like Evasium that are neither good-looking nor fun. I doubt I’ll beat it on mobile (would be my third extreme on mobile if so), but maybe?
>make video about death corridor
>get almost all the facts wrong
>don't even mention kugelblitz
wow very well researched
Imagine if this video summons Sea1997
As someone who’s pretty familiar with what I’d say are the extremes of experimental music, I think that the music for exasperation is honestly not bad. I understand why people don’t like it, but it’s not nearly as jarring as pieces like “when the panting starts” by Wieland Hoban or even “Herma” by Iannis Xenakis (which I would not consider to be an extreme of experimental music as it’s very structured if you understand the math behind it). The song is definitely ridiculous but it’s not unlistenable.
honestly, this level kinda feels like it's telling a message about how the creator's gotten tired of having to deal with the standards of building a rated gd level. the one fully decorated block at the start is like the creator tried to make a real level but gave up at the start. and that would also explain why the level is called exasperation. idk, that's just the kind of feel i get from this level. i honestly like it though.
The sequel we didn’t deserve
The sequel of conical depression? If yes, then we deserved it
@@ІсаєнкоАртемExasperation died for our sins
agreed, neither praising nor criticizing the level really makes any sense. The level just kinda exists
thats not what I said in the video though. Levels never "just exist", you can always talk about them
@@WHErwin yeah I worded that wrong, 'just kinda exists' was saying its beyond being good or bad simply because of how the level accomplishes being insufferable
4:29 Pretty sure that's being done, at least for Quasars
Exasperation doesn't fail in any of the creative decisions it chooses. It's incoherent, unplayable, crude, and that's what it's supposed to be, that's what makes it charming.
Which is why i agree with you so much on why I'm not a fan of this level being appropriated into a form that is more superficially appealing; either by being nerfed or decorated or both. Do we really want it to fit the standard so much that we're willing to strip it down from what makes it... Well, it? I'm not saying that it's inherently somehow above other levels or anything, just praising it for what it is.
Anyway, silly geometry dash level 🐱
Right hand on the bible, Exasperation is the best impossible level and I hope that guy who got 52% on it, or his sons verify it and nerf the seocnd half
Loved this level when I was younger and was one of my greatest memories of this game. I do agree the gameplay is terrible and it is undecorated, but that ain’t the point of it really.
I think alot of levels by eightos capture a similar vibe
He said the gameplay is bad… THATS LIKE SAYING SILENT CIRCLES IS TO HARD!
The redecoration reminds of kocmocs redeco completely ruins the vibe of the level. Kocmoc in my eyes is meant to be a empty, cold and bare like the darkest parts of space kind of like congregation. And the new deco looks messy boring and unoriginal. Exasperation is meant to be weird and off not to be decorated.
99% of modern decorators dont know how to do anything other than like 3 styles
In hindsight, I'm kinda glad Sea1997 isn't making GD videos anymore. And additionally, I am baffled as to why I found them entertaining in the first place.
The meatriding is crazy
I love this level and I will beat it some day.
I agree with the decoration making the level worse. I’ve always thought that it’s weird that they gave a level with strange gameplay and a strange song decoration that is, dare I say, generic.
I know it's been years, but I don't like when people call Exasperation low effort. Sure, it has no deco, but I'd assume it takes a LOT of effort to make something like this. It's BORDERLINE impossible. BORDERLINE. There's been people beating specific parts, which means that even though it's not PRACTICALLY beatable, it's still THEORETICALLY beatable. And I like that a lot.
My personl favorite impossible level is ballistic wistfully. The song is just so unnerving and gets stuck in your head. I prefer a level with actual decoration to exasperation. „Oh buts thats the point of exasperation“ well then i dont like the point
i dont really like ballistic wistfully because you can't see like half the level
Unnerfed deco version would also be nice
Remind me in 5 years when this gets verified
good video plus it uses pikmin music so it's actually the best video of all time congrats
How about resentment and the rest of the series? They are like exasperation.
cant spell wherwin without win
it's a level that's literally supposed to make you mentally insane if you even try to beat it
it's just so bad that it's good and trying to make it better only makes it worse
I think Ballistic Wistfully and CYCLOLCYC are more developed takes on this idea, minus the songs being more conventional but still weird. Eightos is going for a different thing though, and you clearly value how transparent the gameplay of Exasperation is. Personally all I see is a level that employs a few cool gameplay techniques with a lol haha random song and that's about it
howconfusingisthelvl kinda has same vibes too
yea
I AGREE WITH YOU SO MUCH
Unpopular opinion: exasperation will be beaten in the future.