This was the hardest level ever. I mean. You can beat a boss after a few tries, but this level doesn't give you any mercy. Not sure if it was only for me. But this level crashed on Multiplayer and if I loaded a save file. Congrats mate. 20 years later and I still did not finish it in an entirely legit way.
I always thought I was just too dumb to beat this level as a kid, or maybe I didn’t know enough English. But seeing this now, this is just a garbage level full of terrible game design.
Whoa, I used to make levels for Jazz Jackrabbit 2 and even used the same tileset, so this was a real throwback for me. I made a series of levels called 'Ken's Universe', but I think they're lost to the mists of time now.
I don't know that Diamox did, but you can crack the protected levels fairly easy. They are not encrypted (first the JJ2 engine couldn't read them, second the USA bans encryption), but instead store the 24bit checksum of the password. The only problem is that protected levels and unprotected levels use a different format, so you can't remove the password. You can however set the password to a known one. Step 1: Open JCS, save an empty level four times (in different files), once with no password, once with an empty password and twice with two different passwords. (Note the difference between an empty password, and no password) Step 2: Use the DOS command FC (file compare), to look at the difference between the files. You will notice that levels with and without password are very different (different header size), but levels with different password only differ in a few bytes. You may notice that three consequutive bytes early in the file depend on the password. Step 3: Take a compiler of your choice (I used 16 bit Assembly - probably a bad choice), and write a programme, that takes the first command-line-parameter as a JJ2 level. Open the file, confirm, that it is a JJ2 level; Confirm, that it is protected (use your knowledge from step 2)(doing this to an unprotected one breaks the file); Then set the three bytes in the header to the three bytes from an empty password. Now, veryfy that your programme works. Step 4: Go to System Settings>Folder Options>File types, and seek *.j2l. Add another open with options, called "Crack" and pass it to your programme (you can add a third option called play if you want). Now you can crack JJ2 levels with right clicking on the file, and selecting crack. Notes : * I have a programme, but I lost the source code (In C it would fit here), so you have to try it yourself (There might be downloads of similar programmes, somethere though (Jazz2online is a large community, but they are sissis (you can't say hell on their wiki,despite it beeing a setting), so you might have to look somethere else)) * Step 4 won't work on this malware called Windows 10, so you have to do it from the command line for every level (There are hoever downloadable tools for Windows 10 to bring back old features)
Thank you. I am even getting nicer I found the source code, and can explain you how it works: Offset 0-B3 : Copyright text (on all game files) Offset B4-B7: String "LEVL" (signature of .J2L files) Offset B8-BA: Password Checksum or 00 BA BE Checksums : 00 BA BE : No password - nothing to do 00 00 00 : Empty password - what you want XX XX XX : Checksum of an actual password - set it to 00 00 00 DON'T set the Password-checksum to 00 BA BE, it won't work. JCS gives "Security Envelope Error" jazz2online has actual description of the file format, but they don't explain why setting the checksum to 00 BA BE doesn't work. My Theories : * It has something to do with the version number or another field * Protected levels are encrypted, but the key is always the same * The headers do have different sizes, and jazz2online is wrong * There is a marker hidden deep in the file, that shows the file is protected
came here just to say screw that stupid blind maze. the big tunnel-like maze was cool and I drew out a whole map for it by hand, but dude, when I hit that blind maze I was done.
Well, damn. I had thought of making a walkthrough video of this level, but you beat me to it. Though I might make it anyway as I would give a deeper description of how the level works and what is really necessary to do. It is still nice to see someone else be able to complete it.
Haha well I think it took many years until I was really able to complete it. I want to emphasize, that I have not hacked the map with the editor or something. It is just learning by doing on the hard way. To solve the labyrinth at 9:44 there is only one possible way: You have to create a drawning on squared paper of it to orient where you really are. The hole drawning growed to a size of about 800 x 450 millimeters. And still with that drawning it took a longer time to find all three secrets. The secret at 10:28 seems to be in the middle of nowwhere because there is a hole in the ceiling anywhere in a gangway. An evidence is, that the hole is above one blue block. Well let me know if you going to upload a walkthrough too :)
Wow. I went the easy way: I hacked the tileset and removed the green mask tiles. Then I played the level, possibly with ambient lighting turned off, and found a route through the maze and all the secrets. Then, after memorising the route, it is pretty easy to execute with the mask back on. I have since opened the level in JCS and discovered, for instance, that it is impossible to open the fourth door to the right from the starting point. It was not necessary for being able to complete the level, but at least I know now that there is not much to see outside the intended route, just some empty rooms and a few small secrets. And yes, I will inform you if I upload something.
I remember when this level first came out. IIRC it got months of hype beforehand. While it's impressive that the designer(s) managed to fill out the entire maximum map size, in retrospect the level design itself is just...bad.
Reminds me of Quake 1, it even has the same sky texture. I think it would be great to make a Quake version of this. Although there are already some Quake levels that match or surpass this out there e.g. "37th Relic Retrieval".
I am surprised that you guys tried to beat this level. There was thousands of levels made by others that was a mazes like this one in the video. Generally the younger you are, the more maze-like level you prefer to create. Seriosuly, it's not hard to create 'super duper nightmare level' with mysterious ways hidden randomly in walls. I never understood why some people tried to beat this kind of level.
ow... well, seems legit, but still, never understood fascinating about 'frustrating maze levels'. But, hey, don't wanna be salty. Congrats for beating this level.
This level was a reason to start using cheats
yeah, you could skip it with 'jjnext' and discover that there were more levels to this level pack :o
This was the hardest level ever. I mean. You can beat a boss after a few tries, but this level doesn't give you any mercy.
Not sure if it was only for me. But this level crashed on Multiplayer and if I loaded a save file.
Congrats mate. 20 years later and I still did not finish it in an entirely legit way.
It crashed for me and my brothers aswell :) nostalgia
So what, exactly, was this fever dream of a level?
I always thought I was just too dumb to beat this level as a kid, or maybe I didn’t know enough English. But seeing this now, this is just a garbage level full of terrible game design.
Whoa, I used to make levels for Jazz Jackrabbit 2 and even used the same tileset, so this was a real throwback for me.
I made a series of levels called 'Ken's Universe', but I think they're lost to the mists of time now.
Congratulation, this is impresive.
This level is as unforgiven as Nethack and as uncanny as Halflife.
This level gave me nightmares litterly 10years back when I was in highschool. This level man...
They are not making games like this1 anymore... You could feel passion while playing or listen to music in this game...
JJNEXT, goodby stupid level.
This creator sure created a lot of hatred towards him :P
Around 2:21 you can just choose the nearest warp, since the whole mechanism of the puzzle is a warp counting down until you had ~5 warps or so.
Sir, I salute you.
I finished this course once, with the help of jazz creation station. It was pretty damn hard, nevertheless
Diamox didn't it have a password? How did you open it in JCS?
I don't know that Diamox did, but you can crack the protected levels fairly easy. They are not encrypted (first the JJ2 engine couldn't read them, second the USA bans encryption), but instead store the 24bit checksum of the password. The only problem is that protected levels and unprotected levels use a different format, so you can't remove the password. You can however set the password to a known one.
Step 1: Open JCS, save an empty level four times (in different files), once with no password, once with an empty password and twice with two different passwords. (Note the difference between an empty password, and no password)
Step 2: Use the DOS command FC (file compare), to look at the difference between the files. You will notice that levels with and without password are very different (different header size), but levels with different password only differ in a few bytes. You may notice that three consequutive bytes early in the file depend on the password.
Step 3: Take a compiler of your choice (I used 16 bit Assembly - probably a bad choice), and write a programme, that takes the first command-line-parameter as a JJ2 level. Open the file, confirm, that it is a JJ2 level; Confirm, that it is protected (use your knowledge from step 2)(doing this to an unprotected one breaks the file); Then set the three bytes in the header to the three bytes from an empty password. Now, veryfy that your programme works.
Step 4: Go to System Settings>Folder Options>File types, and seek *.j2l. Add another open with options, called "Crack" and pass it to your programme (you can add a third option called play if you want).
Now you can crack JJ2 levels with right clicking on the file, and selecting crack.
Notes :
* I have a programme, but I lost the source code (In C it would fit here), so you have to try it yourself (There might be downloads of similar programmes, somethere though (Jazz2online is a large community, but they are sissis (you can't say hell on their wiki,despite it beeing a setting), so you might have to look somethere else))
* Step 4 won't work on this malware called Windows 10, so you have to do it from the command line for every level (There are hoever downloadable tools for Windows 10 to bring back old features)
Axel Schweiß This is the nicest thing a stranger has done for me. Thank you kind Sir
Thank you. I am even getting nicer
I found the source code, and can explain you how it works:
Offset 0-B3 : Copyright text (on all game files)
Offset B4-B7: String "LEVL" (signature of .J2L files)
Offset B8-BA: Password Checksum or 00 BA BE
Checksums :
00 BA BE : No password - nothing to do
00 00 00 : Empty password - what you want
XX XX XX : Checksum of an actual password - set it to 00 00 00
DON'T set the Password-checksum to 00 BA BE, it won't work. JCS gives "Security Envelope Error"
jazz2online has actual description of the file format, but they don't explain why setting the checksum to 00 BA BE doesn't work.
My Theories :
* It has something to do with the version number or another field
* Protected levels are encrypted, but the key is always the same
* The headers do have different sizes, and jazz2online is wrong
* There is a marker hidden deep in the file, that shows the file is protected
Wasn't that music from the original Jazz Jackrabbit or somewhere else?
Yeah one Scraparap level from JJ1
came here just to say screw that stupid blind maze. the big tunnel-like maze was cool and I drew out a whole map for it by hand, but dude, when I hit that blind maze I was done.
Yo guys
Tried to play this one now
I had 0 idea what to do or where to go...Im so confused from this
Well, damn. I had thought of making a walkthrough video of this level, but you beat me to it. Though I might make it anyway as I would give a deeper description of how the level works and what is really necessary to do. It is still nice to see someone else be able to complete it.
Haha well I think it took many years until I was really able to complete it. I want to emphasize, that I have not hacked the map with the editor or something. It is just learning by doing on the hard way. To solve the labyrinth at 9:44 there is only one possible way: You have to create a drawning on squared paper of it to orient where you really are. The hole drawning growed to a size of about 800 x 450 millimeters. And still with that drawning it took a longer time to find all three secrets. The secret at 10:28 seems to be in the middle of nowwhere because there is a hole in the ceiling anywhere in a gangway. An evidence is, that the hole is above one blue block.
Well let me know if you going to upload a walkthrough too :)
Wow. I went the easy way: I hacked the tileset and removed the green mask tiles. Then I played the level, possibly with ambient lighting turned off, and found a route through the maze and all the secrets. Then, after memorising the route, it is pretty easy to execute with the mask back on.
I have since opened the level in JCS and discovered, for instance, that it is impossible to open the fourth door to the right from the starting point. It was not necessary for being able to complete the level, but at least I know now that there is not much to see outside the intended route, just some empty rooms and a few small secrets.
And yes, I will inform you if I upload something.
Eaggradruide you're just something else dude.
It's like some RPO Easter egg challenge level
Oh my god I forgot I even played this as a kid. This brought the memories flooding back lol
I remember when this level first came out. IIRC it got months of hype beforehand. While it's impressive that the designer(s) managed to fill out the entire maximum map size, in retrospect the level design itself is just...bad.
I've never been able to finish this level as a kid.. I should revisit this
Ah, the memories! Never did manage to beat this level
What's the music name here? I know it's from Jazz 1. Good run, though.
It's from Scraparap levels
That main menu song is from Crusader No Remorse lmfao. Amazing. I want to make a playthrough on this level eventually.
haha yes indeed its the song "Crusader: No Remorse Music - Rebel Base I" :D. So tell me when you upload your playthrough.
Will do! :D
I'm terrible at it, at the moment though hahaha
mfw some madman actually finished ml_QoBmenu
holy shit
I tried as Jazz and Lori then angrily deleted it after finding that it was impossible. Never thought of trying Spaz.
Spaz is best
Nostalgia
حرفيا
BIG CONGRATS
Thx :p
Reminds me of Quake 1, it even has the same sky texture. I think it would be great to make a Quake version of this.
Although there are already some Quake levels that match or surpass this out there e.g. "37th Relic Retrieval".
This level are imPOSible
**Spaz's laugh intensifies**
When you play this on difficulty turbo, and still the boss on the third lvl was not even as hard as the maze lvl. Bruh
Wait if the level ends there then why were we opening those starting place gates in the first place 💀
What kind of sadist made this level
I am surprised that you guys tried to beat this level. There was thousands of levels made by others that was a mazes like this one in the video. Generally the younger you are, the more maze-like level you prefer to create. Seriosuly, it's not hard to create 'super duper nightmare level' with mysterious ways hidden randomly in walls. I never understood why some people tried to beat this kind of level.
if you like mazes I can make one in jazz 2 level editor. It's very easy. Just answer me here.
Problem is that noone knows the other thousands of levels. Queen of Board was part of the secret files extension, so many people played it.
ow... well, seems legit, but still, never understood fascinating about 'frustrating maze levels'.
But, hey, don't wanna be salty. Congrats for beating this level.
You're right. This level was annoying and super cheap with its hidden scenery triggers. Difficult for all the wrong reasons.
Robiłem kurwa tak samo i zginąłem na jebanej mecie
jjnxt
XDDD
The owner of this video are you still alive ?
yes :)
@@Eaggradruide thank god 😭❤
Wow, this takes me back.
One of the first games I used the level editor for.
I remember drawing maps on my notebook of this level. Me and my friend trying to figure it out.
The most frustrating Level in my childhood...
I, Madara, declare you the strongest.
Kucuklugumun oyunu
Which level is this I didn't saw this one though I completed the whole game
One of the Home Cooked Levels in TSF IIRC
I know!
I never saw this map. Was it a custom map?
Custum map yes :)
cool!
Impossubru!