Potion use and placement

[Norbert]

In in a similar vein as the Places where you can get stuck thread...
I've been thinking about the potion use and placement in the original game.

heal
I haven't yet given the small red potions much thought. One thing that comes to mind are, perhaps the most memorable use, two potions next to each other in room 14 of level 5. I also remember that it took me a while to even notice these, because they're in a section an experienced player normally wouldn't visit.

life
The use and placement of life potions is varied.
Level 2 (room 20), easy
Level 3 (room 16), hidden
Level 4 (room 23)
Level 5 (room 24), shadow takes it
Level 7 (room 6)
Level 9 (room 6)
Level 11 (room 6), visible in starting room
Plus, not really a LP, but level 12a (room 15), by merging with the shadow.

hurt
What I think is a bit strange is the use of hurt (blue) potions. Ignoring the potions level, there are only two hurt potions in the entire game. In room 13 of level 2, you learn what it does. I get that room: perhaps you were not hurt, you drink the blue while unconsciously pushing the gate down, then you'd want to drink the red but cannot go back. But then there is only one other hurt potion and it's weirdly placed. In room 2 of level 8 you just started the level. If you think it's a heal potion, why drink it, because you start full-health. And even if you don't remember what it does and you get hurt, you could simply restart the level, because you just started it anyway.

flip
Only two flip (invert) potions, near each other in level 9. Probably makes sense not to use these much. In Prince of Wateria I tried to force the player to drink one, as can be seen in my walkthrough video (scroll down to level 9, then at 1:13). The player has Shift down while falling, which forces the drinking. (Hm, actually, I think perhaps this 'trick' is not yet included on PoPOT?) By the way, SuavePrince managed to bypass that bit.

float
The float (feather fall) potion is also strangely used. There's just one (in level 7) and it's in a location where you don't need it, as also mentioned by DavidXNewton. Assuming you don't yet know what it does, why take it. And even if you would (curiosity), you'd still hang-drop down, because you wouldn't know you'll be floating. Feels underused.

[dmitrys]

I have thought about this as well when working on my mod.

float
The floating potion on level 7 is definitely under used. Instead of having the useless room to the left of the first room (technically second) where kid has to grab the ledge, they could have moved the level door 1 room down. That is exactly what I have done in my mod (Unofficial Prince One and a Half).

The only issue is a player could get trapped drinking the life potion to the right of the level door since there is no button on the way back to open the gate. Currently he can go around and drop back without a potion without losing a hit point. But I think adding a button or letting the player realize it is possible to get back before the gate closes if he does it quickly would still be better than under using the floating potion.

In PoP2 there have been plans (per Mechner's PoP2 Bible) to have an ability for kid to float up and down but it had not been realized. There is a floating potion on the last temple level but it is also useless as there is no need to go the route that has the potion.

flip
It is not easy to come up with a reason where such a potion would be useful. As mentioned, there is very little reason for them in PoP1. In PoP2 I remember only one flip potion and it does not wear off if you go to a different level or die.

I actually came up with a scenario in my mod where a shadow closes the gate right below you unless you are upside down. And the second potion flips you back later. If you do not drink the second potion, it will not wear off in the next level. But to be less brutal than PoP2, the orientation will be reset when kid dies.

hurt
It is not a very interesting potion once you see what it does. The only somewhat interesting use case is to mix them among a door opening potion of the same color. I also randomize them in my mod to make the location of the door opening potion less predictable.

[David]

hurt
[...] The only somewhat interesting use case is to mix them among a door opening potion of the same color.

Ghost of Persia does that.

Another possible use for a blue potion is to put them where the player would like to make safe steps.
Instead the prince will drink the potion, and then run forward once, possibly into a pit.
It's even more annoying when the potion cannot be seen in advance because it's on the edge of the next room.
Flying Prince does this on the first level, next to the sword.

Story retold also found a use for the hurt potion:
viewtopic.php?f=73&t=3612&p=16243&hilit ... elf#p16243

In PoP2 there have been plans (per Mechner's PoP2 Bible) to have an ability for kid to float up and down but it had not been realized.
There is a floating potion on the last temple level but it is also useless as there is no need to go the route that has the potion.

There is another one on the second cave level, allowing the player to skip most of that level.

In PoP2 I remember only one flip potion and it does not wear off if you go to a different level or die.

It's on the first ruins level, hidden in a room which you don't even have to visit.
And even if you do, you first have to wait for the snake to come out. So much work for something useless...

Interestingly, hurt potions undo the effect of the flip potion in PoP2.
I wonder what is the logic behind that.

[dmitrys]

Ghost of Persia does that.

Another possible use for a blue potion is to put them where the player would like to make safe steps.
Instead the prince will drink the potion, and then run forward once, possibly into a pit.
It's even more annoying when the potion cannot be seen in advance because it's on the edge of the next room.

That is an interesting use case. It sounds like it would work with red and even empty potions as well.

There is another one on the second cave level, allowing the player to skip most of that level.

I forgot about that one. It really makes the level short but you would miss a health potion.

It's on the first ruins level, hidden in a room which you don't even have to visit.
And even if you do, you first have to wait for the snake to come out. So much work for something useless...

Interestingly, hurt potions undo the effect of the flip potion in PoP2.
I wonder what is the logic behind that.

I actually have not tried to drink the poison potion next to it. I thought it would just take a hit point off; it is definitely a twist. And I expected the effect to wear off on the next level but it had not.

[David]

(PoP2 flip potion)

I actually have not tried to drink the poison potion next to it. I thought it would just take a hit point off; it is definitely a twist.

Maybe this is on purpose: The antidote is something you've learned to avoid. Clever!

And I expected the effect to wear off on the next level but it had not.

Yes, the flipping continues on the next level, and it's even recorded in saved games!
However, it wears off after a few minutes. According to the disassembly it lasts 90 seconds.