Here’s a video demonstrating one of the new gameplay mechanics we’ve added for Continuity 2: The Continuation. It’s quite simple, but also quite deep in that it allows for lots of interesting variations.

Continuity 2 will be available June 23 for all iOS devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch). The game will be initially priced at 99 cents.

Well, we made our own level editor for Continuity 1 than runs using the Adobe Flash Player. It worked competently. For Continuity 2, we modified the editor to allow us to use the new elements we’ve added in Continuity 2, like coins, wires, gates, levers and spikes. The levels are saved as XML property lists, which can be parsed automatically on iOS.

It’s not great. It’s a pretty abstracted view of what the levels actually look like. Coins and keys are just yellow and red dots, respectively. I loathe myself for having written it each time I accidentally delete something and remember that there’s no Undo function. However, for the most part, it works out pretty well.

Here’s a sped up video (10x speed) of me making a level for Continuity 2.

In Continuity 1, we’d simply sit down to create levels without any concrete objective in mind. It’s pretty easy to just arbitrarily draw some ground onto some tiles and make something that is pretty hard to beat. This led to some really challenging levels, but they lacked a sense of uniqueness. For Continuity 2, most of the levels were designed around a specific sub-puzzle or concept. This makes creating levels more challenging, but the feel more distinct.

Creating the levels is difficult because of the spacial confines we have to work within. In a level in most other 2D platformers, the designer is free to sprawl the level vertically or horizontally as much as he or she wants in order to fit in whatever he or she wants. In Continuity, each level is confined to what we can fit on a few measly tiles. For Continuity 2, due to the iPhone’s relatively small screen, we have even less space to work with than the original Continuity as each tile is smaller. Trying to fit all of stuff we want to get into each level is a quite the spacial puzzle itself. However, I think the levels are better due to the constraints as it forces us, as designers, to really consider what needs to be in each level.

For the level in the video, I wanted a smaller level that provided the player multiple paths through it. It also has coins scattered along the multiple routes, so it’s deceptively tricky to find an optimal path that will allow the player to collect them all. It’s not very hard to simply collect the key and unlock the door, but you’ll have to sit back and think if you want go collect all the coins fast enough to earn the achievement.

I really believe we’ve struck a better balance in Continuity 2 between complex mazes and simpler, varied levels. Making levels to fulfill a specific need rather than just arbitrarily has made the level progression much smoother and seems to make players more eager to keep playing than they were in Continuity 1. Hopefully, Continuity 2 is a much better and more focussed as a result.

Continuity 2: The Continuation comes to iPhone and iPad on June 23rd.

We here at Ragtime Games feel like celebrating. And what better way to celebrate than with music?

Last week we uploaded the slower song from Continuity 2, that plays when the level is zoomed out, and you’re rearranging tiles. Today, take a listen to the song the plays when the game is zoomed in and you’re moving around the level.

Get it here.

In the game, both songs actually synch up as we fade between them when you zoom in and out. It gives you a pretty good feeling of a continuous play experience, but helps to clearly distinguish the two play modes.

Our audio guru is Elias Holmlid. As with Continuity 1, did all of Continuity 2′s music and sound effects.

Enjoy the music. When Continuity 2 comes out on Thursday, make sure you hook your headphones up to your iPhone or iPad so you can fully appreciate Elias’ hard work.

It’s also Father’s day in Nicaragua, Poland and Uganda. And if I know anything about Ugandan Father’s Day, it’s that nothing makes a better gift than Continuity 2.

But seriously, I’m truly sorry to announce that we’re postponing Continuity 2: The Continuation’s release date to June 23rd. Believe me, nobody wants to get the game out more.

So why the wait? Well we needed to give reviewers a little longer to play with the game to make sure that we’re adequately publicized come release day. It’ll be out next week come hell or high water.

But like anybody who asks you to wait on hold, we’d like to give you something to listen to while you wait to help you pass the time. So here’s the music from Continuity 2: The Continuation.

Continuity 2 – Outerworld

Our good friend Elias Holmlid of Dragonland wrote and performed the songs. He’s awesome.

We appreciate your patience. Your call is very important to us. Please stay on the line.

Keep a sharp eye open for a hint of a new feature that we’ve not previously revealed!

Continuity 2: The Continuation will be available in the App Store on June 16th, 2011 at an introductory price of 99 cents. It’ll be a universal app, so you only need to buy it once to be able to play it on your iPhone and iPad.

Therefore, I am very proud to announce that Continuity 2: The Continuation will be sliding into the App Store on June 16, 2011.

And that’s not all!

Continuity 2:The Continuation will be releasing at an introductory price of only 99 cents (0.79 €, £0.59, etc…). So get it while it’s hot. It’s our way of saying “thanks” to all our existing fans.

And remember, Continuity 2 is a universal app. That means you only have to buy one copy and you can play it on your iPhone, iPad and/or your iPod Touch.

So if you’re the forgetful type, make sure to follow us on Facebook or Twitter and we’ll make sure to remind you on Thursday.

Oh yeah, and the game’s title is “Continuity 2: The Continuation”.

Some more facts about the game:

1. Continuity 2 has 50 all new levels made specifically for iOS. For comparison, the original Continuity had 32 levels.

2. Continuity will be a universal app. That means it will run natively on any iOS device (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad). So, just buy it once and it’ll work on all your iDevices.

3. All of your favorite characters from the first game are back.

4. We’ve added an achievement system for you awesome puzzle solvers that want more of a challenge. See how quickly you can beat each level.

5. Retina display support (looks great on your iPhone 4 or 4th generation iPod Touch).

Stay tuned as we’ll be constantly Tweeting, Facbook-ing and blogging between now and when the game is released.

“So what’s the deal?”, you might be asking.

Well, we needed more time to make the game better. Hopefully, it’ll be worth the wait.

Right now, we don’t have a new date for you. Continuity 2 will be ready when it’s ready. There’s not much left to do, so it should be out fairly soon.

We’ll try to get some more media up sooner so you can check out more of the game.

If you want to be sure to follow all updates on Continuity as we move closer to the release, please follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

But don’t just take my word for it, watch the embedded video to see a quick example of the game running on iPhone.