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electroman-adventures · 1 year

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Hey guys, a LOT has changed in the last 20 months!

[Image Description: a screenshot of XYZ Step Infinity. Compared to the previous screenshot, the screen is wider, the level now has 12,250 dislikes, and the “Normal Mode” bar is now at 100%. /end ID]

New developments were made in the story of this level thanks to a BREAKTHROUGH in Sep 2022! Due to how much there is to cover, this explanation will be broken into multiple reblogs.

But first, I'd like to make some updates to the post above. Starting with: I finally beat XYZ Step Infinity! I did it on Apr 2022, I just never posted about it on tumblr. Secondly, some stat updates: XYZ Step Infinity now has over 12k dislikes, and is the 5th most disliked demon overall. "XYZ Step" by Coke now has over 110k likes.

Third, I plan on making a YOUTUBE DOCUMENTARY about everything I've learned so far! Yes, complete with voiceovers and everything! It's going to be really hard, considering this is my first time ever making a documentary-style video, but I feel I'm passionate enough about the level that I can pull it off.

(P.S.: If you're a YouTuber, please don't steal the info in these posts for your own video. I've been learning about making videos, so I know it's not easy to make one, but this is my independent research and I get to decide what happens to it. But if you still do... could you at least add me to the project so we can work on it together? 🥺👉👈)

Fourth, I found a bunch more names that OrcaSN used to go by! These include, in no particular order: “TG Orca” (Update 1.6), “m1dy BamgoeSN” (Update 1.6), “Help saRy” (Update 1.6), and “Orca” (Update 1.8). These names were found with the help of this website.

And now, without further ado, this was the breakthrough:

GEOMETRY WORLD.

[Image Description: two screenshots. The first is of the homepage for “Geometry World”. The second is a search query in Geometry World in mobile view for “xyz step infinity”. Search results are in Korean, but it displays posts with their authors, the date, and with "icons". These icons are usually grabbed from the first image of each post, or the first video.

There are three posts visible on screen. The first post has an icon which may be OrcaSN's old YouTube icon. The second post's icon has the Everyplay icon in the bottom-left corner, which implies it has an embedded video.

The third post is by "woogi1411". Its icon is a screenshot of "XYZ Step Infinity" where the "Normal Mode" bar is at 100%. This post is dated "15.02.16.", or Feb 16, 2015, meaning he beat XYZ Step Infinity (or more likely, an old version of it) a long time ago. /end ID]

For those who don't know, “Geometry Dash World,” or as it’s colloquially known in the community, “Geometry World” (not to be confused with “Geometry Dash World,” the free mobile game made by RobTop in 2016), is a South Korean forum made in 2013 that used to be popular among Geometry Dash players.

To reach the screen in the second image: Look up "geometry world forum" on Google, go to the top result which should be a Geometry Dash Forums post, click on the link in the second post (which leads to Geometry World in mobile view), and search "xyz step infinity" using the search icon at the top.

The second search result leads to a "walkthrough" post that OrcaSN made in Feb 2015 for XYZ Step Infinity—his own level! This post was made in Update 1.9! The post has 45 screenshots. It even has a video of him beating the level!

[Image Description: a screenshot of a Geometry World post. The title reads "[스압] XYZ Step Infinity (영상, 사진)", the author is "PM T1 Orca", which is OrcaSN, and the post is dated 2015.02.18. The post contains OrcaSN's forum signature: an image of Orchid from Maplestory. Below that is a Geometry Dash recording that is 1:18 long. /end ID]

He drew annotations on each screenshot, and gave comments such as where you should jump, which spikes to avoid, and even places you can do slightly differently. For example, here at the 8-orb spam mentioned earlier, he showed you can also pass it by jumping and hitting 6 orbs.

[Image Description: a screenshot from OrcaSN's walkthrough as he's entering the 8-orb spam part. He drew a blue arrow showing you can jump at the platform. Below the image is a comment he wrote in Korean. I ran it through Google Translate and put it on the side in red text. The red text reads:

"(I just typed in the text. [referring to the annotation he left in Korean in the image itself] Originally, I just fell off and hit 8 times in a row. If you run there, it's easy because you only have to do it 6 times.

And when I press it, it doesn't work anymore It's better to press in time with the beat.)" /end ID]

Now, one thing you'll notice if you watch the embedded video in his walkthrough: It's an old version of the level. In fact, it looks strikingly similar to one found in an old YouTube video!

youtube

[Video Description: XyoN’s YouTube video of XYZ Step Infinity. It was uploaded on Mar 28, 2015. /end VD]

I didn't mention this video in the first post, because I didn't know what to make of it. How do you explain a version of the level that's different from the current 2.0 version, but contains 1.8 elements so it can't be the original 1.6 version either? To complicate things further, this video was uploaded during Update 1.9, but the latest elements it contains are from Update 1.8, so we can't confirm if this version is from 1.8 or 1.9.

This is the only video of this version on YouTube, and no copies of it exist on the GD servers. But now that we have the recording in OrcaSN's post, at least we have a second reference point to verify the existence of the version in XyoN's video.

Let's draw a timeline of what we know right now. There were three versions of the level: a 1.6 version from upon release that is lost to time, the 1.8/1.9 version shown in XyoN's video and OrcaSN's walkthrough, and finally the current 2.0 version.

[Image Description: a timeline titled "Timeline of 'XYZ Step Infinity' updates by OrcaSN". Along the length of the timeline are each of the GD updates that took place between Mar 2014 and Mar 2017.

The events on the top of the timeline are: "Original 'XYZ Step Infinity' version uploaded (lost) / Update 1.6" from sometime during Mar 2014-May 2014, "2nd version uploaded / Update 1.8/1.9" from sometime during Aug 2014-Feb 2015, and "3rd version uploaded / Update 2.0" from sometime during Aug 2015-Jan 2017.

The events on the bottom of the timeline point to the dates described. They are: "OrcaSN writes walkthrough on Geometry World forums / Feb 18, 2015", "XyoN uploads YouTube video / Mar 28, 2015", and "Luqualizer uploads YouTube video, enters modern era / Jan 6, 2017". /end ID]

Also, here's an archive.org upload I made of the OrcaSN "walkthrough" post! Because you can't view Geometry World posts without having a Naver account and joining the forum which is a Naver cafe (for reference, try viewing this link to the original Geometry World post), and because archive.org refuses to archive posts in Naver cafes, I uploaded it as a series of images.

On a side note, it's insane the kinds of people OrcaSN was able to interact with! Earlier, you already saw Woogi, the skilled player and creator who made "Windy Landscape" and "Retention". But other famous players also interacted with the level! Some players who commented under the walkthrough included Koreaqwer, who built in TeamN2, Motu, who uploaded "Horizon," and pg1004, who created "pg clubstep".

[Image Description: Comments under OrcaSN's walkthrough by "Creator Koreaqwer", "motu", and "l스탭l pg1004". /end ID]

Anyways, here's an update to the information we've just established. You know how the original 1.6 version was lost, right? WRONG. Say hello to a level review of XYZ Step Infinity during the original 1.6 version! The post is by "MA HIM", an alternate name of none other than... MaJackO!

[Image Description: a screenshot of a Geometry World post in mobile view. The title reads "xyz step infinity 리뷰(범고뢔님맵)", the author is "MA HIM", and the post is dated 2014.07.07.

The post has a screenshot of "XYZ Step Infinity." Below that is one of many screenshots in the post. The structure which MaJackO dies to in this screenshot is in neither the current 2.0 version of the level, nor the 1.8/1.9 version shown by XyoN or OrcaSN. /end ID]

How the hell did so many important people interact with OrcaSN? MaJackO is a player who should need no introduction. He invented the "core" style and created "Stereo Demoness" and "Future Demoness". Anyways, the post was made in Update 1.7, but based on the screenshots, the latest elements it contains are from Update 1.6. So let's call the "lost" 1.6 version finally found, and we can update the timeline now.

[Image Description: the timeline titled "Timeline of 'XYZ Step Infinity' updates by OrcaSN" from earlier. The first event on top has been updated, and a new event has been added to the bottom.

The events on the top of the timeline are: "Original 'XYZ Step Infinity' version uploaded / Update 1.6" from sometime during Mar 2014-May 2014, "2nd version uploaded / Update 1.8/1.9" from sometime during Aug 2014-Feb 2015, and "3rd version uploaded / Update 2.0" from sometime during Aug 2015-Jan 2017.

The events on the bottom of the timeline point to the dates described. They are: "MaJackO writes level review on Geometry World forums / Jul 7, 2014", "OrcaSN writes walkthrough on Geometry World forums / Feb 18, 2015", "XyoN uploads YouTube video / Mar 28, 2015", and "Luqualizer uploads YouTube video, enters modern era / Jan 6, 2017". /end ID]

Anyways, so many screenshots were in MaJackO's post that Restoration Union actually made a restoration of it. Yes, Restoration Union! The same team spearheaded by Stormfly that's been restoring GD levels since 2016! I've always looked up to these guys, and It's crazy how because I've been using Geometry World so much recently, I've crossed paths with them.

Anyways, Remy, a member of Restoration Union, made a restoration of the original 1.6 version as late as September 2022! Here’s their video!

youtube

[Video Description: a video by Remy titled "Old XYZ Step Infinity by OrcaSN (this DEMON has an OLD VERSION?!)" /end VD]

Also, here’s an archive.org link for MaJackO's Geometry World post.

Wait... were there even just three updates?

[Image Description: a blurry image of a secret timeline. /end ID]

(to be continued...)

The Story Behind XYZ Step Infinity

“XYZ Step Infinity” is a Geometry Dash level by OrcaSN. It is an insane demon, and was released in Update 1.6. It is also the most disliked insane demon in the game, at over 10K net dislikes.

[Image Description: a screenshot of XYZ Step Infinity. The level is by OrcaSN, it’s rated Insane Demon, and it has 10,261 dislikes.]

However to my surprise, despite being the most disliked insane demon, not much information is available about it on the Internet! So I decided to do my own research, to figure out the big picture about this level.

XYZ Step Infinity is made by OrcaSN, a Korean player formerly known as “BamgoeSN” (from Jun–Oct 2019). Before that he was “Orca SN” (Aug 2018–Feb 2019), before that he was “Dragonic Orca” (2015–2017), and before that he was “GW m1dyBamgoe” (2014).

XYZ Step Infinity is the oldest level on his account. It is a remake of the 1.3 easy demon “XYZ Step” by Coke, which unlike XYZ Step Infinity was actually popularly received: that level has 88K likes.

[Image Description: a screenshot of “XYZ Step Infinity”. The text OrcaSN typed in his level reads, “Original XYZ Step / by Coke / ID 110067”. It reveals that the creator himself recognizes that the level is based off of “XYZ Step” (the level ID of it is there).]

Comparing the two levels reveals that one is nearly a carbon copy of the other: both have the same gameplay elements, but XYZ Step Infinity was superbuffed to its current state.

[Image Description: two screenshots in the exact same place in “XYZ Step” and “XYZ Step Infinity” respectively. Through this comparison, note how the blue pads were buffed and turned into orb spam. Also note how all the other gameplay elements were left the same.]

OrcaSN only has two rated levels, both of which are star-rated and not featured: the other is a six-star Harder level called “Back on Madness”. It’s a mashup of “Stereo Madness” and “Back on Track”—in the most literal sense of the term.

[Image Description: a screenshot of “Back on Madness”. It looks like there are two gameplay elements from “Stereo Madness” and “Back on Track” layered on top of each other, which is true.]

However, XYZ Step Infinity and the other level didn’t need to be his legacy. OrcaSN started to become really good at decorating, and he easily could have made a featured level. The problem was the fact that he was unable to finish his levels.

In 1.8 he made a level called “Neopandemic”. In 2.0 he made a level called “Try This”. In 2.1 he made a level called “Transient Rapture”. All of these were unfinished, yet if he had finished these levels they would have been featured insane demons or extreme demons.

[Image Description: screenshots of “Neopandemic”, “Try This”, and “Transient Rapture” respectively. Note the skill and proficiency in decoration and gameplay.]

However that didn’t stop OrcaSN from getting other kinds of attention. In 1.9 he made a part for a collab called “Ambientronica” which got featured. In 1.9 he also made a part for “Vortex of Time”, an extreme-demon difficulty level released in 2.1 which didn’t get rated.

In 2018 he made a part for the Flappy Bird-themed GeoStorm megacollab “Flap”, an insane demon which got featured. In 2019 he made a part for the Clubstep monster megacollab “Club”, an insane demon which got featured.

[Image Description: all of OrcaSN’s parts in “Ambientronica” by Rublock5, “Vortex of Time” by plusxenon, “Flap” by nasgubb, and “Club” by GunnerBones respectively. Clips by ToshDeluxe, KeiAs, KrmaL, and Nexus.]

Anyways, back to XYZ Step Infinity. OrcaSN updated the level in Update 2.0, adding some buffs. This update is also the reason the level has text, which is an item from 2.0 and didn’t exist in 1.6.

The description of the level writes, “Possible. Video is on my youtube.” However the supposed verification video of the level is privated—as has every other Geometry Dash video on the “BamgoeSN / 밤고” YouTube channel.

Now the only things left on the channel are ADOFAI and osu!taiko videos, with a couple thousand views each. However that isn’t to say that OrcaSN hacked XYZ Step Infinity—in fact I think the most likely option is he did verify it, given how high the skill cap rose by 2.0.

[Image Description: the BamgoeSN YouTube channel in the modern day. Note how the videos uploaded are osu!taiko videos and ADOFAI videos. Also note how the channel banner says “ORCA”, so we know this is the same person as OrcaSN.]

Now here’s a question for me to ask you: how do we know that XYZ Step Infinity was updated in 2.0 and not 2.1? After all, it could just be possible that the level was updated in 2.1, and only 2.0 gameplay elements were added with no elements from 2.1.

It may seem like it’d be straightforward to find an answer, but the research proves otherwise. Looking up “XYZ Step Infinity” on YouTube brings up no modern search results earlier than August 2018—well into 2.1. Google search results don’t yield any helpful clues.

So what’s the answer? It’s 2.0, all because of a single recording: Luqualizer’s video of XYZ Step Infinity. It only has around 300 views, and it was uploaded on January 6th, 2017—ten days before 2.0 ended. It’s so old that Luqualizer hadn’t changed into his current icons yet!

youtube

[Video Description: Luqualizer’s YouTube video of XYZ Step Infinity. The video quality isn’t too good, there are some artifacts around 0:07, but sure enough it’s proof that the level was updated in 2.0—as opposed to 2.1.]

So that’s the story behind XYZ Step Infinity. And, because we needed to understand the man behind the level, the story of OrcaSN as well. I hope you enjoyed, and see you next time! (Hopefully when I’ve beaten the level!)

#Youtube #geometry dash

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