oh wow, thanks for going so in depth! I like that approach of like, starting off with the challenges/rewards before going into the actual geometry. It seems like that'd make it easier to build the level, since then it's a matter of how the landscape supports those challenges and rewards. I'll definitely have to try that!
I actually am making a metroidvania of sorts lol, I've always really appreciated cohesive world flow in those kinds of games since they *really* promote exploration and discovery. Your methodology seems like it'd be great for like, making sure the local pieces in this broader world don't get lost in the sauce so to speak.
Also I'm excited to try it out when i got a moment, i really like the look of it from the screen shots. You really managed to capture that old PC game magic with the art style.