SMBX (2014 Yacht of Opinions): MaGL X - Whoohoo!

[Septentrion Pleiades]

In Soviet Russia, levels break characters... the player realizes trying is futile, give ups and then switches to another character.

Typically, in that case, character blocks are there. If a player enters as peach and realizes that it's impossible, the player should have a better option than just throwing a life away. If this game was a more formal game and not a contest, this would probably not be allowed in it's current form for that reason.

[Doctor Shemp]

Filters are for when characters break levels. When levels break characters, no filter is needed - the player is there to realize the futility of trying, give up and switch to another character.

Except that the impossible bits in question don't turn up until 2-3 minutes into the level, at which point it's very frustrating to suddenly be told that you picked the wrong character and have to kill yourself.

[SAJewers]

Filters are for when characters break levels. When levels break characters, no filter is needed - the player is there to realize the futility of trying, give up and switch to another character.

If I test a level for A2MBXT and see that clearly it does not work for a certain character, and they didn't filter it, then I won't accept it. Filters should be there solely because the design of the level necessitates it. I honestly fail to see how peach or toad can break a level anyway.

[KingTwelveSixteen]

Filters are for when characters break levels. When levels break characters, no filter is needed - the player is there to realize the futility of trying, give up and switch to another character.

If I test a level for A2MBXT and see that clearly it does not work for a certain character, and they didn't filter it, then I won't accept it. Filters should be there solely because the design of the level necessitates it. I honestly fail to see how peach or toad can break a level anyway.

Hovering and double-jump.

Link can shatter certain levels as well due to his unique differences; sword attacks, bouncing on spikes, shield, bomb bag, and key collection are all things other people don't get to do. *coughbossfightscough*

[CodeGorilla]

I see a Lunk filter up there at the end of the video. That fills me with glee, always love a good Lunk level.

Uh-oh. There's only like two or three levels with a Lunk filter, and one of them is mine...

[SAJewers]

Filters are for when characters break levels. When levels break characters, no filter is needed - the player is there to realize the futility of trying, give up and switch to another character.

If I test a level for A2MBXT and see that clearly it does not work for a certain character, and they didn't filter it, then I won't accept it. Filters should be there solely because the design of the level necessitates it. I honestly fail to see how peach or toad can break a level anyway.

Hovering and double-jump.

Link can shatter certain levels as well due to his unique differences; sword attacks, bouncing on spikes, shield, bomb bag, and key collection are all things other people don't get to do. *coughbossfightscough*

I know link can easily break levels, but Peach and Toad shouldn't be able to break a level that can't be easily designed around.

[Ditocoaf]

I see a Lunk filter up there at the end of the video. That fills me with glee, always love a good Lunk level.

Uh-oh. There's only like two or three levels with a Lunk filter, and one of them is mine...

How do you know how many elf-only levels there are? Maybe world 5 is like, 40% link levels.

[Septentrion Pleiades]

I see a Lunk filter up there at the end of the video. That fills me with glee, always love a good Lunk level.

Uh-oh. There's only like two or three levels with a Lunk filter, and one of them is mine...

How do you know how many elf-only levels there are? Maybe world 5 is like, 40% link levels.

-World 5 has been confirmed to have more more character filter blocks than empty space blocks.

Honestly, the hub design is quick a clustf*** for most worlds. I could definately see how it could turn of badly with lots of filter.

Edit:

I like how many people think they can predict the outcome of the contest by the filters.

Haha. It's an interesting strategy that's for sure!

I think I've already won the prediction game. Stop trying people!

I like how many people think they can predict the outcome of the contest by the filters.

Haha. It's an interesting strategy that's for sure!

Is there a way around this for for the hub designer? It may have been possible for the door for filter levels to go to a filter instead of a level directly? I'm not sure if the 200 warp limit would be surpassed.

[Maiku Wotaharu]

I like how many people think they can predict the outcome of the contest by the filters.

Haha. It's an interesting strategy that's for sure!

I only knew my level was going to be played because raocow actually commented on one of my forum threads...

[Isrieri]

I like how many people think they can predict the outcome of the contest by the filters.

Haha. It's an interesting strategy that's for sure!

My filter is unique from everyone else's, I believe. So I'll see mine coming a mile away.

[Septentrion Pleiades]

As for avoiding the guesswork, idk. I like these meta bonus games for the player to play during the LP. I think they're amazingly neat. So I actually wouldn't stop them even if I could.

It sort of would become increasingly obvious as the LP goes on. Maybe for the next few worlds, it would work.

[CodeGorilla]

I see a Lunk filter up there at the end of the video. That fills me with glee, always love a good Lunk level.

Uh-oh. There's only like two or three levels with a Lunk filter, and one of them is mine...

How do you know how many elf-only levels there are? Maybe world 5 is like, 40% link levels.

The "I've Received Your Level" thread listed the appropriate filters next to each player as Horikawa processed them. As one of the Link filters, I noticed how few Link filters there were.

EDIT:

Exactly three: myself, LukaRamu, and PlasmaSnow12.

[CodeGorilla]

How do you know how many elf-only levels there are? Maybe world 5 is like, 40% link levels.

The "I've Received Your Level" thread listed the appropriate filters next to each player as Horikawa processed them. As one of the Link filters, I noticed how few Link filters there were.

EDIT:

Exactly three: myself, LukaRamu, and PlasmaSnow12.

And those that requested them via PM later lol

... WELL FINE, RUIN MY FUN.

(Still wouldn't be surprised to see my level here, though. I feel it's fairly similar in quality to some of the levels in world three so far.)

[cheez8]

- Low ceiling jumps everywhere = more challenge

yikes, that looks so bad when I only quote that part out-of-context, sorry

I'm going to reinforce the point that more challenge =/= better level. In fact, I'm willing to bet the low ceiling in the area with three tiny platforms to jump between while avoiding rotodiscs kind of made that small area objectively bad. Or maybe not objectively bad but it looked disproportionately harder than everything in the level up to that point (which was already a good bit) aside from that first jump which was probably easier than raocow made it look. I honestly wonder what would happen if he just kept moving in the direction of the opening instead of always turning around and stopping himself short, because it's hard to tell how hard or easy it is at the moment!

Also, there are good ways and bad ways to add challenge to things, and also probably a bunch of ways that swing both ways. Low ceiling jumps are generally not the best ways and the only time I remember specifically enjoying them is a level which used low ceilings as a point of focus. And jumps from one one-block-wide platform to another one-block-wide platform amidst an expanse of nothingness like in the very last area are also... I don't know if they're outright bad, but they add a notable amount of difficulty and you can easily add the same amount of difficulty in a way that a player would find more interesting or engaging, I think.

Um, also, personally... Overall, that level just really didn't do it for me. Sorry. Sometimes that happens for no good reason I can place my finger on. If I sounded a little too frank or harsh about anything, well, the level probably is better than I think it is! So don't worry (but do still take constructive feedback to heart and stuff, improving is good)

(don't think that you need custom graphics to make a level good though, that's not true at all! I do think it would have helped to have added a little more flair to your level though, even with the default graphics, because as it stands, there's basically nothing to look at that doesn't look like it's just some obstacle constructed solely to be navigated.)

I keep saying a lot more about why and how I disagree with things than I mean to. I hope that's alright.

[YelseyKing]

Fun Fact: there's a level upcoming at some point that's literally triple the length of Gezo's level haha.

World 4 will be drama world.

This is the kind of post that makes me wish Talkhaus had one of those little "crying" emoticons.

Oh wait. It does. Kinda.



I am legit scared.

[Septentrion Pleiades]

I general hate low ceilings myself. It takes something away from the main core jumping mechanics of the game. This level overall wasn't abusive of low ceilings but that was more the result of the careless and random level layout.

[Tenlade]

I see a Lunk filter The "I've Received Your Level" thread listed the appropriate filters next to each player as Horikawa processed them. As one of the Link filters, I noticed how few Link filters there were.

Having tried out smbx again after so long, I am utterly disgusted there are no toad filters used. Toad is awesome.

[Gezo24]

As for "challenge =/= better level"
Yea I agree. But I wanted that, I did intend to put that in, it wasnt my 'careless random design'. Jumping and crouching is alot of fun in my opinion. And yes I could complete that part while big. AS I mentioned earlier, I playtested it so much it all seemed too easy, so thats why I made it as long as it is.

That image I posted was the biggest example of that and it had zero to do with the level name

Ya but thats the inside. Of that castle. Thats on the ship.
Why couldnt the inside of a Castle Ship in the world of Super Mario look like that I demand answers. I await a 10 page research paper on this.

Tbh I wasnt concerned about the term Dreamland. I mean I only scored in the 90's rank so I can live with that. I just wanted to make something fun. And hey some people like it so Im happy.

[YelseyKing]

AS I mentioned earlier, I playtested it so much it all seemed too easy, so thats why I made it as long as it is.

That right there is a pretty common design pitfall, and I admit I'm guilty of it myself at times. As the designer, I (I'll use myself for convenience's sake) know exactly how I did everything. Where I put the enemies, the items, the secret stuffs, and so on. And playtesting things over and over, I come to figure out the most efficient way to handle everything, and I think, "I'm just blowing through this part. Should I make it longer, or add more enemies or remove that last powerup?". But it's all too easy to forget that not everyone is going to have that same insight as me, given that I *designed* the thing, so adding something extra to challenge *myself*, may end up making the level unplayably difficult for someone *else*...

In fact, I suspect this is why a lot of the stages in SMWCP are as terrible as they are. The stage creators got so good at their own stages, that they just haphazardly threw in an extra gimmick at the last minute, figuring it'd balance things out... and then never actually playtested it again.

This isn't meant to be a knock on you in any way. Just pointing out that there's something behind that way of thinking.

I ramble.

[Doctor Shemp]

Luckily for me the longer I play something the more careless I get, so as long as I playtest my own levels in long stretches the difficulty works out fine.

[Isrieri]

Luckily for me the longer I play something the more careless I get, so as long as I playtest my own levels in long stretches the difficulty works out fine.

I haven't forgotten Blue Surfer. :D

[castlepokemetroid]

Fun Fact: there's a level upcoming at some point that's literally triple the length of Gezo's level haha.

World 4 will be drama world.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to warn raocow about upcoming super long levels.

He might play two or three super short levels, then go, oh hey, we have plenty of time left, let's try another, then BAM, super damn long level.

I have no idea how much time raocow gives himself for recording, but this has been a thought I've had after today's level.

[Doctor Shemp]

Luckily for me the longer I play something the more careless I get, so as long as I playtest my own levels in long stretches the difficulty works out fine.

I haven't forgotten Blue Surfer. :D

I have beaten Blue Surfer legit... once. And it wasn't even the current easiest version of it that I beat. And even though it does get easier every released revision, even the first released revision was substantially easier than my first draft. It wouldn't be faithful to the name if it wasn't super hard anyway but I did make it doable. You did say yourself it was easier than We Will Fall Together though.

[Alice]

When I listed no custom graphics as a negative, I also listed having custom music as a positive. Lack of a good thing is generally bad, especially when you have a level with a name like this. If you can discount custom music and graphics, then the list of redeemable qualities becomes laughable. raocow having a death montage isn't really a quality either.

The level really suffers from trying not to clash. That image I posted was the biggest example of that and it had zero to do with the level name. There were a lot of wood and some tiles and enemies you wouldn't recognize as belonging to a castle without knowing the SMW context.

At first I thought the moving blocks were supposed to be the gimmick, but the level maker didn't have any clue what I was talking about. Apparently, the level design was "just do whatever."

Using vanilla graphics and music isn't inherently a bad thing. It all depends on how they're used. That said I don't think the graphics choice in this level was the best though.

[aterraformer]

"crying" emoticons