VLDC9 - vanilla level design contest 9
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Re: VLDC9 - vital lucent digs chilling 9
Anyone else feel like Icicle Cavern was kind of a short stage, or is it just me? I was thinking, 'man, this is kind of a neat stage, I like the effect going on, oh it's over'.
but why
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Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
I think Icicle Cavern could've been better if it didn't feel like everything was piled into one level/room. There were some issues of spikes appearing out of nowhere with no warning despite the message box at the beginning. It's a weird level.
Ice Palace is a kinda cool level, though I strangely enjoyed the outdoor section more than the actual palace. At least the palace has some sorta interesting nonlinearity.
Ice Palace is a kinda cool level, though I strangely enjoyed the outdoor section more than the actual palace. At least the palace has some sorta interesting nonlinearity.
avatar by crayonchewer!
Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
I would have enjoyed Ice Palace if it had...well you know a midpoint. Because it didn't have a midpoint and I actually died around the vine segment, the level left a sour taste in my mouth. Please put midpoints in your levels kids. Why make a long level and not include a midpoint?
Re: VLDC9 - vital lucent digs chilling 9
In terms of glitchy sound effects, I'm afraid nothing will ever top that one level raocow played several years ago with the "I was a wspa spy all along" Magikoopa (or whatever it was).Stink Terios wrote:Ice Palace is the best level because the sound effects get all glitchy.
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Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
I theorize it's because he smells.zagesaw wrote:I would have enjoyed Ice Palace if it had...well you know a midpoint. Because it didn't have a midpoint and I actually died around the vine segment, the level left a sour taste in my mouth. Please put midpoints in your levels kids. Why make a long level and not include a midpoint?
Like not strongly but just strong enough that it negatively impacts your perception of him without quite understanding why.
Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
During my judging I never paid attention to how absolutely generic VLDC9 level names are in general lol
79th: ICICLE CAVERN by waffledoctor27
63rd: ICE PALACE by PuzzelBreaker
Huh, looks like I didn't mind the lack of midpoint it seems. Cause it definitely is a problem. I still like that level though!
waffledoctor's levels are just always kinda weird and all over the place lol. His MaGL3 entry was no different. Also his messages were invisible in the original submission ROM
And for tomorrow, mountiain world!! Probably my favorite world, but not because there's any great levels in there or anything. I just find it very relaxing and it's probably the best world in terms of "progression' and "feeling like a real game" - it has a very climatic ending. Maybe it's just me, though.
There's just one level that's gonna be a "thing" in there, but I really like it...
79th: ICICLE CAVERN by waffledoctor27
63rd: ICE PALACE by PuzzelBreaker
Huh, looks like I didn't mind the lack of midpoint it seems. Cause it definitely is a problem. I still like that level though!
waffledoctor's levels are just always kinda weird and all over the place lol. His MaGL3 entry was no different. Also his messages were invisible in the original submission ROM
And for tomorrow, mountiain world!! Probably my favorite world, but not because there's any great levels in there or anything. I just find it very relaxing and it's probably the best world in terms of "progression' and "feeling like a real game" - it has a very climatic ending. Maybe it's just me, though.
There's just one level that's gonna be a "thing" in there, but I really like it...
Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
I think the lack of a midpoint makes players more cautious in the castle part because the punishment of death is so high. And, it's quite hard to die in the castle part (in my opinion). If there was a midpoint, raocow would have frolicked more in the castle and died a few times probably. Also, the satisfaction of beating the long level is pretty nice.
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Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
Icicle Cavern is a nice level, though I also wish it was a little more creative in terms of its obstacles. The falling icicles were neat, but I wish there was a puzzle element to them, too. Also, that snake race was completely optional, which is just silly design.
Ice Palace is a nice gauntlet, though a midpoint and a boss would have completed the package for me. The difficulty is pretty nice here, though. And yes, it could have been more than just ice, but that transition was cool.
Ice Palace is a nice gauntlet, though a midpoint and a boss would have completed the package for me. The difficulty is pretty nice here, though. And yes, it could have been more than just ice, but that transition was cool.
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Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
Huh, I kinda liked this glitch version of the P-Switch song. Kinda sounds like a siren.
Hehe, the Thwomps were squeaky.
And it looks like the castle pooped out Mario. Sorry.
Hehe, the Thwomps were squeaky.
And it looks like the castle pooped out Mario. Sorry.
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Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
The first half of that first level had a couple ideas, but it was really inconsistent with marking the placements of the spikes and the block snake was easily breakable, which meant that everything fell a little flat. Then the second half had no major ideas at all, really. I will say that I liked the look of the level though.
The second level was a decent level. I think the lack of a midpoint will make the fun in the level swing a lot from player to player. I feel like players who die in the second half will enjoy the level a lot less due to the lack of midpoint, and the players who don't die will end up enjoying it slightly more.
The second level was a decent level. I think the lack of a midpoint will make the fun in the level swing a lot from player to player. I feel like players who die in the second half will enjoy the level a lot less due to the lack of midpoint, and the players who don't die will end up enjoying it slightly more.
Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
Fun easter egg: the cable car stations are levels that you can actually enter, but only once the cable car lands (ie after you reach the other side).
Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
I don't like this level at all. Visually it's amazing of course, but I'm really bummed out about the level design. It seems to be centered around waiting around (for the pufferfish to sink to the bottom, for the various platforms to line up correctly etc) but then you have these hard platforming bits in between as well. Neither of these design decisions would be bad on their own, but if you combine them like that you basically force to player to spend a lot of time replaying the same old waiting parts over and over again until you basically hate the level with a fiery passion. At least that was the case when I played it...
It's really too bad because there was some legitimately cool stuff there as well
It's really too bad because there was some legitimately cool stuff there as well
this is getting laundromatic
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Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
now I wanna see this.S.N.N. wrote:Fun easter egg: the cable car stations are levels that you can actually enter, but only once the cable car lands (ie after you reach the other side).
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Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
Purple triangles require a minimum speed. Here's a quick infographic thing:
Startup acceleration and charged acceleration can both take place in the air. P-charge can only take place on the ground.
Startup acceleration and charged acceleration can both take place in the air. P-charge can only take place on the ground.
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Re: VLDC9 - vociferous loveliness dusty commons 9
This level was a thing for me too, and I was one of the testers lol. It's really creative and cool but also really difficult.
The biggest downfall is the second half, which really spikes up in difficulty with the wall running. The p-balloon section at the very end can also be misleading because there is a blind gap that needs to be crossed after the last shaft.
The secret exit was nice though, and I made quite a few suggestions to make that section better which Frost took into account.
And yeah, in case anyone was wondering, this is made by the same guy who made both Hostels in VLDC8 and VLDC7.
The biggest downfall is the second half, which really spikes up in difficulty with the wall running. The p-balloon section at the very end can also be misleading because there is a blind gap that needs to be crossed after the last shaft.
The secret exit was nice though, and I made quite a few suggestions to make that section better which Frost took into account.
And yeah, in case anyone was wondering, this is made by the same guy who made both Hostels in VLDC8 and VLDC7.
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Re: VLDC9 - vociferous loveliness dusty commons 9
Most of those porcupidgits need to go, the only thing they do is make you stand around a bit
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Re: VLDC9 - vociferous loveliness dusty commons 9
I imagine most haunted house films would lose a significant amount of their tension if the protagonists were to react to the spoooooky goings-on taking place around them by shouting "Fart! FAAAAAART!" over and over again.
Re: VLDC9 - vital lucent digs chilling 9
TECH SUPPORT VS WWSPAS.N.N. wrote:In terms of glitchy sound effects, I'm afraid nothing will ever top that one level raocow played several years ago with the "I was a wspa spy all along" Magikoopa (or whatever it was).Stink Terios wrote:Ice Palace is the best level because the sound effects get all glitchy.
God, vanilla levels used to be so great, what happened?
Re: VLDC9 - verified lucidity defensive coldness 9
That oddity with running up walls and being drug around by the platforms is something I haven't seen before. What a strange quirk.
The cable cars remind me of the ones in Donkey Kong Country 3. They even function the same way with making you wait for the car.S.N.N. wrote:Fun easter egg: the cable car stations are levels that you can actually enter, but only once the cable car lands (ie after you reach the other side).
Re: VLDC9 - vital lucent digs chilling 9
Funnily enough, a lot of complaints about Frost's level were in regards to the secret exit versus the main path, but I had a similar experience to Nimono and raocow. The secret path is fine because it's super generous with powerups, but the main path has some quirks with the triangles near the end that really, really bother me. It's a great level, and there's some clear thought and direction there, but a couple of the set-ups were a bit too ridiculous.
Ah, that brings me back.10204307 wrote:TECH SUPPORT VS WWSPA
Re: VLDC9 - vociferous loveliness dusty commons 9
So you're going to do resort world instead? It's kind of a contrast with the mountain in how memorable the levels down there are.
24th: HOTEL by Frost
Perhaps a bit too praised from my side. This is my second highest score in the contest (higher than lolyoshi!)
This level suffered from a loopsided midpoint. I think the setups are amazingly well constructed, but in the end it's just a bit too much to take in one go. Since I'm patient with that stuff I didn't mind that too much... until the final balloon segment. I'm so glad you didn't die there, that part did not have to exist.
Also surprised that it took you a while to catch that this is a Hostel variant
So yeah, time for Resort I guess? lol
24th: HOTEL by Frost
Perhaps a bit too praised from my side. This is my second highest score in the contest (higher than lolyoshi!)
This level suffered from a loopsided midpoint. I think the setups are amazingly well constructed, but in the end it's just a bit too much to take in one go. Since I'm patient with that stuff I didn't mind that too much... until the final balloon segment. I'm so glad you didn't die there, that part did not have to exist.
Also surprised that it took you a while to catch that this is a Hostel variant
So yeah, time for Resort I guess? lol
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Re: VLDC9 - vociferous loveliness dusty commons 9
i really liked those sprite edits! they were cool though i wonder how they were done in vanilla, though. the level design was good but the triangle running sections suffered from being extremely finicky, which is a shame
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Re: VLDC9 - vociferous loveliness dusty commons 9
I personally like this level a lot but I do agree with Koopster in that the midpoint was way too lopsided. Plus I think the secret path takes too long setting up the atomsphere with really empty and long rooms. It's really easy to just outrun the swooper death bat ceiling as well. Also if anyone remembers my dumb advent Christmas level, I played this level like the day before I made it so that's why the second half is filled with wall triangles ;p
Last edited by snoruntpyro 7 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
Re: VLDC9 - vociferous loveliness dusty commons 9
I was stuck on that same triangle section for a really long time so I didn't have that good of a time playing it. I feel it would have been better if the midpoint was moved a bit farther into the level so you wouldn't have to repeat so much to get back to the wall running section again. Visually it is an amazing level and had some cool gimmicks but the one wall running section just made the level really frustrating to play.
The secret exit on the other hand was hilarious. It was also short enough so the nice room didn't feel frustrating at all.
The secret exit on the other hand was hilarious. It was also short enough so the nice room didn't feel frustrating at all.