I won't be home for a while soon, so you may have to wait some time for my more recently made contest level maps.
A2XT MIX part 2: The BONUS edition
Mishi Test
Desert Town
The Library
Mikkofier wrote:How can I have your skills? Which demon(s) do I have to make a deal with?
At the start I didn't really have much knowledge on the smbx engine and custom graphics. I knew some really good music though, and those were used as a base and inspiration for my levels. I had some experience with the PK2 tileset, so I spend a lot of time figuring out ways to convert it to smbx early on. I tend to write my ideas down and illustrate them sometimes too, so that the npcs will have something to say and I have the theme of the level nailed down as it is made.
I usually start building the levels as I'm converting the graphics, but thanks to new programs it's not really necessary anymore. Getting known with the resources is still very important. It requires some amount of perfectionism to make sure that every tile looks natural, and connects to the environment. Some sense of humor is good too, and usually the levels have some kind of story to tell.
Your level "Alternative Invasion" was a very good example of a well made and funny level. You can always try asking people for video reviews on your levels and to get some good feedback. Also practicing the use of different tilesets that people might not have used too often is a good idea too.
When placing a lot of tiles, placing as much as possible of one type of tile first can safe you some time. If there are two variations of a grass tile for example, placing about one half of the area with the first tile semi randomly, and then filling in the caps with the second tile, ensures that both tiles are used equally.
Edit: I have a deal with the Space Demon siblings of course.