Testing and Development: Deadline-one week after comments

[AUS]

Not to worry, I believe I have found a new level that does compliment the gimmick in a way that I've never seen anywhere before.

I may just do what got me so angry and throw out the first part completely or almost completely. I'm currently working on it, and it's in the second part of the level that either nobody has beaten to, or nobody has seen because I haven't recorded it in a video.

[DaxterSpeed]

Here's the video.

Sorry to pop in like blammo, but I got a few things to mention about this video.

First, it looks pretty damn good, though, I'd like some variation. All bambu looks a little odd... At least according to me. I'd also like another type of ninja, but that's probably just me.

Second, in the second part of the level you use bambu as "ground enders", instead of grass corners or equal. I'd recommend using having some grass corners instead.

Lastly, I don't really like the background. It looks really good, though it would be better with a japanese style village in the background. (And I'd also recommend adding some type of background to the inside of the houses, but that's just me)

.. So sorry to just pop in and mention a few pretty big changes, but hey, I like the current music, and if there was a better background it would fit better.

[EDIT] Actually, when thinking about it, the outside of the houses could need some brick like texture (like the gfx in the houses) Actually, something clay like could fit.

[EDIT EDIT] One last thought about the gfx, the "outside" ground could have some texture too...

[Tails_155]

Goalpost palette: fix the brown/blue on it.

[Wyatt]

I'll admit, I'm not sold on the music either. So I'm open to any suggestions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmQintinWWc

Something like that maybe? I really want an excuse to port that song, what are everyone's opinions? Would it fit?

Also I still don't like the harsh contrast in the bg between the lightest green and the sky color. You should try taking just the lightest couple shades of green and making them darker to blend with the background. And I mean significantly darker, such that they produce the effect of transparency.

[yoshiguy978]

Level09C.png

The 3up moon is where the chest's going to be.
The Red Xs are pendulums.
Also ignore the dry bones at the end

[Wyatt]

Level09C.png

The 3up moon is where the chest's going to be.
The Red Xs are pendulums.
Also ignore the dry bones at the end

Using the same spinjump gimmick as in the first half of the level seems like sort of a boring choice, especially when you're using the same enemies and palettes you used in the first half, not to mention that everything still feels pretty claustrophobic. Try a new palette, use pendulums more often and effectively, don't be afraid to experiment with different enemies, and make everything feel less enclosed. You might even want to try working with more vertical space.

[Cup]

Goalpost palette: fix the brown/blue on it.

Edit again: I changed the right goal post from it's shown brown, to it's natural blueish palette. The left one is still green. I don't know why. I feel like it should be green for this level. And I can't find it in map8 so I don't know what palette it's using.

Dax, some good advice, but I don't know if I can implement it... The problem with the corners is that sublevel is pretty oversaturated with ExGFX. I don't think I have 4 squares left with space to put some corner tiles in. I'd need another ExGFX and it'd have to overwrite FG1, which could get messy.

I'm assuming you mean non-chuck ninjas. That could be nice. I wanted to put a few ninjis in there, but I don't think I can get them on the same sublevel as Chuck (actually you might be able to... for some reason I recall not being able to add them). And the joke is really that ninjas are suppose to be silent and agile, while chuck is noisy and clumsy. So keeping Chuck as the Master's sole black ops squad is kinda humorously inappropriate in my eyes.

The background inside is something I wanted to do, but I'd need more ExGFX and map16. I'm already using 9 ExGFX slots and a page and a half of map16, so I don't know if I should take up too much more with just a silly little gimmick level.

The background outside would be awesome. But I don't think I'm artistically inclined enough to draw one from scratch, so I'd need to rip it. I can't think of any backgrounds that look like what I'd need though. And unless I also use that background for the first bamboo foresty sublevel, I'd again need more resources. I can try playing with the houses though, but I don't really have a different picture in mind, so I don't know if I can make something better.

I can definitely try to vary the bamboo landscape a bit though. So I'll work on that.

Wyatt. That song sounds awesome! Definitely the more upbeat tune that Limepie requested. I have a hard time imaging what it might sound like ported, but if you feel like working on it, I'll definitely use it. I'll play with the background palette a bit as well.

[DaxterSpeed]

Wow, you've already used up most of your ExGFX?

Actually, could you send me what you have so I could look over it? There must be ways of optimizing your use of ExGFX, I'm sure of that. (Spent a lot of time on that myself...) Also, don't be afraid of getting more ExGFX files, we have lots of ExGFX files, and the new compression related changes in LM 1.8+ gives us even more space to use.

Actually, do someone remember if I actually updated my level in clearing? Last time I updated it it looked like this: http://crapbox.co.cc/level.png

[Cup]

Here's the ExGFX. F0 and F1 are foreground graphics. The next three are background. F5 is the indoor forground, and F6-8 are sprite swaps. I think for the village sublevel I have F0 on FG2 and F1 on FG3. I may have that backwards though. It looks like I might have some space on F0 though... I hadn't looked at that one in a while. If you want to try drawing anything, give it a shot. I'd love the help.

Do you need the map16, palette, etc? I think you can get it all from the ips I posted.

Edit. Wait. That's old. Here's a new ips with an up to date palette.

[Tails_155]

I don't think I have 4 squares left with space to put some corner tiles in.

Wait... for 1 corner (which can, hopefully, be rotated) you only need 1 tile, maybe 2 for a vertical tile. But that's it. You already have the horizontal tile, first off, and second off, why else would you need 4 tiles?

[DaxterSpeed]

Okay, looking your level through there's lots of ways not only to save graphics, but general rom space. I'm sure that we're gonna use LM 1.8+ (because if we wouldn't we'd miss out on so much), so there's lots of things you could have done that you've missed. I've only fixed sub level 8F now, and that's a pretty small level, but there was lots of easy solutions you haven't used. Like map16 block extending. You've placed every single tile in this level, instead of making "map16 block... blocks".

Anyway, I've already saved lots of tiles, and drawn a temporary corner tile for the ground. Only problem now in that level is that some tiles might act oddly, but I'll fix that myself.

http://crapbox.co.cc/a2mt/exgfxhelp.zip Link to current work, please play around a little in level 8F and see what type of changes I've done. If the level loads oddly, well, then you're probably not using the latest LM.

[Tails_155]

If we're using 1.82, someone is going to have to transfer all the stuff, because I don't have the time, energy, or, especially, patience. The blocktool stuff, worst of all.

[DaxterSpeed]

If we're using 1.82, someone is going to have to transfer all the stuff, because I don't have the time, energy, or, especially, patience. The blocktool stuff, worst of all.

Really? Well, if I got all the files I could do this... Though, probably first on Monday.

On Monday I might actually have a school laptop to work on properly, so give me a couple hours then I can re-insert everything.

(To be fair, the map16 stuff, the compression, really everything, makes the 1.82 transfer worth it)

[Tails_155]

Nevermind, I am sending, what I think is the whole thing, to chdata to update the ASM.

I forgot I already had all the list files here. (even though I have over 2 gigs of data in my ROM folder, primarily A2MT stuff, it didn't click.)

Except that the overworld (and consequently, until later, the messagebox text) is lost since I can't "Save Overworld to [different] ROM" with two different programs.


or... not... since the blocktool stuff, as always, is the big problem. None of the tiles are acting how they should, and all the necessary files are with it.

or.... not not... I figured out that one, too.

But still, the tiles seem messed up... I need help with this, I knew it'd get messed up. It's close, but something odd is happening.

The odd part is, the only levels that are messed up are all ones that use no custom graphics, and no custom Map16...



SO! Someone suggested I just try saving the original in 1.82 and seeing how it works. It runs fine as far as I see... so if someone would be willing to run 2.13 on 1.82 and test /everything/ we can see if that'll work... because this whole conversion thing isn't going to work for me. I tried and... managed to do it all wrong every step of the way.


SO WHAT I'M SAYING in all this rambling is... DS, you should try it, because I'm good at messing stuff up, but we are going to try, on a second copy of the thing just to run 1.82 with it and see if anything catches fire...

[Cup]

You've placed every single tile in this level.

I... I didn't know there was any other way!

That's awesome. I don't know how it works! I googled it and read some tutorials, but I haven't found one that explains how to make the extended map16 blocks. But I'm excited cause there seems to be some awesome stuff to learn here. I also wasn't aware you could rotate map16 blocks. That will obviously save quite a bit of space. And I've upgraded to LM1.8, so hopefully that's what we'll be using. Now I just need to learn how everything works. (/hint, Dax, I totally wouldn't mind you explaining it).

In other news Wyatt made the port with incredible speed, and it sounds great. But it is a very driving song. I think I need to add a few more enemies to go along with the new feel. So I may try to swap something else to make a new kind of ninja, or at least double up my efforts to get ninjis into the level.

I still think the village background is a bit of a pipe dream, but I'll try to rip New Super Marisa Land's indoor background (maybe... background ripping is kinda time consuming and I don't know how much it will add).

Edit: Ninja Moles! Like the easiest thing to draw ever, but I think it gets the job done. They're so cute. Got the ninjis in there too. The additional enemies makes the level loads more fun.

[Cup]

Okay this is worth a double post. Ignore the edit update, this is the best idea I ever had! Those ninja moles really can strike at any time! They are ninjas after all.

Because the level is now more difficult I added a midpoint after the village section, just in case. I'm almost sad now, cause these little guys way overshadow the Chucks, which took a lot more work.

[limepie20]

Haha. Nice job, really. They look cool and it's a great idea!
Also, the background looks a lot better.

[Tails_155]

ONE WARNING! Love it! But, it needs some some indication, just to be a bit fair to the player... otherwise it could be just a bit... well, unfair... (usually what the lack of fairness is)

Also, if at all possible (and I say it this way because, since they use the palette they do, it is questionable if it IS possible) I'd like to see a cleaner graphic... otherwise it's just.... black blob with a face :S Also, should they be moles? Or something else? I'll leave that for you to decide, but moles, as moles, probably won't be present anywhere else (which may be just as much a reason to do it as not to do it.)

[Cup]

It should be alright, at least as long as I'm careful where I place them. I moved them a bit from the video. They way I have it 90% of the moles aren't really in very dangerous spots, you'd really have to go out of your way to be hit. They're just there for show (they can be very surprising though, even when I know exactly where I put them).

After the midpoint I plan to make them a bit more dangerous, because you have the cape, and the midpoint, and that section is very short.

Hopefully I can pull it off without having to give indication of where they pop up. The fun part is really in the surprise. I just need to be smart enough to keep people from getting frustrated.

Also, keep in mind, the village sublevel has unlimited powerups. You just have to go back into the house with the powerup you want.

I think they're fine as moles. I'll try to give them some shading, but since they share a pallet with Demo, I don't have as many dark greys as I'd like. Her greys have a lot of blue in them, and the all black is kinda nice. It really makes them blend into the dark parts of the background, which is the whole point of a ninja's outfit.

[DaxterSpeed]

Quick explanation of these map16 features:

Well, you've placed every single tile in your level, which is hard, but instead, you could use LM's built in map16 helping features. The first and most important on is the extend-able tile. You simply place on tile, put your cursor on the edge of that tile, hold down your click and drag it. As of 1.80 these tiles can be as big as they need to be (1.70 pre they could only be 16x16 tiles long).

The second, more amazing thing is that map16 "objects". As you've built your thing logically in the map16 you can mark multiple blocks by only clicking and holding down the click while dragging over multiple pieces. This is introduced in 1.80 and allows level with smaller sizes, but also easier level design. These objects will not act exactly like SMW objects though, as these will only loop when you extend them (but you can extend them as far as you need to)

These two things could be used easily in your sublevel (8F). For the houses, you simply take one house tile and make a big block, then you put the other tiles over the house tiles, making the new tiles hide the ones below. (This can easily save a lot space and time) The second map16 method is useful at multiple times. It's useful for you doors, the bambu, the windows, yeah, you name it. As long as they're placed as they're supposed to look in the map16.

[TheGuyWhoIsSitting]

As far as my level goes, I have finals this week, so after Thursday I should be good to actually continue work on this level of mine. I've got the ideas plotted out in my head among other things. I've also been playing various hacks for inspiration and playing some of the original Mario games, I think my level will at least have a basic layout by next week. I'm still working on art though so don't count me on that. I will have something new to show sometime next week though.

[HarmfulGravemind]

Hi guys (and girls) it has been a while. I was very busy; I am sorry!

My level hasn't changed much since the last time. As I said, I had a lot to do irl, so yes. Well, here we go! I need absolutely honest opinions!

[RivalNightmare]

Just need to add enemies to my level. Next post will have an IPS.

[Schnurmanator]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRJRBJ2FqjA

this is just a preview of my level. A lot of it might be changed/rearranged. Also, YouTube is having some maintenance so i couldn't add captions and say what everything is, sorry

But as soon as I can, I'll add the annotation explaining everything. It's kinda backwards and I have the end of the level first and then some of the main castle (again is confusing and I'm not sure why I did it in the video).

Anyway, I hope u enjoy watching it, and I'll keep u posted even though I'm totally swamped with school for the next two weeks

-Schnurmanator

[RivalNightmare]

My IPS seems to be 5KB to big to upload =/

So.......

Level(s):
(Oh yeah.. Please don't make me have to redo the level..FOR THE 5TH TIME.)