Level Clearing

[Paralars]

raocow: I could barely get past some parts without savestates. Honestly it's harder than kaizo, because kaizo is just a bunch of tricky pixel perfect jumps and glitch abuse, but this is much harder feeling because of all the random deadly objects flying at you at once. With kaizo stuff I can "think" when I savestate but with this there's just too much stuff moving. The leaf gimmick and "go back through time" thing was pretty good though! Just needs to be a little easier.

This inspires a new rule: You must be able to beat your own level savestateless.
despite the fact that this was pointed out some times earlier, I thought this was obvious


limepie20: Your level was good enough without savestates. I liked the random hands. A few things though:
(I'm still playing the level, so I'll say more stuff if I need to eventually.

Super Mario World (U) [!]_00001.png

I can die on that slope while big Demo due to the jumping effect.
By the way, I have a much better "no-jump" code that gets rid of the annoying spin jump sound and jump sound even though you don't get to really jump.

Super Mario World (U) [!]_00000.png

I can kinda break this part by throwing the tofu across instead of carrying it above and around the blocking tofu things.
I also did it that way, I thought the carrying-it-over solution is just for the d coin

[limepie20]

It's not breaking the level it was intended that way. I'll fix that place where you can die and replace munchers.

[raocow]

Alright, that's something that I can use.

I'll remove a few from the first 'white space' and the 'leaf' section.

Should I post the result again in Clearing?

[DaxterSpeed]

@Paralars:

First area:

This area is the main attraction of the level, and I must say that it's great, but also a little short for my taste. Another problem is that most platforms in this area are just too small. It's just way to easy to fall of this castle. The "chuck" area was also very interesting, though, the green koopa jump after it is just a little hard. You might wanna lower the "in-front" castles there. An this is jump my opinion, but I think you should make the in-front castles lighter than the normal ones. It only makes sense.

There's also a trouble with the absolute last bit of this level. If the P-switch is on when you get there, you can duck-jump under then coins. You should either make the coin trail there go all the way down, or just move it one tile up.

Second area:

This one is pretty interesting when you're inside of the castle, but it's just a fall and wait part when you're outside. But anyways, it's pretty interesting inside, but there seems to be a lot of bugs with the platforms. And some platforms are very hard to reach. But it's an okay level, though, you should really try to vary the background here. Try making more details for the background here, And mainly try to make the outside more interesting. (Note; if you make more details and thing for this level(/area), you can use those details in the first level (/area) as well)

Third area:

Well, this is of course what should be the most interesting part of your whole level, but I must say that it's actually not that interesting. The biggest problems are:
Boring cloud ground. This could really just be modified into something more interesting, and most importantly, cloudier.
Only the normal and water cloud type got an acceptable palette. All other types of clouds have bad palettes, and that's a let down.
The last "in the cloud" area is really uninteresting. Try making big patches of lighting, also try having a custom made scroll generator. That would force the player to follow a more specified path, instead of just going trough everything.

In general, a pretty good level, that could need a lot of touch-ups.

(I may sound a little harsh... Sorry.)

[FakeEDIT] @raocow: Yes, re-post it here.

[Chdata]

Paralars:

Change the muncher palette.

Now that I think of it, did anyone even change them in ASMT? Didn't YCZ end up having to edit alot of palettes himself?

Copy of Super Mario World (U) [!]_00000.png

Other than that, everything seems fine. In the second part, due to the way slopes are sometimes I have trouble jumping. At the very end while riding on the lakitu cloud, I can kinda fly above the yellow clouds though.

Also I meant as an official rule, or at least a very important guideline, that's mentioned in the OP.

[limepie20]

hey chdata.
Can i have that code you were talking about? I'll try to implement it into my existing code but that may be hard.

[Chdata]

For the no jumping? If you can't figure it out, pm me your code and I'll try and fix it for you.

Code: Select all

REP #$20
LDA #$8080
TSB $0DAA
TSB $0DAC
SEP #$20
RTS 

[limepie20]

Got it working. Thanks. I didn't think it would be that simple. :p
New version, fixed everything chdata said. Instead of making new palettes i replaced the munchers with ones that Paralars made.

[Paralars]

DS:

@Paralars:

First area:

Another problem is that most platforms in this area are just too small. It's just way to easy to fall of this castle.
should I make them bigger? that part is just about landing control and it is generously short, so I guess that is just the difficulty
the green koopa jump after it is just a little hard. You might wanna lower the "in-front" castles there. An this is jump my opinion, but I think you should make the in-front castles lighter than the normal ones. It only makes sense.
There's also a trouble with the absolute last bit of this level. If the P-switch is on when you get there, you can duck-jump under then coins. You should either make the coin trail there go all the way down, or just move it one tile up.
will do. will do. will do.

Second area:

This one is pretty interesting when you're inside of the castle, but it's just a fall and wait part when you're outside.
that is the reward for reaching the far end of the first sublevel, to skip this sublevel and get coins
But anyways, it's pretty interesting inside, but there seems to be a lot of bugs with the platforms.
which ones exactly??
And some platforms are very hard to reach.
the one with the dragon coin is supposed to be hard (well, d coin). The other ones are fairly easy when you find a trick.. there is a lot of tricks to find in this level
you should really try to vary the background here. Try making more details for the background here.
okay, maybe I can think of some ornaments
(Note; if you make more details and thing for this level(/area), you can use those details in the first level (/area) as well)

Third area:

Well, this is of course what should be the most interesting part of your whole level, but I must say that it's actually not that interesting. The biggest problems are:
Boring cloud ground. This could really just be modified into something more interesting, and most importantly, cloudier.
could you be more specific pls? :D

Only the normal and water cloud type got an acceptable palette. All other types of clouds have bad palettes, and that's a let down.
I think the lightning cloud looks okay, what about it? But I will make a custom palette for the goo and draining clouds
The last "in the cloud" area is really uninteresting. Try making big patches of lighting
kay
also try having a custom made scroll generator. That would force the player to follow a more specified path, instead of just going trough everything.
custom made scroll generator? I'm having enough trouble with that one, lol. But I will prevent you from "just going through everything", okay

In general, a pretty good level, that could need a lot of touch-ups.

(I may sound a little harsh... Sorry.)

chdata: I will change the munchers palettes If I find a good one without much trouble.
And the lakitu cloud part.. I will improve it.

[limepie20]

Yeah I think the lightning cloud palette looks fine.

[raocow]

trimmed away some of the turret typed enemies in the second and third part (the first 'white area' and the leafy area)

[DaxterSpeed]

trimmed away some of the turret typed enemies in the second and third part (the first 'white area' and the leafy area)

I got to say that this is one of the worlds absolutely best SMW levels, but it's just too hard. Usually, your levels contain "safe-spots", where you can stay around and wait for the obvious time to move forward, but this level does not. It's just insanely hard all the time. Most important problem are the fire spitting flowers. I'd say that you should remove them completely from the second to last area. And well, they would need modification so that their safety hitbox get's bigger. So that you don't have to stand over them to make them not appear.

[ProfessorDemetri]

So hi thur guys.
Eehmm, not entirely sure what else I can do to make this any better? Or where else I can go from here, so maybe it might be good to clear?
Just wanted to point out that I've been through the testing and dev. thread, and think that's time to start posting here.

Here shes is.

[raocow]

What I was doing 'wrong' finally clicked. I know several people said it, but the way DS said is the way that clicked - safe zones!

So I tried.. I tried limiting each stages to the 'main' obstacles, and helped make things a little easier here and there. Otherwise, testing is difficult to me now because I think I overplayed - I now die in the most idiotic of ways and just dropping down holes where things weren't problems.

So I offer this to the judges once more.

Do remember - my level design typicaly punishes rushing. And safe zones aren't always easy to spot, but they are there.

Oof!

[DaxterSpeed]

Two things: I'm glad raocow understood what I meant, and I hope to play his level tomorrow.

And I'm currently taking my level away from submission and will start posting updates here instead. I've just done some general ExGFX cleanup and used more map16 to make it look a lot nicer. And as a bonus, I still have another empty GFX spot for graphics, and another half file that I've used for various, including backgrounds and animations.

So just gonna ask a little question here, if I believe that my changes are not mayor (E.G. Complete GFX swap or a whole new level), can I just post the level edits here? And skip that extra process of Testing and Development..

[raocow]

If it's just graphics, you could downright post those in development and not bother to go through here - since it's just visuals and whatnot.

I mean, posting an update here just means that a blue or equivalent will look at it and say yes/no. I don't think you need to 'reclear' if what you're doing is making the graphics nicer, or what have you.

[Tails_155]

If it's just graphics, you could downright post those in development and not bother to go through here - since it's just visuals and whatnot.

As long as you don't go and cut everything off... that is completely a minor thing... and if it is cleared before the final graphics, you can always send an update with the changed graphics.

[Crimson]

Just to check - Does this apply for missing music as well?

If so, I'd better finish up those other little bits already.

[raocow]

Yeah, we can clear without music.

[kilon]

Assuming that you don't want Geno's Woods to play in it.
Or a sky theme in a cave or something.

[Daarkbuu]

raocow

with all due respect, this part is utter bullshit. The three plants in the second screenshot make this nearly impossible without taking a hit. Even after that I still couldn't pass that part. No matter where I stand there are either a couple fireballs killing me, or those freakin' leaves. I STRONGLY recommend getting rid of those plants, cause I can't clear it until you do.

[raocow]

Teh.....

Very well. Though I'll remove the surprise mushrooms in that little 'arena', I'll also remove the plants that live over and under it.

If I do that, am I good to go?

[Daarkbuu]

yeah, sounds good to me .

[raocow]

Alright, tomorrow I'll do the fix, then disassemble everything for the submission thread.

Someone please do Prof. Demitri, that was posted before mine!

[Daarkbuu]

ProfessorDemetri

cutoff is circled

I can go through this tile

another one I can go through

discolored tile looks very odd

this tile kills me

I can go through this

Fix these issues then re-upload your level. I'm really digging your graphics though.