(shouting)

Level Clearing

Anthrax 2 Multiply Themodynamics
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limepie20
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by limepie20 »

fireyblaze:
Firstly, I don't understand what you mean by that parrot coin message. Do the parrot coins reset every time demo dies? If that's the case, get rid of it. There's no reason for it in this level and makes no sense. The coin trail near the beginning is misleading because it doesn't signify that you have to veer to the right. After you beat the level, the ground is cutoff. About the level design, I didn't enjoy it too much. My main problem is that it was really conducive to the gimmick and it wasn't really fun to me either. But I don't really know what else to say; I just didn't like it to much. Maybe that's just me and someone else has to play it, but my tip for you right now would be to make the level feel like it was designed for the gimmick and not just be some high difficulty lava area.
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Fireyblaze
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Fireyblaze »

limepie20 wrote:fireyblaze:
Firstly, I don't understand what you mean by that parrot coin message. Do the parrot coins reset every time demo dies? If that's the case, get rid of it. There's no reason for it in this level and makes no sense.
Well, you see, even though they aren't necessarily puzzles, allowing the coins to be kept would let players use a previous switch on a future spot. It is mainly there to prevent breaking of my level through those means. Plus, I think that the difficulty of getting all of the coins in one run is something that this level's gimmick builds on because many of the coins require you to travel some through the map, but the slowing speed makes it stressful if you are running out of time.
The coin trail near the beginning is misleading because it doesn't signify that you have to veer to the right. After you beat the level, the ground is cutoff.
I'll make sure to fix these.
About the level design, I didn't enjoy it too much. My main problem is that it was really conducive to the gimmick and it wasn't really fun to me either. But I don't really know what else to say; I just didn't like it to much. Maybe that's just me and someone else has to play it, but my tip for you right now would be to make the level feel like it was designed for the gimmick and not just be some high difficulty lava area.
I guess my level might not be using the gimmick to it's fullest, but I think that if I did exploit the gimmick fully, it would just lead to my level becoming annoying and tedious. I mean, sure, I could make the level require you to traverse the level forwards and backwards to get the most of the gimmick, but I'm sure that by the end of the level, the player will just want it over with.

Also, I think that the enemies that I picked throughout the level become increasingly difficult as you proceed. I tried to make it a high intensity environment, but I made it decently short to compensate.

I'll wait for other opinions, but I will think of ways to improve my level if you truly think it needs to be redone.
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Giant Ninji
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Giant Ninji »

At least to help out here, i tried testing a level. Note that i did not fully test the level

fireblayze:
~Screens~
0: Yeah that Message is just uneeded
0-1:
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This just me, but this is weird (and is actually a glitch)

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And I don't really like that you used it here, but that's just me.

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Horrible and unfair sprite placements. Demo will have to avoid a grand firebar on steroids, while avoiding a Red Koopa on a claustrophobic ledge, while hoping a shower of fireballs isn't spat on you, while making sure you don't land on a random muncher. I suggest taking out the muncher, taking the koop and place it somewhere else (maybe widen the little space where the shell is thrown and put it there?)

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Misleading coin trail that I luckily managed to survive.

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You can get stuck here. Why is there even a ledge there? It's not gonna even block the player from getting there.

2: (not shown)
How the heck do you get that parrot coin?

3: (not shown)
- That note block is not needed (or at least badly placed), especially how it easy for a player to accidentally bounce off of it before getting the P-Switch.
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HECK YEAH!*
*hint: just connect that slope to the ledge normally.

6-8: (no picture)
Let me get this straight - the chest is accessed practically the same way as a parrot coin? There's something wrong there...
The parrot coins should be like in smw. Not too hard to get, but a bit more of a challenge. The chest should be more hidden and harder to find.
And accessing that place is pretty frustrating. A blind player wouldn't know you'd need a P-Switch first before you hit the vine.

LAST SCREEN:
- yeah cuttof

~

Anywho, the level...isn't that good. I don't really know anything else to say but to rework this. Do almost everything is placed badly, in a way that that it seems like the level is assuming the player knows how it goes.

Okay, I just read that this level is supposed to have a gimmick...it did not give off to me as gimmicky level. So yeah.
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Giant Ninji
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Giant Ninji »

I meant that in a way that how the level is made doesn't really make feel like the level is supposed to slow down Demo (and plus I played it on my slow computer - that's a fault in my end.)

More things (to fireyblaze):
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The Slope patch might interest you guys on this one.
limepie20
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by limepie20 »

Here is my and Cheeseofdoom's level.
Awakenyourmind
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Awakenyourmind »

?????

Is this project dead now? Tenta are you going to fix those problems or not? Someone else could easily take your level slot and finish a level otherwise.
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ProfessorDemetri
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by ProfessorDemetri »

I'd say that no, this project is not dead, as there was posts just a few days ago about it?
As far as Tenta goes.. I have no idea. But the project itself is far from dead.
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If you need help with anything, contact me on my skype: Demekun
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tenta
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by tenta »

I fixed most of the problems now. Just give me a minute. i don't always have free time.
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Awakenyourmind
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Awakenyourmind »

If you need help hop on msn and ill be glad to help.
SyStemkraSh5642
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by SyStemkraSh5642 »

@ limepie20: You're cleared, although I think an extra mushroom in both sublevels would really help out. Also, pausing the game at certain moments will unlatch spike tops from the ground, although I guess that can't be helped.
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Fireyblaze
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Fireyblaze »

Well, from the 2 people who have commented on my level, it seems you want me to remake the level.

Using the same gimmick, can you suggest any specific changes? Because if you want me to utilize the gimmick, then the level becomes extremely tedious. If I don't, then the level becomes too easy and something that doesn't make an impact.

Just some specific tips to put me in the right direction would be nice.
limepie20
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by limepie20 »

Well, right now, the level on its own is short. Also, it's kinda cramped inside the cave. The level is hard obstacle after hard obstacle. That's not what you want for your level.

Now I don't know whether Demo slows down because of how much time she's spent or how far in the level she's gotten. With the latter the level would be better. The reason why is every screen (or however you'd want to space it out) would have its own speed for Demo and so you will know what Demo's speed is in every part of the level, so you can design that part specifically around that speed.

Now, you will want to make the cave more open and less difficult. Something like an smw cave would work better. In fact, you should check out the original guy's level. If I remember correctly, his level more closely resembled an smw cave and was more conducive to the gimmick. I don't know what else to say. I'd just try designing a simple cave, test it, and see how it feels/if you like it.

Also, yes, I know that wasn't specific, but I don't know why you'd want anything specific for redisiigning a level.
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tenta
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by tenta »

My level is finally done AGAIN!

La joie de glisser
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limepie20
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by limepie20 »

tenta:
Your thwimp still has wrong graphics. Fix them, or take the thwimp out. Actually, the thwimp was only in one part and it was that one screen puzzle section, which I think you should remove completely because it was different from the rest of the level. The graphics for where a invisible coin block will be were way too obscure. Half of them are still pretty much invisible, and that doesn't work; it only frustrates the player. That one section with the bullet bill generator near the beginning of the level was way too much. It was unfairly difficulty. You have to deal with the slippery level, obscure invisible coin blocks, and bullet bills. I think the generator should not be there. Just stick to normal sprites. In addition, all of the homing (horizontally and vertically) bills seemed to unfair in this level because they are just too hard to deal with because of the slippery level setting. Maybe they'd be okay if the invisible coin blocks were visible.
This was definitely a step forward, but you're not quite there yet.
Septentrion Pleiades
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Septentrion Pleiades »

I think the invisible coin blocks have a good enough outline. It's seems to be a matter of looking before you leap, although I might just be used to all the jumps.
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limepie20
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by limepie20 »

The thing is, in most cases you can't look before you leap. A lot of times you are being chased by bullets or are on a p switch timer and must run fast. And even then, it could possibly be okay, but the level is slippery. It's just way too hard, and "looking before you leap" is frustrating, not fun.
Even in places right at the beginning were there are few enemies, it was hard for me to figure out where some invisible coin blocks are. The only way you can tell is by moving back and forth and seeing where stars in the background are being cut off for a split second because the outline is the same color as the background. This is very hard to do because of the slipperyness but even if the level wasn't slippery, all that work for ascertaining the location of one block does not seem worth it when jumping randomly produces more immediate results; then, the level is the same as it was before: jumping randomly.
Even if the outline, completely contrasting from the background, was bright yellow, you'd still have to look before you leap. You can't just run forward and move on with the level; you still have to watch out for those outlines, and I think it would play fine. Obviously, yellow is not a pleasant color for this level, but the color should be let to stick out.
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Paralars
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Paralars »

I finally got my lazy ass to do something about this, here is Gelatin Factory with a remade first half.

http://www.mediafire.com/?cyfafbs3oua8cjn

it has a key for a treasure chest because apparently that treasure sprite is smarter than me.

Sorry It took so long.
Last edited by Paralars 12 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
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Giant Ninji
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Giant Ninji »

@Paralars:
The biggest problem I found is this:
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How some gelatin can be rode inside in and some can't. It's really counter-intuitive, even more so that it isn't introduced that some came be rode inside in, or at least on having one over lava.

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There's a huge lack enemies, coins, blocks, and enemy variations here. There's probably more places were you can slap in an enemy or two.

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Blind drop(s). With the Lakitu cloud, you should also maybe put some coins here and there.

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Raise this guy two tiles up. And maybe use him more in the level - a lot of (custom) levels using the Amazin' Flyin' Hammer Bro. usually slaps them there for the sake of upping the difficulty. Currently, it feels slapped on. But if we see more of this guy, and with the nature of this level (and the huge lack of enemies), you could make it feel likes it's there for a purpose.

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Badly placed enemies, it just falls off the ledge.

Not-so-big-problems-you-should-consider-doing-it:
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You could use those bricks used with the employee of the month thing here, to make it less empty looking.

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That 1-Up is too easy to get.

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I don't really know if that is a global graphic, but if it isn't, it caught me off-guard that it was a grey falling platform.

Minor:
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That pipes has a bad black outline.

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Switch blocks will help here.

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Also, raise the background a bit in the first and third section a bit. I didn't really noticed all the things going on on the bottom because it's covered up. And maybe use more of the pipes to make it less brick, brick, and more brick.

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Why isn't this bouncy?

~~~~

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Do we finally know what happened to the man who used to save the Yoshi's all the time?
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Paralars
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Paralars »

well, this isn't originally my level, I'm just trying to finish it in a reasonable manner.

Some of the things you pointed out are supposed to be like that, some things I just overlooked because I didn't do much more than rebuild the whole level and redesign the first half.

I uploaded a new version with a few changes.
Septentrion Pleiades
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Septentrion Pleiades »

Tenta: I just played the T&D version of your level again and I think you should fix this problems

You miss the outlines of the three coinblocks that lead up from the parrot coin.

Also this make be misconstrued as a puzzle.
fell.png
If you had to remove some difficulty suggest removing the generator. The homing bullet should encourage a sane player to take his time, while the generator doesn't. Without the generator it's easy to go at a pace to look at the jumps. I think more time might also be required.

Also the p-switch thing at the end could use a reset door. Also at the beginning, there needs to be a sample block.

Limepie: I disagree about making the outline yellow. All that's needed is carefulness and I think the current version is at an optimal level. The problem is not the coinblocks themselves.
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limepie20
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by limepie20 »

Paralars:
You really improved the first half. I don't see any immediate errors in it now. You just need to fix the second half now. That weird "employees only" thing was still there, so I imagine you haven't touched that half yet.
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Paralars
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Paralars »

I changed a few boring parts in the second half and removed the lakitu part completely and replaced it with something else, it was just unclean with the cloud and all that.

I actually thought the "employees only" sign was a funny idea, because it looks like Demo actually follows the rules, even though there is no real barrier.
I had already changed that part to have a purpose, but now I changed it again.

I don't think there is much more that needs to be "fixed" now.

http://www.mediafire.com/?cyfafbs3oua8cjn
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Paralars
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by Paralars »

well, there isn't much new stuff that would need approval, I'm just wondering if there is anything that REALLY needs to go.
I'm aware the music cracks a few times, but I think two or three 'bleep's in the level are tolerable when the music is fitting (which I think it is, at least I didn't find anything better in the rom)
(The bonus area is already fixed)

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?cyfafbs3oua8cjn

Sorry for being impatient
SyStemkraSh5642
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by SyStemkraSh5642 »

@ Paralars: Sorry for being late and lazy, but your level is cleared. It's definitely one of the cooler levels around. However, at the area with the "Employees Only" sign, the second time I threw a shell in to hit the block, the shell passed through the block and didn't hit it for some reason. It might be fixed if you move it up a block or so.
capefeather
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Re: Level Clearing

Post by capefeather »

Really sorry for the delay of over two months. Exams + waning interest in the level + life issues... Part of me has wanted to swear off using SMW for platform level making. However, I acknowledge that it does have its charm, even if it's incredibly frustrating to learn on-the-fly and thus hard even to make practice levels with what little innate motivation I have. Another part of me also thought that maybe I'd been silently removed from the level list, since I never got any PMs during the off-time.

Anyway here it is again. Part of what made me stop progress on this was that I couldn't figure out what part of the palette the fireballs used. It's an obvious appearance problem to have red fireballs coming out of green deadly plant secretions or whatever the "lava" is supposed to be. I'm still not sure what's going on with the fire traps, either.

http://bin.smwcentral.net/u/12461/1a.ips

P.S. I forgot to move the midpoint in an earlier draft and I noticed that it had already been downloaded twice before I replaced it with the version with the moved midpoint. Just so people know.
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