VLDC9 - vanilla level design contest 9
Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
I'm mostly just glad that Grove of Seclusion used the factory remix. It's still sick.
Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
I'm surprised someone remembers my silly VLDC8 level!!!!!1Pyro wrote:Grove of Seclusion is basically bootleg Tragic Revolution from 8 tbh hey it rhymes
57th: GROVE OF SECLUSION by LucasRCD
93rd: MISTY SWAMP CAVE by Najeraldo
I thought Grove of Seclusion was extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely boring for its length.
Fun fact, I recognised the author (LucasRCD) easily. At that time a Brazilian collab I've been running was actually active and LucasRCD was this newcomer guy who had been contributing with a lot of levels. Most of his works are on this "way too long, not much happening" style.
aj's level - or as I remember it, "the level with the really nice song" - I just thought was really frustrating. Not the first half though, I got through that easily and I actually quite liked the fog. My biggest trouble was with the puffer in the second half - really big nuisance. Frost/GSG/Giant Ninji found that the puffer can be slide-killed at some parts of the level, and it's also possible to despawn it if you make it go to the very left edge of the screen and run away from it, but I didn't know about/use these tricks during my judging.
- Zephyr_DragonLord
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
Hogwarts was pretty creative, though it did so with wizards, which are a questionable element. Making the magic follow you through a grinder gauntlet seems a bit dubious. Nonetheless, I see the appeal of it. (Though waiting for them to take down block walls kind of sucks)
Grove of Seclusion is held up by its atmosphere, I'm pretty sure... The gameplay is pretty alright, if a bit samey. (raocow has soe pretty quality commentary here, by the way...) There's just one problem, and it's that it goes on for too long. The Bad Future path looks really nice, and has some interesting setups sometimes. Also, it's a bit odd that there's two goal tapes. Good job with this, though.
I don't really like Misty Swamp Cave, however. The level would be better were the gimmick of fog just not there, and that's something that you don't want to hear. It is fully functional, however, so there is that, along with some variety. Also, I agree that the cave was out of place.
The thing with these contests is that the high placements can be anywhere (except the worst world), so no one knows what will be next for these videos.
Grove of Seclusion is held up by its atmosphere, I'm pretty sure... The gameplay is pretty alright, if a bit samey. (raocow has soe pretty quality commentary here, by the way...) There's just one problem, and it's that it goes on for too long. The Bad Future path looks really nice, and has some interesting setups sometimes. Also, it's a bit odd that there's two goal tapes. Good job with this, though.
I don't really like Misty Swamp Cave, however. The level would be better were the gimmick of fog just not there, and that's something that you don't want to hear. It is fully functional, however, so there is that, along with some variety. Also, I agree that the cave was out of place.
The thing with these contests is that the high placements can be anywhere (except the worst world), so no one knows what will be next for these videos.
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
Misty Swamp Cave is another fantastic example of how a level can turn to shit with having only a single midpoint available to you. I absolutely guarantee it would be better received with, say, four midpoints.
Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
I don't see multi midpoints as a solution there, the level isn't even that long. It could've been more compact, admittedly, but it should've really just managed the difficulty better.
35th: THE WAY OF NINJI by chineesmw
PENALTY REASONING: -2, author leak
This level does a really neat thing where it's built off of one layer and there's a layer of tile 1F0 behind which makes sprites slide like that (I never saw yoshi being lost like that though, lmao). I wasn't very impressed by it though - I don't think it used the gimmicks it had nearly as interestingly as it could've. Rather cluttered too
Also it's basically impossible to get a life in that bonus room, the ninjis come out too slowly
EDIT: oh yeah, @ ninja boy's comment: in the original ROM this level was placed in a submap and getting yoshi made his message display, making the background disappear. He took this into consideration for his judging even though it would obviously be changed in the compilation, good job!
And for tomorrow: a level that escaped worst world somehow! hype!
35th: THE WAY OF NINJI by chineesmw
PENALTY REASONING: -2, author leak
This level does a really neat thing where it's built off of one layer and there's a layer of tile 1F0 behind which makes sprites slide like that (I never saw yoshi being lost like that though, lmao). I wasn't very impressed by it though - I don't think it used the gimmicks it had nearly as interestingly as it could've. Rather cluttered too
Also it's basically impossible to get a life in that bonus room, the ninjis come out too slowly
EDIT: oh yeah, @ ninja boy's comment: in the original ROM this level was placed in a submap and getting yoshi made his message display, making the background disappear. He took this into consideration for his judging even though it would obviously be changed in the compilation, good job!
And for tomorrow: a level that escaped worst world somehow! hype!
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
I've not played this level so my opinion is entirely worthless but, well, this is the first level I've looked at the ranking and thought 'I don't see it'.
Just because you can kinda-sorta emulate a generator pipe by hiding a Charlie doesn't mean you actually should.
57/60‽‽‽
Just because you can kinda-sorta emulate a generator pipe by hiding a Charlie doesn't mean you actually should.
57/60‽‽‽
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
This level is a nightmare. A lot of it was trying to get the dragon coins, but it's incredibly easy to get hotboxed by most obstacles.
I jumped squarely on your head, I should NOT die!
Ban all footballs forever. And fish generators.
I jumped squarely on your head, I should NOT die!
Ban all footballs forever. And fish generators.
Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
I didn't find this level as bad as others. The only sort of annoying part is the flying fish generator near the end, but otherwise, it's not too long and it has some interesting ideas.
This guy is the same person who made Tropical Stronghold or whatever it was called in the 7th VLDC that was about 6-7 sublevels long. Ended up in the worst world, so I'd say he's come a long way since then at least.
This guy is the same person who made Tropical Stronghold or whatever it was called in the 7th VLDC that was about 6-7 sublevels long. Ended up in the worst world, so I'd say he's come a long way since then at least.
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
The safe way to deal with the footballs is to wait until they bounce very high and then either (a) try to go under them or (b) try to bounce on them just before they reach the ground again.
I must take this oppurtunity to warn raocow of an incoming S-bomb! (we mustn't say hit because of the old adage, Don't count your victims before they're dispatched). Deploy anti-swearcraft measures! Man the heckbunkers! Fit profanity fuses to the *ck-*ck guns! Send out the barrage ballocks and be a dam'buster!
I must take this oppurtunity to warn raocow of an incoming S-bomb! (we mustn't say hit because of the old adage, Don't count your victims before they're dispatched). Deploy anti-swearcraft measures! Man the heckbunkers! Fit profanity fuses to the *ck-*ck guns! Send out the barrage ballocks and be a dam'buster!
dont wanna jihad no more
Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
I'm pretty sure that sound effect was removed in newest patch due to Someguy complaining about it?
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
If you're talking about a certain upcoming (silly) level the anti-swearcraft measures have already been deployedmorsel/morceau wrote:I must take this oppurtunity to warn raocow of an incoming S-bomb! (we mustn't say hit because of the old adage, Don't count your victims before they're dispatched). Deploy anti-swearcraft measures! Man the heckbunkers! Fit profanity fuses to the *ck-*ck guns! Send out the barrage ballocks and be a dam'buster!
Another case where getting dragon coins drastically changed the level! If raocow found the silver p-switch in those turn blocks earlier his entire perspective of the level could be changed since he can just run under all of the fish and EASILY get that dragon coin. It's really too bad.
(Oh yeah and footballs are a very risky enemy to deal with unless they either immediately fall into a pit or into water)
At least chineesmw didn't get a super low ranking again as in VLDC7.
avatar by crayonchewer!
Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
Sheer length is not really a good measure of when midpoints are appropriate, though. If you have a dense and very challenging level, I don't see the issue with having midpoints that are only 20 or so seconds apart in the event that the player manages it perfectly (not that the cave level was an example of this - just an extreme example).Koopster wrote:I don't see multi midpoints as a solution there, the level isn't even that long. It could've been more compact, admittedly, but it should've really just managed the difficulty better.
Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
Only against the F-bomb. If you don't blink, you can still catch a glimpse of the fabled and feared S-bomb.FrozenQuills wrote:If you're talking about a certain upcoming (silly) level the anti-swearcraft measures have already been deployed
Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
I liked this level a bunch, but it had too much stuff, both in design and aesthetics. The obstacle right before the goal (that Eternity pointed out) was basically just about running through and hoping not to get hit. To be fair though, that is probably the worst obstacle in the level. Still, I think the Ninji generators were pretty cool.
Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
I GENUINELY ENJOYED IT, OK!? D:Mata Hari wrote: 57/60‽‽‽
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Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
No that's not OK. I will sue you in a court of law in Trenton, New Jersey.
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
Grove definitely feels like three full length levels mashed into one.Voltgloss wrote:My opinion: both of today's levels would have been vastly improved by cutting their length by half.
Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
What a fascinatingly bizarre level. Also, the tags are right, ninjis are cute.
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Re: VLDC9 - vacillating lignification damp coves 9
I should take this time to note that while its derivation from more familiar terminology is logical enough, I had never before encountered (nor considered) the term "S-bomb". Honestly, I sort of wish I still hadn't, as it's an exceedingly unpleasant mental image. It also sounds like a much greater public health hazard than its voiceless labiodental fricative cousin, so one has cause to question the authorities judgement in quarantining the latter while letting the former's insalubrious miasma mingle with our precious life's breath. Such hirsute, leporidian cerebrality have I ne'er before crossed paths with in the wild.S.N.N. wrote:Only against the F-bomb. If you don't blink, you can still catch a glimpse of the fabled and feared S-bomb.
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Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
...It is in that way that all of the toilets within a 200-mile radius were non-operational. It is for this reason why we leave this lingual cacophony only in huddled whispers. ...Or in public conversation, as no one seems to care, anyways.
That aside, I liked The Way of the Ninji. Even if it was decidedly non-vanilla. Imagining Ninji as fish or footballs is a pretty hilarious mental image, and one that makes the previous ones of wizards and fog fade away. It's pretty challenging, too, and in a pretty fair way. Though Yoshi kind of... freaks out on some of the ground here. The little flaws here and there (such as the flying ninji section) do add up, but don't detract much from the overall experience. It simply makes it less than stellar. It's still a great level, and you're great, too.
That aside, I liked The Way of the Ninji. Even if it was decidedly non-vanilla. Imagining Ninji as fish or footballs is a pretty hilarious mental image, and one that makes the previous ones of wizards and fog fade away. It's pretty challenging, too, and in a pretty fair way. Though Yoshi kind of... freaks out on some of the ground here. The little flaws here and there (such as the flying ninji section) do add up, but don't detract much from the overall experience. It simply makes it less than stellar. It's still a great level, and you're great, too.
I am prone to almost everything... except spontaneous violence.
Any questions, concerns, or aspirations you have with me can go to the PM box... Now here's a quote:
(It was about time)
Any questions, concerns, or aspirations you have with me can go to the PM box... Now here's a quote:
raocow wrote:I know there is a population on Earth. They like to populate. I like to gesticulate. We're friends!
(It was about time)
Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
Even if you win, you lose because you had to go to Trenton.Mata Hari wrote:No that's not OK. I will sue you in a court of law in Trenton, New Jersey.
- jayScribble
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Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
Second level: Accurate representation of a large, light-moderated Twitch channel experience.
Have a 3DS friend code and PM me if you added me: 1289-8788-1766
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Re: VLDC9 - vigor lending determined cronies 9
Streamside is fantastic, it's a shame that it has a redundant exit.
The first level is just... really, really bad.
The first level is just... really, really bad.