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VLDC9 - vanilla level design contest 9

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Re: VLDC9 - vehicular lawns dynamic creminis 9

Post by ft029 »

ha, ha -Nelson 2017
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Re: VLDC9 - vehicular lawns dynamic creminis 9

Post by Ryrir »

You probably remember imamelia because of this terrible smwc production level

Let's just say they seem to have improved a lot since then

(also holy cow that was six years ago huh)
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Re: VLDC9 - vehicular lawns dynamic creminis 9

Post by morsel/morceau »

imamelia also made the 'longest level in vanilla contest history'; here is part one of several.

The other day I was laughing at raocow in the Yellow Horror level because he thought the spikes might have been decorative. To-day I was eating crow because the spikes in (the first half) of cypher's level are indeed decorative, slowly moving up and down and presenting no obstacle at all (of course, raocow sedulously avoided them) -- it doesn't feel as though this is on purpose.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by FrozenQuills »

Jumping on the 'imamelia made a thing' train, imamelia also made Ruinswampplatformist in VLDC8 which was a good level.

Calamity Crossing has this weird oversight where the megaspikes in the first half don't have any collision, which I'm pretty sure is because cypher forgot to include layer 2 interaction. It definitely doesn't feel intentional, and the clouds were originally opaque as well. It still looks cool and plays pretty alright though.

Sky Fortress Koopa is designed well around its sprites. My only big issue with it is that the background in the first half is really distracting since it feels too much like the foreground. I think the second sublevel is the best part of the level due to the layer 2 platforms + superkoopa interactions.

Piranha Pipe Plant is not bad at all for where it is in the rankings. That one dragon coin is questionable but raocow explained nicely as to why it was designed that way.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Kles »

Whenever I play games on an emulator, I always drop a save state after I use the in-game save just in case. I'm a little paranoid about that kinda stuff, but it's a good insurance policy.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Koopster »

49th: CALAMITY CROSSING by cyphermur9t
Nimono
DESIGN: 23/30
CREATIVITY: 14/20
AESTHETICS: 10/10
TOTAL: 47/60
The background was really neat! I liked the layer 3 clouds moving everywhere, and the level was fun to play! However... The lines in the first section were VERY difficult to see against the dark background, and the moving spikes were nonsolid and nondangerous. Was this intentional?

ninja boy
DESIGN: 17/30
CREATIVITY: 12/20
AESTHETICS: 7/10
TOTAL: 36/60
Not a super creative level but it looked really well made and fun to play.

Eternity
DESIGN: 19/30
CREATIVITY: 15/20
AESTHETICS: 8/10
TOTAL: 42/60
There are only a few issues I can find with this. Firstly, the line guides are a bit hard to see in the first section, as the sky color is also fairly dark - recoloring them to white might have helped with that. Generally it didn't change much, but it made a few obstacles annoying to deal with. Some of the obscuring curtains are also awkwardly placed (specially the one early on with the Ninji, as the player can't see it unless it does a high jump). Other than that, the design is fairly well made - there are some really neat obstacles around, but I feel the Layer 2 in the first section could be used a bit more.

Koopster
DESIGN: 12/30
CREATIVITY: 11/20
AESTHETICS: 8/10
TOTAL: 31/60
Why do the spikes in the first half not work? This is the most unfortunate thing ever! D: Regardless of the spikes though, I thought this level had a really neato aesthetical setup, but as a level, it doesn't really do much! I feel many of the ideas you had are really "unfinished" like how in the first half you could have the player to need to time the platform correctly to dodge the megaspikes, or the sneaky enemies behind the canvas tiles. Both of these setups only happen once in the level. Instead the stage is mostly composed of rompy platform riding and enemy dodging action. It also gets out of placingly tricky at that spot where I have to dodge the grinder that comes back and then hop on the koopa.

48th: SKY FORTRESS KOOPA by imamelia
Nimono
DESIGN: 20/30
CREATIVITY: 16/20
AESTHETICS: 7/10
TOTAL: 43/60
Felt kinda like a Wily Fortress level from a Mega Man game! Although, at the end, I was left wanting just a little bit more...

ninja boy
DESIGN: 20/30
CREATIVITY: 19/20
AESTHETICS: 10/10
TOTAL: 49/60
I loved this level though I wish the first bit was a bit longer as it was the best looking of the two main sections.

Eternity
DESIGN: 14/30
CREATIVITY: 14/20
AESTHETICS: 5/10
TOTAL: 33/60
You should have just expanded the second section and used it for the whole level, because out of the three parts of the level that one's probably the best. The first part doesn't really do much and it feels just there, it works as an introduction maybe but it's still too long for that, and the last part is really small. Introducing new platform types and then ending the level there without using them more just doesn't feel right. The second part, however, is a lot better than the other ones design-wise. The only real issue I can point out ther is that some of the Super Koopas don't pose much of a threat.

Koopster
DESIGN: 14/30
CREATIVITY: 11/20
AESTHETICS: 7/10
TOTAL: 32/60
This level could've done more than it did! It doesn't have a primary focus and kind of randomly throws gimmicks at you. The second room was a bit better on that since it focuses on platforming (I super dig the propellers btw) but it's also the one that does interesting things the less. What I would reccomend is the usage of all the gimmicks you had in a more consistent, cohesive and progressive way, rather than they all being scattered in the first and third rooms of the level. I think it could've extended for a bit more, too, so you'd have more room to do more interesting things! Yeah, not a bad level, but it doesn't really feel like it goes anywhere. Though I can appreciate the "sky-ward" progression, at least.

87th: PIRANHA PIPE PLANT by MandL27
Nimono
DESIGN: 16/30
CREATIVITY: 11/20
AESTHETICS: 5/10
TOTAL: 32/60
Wasn't too much to this level, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Had fun playing it!

ninja boy
DESIGN: 12/30
CREATIVITY: 11/20
AESTHETICS: 5/10
TOTAL: 28/60
Something about this level is bugging me, it just feels unfinished, not only is the midway point lopsided but the level just kind of end plus the second half is a much lower quality than the first half.

Eternity
DESIGN: 14/30
CREATIVITY: 11/20
AESTHETICS: 5/10
TOTAL: 30/60
I think this one might be a bit too simple. It really could stick to a theme too, a lot of sprites are used but most of them are an one-time obstacle and aren't really developed during the level, pretty much breaking the level's progression.

OTHER:

Koopster
DESIGN: 11/30
CREATIVITY: 8/20
AESTHETICS: 7/10
TOTAL: 26/60
This level "happens". It sets its themes kind of vaguely and doesn't really go anywhere with them, making for a bland level that also ends really abruptly! Also, I think the placement of dragon coins 2 and 3 are rather annoying to find (a random pipe with a plant coming out and a walk-through pipe, respectively).


Docked a bunch from cypher's because of the non-functional megaspikes in the first half that I happened to notice. Also somehow I couldn't figure out a setup that you got through first try lol
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Lockirby2 »

Add me to the list of people that completely failed to realize that the megaspikes didn't work. >.>

The first two levels looked great and had decent platforming. They were fun to play.

The third level was pretty boring, but I think it was a step above most of the levels that ranked equally low. Hiding a Dragon Coin in a pipe in a level stuffed with pipes is always really annoying though.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by ztarwuff »

FrozenQuills wrote:Sky Fortress Koopa is designed well around its sprites. My only big issue with it is that the background in the first half is really distracting since it feels too much like the foreground.
Yes, this is my biggest gripe with that level. I had difficulties seeing Mario and the enemies. If I had been playing it, I would have essentially been playing that section of the level blind.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Koopster »

79th: RREHT ZEF by Losoall
PENALTY REASONING: -6 for using one day of the extension
Nimono
DESIGN: 8/30
CREATIVITY: 8/20
AESTHETICS: 7/10
TOTAL: 23/60
Egh... Not that fun at all. Getting hit just once in all this sprite-spam while over a pit means you can't win. There's very little room for error.

ninja boy
DESIGN: 21/30
CREATIVITY: 20/20
AESTHETICS: 10/10
TOTAL: 51/60
I really liked the aesthetics of this level though it is a tad on the harder side of things especially with Yoshi not wanting to eat and fly at the same time.

Eternity
DESIGN: 19/30
CREATIVITY: 15/20
AESTHETICS: 7/10
TOTAL: 41/60
Fairly nice level. It can get pretty chaotic at times, but it had some creative setups and Yoshi was generally used well throughout. I don't feel it benefited a lot from being a silhouette level, though, as a few things ended up not being very clear (for example, it's usually nice to see what kind of Koopa you're eating with Yoshi, as the color actually makes a difference).

Koopster
DESIGN: 13/30
CREATIVITY: 15/20
AESTHETICS: 9/10
TOTAL: 37/60
Boy this looks really fantastic. Too bad that controlling winged yoshi is so annoying, and I think the difficulty of this stage is not too well balanced with that. It also takes a while and a few lives to learn what you're supposed to do in certain areas. I was happy to find that you don't actually need yoshi to finish the level (which is great cause I never could get past that low ceiling spot before the first sumo bros), but you do need him for the dragon coins... though one method (which I never actually managed to do) is to get the third dragon coin and then abandon him and get the next two as normal Mario. The last dragon coin is actually the sixth. I don't know if that's an overlook, but either way, I'm more than glad for it. Still not sure if this warrants requiring dragon coins though :U


Few fun facts about this level:
Author is Losoall, who also went by Richard Nixon in 2015
Level spells Fez Three backwards... except it actually doesn't cause Loso made an oops lol
Another oops was adding six dragon coins for some reason. His clear intention was making dragons awful to get in reference to his previous contest entry. You can see that because you absolutely need to keep yoshi to get the final coin.
Ironically, raocow ended up really liking this one. Not even French swearings.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Mata Hari »

Silhouette graphics only feel good to me if the level author takes care to have every element be easily distinguishable and adjusts the level design to account for any potential confusion. If they don't it just feels incredibly cheap and lazy
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Ometeotl »

You know, Fez, that famous monochrome scrolling platformer
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by TaviTurnip »

Koopster wrote:Ironically, raocow ended up really liking this one. Not even French swearings.
Ironically? This is the sort of level raocow lives for and I used to say this all the time. He would have enjoyed the quick difficulty in much the same way even if it wasn't silhouetted at all.

As someone who isn't specially tickled by silhouette levels, I have every difficulty comprehending how this got as poor as 79th. This should have gotten flying colors and top 25% easy. The only thing that bugs me is the ceiling, and ceilings aren't inherently bad, but they are a big pile of trouble when you have to make a jump high up and you bonk them. If you put platforms high up, you really have to be mindful of this, and I find more often than not it's just purely inconvenient because movement space is tight. (Obviously I know that it's there to prevent you from free flying the whole thing, but it still looked bothersome.)

Really really really liked what this level offered. Really sad at its ranking.

EDIT: Unsurprisingly, I have no idea what anyone means about the background being distracting.

EDIT EDIT: I used a lot of obnoxiously big words for some reason, not sure why >_> Just that kind of morning today I guess.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by S.N.N. »

This level is a little bit problematic, but much better than his entry last year (which, if I recall, evoked very different feelings in raocow due to being highly precise and wildly unfair). I would have personally given the score around the same as Koopster and Eternity, but I can totally understand how it wouldn't appeal to everyone.

Also, as for the disappearing blue object on the map: you'll see once you enter the level associated with it.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Stink Terios »

This level is horrible and should be on worst world. First of all, the graphics obscure everything in such a busy level. There's enemy spam everywhere and monty moles ambush you in a way you can't see coming, then leave barely-identifyable holes behind so you fall to your death.

All that while Yoshi is incredibly obnoxious to control.

It's pure chaos and trial-and-error deaths are entirely on the level designer, not on the player. And most of the time you can't even figure out what you did wrong!

It's shit.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Divemissile »

man i wish mario was easier to distinguish in this level. several times i lost track of him and then suddenly he's dead. i wish it was like the DKCR sunset levels where you can identify dk by his red tie, could maybe do the same with mario's hat or maybe his eyes?

also this level gives me flashbacks to that vip level where you HAD to use the yoshi flight, oh god
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Re: VLDC9 - vespertine lyrebirds detecting chapeaus 9

Post by FrozenQuills »

Keep in mind guys that Rreht Zef got a -6 point penalty because it was a day late, so it would've gotten 54th place if it wasn't penalized.

I have mixed feelings about this level. I really like the silhouette gimmick mixing with the gameplay due to the pokey/mole hole interactions, but there was way too much going on at once in this level. There were some cramped spaces as well. However, using yoshi wings is also really creative, and I can understand people liking it since it's hectic and challenging.

Really feels like another unsafe level that will likely get the same reactions that Leiras' level got.
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Re: VLDC9 - vespertine lyrebirds detecting chapeaus 9

Post by Lockirby2 »

This level is pretty cool, but it has some flaws for sure. I know a lot of people probably want to call it out for enemy spam, but in cases like this I feel that there's a difference between "a lot of enemies" and "enemy spam". Most of the enemies were very well placed to create interesting obstacles when on top of Yoshi, and doable obstacles when not on him. It's neat how it's possible to traverse the level with or without Yoshi, as this means you can take a look at future obstacles even if he's lost and prepare for them ahead of time, reducing the amount of trial/error in the level.

I really don't like the use of Monty Moles in this level though. They spring up out of apparently nowhere, and it's difficult to see the difference between holes and actual bridge tiles. While I don't mind some of the trial/error in this level, considering that it's short and fast paced, this just feels unnecessary.

I'm also not entirely a fan of how much the level requires the player to abuse Yoshi physics. Overall, this level is really janky, but interesting.
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Re: VLDC9 - vespertine lyrebirds detecting chapeaus 9

Post by snoruntpyro »

I feel like the silhouette gimmick would have worked much better with a different sprite set, because this level uses the Pokey sprite set which is all about just ambushes and saturating the screen with projectiles. So, uuh, that doesn't really do any good for the level. :P
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Re: VLDC9 - vespertine lyrebirds detecting chapeaus 9

Post by Ometeotl »

Sillouette artstyle is so commonplace now that I struggle to call it a gimmick or interesting. Hell, it's barely worth commenting on.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Alice »

Mata Hari wrote:Silhouette graphics only feel good to me if the level author takes care to have every element be easily distinguishable and adjusts the level design to account for any potential confusion. If they don't it just feels incredibly cheap and lazy
A super busy and fairly difficult level with a rather fast autoscroll is most certainly not the place to use it though. Which is unfortunate because the aesthetic of the level was quite good but actively clashed with the gameplay.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Mata Hari »

Ometeotl wrote:Sillouette artstyle is so commonplace now that I struggle to call it a gimmick or interesting. Hell, it's barely worth commenting on.
Alice wrote:A super busy and fairly difficult level with a rather fast autoscroll is most certainly not the place to use it though. Which is unfortunate because the aesthetic of the level was quite good but actively clashed with the gameplay.
These sum up how I feel about its use in the level: it was implemented not because it was the best choice - because it clearly wasn't - but because it invariably makes people overexcited without requiring much in the way of actual aesthetic judgement.
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Re: VLDC9 - vaults lifted dominions crossed 9

Post by Nimono »

Mata Hari wrote:
Ometeotl wrote:Sillouette artstyle is so commonplace now that I struggle to call it a gimmick or interesting. Hell, it's barely worth commenting on.
Alice wrote:A super busy and fairly difficult level with a rather fast autoscroll is most certainly not the place to use it though. Which is unfortunate because the aesthetic of the level was quite good but actively clashed with the gameplay.
These sum up how I feel about its use in the level: it was implemented not because it was the best choice - because it clearly wasn't - but because it invariably makes people overexcited without requiring much in the way of actual aesthetic judgement.
Really? I genuinely thought it was done to make the level painful to play. Like, that's the kind of person Losoall feels like to me, the kind that is Atlus, "We get off on your tears". Not done to frustrate people, but just because that's the kind of thing he likes and that's the kind of people he wants to appeal to, those hardcore people who love an insane challenge like this.
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Re: VLDC9 - vespertine lyrebirds detecting chapeaus 9

Post by Ometeotl »

I mean, I can't speak for the level creator so that might be why he used it, I'm just saying that the artstyle choice is really easy to implement and gets an inordinate amount of ooo's and aaahs from the crowd for such a simple implementation.
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Re: VLDC9 - vespertine lyrebirds detecting chapeaus 9

Post by Zephyr_DragonLord »

And I'm late by a day, as well.

I actually really like the Mega Spikes in Calamity Crossing, as it moves with layer 2, which is a fresh change on the mega spikes. There are also not many levels that use Bowser's diamond veil... The level also looks good with the smoke coming out of the pipes, and the clouds in the background. Good job with this.

Sky Fortress Koopa is another good looking level, this time with more action behind it. This does feel like a Mega Man level, and the music only serves to push that forward. That jump after the midpoint is a bit strange, but it's fine, as it's just after a save... All the level plays nicely, with each section having its own distinct feel. The space section that ends the level feels especially good.


Piranha Pipe Plant is kind of... there compared to its neighbors. Which doesn't mean it was particularly bad, just not terribly memorable. (raocow's bit about koopas and coins was great) It would be a better level if Piranha Plants were put thoughtfully outside the pipes, as well. That third Dragon coin was pretty clever, though. The others are not much to write home about, really... It plays fine, but nothing sticks out. I appreciate this level being in the contest, overall.

Now then.... today's level. Rrhet Zef. (Fez Three backwards and mispelled) It sure is a unique thing, and is indeed incredibly unsafe. Unfortunately for the creator... I don't like it. The beginning looks pretty nice, and is a good intro indeed, but the level proper is enemy spam central. It also being a Yoshi flying stage is very interesting, but there is a significant chance to lose Yoshi, which lowers your chances of completing the stage greatly. It is thankfully still possible to clear without Yoshi.

My main beef with this level is simply... enemy placement. It's just not too great to pile on the enemies without a clear way to avoid them. I like silhouettes, but most of those levels also have something else happening to make them play/look real good. I hope you can learn from this, and make a real good level next time. This has potential, but needs to be balanced for the player's needs...
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Re: VLDC9 - vespertine lyrebirds detecting chapeaus 9

Post by zagesaw »

I have mixed feelings about Fez Three. Obvious problem is the abuse of sprites everywhere making it hard to tell what is going on, and yoshi flying is annoying to control. I appreciate how short the level is though and the aesthetics actually kind of work. The short length of the level kind of balances the ludicrous difficulty of it. I still didn't find the level that fun to play personally, but I respect it far more than his entry from last year.

It's a huge improvement over Fez II from VLDC8 which I found was unplayable garbage tbh.
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