So I've just started fooling around with that there Lunar Magic thing and I made a short one level hack. I'm well aware that it's nothing at all special, but I thought that before I try anything serious I should get a general idea if I have the potential to make good things in the first place. So if you want to play it and give me some feedback that would be simply funkatronic and if not that's fine too.
Here's a screenshot (it's a very short, simple level so more shouldn't be needed):
Also I've noticed this level is kinda Chuck heavy. Lemme know if that's a serious problem. I know I've had some issues with spamming patras throughout my stuff in Zelda Classic so it wouldn't be the first time I've made a horrible balancing mistake.
First of all, I notice you manage to change the palette without messing up this particular background.
Also you've managed to to avoid having any major cutoff(I still have problems with that).
Things that require improvement:
You should try to get used to constructing a level after an "Alt+Del"
You don't seem to have any major new ideas.
There was a random flying block with a coin that didn't seem to fit with the level.
You used the wrong yellow switch block. It remains dashed after the switch palace is activated.
Very promising start. I see well polished hacks from you in the future.
I had fun, though the yellow switch blocks (as stated already) and the cutoff at the end of the level should be fixed. I know you're still new to this but there are ledge tiles under "Standard objects" that you can use to remove that cutoff. I'd also put that small patch of grass you can go behind, somewhere else in the level. You could then put a hidden mushroom there that pops out when mario walks behind it. Otherwise it seems odd having some you can and can't walk behind. These are minor things, other then that I do see potential as well. But you must get more experience and remember to create things you would enjoy, and not so much what everyone else enjoys. Though that can also be a plus. It's hard to get discouraged when you enjoy your own work. :)
Hey that was pretty nice, especially for someone's first foray into Lunar Magic! It's nice to see you used a custom palette, which was my first real impression as seen from the screenshot. Somehow I figured the level design would also be pretty good judging from that screen alone (clever placement of lava lotuses and varied level architecture) and I wasn't disappointed!
In addition to some of the things that those above have stated already, I noticed that you have a Sumo Bro dumping lightning into a pit, which looks pretty cool. However, and I'm not sure if you knew this already, but Sumo lightning itself doesn't actually hurt Mario, making that jump more like a pseudo obstacle! It still looks pretty neat as a decorative pit though, which may have been the intention?
I like how you aren't afraid to give the player a cape and even reward flight by offering a dragon coin and a cache of regular coins. I did manage to acquire all the dragon coins, but I only had one second to spare when I reached the goal after doing so! I was trying to do a lot of exploring, so it's probably my own fault, but maybe consider raising the time limit by 50 or so.
Also that there cutoff at the goal is pretty glaring! Should be a simple fix.
So uh, now that you've shown us what you can do, I think you should definitely continue making levels and I look forward to the things you'll come up with in the future!
What exactly is the difference between using Alt+Del and just deleting everything in a level? Anything that's similar to the original level is either me being lazy (didn't feel like copying in another level's background just to show that I could) or pure coincidence.
New ideas tend to be my weakness, especially when I have engine restrictions to deal with. Hopefully I'll eventually learn ASM.
That flying coin block was just something I added in because I realized that there wasn't much on that platform and I didn't want to put more enemies or a powerup.
Those switch blocks were just an example of "LOL, didn't test." I expected them to be a lot simpler than they actually turned out to be so I didn't bother doing the Yellow Switch Palace and coming back.
The cutoff at the end of the level was a result of me not understanding how Lunar Magic works. I had saved it with 10 screens in the header but because the large bush tile went over the screen border it kept reverting to 11. I never noticed it because I suck at flying.
The foreground bushes were something I was uncertain about myself. I don't actually know how to do foreground stuff yet or if it's possible so I just left them in.
The sumo bro dumping lightning into the pit was something I didn't actually think much about. Since they're a late game enemy I can't say I'm as familiar with them as the rest of Mario World. Originally that pit had note blocks at the bottom and strategically placed coin blocks above it. It was a funny death trap, but not at all fair or consistent with the difficulty of the rest of the level. I just never thought to actually make sure the lightning dealt damage.
I didn't actually consider the time limit and I have to agree that another 50 seconds would be nice. Especially since I hid a couple of dragon coins out of the player's view during a typical run through of the level.
