I go back and forth with the 3D World theme... I love how Mario feels to control and the visuals are excellent, but the options are nowhere near where the other modes are. I'm trying to work my levels within the limitations of 3D World partly because I like the look and feel, but I also feel like I may be able to grow better within the more strict limitations of what this mode allows me to do.
The Bouncin' Mushroom level actually was fun, although the theming was a little weird maybe? Lots of Builder Mario powerups in a level about bouncing on stuff. I feel like the builder powerup wasn't really used to its full potential there. But the bouncing felt good.
I originally intended the builder powerup to be more effectively used ala the implementation of grey bricks and such, but it didn't work for me concerning the bouncing mechanics. I wound up using them because I didn't want it to be too easy to kill the Piranhas or to climb walls, as the fire flower and cat suit would get in the way of that goal.
Goomba Oasis: Now I liked this one. But why the creepy description? This just felt like a normal level but the setup made it feel like it was going to be something...eerie. lol
The level is best played with Toad: the idea is you've been kidnapped by Bowser, but you don't want to wait to be rescued by Mario, and you escape by your own means. The level is very accessible and humorous, focusing on indirect death for Bowser's minions. It can be played by children playing slowly and methodically, but the level design is also very compatible with a speedrun approach. For people who may have played an earlier version: there are now 1-UP rewards, and mostly, the level has been changed to be even more speedrun-friendly.
I want to know how CaptainMatilder finished this in 24 seconds.
I need to know. ^^
I looked at the level's map and notice there is a whole section on the right after a pipe, but I couldn't find the entry to the sublevel.
Nice level though... but I'm kinda pissed. :)
This is sort of a sequel to Super Recto/Verso Land, with the same gimmick: the level has actually two sides - taking a door takes you behind the side you're currently in and swaps the view. Therefore, every area without solid blocks or backdrops are strictly symmetrical, while the others have differences you have to use to progress.
Obviously, this gimmick is ideal for haunted mansions: at the beginning of the level, you get trapped into a mansion, and have to explore its every corners to find all key coins and escape. To balance the recto/verso gimmick which is already complex in itself, everything else is quite straightforward to stays accessible and fun, the level being mostly a simple and atmospheric exploration/platforming stage. You can explore the mansion freely (it works like a hub), there is no specific order for collecting the coins. There is (nearly) no powerup, but only five coins to collect, and a save point keeps your key coin progression - keep the coin that is the closest to the exit door for last, so you don't get killed with the key and have to redo everything.
I spent a lot of time on architecture, visuals, variety, challenge balance and flow, I hope you'll enjoy it. Fun fact: this is actually inspired by Jet Set Willy on 8-bit computers (I'm old).
The previous level in the "series":
The two levels are quite different apart from using the same gimmick, and I like it like that. I don't think I'll do a third one (it's complicated to make, and I don't think it'd be possible to make something different a third time).
Also, one of the reasons why this level took so long to make is the fact I reconcepted it midway through. Originally...
...it was about a serial killer stalking the tenants of the apartment complex.
At first, it seemed like the killer was the goombrat following you from the beginning, but early on you'd get to a plot twist: Mario is the killer, and the goombrat was only trying to stop him.
It was pretty interesting, but also quite inappropriate.
Beautiful and atmospheric level. It's impressive how Mario levels become sort of bleak when they happen without music. The level is maybe a bit slow, but I liked it.
I've built levels where you had the exact same things in the two subworlds and... without copy/paste it SUCKS.
So here the difficulty was even higher since they were not totally identical, congrats!
How did you do it? Did you draw the worlds? Do it section by section?
Myself, I did my Recto/Verso levels (left and right is mirrored) using screen captures, to avoid going back and forth to check if everything is identical.
At first I thought it'd be the sort of level I don't really like, but in fact, it's simpler and more fun than it looks (at least, for me), it plays a bit like Bit. Trip Runner which I love.
A little "flaw": we can't see the blue skull platforms, just something blue under the lava, and we don't really know how to handle it, it cost me a few lives.
I played it twice, once while going fast and once while going slowly checking for secrets, and I had great fun both times. The only "flaw" I saw: the underground/bonus area is a bit slow and claustrophobic/punishing, and doesn't feel like a reward.
It's well made, but the level is a bit too slow and complicated for its own good. I got stuck at the puzzle with the clown car, lost because of the time, and quit.
In that sort of slow puzzle level, I believe there shouldn't be too many hazards so you can come and go easily. Here, I got hit by the spikes I don't know how many time near the clown car (you don't notice them and it's right at a part where you circulate a lot), and I find the Dry Bones incredibly annoying in the SMW style (them launching bones never bothered me in SMW, but in SMM they work a bit differently and they're a pain).
I really enjoyed it, except the boss part: first, giant Meowser's fireballs can screw you up in the previous screen, and then, relying on breaking blocks to win is a bit hazardous. The first time, I lost my cat powerup so I got screwed (there is no way to climb as normal Mario, unless I'm mistaken), and the second time, I killed the Magikoopa, thought I locked myself out of the exit, and retried again from the checkpoint (and won) - I didn't realize I could use Meowser's fireballs. It ends an otherwise great level on a sour note.
Also, there's only one checkpoint I believe: why not have a checkpoint between section 1 and section 2?
I liked your level, but it's the one I like the less among the ones you've done. I don't understand the use of the minimap since the level is arranged in such a way that you never hesitate between two options, everything is completely linear. Similarly, why outline the only question mark block in a room? It kills the mood and mystery a bit IMHO - in the 3D level, the map was vital to understand what was going on, but here, I enjoyed the level more after I stopped paying attention to it. Then again, everyone else seems to like the map, so...
Strangely, the boss is in reverse a bit obscure, and it can cost you one or two lives before you notice the Skewers above the roof despite the Bob-omb hint.
Between the laughing effects and the purposefully misleading door, it feels like a trolling level, and it's a shame because the mechanic is interesting. It could be really pleasant with not trolling and better flow.
I love traditional levels, and I loved yours: it's pretty, it's fun, it flows well, Piranha Plants are well handled...
Only thing: while trying to get the 30 coin, I ended up blocked in the water with no way to climb back, and I had to commit suicide. Is it possible to get that coin? Did I miss a way to climb back?
It's a maze with a bunch of small challenge rooms to earn red coins, with reusable checkpoints to save your progress along the way. It's also a little bit trolly on account of all the moles.
First attempt: right at the beginning, a hidden Thwomp kills me out of nowhere.
Second attempt: I think "maybe there is a hidden way Z-jumping above the Thwomp in the top screen" - right after it's too late to go back, I see that spikes were put there to kill me.
Third attempt: I died at a mole generator blocking the way, creating chaos.
I quit.
I was a bit scared reading the title, but the level is excellent, with a clever mechanic that's handled well, a good flow, a good and fair challenge, nice visuals... I loved it!
I used to find your levels sometimes a little too complex/smart for their own good (I like simple traditional Mario stuff), but this was excellent in every aspect: the puzzles, the challenge, the settings, how clear everything is - I had a great time from start to finish. And it must have been ridiculously complicated to make. Bravo.
I admit I liked A Moral Dilemma much more (I spared the Goomba, BTW) than Goomba's Revenge: in the first half, we can avoid everything just by hugging the right side of the screen, and in the second half, we can stay on the left, wait for the hazards to fall, and go afterwards - there is no real interaction or synchronisation. Also, we can just bump Mario's fist into the Clown Car repetitively so it poses no threat. The narrative/staging is also not as strong as in A Moral Dilemma.
This being said, it actually says a lot about how well A Moral Dilemma worked. I wouldn't be able to make that sort of level.
I thought this was excellent. The level has a strong visual identity, the theme is well exploited, the challenge is set perfectly, the checkpoints and powerups are well placed, the autoscroll was extremely well handled (acceleration spots included), the secondary objectives are well thought and integrated naturally into the level design. I had great fun! Bravo!
This is sort of a sequel to Super Recto/Verso Land, with the same gimmick: the level has actually two sides - taking a door takes you behind the side you're currently in and swaps the view. Therefore, every area without solid blocks or backdrops are strictly symmetrical, while the others have differences you have to use to progress.
Obviously, this gimmick is ideal for haunted mansions: at the beginning of the level, you get trapped into a mansion, and have to explore its every corners to find all key coins and escape. Apart from the recto/verso gimmick which is already complex in itself, everything is quite straightforward with no mind trick so everything stays balanced and accessible and fun, the level being mostly a simple and atmospheric exploration/platforming stage. There is (nearly) no powerup, but only five coins to collect, and a save point keeps your key coin progression - keep the coin that is the closest to the exit door for last, so you don't get killed with the key and have to redo everything.
I spent a lot of time on architecture, visuals, variety, challenge balance and flow, I hope you'll enjoy it. Fun fact: this is actually inspired by Jet Set Willy on 8-bit computers (I'm old).
The previous level in the "series":
The two levels are quite different apart from using the same gimmick, and I like it like that. I don't think I'll do a third one (it's complicated to make, and I don't think it'd be possible to make something different a third time).
--
As you probably saw, I played the new version and eventually opened the locked door :-) and noticed the detail you talked about!
About the original concept: holy cow, that's rough!
--
Now, a lot of feedback since I didn't post for a few pages (but took notes as I played levels):
Nice level with a good rhythm and secrets!
Since there aren't checkpoints, why didn't you add a "reach the goal with Yoshi" objective?
You got the code wrong, it's LCK-XGG-JLF.
Beautiful and atmospheric level. It's impressive how Mario levels become sort of bleak when they happen without music. The level is maybe a bit slow, but I liked it.
Myself, I did my Recto/Verso levels (left and right is mirrored) using screen captures, to avoid going back and forth to check if everything is identical.
At first I thought it'd be the sort of level I don't really like, but in fact, it's simpler and more fun than it looks (at least, for me), it plays a bit like Bit. Trip Runner which I love.
A little "flaw": we can't see the blue skull platforms, just something blue under the lava, and we don't really know how to handle it, it cost me a few lives.
Weird level indeed, it was interesting to play.
I played it twice, once while going fast and once while going slowly checking for secrets, and I had great fun both times. The only "flaw" I saw: the underground/bonus area is a bit slow and claustrophobic/punishing, and doesn't feel like a reward.
It's well made, but the level is a bit too slow and complicated for its own good. I got stuck at the puzzle with the clown car, lost because of the time, and quit.
In that sort of slow puzzle level, I believe there shouldn't be too many hazards so you can come and go easily. Here, I got hit by the spikes I don't know how many time near the clown car (you don't notice them and it's right at a part where you circulate a lot), and I find the Dry Bones incredibly annoying in the SMW style (them launching bones never bothered me in SMW, but in SMM they work a bit differently and they're a pain).
I really enjoyed it, except the boss part: first, giant Meowser's fireballs can screw you up in the previous screen, and then, relying on breaking blocks to win is a bit hazardous. The first time, I lost my cat powerup so I got screwed (there is no way to climb as normal Mario, unless I'm mistaken), and the second time, I killed the Magikoopa, thought I locked myself out of the exit, and retried again from the checkpoint (and won) - I didn't realize I could use Meowser's fireballs. It ends an otherwise great level on a sour note.
Also, there's only one checkpoint I believe: why not have a checkpoint between section 1 and section 2?
I liked your level, but it's the one I like the less among the ones you've done. I don't understand the use of the minimap since the level is arranged in such a way that you never hesitate between two options, everything is completely linear. Similarly, why outline the only question mark block in a room? It kills the mood and mystery a bit IMHO - in the 3D level, the map was vital to understand what was going on, but here, I enjoyed the level more after I stopped paying attention to it. Then again, everyone else seems to like the map, so...
Strangely, the boss is in reverse a bit obscure, and it can cost you one or two lives before you notice the Skewers above the roof despite the Bob-omb hint.
Between the laughing effects and the purposefully misleading door, it feels like a trolling level, and it's a shame because the mechanic is interesting. It could be really pleasant with not trolling and better flow.
I love traditional levels, and I loved yours: it's pretty, it's fun, it flows well, Piranha Plants are well handled...
Only thing: while trying to get the 30 coin, I ended up blocked in the water with no way to climb back, and I had to commit suicide. Is it possible to get that coin? Did I miss a way to climb back?
Oh, I see.
First attempt: right at the beginning, a hidden Thwomp kills me out of nowhere.
Second attempt: I think "maybe there is a hidden way Z-jumping above the Thwomp in the top screen" - right after it's too late to go back, I see that spikes were put there to kill me.
Third attempt: I died at a mole generator blocking the way, creating chaos.
I quit.
Felt like the craziest parts of New Super Mario Bros. 2 (which is severely underrated IMHO), I enjoyed it!
I was a bit scared reading the title, but the level is excellent, with a clever mechanic that's handled well, a good flow, a good and fair challenge, nice visuals... I loved it!
I used to find your levels sometimes a little too complex/smart for their own good (I like simple traditional Mario stuff), but this was excellent in every aspect: the puzzles, the challenge, the settings, how clear everything is - I had a great time from start to finish. And it must have been ridiculously complicated to make. Bravo.
I admit I liked A Moral Dilemma much more (I spared the Goomba, BTW) than Goomba's Revenge: in the first half, we can avoid everything just by hugging the right side of the screen, and in the second half, we can stay on the left, wait for the hazards to fall, and go afterwards - there is no real interaction or synchronisation. Also, we can just bump Mario's fist into the Clown Car repetitively so it poses no threat. The narrative/staging is also not as strong as in A Moral Dilemma.
This being said, it actually says a lot about how well A Moral Dilemma worked. I wouldn't be able to make that sort of level.
(I haven't played the updated version yet.)
I thought this was excellent. The level has a strong visual identity, the theme is well exploited, the challenge is set perfectly, the checkpoints and powerups are well placed, the autoscroll was extremely well handled (acceleration spots included), the secondary objectives are well thought and integrated naturally into the level design. I had great fun! Bravo!
Visually it's a bit chaotic/messy, but the gameplay is good and flows well, I had fun!
It's quite easy to jump up as normal Mario.
You can jump up from the entry ledge on to the first platform or you can wall kick from the far right wall on to the second platform. It's actually easier to jump than it is to climb as it's faster and more direct.
I was a bit scared reading the title, but the level is excellent, with a clever mechanic that's handled well, a good flow, a good and fair challenge, nice visuals... I loved it!
I find it weird because it seems the random algorithm has been ignoring it entirely, while my other levels get some random plays from time to time.
Should I stop worrying and Trust the Process?
I saw, and thanks for taking the time!
The small detail is meant as a secret ending stinger of sorts, only visible if you master the level (which you did).
So here's my next level. I'm getting much quicker at making them now that I know what I'm doing and am more familiar with the tools, etc. It's my first attempt at using custom autoscroll, but I tried to not make it too difficult and it's not very long. I tried to adhere to a three act structure of sorts, with the middle section being standard with no autoscroll.
Clobber Castle Gallery Description: Use Bowser's own traps to infiltrate and destroy his castle!
Please let me know what you guys think. It looks like I have quite a few courses on this and the previous page to get to; sorry I haven't been playing as much and commenting as I've been busy in Maker Mode!
Fun level, but the specific part in this screenshot here gave me a few headaches for the strict timings and the steep staircase near the cannon, which make maneuvering Mario a bit uncomfortable, and the custom autoscroll part leaning a bit towards trial and error.
I'm saying this because I had this feeling that a little more polish could make this level a lot more enjoyable to play.
I liked your level, but it's the one I like the less among the ones you've done. I don't understand the use of the minimap since the level is arranged in such a way that you never hesitate between two options, everything is completely linear. Similarly, why outline the only question mark block in a room? It kills the mood and mystery a bit IMHO - in the 3D level, the map was vital to understand what was going on, but here, I enjoyed the level more after I stopped paying attention to it. Then again, everyone else seems to like the map, so...
Strangely, the boss is in reverse a bit obscure, and it can cost you one or two lives before you notice the Skewers above the roof despite the Bob-omb hint.
Completely valid points. It's true, it's hard to get lost. The whole reason for the minimap is more or less to mimic some kind of HUD for the players and a Zelda reference. I didn't really wanted to make this course mysterious or puzzle-themed. I outlined the ?-blocks which have keys. I did that, because players who already have a mushroom might skip ?-blocks because they assume to be another (now useless) mushroom inside. That was the idea anyway. But yeah, it wasn't really neccessary.
I wish I had put arrows in the boss room pointing upwards and maybe change some others parts. Since the whole course has a vertical and horizontial scroll lock, player's don't assume something up there. The Bob-omb isn't even a hint. It's there to break the scroll lock of the course at a later point. If the bomb wasn't there, there hadn't been a way for the camera to scroll aboth, therefore impossible to see the skewers. It was the only way to keep the vertical scroll lock the whole course until the boss room.
Afterall, I am also not too happy with the course, but it produces likes/plays like any other of my courses (although certainly also some boos, since my maker score went down a little bit).
I want to know how CaptainMatilder finished this in 24 seconds.
I need to know. ^^
I looked at the level's map and notice there is a whole section on the right after a pipe, but I couldn't find the entry to the sublevel.
Nice level though... but I'm kinda pissed. :)
I thought this was excellent. The level has a strong visual identity, the theme is well exploited, the challenge is set perfectly, the checkpoints and powerups are well placed, the autoscroll was extremely well handled (acceleration spots included), the secondary objectives are well thought and integrated naturally into the level design. I had great fun! Bravo!
This made my morning, thanks so much for your kind words. I'll definitely give your levels a try either during my lunch break or when I get home from work later today!
Fun level, but the specific part in this screenshot here gave me a few headaches for the strict timings and the steep staircase near the cannon, which make maneuvering Mario a bit uncomfortable, and the custom autoscroll part leaning a bit towards trial and error.
I'm saying this because I had this feeling that a little more polish could make this level a lot more enjoyable to play.
Thanks for playing it and for the feedback! Can you elaborate on what "strict timings" you're referring to with this section? It wasn't meant to be a timing challenge so that was definitely not intended. And while I would have liked to have maybe dropped the staircase by one tile or so, I was at odds with giving that left area as much height as possible without granting access to Mario directly to the Switch block so that the player could jump and see the Switch block up there, but not reach it. I understand if it might have felt a little claustrophobic as a result though, which is unfortunate.
As for the autoscroll leaning towards trial and error, which section(s) in particular did you feel this was the case if you don't mind me asking?
I love traditional levels, and I loved yours: it's pretty, it's fun, it flows well, Piranha Plants are well handled...
Only thing: while trying to get the 30 coin, I ended up blocked in the water with no way to climb back, and I had to commit suicide. Is it possible to get that coin? Did I miss a way to climb back?
About the bolded part, I put invisible blocks near pipes and semi-solid bridges in case people accidentally fall to the water so you can jump back to the platform... I chose Forest because I didn't want to have pits, so water was a good solution. I'll think about better ways to avoid situations like yours in the future though. I wish I had some tester friend near lol.
Beautiful and atmospheric level. It's impressive how Mario levels become sort of bleak when they happen without music. The level is maybe a bit slow, but I liked it.
Sonic 1 Tribute ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ
QW2-PX4-L7G
Standard, Themed
Style: NSMBU
Clearance: 13%
Care factor: Super expert
Please disregard my previous draft. Above is the final final version of my lovingly created Sonic 1 Tribute level.
Thanks to those who inspired new ideas for the final boss battle in particular, as the previous mechanics were flawed.
I ended up using On/Off tracks to work as a lever, with a high number of little moles serving as a long, physical barrier that 'moves' when you hit the opposite switch.
This entices, rather than forces, the player to move around between the 2 switches.
Variations could be used for a variety of boss battle setups.
This is sort of a sequel to Super Recto/Verso Land, with the same gimmick: the level has actually two sides - taking a door takes you behind the side you're currently in and swaps the view. Therefore, every area without solid blocks or backdrops are strictly symmetrical, while the others have differences you have to use to progress.
Obviously, this gimmick is ideal for haunted mansions: at the beginning of the level, you get trapped into a mansion, and have to explore its every corners to find all key coins and escape. To balance the recto/verso gimmick which is already complex in itself, everything else is quite straightforward to stays accessible and fun, the level being mostly a simple and atmospheric exploration/platforming stage. You can explore the mansion freely (it works like a hub), there is no specific order for collecting the coins. There is (nearly) no powerup, but only five coins to collect, and a save point keeps your key coin progression - keep the coin that is the closest to the exit door for last, so you don't get killed with the key and have to redo everything.
I spent a lot of time on architecture, visuals, variety, challenge balance and flow, I hope you'll enjoy it. Fun fact: this is actually inspired by Jet Set Willy on 8-bit computers (I'm old).
The previous level in the "series":
The two levels are quite different apart from using the same gimmick, and I like it like that. I don't think I'll do a third one (it's complicated to make, and I don't think it'd be possible to make something different a third time).
I decided to play this one first since you implied that this was the first in your "series", and WOW what a cool and unique idea that I haven't seen done before. Not only did it not end up feeling "gimmicky", but you were somehow able to position every room/challenge in such a way that it made sense to the architecture AND the gameplay mechanics/puzzles presented to the player. I'm sure this took a ton of work to design and I am extremely impressed with the way you executed on your vision.
Luigi's Recto/Verso Mansion:
The way you managed to take the two sided stage concept and focus on exploration instead of puzzle solving felt extremely fresh and perfectly suited for the free form "hub" layout you created for the mansion. Coming straight off of Verso Land, I was very curious how your "gimmick" would translate into another level without feeling like more of the same, and you really outdid yourself here. The attention to detail is out of this world and the "save point" you implemented was perfectly placed and very clever. It's also probably the first and only time I have ever experienced the "flowers" effect and it feeling like it fit perfectly. I also really liked how you took advantage of small mario with a focus on narrow tunnels in certain areas. Amazing job and I'm definitely going to try your other levels when I get a chance.
I admit I liked A Moral Dilemma much more (I spared the Goomba, BTW) than Goomba's Revenge: in the first half, we can avoid everything just by hugging the right side of the screen, and in the second half, we can stay on the left, wait for the hazards to fall, and go afterwards - there is no real interaction or synchronisation. Also, we can just bump Mario's fist into the Clown Car repetitively so it poses no threat. The narrative/staging is also not as strong as in A Moral Dilemma.
This being said, it actually says a lot about how well A Moral Dilemma worked. I wouldn't be able to make that sort of level.
Thank you for that feedback, it's definitely very valid! It's pretty hard to time the goomba along the top, I'll admit, and I didn't do as good a job this time. That's my bad. I appreciate your input! Thanks!
This made my morning, thanks so much for your kind words. I'll definitely give your levels a try either during my lunch break or when I get home from work later today!
Thanks for playing it and for the feedback! Can you elaborate on what "strict timings" you're referring to with this section? It wasn't meant to be a timing challenge so that was definitely not intended. And while I would have liked to have maybe dropped the staircase by one tile or so, I was at odds with giving that left area as much height as possible without granting access to Mario directly to the Switch block so that the player could jump and see the Switch block up there, but not reach it. I understand if it might have felt a little claustrophobic as a result though, which is unfortunate.
As for the autoscroll leaning towards trial and error, which section(s) in particular did you feel this was the case if you don't mind me asking?
About the timing, maybe I was overthinking that part myself, and doing something different from the expected solution.
I meant jumping on a bomb, throwing it upwards near the ON/OFF switch and running in the middle area just as the bomb blew up, activating the blue blocks to shield you from the spiked pillars (all this while hoping they were in the correct position). This required near-perfect timing, but going by your answer I'm starting to think it probably wasn't necessary at all...
About the staircase, I understand perfectly what you mean. Tight spaces can be a nightmare sometimes.
About the autoscroll, I meant as a general feeling more than specific instances. It's difficult to balance quick threats because players unaware of their existence will just fall for them, while telegraphing them too much will make them just pointless. While playing that part, I didn't always feel I had enough time to react to the threats thrown at me.
It never became frustrating, I had fun and enjoyed this level a lot, and that's probably why I felt the need to nitpick a little. So I hope my previous post didn't sound negative, because it wasn't meant to.
About the timing, maybe I was overthinking that part myself, and doing something different from the expected solution.
I meant jumping on a bomb, throwing it upwards near the ON/OFF switch and running in the middle area just as the bomb blew up, activating the blue blocks to shield you from the spiked pillars (all this while hoping they were in the correct position). This required near-perfect timing, but going by your answer I'm starting to think it probably wasn't necessary at all...
So, yeah you definitely don't need to do that. xD You're meant to just toss the bomb up at the switch once initially to turn off the blue blocks, allowing the Skewers to destroy the gray blocks to open the path for you to jump down.
For sure! For the middle section with no autoscroll I wanted it to be completely vertical with each "challenge area" being one screen max in size, so with that limitation in mind it made for some unique challenges for me to deal with like this one.
About the autoscroll, I meant as a general feeling more than specific instances. It's difficult to balance quick threats because players unaware of their existence will just fall for them, while telegraphing them too much will make them just pointless. While playing that part, I didn't always feel I had enough time to react to the threats thrown at me. It never became frustrating, I had fun and enjoyed this level a lot, and that's probably why I felt the need to nitpick a little. So I hope my previous post didn't sound negative, because it wasn't meant to.
Thank you so much for clarifying, and yeah my biggest challenge with tackling autoscroll was trying to find a balance between creating obstacles for the player but not making them complete throwaway obstacles, all while not feeling unfair. It's a fine line! I appreciate the followup feedback and I didn't really think you sounded negative, just honest. :)
I need to play Framed by the way, I will as soon as I get a chance!
So, yeah you definitely don't need to do that. xD You're meant to just toss the bomb up at the switch once initially to turn off the blue blocks, allowing the Skewers to destroy the gray blocks to open the path for you to jump down.
For sure! For the middle section with no autoscroll I wanted it to be completely vertical with each "challenge area" being one screen max in size, so with that limitation in mind it made for some unique challenges for me to deal with like this one.
Thank you so much for clarifying, and yeah my biggest challenge with tackling autoscroll was trying to find a balance between creating obstacles for the player but not making them complete throwaway obstacles, all while not feeling unfair. It's a fine line! I appreciate the followup feedback and I didn't really think you sounded negative, just honest. :)
God dang I fell completely off the wagon, I'm climbing back on, haven't uploaded a level in nearly a month. So here's one I've had on the backburner for a while that I just finished up.
Three Memories of Colder Days
LCX-XGG-JLF
Description: Time travel three times to traverse a land ravaged by climate change.
I think the concept I was going for is a little too abstract to really pull off, but I thought I'd give it a shot. The idea is that you're in a world where all the ice has melted and in order to get through you have to travel back in time into these ice towers to get the three lost artifacts (powerups) to proceed. I dunno, I wanted to do something with the music.
So while the story might not necessarily have come through, the level was beautiful, atmospheric, and super fun to play. This one was awesome - fantastic, fantastic job.
I can't pass the 3000 maker points Milestone it's crazy, I've been stuck in the 2900's for weeks, seems like a "like" doesn't Grant you a lot of points when a "boo" just murders your score...
On the topic, I'm a little salty people boo my levels this much. I take a lot of time to make them, and I think it shows when you play them. I never boo a level the person has put time into. I only boo troll and low effort levels.
I find it weird because it seems the random algorithm has been ignoring it entirely, while my other levels get some random plays from time to time.
Should I stop worrying and Trust the Process?
Came home and found 169 random plays, which destroyed its like ratio (it was over 50% before, now it's under 20%) and halved its completion rate from around 12% to 6%, haha.
Came home and found 169 random plays, which destroyed its like ratio (it was over 50% before, now it's under 20%) and halved its completion rate from around 12% to 6%, haha.
This is what happened to my latest level too. Nothing nothing nothing and then boom, hits the popular page and the plays flood in. Like ratio and clear rate goes to shit but its worth it to see a bunch of people play your level. Within the span of 10 minutes my level saw 5x the plays and already more than doubled the initial likes.
I really enjoyed your level. I in game comment on the stuff I find awesome. The escape scene is one of the most memorable mario maker 2 moments for me yet.
This is what happened to my latest level too. Nothing nothing nothing and then boom, hits the popular page and the plays flood in. Like ratio and clear rate goes to shit but its worth it to see a bunch of people play your level. Within the span of 10 minutes my level saw 5x the plays and already more than doubled the initial likes.
I really enjoyed your level. I in game comment on the stuff I find awesome. The escape scene is one of the most memorable mario maker 2 moments for me yet.
I'm going to be streaming for the next hour or so, maybe longer. I'll start with recent levels from this thread, but if someone wants to drop a code feel free to stop by. https://www.twitch.tv/ragingbegal
Okay so I did get a little lost after the checkpoint, but only once. I liked this - the scale was really big. It was hard to track where I was, but it felt huge.
I get what I'm supposed to do, but holy crap is it annoying and finicky to manipulate that thing. I have to be honest and say that I just gave up because it just wasn't fun to deal with that thing.
This level took a lot more to make than I care to admit.
Framed! (J46-0NX-X0H)
Description: One day, apartment burglar Mario was in the wrong place at the wrong time.. Tags: Autoscroll, Themed
Features:
- The Police thinks you did it, so run for your life!
- A mixture of light puzzles and balls out action
- Two main locations, including an abandoned factory overrun by vegetation
- Second chapter in the Crime Trilogy, after The Quantum Heist
- Five pink coins and five large coins to find
- Will you manage to catch the true culprit?
I decided to play this one first since you implied that this was the first in your "series", and WOW what a cool and unique idea that I haven't seen done before. Not only did it not end up feeling "gimmicky", but you were somehow able to position every room/challenge in such a way that it made sense to the architecture AND the gameplay mechanics/puzzles presented to the player. I'm sure this took a ton of work to design and I am extremely impressed with the way you executed on your vision.
Luigi's Recto/Verso Mansion:
The way you managed to take the two sided stage concept and focus on exploration instead of puzzle solving felt extremely fresh and perfectly suited for the free form "hub" layout you created for the mansion. Coming straight off of Verso Land, I was very curious how your "gimmick" would translate into another level without feeling like more of the same, and you really outdid yourself here. The attention to detail is out of this world and the "save point" you implemented was perfectly placed and very clever. It's also probably the first and only time I have ever experienced the "flowers" effect and it feeling like it fit perfectly. I also really liked how you took advantage of small mario with a focus on narrow tunnels in certain areas. Amazing job and I'm definitely going to try your other levels when I get a chance.
Thanks for all the praise, I'm really glad you both had a good time!
Both levels were very hard to make: Super Recto/Verso Land was particularly hard because there was a specific chain of events to follow, and Luigi's Recto/Verso Mansion was hard because I wanted the visuals to be really immersive and more sophisticated than Super Recto/Verso Land, which is visually in line with classic Super Mario Bros. The backdrops, in particular, were difficult to manage so the different areas of the mansion each had their own style. And of course, everything had to flow naturally and feel intuitive and fun to explore.
I want to know how CaptainMatilder finished this in 24 seconds.
I need to know. ^^
I looked at the level's map and notice there is a whole section on the right after a pipe, but I couldn't find the entry to the sublevel.
Nice level though... but I'm kinda pissed. :)
Actually, that sort of time is rather easily obtainable: the level was mostly made for beginners, but you can run all through it, everything is synchronized like in Bit. Trip Runner, you just need to stop when you launch the shell toward the big Hammer Bros. You can actually jump directly from the starting platform to the top of the Goomba building, it's requires a bit of precision but it's not really hard, and then you run all the way and jump at the right moment. The tricky part is really jumping on the shell, making it go to the right, then go back.
The part on the right is a joke, I copied a simplified version of 1-4 to suggest the level takes place before Mario arrives to save Toad (you're supposed to play Toad saving himself). Someone noticed :-p ! I didn't want that nothing was there before Bowser, you can technically jump over the axe, then jump over Bowser and see what's there.
Does anyone have recommendations for courses that use the unlocked 3D World hammer tool well? It's kinda fun to bop Bullies, an idea I'm experimenting with and expanding with other mechanics, but otherwise it seems kinda tedious.
It's quite easy to jump up as normal Mario.
You can jump up from the entry ledge on to the first platform or you can wall kick from the far right wall on to the second platform. It's actually easier to jump than it is to climb as it's faster and more direct.
I actually just gave it another go: yes, you can go on the higher platforms in a normal state, but there's a giant Meowser in the room that jumps and breaths fireballs in ways that are hard to predict, the room floor collapses when you stand on it, and there is also a Magikoopa around. If you can't precisely move on the whole plane to avoid fireballs and attract projectiles toward the wall (in cat state), it can take a long time that doesn't feel fair or fun - I just tried to get Meowser to break the wall in a normal state, and I died after he jumped left and right several times without hitting the wall correctly (there was just a hole one block tall, not enough to escape).
This is a really hazardous way to end such a neat, clean and precise level IMHO (level to which I gave a like when I tested it regardless, because everything else was so good).
I actually did the whole visual design there (including the alternative skins), a lot of debugging, and a lot of coding and options. Then I had my differences with the team :-) !
I outlined the ?-blocks which have keys. I did that, because players who already have a mushroom might skip ?-blocks because they assume to be another (now useless) mushroom inside.
It's a fun level, but I agree with another poster, the Builder powerup seems misplaced IMHO (like the car section). You probably used it because its short range attack makes it more challenging to use than the Fire Flower, but you could replace dispensers with one-use powerups to balance things up.
I'm super excited to finally upload and share with you the project I've been working on for the last few weeks: an 8-level set of 'traditional' Super Mario World courses that are more about exploration and replayability than they are about the challenge of getting to the checkpoint flag. My goal was to make levels that would be relatively simple to complete, but would reward you with something extra if you poked at the edges. I eventually stuck on the idea of Achievements - each level has three achievements to complete: one for collecting the five big coins, one for following a clue to a hidden Star, and one being a routing challenge of sorts (either finding a hidden exit or completing within a certain time gate).
Here are the achievements:
This has been a very different sort of design challenge for me, and I'm actually quite pleased with most of the levels (developer's commentary: the Castle is my favorite and the Desert is my least favorite, but I like how they all turned out for the most part).
I actually played them all in a row, and I loved it from start to finish! It really felt like an extension of Super Mario World: the visuals, the pacing, the freedom of exploration/manipulation, the secondary objectives, the use of powerups (the feather is used very well), the general feeling of being in a fun playground where we can run around freely, every aspect of the original game was there. There is a part here or there I could nitpick about, but it's all extremely minor. Well done!
(I wish we could implement secondary objectives/"achievements")
I had played and commented the older version, and to me, the main issues are still there: you can mistake the rows of coins as just coins, pick them up and destroy the "bridge" the P-switch is supposed to build, and the pacing is too slow/irregular - the flow is interrupted to turn the switch on and off, but it doesn't bring all that much to the level.
I'm bad with springboards, so I was a bit scared, but I had a lot of fun! Good challenge with a good flow, nice visuals (very good use of the NSMBU theme), good secondary objectives (I even went into the N64 bonus room) - it was a very fun romp!
I like inertia games like Gravitar, Thrust on older computers, etc. and that's basically what water Mario levels are, so I liked your level: the pacing is good, the optional stuff is fun (getting the star feels really good), etc. - no flaws I could notice.
I did play several times trying to get to the secret area, and no luck: the entry point is at the start, right? How do we get up there? I looked everywhere for an invisible block?
I had played a previous version and I liked it, and I also liked that one. It's fun and very ingenious, but I still have the same problem: I find the visuals and level design too busy. It speaks maybe more about my personal preferences than about your level, but the skewers part in particular (the last boss, I believe) is very hard to decipher, I didn't understand the bomb thing even though I had just completed a similar one. It's nonetheless impressive work.
I'm not usually into speedruns, but your level seemed appropriate for it, and I had a lot of fun getting the WR then trying to improve my time :-) ! I'm sure someone will beat it eventually, but I had a great time during the process! Your clean, intuitive level design is perfect for it.
The level isn't very pleasant to move in, with a lot of narrow areas, ice blocks, a bonus area with three Lakitus launching bombs (located very close to the top of the screen, meaning we can't see Mario when we jump on them), and a boss which requires us to go to the other end of the area to pick up bombs...
The presentation illustrates perfectly the scene you wanted to show, but the busy visuals hide some hazards and cause a few "uh? what?" deaths. It's OK when the level is played on its own, but in the Endless Challenge, it may be more annoying (I don't think the level has any 1-UP, which may make the problem worse).
I get what I'm supposed to do, but holy crap is it annoying and finicky to manipulate that thing. I have to be honest and say that I just gave up because it just wasn't fun to deal with that thing.
I actually played them all in a row, and I loved it from start to finish! It really felt like an extension of Super Mario World: the visuals, the pacing, the freedom of exploration/manipulation, the secondary objectives, the use of powerups (the feather is used very well), the general feeling of being in a fun playground where we can run around freely, every aspect of the original game was there. There is a part here or there I could nitpick about, but it's all extremely minor. Well done!
(I wish we could implement secondary objectives/"achievements")
Thank you so much - first for taking the time to play them all and second for your kind words! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it - this was really a very difficult design challenge and it feels great to hear people are having fun with it. I honestly would love to hear your nitpicks. I have no doubt that there are aspects to each level I could improve, but I've done basically nothing with my gaming time but play and tweak these eight levels for the past few weeks and you kind of lose perspective in that process.
I'm totally with you on the alternate objectives. It would be so easy - just let us pick a clear condition and mark it Optional. Give the player a 1-up at the end if they get it or something. It would be perfect for those "collect the big coins" type of achievements, or for speedrun challenges. I think it would be really neat and open up a lot of design space for us. But alas...
The Process is dumb. I don't really disagree with you. That said the advantage is if you know how it works all you have to do is your part in creating something great and the rest will eventually take care of itself. You're levels have a really cool and unique spin on them not easily replicated. So I know you can make your stuff catch big. I can just play a level now and know if it has the potential to blow up. There is just a feeling about them. I'm still searching for that one cool inspirational idea that really blows up. I've had some moderate successes (3 levels have cracked 200 likes. 2 have cracked 100 and the other 2 are in the 30s) but I'm not creative or original enough to really hit that next level which is cool cause I enjoy what I make all the same.
I like inertia games like Gravitar, Thrust on older computers, etc. and that's basically what water Mario levels are, so I liked your level: the pacing is good, the optional stuff is fun (getting the star feels really good), etc. - no flaws I could notice.
I did play several times trying to get to the secret area, and no luck: the entry point is at the start, right? How do we get up there? I looked everywhere for an invisible block?
Thanks for the feedback--the secret area is actually accessed from the middle of the stage, right at the checkpoint/starman. In the big room with the starman there is a path blocked by two big spinies in the top left that you're supposed to use a starman to kill. It's just a small area to get another 1-Up and some small platforming over some spinies on land.
Usually it takes me about a week to make a level, but I had a quick turn around on this one:
Originally had it in SMB 1 style, which is why I was going with no horizontal scroll in it, but felt the visuals and theme fit SMB3 style better. I'm a little worried that it might get a bit too chaotic (with all the transformed enemies) compare to my runs since I know I go through it quicker than new people.
i thought it was a good, simple castle level. I had a nice laugh with your Reznor style piranha because I did the exact same thing on the castle level I have in this post.... except with more fireballs.
Short and concise, which is nice compared to what I was getting in endless tonight... I did have a bit of an issue with taking out the Wiggler with the flying bombs. Just the distance between the pipe and the wiggler, the ice, and the limited space to stomp the flying enemies made it an awkward area.
Really neat to play through. Some areas were a bit chaotic with the affects. The area where you had to jump through the multiple one way walls was the only one that really gave me a problem.
So I'm making my own "Super Mario World 3". The levels are tough, but not kaizo hard, and most are speedrun friendly if you familiarize yourself with the stage. I've used Lost Levels as inspiration, but always with an added twist. I hope you play them and enjoy them! I'll post more as I make them.
World 1
1-1 H00-SS7-VVG
1-2 HDQ-LF5-XQG
1-3- MNT-4BY-T4G
1-Castle TW3-02X-8LG
World 2
2-1 27P-KQ7-MPF
2-2 BCM-N6B-WJG
2-3 G5F-M87-8WF
2-Castle 6YK-8F9-WSG
World 3
3-1 BWH-N7T-1TF
3-2 GRJ-D8D-95G
3-3 B1G-SX0-JDF
My god I hate the default level with the car bouncing on the hop chops, it's so bad and I got levels based off of it twice within a half hour of vs today
I'll have some artwork to add to this post later, but I'm looking for some initial feedback before I finalize this course.
Mario Must Die
Updated Code: BTV-L5J-C5G
Description: To enter the underworld and rescue his dog, Mario must die one time.
The level has Mario venturing into the underworld. But no living soul may enter the land of the dead, so our hero is compelled to kill himself one time to proceed forward. However, he may encounter a bargain that will return his lost life and grant additional riches.
This is a story-based level so I encourage you to put comments on. The level itself is not very difficult, there are a few mildly challenging platforming bits but they are quick to get through. There is a bit of a moral dilemma at the end, so I'm interested to hear what players choose to do.
The Process is dumb. I don't really disagree with you. That said the advantage is if you know how it works all you have to do is your part in creating something great and the rest will eventually take care of itself. You're levels have a really cool and unique spin on them not easily replicated. So I know you can make your stuff catch big. I can just play a level now and know if it has the potential to blow up. There is just a feeling about them. I'm still searching for that one cool inspirational idea that really blows up. I've had some moderate successes (3 levels have cracked 200 likes. 2 have cracked 100 and the other 2 are in the 30s) but I'm not creative or original enough to really hit that next level which is cool cause I enjoy what I make all the same.
I think Maker Points and medals have upped people's competitive nature in this game personally. Your score meant nothing in SMM1 (well upload limit by they were goals so hitting them at your own pace was the driving factor) so you didnt need to be aggressive
SMM1 wasn't like this, and it feels like things have been getting worse lately (probably a byproduct of the sheer amount of levels out there).
The game has also just been out for 2 months and the user base is naturally declining. Also the in game search tools are way better than SMM1 so finding good stuff is much easier. The activity in this thread slowed down hard too for instance. So if you are not a top maker you really have to work the system to get the plays.
Being honest though, my popularity is relatively on par with my MM1 stuff. I havent had to do much more than in the game to get likes and plays. Just that they all come in a wave for this game vs spread out like that game.
Thank you for the really cool and unique spin btw, love your levels as well!
This thread has so many talented makers. No way I make stuff to my current level without the motivation, inspiration, support and even light hearted competition of this community.
