The Sands of Time ToB 8 CC level(Rank:46)[Re-Review]

[dragonfan96]

I think as303298 a.k.a Wraith Adamknight has Shown the Flaws from the old level..

Spoiler: show

Well its been fixed and I'd like this level to be re-reviewed again.

It Still has the same Gimmick of switching players(Mario and Link) but IS Actually Do-able now.

Screenshots of the Improved Level:

Spoiler: show

And heres the Download Link to Play the level

DOWNLOAD NOW

[Imaynotbehere4long]

You didn't fix the sand pits! You also didn't fix the "get stuck with keys" part! Come on!

Anyway, my review:

First of all, there are four locks in the level, but only three keys. This means that the only way to beat the level is to a) commit suicide after reaching the checkpoint or b) cheat (or c: get lucky and don't use the second key on the locked door in Section 5 because that locked door is pointless unless the player dies after getting the checkpoint). Plus, like I wrote earlier, if the player uses the first key on the keywall instead of the locked door, he/she gets stuck and has to commit suicide. The sign doesn't even do a good job of warning the player about this, assuming that's what the sign is for at all. If you can't make an interconnected level without the possibility of the player (breaking/getting permanently stuck in) said level, just make a straightforward level instead.

Also, the whole gimmick of switching between Mario and Link was superficial at best. The only place where the player has/gets to play as Link is a 10-20 second area in Section 2 that isn't even really built around Link; the player blocks and player-switch blocks could be replaced with ordinary switch blocks for basically the same effect (or removed entirely to prevent unnecessary, tedious backtracking). While the player is forced to backtrack through this area multiple times during the level, it's still only a small part of the level.

By the way, you should never force the player to go through quicksand because, going down, it forces the player to wait (and waiting = boring = not fun), and going up, it forces the player to repeatedly mash the jump button, which is tedious (also not fun). The least you could do is not wall-off the quicksand so that the player is able to hug the side and make full-jumps out of it, then turn back into it to land, but I recommend removing the quicksand entirely from those areas.

Now, screenshots:

Spoiler: show

This is a run-on sentence fragment (also, what are you calling a "mirage"? I didn't see anything like that in the level):

You STILL haven't sprite-swapped the Goomba's effect sprite:

It's a bad idea to have Thwomps at the top of where the player has to go up since the player won't be able to react to them before getting hit, especially since these Thwomps blend in with their surroundings.

Speaking of the Thwomps, you didn't sprite-swap THEIR effect, either:

Also, while you fixed the Dry Bones' main effect sprite, their mask sprite is still incorrect:

This section is kinda neat, but on top of these bombs being unnecessary, the player can stand on the "Buried" sprites.

Aside from the three keys vs. four locks, this is the most annoying part of the level. Not only do you force the player to backtrack to the Mario block earlier (meaning waiting through all of that sand again) in order to progress...

But that wall is made absolutely pointless by another wall and player-change block immediately afterward! Remove the wall in the previous screenshot.
Also, this section can still be broken by collecting the four coins on the left before hitting the P-Switch.

Also, the secret star is unintuitive because there's no indication as to the location of the vine block.

One more thing: the "Message box 01" event makes a sound effect even though message blocks already make a sound effect, meaning two message sound effects play for just one message.

Summary:
GOOD:
-Graphics aren't terrible.
-Music fits the level well.
-Switching between Mario and Link is a neat concept.

BAD:
--THREE KEYS BUT FOUR LOCKS.
--MANDATORY QUICKSAND.
-Link is underused.
-Missing effect sprites.
-Thwomps in upward-moving areas.
-Unnecessary backtracking.
-Unintuitive secret star.

In conclusion:
It's weird: all of your levels seem to have potential, but also have some pretty big game-breaking problems. Assuming you actually fully test your levels (which I doubt), I can't figure out why this is the case. I'd say this deserves a 5/10.

By the way, did I mention that being forced to jump through quicksand is really annoying?



Also, what do these sands have to do with time (unless it's referring to the fact that the slow-moving sand will eat up your time)?

[dragonfan96]

First of all, there are four locks in the level, but only three keys. This means that the only way to beat the level is to a) commit suicide after reaching the checkpoint or b) cheat (or c: get lucky and don't use the second key on the locked door in Section 5 because that locked door is pointless unless the player dies after getting the checkpoint). Plus, like I wrote earlier, if the player uses the first key on the keywall instead of the locked door, he/she gets stuck and has to commit suicide. The sign doesn't even do a good job of warning the player about this, assuming that's what the sign is for at all. If you can't make an interconnected level without the possibility of the player (breaking/getting permanently stuck in) said level, just make a straightforward level instead.

one of the four locks is a false path to trick the player,

By the way, you should never force the player to go through quicksand because, going down, it forces the player to wait (and waiting = boring = not fun), and going up, it forces the player to repeatedly mash the jump button, which is tedious (also not fun). The least you could do is not wall-off the quicksand so that the player is able to hug the side and make full-jumps out of it, then turn back into it to land, but I recommend removing the quicksand entirely from those areas.

I tried use the least amount of "Actual" Quicksand aka the Mirage as possible

In conclusion:
It's weird: all of your levels seem to have potential, but also have some pretty big game-breaking problems. Assuming you actually fully test your levels (which I doubt), I can't figure out why this is the case. I'd say this deserves a 5/10.

By the way, did I mention that being forced to jump through quicksand is really annoying?



Also, what do these sands have to do with time (unless it's referring to the fact that the slow-moving sand will eat up your time)?

Im getting Better at these Levels I've tested it over and over and over to make sure

I named it Sands of Time Because the gimmick i tried to use was the Stopwatch and P-switch as Time slow'ed or paused to progressing.

[Imaynotbehere4long]

one of the four locks is a false path to trick the player,

That's still bad level design. This isn't the optional ice-arrow prison from Ocarina of Time; it's a stand-alone SMBX level.

I tried use the least amount of "Actual" Quicksand aka the Mirage as possible

1) ...the "actual" quicksand is the mirage? (that's what your wording implies)
2) It's still a bad idea to force the player to go through quicksand for the reasons I stated before. Besides, you never have to use quicksand to give the player a way to move vertically: there's water, climbable fences, sizables and other jump-through-able blocks, etc.

I named it Sands of Time Because the gimmick i tried to use was the Stopwatch and P-switch as Time slow'ed or paused to progressing.

Oh, I guess that makes sense. What confused me was that both of those were only used once, and in short sections.

[dragonfan96]

Is it Possible that i re-re-do this and have it Re-RE-Review'd? or is that asking to much?

I think i might Scrap this levels MAIN gimmick of Forced Player switch(which i kinda wanted to do that to try NOT using the SMW Switch blocks)

and Come up with a NEW "Sands of Time" based level... still Desert-level with Link but More puzzles and less Frustration...

[Imaynotbehere4long]

Is it Possible that i re-re-do this and have it Re-RE-Review'd? or is that asking to much?

I always assumed you could keep going until you run out of Level Judges (since each re-review has to be done by "another judge."). Just make sure you follow the directions in the "Re-reviewing" topic.

I think i might Scrap this levels MAIN gimmick of Forced Player switch

Or you could always try to expand the Link section. Like I wrote earlier, it's a neat concept, but you didn't really do anything with it.

Also, I have another suggestion: if you do decide to update the level and expand the Link section, I recommend removing all of the locked doors and making the key-walls the only locks in the level. That way, the level functions as more of a split path where you have to go down each path, get the key, then return and use the key on a key-wall to progress. After that, you could have the checkpoint and a puzzle that better implements the need to switch between Mario and Link (example: Link would need to down-thrust across spikes to hit a switch that reveals saw-blades that Mario has to spin-jump across).