Super Mario Bros. X Forums

I've seen a lot of standalone levels in which people reward the player with 1-Ups or more extra lives, such as a 3-Up, for finding hidden locations. I do get it if it's meant to be in an episode, but I don't get why they do it in levels that aren't meant to be in episodes?

What is the point of placing extra lives in standalone levels if you start out with 3 lives every time you play it in the editor, regardless of how many lives you gained in a past playthrough? It doesn't seem to serve any purpose at all. What are your thoughts on this?

Because you get more points on reviews.

People like to do it because of efforts.

If so, usually they create the levels that you get infinte lives , but mostly not in episodes.

Yeah, I've never understood it myself really, I mean a collectible like Dragon Coins I can understand, because it adds that extra opportunity to explore a level and get the Coin as a bonus because they stack up to build for a reward, but a 1-Up on its own seems rather pointless. Yes you gain one for getting the Dragon Coins, but you're aren't just grabbing a free 1-Up in a single level. Honestly, you get more points in a review for well placed Dragon Coins or something similar then a pointless 1-Up. In this sort of scenario, the whole 1-Up seems like a lazy alternative to a collectibles hunt, by where you have to do something that would warrant the whole 1-Up reward at the end of your search. If the level was for an episode then yes I could understand, however in this case, if it were me playing the level, I'd much rather go hunting for collectibles in a whole manner of nooks and crannies than just finding one 1-Up in a slightly hidden cave or something.

Think:
-No 1-ups in the level;
-No dragon coins;
-Bonus sections are now a bit pointless;
-The level isn't linear, but it is entirely explorable;
-No secret exits.

Now, what is a good reward for the player when he discover a secret place other than an object that you need to go through?
Almost nothing.

Last thing I'd like to say is that, as Squishy Rex said, a 1-up is more pointless than a dragon coin.

1-ups are pointless in episodes if the levels have no checkpoints in them.

Christian07 wrote:Think:
-No 1-ups in the level;
-No dragon coins;
-Bonus sections are now a bit pointless;
-The level isn't linear, but it is entirely explorable;
-No secret exits.

Now, what is a good reward for the player when he discover a secret place other than an object that you need to go through?
Almost nothing.

Last thing I'd like to say is that, as Squishy Rex said, a 1-up is more pointless than a dragon coin.

A hammer or Tanooki suit

It's fun to collect them. That's all.

I fail to see why a level should have less secrets because it's not in an episode. A 1-Up is just a sign you found a secret, most of the times at least. Just because the level editor gives you infinite lifes, it doesn't mean secrets are completely unnecessary now. You could leave coins out, too, but you don't do it, and nobody questions that.

We have too much pride in our work to not do it.

This is like saying "Standalone levels shouldn't have difficulty because they're not in an episode and difficulty doesn't matter in the editor"

KoolKat wrote:This is like saying "Standalone levels shouldn't have difficulty because they're not in an episode and difficulty doesn't matter in the editor"

No it's not
Difficulty is a completely other thing and doesnt matter whether its standalone or not.
But 1-ups do because in an actual episode, 1-ups are needed in order to give the player more convenience. In the editor it serves as aesthetics and a way to imitate an actual episode. 1-ups in levels arnt necessary but it depends whether the designer wants it in or not.

I was actually joking, but whatever.

The reason people add extra lives to standalone levels is to give the player something to do besides mindlessly plow through the level.

KoolKat wrote:I was actually joking, but whatever.

The reason people add extra lives to standalone levels is to give the player something to do besides mindlessly plow through the level.

Well it wasn't really that funny :/ just sayin..

And yes that's true aswell.

Even if extra lives are useless for level editor levels, they're still fine to add, because it's fun to find collectables like 3-up moons, 1-ups, stars, key+holes, etc.

So my recommendation is: Add them in your levels for fun. It won't hurt anybody.

Darkonius Mavakar wrote:1-ups are pointless in episodes if the levels have no checkpoints in them.

No, it would be:

1-ups aren't pointless in episodes if the levels have no checkpoints in them.

Because, you would need more 1-ups, because you'll keep start at the start.

I only add them in episodes. For me there's no point of adding them in levels since you keep staring with 3 lives no matter what.

Blck_Guy wrote:

Darkonius Mavakar wrote:1-ups are pointless in episodes if the levels have no checkpoints in them.

No, it would be:

1-ups aren't pointless in episodes if the levels have no checkpoints in them.

Because, you would need more 1-ups, because you'll keep start at the start.

yeah but the only thing the game over does is reset the checkpoint.
It doesn't affect the progress.
...exeps if you use cheats...

Tecnically if you Game Over on a SMBX Episode, it jumps you out of the Game and brings you to the Title Screen of SMBX. Not only that, it saves your progress during the Game too on a Game Over including collectable Stars even with "Restart Last Level on Death" enabled but if it has to do with chained Levels (multiple Levels connected each other like Dr. Wily's Castle in the Megaman Games) and after you reached the Midway Point (any Levels that has one), you will have to restart at the beginning of the Level and by chained Levels at the first Level that begins the chain reaction.

About Extra Lives in a regular Level that doesn't really affect on regular SMBX Episodes, they do have an necessarity because of finding Secrets and similarities but you are right about 3 Lives as default. Still, they are a necessarity, no matter what. If you are playing as 2 player, you will lose lives even more if one dies and wants to come back to play. I play a SMBX Episode with my Friend and yes, we do lose lives than like on a single player run which is an obvious thing anyway.