Super Mario Bros. X Forums

Hi,

I wanted to get into SMBX and this is the first real level I made aside from pure test levels. I didn't use many custom graphics yet, for this level I just wanted to learn to get the balancing for the level right.
I wanted to focus on finding the right balancing between having a nice small gimmick that affects gameplay a little bit, but still has some normal passages. This level is mainly about using Rosalinas' (Link) abilities correctly. In the first half of the level it mainly isn't neccessary to use them but it can be helpful, in the second half they are required. There are also thorn bushes that will hurt you, but can be destroyed with a normal attack. You have to work yourself through them but still be vary of the sniffits projectiles. Since it is a Rosalina only level it will may be a secret/bonus level in the end.
I hope the level - especially the last part - will feel intuitive, because that is what I have trouble judging as the designer. I designed it and know what to do, but I am not sure whether other people will react correctly fast enough.

screenshots: download: Only custom graphics from others I used is the grass tileset from airship.

The Ancient Forest by Fennor - Review

My reaction - the level wasn't great or bad. Let's start this on...

In the first half, you must to play as Rosalina(Link) to beat the whole level. You know, that's okay, but here comes other part - the emenies. There's many Snifits and munchers in this half, and some few koopas, so it lacks NPC variety. Well the problem of them is - it makes the level difficult unfair, mostly you have to avoid muchers because you can't kill them, and sometimes, when you bounce on them, you can easily get hit from the Snifits.

After clearing first half, we're moving on to the next one. In the screen where the checkpoint is, you should add playable Rosalina (Link) character block, because after taking a midpoint and after a death, you start as other character and can't destroy thorn bushes, as they're hurtable. Anyway, you have to destroy bushes by a star sword (or something called). It seems fine, but later, it can be pretty annoying. Other parts, such as with moving platforms, which you have to destroy the bushes AND avoid the snifit attacks is very difficult. Whelp, it has some good graphics and good music fit, but making this unfair is not good thing, so it deserves an average score.


Good:
+ Graphics are good.
+ Music fit.

Bad:
-- Unfair difficulty.
-- Not possible to beat second half in second or more tries without a playable character block.
- NPC variety.

4/10

Thanks for the feedback.

-Not possible to beat second half in second or more tries without a playable character block.

I must have missed that because I tested it with having Rosalina in the test settings, since I would have to play as her either way. I planed to have the whole level being accessable only by Rosalina in the full game, so that I wouldn't even need the first player block, I just placed it there for the testing. Newbie mistake I guess.

There's many Snifits and munchers in this half, and some few koopas, so it lacks NPC variety. Well the problem of them is - it makes the level difficult unfair, mostly you have to avoid muchers because you can't kill them, and sometimes, when you bounce on them, you can easily get hit from the Snifits.

So, how many different enemies would feel right for such a level? I wanted to have just enough enemies to ensure that it allows diverse gameplay. I tried to make the enemy placement in a way that you need to do different things. The beginning of the level is pretty basic, it just intruduces all the enemies and can be done with normal strategies, you don't even need to use your shield. Then there is the toad who tells you that the rest of the level could be difficult without using your weapon and shield properly. (I didn't want him to tell exactly how you have to use your shield, since I wanted that to be up to the player). Right after that the sniffits don't necessarily require you to use the shield either - just the right timing - but the shield can be very helpful to block the shots. I think you needed it only for the last one before the pipe. Later on there are the thorn bushes. When they are introduced you carefully have to switch between working your way through them and using your shield to block the projectiles, so the gameplay gets a new element again despite using the same enemies. I just felt like so many levels feel the same, despite having different enemies, so I concentrated more on making the few enemies I have affect the gameplay, rather than having many different enemies.

Maybe the correct use of the shield is not intuitive enough. That's what I talked about when I said:

I hope the level - especially the last part - will feel intuitive, because that is what I have trouble judging as the designer. I designed it and know what to do, but I am not sure whether other people will react correctly fast enough.

That's the main reason why uploaded this level in the first place. That it is the first level I have made. While I could judge whether is looks okay or not, it was hard to judge whether other players would know what to do. They don't have to first try it - as I said it could also be used as one of the later/harder levels - so it can be difficult, that's okay. Of course it shouldn't be "unfair" though. But I thought it isn't, since you usually can prevent any hits, so can you explain further what's unfair (not hard) about it? The only problem I had with bad luck was that sometimes the timing between two sniffits was bad. On some parts of the level there is a sniffit and another one right next to him one block above. If the right one just shoots a little bit earlier than the left one you have to go back, since their projectiles will be on the same x-cooardinates, this way you can't block both with your shield. It is very unlikely to happen, since usually you just walk to the right and naturally the first sniffit will spawn a moment earlier than the second one, so that the first one should shoot earlier, but if you stand still after the first one spawned and continue to walk to the right at the wrong timing, the first shot of the right one may be in sync with the second shot of the left one. I had no idea how to prevent that, but since it only happend once while testing I just let it be. (You can still go back and let them spawn again)
Maybe the part on the moving platform is too hard. While you can just wait and observe what the sniffits do for the most parts of the level, you are constantly under pressure on that platform and have to decide quickly. At least I could ensure that the timing of the sniffits is right since both their spawn tims are dependend on when you hit the switch, so you definitly still can prevent any hits when doing it right.

About the munchers: Aren't there always gaps between them that allow you to land and avoid the projectiles?

Fennor wrote:About the munchers: Aren't there always gaps between them that allow you to land and avoid the projectiles?

There are gaps but most of them were short.