Originally posted by KoopsterI'm going to review this hack as a whole.
The weakest point in it was probably the aesthetical part. I appreciate your creativity at dealing with solely vanilla resources, but I can't avaliate a hack by only the effort put on creativity, but I have to take in consideration the way it was played in it as well. Your hack has a lot of cutoffs and graphical glitches, here and there. The top of those trees on the first-ish levels, the priority used in that level that uses OW graphics... Not to mention not everything looks very good at least in my oppinion.
I feel that if you're going to stay with vanilla, then use the decoration as it was originally used. If you want to have original decoration, for example, a tree, the best solution would be have ExGFX designed for a tree. Most of the times, trying to make your own decorations with the original tiles won't work out well (that doesn't apply if you're going to build your own bush with map16 bush tiles, for example, hope you get the idea).
Your level design was mostly fun to play, although a bit more of consistency to your levels would be good. Also, have a look at some areas that lack enemies.
And finally some major nipticks you should be looking into (there were probably more, but I played this hack like yesterday so
):
>In the mountain level, there are jumps that are almost impossible to do without getting hurt. Make sure you'll
always test your levels and make sure they're possible to beat without unfair spots;
>In the castle level, in that no-yoshi level, if you're big Mario, that part is
extremely annoying to do; it's a while jumping lowered under those blocks... Either use the original no yoshi entrance instead or a custom no yoshi block (unless you don't want custom resources of any kind) to fix that part.
As a final note: looking at the way you have on this hack, I think you fit better on chocolate hacking... I felt you were always trying to go beyond what the original game did, and like I said before, the original resources won't always help you going that way. Now that you have access to the internet, you have a lot of resources open to use; if you want to use them, go for it! It's up to you whether to turn this hack into a chocolate hack or remain it vanilla though, but I feel the sooner fits with your style of hacking better.
Good luck!
well the whole point of this hack is to push my pure vanilla
skills to the limit. and lucky for you I have plans to make a chocolate version when I'm finished making this one.
as for the trees, they stay! I spent a long time coming up with those.
But yes I'm not using any external resources. everything is all in LM.
that's why I refuse to use ExGFX. for this hack.
oh and don't worry. that mountain level is getting a good long edit.
I never thought that no yoshi area was that annoying...but I'll shorten it.
Originally posted by SlaxlesAlright, i just played Mole Mines + Tip Top Cliffs 1. But first:
Originally posted by Ultradragonyoshi
and to make sure you couldn't glitch yoshi into the level. I disabled sprite interaction with layer 2 in that little sub-level.
Oh, i see. That's actually pretty clever! (although i didn't found a yoshi jet) But you could still create a 'fake' background with layer 3.
Originally posted by Ultradragonyoshi
I'm making them darker in grassy plains 2 if that's what you mean.
Or you could use the darker tiles of the normal bush. Also, you can add berries.
OW:
Looks nice with the giant chasm and the floating islands (i'm probably seeing this totally the wrong way 0.o). Still, it needs more detail, like the first map.
Mole Mines 1:
These platforms have some problems with their corners. Maybe just use the normal vanilla dirt ledges for this one. (or edix the GFX.)
Not the plant head, but the vine killed me. Changing the vine to a solid object would make more sense.
I like this level a lot, it reminds me of Grassy Plains 1. I really dig the magnet wall idea!
Mole Mines 2:
This one was like MM1, but with 1x1 tile jumps and a very difficult-to-reach keyhole
. The giant mole is interesting, but does it have a purpuse? Also, you should definitly add more stuff to the switch run (koopas, coins ect.).
The overworld screws up after beating MM2. (Is 'fishy cave' supposed to be lowercase?)
'fishy cave':
That was... surprising. The overworld GFX gimmick is awesome, but the level itself is pretty dang hard, despite being stort.
Invisible pipe? O.o
This part is close to impossible. The parakoopas are trapped between the vine and the first row of piranha plant and will immediately kill the player. The fish just make it even more difficult. Please lower difficulty there.
Haunted Tower:
This has been said a thousand times, but boo rings just waste the players time by waiting.
This room is irritating at first, but it's a very empty and dull passage with boos. Add more paths and enimies in this room!
The idea is good, but most of the time in this battle the player must wait for a slow platform to move down. At least add some boos or even a boo lazer.
Tip Top Cliffs 1:
First of all, i like the background a lot. Simple, jet interesting. The level design also is nice and fresh.
Please make it so you can see the pipe lakitu. I'm always getting ambushed by surprise spinies!
Lakitus and rising pipe ends don't go well together. The pipe ends are sprites and therefore the spinies walk trough them and wierd stuff happens.
Also, your dirt statues are great. ;)
So. I hope i wasn't nitpicking too much. I'm looking forward for more of this hack!
First off Yay I'm clever! XD
Yes I could add a fake layer 3 background but using layer 2 above the ground would probably be easier for what I'm working with here.
-you're not seeing that map to wrong. but the "islands" are supposed to go to the bottom. I just thought that looked like they were fading into the darkness. but maybe I'm seeing my own creation wrong XD
-that outside part of mole mines is under construction right now.
-I'll change the stem part of the plant.
also thanks that magnet wall idea just came to me out of nowhere!
-The OW isn't totaly finished when it come to level names/events.
god I hate the OW editor
Yes invisible pipe! YI style YEAH!
-I'll fix fishy cave soon
-Really? I've always liked the boo ring! should I change it?
-okay I'll do that with the 2nd room in haunted tower.(did it look like you were spiraling around the tower?)
-okay I'll add a boo or 2
-Yay! I myself always liked tip top cliffs one allot.
-heheh surprise spinies!
but I'll go ahead and change that!
-the moving pipe shall be eliminated!
-and thanks I was kinda bored and made those statues XD
thanks for the feedback everybody! I'll try to post some updates today or tomorrow!
also I never said this before but there are gonna be 10 worlds.
world 1: Grassy Plains
world 2: Mole Mines
world 3: Tip Top Cliffs
world 4: Jungle area(No name yet)
world 5: Desert area(No name yet)
world 6: Ocean area (No name yet)
world 7: Freezing mountain.
world 8: Bowser's wasteland (not confirmed name)
special world: (just special world)
kaizo world: And thus ends the players good mood(XD I'm not sure I'm gonna leave this in the game)