Disclaimer: I tend to over exaggerate/nitpick quite a bit within my notes, so take the criticism of mine with a grain of salt. Anything that I written that seems to be within the realm of dickbagery is not meant to be an insult, and that I wish no harm to anyone. However if you plan to take anything that I say as a insult, then let it all be clear that you are only hurting yourself.
Hack Page
Permanent Link
Review:
Before we dive into the hack at hand I need to ask you one simple question, and that is why exactly are you asking for help on your hack's page? Now there's nothing wrong with asking for help if you come across any roadblocks preventing you from creating your game, but it's much more ideal to ask in the General SMW Hacking Help forums instead. The reason for this is because when submitting your creation onto the database, it's pretty much a guarantee that everything is up to snuff in a functionality standpoint. By asking for help on the hack's page, it will push away any curious player from giving your game a try. Cause not everyone would want to play a Rom hack that is broken.
With that out of the way, I'm going to be totally honest with you; this hack wasn't really all that good. For starters, the majority of the levels are flat. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I mean the original Super Mario Bros was pretty flat when it comes to it's design but yet it's really fun to play. However there is one major mistake that people usually do when making such flat levels, and that they lack any sort of unique set piece/set pieces to make said level a fun romp to play through. For example, one can simply look at “Yoshi Island 1” in Super Mario World to see all of the many unique set pieces that it has in store such as giant bullet bills and slanted pipes. Also, when making flat levels don't be afraid with adding a bit of variation with the height of the level. Adding a couple of hills here and there can make quite a difference.
Overall, the hack give me the impression that this was your first time creating anything Super Mario World related. If that's the case, then it's quite nice seeing that there are still people out there more then willing to give SMW hacking a try. However, it's usually is ideal to get the basics down of lunar magic first before submitting anything onto the database. Cause once one gets the basics down, then they will have a much more easier time creating levels that many can enjoy. But with this hack in particular, it's best to scrap the whole thing all together and start all over from step one. Even though I did wrote quite a bit that you can fix within my notes, but even by doing so I really don't see people willing to play this.
RECOMMEND DIFFICULTY: NORMAL
VERDICT: REMOVED
Notes:
General
* Way exactly are you requesting for help in the tags?
 - That is like one of the worst things you can do when submitting your hack onto the database.
* There is quite a bit of cutoff litter throughout the hack.
* Lacks bulid-up so that the player can overcome more challenging obstacles.
 - When creating levels, it's best to stick with a specific set of sprites.
 - "Yoshi's Island 6" is a excellent example of what NOT to do.
* Levels are pretty flat in general.
* Demos must have a proper ending to it.
 - Letting the player keep on playing isn't the best idea.
*Timer is way too low for most of the levels.
Title Screen
*When the level begins, the screen scrolls upward in order to catch up to the player.
 - Which gives off a extremely amateurish feel to it.
*The Player is behind the title screen text half of the time.
*It dragged on way too long.
 - It's usually ideal sync the duration of the title screen with the the music.
 - If the music has to loop multiple times for the title screen to be completed...
 - Then you're clearly doing something wrong.
*Why exactly is Mario going all over the place?
 - It's usually not a good idea to include backtracking within the title screen.
 - Considering that it could turn some people off from playing your creation.
Overworld
* There's a bit of cutoff where the ladders are.
* The overall perspective is kind of weird.
 - For starters, on the left side you can see that the main base of the Overworld is clearly one tile above the water.
 - But on the right side the main base is multiple tiles above the water instead.
 - It's usually ideal that when making overworlds with layers is that you keep the vertical distance from one layer to another the same.
*The location of the World sign and the two hillsides seems a bit strange next to the higher overworld layer.
* Some events tend to mess up at times.
* Lastly when making curves, it's best to make the bottom and higher layer symmetrical with one another.
--World 1--
Yoshi's Island 5
* Cutoff where the key hole is located.
 - There's a lot more then that throughout the level.
* Timer is way too low.
* The Goombas near the end of the level provide no threat to the player whatsoever.
 - They just fall down the pits like it's no big deal.
 - When it comes to enemy placement, you need to make sure that they have enough screen time in order to harm the player.
Yoshi Secret
* Really dislike the placement of the Goombas chain in the beginning of the stage.
 - The player has little space to work with when picking the shell up.
 - If said player did pick the shell up once they knock the Koopa out, then they run the risk of losing said shell cause of being way too close to the Goombas.
* Bullet bills that shoot out of nowhere with no sound is far from fair.
 - Use this Patch if you want to keep the bullets.
 - Have any trouble with it just ask for help here.
* Timer is on the low side.
Yellow Switch Palace
* Why is the switch green in the overworld?
* Also, it would be best that you changed the actual level itself then just leaving it unmodified.
Yoshi's Island 6
* When using layer 3 water, make sure that the vertical scroll flag in lunar magic is turned off.
* Lack of consistency when it comes to sprite placement.
Yoshi's Island 7
* There's quite a bit of leap of faiths here and there.
 - In which the player is unable to see what is ahead of them.
 - So they take a chance and try to land on something safe.
 - This is a big no-no when designing levels.
* This level is OK, but not the greatest thing either.
* The goal tape at the end rises too high.
#1 Iggy's Castle
* Net doors do not work properly.
 - Make sure you had inserted a net door’s sprite over-top of the net door.
* Where the P-swtich is, there is only one tile between the question block and ceiling.
 - Which is bad because the player can easily die from squeezing through if they are big.
* Also, it's usually best to not make p-switches a requirement to pass a level.
 - If you do want it to be a requirement though, make sure of two things.
 - First, the p-switch is not easy to be lost.
 - Second, the obstacle that the player has to overcome with said p-switch is within player's view where the p-switch block/p-switch was originally located.
 - Forcing the player to hike multiple screens in order to get to say obstacles while the switch is pressed is a big no-no most of the time.
* The climbing Koopas at the beginning of the stage are completely useless
 - The Player can just run under all of them.
* 2x2 nets are a just a pain to grab, should be a 2x3 at the very least.
Users Who Have Earned A Point In This Thread
notgoodwithusernames
Everest
Wakana
JackTheSpades
Permanent Link
Name: | Super Mario World 1.5 - Return to Yoshi's New Island |
Author: | CrestedPeak9 |
Length: | 5 exit(s) |
Difficulty: | Normal |
Demo: | Yes |
Description: | A somewhat semi-original hack for Super Mario World. No custom sprites were used as I intend for this to be as close to the original SMW as possible, but with a fresh twist. |
Tags: | bugs, demo, incomplete, need help |
Review:
Before we dive into the hack at hand I need to ask you one simple question, and that is why exactly are you asking for help on your hack's page? Now there's nothing wrong with asking for help if you come across any roadblocks preventing you from creating your game, but it's much more ideal to ask in the General SMW Hacking Help forums instead. The reason for this is because when submitting your creation onto the database, it's pretty much a guarantee that everything is up to snuff in a functionality standpoint. By asking for help on the hack's page, it will push away any curious player from giving your game a try. Cause not everyone would want to play a Rom hack that is broken.
With that out of the way, I'm going to be totally honest with you; this hack wasn't really all that good. For starters, the majority of the levels are flat. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I mean the original Super Mario Bros was pretty flat when it comes to it's design but yet it's really fun to play. However there is one major mistake that people usually do when making such flat levels, and that they lack any sort of unique set piece/set pieces to make said level a fun romp to play through. For example, one can simply look at “Yoshi Island 1” in Super Mario World to see all of the many unique set pieces that it has in store such as giant bullet bills and slanted pipes. Also, when making flat levels don't be afraid with adding a bit of variation with the height of the level. Adding a couple of hills here and there can make quite a difference.
Overall, the hack give me the impression that this was your first time creating anything Super Mario World related. If that's the case, then it's quite nice seeing that there are still people out there more then willing to give SMW hacking a try. However, it's usually is ideal to get the basics down of lunar magic first before submitting anything onto the database. Cause once one gets the basics down, then they will have a much more easier time creating levels that many can enjoy. But with this hack in particular, it's best to scrap the whole thing all together and start all over from step one. Even though I did wrote quite a bit that you can fix within my notes, but even by doing so I really don't see people willing to play this.
RECOMMEND DIFFICULTY: NORMAL
VERDICT: REMOVED
Notes:
General
* Way exactly are you requesting for help in the tags?
 - That is like one of the worst things you can do when submitting your hack onto the database.
* There is quite a bit of cutoff litter throughout the hack.
* Lacks bulid-up so that the player can overcome more challenging obstacles.
 - When creating levels, it's best to stick with a specific set of sprites.
 - "Yoshi's Island 6" is a excellent example of what NOT to do.
* Levels are pretty flat in general.
* Demos must have a proper ending to it.
 - Letting the player keep on playing isn't the best idea.
*Timer is way too low for most of the levels.
Title Screen
*When the level begins, the screen scrolls upward in order to catch up to the player.
 - Which gives off a extremely amateurish feel to it.
*The Player is behind the title screen text half of the time.
*It dragged on way too long.
 - It's usually ideal sync the duration of the title screen with the the music.
 - If the music has to loop multiple times for the title screen to be completed...
 - Then you're clearly doing something wrong.
*Why exactly is Mario going all over the place?
 - It's usually not a good idea to include backtracking within the title screen.
 - Considering that it could turn some people off from playing your creation.
Overworld
* There's a bit of cutoff where the ladders are.
* The overall perspective is kind of weird.
 - For starters, on the left side you can see that the main base of the Overworld is clearly one tile above the water.
 - But on the right side the main base is multiple tiles above the water instead.
 - It's usually ideal that when making overworlds with layers is that you keep the vertical distance from one layer to another the same.
*The location of the World sign and the two hillsides seems a bit strange next to the higher overworld layer.
* Some events tend to mess up at times.
* Lastly when making curves, it's best to make the bottom and higher layer symmetrical with one another.
--World 1--
Yoshi's Island 5
* Cutoff where the key hole is located.
 - There's a lot more then that throughout the level.
* Timer is way too low.
* The Goombas near the end of the level provide no threat to the player whatsoever.
 - They just fall down the pits like it's no big deal.
 - When it comes to enemy placement, you need to make sure that they have enough screen time in order to harm the player.
Yoshi Secret
* Really dislike the placement of the Goombas chain in the beginning of the stage.
 - The player has little space to work with when picking the shell up.
 - If said player did pick the shell up once they knock the Koopa out, then they run the risk of losing said shell cause of being way too close to the Goombas.
* Bullet bills that shoot out of nowhere with no sound is far from fair.
 - Use this Patch if you want to keep the bullets.
 - Have any trouble with it just ask for help here.
* Timer is on the low side.
Yellow Switch Palace
* Why is the switch green in the overworld?
* Also, it would be best that you changed the actual level itself then just leaving it unmodified.
Yoshi's Island 6
* When using layer 3 water, make sure that the vertical scroll flag in lunar magic is turned off.
* Lack of consistency when it comes to sprite placement.
Yoshi's Island 7
* There's quite a bit of leap of faiths here and there.
 - In which the player is unable to see what is ahead of them.
 - So they take a chance and try to land on something safe.
 - This is a big no-no when designing levels.
* This level is OK, but not the greatest thing either.
* The goal tape at the end rises too high.
#1 Iggy's Castle
* Net doors do not work properly.
 - Make sure you had inserted a net door’s sprite over-top of the net door.
* Where the P-swtich is, there is only one tile between the question block and ceiling.
 - Which is bad because the player can easily die from squeezing through if they are big.
* Also, it's usually best to not make p-switches a requirement to pass a level.
 - If you do want it to be a requirement though, make sure of two things.
 - First, the p-switch is not easy to be lost.
 - Second, the obstacle that the player has to overcome with said p-switch is within player's view where the p-switch block/p-switch was originally located.
 - Forcing the player to hike multiple screens in order to get to say obstacles while the switch is pressed is a big no-no most of the time.
* The climbing Koopas at the beginning of the stage are completely useless
 - The Player can just run under all of them.
* 2x2 nets are a just a pain to grab, should be a 2x3 at the very least.
Users Who Have Earned A Point In This Thread
notgoodwithusernames
Everest
Wakana
JackTheSpades