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[Complete] Level 11C: Sand Castle of Doom (World 6)

Alright, so I decided to scrap the entire level and claim this "Sand Castle" as my own if you know what I mean.

Here's what AxemJinx said in the suggestions:

Originally posted by AxemJinx
Sand Castle of Doom
--Waiting for the key takes forever, and then you have to carry it through the entire level. At one point you even have to let it go and backtrack to the beginning to get a silver p-switch first.
--Color of the line guides in the side room is too similar to the background color, so it's hard to tell where you're going.
--Where is the titular sand castle? Thematically, this level seems totally random, with an airborne line-guided section, a cave section, parts that use the mushroom tileset, and weird Map16 dirt formations all over the place.
--I'd rebuild it from the ground up, and have it revolve around an actual sand castle this time. Alternately, just make a new level.


Alright, so I'll improve the secret exit. I can always just have some kind of secret room with both the key and Keyhole to avoid that kind of item babysitting. And i'll pretty much remove the P-Switches since those can lead to item babysitting easily.

-Palette of the foreground is really, really ugly. I'm gonna scrap the entire palette and foreground and replace it with a different tileset. Perhaps this one would work better?
-Almost No Powerups. That's kinda unfair. I'll add some more ? Blocks, turn blocks, etc etc.
-The Gerudo Valley theme for the level is kinda mediocre. How about using the Desert theme for the VLDC?

So here's how I plan to make this actually LOOK like a Sand Castle and put in a good gimmick to the level:

-Have the first section involve smaller sand castles, and the second section in a giant sand castle, with the interior most likely using The Counterfort's graphics, except palette swapping?
-The Secret Exit will be less frustrating to get, and no line guides will be used. Waaay too overused...

That's all I got planned for now. I have the levels 11C, F8 and F7. No boss will be used, especially the Boom Boom miniboss. If you guys have a suggestion, let me know, and I will consider it.


No, i'm not going with this anymore. Scroll down farther for more info.


-----

List of Level Name Suggestions:

-Quicksand Quandary
-Sinking Sand Castle
-Keep as is (Sand Castle of Doom)
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.
Your plan sounds good to me! Looking forward to what you come up with, and I'll let you know if I think of anything else.
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Alright, change of plans. I'm going to scrap the sand castle idea entirely and make a brand new level replacing the sand castle theme.

I gotta give credit to Latukas for helping me get a good idea, as he said I should drop the Sand Castle Idea and go with something more interesting, and here's what I got:

Mario is in a Desert ruins surrounded in Quicksand, and must avoid falling into the quicksand. (No, not the instant death quicksand in SMWCP2) At the second half of the level, Mario must quickly escape the ruins as it starts filling up with quicksand.

Since the level's icon is a quicksand tile on the overworld, we were like "Why not do that?".

As soon I get the graphics and the sprites I want to use for the level ready and a bunch of other things I don't need to mention, i'll begin designing.
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.
I'm not exactly familiar with the original level, but it sounds like you know what you are doing. Only slight thing I am cocnered about is using the sand castle graphics from SMWCP2 - might it be better to use something different, just to make the level not seem like an off-shoot of an SMWCP2 level? Good luck.

- BlackMageMario
Originally posted by Falconpunch
Alright, change of plans. I'm going to scrap the sand castle idea entirely and make a brand new level replacing the sand castle theme.

but I like sand castles #smw{T_T}

Originally posted by Falconpunch
Mario is in a Desert ruins surrounded in Quicksand, and must avoid falling into the quicksand. (No, not the instant death quicksand in SMWCP2) At the second half of the level, Mario must quickly escape the ruins as it starts filling up with quicksand.
It might just be me, but the ideas resemble's Lynnes derest quicksand ruins level made for SMWCP2.

Originally posted by Falconpunch
Since the level's icon is a quicksand tile on the overworld, we were like "Why not do that?".
There already are a few desert ruin levels in this game and in SMWCP2, Sandcastles on the other hand are relatively rare. I dunno this just doesn't feel too original enough to abandon the author's original ideas.

Edit: The main purpose of claiming problematic levels is to either A) try to salvage the level by making edits to level design/sprite placement B) Redesign the entire level while keeping the original spirit of the level. In my own opinion, you should at least try to make a level with a bunch of sandcastles in the landscape, the original author didn't only have one in the level and I don't think any of them were enterable.
I wonder what a HFD opcode would do in ASM...
Let's be honest, guys: I know it's kinda like ripping off Lynnes' level Digsite Dangers in SMWCP2, but it's really hard to pull off that sandcastle idea since i'm gonna need a good tileset for that, but since there is none, i'd have to do it myself, and my graphics skills aren't that good. Plus, i'm kind of a slow graphics artist, so that would take way too long for me to complete it just to make the level.

Plus, the sandcastle idea doesn't really have a gimmick like the quicksand ruins one does. We're not SMWCP2, we're SMWCP1, and I see no desert ruins in the game, so I thought why not do that?

Anyone else unsatisfied with my new idea? #smw{>:|}
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.
I actually agree with Falconpunch (which is really shocking, but I digress). SMWCP2 has a fair number of desert ruins levels, yes, but SMWCP1 really doesn't. I don't see why he couldn't give this idea a try. If it doesn't work out, we can always revert to the sand castle idea.
Hey kids, it's time for your favorite show: Progress with Falconpunch!





So what do you think of the progress I have so far? Petty good opening to this level, eh? I'm probably gonna add different types of sprites to replace the graphics I don't need in this section of the level. I'd say more stuff that I was going to say but I forgot.

Suggestions are welcome, and that's all for Progress with Falconpunch! Tune in next time for another exciting episode! #w{=D}
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.
Hey, this looks pretty nice! My only concern is that the level won't have enough sprites to be challenging. Maybe it's just me, but some of those screens look a bit empty.
Mario's Vanilla Journey

Progress: 22/72 levels complete
I agree with akacesfan, but I'm assuming you'll work more on the obstacles as you go, so I'll withhold judgment for now. Keep at it!
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Well, there's a reason there's not much enemies or at least tileset specific enemies. I'm using GFX05, which is all the athetic enemies and all that, and I don't wanna use line guides, and if you watch my posts frequently, you should know why.

So i'm pretty much restricted to Diggin' Chucks, Rock Platforms, and regular enemies. But I do see some enemies I can use if I replace some graphics...

Also, is there a list for custom sprites so I can probably add some of those?
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.
I thought I included the .s16 and .ssc files in the base ROM ZIP. If they're under the same name as the ROM, it should display all of the custom sprites in the "Custom Collection of Sprites" menu in Lunar Magic.

Alternatively, here is the list of the sprites that are inserted. You'll have to search for other levels that use the sprite you want to insert to get the graphics file for it (that way we can avoid adding additional sprite ExGFX when it isn't necessary).
I'd personally call the level "Fiery Sands" or something along those lines (I can't come up with good names :v)

The level so far looks really solid (especially the last two screenshots). Like the others have pointed out so far, my only concern is a lack of sprites/obsticles, but I assume you're going to be adding in more later on.

Keep it up.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I think that sprites like the Fire Chomp and Sandcroc (if the Sandcroc becomes, you know, less assholish and evil) would probably suit pretty well in this level.

- BlackMageMario
So far it's a well done level. Feels really SMWCP2-ish, but it's fine. I think it's a good idea to change it into some ruins, as the original didn't have too much "sandcastle stuff".

As for enemies, you can replace some into rocks and create something like falling rock sprites or fire/normal Chomps would fit here (as long they aren't in tight spaces :| ).

Looking good so far.
I got the first section done, folks. IPS is here.

Notes: The secret pipe leads to the same entrance as the main pipe in the second section. That will be fixed soon.

I don't remember any more notes. If anyone has any complaints or suggestions or so, let me know.
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.
Looks good so far, nothing to major complain here. Watch out for places like this though, as the player can get hit unfairly there. I suggest you replace the chuck by a pitching one or another enemy.
Originally posted by aj6666
Looks good so far, nothing to major complain here. Watch out for places like this though, as the player can get hit unfairly there. I suggest you replace the chuck by a pitching one or another enemy.


Can't use Pitchin' Chucks, so I'll just use something else.

Thanks for the feedback, though!
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.
This looks pretty good so far; I don't have any major complaints yet. I like how it alternates between indoor and outdoor areas, and the difficulty during the latter feels pretty appropriate. Looking forward to seeing how you implement the second half.
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Well, I pretty much really like your new take on the deathly sand castle. I wanted to point out a couple of things, though:



This is a really easy spot to farm infinite lives.



This is, too.

There are a couple more places like in the first screenshot later in the level, as well, but because the footballs have a chance to bounce one or more times, it's much more dangerous for the player to attempt to farm them, so they're okay.

Also, I'm not gonna' tell you to change this, but that spike passage at the end of the first section makes me feel like I should be able to get over there somehow. If you addressed this earlier and I missed it, I apologize in advance.

I really like what you're doing, otherwise. Keep it up!
@AxemJinx: Thanks! You guys will probably like the second half of the level.

@Mineyl: Fixed the first 1-UP Farming problem, and as for the second one: I don't know what to do to fix that one.

Also, to tide you guys over for now, here's a preview of the second section. You've seen the cave part, now here's another part:
Just so you know, I'm very active on the site anymore like I was before; I'm mainly on Discord now.