Language…
7 users online: Daizo Dee Von, Darolac, E623, Green, Guido_Keller,  Ringo, Zavok - Guests: 234 - Bots: 248
Users: 64,795 (2,377 active)
Latest user: mathew

Do you actually enjoy aquatic levels?

  • Pages:
  • 1
  • 2
I'm not a big fan of full-on water levels, but I have enjoyed levels with water elements in the past. I find that a lot of times people make water levels too tight and hard to maneuver, and have obstacles that are impossible to get past, like goddamn Rip van Fish. However, with a good gimmick a water level could be fun. It just needs to be something that speeds up the level rather than slowing it down.
I've actually gone ahead and emulated TMNT1 on NES this morning because I heard that game had THE WORST swimming physics of all and damn... they were right. It was torture enough to play through the first level just to get to the simming part and when you get there, even if you're mashing the b button fast enough, you still can't get your turtle to go where you want to.

SMW's swimming physics are all right.
Check out 1updudes' water levels with current, pariticularly the ones in Super "Mario" World 2. They're the best full on aquatic levels I've ever played.
a
Not only are they a pain to play, but I think they're a pain to make as well. I haven't made many water levels, and I want to keep it that way.
When I make aquatic levels, I always make it so that a significant portion of the level is not underwater. I do actually enjoy making a swimming level, and I don't mind them when they're made well, but even so, shorter is better.
GANYMEDE

Chapter Two: Land of No Shame
I HATE WATER LEVEL!!!!!! #w{>=(}

Because the control is horrible and we can't kill the monsters we can kill them just with a fire flower.

(that's why i hate the underwater level)
Never have, never will.
I hate water levels.

In fact, when I'm designing a water level for my hack, it feels more like a chore.
i just lurk sometimes
Originally posted by leictreon
I hate water levels.

In fact, when I'm designing a water level for my hack, it feels more like a chore.

Why not scrap water levels altogether then? It's your hack after all, do what makes you happy.

As for me, I don't have the strong feelings towards water levels everyone else seems to have. I don't mind them all that much.


 
i actually genuinely enjoy making them [based on the experience i'm currently having with designing my first one], there goes a lot of thought into them. You can't just plop down some terrain and place some enemies just like that, and adjust accordingly to make the design more interesting. No, you actually need to think around the enemies you have and place those first, then design around those instead. it's an interesting challenge for me, because that's not how i usually work, but i do truly enjoy it. As far as playing concerned though, i can't stand most of them because they're just so poorly designed.
Originally posted by WhiteYoshiEgg
Why not scrap water levels altogether then? It's your hack after all, do what makes you happy.


Because I feel like it always needs at least one water level from time to time, just to avoid repetition. It's just the same for vertical levels, but I find it way more enjoyable to design vertical levels.

However, I really like "amphibious levels", that's it, regular levels with some water sections. I think it's more complete and enjoyable than a full water level.
i just lurk sometimes
Water works as an excellent hazard. No one really wants to swim in it so they'll take efforts to avoid it, giving you as a designer the option to use it as a hazard that isn't deadly like spikes or pits.

'Course this approach emphasizes why fully submerged levels are tedious.
I only enjoy water levels if they're visually interesting.
But would be an equally visually interesting non-water level be better?
Enjoy water levels? O_O I used to when I was like 7-9. Now I find them annoying and tedious. They're a lil better with the xbox controller I just got but meh. xD For me I like the castle levevls and chocolate world (or whatever its called) btw, I used to have this one favorirte above water level in Yoshi's Island along time ago. Now I really don't care. xP Oh ged, this controller is awesome. - Flames
water levels should be banished forever from the face of earth.
The power of the switch you have pressed will turn ◻ into ◼. Your progress will also be saved.
I usually don't mind playing them at all. Plus, you'd be amazed how useful holding the Down button is when you want to swim forward in a straight line, so the controls never bothered me much either.

With that said, there are a lot of hackers who don't really understand some of the basic principles of designing a decent water level, namely when it comes to length. You have to realize that due to the slower horizontal movement, you cannot expect an underwater level to last as well for the same length as a standard, land-based level. So if your land levels goes on for 16 screens, your underwater level should probably have 0A screens for a similar feeling of length.

It also helps to realize that Mario moves much faster in a vertical manner than he does horizontally while underwater. Thus, purely horizontal water levels tend to feel a lot slower than ones that use the upper half of the level or are full-on vertical levels, though there are tricks to alleviate the slower horizontal speed. Carrying items around is the most common solution, albeit one that makes it harder to control yourself. Alternatively, chocolate hackers have access to more solutions such as the use of water currents to push the player forward and powerups like the Frog Suit.

Finally, just because a level is underwater doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to typical underwater enemies like fish. Several of SMW's sprites gain some interesting physics when used underwater. Some become heavier and don't jump as high. Others become much more floaty. Others might not change at all but may still present a different obstacle when used in an underwater environment. Try thinking outside of the box and you may come up with something unique.
Aquatic levels can be enjoyable - it's just that they are usually made wrong. Differently from normal levels, the player moves very slowly horizontally, but at the same time gains more control over vertical movements. However, that usually isn't explored well by the level's design, focusing on slowly going right without much to do vertically. Plus the fact that most of them are just more of the same (generic water enemies) makes them probably the most predictable level theme. Combine that with some annoying level design which most hacks use and you have the most boring level theme overall.
Aquatic levels were designed by Satan himself.
It depends on the type of aquatic level. I particularly like the ones with layer 2 movements as that seems like a challenge to me that keeps me moving and focused. The long extended ones are torturous and almost always uninteresting to me.
I usually like them, but if there is more than three in row then not. Also what kind of water level it is, if its too long or too open then I lose my interest quickly.

And if its used as obstacle or small part is underwater then I dont mind them at all, but one that has current and rises and lowers are terrible no matter what.
  • Pages:
  • 1
  • 2