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How long should levels be

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Originally posted by ft029
I quote you all the time because you have so much to say, and there's always something to pick on.

I believe the level you are talking about is Nitroglycerin Betrayal.


Shhhh #spoileralert

It works with moons as well, but that would mean giving out a free moon *shudder* and out of respect for SomeGuy I can't be okay with that
I tended to shoot for 5 minutes max, and that ended up having rather long levels. 2-5 is a fine range.
End a level where It feels right. You just shouldn't be forcing yourself ways to lengthen a level. Knowing when to stop is the number one way to avoid tedium.

I'm not sure why people think it has to fit within a certain time-frame. It all depends on the game and level design. Mario 3 had shorter levels that SMW, Yoshi's Island had way longer levels.
I forgot to mention that my 3-5 minutes also assumes that there is a midpoint roughly halfway through the level. In retrospect, segments (as in divided by a midpoint respawn or a level end/start) should be roughly 1-2 minutes long to be fair.
The longer a level gets without a checkpoint of some sort, the more the player will have to redo if they take too many hits of simply fall.
Originally posted by levelengine
The longer a level gets without a checkpoint of some sort, the more the player will have to redo if they take too many hits of simply fall.

Or if you run out of time because you can't jump on and off a falling statue first try.
I go up to about 15 screens in Lunar Magic 00-15
I also have some bonus rooms here and there so that'd be an extra couple of screens.

As for time I'd say 3-5 mins is reasonable.
It largely depends on how you are designing your hack in the first place. Obviously, a typical hack that follows conventions similar to other 2D Mario platformers should be designed with similar level length, as too short could be rather unsatisfying while too long could really push the player's patience, especially if you are expecting the player to avoid making mistakes.

If you are making a hack that doesn't follow SMW conventions, you can probably get away with larger levels. For example, a hack with a health system that affords more mistakes for the player can in turn make longer levels more tolerable, as will the use of the Multi-Midway Points patch--though one would need to make sure these levels have enough substance to their themes to maintain the player's interest. Similarly, a hack that is designed more around exploration could also stand to use larger levels.
I usually do two rooms that are A-F screens long with a midpoint between the two. Most of the time they will last 3-5 minutes (sometimes a bit more than 5 minutes) which is a decent time.
Horizontal: F Screens.
Vertical: 7 Screens.
BANANA SLAMMA.
I feel like a level should flesh out the ideas it presents. Like if your level has a big emphasis on Thwomps, it should use them in increasing interesting ways, adding elements and what not. The stage should be long enough that the player learns to deal with the obstacles presented in the stage, and short enough that the player doesn't get bored with it. This isn't particularly exact, of course. You just kind of have to develop a sense for it, I guess.

Tower of Disarray

5/?? levels done
-HAHA Oh jeez-
An 'A' press is an 'A' press




Hella neat layout by Erik557
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