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[@ji] CLAUSTROPHOBICLIMB | COMPLETED LEVEL INSIDE

Design creativity and aesthetics creativity is actually really high for this level, in my opinion. The level scores well in creativity because, despite the slow and methodical gameplay, the level uses a very creative gimmick in very creative ways. DCaAC applies to both creativity in design and creativity in aesthetics, so levels can be rewarded for doing both. This was done so that a level like hobz's could be a high scoring level despite using vanilla gfx, like what lolyoshi's level for vldc9 was. Also, aesthetics and polish doesn't need to be lowered if custom tilesets weren't used. In fact, a level can score quite decently if it just looks nice, and if it does use gfx in creative ways, those overflow into DCaAC. Hope that clears stuff up, that's my interpretation anyway.
HUGE UPDATE INCOMING
I added a happy face :3


Actual update: I think i'm done my pre-midpoint changes, and I'm super super happy with them. As much as I love the patronizing messages, I'm taking them out and encouraging (forcing) the player to try jumping for themselves when they hit a point that is basically impossible to pass without jumping or taking a hit. If they do try to climb through they get a mushroom though, but they also dont get to complain about pacing >_>
I was able to shave off 3 whole tile lengths from the first half, and I gotta say I'm a lot happier with the way it looks and plays now. I've also smoothed out a lot of the jankier looking cliffs and ledges, before it looked really awkward and like, cramped, and it feels much more natural now. Taking the main path you still have to wait at the 2 ground guided fuzzy obstacles, but other then that it's mostly run and jumpable if you're willing to risk it.
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O O
___
\_/

About design creativity and aesthetic creativity: Wow, this category seems very difficult to interpret 'correctly', whatever that means. My interpretation is that if a level is focused on the creativity of the obstacles, then it will be mostly scored in that area; if the level is focused on creative usage of vanilla graphics, then it will be mostly scored in that area.
It's a strange category (I was actually against it for a bit), but it seems like all six judges know exactly what it means and how to judge based on it as a result. If there's no confusion on their end, then we should hopefully have consistent results.

@Hobz: it's good that you're actually forcing the player to jump. Mixing that up with your main gimmick might make the design stay fresh throughout the level.
It's fundamentally the same as the creativity category from last year, only now it's explicitly stated that if you do things with graphics that affect the level design it affects this score.
Originally posted by S.N.N.
Mixing that up with your main gimmick might make the design stay fresh throughout the level.
I'm looking at it less as "shaking things up" and more of a core gameplay mechanic. I want to use it as an attempt at helping guide the player along to getting better at jumping so they can start moving faster through climbing sections as well. Most of the level is still possible through methodical climbing, but it's also possible jumping through obstacles and spin jumping over them.


This is probably the riskiest change made so far. As most people found the 3 tile tunnel impossible to pass without taking a hit. This one is much tighter, and simply impossible to get through without jumping through the fuzzies. I added turn blocks at the bottom of the wider section you climb through to try to signal to the player they can spin jump from the platform above, but im not too sure how i can really encourage jumping without flat out saying it. Especially considering this is the second screen of the level lol. I actually have an idea. I'll edit this post with a .gif when i get it

e:
lol
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dyk that the bottom of the screen acts like a wall for line guides (but only if the line guide itself starts at least 1 tile above the bottom of the screen)
likely caused by the line guide wall fix patch.

e: im staring at this now, and will likely replace the munchers with stationary fuzzies. or maybe not, idk which i like more.
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had some time today to work on the level. Managed to get the goal sphere from screen 13 to screen 12. Everything post-midpoint was deleted and has been re-designed. I designed it all from the perspective of jumping through each obstacle and keeping speed. There are a few key moments that require precise timing, but they are spaced out and designed to be moved through quickly once you have the timing down.
I'll have to find more places to space out the yoshi coins, as right now they are on screen 1 > 8 > E > 10 > 12. My plan now, if I have time, is to combine the shell and underwater sublevels into a puzzle that utilizes both mechanics explored to their fullest potential.

For the people that complained that the level felt too similar throughout, I cant promise that you'll find these changes any more substantial. It's still the same main idea of dodging fuzzies, just in more convoluted ways (expect to be jumping a lot more often...) For those of you that complained that the level was too slow, I tweaked almost every obstacle to be possible to be cleared without requiring flight. The water section was reduced from 2 screens to half a screen (and a straight drop down), and almost all blind jumps have been removed (there are 3 unavoidable ones, 1 ascending and 2 descending, but all it takes to know about them is going through that section slower once.) Anybody that claimed that the second half was easier then the first half should be satisfied with the new curve.


A way to think about it is that i've changed the post-midpoint theme from "wacky sprite graphics" to "an abundance of fuzzies on screen at one time". If it doesn't work, and it's worse than what I had before, idk if i'll have the energy to change it any further.
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I'm really happy your revising certain parts of this level, I'll give it a try and rewrite a review sooner or later.
As for level names, how about Fuzzy Freakshow? Or something which incorporates the invisible climbing like Fuzzy Phantom Climb?
Fun Fuzz Festival
YOU CAN SPINJUMP!
Fuzzy Infestation
Fuzzy Fever
Funnel of Fuzz

allowiscous' "Fuzzy Freakshow" sounds pretty good to me though.
i wrote this as part of my post but then deleted it because i figured it didn't matter, but I don't want the name to allude to the fuzzies at all. For me, at least, I think it'd be funny if they're such a prominent part of the level, yet they aren't alluded to in any way. Like their inclusion is entirely incidental.

I loved the name Flight Simulator, but it's taken. I'm trying to think of a name that either relates to the gimmick, or the grassland aesthetic. Maybe something like Floating Fields, or something. Something vague, that doesn't really explain anything until you play it. Then it makes sense.
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'gravity' with air quotes and all


After some research, I learned the reason my sprite usage had to be so minimal in the last version was because i was working with a lot of vertical space, which requires twice as many sprites on a screen at any given time. Miraculously, focusing on horizontal movement instead fixed this problem.


We're going for spectacle, baby
e: I could call the level 'Cloudy Day', because I kind of not really use a bunch of cloud tiles. Even though the level itself has nothing to do with them.
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My two cents regarding the level name: a pun on "fuzz" and "fuss". "I put up a fuzz", "what's the fuzz about" or something silly like that. #tb{''}


 
fuzzy hills
Fuzzy You Can Climb Everywhere
Your layout has been removed.
Fuzzy See That Mountain? You Can Climb It.
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I was thinking of something like "Crazy Climb" or "Hectic Highlands" since you aren't going for a name that alludes to the Fuzzies.
What is a Lunar Magic, and can I eat it?
NEW LEVEL LINK UPLOADED (also in OP)

What's been added:
- New custom overworld
- Life farm (as needed)
- Clouds
- New merged tiles used once and then discarded
- more fuzzies
- smoothed out fg
- 10 redesigned screens
- better palette
- inverted clouds

Notable Bugs:
- there are sections post-midpoint where enemies will despawn if you started from the beginning of the level.
If you start from the midpoint they will not despawn.


I'm anticipating this version actually being fairly difficult, but if you have a complaint about difficulty, please ask yourself if it's actually my fault or if you're just being impatient.
e: or just be specific.
Thanks. #w{=)}
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