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Purple Valley Trail

While out on an otherwise boring walk, Mario comes across a nature trail leading through some purple woods. With nothing Better to do, Mario decides to take in the sights...

Here's my entry for VLDC13, a natural purple forest stage, polar opposite from the industrial levels I've made many years prior. I thought it would be best to try and make a simpler, more condensed level this year, since usually trying to go all-out on gimmicks and grandeur results in me making sloppy levels.



DOWNLOAD (v2.2)
Good level! The idea is quite interesting, so are the aesthetics. However, I would like to point out some issues that are going to be spoilered for those who haven't played the level yet.

I found this puzzle quite tricky, because shells can behave randomly after hitting these blocks that act like note blocks:


When hitting the switch blocks, some of them may become outlined and passable, while others become a solid brown used block. I couldn't get all Dragon Coins. Also, maybe the timer feels a bit short?:


As I said before, the level is good. Effort can be noticed for sure. Good job.
Originally posted by N450
Good level! The idea is quite interesting, so are the aesthetics. However, I would like to point out some issues that are going to be spoilered for those who haven't played the level yet.

(stuff)

As I said before, the level is good. Effort can be noticed for sure. Good job.


Thank you for the feedback!
While the purple blocks sometimes becoming brown blocks is part of the challenge (you gotta get a brown block first for the next block to be guaranteed passable), I could not for the life of me figure out how to fix the problem with koopa shells colliding with shells coming out of blocks. I've tried asking around for help, and my questions always get completely ignored. I'll try looking further for a solution to that, or maybe I'll just make it not use koopas in blocks at all.
No problem!
To be honest, I don't know about any solution for the coliding issue, sorry
.
I've just played the update and
the little puzzle for the Dragon Coin
has improved! And I finally understand
the block mechanic
.
Just a last thing, which is more of a niptick, it will be spoilered:

This pipe takes you a bit back in the level, I think it's not necessary (not even as a reset pipe) because there's no puzzle at the end of the area. Maybe it could work as a checkpoint entry after losing a life?

oh haha whoops that's not supposed to
be an enterable pipe, it was only really intended as decoration.


updated the patch to fix that
Updated my level to v2.2. It now has a lot more length to it, as well as a few more hazards and a more fleshed out vertical section. Hopefully the Purple ! Blocks are better hinted at too.

I just have to say that I'm blown away by the execution of this level's overall aesthetic. In terms of some detail on that:

There's a certain natural look about the ground tiles, how they're arranged, and how seamless they seem to fit together. The foreground back-layer wood tiles are really well put together, almost as if their GFX were originally designed for that purpose!

Also, in my mind, the environment low-key feels like it came straight outta Yoshi's Island #smrpg{mlem} I'm picking up on some World 2 / World 4 vibes in particular