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World of Illusion

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I've gotten a couple worlds into making my hack, but before I get too far to turn back, I'd like some questions answered about overall design.


I get the fact that levels should be non-linear. However, is it better to have a couple long levels, or three or four short ones? Is there any advantage to either?

I've decided I'm not going to use any ExGfx, except for new block types or enemies. However, I'm making changes to palettes, different for each stage. Good or bad idea? I think they look good, should I post screenshots?

For difficulty, I'm aiming at the middle road. Harder than SMW, but not quite Kaizo level (though the extra stages very well may be). Chances are you'll lose 1-2 lives per stage if you don't know what you're doing, and I've made some stages with two paths, one easy and one hard (leading to the secret exit). The difficulty in my hack is going to be through platforming mostly, so if you take it slow, there won't be many problems. However, if you try to run through, expect frantic jumping and dodging.

Speaking of secret exits, what's the best way to go about this? Hard to find, but easy to get to (AKA 'jump here to reveal a hidden block, use hidden block to reach secret exit'), easy to find but hard to get to (AKA 'find all Yoshi coins in the stage and you can pass through this block leading to the exit'), or somewhere in between?

Overworld. I'm trying to add multiple ways through as in the original, that seems to be a given. However, I've run into a slight problem. Remember when I mentioned seperate palettes for each stage? If one stage is blue and the other is red, what color to make the overworld? Should I pull a "SMB 1-2" and have short intros to each stage with some explanation as to the level not fitting in the stage?


I think that's most of the feedback I need. Any other comments welcome.


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
Originally posted by Azure
I get the fact that levels should be non-linear. However, is it better to have a couple long levels, or three or four short ones? Is there any advantage to either?
.

a long level is better i you wants to add more continent but they can be very repetive.
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What I was trying to say is... which is better:
One level with 20 screens, or two levels with 10 screens each?


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
Well... there are no rules for that. You might choose what you like and make it the way you want it to be. Such things can`t be answered. :O

Originally posted by Azure
What I was trying to say is... which is better:
One level with 20 screens, or two levels with 10 screens each?

20 screens!
some peopole don´t like short levels and you can fit in so much more with your hack if your levels are big.
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Originally posted by Azure
One level with 20 screens, or two levels with 10 screens each?


There really isn't much of a difference really apart from if you keep doing levels 20+ screens your hack will be long but if you opt for 10-12 screens in a level your game will be pretty small.

It really depends on how big you want you hack to be.

Originally posted by Azure
I've decided I'm not going to use any ExGfx, except for new block types or enemies. However, I'm making changes to palettes, different for each stage. Good or bad idea? I think they look good, should I post screenshots?


No ExGFX is sometimes a good thing if you want your hack to be in line with SMW's stile and such and changing palletes is also a very good thing as it makes your levels have a different feel.

Originally posted by Azure
Speaking of secret exits, what's the best way to go about this? Hard to find, but easy to get to (AKA 'jump here to reveal a hidden block, use hidden block to reach secret exit'), easy to find but hard to get to (AKA 'find all Yoshi coins in the stage and you can pass through this block leading to the exit'), or somewhere in between?


Like I said it is entirely up to you. Try to have a mixture of the two but make it harder to find the secret exits as you go along.


Originally posted by Azure
Overworld. I'm trying to add multiple ways through as in the original, that seems to be a given. However, I've run into a slight problem. Remember when I mentioned seperate palettes for each stage? If one stage is blue and the other is red, what color to make the overworld? Should I pull a "SMB 1-2" and have short intros to each stage with some explanation as to the level not fitting in the stage?


Try to put that red level in a world with red levels and blue levels in a blue world. I understand your point that it will be a bit weird seeing a red level and a blue level near each other so try thing out but i don't think doing a SMB 1-2 will be a very good way of avoiding this problem really.

Hope this helps you in your hack. Good luck.
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Post some screenshots - I'd love to see what you're working on. Plus, there's really no way to judge palettes until we see what you've done to the colors.

Do you have a title yet?

I really think most of your questions are really just matters of personal preference. I also think that each idea could fit in the same game so long as it is isn't repetitive or overdone.

For instance, my hack has some short levels and it has a few long levels. I think it helps break up the flow of things. If you have a bunch of short levels, it gets too easy (if there aren't puzzles or something else gimmicky keeping you interested), and if you have a bunch of long levels, getting past every stage is a chore.

As for secret exits, I think it depends on what they lead to. Is it a shortcut bypassing most of the other levels in the world, leading straight to the castle? Make it hard to find/get to. Does it lead to a super secret warp pipe leading to Special World? Again, hard to find. Does it just open up another level that goes an alternate route? Make it easier to find.

So, let's see some screenshots!

[?] Miscellaneous Helpful Hints
If I moderated your hack, there was apparently a 90 percent chance it was rejected.



any level length is fine in any hack. As for secret exits, i dunno about other people, but i prefer things other than invisible note blocks. I like hard to find easy to get to, but make sure it's visible, or at least something that will be thought of. Nothing that involves jumping around like an idiot in search of invisible blocks. I like secret exits that may involve bringing a p-switch into a bonus room, or something else that the player wouldn't normally do.

  
  
 



Thanks for the advice, everyone. So here's some screenshots.


Title screen. Not bad for a first shot at making one, don't you think?


First overworld, still needs a little bit of work.


The ingenious solution to get past the wall of bullet bills... jump into the pit of munchers! There's invisible blocks. (It's not called World of Illusion for nothing... don't worry, I won't overdo invisi-blocks - when I use them, there's usually coins or something to point them out.)


Second level. Yeah, I'm going a bit crazy with palettes... but this looks really cool! Those black blocks are death blocks, which I use sometimes because munchers look really weird stacked on top of each other or floating in midair.


A level in the second overworld. Not much to say.


Any comments on the palettes or design?


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
looks nice, although the palletes could be a bit better for the black stage.
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Good submap, but I think the gray would look better this color. I like the palettes, use more bushes, etc. tho
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looks nice, although i recommend drawing skulls on the death blocks to make it more obvious that they aren't just used blocks.

  
  
 



Bloop: I find that the death blocks are already recognizable, the first time you hit one and die should be a pretty good hint you're not supposed to touch them.

Spigmike: I don't know what you mean. Are you talking about the border?

Pozeal: What exactly about it? I like the outlined look of the background in that stage. I think I could make the ledges a bit more distinguished though.


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
  
  
 



Changed thread title, as it's gone from finding ideas to talking about my hack. I'm just about done with the second overworld (two levels to go), so I might decide to release a demo. It's still in starting stages though, so if anyone has any good ideas to implement, tell me!


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
  
  
 



Reuploaded, since you could die in the intro (if you have an uncontrollable impulse towards suicide, that is...) and I didn't know it caused such a huge bug. It should be accepted now.


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
Put better hints to the "invisable" blocks >_>
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All of them except that pit are marked by coins. What better hint do you need? If you see a single coin floating in midair, there's probably a block under it.
I'm going to lessen up on the invisi-blocks in later stages, though.


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
Invisible blocks are a pretty cheap way to increase difficulty, BTW.
  
  
 



I don't overuse them, and like I said, 98% of them are marked.


 
 
       

Fluffy video games by me and Raibys!
 
 
   
 
 
Geniously used invisible blocks!
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