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Level Testing

Once you have your level done (or a part done that you'd like tested), drop an IPS here. I have received at least a dozen PMs from people who wanted to help with beta testing levels, so not creating this thread would be foolish.

Please take all constructive criticism as fairly as possible! The bar is extremely high after SMWCP, and it is expected that you will alter your level as much as is needed to make it the best it can be.
Slightly rushed, here is the first part of my level.
Level 00F

Please give me some feedback.

Edit: This link is outdated. Look for next post.
Violators will be prosecutedt to the full extent of the jam.
Wouldn't it be smarter not to post until you're completely finished?

Either way, it looks decent overall. I have to say I really don't like what you've done with the platforms though - they were meant to be used in the middle of a tree trunk. Putting them on top of the trunks ends them rather abruptly... I'd almost call it cutoff, but I guess that's because I've never pictured them used that way.

The palette isn't too shabby, though I personally think the darker variants could use some more contrast. Try making the brightest color a little brighter and perhaps a little less saturated, and it'll look even better.

Also, there's a tad too many houses for my taste, but as I said, it's my taste.


 
As already stated, it's a decent level, but it should be improved level-design wise, and the palettes in the second part are too saturated for my liking... oh well.

It has some problems, though. The green coin is the SMWC coin replacement, right? Don't forget, the coin is 32x32, not 16x16.
In addition, I couldn't access the brown bonus room pipe, as it was a tile too high placed. Lower it a tile or two. The left midway point bar has a bad palette, too.
aran - Graces of Heaven
I have to say it has the fun parts but the palletes for the enemys need to be changed and also the trees you can go behind there was a pit behind one and that is a bad move becuse someone playing it without save states will not see this coming and do this level all over again.
So try to change that.
WhiteYoshiEgg: If you have a solution for something else to use as treetops in the second part, I'd be happy to accept it. We cant just let the trees go up in the air forever, can we?

GN: The coins can be easily adjusted, so that won't be a problem. As for the brown "bonus room" pipe: it leads to the secret path. Do note that there is a springboard a bit earlier on. I know, this could be considered item babysitting, so if it's really not allowed, i could change it so that you have to koopa hop.

TITQMB: Punctuation is your friend. For the tree trunk pit: I'll be fixing that.
Violators will be prosecutedt to the full extent of the jam.
Originally posted by agie777
We cant just let the trees go up in the air forever, can we?

Why not?
Your layout has been removed.
@agie777:
Not bad for beginner. There are still some things which needs fixing, but it's overall well done. Now, I want to give some critism.

1) SMWC coins will be 32x32 blocks, not 16x16 blocks. S.N.N. said to replace them with 32x32 blue coins groups, not just one coin.
2) Use Questions Blocks. It might be difficult with this tileset, but it's sure possible. They provide nice way of providing power-ups. Providing only one Mushroom in level doesn't make things fun.
3) Layer Priority Enabled houses are... weird... I would replace houses with them with Layer Priority Disabled versions or just replace them by logs.
4) Secret exit pipe is problem to enter for small Mario. I would place pipe little lower.
5) In second room, there is too much contrast beetween sky background and wood. I recommend working on palettes, so wood will have little lighter color and background darker color.
6) Just minor nitpick: Midway Point has bad palette. Second part of palette 5 might be nice place to put its tiles, but you would have to reserve GFX file. I would avoid using palette 1, since it might be used for background, which might appear later in later.

And just asking... can I know point of Baby Green Yoshi in your level?

Originally posted by WhiteYoshiEgg
I have to say I really don't like what you've done with the platforms though - they were meant to be used in the middle of a tree trunk. Putting them on top of the trunks ends them rather abruptly... I'd almost call it cutoff, but I guess that's because I've never pictured them used that way.

Where is problem? I don't see any. Platforms end with straight black line anyway. It's not like it shares any pixels on top with middle of treetop. The overuse of it in second part might make problem though.
agie777: I'll be frank, the level feels boring throughout the first half and most of the second half. There's just nothing going on. It's simply left to right movement over the same copy-pasted tree trunks with ledges, occasionally broken up by just as many houses. I highly suggest you go back and redo most of the level to be more interesting.

Some other points:
-Please use the global shared palette located in level 1 or 2 so that sprites and blocks have the appropriate colors.
-add more powerups to the level
-That light tree that bisects the walkway in the first area should not dump Mario to his death for walking behind it. All signs point to him being able to walk behind the tree perfectly fine yet he falls past it. Rectify this when you redo your level designs.
- I really liked the way you collect the second star coin, that was clever.

Apologies for being harsh, but this is in no means a personal attack on you. I expect I'll be acting this harsh a critic towards everyone who posts levels in here.
I decided to provide some feedback for level testing. For agie77:

1. Overall, I thought the level was too easy for World 2 and a bit bland. Nothing really specific about it. It just didn't seem like anything special
2. There is a sprite memory error in the second part, after the midpoint. When the Wiggler and the green spring platform are on the screen at the same time, part of the platform disappears. Change the sprite memory setting to 10 and it should fix it.
3. I also don't like the layer-priority houses. It also produces some cutoff if you happen to be at the edge of the layer-priority canopy. I think, if you want to have layer-priority effects in your level, you should make it a Layer-2 level and have the forest canopy be prioritized.
4. Layer-priority pits as noted below.

I don't actually see the issue with the platforms on the top of trees as well. The tree was cut down and they put a platform on top of the stump. It makes sense graphically and logically to me.
can i test 112?
I think you're missing the point there, dude. People will post IPS files here, and you simply download whichever ones you want, test them, and provide feedback.
Yeah, I'm probably just having issues with that because I didn't imagine the platforms being used that way when I made them. If it looks fine to the majority, I guess it's alright.

Don't think anybody's mentioned that yet, but the hand rails are a bit off on the slopes. It'd be best to build them as suggested in the sample level.


 
I've decided to become a tester, because I haven't been credited as a tester in an SMW Hack before.
Layout by piranhaplant.
Thinking about making a Rainbow Magic thread at the Media forum.
Like SNN just said, you can just test whatever you want and however much you want....
Agie, it was a little too linear for my liking, but its not that bad.


Here, under Mario, is a hard area to get to. Placing coins down there is useless, unless its for decoration.


Over here, I fell down the hole, I thought this part was dicks because all the other platforms showed it was possible to go behind the tree and not die.


Over here, I finally noticed how the platforms go in front of the trees, and that doesn't really make sense because Mario is behind the tree.


Over here, you could make the ground connect to the wall using those curve tiles, because right now, it doesn't look very nice.


I went into a pipe, and I didn't come out of one. It is suggested that you do make it come out of a pipe as well, but it isn't that bad.


What is the point of this green spring right here.


There was layer priority on the tree canopy in the last part of the level, why isnt there here?


It is kind of flat and linear at this segment.

EDIT: Sorry for the BMP ill make it PNG next time, ZSNES decided to reset on me.
Wow guys, I don't know what to listen to anymore. I want to get this level as good as possible, so I am going to upload a new version regularly. Please keep it coming, and don't go easy.

Updated version: Level 00F


Edit: This link is outdated. Look for next post.
Violators will be prosecutedt to the full extent of the jam.
Bowser's Return returns!

Look, having a bunch of flat, equally-sized platforms separated by medium sized jumps that have nothing more than harmless grounded enemies does not make for even a decent level. Essentially, and so I don't have to have a field day with this one, I'm agreeing with Firephoenix here, but before you even redesign it, play the first level and pay close attention to how all the platforms are set up. All of them. Also, try to use enemies that Mario can't just easily, repeatedly jump over (or duck under) with no effort.

Ninja-edit: Personally, the new version doesn't fix any of the fundamental issues. I still think you should redesign from the ground up.

Sorry for being harsh- I appreciate your enthusiasm- but I think you're rushing into this too quickly.
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You've got a lot of potential, and I can see you at least know the ins and outs of this (which is a good thing), but echoing what others have said, it still needs some work. I'm not going to bother knocking the palettes since .. well, simply applying the shared palette will fix any and all issues with this.

Getting down to the design itself: there are some decent parts here (I rather like using that spring to get the last SMWC coin), but basically, it really is a lot of copy/pasted stuff. Why don't you try mixing in some ground portions (like the part at the midway) with some more varied enemies? The overuse of the tree platform with a coin on either side is pretty iffy, to be honest.

Since I'm ultimately the "final" tester once the levels are sent to me, I'll refrain from getting into too much detail now. In a nutshell though, there are some good parts here, but it needs to be a lot more varied. There are obviously people like AxemJinx who can provide you with excellent and more detailed feedback on your levels, so do take a listen to them. Your attitude is great so far in handling the criticism and such, and it's exactly the kind of spirit we want in this project. Keep up the improvements, and you'll end up with a great level in the end.
agie, if you're having any trouble understanding what I mean, then when I have time in the coming week I'll try to sit down and be more specific in the context of your level so far. In the meantime, for starters, take a look at Canopy Clash (8:12). Although the platforms used are simple and flat, the way they are arranged doesn't make the level seem flat at all (I would argue). That's a pretty important concept. Obviously that level's difficulty is far beyond what you should be shooting for, but try to understand how important it is to arrange platforms so as to not seem boring or repetitive.

The houses in WYE's forest set (the one you're using), for example, aren't (I don't think) supposed to be used on every other platform, nor are they meant to appear in front of Mario. They're supposed to complement the architecture every so often; I mean, they take up so much space that it's hard to group any platforms together when you use them. Also, the houses are only built around the trunks, so you should expand beyond that and add platforms without houses between the trees- and stuff like that- in a homogeneous manner. That is, don't have a section with a bunch of houses crammed together, then a long rope bridge (in general). Try to blend everything together so there's variety in a screen-to-screen way, if that makes sense. Try to give the level a sense of flow, so it doesn't just seem like one platform after another.

For now, try to use the above and everyone else's comments to rebuild the stage.
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