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022: Scorching Sepulcher - ShodanWii/SyStemkraSh

Complete

Dun dun dun...

Version 1.0
___________________

Download: http://bin.smwcentral.net/u/3212/ShodanWii_SyStemkraSh_v10.ips

Known Problems:
- Since this is a rough draft (and I had to reformat my computer this week), this does not have a goal roulette ending. When you reach the two pipes at the end, (either the SMWC coin route, or regular route), it's finished.
- Midway is not yet correctly mapped.
- I haven't fixed any of eXcavator's problems (Thanks again!) (again, no access to working computer).
- The last room will be one more puzzle (which is different depending on which path you took) and then a goal roulette.

Things to Fix:
- All previous issues.
- Midway point.
- Wavy HDMA (red).
- Karatekid5 Exanimation.
- Add an ending.

Keep in mind this is a rough draft, and I was trying to get this out as fast as I could before today. Over the next week, everything should be fixed. Thanks! (Just in case no one knew, SyStemkraSh made the second 1/2.)

EDIT: The level name was never added. It's Scorching Sepulcher. Also, Iceguy is going to be doing the HDMA for the level, I told him to relax on getting it to me though.
EDIT2: Fixed bad patch.
Untitled Hack Progress:
5%


YouTube: www.youtube.com/shodanwii
Well, I just finished testing the level. Most of the things I noticed, however, were already pointed out by other testers. Though, I do have a couple of suggestions to make.

For the path to the first SMWC coin, add at least one more "shady spot", or remove a couple of the boos, as the player has just been introduced to the gimmick.

Later in the level, having the Eeries show up at night was a part of the gimmick. Though, having them out in the day in the first half doesn't make much sense, and because the narrow passages + Eeries are something to fix, I'd replace the Eeries in the first area with a different enemy (Dry Bones or Bony Beetles should work very nicely). That, along with a ceiling raise in the narrow passages, would make for both more variety and for a little more room for dodging the enemies.

In the second half, the gimmick is much more balanced, with the heat gimmick in the day time, and the eeries in the night time. The player had to worry about both in the first half, so having some more balance (gimmick-wise) like the second half would make the first half much better.

Other than that, keep up the good work!
Update Quickie:
The level itself is finished so don't kill us with the deadline, but we're still sharing it between ourselves to see if it's ready to be released and tested by you guys. Stay tight.

(Also, just noticed that the level name's abbreviations match with the first two letters of my name and ShodanWii's name)
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----|Version 1.1 (10/7/11)|-----
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Download: http://bin.smwcentral.net/u/3212/ShodanWii_SyStemkraSh_v11.ips

Known Problems:
- If a second boo touches you while you are frozen, the effect lasts longer. (Don't know if I should change this or not).

New in this Version (1.1):
- A completed level. We're only looking for bugs now people! =)
- All previous errors that were pointed out are fixed.
- Added eeries to the daytime in the second 1/2, so the first 1/2 makes sense. =P (KarateKid5)

Please test! Thanks a lot!
Untitled Hack Progress:
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YouTube: www.youtube.com/shodanwii
And here comes an update to that update so you guys can test while you test.
Download
Known Problems:
-Venus Piranhas will appear in FRONT of their pipes when sinking back into a pipe.
- Some bricks in the first half are NOT solid. IT is unknown if there are more.
- If a second boo touches you while you are frozen. the effect lasts longer.
+ Note: You can become permanently stuck between two Boos until you die of overheating if timed right.

New in this Version:
- Found some of the non-solid bricks in the first half and fixed them. It is unknown if there are more.
- Fixed the last SMWC coin in the middle of the level.
- Parts of the ground in the third part have been decorated.
- Roof added to third part.

Questions/feedback/testers are welcome.
Originally posted by ShodanWii
- Added eeries to the daytime in the second 1/2, so the first 1/2 makes sense. =P (KarateKid5)


Well, actually, I meant take the daytime Eeries out of the first half, but my wording might have been a little confusing in that last bit of my feedback (my apologies if that's the case).
So, I'd say remove the eeries from the first half and replace them with a different enemy, as the player ends up having tank hits at some points in the first half to them to make it back into the shade in time. I was saying that the second half was balanced danger-wise, so the first half needed some of that balance as well.

Extras



I should have something witty to put here (even if it's just to update dated info), shouldn't I?

Advertising Space


You really shouldn't put the player in (somewhat) immediate danger upon level entry. I'm talking about the thermometer raising with nothing to cover him.

By the way, that message box has no text.


Yeah.


How come these pillars don't stop the heat? Surely there's enough space to obscure Mario.


Somewhat blind drop. It's very much possible to head to the left after getting the SMWCoin and landing on/in front of these bastards.


Make the ground behave like Tile 100, not 130.


Somewhat blind drop.


Not really a fan of the idea of these critters being able to be set up in a way that you can take damage from them because you didn't know they were even there.


Blatant Big Mario Discrimination


You're kidding, right?



Yeah.


I gave up at this part. This is just shades of To Land Much Below! (read: giving the player a speed-based segment and punishing them with death for even the slightest error) They have to- from cool shade, zig zag through this mini-labyrinth to hit the P-Switch and back through the middle level while most likely avoiding the FreezeBoo that trailed into the path along the way. If you hit the Boo, you're stuck and will most definitely die to the thermometer. If you fail to make it past the P-Switch/Coin wall in time, you're as good as dead. If you get hit by a random crit grenade from a fucking Demoman, you're dead.

Wait, wrong game.

Anyway, at the end of the mini-labyrinth, add some shade underneath the P-Switch block and remove all of the Boos from that immediate area; they make the spot a bitch to make it through.

Hmm. You are either playing ShodanWii's version, or I uploaded the wrong patch.
Originally posted by MrDeePay

You really shouldn't put the player in (somewhat) immediate danger upon level entry. I'm talking about the thermometer raising with nothing to cover him.
Fixed; Mario now spawns behind a formation of bricks.
By the way, that message box has no text.
In the updated version it should have text.

Yeah.
Ah, thanks for finding that. It's been fixed.

How come these pillars don't stop the heat? Surely there's enough space to obscure Mario.
Those pillars seem to have been graphically changed into smaller ones in the update.

Somewhat blind drop. It's very much possible to head to the left after getting the SMWCoin and landing on/in front of these bastards.
Fixed; a platform has been placed on the same row as the top Eerie.

Make the ground behave like Tile 100, not 130.
Fixed.

Somewhat blind drop.
Fixed; the land stretches out through where the pit was, and the pit itself was moved over slightly.

Not really a fan of the idea of these critters being able to be set up in a way that you can take damage from them because you didn't know they were even there.
The update has the bricks without layer priority.

Blatant Big Mario Discrimination
Fixed; there is now a fourth chain in that formation.

You're kidding, right?
I removed one of the Boos to make it less cramped, but I don't know if I can fix this completely.

Yeah.
The updated version has the text for this box.

I gave up at this part. This is just shades of To Land Much Below! (read: giving the player a speed-based segment and punishing them with death for even the slightest error) They have to- from cool shade, zig zag through this mini-labyrinth to hit the P-Switch and back through the middle level while most likely avoiding the FreezeBoo that trailed into the path along the way. If you hit the Boo, you're stuck and will most definitely die to the thermometer. If you fail to make it past the P-Switch/Coin wall in time, you're as good as dead. If you get hit by a random crit grenade from a fucking Demoman, you're dead.

Wait, wrong game.

Anyway, at the end of the mini-labyrinth, add some shade underneath the P-Switch block and remove all of the Boos from that immediate area; they make the spot a bitch to make it through.
When you switch the status so that the Eeries appear, it turns the desert into night time, which makes the heat go away. It was kind of hinted in the text box, but your version didn't have the text.

EDIT: Fucking broken mouse.
Alcaro edit: Fixed broken formatting that bolded half of your post.
Update 10/10/11:
Download

This update should fix all of the problems listed in the other posts. Testers, questions, and feedback welcome.
This is the first time I've tried this level since way back in August, and I can see it's almost there. I have some stuff to point out though.


Has anyone suggested changing the palette of these Boos to something orange/red? There would be a real consistency issue if these remained white.


This jump is really irritating.


Does that one tile gap up there have a purpose? It looks weird.


Nine coins? Seems like kind of a lame reward. I expected a mushroom or a 1-UP or something. Also, you're missing a dirt tile to the left of Mario on the "elbow".


There is a P-Switch block graphic already in the ROM that looks better than this. I'd suggest using it.


The jump above me is a pain to make.

Another thing I felt is that the first half of the level feels too long. Two SMWC coins can be found almost immediately, and then you have another batch of screens before the midway. I'd get rid of all that extra chain hopping and shorten that room by 3-5 screens. Not only that, but the very last room has a really arbitrary green switch puzzle that comes .. out of nowhere, really. Since that's the last room, why don't you trash the idea of a lame puzzle and instead have a race against the thermometer? That is, have a shady "exit" to the pyramid, and then have Mario sprint across the sand to the goal. Personally, I think that would be much more climactic AND much less random than that green switch puzzle.

I have no other complaints besides what I mentioned, so good stuff.
Originally posted by S.N.N.
This is the first time I've tried this level since way back in August, and I can see it's almost there. I have some stuff to point out though.

Has anyone suggested changing the palette of these Boos to something orange/red? There would be a real consistency issue if these remained white.
This jump is really irritating.
Does that one tile gap up there have a purpose? It looks weird.
Nine coins? Seems like kind of a lame reward. I expected a mushroom or a 1-UP or something. Also, you're missing a dirt tile to the left of Mario on the "elbow".
There is a P-Switch block graphic already in the ROM that looks better than this. I'd suggest using it.
The jump above me is a pain to make.

Another thing I felt is that the first half of the level feels too long. Two SMWC coins can be found almost immediately, and then you have another batch of screens before the midway. I'd get rid of all that extra chain hopping and shorten that room by 3-5 screens. Not only that, but the very last room has a really arbitrary green switch puzzle that comes .. out of nowhere, really. Since that's the last room, why don't you trash the idea of a lame puzzle and instead have a race against the thermometer? That is, have a shady "exit" to the pyramid, and then have Mario sprint across the sand to the goal. Personally, I think that would be much more climactic AND much less random than that green switch puzzle.

I have no other complaints besides what I mentioned, so good stuff.


Thanks for testing S.N.N., I'll address in order:
1) It originally was a off brown, but was changed back. Should be an easy fix.
2) I'll fix it.
3) Someone mentioned it was a blind jump, so I put that there, I think I'll get rid of it. I mean, there are already coins there. You can also go down to the right.
4) There actually is a secret there. You have to find it. ;) (It's a hidden one up).
5) I'll have SyStemkraSh change that.
6) Sure, I'll easily fix it.
Regarding the length, I can shorten it. I just hope it won't be too short. I'll also work with kraSh about that last maze. I didn't know he changed it?

There will not be anything this weekend, as both of us our busy. Expect an update to fix everything by next weekend. Thanks for your understanding.
Untitled Hack Progress:
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YouTube: www.youtube.com/shodanwii
Originally posted by S.N.N.
This is the first time I've tried this level since way back in August, and I can see it's almost there. I have some stuff to point out though.


Has anyone suggested changing the palette of these Boos to something orange/red? There would be a real consistency issue if these remained white.
I haven't touched the Boo's palette.. yet. I'm not sure if I can change it without affecting the Eeries. If it's a custom sprite, then its palette can be changed in its ASM/CFG file, right (I'm clueless about anything ASM related) ?

This jump is really irritating.
Fixed; more space has been added, and one Venus Fire Piranha has been removed.

Does that one tile gap up there have a purpose? It looks weird.
Fixed; I didn't see that with the secondary entrance label in the way.

Nine coins? Seems like kind of a lame reward. I expected a mushroom or a 1-UP or something. Also, you're missing a dirt tile to the left of Mario on the "elbow".
I'm assuming that the area was designed so the player could see the left side where the fall would be. Also, the elbow tile is fixed.

There is a P-Switch block graphic already in the ROM that looks better than this. I'd suggest using it.
I used these switch graphics so I could add some extra 8x8 graphics in the ExGFX file I claimed.

The jump above me is a pain to make.
Fixed; one chain has been removed, but the other has been extended. Also, some chains were added/extended to make the climbing less difficult.
Another thing I felt is that the first half of the level feels too long. Two SMWC coins can be found almost immediately, and then you have another batch of screens before the midway. I'd get rid of all that extra chain hopping and shorten that room by 3-5 screens. Not only that, but the very last room has a really arbitrary green switch puzzle that comes .. out of nowhere, really. Since that's the last room, why don't you trash the idea of a lame puzzle and instead have a race against the thermometer? That is, have a shady "exit" to the pyramid, and then have Mario sprint across the sand to the goal. Personally, I think that would be much more climactic AND much less random than that green switch puzzle.
I'll leave the first half of the level to ShodanWii; he knows which parts to edit out. As for the last room, I started it over completely, and instead built it with your ideas in mind. The last part is still split, but both parts are a race against the thermometer, and the paths lead out of the side of pyramid and into the desert.
I have no other complaints besides what I mentioned, so good stuff.

Also, relax; I'm still working on the level, but at a slower pace due to school. The last part of the level is complete. I'll attempt to add an updated level patch to this tomorrow, but for now, you'll have to wait.

EDIT: Got a download link to the newest version. Go nuts:
Link
No idea in hell what's up with all those dashes in the message boxes, but I'm probably missing something.

Other than that, I played the level and .. don't actually have any complaints. I'm not the world's best tester, but this level seems full of atmosphere and I like it - I hope others will be able to provide you with a bit more helpful feedback, but I just wanted to post my thoughts on the level all the same.

Good stuff.

I know you sent me a PM yesterday SyStemkraSh, but could you still post of your progress and concerns here, so others know what is going on?
Layout by LDA during C3.
10/29/11 Update

So here's a paragraph from the PM I sent Lightvayne:
Originally posted by SyStemkraSh
ShodanWii and I have been working on our level. Although both of us have been busy with school, we've been pulling some consistent updates for the level and working on the feedback we've gotten. Then, ShodanWii became inactive as time went on. I been managing the thread and level, but I've run out of things to improve or fix. Instead, the parts that need to be worked on are on ShodanWii's side of the level. However, I told people that I wouldn't touch ShodanWii's level. I've fired a PM at ShodanWii and it went unresponded.

Here is his response:
Originally posted by Lightvayne
Give it a few more days, If he hasn't responded by then, we'll pass the level on to you to finish it.

Just noticed that unresponded isn't a word. So that's the situation. For now, here's what I have for an update:

1: I changed the custom Boo's palette:

..but it ends up changing the thermometer with it. It also changes the palette of the falling platform, as well as the Bowser statue.
This is what both the Boo and the Thermometer look like beforehand:

Depending on the response, I'll either keep the new palette or the old.

2: Update Video on the final room.
Link

3: Update Patch on the level.
Download Link

Known Problems:
- Cape graphics for Mario, as seen in the video
- Custom Boos can perma-stun you and kill you
- Graphics for pillars are unchanged in later parts of the level
- First part left unchanged

Feedback/comments/questions welcome.
I want to apologize for seemingly going out of activity...

Essentially school has gotten in the way, as I had to take a bunch of tests before going on college tours for a week or so. I will be available next weekend to fix my parts of the level. I don't want to impose any problems on systemkrash, it isn't his responsibility. I appreciate everything he has done so far.

Again, I apologize, just have not been able to check here for a couple of weeks. I will be in close contact with him to finish the level.

ShodanWii
Untitled Hack Progress:
5%


YouTube: www.youtube.com/shodanwii
-------------
Version 2.0
-------------
Download:
http://bin.smwcentral.net/u/3212/ShodanWii_SyStemkraSh_v2.ips

Known Issues:
-Death by thermometer doesn't play right music.
-It multiple boos touch you, longer time.

Fixed:
Everything mentioned.

The two issues aren't too big of deals, and they don't have to be fixed immediately. (The two boo thing doesn't happen very often).

Sorry for not updating in a while!
Untitled Hack Progress:
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YouTube: www.youtube.com/shodanwii
The freeze boos and the thermometer share the same palette row, which is why they both changed to orange. Since the freezing boos are a custom sprite, the CFG file for them should be edited to change it's palette to a different row to avoid conflict when you change the colors. The best row would be row E or F, if they aren't being used already.
First off, ShodanWii, I want to apologize for my attitude last time. I was in an exasperated mood, and spoke much more harshly than I should have.

In any case, this level has definitely come a long way since then. I love how it adds new layers to the base mechanic in the second half. There are some issues with slowdown and sprite disappearance, but overall this was genuinely fun to play.



22

7, top: I think the eeries spawn and move away long before players get up here. Maybe you should move them to the left/right so that they spawn once players finish scaling the staircase. Otherwise that one screen feels noticeably empty to me.

D, upper left: Eeries respawn once players double back here for the shade and powerup, which means very noticeable slowdown and even sprite disappearance on the next couple of screens. I'd cut down on the sprites a little or reposition things so they're more separated and there's less respawning.

E, middle: This eerie formation is very tricky to dodge, especially if you're carrying a p-switch at the time. Might just be me, but I wonder if shifting one of them just a single tile would make this more palatable. Also, this formation is often the victim of despawning issues, thanks to screen D.

F-10, middle: Keep in mind these coins will turn into brown blocks if players don't collect them first.

14: Much trickier than it looks, I think. Boos chase you when you face away, so how are you supposed to manipulate them while climbing? You also don't have a lot of room to maneuver. Personally, I would have liked a bit more leeway here.

16: Nitpicky, but I think the midway point should come before the pipe. Also, hardly important, but shouldn't the far end of the pyramid reach the ground as well, instead of extending into a bottomless pit?



14D

0: As soon as you enter the area, there's a big hot head approaching AND blocking a message box that might have something important to say, a freeze boo that makes things feel pretty clastrophobic, and eeries that spawn farily close to the on/off switch you need to press. Might just be me, but I think a bit more leeway here would also be better. It just seems like a lot to take in for the first screen.

4: Looked a lot trickier than it actually was for me- I never missed this jump. Did anyone have problems here?

7, bottom: The statue despawns sometimes, maybe due to the randomness of the eerie spawns.

7, top: This ends up being less complex than it looks. That doesn't make it bad, but I found myself wondering whether it's possible to make the path through here a bit more irregular somehow.

A, top: Might have just been me, but sometimes the randomness of the eeries would create awfully tough scenarios here. I'm not sure what would "fix" this issue, though.

C, top: While the bottom path was fine, getting through this boo ring on the top path was fairly boring, maybe because there's no room to move and nothing else going on.

D, middle: This statue also despawned once for me, if I remember correctly. Might be the boo ring plus the random eerie spawns.



14E

4: When I reached this screen, I thought maybe there would be a more outdoorsy area, since up until that point everything took place in the pyramid. I was a little sad to see the level end almost right after that. I'm not telling you to add more, though, because that would make the level too long. I think what I'm trying to say is that I wanted to see more, which means you did a good job on the design. Make sense?

6: Not sure I like this jump, since there's little room to maneuver once you land. Yeah, the hot head moves slowly, but if players dawdle just a little before making this jump, that could lead to an unfair hit, no? See what others think about this one, I guess.

7: Might just be me, but I'm not fond of gaps that force you to slide jump near-perfectly. This is right at the end of the stage, too, so if players miss...



I admit I haven't played many levels, but this is one of the only ones I've seen that use an "air meter" mechanic and use it well. Good work, you two.


Oh, and make sure you fix the palette on the thermometer. The mercury should stand out from the glass.
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Once you guys fix up what AxemJinx pointed out, I'll give it a final run and hopefully clear it.

Thanks.

Complete