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137: Crystal Conception - amhunter

Complete

It's a shame all this was said after I left for the weekend. Turns out, finished and polished my level (with Coins btw) and then I got back just now and saw these... So spent the last hour trying to find a way to keep my level at it's originality while applying the new suggestions you guys said, and finally, I decided to just make two IPS's. I have all the SMWC coins. On the Weekend Ed. (my original file), the SMWC coins are on totally different paths. On the Suggested Ed. (heavily influenced by S.N.N.'s point outs), there are multiple paths. They all have a SMWC coin on them. The level is shorter on that one.

Oh, plus, S.N.N., I would love that code so I could get rid of those darned plants and use the crystals instead, plus I could get rid of the Desert cat. Well, I gtg now, but not before leaving these two IPS's.

Weekend Ed.

Suggested Ed.

On a side note, I would appreciate it if both were played and tested as they may have the same design, but ARE infact different. I need to know which is better, and if I should just keep the SMWC Coins on the pipe paths in the suggested edition or not.
Your layout has been removed.
The spawning routine I used for the fireballs (well, actually, they were for little 8x8 shooting stars, but that is besides the point) was this:

Code
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;FIREBALL SPAWNING;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

XSPD	dcb $E0,$20,$E0,$20,$00,$20,$00,$E0		; x speed of fireballs ;; add more values if you
YSPD	dcb $E0,$E0,$20,$20,$20,$00,$E0,$00		; y speed of fireballs ;; spawn more fireballs!!

SHOOTING_STARS
	LDA $163E,x
	BNE NOSPAWN
	JSR SPAWNM
	LDA #$50
	STA $163E,x
NOSPAWN
	RTS

SPAWNM	PHX		; jump to this label
	LDX #$07	; load times to go through loop -1
LOOPM	JSR CHKFREE
	DEX
	BPL LOOPM
	PLX
	RTS
CHKFREE	LDY #$07
LOOPFRE	LDA $170B,Y
	BEQ SPAWNEX
	DEY
	BPL LOOPFRE
	RTS
SPAWNEX	LDA #$02	; extended sprite number
	STA $170B,y
	PHX
	LDX $15E9
	LDA $D8,X
	CLC
	ADC #$04	; y offset of fireballs
	STA $1715,Y
	LDA $14D4,X
	ADC #$00
	STA $1729,Y
	LDA $E4,X
	CLC
	ADC #$04	; x offset of fireballs
	STA $171F,Y
	LDA $14E0,X
	ADC #$00
	STA $1733,Y
	PLX
	LDA XSPD,X
	STA $1747,Y
	LDA YSPD,X
	STA $173D,Y
	RTS


What is actually does is causes eight fireballs (four corners, four sides) to shoot out from a 32x32 sprite (which could be the crystal in this case). It's a little on the fast side right now, but the speeds are easily editable up there. This could honestly be thrown in any static 32x32 sprite and probably work fine (and come to think of it, if someone wants to do so, I'd appreciate it. The sprite I personally used this in is kind of a mess).

The suggested level is better in terms of handling the ON/OFF stuff, but your addition of those line-guided side rooms was both random and ultimately pointless (not to mention the sky background is terribly unfitting). I think you'd be fine by simply getting rid of them and/or shrinking them substantially. Length-wise, the main portion seems fine overall. If you decide to take the crystal sprite route, you'll need to redesign a few parts, but I believe it may highly benefit your level .. assuming everything works out alright.

Few screens:


Even though I'm assuming this coin is simply supposed to be a representation of the one in the side room, it still seems rather random (not to mention my complaints about the side rooms are listed above).


The star seems really .. random. I'd at least give it a point of some kind (i.e. grab it, run right, and if you make it in time, use it to kill a sprite/cross a pit for a 1-UP or something).


...really? He just falls straight down from the sky into a pit.

My thoughts also stand on the background too. It is very unfitting.

At this point, if you decide to go through with the crystal idea I suggested, you (or whoever else) will want to implement that code I posted into a generic 32x32 template sprite.

I guess that's all I have to say for now.
Yeah, I'd like to use that Crystal Sprite Idea, but I'd need some sort of extension on the deadline to cleverly redesign some of the level so it isn't pointless crap, plus I'd have to wait for someone to get the sprite into a tamplet and insert it, which could take some time depending on if someone does it quickly. About the routes, I'll erase the line guide part completely and I guess just make some sort of path like they do on NSMBWii, and the part with fuzzies, I'll get rid of them too and just use some more of those crystals, plus would it be a good idea to just keep the SMWC Coins on the different paths or just keep them where they are???
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Just a slight update, nothing to show yet. I plan to rearrange my level a little bit by removing all of the Venus Fly Traps and using that new Crystal sprite instead. All I have to do is what for the new Base-Update and then it's back to work.
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Sorry for the hold up, but I just realized what S.N.N. meant by this...

Originally posted by S.N.N. in PM

You can insert it on your own by using the password for the sprites and blocks included with the base ROM (*** is the password). The reason I've included them is because school has become too busy for me to constantly update it.


Yep, so now I won't wait any longer to make modifications to my finished level. Allow me to work at my own pace like I had so far and the level should come up soon. With school and all, I can't just state a time, but I won't drop this level, especially when it's so close to being complete, and all the work, time, and whatever else you can think of I've put into it, but not sweat. Sweat can't get on levels...
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MGH asked me a while back to make a background for level to coincide with the crystals I made for him. Well, here it is. I sure hope it fits, metalgearhunter says it does.

I certainly don't think it looks out of place. I remember a lot of the other graphics you've tried making for the hack still had that distinct S.C.O.R.P.I.O.N. look to them at first and clashed pretty badly (however also looking impressive and sleek), but I'd say ya pretty much nailed it on the first go this time! Good job! How's about making one of those big ol' diamonds use the blue palette though? It'd possibly balance the colors out a bit more, but if it will suck up too much map16 space, then leaving it as is should be fine too.
Hmmm, I won't deny it looks really cool, but the question is, does it work well with the foreground, especially since you're also using those crystal sprites? Wouldn't want a background object to look like it belongs in the foreground, right?

I also noticed you haven't decided on a name for this level yet. If you need some ideas, the ones I've come up with a couple.

Diamond Dream
Crystalline Conception (I like this one more, but I think this name exceeds the character limit)
^ "Crystal Conception" ?

Also, that background looks great, but it's hard to judge it fully until we see it in front of the FG. I'm assuming MGH has been working on finishing up with inserting those crystals, so I'm sure we'll see it soon (I hope?)
Yes, Metalgearhunter is working on it. Believe me, I'm in the room usually when he is. From what we've seen, it works pretty well. However, it is ultimately your opinion that matters. We'll see when he submits another test version.
Sorry doing this has taken so long. There is still alot for me to do dealing with getting the level submission friendly, to say, such as
Claiming Map16
ensuring I am not using or wasting any secondary exits
difficulty regarding length (maybe)

Anyway, here's the IPS to the level.

Level 137 10/12/11
Your layout has been removed.

Any split bullets you've used in this sublevel seem both random, unnecessary, and tacked on. Just use the regular bullets.


Getting through those brown blocks took me 20-30 tries. It literally requires pixel perfect precision to get down there, especially since the moving platform gets in your way. Either move the P-Switch block closer, or do something about that platform.


Really, how necessary are the Elite Goombas as well? You don't need to turn this level into a custom sprite dumping ground. A couple of different ones max will do.



Do you think this part would benefit from a red crystal in the middle? Because I sure do. Try removing that middle pipe and replace the venus plants.


You can't use two of these together - there isn't enough extended sprite space. On that note, I'm going to need to speed the fireballs up and increase the amount of time between them to ensure 8 will almost always spawn. Otherwise, there will be some slight issues.

Other than that, the level is pretty good. Introduce the red crystal a little better though - you have it totally surrounded by enemies. A small little one screen opening with only that in your way would work well. Not only that, be sure to note that the red crystal can hurt you. There is nothing worse than assuming it is safe since all of the other ones in the level are.
Updated Level 137

Updated with your suggestions SNN, and plus added the gfx I forgot to put in ExGFX 60 for those flying signs.
Your layout has been removed.
Just a few notes:

- I didn't realize the "Just GO" sign was supposed to say "Just GO" rather than "just push such and such buttons" until I looked at it in the 8x8 tile editor with the wrong palette. Again, you might want to make that more legible.

- Is that blank message box supposed to warn the player about the red crystal? If so, it should probably appear before the player runs into the crystal--there's little point in warning them about it afterward. Why not put the message box at the beginning of the level?

- Speaking of the red crystals, they really ought to make a sound when firing, similar to everything else that shoots fireballs in the game. Due to a combination of their silence and tendency to blend in with the harmless background crystals, they often took me by surprise even when I knew where they were beforehand.

- There's still and Elite Goomba and splitting bullet lurking in the level--I have to agree these seemed tacked on.

- I think it's just a bit excessive to hide all three of your coins in those elaborate side rooms. One, or maybe even two of them, sure, but all three feels like needless level extension. The third is the worst culprit--to find it one needs to jump down a pit with no indication that it's safe to go down there or that anything is hidden there, grab a spring board and bring it to a place where there's no indication that it should be used there, and which also lies in a region the player as already passed through (I actually had to ope the level in Lunar Magic to find it at all), hope you have the switch in the correct position, and then go through a reasonably lengthy side room. Is all that necessary, especially considering how the other two coins are hidden?

- Speaking of SMWC coins, the "symbolic" one seems likely to cause a bit of confusion, interesting as the idea is.

- Speaking of side rooms, the rails there blend far too well into the background--they're pretty much invisible if not at the very bottom of the screen. Also:



Yes indeedy.
Do you have an IPS ready with the above suggestions fixed? Your level is nearing insertion-quality, so I'd like to see it finally get there.
With most, yes. I don't have an IPS ready just yet, but I am working on it, let me assure you. Just takes some clever thinking is all, but finding a way around these SMWC coins... meh, IDK. Since it was world 9, I thought I would make you work for them, but it seems people just want them handed out for now... Meh...

But don't fret, one will be ready soon. I can't say how soon, but before two weeks is over, I won't let this level go just like that.
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It's been said before, but it's not that we want the SMWCoins handed to us in these later worlds. We just don't want them to be hidden in such a way that you'd have to actually find fake walls or jump into hidden warps. The general idea is that the coins are supposed to be located somewhere off the main path, maybe down a pipe or in a tricky to reach spot of your level that would require some effort to reach. Even a coin that is in plain sight from the main path can still be tricky to get if you're good with complex level designs or puzzles.
These are off the main paths, and each I tried to involve a puzzle with, tried though. Most require the right ON/OFF conditions to reach.
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Ok, here is another IPS. I have changed the last 3rd of the level and moved the third SMWC Coin to else where. If you have a better suggestion of where to place it, please, let me know.

10/26/11 IPS
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Seriously? You forgot to put message in here.
I'm sorry, but I'm not good at SMW hacking, so I gave up on it. That means I'm leaving SMWCentral. Bye!

Complete