JDCG2: Alpha Testing (JDC's Notes)
Here are my notes for the alpha testing of JDGC2. I've elected Daizo, MrEsc, Myself and Evilguy to assist in doing this.
We will go through each level in the baseROM and point out any necessary errors or minor nitpicks that may need fixing. This list only includes complete levels.
World 1: Coastal Beach World
001: Broken Bridges (Special Level)
-Second half of this level will be designed when all levels are complete. (This'll be a minilevel which will be the path to the Chocolate Island world
006: StickleBack Stride (Mario's Hat)
-Music issue. Will be fixed once we switch to AM405.
005: Tide Stride (Austin)
-This level needs a new name, as both this level and 006 have "stride" in them.
-Quite a bit of slowdown around screens C and D in the main level.
-The 1up block at screen D shouldn't be 1 tile from the ceiling. It should be reduced to 2 tiles from the ceiling to prevent glitches.
-The 2nd section of the level could do with a different song.
-There's only 4 yoshi coins in the level!
004: Seabreeze Spree (Jonny)
-I think it'd be better with the layer priority switched off here as it's a little awkward otherwise
-The 4th Dragon coin is impossible to get out of whilst big mario!
003: Sunrise Shore (Luigi370)
-Needs new music. (Also music issue, will be fixed with AM405)
-Needs a time limit. How about 400 seconds?
-The FG tiles (cave) seem to be layer priority enabled.
-Again with the underwater section (!?), the FG tiles are layer priority enabled
-The corner tile on the opening on the secret passage to 5th yoshi coin is passthroughable.
-Why do the end sections (FB and FD) have different palettes to 3? It seems unnecessary.
This level is one of the weakest in the whole collab unfortunately and needs either a) serious level design improvements to meet the standards of the other levels or b) to be scrapped from the project entirely.
World 2: Desert/Ruins World
00A: Dinosaur Dunes (JDC)
-The cave music in this area could do with some more fitting music.
-The "brown" outline on the clouds here isn't the best.
-The enemy blocks could have a more matching palette to the ? blocks in the 2nd section.
-The way the hammer bro lift moves (36S5) could be moved to the left a little.
009: Arid Awakening (Falconpunch)
-The kicking koopa at the start isn't necessary.
-This level will need new music as this is one of two levels that uses an AddmusicM sampled port.
-There's a bit too much decoration in this level. The level feels a little busy at times because of this.
-Blank message box at 28.
-Cutoff with the very steep slope here. (28S3)
-Same issue on screen 4 here. (steep slopes)
-Not really too happy with the pitching chuck arrangement on screen 6.
It seems a little too difficult.
-Another steep slope issue on 28SB
-The jump from the springboard (D) back to the ledge to climb up is a bit too difficult. The height of the pokeys at D should be reduced.
-Yoshi coin doesn't appear in sublevel 29.
00B: Solitary Sepulture (Evilguy019)
-The palette of the skull launchers could be improved slightly.
-It's quite difficult to see the "outlines" of the dirt due to the non-black outline.
-Sprite memory issue at 67 S4
-The wooden block shouldn't be one tile from the ground on 67 S8.
-There's a koopa "inside" the green shell from the block at SC. This adds a bit of awkwardness to the level.
-
MAJOR sprite memory issues here caused by sublevel 67 having sprite memory setting 10! This will be changed to sprite memory setting
00D: Ravaged Ruins (Mr Esc)
-The platform at screen 6 feels a little awkward to reach.
-Not really sure on the idea of having a yoshi coin
inside a secret exit route.
-The blue shell at Screen C seems a bit sudden + unexpected.
World 3: Lava Mountains/Mine World
011: Perilous Pathways (Cobra)
-Random "rock" in the ground on 11 S3.
-May just be me, but I feel this level overdoes it a little with the cracks in the ground. Maybe more decoration types can be used here?
-Tiny bit of slowdown around screen C in 11.
-The yoshi coin in the mine area is placed on a sub-screen boundary!
-The rex needs to be moved a few tiles to the left in the lava side of this level (Level 89 screen 3)
013: Magma Mound (Evilguy019)
-Music issue. Will be fixed when we transfer to AM405
-Blocks being 1 tile from a ceiling causes problems. There are a few instances of this throughout the level. (Level13: S4, SC, SE)
-The "castle block" fix should be used here. (ExGFX 125. Was used in manic mines)
-A bit of slowdown in sublevel 66, screen 3.
-I feel you should be better notified of the dragon coin here on screen 4. Perhaps a coin below the invisible coin block?
-The time limit needs to be reduced in this level as it is too high at the moment.
012: Fiery Flora (TomPhanto)
-Music issues which will again be fixed when we switch to addmusic405.
-You can "walk through" the lava tiles on Level 12, SA.
-The ground has layer priority..?
-Maybe just me, but the yoshi coin on screen 7 seems a little awkward. Perhaps it could be moved a little?
-I'm not too happy with the middle part of screen 7 being like that really. I guess the wall that runs down the middle could be "connected" to the middle ledge so it doesn't look like you can drop down here to your death.
-The fireball arrangement at screen 6 feels a little cheap. Perhaps this could be reworked a little?
-Quite a few slowdown issues in sublevel 3A. These should be fixed.
-The lava on sublevel 3A should be acted like a kill block to avoid issues like "swimming" in the lava.
016: Manic Mines (Mr Esc)
-Blank message box
-The platform with the yoshi coin on (Sublevel 33, S3) should be brought down one tile so you die when it descends downwards. (It currently stops at the bottom tile of LM)
-How about a 1up or a 3up moon at sublevel 35? It's quite a tricky one to find I think. =P
-The buzzy beetle sometimes gets "stuck" in the ceiling at Sublevel 33, SB
015: Crystal Chasms (BeniBod)
-I feel the BG palette could be a little better. It stands out too much at the moment.
-The teleport blocks act like mushroom blocks?
-Sudden reaction with the shell. (Sublevel 144 S1)
-You can break the bottommost throw block here, crawl inside and die. (Sublevel 144, S0)
-The pipes look a little odd as they are (Sublevel 144, S0)
-The classic piranha Patch needs to be applied here. (Level 15, S7)
-Why are doughnut bridge tiles on mushrooms? (Level 15, S9/A)
-The mushrooms should create some kind of shadow inside the water. (Though be pass-through-able too)
-The waterfall animation on Laval 15, SC is a little cutoff. (It looks fine in LM though... odd.)
-Can't these doughnut bridges be replaced with mushroom platforms like the rest of the level? (Sublevel 143)
-Maybe just me, but sublevel 143 does seem a little random in design compared to the rest of the level. Perhaps it could work as some kind of
bonus sublevel inside the main level or something?
-I don't think there needs to be a 1up as well as a yoshi coin here. Perhaps the 1up can be removed? (Level 15, S1B)
This level feels a little long and un-coherent at times. I think something should possibly be done to sublevel 143. Such as perhaps moving it to a sublevel as a bonus room of sorts?
017: Industrial Interior (Daizo Dee Von)
-I can glitch into the slope wall at the start.
-This is the other song which only works for addmusicM. A new one should be inserted when we transfer back to 405. (Jazz Jackrabbit industrius)
-The hopping flame can glitch into the wall. (Screen 8)
-The area around screen 9 feels a little cramped. I feel the ceiling should be raised here.
-A little slowdown around screen F.
-Seems to be a missing tile here. (Sublevel 30, S0)
-Incorrect background starting position after exiting sublevel 30.
-A bit of cutoff with the very steep slope. (Level 17, Screen 14)
-The area with the hopping flame at the top also feels a bit cramped. (Level 17, screen 15)
-The way the grey platform "overlaps" the ground looks a little odd. (Level 17, screen 12)
-Although minor, there's a bit of graphical cutoff with the industrial blocks in some places.
-The buzzy beetle boss needs to be inserted.
018: Calignous Cliffs (Austin)
-The area on Level 18, screen 9 feels a little cramped. The ceiling should be raised here.
-Unnecessary used block here (sublevel 70, S2)
-I don't like the way the lakitu is in the bush at screen 2
-I feel there should be some coins at Sublevel 70, S0 to show you're meant to use the springboard there.
-The end goal sphere should be replaced with a standard goal point. (Sublevel 71)
World 4: Jungle/Swamp World
101: Twilight Trunks (Mr Esc)
-issue with piranha plants and trees
-Shouldn't the platform with pitching chuck on be moved down one tile so you can;t go down at that point? (Screen 5)
105: Clay Caverns (Mario's Hat)
-Music issue. Will be fixed as soon as we transfer to 405.
-I feel a new level name may be appropriate as the current one doesn't really fit too well.
-Yoshi coin doesn't appear at 2C?
-Minor issue, but shouldn't the water have a shadow for the bits you can not pass through? (sublevel 2A)
107: Spiny Shelter (JDC)
-A bit of slowdown around S4
104: Mycollic Marsh (GeminiRage)
-What does "Mycollic" even mean? Googling it gets no results.
-Music issue.
-The no-yoshi intro should be cut out.
-Message boxes need filling out. (s2)
-Some more fitting music is needed for the bonus room
103: Foggy Fields (Q-Bee)
-Slowdown around screen 7
-Slowdown around screen 8
-Slowdown around screen D
-Slowdown around Screen E
World 5: Icy Skies World
01B: Chilly Course (JDC)
-Needs optimisation. Understandable at the high object size due to the nature of the level, but it could be reduced to < 3000.
-Two blank message boxes in sublevel 25, S3.
-One of the message boxes should give a subtle hint about the puzzle I reckon
-When quitting the puzzle, you come out of a pipe after exiting through a door.
-Why are you spawned out of the same pipe which has the other sublevel in? this needs to be changed.
-This level needs more time. Especially if people are trying to figure out the feindish puzzle. =P
-The goal platform should be extended so you aren't walking into a wall with the victory walk.
01C: Jagged Jeopardy (Mario's Hat)
-Music issue.
-Location of last yoshi coin could be improved slightly.
01E: Soaring Sanctuary (Evilguy019)
-Music issue
-Mole holes are solid?
-Blank message box
-Not really sure on the whole "vines not being climable" thing. It
distracts from the level I think.
-Slowdown (8A, S2-3)
-The should be a coin below the notebloc here to tell you where it is
-Perhaps the noteblock could be replaced by a normal coin block as the palette on the note block isn't the best.
-Minor cutoff (8A, S8)
01D: Hovering Haven (ShadowFire)
-Minor graphical cutoff with the tree branches
-Minor slowdowmn around Screen A
World 6: Themed Factories World
109: Somber Steppe (ShadowFire)
-The mole holes are set toact like solid objects here too.
-I feel a little less coins in 145 should be used.
-Major Slowdown around screen 7
-Random tile at screen 9
-Bit of slowdown around screen A
This level leads to 146 which is a sublevel of mycollic marsh! This should be fixed.
World S: Chocolate Island World
122: Caramel Core (Mr Esc)
-Wrong corner tile around screen 3.
-The stars in the BG could do with a better palette
-There needs to be some indication of where to land at Sublevel 47, screen 9
120: Cocoa Clifftops (JDC)
-Corner tiles being placed on the fence at screen 3?
-Saw won't "jump" at screen 17.
-Multiple midways patch needs inserting for the boss.
-Palette issues on the boss
Edit: (Regarding level 3)
Quote[00:33:26] JDC : I've been talking to MrEsc about this, but what shall we do with Sunrise Shore?
[00:34:50] JDC : Thing is, the level's quite weak compared to the rest
[00:35:13] JDC : It'd need serious work to improve it
[00:35:23] Daizo Dee Von : You mean the one with too much decoration? We could restart it badly.
[00:35:28] JDC : or it could be dropped frokm the project entirely
[00:35:44] Daizo Dee Von : Or just leave it and let S.N.N. troll us-
[00:35:47] * Daizo Dee Von is shot
[00:35:52] JDC : You're thinking of arid awakening Daizo
[00:36:06] Daizo Dee Von : Oh.
[00:36:35] Daizo Dee Von : I mean Luigi270's level. (is that his name?)
[00:36:43] JDC : yes, that's the one
[00:37:16] Daizo Dee Von : I think it has too much detail and way too different.
[00:37:52] JDC : that's the least of the level's worries to be honest. =p
[00:38:07] Mr Esc : I kind of feel that removing Sunrise Shore would be the easiest option, though it would be nice to be able to fix it and improve it, I feel it might be a bit much work and not worth it in the end. =(
[00:38:51] Mr Esc : Maybe we could open the level slot and let someone else design one in it's place? =)
[00:39:07] JDC : Hm, that might be the best option I think
[00:39:28] JDC : I guess so. I don't think the level's salvageable really
[00:39:34] Daizo Dee Von : That is basically what we can do.