What is it about levels that please(s) you most?

[CedarBranch]

This post by CedarBranch was thumbed up by:

Killswitch (May 6th, 2014, 6:46 am)

[1018peter]

Well I'm the guy with most frustrating level designs ever. (Having the hardest part in the middle)

[Dtroid]

The things I love to see in levels are:

• Much replay value, preferably as near to unlimited as possible.
• Secrets. Gotta love those hidden things!
• Rankings. This is one of those things that give me motivation.
• Intense difficulty. It feels so much more accomplishing to finish something the harder it is.
• Anything eerie. I really like the feeling of chills in my bones.
• Exploration. It makes levels much more interesting to me.

All these,except the chills.

[~MP3 Amplifier~]

I love graphics that make my jaw drop and go "holy ♥♥♥♥ that's amazing". Even if the level's platforming isn't great, if the graphics are top notch, I'm hooked. Of course it's even more amazing if the graphics are jaw-droppingly good and so is the platforming. Those levels get the best marks of mine.

I also sometimes like story, but it has to be written in a style that I like, so that factor is usually a hit or miss situation with me.

EDIT: I tend to like the level designing styles that have this graphically interesting feel to them. People like Star king have my favourite styles because the graphics feel good and the platforming also has this addictive touch, and I love addictive platforming.

[MessengerOfDreams]

When I can really sense the designer's spirit in it

[Konradix]

One thing I really like, if it's done well, is Out of bounds. Think Portal; all these rooms, hidden behind the panels that make up the chambers. I'd love to just drop whatever I'm doing and wonder around the 'outside' of these chambers. Think of Assassin's Creed, where you could have these conversations outside the Animus, look at the computer and whatnot. It's the kinda stuff that the protagonist isn't meant to see, but we are. Once again, it has to be well executed, but I love this kind of stuff. It's kinda like the secrets you mentioned, but it's also different in a way.

[Harmless]

Difficulty can be great, but when you have something that becomes nearly impossible either due to poor execution or just making it flat out hard, it can get irritating sometimes.

[Thefiredragoon]

Time for mine.
1. I love levels with story, especially if it makes me feel like I'm mario (or luigi, Whichever character the level wants you to play as)
2. The platforming. Jesus do i love the platforming!
3. The difficulty. I don't like near impossible levels (You people know who you are.) But i love levels with a difficulty that you know is possible. Take Triple J's levels for example. I love the difficulty in his levels so much. That i could vote for him for the best level creator of Runouw this year. (Which is saying alot from the levels i've seen. And Triple J Keep up the hard levels )
4. Secrets. Im pretty sure most people here love finding secrets. Maybe even parts of levels were not meant to find.
So yeah.

If you were confused about what i was saying about how i like Triple J's difficulty. Its that you know the levels are possible. But its just so hard. Some deaths that happened in his levels. Were my fault!

[SuperCraig64]

What I like to see in levels:

1. Secrets: Well for starters, I love secret rooms, areas, or even secret courses. And is the most popular thing in this thread

2. Alternate Stories/Difficulties/Endings/Quests/Routes: Anyways, having more than 1 story or route can add a lot of gameplay and even some exploration! Also the difficulty alternates can be really useful for newbies and people who are pros and want more of a challenge.

3. Boss Fights: Got to love them (when they are not like regular cheap boss fights that are like only 1 phase and are tiny goombas). It adds a bunch more action and climatic parts to the story.

4. Crazy Funny Humor: Some levels just have to have some humor to be good right? As some good jokes can really make a difference between a strange level and a extremely troll like level.

That's all I can think of right now.

[Supershroom]

Thank god I'm working with story and alternate routes etc. on my LDC entry.

But more than that, I truly like chase scenes. These moments where you just have to run, run, run..., and your heart is beating and adrenalin shoots through your blood...

And scrolling sections are cool as well.