runouw.com

I am about to quit Level Designing. Sadly, maybe even Runouw.
I don't know what else to say. Anything I say will be argued back to me, because of social etiquette.


I am really, really depressed right now, and I almost want to cry. I just really wanted people to enjoy my levels despite the flaws. Apparently, frustration and impatience is too much.

JJJ, for what I saw in your post, your rage is mainly going toward Harmless' judgings, right?

I'll be honest, there was a time I was feeling like you. In an LDC, or in any kind of competition, there's aways people who will like more, or less of your work. There'll be those who will love it, and as well those who hate it. no one can please everyone.

People also don't aways like the same thing. For example: You like golf, me too, but there's aways going to have those with a neutral opinion about it, those who don't like it, and those who absolutely hate it and that will rub at your face that it's horrible. You just can't consider everyone's opinion. The only thing you have to do, is selecting the opinions that are going to be relevant for you.

There's someone who says your level is horrible, and absolutely hates it in every way possible for no reason at all, or for reasons that simply don't make sense? Sure, just ignore it. There's someone who says your level is not good, but tells all the points you could take to improve it? Then hear this person. There's someone who absolutely loves your level, and that praises it in every way, saying it's the best level ever? Thank this person, but remember said opinion may not aways reflect the truth.

And remember, everyone was bad at some point. You don't start out perfectly. I, for example, designed for years, since 2010, even though I only joined the site at 2012/2013. In 2012, when I posted my first level, I was really happy about it, I thought it was the best level I ever made, and that my level was one of the best. Then I looked at BY's Chrono Island, posted just some minutes after mine. I looked at it, and thought: "Wow, my level is nowhere as good as his..." and stayed away from this site for months, only checking the top levels of the portal at this time. Then I started doing another level, using some concepts that seemed to be successful in the other levels. I worked for 2 entire months in this level. It got a 3 stars rating in the portal, the first real good rating I got there.

Then I continued. noticed my levels were quite bare in decoration, thanks to a judge in an LDC, and worked toward it. Now I'm here, now I have a place in the tier list, in the graphics minitier, and won an LDC.

But you JJJ, can do much more. You have loads of potential, fresh ideas, inventive concepts, amazing graphics. The only little thing that is lacking in your levels is the execution. You can figure out a way to do it neatly, like Weather Works, Fresh, the TTOTMC levels, all of these got into a WITBLO, and I'm pretty sure you can do it again. Just try to hear about the flaws the judges pointed out, and improve at these points, listen to anything good they say about your level, and continue using your successful concepts in your levels. There are contrasting opinions? Then take the one that seems more relevant, and that comes from a more experienced judge.

Please, continue designing. You have loads of potential. There's a reason you are in the tier list after all. The fun thing about level designing, is doing levels for others, and get some recognition for them. If you improve what people don't like in your levels, then you are working your way toward getting not only more success, but recognition, and more people who admire your levels. And believe in me, there are loads of people who like your levels. Me for example. Lots of inspiration for some levels of mine were taken from yours. Remember the teleporter I created? I only had motivation to do it, because of the Magic Cauldron example you used. Because I wanted to see it working both ways.

So, you got potential, and got people looking foward your work. All you have to do is opening some room for improvement, and you are working toward perfection. Not only in Level Designing, but everything. So please, continue on the site, and continue Level Designing.

I guess so. Maybe. I suppose, um...




















































It's hard to say "no..."



















Y'know...













































Um...























Well, I...

























Erm... Well...











































































































I have no rebuttal to what you have said, so I don't see any more real of a reason to leave.

So, for now, I'm staying, though half-hearted. (It's not all that easy to just jump up with enthusiasm after what happened here..)

I don't have the time or the energy to write a big long save-you post, but you didn't make a bad level. You don't make bad levels. Hell, you officially have one of the 50 best levels of all time. What the 27th LDC showed is that you made a controversial level, and it got a controversial place. It wasn't considered a waste, things held it back, things any decent designer can overcome, and you can overcome them because it's simple make-the-challenges-less-aggravating.

Edit: lol decent Survivor wut Cam

It's okay, I'm sure you'll eventually get more enthusiast about it. I'm really glad you are staying here. If you need to know about anything you need to improve in your levels, then don't mind PMing me, I'll aways be here to help.

All right, and thanks, guys. :J (Apparently this Smiley I invented has a "J" in it. Plus, it has that "half-smile" I tend to use. Too much a coincidence. Too much...)

I know my judgings probably made you feel like ♥♥♥♥, but to be honest, it's not like I hate you or anything. A lot of what you displayed in your level was incredibly creative and I almost learned a thing or two myself when playing the level on creative challenges. It was just execution that got you, since it's hard to enjoy a challenge when it isn't well executed, creative or not. I said the same thing about a few other levels (not just to Supershroom, but to 1018peter, Yurimaster, MoY, etc).

That doesn't mean you should throw your creativity away though. Just because I felt like your 27th LDC entrant flopped a bit doesn't mean your life's over. In fact, if you lessened the extremes of your 27th LDC entrant and fixed the execution, that level would probably end up as one of my favorites of all time.