SMIC’s 19th LDC reviews~
MP3’s An Act of Antichesm
16.5/20
Spoiler: show
FUN – 8.5/10
Ah yes, an MP3 happy level. That was an enjoyable ser- LEVEL! :3 The platforming was not too easy, not too hard (for the most part) and the linear format played smoothly. The gameplay featured a great variation of platforming challenges which I really enjoyed. I’ll have to congratulate you individually on your use of moving blocks – it great to pull of these versatile objects without them ramming you into a solid wall of tiles and then lo and behold 6 fps.
There are a few things I’d like to address – The first thing was the lag. Usually, I’d put this in other, but it kind of got in the way with the gameplay. It wasn’t earthshakingly bad, but there were quite a few instance where it got down to 15-20 fps, which is enough to sometimes screw up the controls and platforming. I encourage the use of moving blocks, but sometimes too many moving blocks can cause lag.
The next problem I had was with some of the moving block platforming. It’s extremely difficult to platform on high-velocity rotating blocks. It’d be a different case if the rotating blocks were fixated in place, but the reason why I called Part 2 ragequitty was because of those two small cave blocks – there were literally impossible to platform on. This holds true for a few other parts throughout your level.
The final thing I have to address is story. The good thing about story is that it adds an intense atmosphere to the level, but my reviewing skills do kick in when I review a level with story, and it goes in Fun.
Alright, so the main problems I had with your story were the plotholes. First off – in the Factory level, who is the person talking to us? You have no indication if it’s a factory worker or else talking about the factory. Second, you assume we know who/what Normabot is. You just blatantly introduce it into a sign and kind of slapped on a “This is the boss mmk?”
The final thing that kind of bugged me was the story revolving around the boss. How do you defeat/contain Normabot by just collecting some red coins an scooting under and around him? It doesn’t make sense.
GRAPHICS – 4/5
Great graphics like every other MP3 level! No cut-off, good tiling choice, decor, symmetry, the whole works! You even had some block decor in there as well. I liked the piping places, they were interesting too. The only thing I can say is try to be more creative with your tiling as well as your decor! Also moar decor please! :3
OTHER – 4/5
+0.5 Good loading time(s)
+0.5 The moving blocks created a great level4/factory feel
OVERALL – 16.5/20
Yay! Awesome job MP3. Let’s see, in future:
1) Good job with the blocks, but don’t overdo them to avoid lag.
2) Plan out your stories first. Ask well-known story writers (MoD, ME *shot*) to check over the story to see if everything makes sense
3) Step up the decor and tiling! I’d check out MoD’s levels for inspiration.
Those are the main points to focus on. Good luck, and see you next LDC! (Probably)
Ah yes, an MP3 happy level. That was an enjoyable ser- LEVEL! :3 The platforming was not too easy, not too hard (for the most part) and the linear format played smoothly. The gameplay featured a great variation of platforming challenges which I really enjoyed. I’ll have to congratulate you individually on your use of moving blocks – it great to pull of these versatile objects without them ramming you into a solid wall of tiles and then lo and behold 6 fps.
There are a few things I’d like to address – The first thing was the lag. Usually, I’d put this in other, but it kind of got in the way with the gameplay. It wasn’t earthshakingly bad, but there were quite a few instance where it got down to 15-20 fps, which is enough to sometimes screw up the controls and platforming. I encourage the use of moving blocks, but sometimes too many moving blocks can cause lag.
The next problem I had was with some of the moving block platforming. It’s extremely difficult to platform on high-velocity rotating blocks. It’d be a different case if the rotating blocks were fixated in place, but the reason why I called Part 2 ragequitty was because of those two small cave blocks – there were literally impossible to platform on. This holds true for a few other parts throughout your level.
The final thing I have to address is story. The good thing about story is that it adds an intense atmosphere to the level, but my reviewing skills do kick in when I review a level with story, and it goes in Fun.
Alright, so the main problems I had with your story were the plotholes. First off – in the Factory level, who is the person talking to us? You have no indication if it’s a factory worker or else talking about the factory. Second, you assume we know who/what Normabot is. You just blatantly introduce it into a sign and kind of slapped on a “This is the boss mmk?”The final thing that kind of bugged me was the story revolving around the boss. How do you defeat/contain Normabot by just collecting some red coins an scooting under and around him? It doesn’t make sense.
GRAPHICS – 4/5
Great graphics like every other MP3 level! No cut-off, good tiling choice, decor, symmetry, the whole works! You even had some block decor in there as well. I liked the piping places, they were interesting too. The only thing I can say is try to be more creative with your tiling as well as your decor! Also moar decor please! :3
OTHER – 4/5
+0.5 Good loading time(s)
+0.5 The moving blocks created a great level4/factory feel
OVERALL – 16.5/20
Yay! Awesome job MP3. Let’s see, in future:
1) Good job with the blocks, but don’t overdo them to avoid lag.
2) Plan out your stories first. Ask well-known story writers (MoD, ME *shot*) to check over the story to see if everything makes sense
3) Step up the decor and tiling! I’d check out MoD’s levels for inspiration.
Those are the main points to focus on. Good luck, and see you next LDC! (Probably)
SK’s Lethal
12/20 (14)
Spoiler: show
FUN – 4.5/10
Now here’s the thing. As far as platforming goes, you’d get an automatic 0/10 simply because well, there was no platforming. This was pretty much a purely story level. But the story was great. It was awesome, and if it lacked in detail the way you pulled it off with the sprites was amazing. So that 4.5? That came solely from a story. I’m not certain whether I should congratulate you or not.
GRAPHICS – 4.5/5
Solid graphics. No cut-off, good tiling choices, nice decor, good use of disabling, what else to say. Maybe more decor?
OTHER – 5/5
+1.5 DAT ENDING
+1 No loading time or lag
OVERALL – 14-2= 12/20
You still pulled out with an okay score. Not much to say so far, but i really want you to finish this. This would really work out in WITBLO12, given you pull off parts 1 and 2 right. Good luck.
Now here’s the thing. As far as platforming goes, you’d get an automatic 0/10 simply because well, there was no platforming. This was pretty much a purely story level. But the story was great. It was awesome, and if it lacked in detail the way you pulled it off with the sprites was amazing. So that 4.5? That came solely from a story. I’m not certain whether I should congratulate you or not.
GRAPHICS – 4.5/5
Solid graphics. No cut-off, good tiling choices, nice decor, good use of disabling, what else to say. Maybe more decor?
OTHER – 5/5
+1.5 DAT ENDING
+1 No loading time or lag
OVERALL – 14-2= 12/20
You still pulled out with an okay score. Not much to say so far, but i really want you to finish this. This would really work out in WITBLO12, given you pull off parts 1 and 2 right. Good luck.
BrawlerEx’s You Can’t Escape Death
Part 1: 14.75/20
Part 2: 16.5/20
Overall : 15.625/20
Part 1
Spoiler: show
FUN – 8.5/10
This was a very interesting part. The prologue was an absolute miss, but the rest of Part 1... that was pretty damn good! It felt a lot like a Super Paper Mario level, and played the same too. You use a lot of block and platform concepts which I really enjoyed.
Alright first: The prologue. Shaking that could cause seizures to people who don’t even have epilepsy? NO. PLEASE NO. A little bit of shaking is fine, but please, don’t overdo it! I couldn’t understand half of the stuff that happened. Plus, it was possible not to be squished by the meteor.
The actual first part was extremely awesome in some parts and extremely ASDFSDNISDKJ in others. Let’s see, the platforming, decor, and gameplay was a definite plus. But that lag? Holy jebus. However, you still used a lot of concepts that were executed extremely well, however the linear path could have been a bit better, clarity-wise. That means that sometimes, the player doesn’t know where to go. I’m also pretty sure that those cramped 5 green rotating platforms? Yeah they were impossible to get through.
The block boss – it was certainly interesting, it probably took a while to make. It was pretty much up to par, nothing really seen before – no offense. Pihranna plants are kind of cliché, but you executed the monster nicely. It was okay.
GRAPHICS – 3.5/5
Graphics were solid. You depicted the Underworld quite nicely, although the prologue in my opinion was kinda hideous and monotonous. I’d suggest try adding some more decor and make your tiling more intricate.
The one problem you ran into... you should NEVER EVER EVER. (ever ever) edit signs in the levelplayer you are given on the forum! When you actually load the level up, there are no spaces between words anditalllookskindalikethis. Not good. I was able to read them, though, and there were a few grammar errors here and there but it was pretty good. To avoid those errors ask another to proofread for you.
OTHER – 2.75/5
+0.5 I like how you used boats and the Misted Waters were pretty cool.
+0.5 Good loading time.
+0.25 Effort on story is appreciated
-1 DAT LAG
-0.5 You really needed a checkpoint system. It’s kind of annoying to move the start point around everywhere.
OVERALL – 14.75/20
I was honestly extremely surprised. The prologue was one of the worst starts ever and I thought the rest of the series would be the same... but that was honestly... very good. Let’s see, things to work on... First off, I understand how the Misted Waters transition worked, but because you squeezed so much into one area it generated craptons of lag. Try to avoid that in the future.
Next, the main ways that tell us where to go are arrows and signs. Use those in your levels, please! I’m not saying spam arrows in every place possible, but where you feel it would be appropriate.
Third, spice up the graphics with more decor and tiling. I’d play some of MoD’s levels for inspiration if you need any. Also, NEVER EVER edit signs on the forum levelplayer. ALWAYS open the Stand-Alone Level Designer and work in there. (Plus, in the stand-alone designer you can makethe window really big. That helps a lot in designing.)
This was a very interesting part. The prologue was an absolute miss, but the rest of Part 1... that was pretty damn good! It felt a lot like a Super Paper Mario level, and played the same too. You use a lot of block and platform concepts which I really enjoyed.
Alright first: The prologue. Shaking that could cause seizures to people who don’t even have epilepsy? NO. PLEASE NO. A little bit of shaking is fine, but please, don’t overdo it! I couldn’t understand half of the stuff that happened. Plus, it was possible not to be squished by the meteor.
The actual first part was extremely awesome in some parts and extremely ASDFSDNISDKJ in others. Let’s see, the platforming, decor, and gameplay was a definite plus. But that lag? Holy jebus. However, you still used a lot of concepts that were executed extremely well, however the linear path could have been a bit better, clarity-wise. That means that sometimes, the player doesn’t know where to go. I’m also pretty sure that those cramped 5 green rotating platforms? Yeah they were impossible to get through.
The block boss – it was certainly interesting, it probably took a while to make. It was pretty much up to par, nothing really seen before – no offense. Pihranna plants are kind of cliché, but you executed the monster nicely. It was okay.
GRAPHICS – 3.5/5
Graphics were solid. You depicted the Underworld quite nicely, although the prologue in my opinion was kinda hideous and monotonous. I’d suggest try adding some more decor and make your tiling more intricate.
The one problem you ran into... you should NEVER EVER EVER. (ever ever) edit signs in the levelplayer you are given on the forum! When you actually load the level up, there are no spaces between words anditalllookskindalikethis. Not good. I was able to read them, though, and there were a few grammar errors here and there but it was pretty good. To avoid those errors ask another to proofread for you.
OTHER – 2.75/5
+0.5 I like how you used boats and the Misted Waters were pretty cool.
+0.5 Good loading time.
+0.25 Effort on story is appreciated
-1 DAT LAG
-0.5 You really needed a checkpoint system. It’s kind of annoying to move the start point around everywhere.
OVERALL – 14.75/20
I was honestly extremely surprised. The prologue was one of the worst starts ever and I thought the rest of the series would be the same... but that was honestly... very good. Let’s see, things to work on... First off, I understand how the Misted Waters transition worked, but because you squeezed so much into one area it generated craptons of lag. Try to avoid that in the future.
Next, the main ways that tell us where to go are arrows and signs. Use those in your levels, please! I’m not saying spam arrows in every place possible, but where you feel it would be appropriate.
Third, spice up the graphics with more decor and tiling. I’d play some of MoD’s levels for inspiration if you need any. Also, NEVER EVER edit signs on the forum levelplayer. ALWAYS open the Stand-Alone Level Designer and work in there. (Plus, in the stand-alone designer you can makethe window really big. That helps a lot in designing.)
Part 2
Spoiler: show
FUN – 9/10
I will hand it to you on this one. That castle... was pure brilliance. The challenges were great, I just enjoyed playing it so much! And that’s where Fun comes from – not from cool graphics, not from day-to-day platforming, from something that someone puts good effort and planning into! Bravo!
I sympathize with you on your rushed last part, however. That ending was horrible and anticlimactic. But I have had so many misfire LDCs in the past due to running out of time – I can’t really penalize you too much as I know the intention for an extremely awesome ending was there.
One problem – the bullet Bills in the castle produced a lot of lag. I’d suggest increasing wait time or whatnot.
GRAPHICS – 4/5
In castle levels such as this, graphics points almost always come mainly from the tiling job. And the tiling was pretty good! The choice of tiles was appropriate, there was nothing too bad that would’ve been mistaken as cut-off, bravo.
Two things, however: One, Vary your tile choice even more. Don’t stick to one tile for one transition, try to mix it up a bit and create patterns. Two, add some decor! Even though it’s a castle, you can add things like rocks, vines work, get creative!
OTHER – 3.5/5
+0.5 I appreciate the SM63 castle feel.
+0.25 Great use of disabling
+0.25 Good loading time
-0.5 To even out the scores, I have to penalize you again for no checkpoints – those were really needed.
OVERALL – 16.5/20
Wow. You’ve really impressed me with this series. I usually looked at you like one of the newbie LDers (Please don’t take offense. :3) but wow, this has really boosted my thoughts on you. That was one of the best series I have ever played, and believe me; I’ve played and judged a lot of levels. The choice of music was great, the platforming was awesome, graphics were up to par, gosh it was great!
So, next LDC, keep these pointers in mind, they’re the most important:
1) Always always ALWAYS playtest for occurrences of lag, and try to get rid of them. Plan ahead, squishing 3 sections into one transition will indefinitely cause lag, as will Bullet Bills and many enemies.
2) Earthquake shaking is nice, but not to such an extent the player feels like barfing.
3) Spice up the decor a bit.
4) Never edit signs in the forum LDer.
If you don’t get above 4th... I swear, I will shoot someone.
I will hand it to you on this one. That castle... was pure brilliance. The challenges were great, I just enjoyed playing it so much! And that’s where Fun comes from – not from cool graphics, not from day-to-day platforming, from something that someone puts good effort and planning into! Bravo!
I sympathize with you on your rushed last part, however. That ending was horrible and anticlimactic. But I have had so many misfire LDCs in the past due to running out of time – I can’t really penalize you too much as I know the intention for an extremely awesome ending was there.
One problem – the bullet Bills in the castle produced a lot of lag. I’d suggest increasing wait time or whatnot.
GRAPHICS – 4/5
In castle levels such as this, graphics points almost always come mainly from the tiling job. And the tiling was pretty good! The choice of tiles was appropriate, there was nothing too bad that would’ve been mistaken as cut-off, bravo.
Two things, however: One, Vary your tile choice even more. Don’t stick to one tile for one transition, try to mix it up a bit and create patterns. Two, add some decor! Even though it’s a castle, you can add things like rocks, vines work, get creative!
OTHER – 3.5/5
+0.5 I appreciate the SM63 castle feel.
+0.25 Great use of disabling
+0.25 Good loading time
-0.5 To even out the scores, I have to penalize you again for no checkpoints – those were really needed.
OVERALL – 16.5/20
Wow. You’ve really impressed me with this series. I usually looked at you like one of the newbie LDers (Please don’t take offense. :3) but wow, this has really boosted my thoughts on you. That was one of the best series I have ever played, and believe me; I’ve played and judged a lot of levels. The choice of music was great, the platforming was awesome, graphics were up to par, gosh it was great!
So, next LDC, keep these pointers in mind, they’re the most important:
1) Always always ALWAYS playtest for occurrences of lag, and try to get rid of them. Plan ahead, squishing 3 sections into one transition will indefinitely cause lag, as will Bullet Bills and many enemies.
2) Earthquake shaking is nice, but not to such an extent the player feels like barfing.
3) Spice up the decor a bit.
4) Never edit signs in the forum LDer.
If you don’t get above 4th... I swear, I will shoot someone.
Harmless’ Casualities of War
12.75/20
Spoiler: show
FUN – 6.25/10
Eh. Was... okay. If anything, you’re getting better or so it seems. Let’s tackle this...
Okay, so the first extreme problem. Lag. Lag. Lag. Lag. LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG. Seriously, if you can make a hi-speed computer go down to 10 fps that’s a pretty big accomplishment. Did you testplay this level enough? The spikes of lag in the red coins challenges were just so unparalleled it made gameplay horrible, choppy, and annoying.
What next... let’s see, the platforming was pretty basic. Jumping on bricks. Cool. Nope. I mean, basic is sometimes good, but when you’re degrading it to Minecraft-basic it kind of loses the “Pure Platfomer” vibe. I mean, some good ol’ platforming is appreciated but at such a level it’s just... no...
Story. I’m sorry to say the story was not executed very well. At all. And I’m sorry that I’m being extremely harsh in this review, but honestly I don’t want to half-ass any of my reviews. The story was written such that it was read very cornily, and it was just not there... the ending wasn’t really sad at all. Honestly, you can make it so much more dramatic than it actually was.
GRAPHICS – 3.5/5
Solid graphics. Tiling was mediocre and decor looked like it was just thrown on, but there was tile variation, no cut-off, and there actually WAS decor. However I found that there was hardly any slope, and the choppers looked really rough around the edges, so to speak. There were some elements you pulled off quite well, however. I appreciated the graveyard.
OTHER – 3/5
+0.5 Good loading times
-0.5 Those ledges where you have to dive to get through? Those produced severe problems for me. Really.
OVERALL – 12.75/20
Alright, now let me tone down the strictness a bit and get to the advice. Okay – so maybe this series wasn’t as flawless as it could be – but it was okay. Here’s how to polish the level:
1) Playtest, playtest, playtest, aaand, (you guessed it!) playtest. Honestly, if you played the level, that lag would NOT be there.
2) Work on your writing skills. Ask really good writers (such as MoD, or ME *shot*) to help you with plot, conflict, description, etc. A good story if pulled off correctly can really enhance the atmosphere of your level.
3) Work on those graphics. The main things you should focus on are tiling and decor. Don’t just slap on decor, think of patterns, mirroring, etc. For tiling, don’t just use flat ground. Make hills, cliffs, stuff like that! Look at works from MoD, MP3, nin10mode, and ME *shot* for some inspiration on your graphics.
Good luck in the next LDC!
Eh. Was... okay. If anything, you’re getting better or so it seems. Let’s tackle this...
Okay, so the first extreme problem. Lag. Lag. Lag. Lag. LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG. Seriously, if you can make a hi-speed computer go down to 10 fps that’s a pretty big accomplishment. Did you testplay this level enough? The spikes of lag in the red coins challenges were just so unparalleled it made gameplay horrible, choppy, and annoying.
What next... let’s see, the platforming was pretty basic. Jumping on bricks. Cool. Nope. I mean, basic is sometimes good, but when you’re degrading it to Minecraft-basic it kind of loses the “Pure Platfomer” vibe. I mean, some good ol’ platforming is appreciated but at such a level it’s just... no...
Story. I’m sorry to say the story was not executed very well. At all. And I’m sorry that I’m being extremely harsh in this review, but honestly I don’t want to half-ass any of my reviews. The story was written such that it was read very cornily, and it was just not there... the ending wasn’t really sad at all. Honestly, you can make it so much more dramatic than it actually was.
GRAPHICS – 3.5/5
Solid graphics. Tiling was mediocre and decor looked like it was just thrown on, but there was tile variation, no cut-off, and there actually WAS decor. However I found that there was hardly any slope, and the choppers looked really rough around the edges, so to speak. There were some elements you pulled off quite well, however. I appreciated the graveyard.
OTHER – 3/5
+0.5 Good loading times
-0.5 Those ledges where you have to dive to get through? Those produced severe problems for me. Really.
OVERALL – 12.75/20
Alright, now let me tone down the strictness a bit and get to the advice. Okay – so maybe this series wasn’t as flawless as it could be – but it was okay. Here’s how to polish the level:
1) Playtest, playtest, playtest, aaand, (you guessed it!) playtest. Honestly, if you played the level, that lag would NOT be there.
2) Work on your writing skills. Ask really good writers (such as MoD, or ME *shot*) to help you with plot, conflict, description, etc. A good story if pulled off correctly can really enhance the atmosphere of your level.
3) Work on those graphics. The main things you should focus on are tiling and decor. Don’t just slap on decor, think of patterns, mirroring, etc. For tiling, don’t just use flat ground. Make hills, cliffs, stuff like that! Look at works from MoD, MP3, nin10mode, and ME *shot* for some inspiration on your graphics.
Good luck in the next LDC!
Nwolf and Karyete’s LDW/TiH
13.25/20
Spoiler: show
FUN – 7/10
Eh. I’m kinda split in two with this series. It was nice, but it could’ve been a lot better. Part of me wants to cheer for you in the lighthearted/humorous style of the series, with the neat platformiing puzzles and whatnot. The other part of me wants to bash you for missing some crucial elements needed to pull this type level off.
Alright, good points first. The story was meant to be bad, lighthearted and funny. And it pretty was! I chuckled a few times because the story really reflected your personality. Onto gameplay: The water challenge/platforming was a cool idea and was really interesting. I like it the most out of all of them. The platforming as well was pretty hard and challenging, but not too IMA RGEQUIT AND KILL YOU NYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. :3
Okay, there were quite a few things I need to touch base on: Number one was the story. (Doesn’t make sense given above paragraph but let me explain) If you choose the good path in the beginning, it says “blah blah you get shine blah blah MUSHROOM KINGDOM IS DESTROY.” I’m like “Ooh cool, it’ll be a revisit of Avo’s Shroomsday!” But then you do a jump to something completely unrelated. You... gotta keep things connected... I also got the other ending too, in case you’re wondering. THAT on the other hand, did flow well.
Okay. The challenges. First things first: You in dire f*cking need of a checkpoint system. It takes a lot of time to get those red coins, and dying is so easy it’s not even funny. That’s one of the elements you really need in a large, challenging red coin section. Checkpoints. Take a visit to MoD and Ven’s Destinations if you don’t know what I mean by red coin checkpoints.
Next: The challenges were irrationally hard. Okay, before you rage at me, it’s not BAD to have a hard level. I mean, take a look at all of Nin’s! But if you’re trying to make something long (yes you did) it shouldn’t be that challenging. If you made a short level, this difficulty would be appropriate. But the fact that you added red coins makes this a complete hell hole.
Furthermore: I liked the concept of someone taking over and sending enemies, but honestly? That many enemies? You need more level transitions in the sky garden from the boos, BULLET HELL LAG TO THE M-M-M-MAX! And to top it off, the Cheep Cheeps, Shy Guys, AND penguins? My computer... I have a newfound respect for it.
GRAPHICS – 3/5
Nothing too special. Nothing too bad. It was solid. I can’t really say anything. There’s definitely room for improvement, aka tiling choices, tiling methods, decor methods, etc. There was sprite cut-off in sparse areas, most notably the cut-off in that long pipe in Part 2. Also, the water challenge looked horrible because of sprite cut-off. Hm. I’d like to see more. :/
OTHER – 3.25/5
+0.5 Good loading times
-0.25 Those coins in the beginning of Part 1 didn’t work. I would’ve disabled them. I also couldn’t read them.
OVERALL – 13.25/20
An okay series. Funny, light, the works. Let’s see, how can you improve:
1) Please relook over what I wrote in fun. I meant every single word I said. Enemies are good, but enemy spam is not. If you choose to do a hard level involving red coins again, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE figure out a checkpoint system.
2) Visit graphically acclaimed levels for more inspiration on your graphics.
Good luck next LDC~
Eh. I’m kinda split in two with this series. It was nice, but it could’ve been a lot better. Part of me wants to cheer for you in the lighthearted/humorous style of the series, with the neat platformiing puzzles and whatnot. The other part of me wants to bash you for missing some crucial elements needed to pull this type level off.
Alright, good points first. The story was meant to be bad, lighthearted and funny. And it pretty was! I chuckled a few times because the story really reflected your personality. Onto gameplay: The water challenge/platforming was a cool idea and was really interesting. I like it the most out of all of them. The platforming as well was pretty hard and challenging, but not too IMA RGEQUIT AND KILL YOU NYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. :3
Okay, there were quite a few things I need to touch base on: Number one was the story. (Doesn’t make sense given above paragraph but let me explain) If you choose the good path in the beginning, it says “blah blah you get shine blah blah MUSHROOM KINGDOM IS DESTROY.” I’m like “Ooh cool, it’ll be a revisit of Avo’s Shroomsday!” But then you do a jump to something completely unrelated. You... gotta keep things connected... I also got the other ending too, in case you’re wondering. THAT on the other hand, did flow well.
Okay. The challenges. First things first: You in dire f*cking need of a checkpoint system. It takes a lot of time to get those red coins, and dying is so easy it’s not even funny. That’s one of the elements you really need in a large, challenging red coin section. Checkpoints. Take a visit to MoD and Ven’s Destinations if you don’t know what I mean by red coin checkpoints.
Next: The challenges were irrationally hard. Okay, before you rage at me, it’s not BAD to have a hard level. I mean, take a look at all of Nin’s! But if you’re trying to make something long (yes you did) it shouldn’t be that challenging. If you made a short level, this difficulty would be appropriate. But the fact that you added red coins makes this a complete hell hole.
Furthermore: I liked the concept of someone taking over and sending enemies, but honestly? That many enemies? You need more level transitions in the sky garden from the boos, BULLET HELL LAG TO THE M-M-M-MAX! And to top it off, the Cheep Cheeps, Shy Guys, AND penguins? My computer... I have a newfound respect for it.
GRAPHICS – 3/5
Nothing too special. Nothing too bad. It was solid. I can’t really say anything. There’s definitely room for improvement, aka tiling choices, tiling methods, decor methods, etc. There was sprite cut-off in sparse areas, most notably the cut-off in that long pipe in Part 2. Also, the water challenge looked horrible because of sprite cut-off. Hm. I’d like to see more. :/
OTHER – 3.25/5
+0.5 Good loading times
-0.25 Those coins in the beginning of Part 1 didn’t work. I would’ve disabled them. I also couldn’t read them.
OVERALL – 13.25/20
An okay series. Funny, light, the works. Let’s see, how can you improve:
1) Please relook over what I wrote in fun. I meant every single word I said. Enemies are good, but enemy spam is not. If you choose to do a hard level involving red coins again, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE figure out a checkpoint system.
2) Visit graphically acclaimed levels for more inspiration on your graphics.
Good luck next LDC~
Skjung2034’s Life and Death
13.25/20
Spoiler: show
FUN – 6.75/10
Hey, that was pretty nice. It wasn’t the most flawless thing, but the most important thing was that you tried: and pretty well succeeded. Alright so let’s break the level down. First off, I enjoyed the death/dark vibe you put into the level with the disabled transitions. Actually, I don’t know why no one else thought of those. Eh.
Alright, there wasn’t much platforming, and you relied heavily on maze challenges to get the job done. Not the best idea, but it was pulled off pretty neatly. Hm... I don’t have much to say. It was standard, try and incorporate some more stuff next time, however.
GRAPHICS – 3/5
Standard graphics. I appreciated the variation of tiling, and there was no cut-off. You also used graphics. Now, you need to take it up a step and get creative with your sprites and tiling. I recommend MoD’s or Nin’s levels for some graphical inspiration/examples of what I mean.
OTHER - 3.5/5
+0.75 Good loading time and hardly any lag.
-0.25 Story wasn’t really reflected/flowed well IMO.
OVERALL – 13.25/20
Good job! So, in the future, here’s what you should do: First, step up your gameplay a lot more! Mazes are nice, but... don’t overuse them. The fact that you only used mazes was pretty bad, as stated above. Next, also explore the graphical world even more! Tiles and decor can be blended to make the best looking things you will ever see in your life.
Good luck!
Hey, that was pretty nice. It wasn’t the most flawless thing, but the most important thing was that you tried: and pretty well succeeded. Alright so let’s break the level down. First off, I enjoyed the death/dark vibe you put into the level with the disabled transitions. Actually, I don’t know why no one else thought of those. Eh.
Alright, there wasn’t much platforming, and you relied heavily on maze challenges to get the job done. Not the best idea, but it was pulled off pretty neatly. Hm... I don’t have much to say. It was standard, try and incorporate some more stuff next time, however.
GRAPHICS – 3/5
Standard graphics. I appreciated the variation of tiling, and there was no cut-off. You also used graphics. Now, you need to take it up a step and get creative with your sprites and tiling. I recommend MoD’s or Nin’s levels for some graphical inspiration/examples of what I mean.
OTHER - 3.5/5
+0.75 Good loading time and hardly any lag.
-0.25 Story wasn’t really reflected/flowed well IMO.
OVERALL – 13.25/20
Good job! So, in the future, here’s what you should do: First, step up your gameplay a lot more! Mazes are nice, but... don’t overuse them. The fact that you only used mazes was pretty bad, as stated above. Next, also explore the graphical world even more! Tiles and decor can be blended to make the best looking things you will ever see in your life.
Good luck!
MessengerofDreams’ Memory Lane
15/20
Spoiler: show
FUN – 8/10
Ah, that was a nice level. Although I have to admit half of it was pure story, there were some pretty good elements in there. I liked how you revisited other games and remade them in the LD. Then, you created some challenges of your own to reflect Mario’s character. That was really neat.
There are quite a few things I have to complain about, however. I didn’t really like the lack of checkpoints, as I explained to you on chat. Yes, it’s not good for the “memory challenge” but if you die with 4 red coins, that’s heavily annoying...
Gameplay-wise it was pretty basic as well. You were probably going for something simpler this time, and simple is good, but I don’t think simple is better than those big levels you usually create. Then again, I know you were short on time, so for such a short working time it was very neatly done.
GRAPHICS – 4.5/5
Graphics never fail you. More intricateness, pleaaassse! I’m sorry I’m only giving you three sentences. :3
OTHER – 2.5/5
+0.5 The story was extremely well done, made me feel sad in combination with the music. However, I didn’t like the way Mario didn’t question anything at all at the very beginning.
-0.75 Bad loading time and there was lag in the switch-controlled blocks room. Those make the LD lag, if you didn’t know.
-0.25 I found the ending misleading, I thought there was a new area below but actually it was just the other challenge. I would’ve preferred the wing cap part moved to a separate transition.
OVERALL – 15/20
Despite its shortness, you did a very good job MoD. I understand you’re going for 3rd or 4th, so I think score would achieve that. Let’s see, in future, please if you’re doing a red coin challenge, checkpoints. In the next LDC, I’d like to see some more... stuff... in it gameplay-wise haha. Also, add some more things (lasting appeal) that would benefit your Other section, however it was probably the loading time and lag that got you there.
Well, good job, andbad good luck next LDC!
Ah, that was a nice level. Although I have to admit half of it was pure story, there were some pretty good elements in there. I liked how you revisited other games and remade them in the LD. Then, you created some challenges of your own to reflect Mario’s character. That was really neat.
There are quite a few things I have to complain about, however. I didn’t really like the lack of checkpoints, as I explained to you on chat. Yes, it’s not good for the “memory challenge” but if you die with 4 red coins, that’s heavily annoying...
Gameplay-wise it was pretty basic as well. You were probably going for something simpler this time, and simple is good, but I don’t think simple is better than those big levels you usually create.
Then again, I know you were short on time, so for such a short working time it was very neatly done.GRAPHICS – 4.5/5
Graphics never fail you. More intricateness, pleaaassse! I’m sorry I’m only giving you three sentences. :3
OTHER – 2.5/5
+0.5 The story was extremely well done, made me feel sad in combination with the music. However, I didn’t like the way Mario didn’t question anything at all at the very beginning.
-0.75 Bad loading time and there was lag in the switch-controlled blocks room. Those make the LD lag, if you didn’t know.
-0.25 I found the ending misleading, I thought there was a new area below but actually it was just the other challenge. I would’ve preferred the wing cap part moved to a separate transition.
OVERALL – 15/20
Despite its shortness, you did a very good job MoD. I understand you’re going for 3rd or 4th, so I think score would achieve that. Let’s see, in future, please if you’re doing a red coin challenge, checkpoints.
In the next LDC, I’d like to see some more... stuff... in it gameplay-wise haha. Also, add some more things (lasting appeal) that would benefit your Other section, however it was probably the loading time and lag that got you there.Well, good job, and
Someone’s Haunted Graveyard
13.5/20
Spoiler: show
FUN – 7.5/10
Hm, this level was a bit iffy in terms of gameplay. But it was pretty fun for the MOST part, let me elaborate. Alright so, first off, the red coin challenge. Red coin challenges are good, no? They are. But the problem with them is that you have to add a whole bunch of elements so the level is not ragequitty What I mean is that if you die with a large number of red coins, it’s going to be a pain to all of them back! And do you think the player will probably want to? But the problem with this is that you have a TON of red coins spread out over a vast area. I actually still have to think of a way to pull off red coin levels properly. You can have a bunch of red coins, but either insert checkpoints or make the area they’re in smaller...
However, the thing is, after I got the Hover FLUDD I decided to go back and recollect all of the red coins... XD Perhaps you should put the Hover FLUDD out in the open at the beginning? This level would be perfect for a Hover FLUDD.
In terms of platforming, the level was executed pretttyyy well. It wasn’t the best, but it was nice. Try to think of some more creative platforming, also make the platforming sections much longer and not just a short showcase each time.
Story... it was meh. It was more of just there to give yourself a purpose, didn’t really add anything. Oh well.
GRAPHICS – 3/5
Graphics were pretty much standard. Nothing too special, everything needed was there. To get more points in this section, really get creative with your sprites and vary your tile choice! If you do this, the atmosphere of a creepy graveyard would really take off! Currently, it’s just meh.
OTHER – 3/5
+1 Good loading time and no lag.
-0.5 You could see the pipes sticking out of the ground in the graveyard...
-0.5 Ghost spam coupled with hardly any coins to heal yourself is a big no-no.
13.5/20
It was pretty nice. Alright, here’s some advice for the future: First, play some of the most notable levels to see what you can really do to platforming! Look around for interesting challenges, and incorporate them into your levels. Heck, it’d be even better if you could make up your own! Next, play some graphically acclaimed levels for more inspiration on how to give your level’s graphics an atmosphere. For a creepy level like this, I’d recommend playing Nwolf’s Ghostly Cave for a creepy atmosphere. You can also check out MoD and Nin’s levels for general inspiration.
Good luck with your levels!
Hm, this level was a bit iffy in terms of gameplay. But it was pretty fun for the MOST part, let me elaborate. Alright so, first off, the red coin challenge. Red coin challenges are good, no? They are. But the problem with them is that you have to add a whole bunch of elements so the level is not ragequitty What I mean is that if you die with a large number of red coins, it’s going to be a pain to all of them back! And do you think the player will probably want to? But the problem with this is that you have a TON of red coins spread out over a vast area. I actually still have to think of a way to pull off red coin levels properly. You can have a bunch of red coins, but either insert checkpoints or make the area they’re in smaller...
However, the thing is, after I got the Hover FLUDD I decided to go back and recollect all of the red coins... XD Perhaps you should put the Hover FLUDD out in the open at the beginning? This level would be perfect for a Hover FLUDD.
In terms of platforming, the level was executed pretttyyy well. It wasn’t the best, but it was nice. Try to think of some more creative platforming, also make the platforming sections much longer and not just a short showcase each time.
Story... it was meh. It was more of just there to give yourself a purpose, didn’t really add anything. Oh well.
GRAPHICS – 3/5
Graphics were pretty much standard. Nothing too special, everything needed was there. To get more points in this section, really get creative with your sprites and vary your tile choice! If you do this, the atmosphere of a creepy graveyard would really take off! Currently, it’s just meh.
OTHER – 3/5
+1 Good loading time and no lag.
-0.5 You could see the pipes sticking out of the ground in the graveyard...
-0.5 Ghost spam coupled with hardly any coins to heal yourself is a big no-no.
13.5/20
It was pretty nice. Alright, here’s some advice for the future: First, play some of the most notable levels to see what you can really do to platforming! Look around for interesting challenges, and incorporate them into your levels. Heck, it’d be even better if you could make up your own! Next, play some graphically acclaimed levels for more inspiration on how to give your level’s graphics an atmosphere. For a creepy level like this, I’d recommend playing Nwolf’s Ghostly Cave for a creepy atmosphere. You can also check out MoD and Nin’s levels for general inspiration.
Good luck with your levels!
Volcove’s An Innocent Endeavour into Limbo
16/20
Spoiler: show
FUN – 9/10
And you my friend land the highest Fun mark of the LDC! Congratulations! Well let’s see, despite how much you hate this level for being rushed, I loved it. Alright... let’s see. The first part was really interesting. Skull-crushingly hard, but eh, that was the intention, was it not?
The second part is probably where you’ll get most of these points. Wow, those platforming sections were hella hard, but were interesting and wholly fun! And I already said this on chat – checkpoints. :< That’s probably where I docked you most, but either way, great level.
GRAPHICS – 4.5/5
Beautiful graphics... nothing really to say lol.
OTHER – 2.5/5
+0.5 Good loading times
-0.5 I’m confused as to why the first part lagged quite a bit. Also the bullets kinda did too.
-0.25 You’re not the best at hiding pipes... haha.
-0.25 In the green platform challenge, the camera doesn’t move, so it was a bit confusing.
OVERALL – 16/20
Haha, you didn’t score low. Are. You. Mad? Ah well, great level. Just look over Fun to refine it, and the Other points subtracted just came from no bug checks, but eh, didn’t do too much.
Good job!
And you my friend land the highest Fun mark of the LDC! Congratulations! Well let’s see, despite how much you hate this level for being rushed, I loved it. Alright... let’s see. The first part was really interesting. Skull-crushingly hard, but eh, that was the intention, was it not?
The second part is probably where you’ll get most of these points. Wow, those platforming sections were hella hard, but were interesting and wholly fun! And I already said this on chat – checkpoints. :< That’s probably where I docked you most, but either way, great level.
GRAPHICS – 4.5/5
Beautiful graphics... nothing really to say lol.
OTHER – 2.5/5
+0.5 Good loading times
-0.5 I’m confused as to why the first part lagged quite a bit. Also the bullets kinda did too.
-0.25 You’re not the best at hiding pipes... haha.
-0.25 In the green platform challenge, the camera doesn’t move, so it was a bit confusing.
OVERALL – 16/20
Haha, you didn’t score low. Are. You. Mad? Ah well, great level. Just look over Fun to refine it, and the Other points subtracted just came from no bug checks, but eh, didn’t do too much.
Good job!
SMIC’S JUDGINGS:
1st: MP3 with 16.5/20
2nd: Volcove with 16/20
3rd: BrawlerEx with 15.625/20
4th: MoD with 15/20
5th: SomeOne with 13.5/20
6th: Nwolf/Karyete with 13.25/20
6th: Skjung2034 with 13.25/20
8th: Harmless with 12.75/20
9th: Star King with 12/20
I've wanted to win an LDC for so long, since the 13th (... okay not that long :3) and then not only do I win this one, I also become the first girl ever to win an LDC. (and may I add this is the first time I've ever won a proper contest in my life)
I love you all and keep rocking as you do! Congratulations to everyone else, you all did magnificently. 
