This is not done, I just want to see how you like it. Only two levels are done, and level 3 is a majorly hard test level. Please reply with any comments/suggestions/remarks about how much you like the enormous challenge of level 3. Most graphics are done. I hope you like it.
THIS IS NEAT
Enjoy,
--Fleexy
My First Mod
Yess, finally another on making a mod. I like your first two levels. Your level design is very very tight and I like how you used the teleporters and bridges in level two.
I didn't like your test level, as I never liked levels where you don't know what your doing, where every room kind of looks the same. I didn't like that part in Norp 3.5 either.
As for graphics, I think they could use some shades, you, now adding a few darker pixels on the lower and right edges of your tiles and sprites. Other than that I like it a lot. You certainly use a lot of SGA in your mod.
Keep on the good work, I'm looking forward to your release!
I didn't like your test level, as I never liked levels where you don't know what your doing, where every room kind of looks the same. I didn't like that part in Norp 3.5 either.
As for graphics, I think they could use some shades, you, now adding a few darker pixels on the lower and right edges of your tiles and sprites. Other than that I like it a lot. You certainly use a lot of SGA in your mod.
Keep on the good work, I'm looking forward to your release!
Thanks for feedback. I'm better with levels than graphics. If you want to do it I could send you a package of images for shading. Then you could send the shaded stuff back to me, if you want. I'm really not satisfied with the third level; I can't do it myself!! Here's how you know if a level is too hard: The maker of the level can't do it. I am good at making hard levels; my beta-tester got GAME OVER on the first level. I can do it, though. Could you please provide feedback on the structure of the levels? I would like to know what parts of the level you had problems with. That red teleporter is beta. I am trying to make a teleporter put you into a different level. It makes you exit the level now. Could anybody help? Thanks again for feedback,
--Fleexy
--Fleexy
1.) Never, ever EVER have teleporters in the air! If the player touches only the bottom tile (When jumping in or out of it.) They are trapped and forced to quit their game.
2.) This level, I assume, is a puzzle? Something akin to the Chip's Challenge level 'Telenet' The problem I think you have here is both of complexity and style. The level is doable, but only if you hack it so you know what it is you're doing. The stylistic problem is your graphics are too bland, it gets incredibly tiring to end up in another EMPTY room with no idea where you are.
There are, I think, two ways you can do a level like this.
Firstly, cut down the number of rooms, but make the interplay greater. That is, I would do four or three rooms, each of which Keen can teleport to easily (Say, two teleporters in each room.) with each room having several things in it that affect things in another room. (So Keen would say, first have to teleport from room 1 to 3, then 3 to 4, make a bridge, teleport from 4 to 2 then 2 to 1, use the bridge that nets him a keycard he can use in...)
The second is to keep the number of rooms you have now, but add a little variety, they don't all have to be square or the same size, there should be little clues as to what is what, add some points and eyecandy, something to make this not feel so much like a lab maze.
Another level type you might be interested in is one where Keen finishes a puzzle in a room to teleport out... back into the same room, but here the puzzle is harder. This can be most ingenious.
A THIRD type is to have two (Or more) identical rooms, similar as possible, which affect each other or other rooms. This is done very well in Molly's level in Keen 6, it took me hours on my first play to figure out that there were actually two different rooms. (But hey, I was younger.)
Otherwise, this has potential, especially your 'level exit teleporter' in the first level.
2.) This level, I assume, is a puzzle? Something akin to the Chip's Challenge level 'Telenet' The problem I think you have here is both of complexity and style. The level is doable, but only if you hack it so you know what it is you're doing. The stylistic problem is your graphics are too bland, it gets incredibly tiring to end up in another EMPTY room with no idea where you are.
There are, I think, two ways you can do a level like this.
Firstly, cut down the number of rooms, but make the interplay greater. That is, I would do four or three rooms, each of which Keen can teleport to easily (Say, two teleporters in each room.) with each room having several things in it that affect things in another room. (So Keen would say, first have to teleport from room 1 to 3, then 3 to 4, make a bridge, teleport from 4 to 2 then 2 to 1, use the bridge that nets him a keycard he can use in...)
The second is to keep the number of rooms you have now, but add a little variety, they don't all have to be square or the same size, there should be little clues as to what is what, add some points and eyecandy, something to make this not feel so much like a lab maze.
Another level type you might be interested in is one where Keen finishes a puzzle in a room to teleport out... back into the same room, but here the puzzle is harder. This can be most ingenious.
A THIRD type is to have two (Or more) identical rooms, similar as possible, which affect each other or other rooms. This is done very well in Molly's level in Keen 6, it took me hours on my first play to figure out that there were actually two different rooms. (But hey, I was younger.)
Otherwise, this has potential, especially your 'level exit teleporter' in the first level.
@Fleexy: I've got the same oppinion on your too-hard-marker. You should always be able to do your own level. The problem with a teleporter maze is, you know your way out because you built it, but others didn't so this renders the level a lot harder for them. The first two levels aren't too hard. And I like the size of them. A huge level of the same difficulty could get annoying, because starting over costs you so much time, but they are great as-is.
I can modify your graphics a bit if you want to. Just send me a mail so I got your address (mine is in my profile). I don't need to send me the graphics if you haven't changed them since your release, because I got them already, haven't I.
I can modify your graphics a bit if you want to. Just send me a mail so I got your address (mine is in my profile). I don't need to send me the graphics if you haven't changed them since your release, because I got them already, haven't I.
Release Two
Release Two!
I made a world map, but the teleporters aren't working. Oh well. I replaced the butler bot, tank bot, and level 3. This level 3 is possible. I did it. It is a required level because I patched it to give the joystick when finished. Here is a list of character replacements:
Yorp=Cromaj
Garg=Chompzillo
Butler bot=Cromajian Elder
Tank bot=Cromajian Warrior
The planet is called Cromajian IV. Please give detailed accounts on what you did in the levels. Please tell me how you liked them. Please give suggestions on how it could be improved. I will consider incorporating them.
Enjoy,
--Fleexy[/list]
I made a world map, but the teleporters aren't working. Oh well. I replaced the butler bot, tank bot, and level 3. This level 3 is possible. I did it. It is a required level because I patched it to give the joystick when finished. Here is a list of character replacements:
Yorp=Cromaj
Garg=Chompzillo
Butler bot=Cromajian Elder
Tank bot=Cromajian Warrior
The planet is called Cromajian IV. Please give detailed accounts on what you did in the levels. Please tell me how you liked them. Please give suggestions on how it could be improved. I will consider incorporating them.
Enjoy,
--Fleexy[/list]
World map: Looks a bit bland, I suggest you ad some tree or lake or scenery tiles, otherwise this'll give people a severe case of long hallway syndrome.
Your teleporter patches aren't working because your co-ordinates are gigantic. The originals are:
$1C0 $60; $240 $80; $3E0 $250 = 28,6; 36,5; 62,37
Whereas yours are:
$2800 $F000; $1C00 $6000 = 640, 3840; 448,1536
You see what you did there? I believe you want to go between 38,13<->26,4 The correct patch for this is:
Also, what insanity are you using for teleporter sprites? The valid values are 33-35 an 45-47, not something like two thousand. Your upper teleporter should be sprite 46, your lower 45.
First level: Comments unchanged.
Second level: That jump-switch at the start is a mean trick, if you don't line up properly, you're dead every time. Maybe replacing one of those Xs with a solid tile instead? Like the teleporter at the bottom. How did you get your winning level teleporter to work?
Third level: This level is simply too big, too long and too monotonous.
First up, all that jumping, especially over pits that could kill you if you set a foot wrong is just NO. Secondly, you have sprite spam, with literally dozens of sprites pushing you about all over the place, an more annoyingly, shooting you. Thirdly, we have long hall syndrome again.
None of what you've done is bad per se; a short period of death jump can be invigorating, or an annoying level bottleneck you always read, clusters of sprites can create a wild, swarming effect, and long hallways can add a taste of expectation at what's at the end. But the problem with this level is there is a lot. Too much. The entire level is 'jump jump jump. Get something. Jump jump jump...' and it gets old pretty quickly. This is combined with the lack of eye candy an blank grey background which makes this a level to be avoided at all costs.
Some tips I think would work are:
* More teleporters, less hallway; this could be a real teleporter maze instead of them always, ALWAYS getting you back to the start of the level, that's a big no-no, especially in a level this big. Perhaps some 'secret' rooms are in order.
* Use that space; you have a lot of blank grey and frankly, dull background. What you want to do is have the player notice that they're in a big, cavernous space; the best way to o this is by making the background black, which will force you to use lights (And thus add interesting effects) and also add contrast (Grey is to flay and pastel, graphics stand out against black.) If you have some kind of background tile pattern, this is the level to show it off.
* More points; give the player something to grab while they're doing all that work.
* Let the player plummet to their doom; some kind of doomy chasm at the level bottom would be nice, for stretches where a misaimed jump leads to a plummet and death.
I hope these tips help. :)
Your teleporter patches aren't working because your co-ordinates are gigantic. The originals are:
$1C0 $60; $240 $80; $3E0 $250 = 28,6; 36,5; 62,37
Whereas yours are:
$2800 $F000; $1C00 $6000 = 640, 3840; 448,1536
You see what you did there? I believe you want to go between 38,13<->26,4 The correct patch for this is:
Code: Select all
#teleporters: 38,13<->26,4 (We add 2 to each Keenedit co-ord)
%patch $158DF $C0 $01
%patch $158E3 $60 $00
%patch $158E9 $80 $02
%patch $158ED $F0 $00First level: Comments unchanged.
Second level: That jump-switch at the start is a mean trick, if you don't line up properly, you're dead every time. Maybe replacing one of those Xs with a solid tile instead? Like the teleporter at the bottom. How did you get your winning level teleporter to work?
Third level: This level is simply too big, too long and too monotonous.
First up, all that jumping, especially over pits that could kill you if you set a foot wrong is just NO. Secondly, you have sprite spam, with literally dozens of sprites pushing you about all over the place, an more annoyingly, shooting you. Thirdly, we have long hall syndrome again.
None of what you've done is bad per se; a short period of death jump can be invigorating, or an annoying level bottleneck you always read, clusters of sprites can create a wild, swarming effect, and long hallways can add a taste of expectation at what's at the end. But the problem with this level is there is a lot. Too much. The entire level is 'jump jump jump. Get something. Jump jump jump...' and it gets old pretty quickly. This is combined with the lack of eye candy an blank grey background which makes this a level to be avoided at all costs.
Some tips I think would work are:
* More teleporters, less hallway; this could be a real teleporter maze instead of them always, ALWAYS getting you back to the start of the level, that's a big no-no, especially in a level this big. Perhaps some 'secret' rooms are in order.
* Use that space; you have a lot of blank grey and frankly, dull background. What you want to do is have the player notice that they're in a big, cavernous space; the best way to o this is by making the background black, which will force you to use lights (And thus add interesting effects) and also add contrast (Grey is to flay and pastel, graphics stand out against black.) If you have some kind of background tile pattern, this is the level to show it off.
* More points; give the player something to grab while they're doing all that work.
* Let the player plummet to their doom; some kind of doomy chasm at the level bottom would be nice, for stretches where a misaimed jump leads to a plummet and death.
I hope these tips help. :)
First of all, I'm glad you've got the enthusiasm to dive into modding. :) Congratulations.
That said, I sincerely think that you should wait until you have sixteen levels, a story, a title screen, and an ending sequence before you release the mod. Three playable levels is more of a trailer or interest-check than anything.
Speaking of interest check, I'm going to back Levellass up on everything she's called you out on. The basic graphics aren't a bad thing, as long as they are consistent everywhere--and the default Keen/Vorticon sprites stick out like sore thumbs. Make your own Keen sprite who matches he style of the game world you've created, and things will be more engaging because they are more consistent.
I hate teleporter mazes. :(
There's potential here; don't feel like I don't want you to finish this... but I strongly encourage you to playtest as much as possible, and offer the player a little more visual guidance. :)
That said, I sincerely think that you should wait until you have sixteen levels, a story, a title screen, and an ending sequence before you release the mod. Three playable levels is more of a trailer or interest-check than anything.
Speaking of interest check, I'm going to back Levellass up on everything she's called you out on. The basic graphics aren't a bad thing, as long as they are consistent everywhere--and the default Keen/Vorticon sprites stick out like sore thumbs. Make your own Keen sprite who matches he style of the game world you've created, and things will be more engaging because they are more consistent.
I hate teleporter mazes. :(
There's potential here; don't feel like I don't want you to finish this... but I strongly encourage you to playtest as much as possible, and offer the player a little more visual guidance. :)