Level pack topic

[JM]

Pack 16 is not going bad. 30% of the pack is complete.

Check A BeastII of a level strikes back in this pack when its out.

[JM]

http://www.geocities.com/jmjm0052005/B2SB.zip

There is A BeastII of a level strikes back.

[guest]

I agree with everyone about Finland but that's not why I posted just now. I made a level. I'm not sure what t do for a solution or anything but I should have a pack up soon...in a while..eventually. When playing Finland, it would be wise to make use of the pause hotkey if you haven't already done so.

Timballisto has come VERY close to beating Finland.. he lost one lemming I think.

My level, (Called DO NOT BLOW UP THE TREE.) Is pretty simple.
It'll be up ...eventually.

Is your pack finished yet?

[tumble_weed]

Well I'm nearly finished TWBESTOF.DAT...Most of the levels in the pack though are slightly modified to make them better.

Also I noticed something odd when picking by favourite levels - the majority of my levels are 1 minute long, have multiple entrances, and most likely use the Hell set.

Oh yeah probably some people will disagree with my choices, but oh well there are the levels i think are the best and probably if I do start making more levels from now on they'll be under a different naming convention, I'm not sure what, but generally I hate most of my levels, so I would like to seperate any new levels from my old levels.

[JM]

I like some of your levels Tumble Weed especially No use for a Terrain and Objects? What Objects?,Stalker, and that level that uses A beast of a level graphic set.

Well most people dislike most of my levels but I'm trying to make the best levels I can in JM16.dat

[chaos_defrost]

@JM: See, here's the thing. I looked over the BeastII remake you just did. I like how you did the exit (The Pink exit, redone, looks better than the original one!), however, the level is really no different than the original BeastII! Climbers and Floaters aren't terribly important to the level, and cutting 3 builders really doesn't affect the level that much. The problem with your design style, to be honest, is that you take the levels you see and don't do a lot to change them.

Here's a guideline for you: If you decide to make a level that is similar to one you've played before, and the intended original solution still works perfectly on your re-make, you probably should re-think your revisions a bit.

And, of course, if you need advice, I can always give you pointers on level design.

[JM]

Thanks for the information Insane Steve. It really helps.

[chaos_defrost]

Here's another tip: This is the the thought process I use for about half my levels, and probably the thought process that you would probably use quite well when you refine it.

1) Start by looking through levels in the original game, in other packs, etc. Find a level with a trick that you like. Maybe two tricks later, but for now, I'll start with one trick.

For this example, I am going to use the "climb-bomb" trick [used in Mayhem 19, among other levels] where you bomb a lemming as it climbs the wall, and makes an indent in the wall. I am also going to show you a Cheapo version of the level I am describing. Now, this level is a very simplified version of what I'm describing; the trick isn't that hard to find, and the level isn't that difficult.

2) In your mind, or on paper, imagine a terrain structure that implements your trick. Figure out a way to make your trick the only way to pass a level. For example, a climb bomb level requires a somewhat large wall in order to work. I also requires, perhaps, a way to use a builder ramp from the bomb hole to perhaps catch a few lemmings that would splat otherwise? Draw a picture of what you want.



3) Place the terrain pieces to design your level. Make it at close to your drawing as you can, but if something wrong, fix it. Plan your tasks, but also add a couple tasks that aren't really needed to beat the level.



4) Play-test the level. Done.

I'll have the two pictures up rather soon.

[JM]

Thanks very much. This would help me make some better levels.

Some of your designs like Rhapsody,Seperation Anxiety,Mental Process,Annoyance,The Nifty Fifty and The Razor's Edge have showed me how to make some challenging levels.

[JM]

I never used the climb-bomb trick but in one level I used the trick where the one way wall looks like it is impassable as the rest of the terrain is steel areas. You can send lemmings up to bomb the top of the one way wall and then as the lemmings reach the end of the wall you make them dig and you keep doing that until the rest of the lemmings pass through the wall. I love that trick.

[chaos_defrost]

Ok, I put up images, so you can kind of see what I was describing.

[JM]

Thanks.

[JM]

That's a really good I love it. You made a good solution for the level The Annoying 1 pixel gap. As the lemming reaches the end of the ground he mines which takes him off the ground onto the next part which is a really good level to play on. Perhaps I could do that with 1 of my upcoming levels.

[the guest]

Plan your tasks, but also add a couple tasks that aren't really needed to beat the level.

That's an interesting tip.  It's one way to add a red herring, but it does also make it much easier to inadvertently introduce backroutes, especially if the intended solution is complex.  I'd say it's more an optional thing to throw in extra tasks.  Of course, you can also do that if you intentionally want to make the level easier or to give a better margin for error.

[JM]

The tip is quite interesting. I could throw in extra tasks to complete levels. I prefer to make challenging levels because if they are too easy then they are boring.