Whew, judging this contest took a
long time. I was happy to see that the turnout this time was really good. Though, that's in terms of numbers. As for quality, however, I guess that's why we vote! And, hey, I actually
played a round with the Match maps this time!
A few notes:
There's a difference between "open" and "big". "Open" is like how spaced out an individual room is. "Big" is the total size of the level, as in how many rooms there really are.
If I didn't give a rating on a map, it's because I didn't play it.
I noted some little things under "What I liked about this map" and "What I didn't like about this map". These are just little things. Unless they're noted, mentioned, or referred again in the actual evaluation paragraph, they have very little weight on the score. You'll notice that some of them are even jokes :P.
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Single Player Levels
Magma Base - Blue Blur
6/10
What I liked about this map: My first thought when entering this level was, "wow, this looks professional!"
What I didn't like about this map: Major design flaws.
This map lacks direction. At times, I had no idea where I was supposed to go. Also, I felt the part where you had to get the invincibility box to go through the lava was just cheap. You could've just jumped right past it without knowing it was practically required to go on in the level. That sort of gimmick is what I don't like to see. However, I felt this map was perfectly spaced out with the landscape and the badniks, as well as the rings. Kudos for that!
SonicT2DRealm - Sonict
4/10
What I liked about this map: It's Green Hill! And the visuals aren't sloppy, either!
What I didn't like about this map: Not much to do.
This is linear and bland. It's just a simple "run through the level and get to the exit sign!" sort of thing. Not much to say here, I guess.
Jungle Japes - GCFreak
4/10
What I liked about this map: It
looks like a good level.
What I didn't like about this map: Major design flaws.
This didn't look so bad when I started it. However, there were some major flaws I noticed. One is that there are obstacles placed just to break up the flow and slow the player down - namely the center of the treetops. What's the point? Also, the second part of the level (after the teleport) is labyrinth-like. Some of the paths wound together, while others were just dead ends. I didn't know where the ending was, and I didn't bother to complete the level.
Arid Ruins - Tets
7/10
What I liked about this map: In terms of theme and visuals, you really squeezed what you could of the desert theme. Sandfalls!
What I didn't like about this map: The branching paths took away from the direction of the level.
This is what really annoyed me: there was direction, but there were paths to take away from that direction. I found myself running around at a few points just trying to find a way to get to the next room. Had you not said that you really had to pay attention to the level, I wouldn't have found the exit. Though, I have to give you props for setting the level up like that. All the other levels I've played don't really require you to use your brain like this. It's quite commemmorative.
Rocky Pass - Oogaland
7/10
What I liked about this map: It flowed rather well. Also, "scr
mt"? Nah, just kidding :P.
What I didn't like about this map: The direction was rather sketchy.
At times, I found myself asking, "is
this where I'm supposed to go?" I don't think there's enough indication as to what the path to take is. Also, a minor problem, but I feel the paths are a little too open. It kinda' makes running as Sonic a little tiring.
Los Gehts - Penopat
6/10
What I liked this map: The end of the level was rather epic. Really. I like waterfalls :).
What I didn't like about this map: Too linear. Also, like,
slippery ice much? (Nah, just kidding.)
This had a very "direct path" feel to it. There wasn't a lot more to do except jump from platform to platform and just run across from room to room. While holding the player's hand from point to point is sometimes alright, it's not good to do it all the way.
Waterfall Valley 2 - FuriousFox
8/10
What I liked about this map: The waterfalls, lakes, and rivers all looked like they were interconnected, giving the entire level that same feeling.
What I didn't like about this map: A little bland, but only in terms of visuals.
This map is really well done. It flowed quite nicely and it gave the player stuff to look at and things to do at a nice, constant rate. I don't think I have much else to say.
Techno Peak 2 - ree-c
7/10
What I liked about this map: Other than a few areas, the flow was quite alright.
What I didn't like about this map: Minor design flaws.
I rather liked this map. Though, there were a few points where the flow was broken up, most notably with the big clump of Eggman boxes and the blue springs. Surely a better idea could've been come up with. Other than that, though, I guess I don't have much to say.
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Match Levels
MAP01 - Geyser Garden - Senku
5/10
What I liked about this map: It was pretty. Very pretty. :)
What I didn't like about this map: It was cramped, and while the geysers were pretty cool, they only contributed to the problem.
This map is pretty cramped. It's hard to move in a few places, mainly around the outer edge of the map, and also around the long geysers. The only area that was really
used, really, was the center fountain and the wider grassy perimeter around it. It doesn't help that the geysers can crush you. The waterfalls also kinda' hindered your sight.
MAP02 - Sunken Mine - Senku
4/10
What I liked about this map: It's Mine Maze Zone! And the wooden girders were quite decorative.
What I didn't like about this map: It was even more cramped. And it was really hard to move.
The rooms are really small and really cramped. While the wooden girders were pretty cool, they also served as blocks to make it even harder to move. It was pretty hard to move around in that map.
MAP03 - College Showdown - GCFreak
NO RATING/10
What I liked about this map: Its name.
What I didn't like about this map: No single rings. I mean, really, what's the point?
This map is really huge. Also, the rings are really sparse; not to mention that they're only in ring boxes. Two bad ideas put into a very bad combination. Not good. When your rings aren't put across the entire level, it turns into a "hunt for rings" sort of thing. When you lose rings, you don't really have any fresh rings to pick up. There are large areas with little variation. Pretty boring if you ask me.
MAP04 - Soul Calibur - Bouncy
2/10
What I liked about this map: The idea was nicely emphasized by the fitting name and music.
What I didn't like about this map: The idea. It just doesn't fit into SRB2.
While sudden death is pretty cool, making it an entire stage just doesn't work into SRB2's game mechanics. When you've got a small platform with only ring boxes and a pit around it, things become too boring.
MAP05 - Zim's Bathroom - Sonict
5/10
What I liked about this map: It's Zim's bathroom!
What I didn't like about this map: Wait, Zim has a bathroom? It's been too long o_O. I need to watch the show again.
A cool idea, but hindered by one major design flaw: It has an over-reliance on springs. While it doesn't
limit your movement, per se, it does make travelling across the entire map pretty difficult. Minor design problems also exist. As a result of the over-reliance on springs, the map has a very "cramped" feeling to it. Also, you can't jump out of the toilet the way you came in. It's not exactly obvious that you have to walk through fake walls either.
MAP06 - Hell Angel - Sonict
6/10
What I liked about this map: It's a religious reference done
right!
What I didn't like about this map: The platforms. They were too small.
This map has a really nice level design, except for one major problem: The platforms are too small. It kind of promotes this sort of paranoia. It's hard to move on the platforms, making it a little hard to shoot others too, 'lest you want to fall into the lava below (thanks for making that not a pit, btw).
MAP07 - Unsafe Warehouse - a441
6/10
What I liked about this map: The theme is really interesting. You're good at that sort of thing :).
What I didn't like about this map: Minor individual design flaws kinda' add up.
I think the main problem with this level is that it doesn't give you enough space to move. The ledges that almost criss-cross close off the top open areas. The ledges themselves are pretty thin. I don't think I have much to say about this map, actually.
MAP08 - Watery Death - a441
6/10
What I liked about this map: It was nice and uniform. I also liked the ceiling lights that faded off.
What I didn't like about this map: Too open and too big.
Because this map is too open and too big, it's very hard to actually
aim at someone. Also, I feel the rings were a little sparse. It kinda' forces you to traverse the huge scape.
MAP09 - Treetop Inanity - a441
4/10
What I liked about this map: It was
hectic!
What I didn't like about this map: I got tired of hearing the "ring loss" sound afterwards...
The use of teleporters really justified the need for a dense placement of rings in that map as well as the crampedness. Kudos for that. However, like "Soul Calibur", it kinda' doesn't fit with SRB2's game mechanics. It just didn't feel
right.
MAP10 - Underground Pool - a441
5/10
What I liked about this map: It was nice and uniform. Predictable, too.
What I didn't like about this map: It was a little bland.
The perimeter around the pool was nice and even. I liked that. Though, other than going into the corner rooms and into the pool, there wasn't really much to do. I was discouraged from going into the corner rooms because things got
pretty crazy there (!), and you were slowed by the pool. While the fact that the pool was high enough to slow you down gave variation, it's really more of a hinderance, I'd say.
MAP11 - Greenflower Match - Shuffle
7/10
What I liked about this map: It's
Greenflower Match! What
isn't there to like
:)
What I didn't like about this map: It's a little on the cramped side. Not enough space to move.
The design was good enough to kind of even out the slight crampedness of the map. I thought it played rather well, other than that one fault. I think that there are too many obstacles to block the player's movement when in the lower open area. The house is one example.
MAP12 - Thermal Ravine - Kineso
4/10
What I liked about this map: The theme was rather interesting.
What I didn't like about this map: Too many flaws.
It's pretty hard to move around this map. I mean, it's not actually
difficult, but it's really easy to just fling yourself into the lava and die. The platforms are a little small. Not to mention there aren't enough obstacles to block you from the edge. I mean, the fences would've worked, but you could run through them.
MAP13 - Triangular Terraces - Blue Blur
5/10
What I liked about this map: This one's pretty too. The music also fit rather well.
What I didn't like about this map: Too flat and bland.
There wasn't a lot to do in this map. All you could really do was run on the high grounds and just shoot. The terraces also kinda' served as obstacles. It was a bit of a drag just to jump up them. There's no flow there.
MAP14 - One Way Ticket - 1-Up Box
NO RATING/10
What I liked about this map: Purple flames! Are those Tets's trees, btw?
What I didn't like about this map: Exactly what I liked about it. Too many ideas thrown around.
This looks like a first map, kinda'. I don't really know how to rate this one. It really does look like you threw a bunch of ideas around and called it a level. Here's a tip: Give your layouts some logic. There's gotta be a reason why you came from Point A to Point B. Here, it's only because "Point B was there". Not exactly good.
MAP15 - Lava Valley - ree-c
6/10
What I liked about this map: The quasi-slopes were kinda' cool. :)
What I didn't like about this map: Minor design problems.
This map played rather well. I think the major thing about it was that the platforms over the lava were too cramped. Didn't give you much room to move. Also, the steep ramps served more as obstacles than anything. It kinda made moving around the perimeter of the map a little difficult.
MAP16 - Glacier Temple - ree-c
7/10
What I liked about this map: The music emphasizes the theme of this level, making it really pretty.
What I didn't like about this map: It was too big.
I think that was the only problem with this level, and it's a rather big one, too: It's too big. There are too many places to explore, making encounters a little rare. It also kinda' suffers from the problem "Water Death" has with there being too much room to aim at someone, though not as much.
MAP17 - Bunker Hills - Chabo
6/10
What I liked about this map: Some parts of this map flowed really well.
What I didn't like about this map: Some parts of this map seem totally unused.
Not much to say about this one, except I found it perfectly adequate to just stay in the outermost perimeter. Looking through it right now, it seems as if a few of the areas lack logic and flow. Other areas, however, worked pretty well. It's like one half of this map is really good while the other half is rather lacking.
MAP18 - Sheltered Waterfall - Oogaland
7/10
What I liked about this map: It's rather nice and open. Good-looking, too.
What I didn't like about this map: It's too big.
The "open-ness" of the level is perfect, as in there's a perfect amount of room to aim at. However, it's too big as in there's too much landscape to explore. As with "Glacier Temple", encounters don't happen as often.
Although it didn't count against your score, I thought the individual rings within a row of rings were too spaced out. It was a little hard to collect a few at a time. I like to space my rings 64 units apart, to that regard.
MAP19 - Leavey Wood - Penopat
5/10
What I liked about this map: The foresty elements were presented rather well in terms of visuals.
What I didn't like about this map: The level design.
I can't quite put my finger on this one. I think it's that the level design is a bit on the random side. Especially the metal structure, a few elements seemed to be placed around just to be placed. Also, part of the level seemed to lack in terms of accessability. I found it hard to go to the upper platforms, so I just stayed in the lower ground, which is rather flat and boring by itself. That's just me, though.
MAP20 - Snowy Valley - Chaos Zero 64
NO RATING/10
What I liked about this map: Did you use Insta-Lower? :)
What I didn't like about this map:
AH, MY RETINAS ARE BURNING!
Sorry, man. When I can't even look at the screen (for the sake of my
eyes), I can't really see what the map is all about, or even explore it without knowing what's going on. I'm not bothered to edit the heading either to rectify this manner (since I know it's not your fault), so I can't really say much. Sorry.
MAP21 - Shoreline Dunes - Senku
6/10
What I liked about this map: The sandy beach/grass theme was presented rather well. Rocky Mountain music!
What I didn't like about this map: Some design flaws.
I thought the beach and the underwater areas flowed rather well. However, the grassy half of the level is rather lacking in terms of accessability. It's hard to explore it. Also, the ring placement was a little off. It's not a good idea to just have a huge block of rings in one area of the level. Also, the inbalance of rings also gives no reason to go to the grassy half of the level.
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Overall, I'd say the Single Player levels were pretty good. With a few exceptions, they were all pretty decent. There were a few decent ones among the Match maps too.
Though, it's good to see that the community's going pretty strong with addons. This is what I like to see :).
(Whew, now I can finally eat...)