SRB2: Oceanic Cove Zone v.2.0

This is Oceanic Cove Zone (OCZ) for SRB2. Because of all the changes that have been made since the last release here (August 22, 2009), I have decided to name this v.2.0.

Some brief, and somewhat outdated, history of OCZ can be found here:


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to acknowledge all my netgame testers: <you know who you are> for testing and giving feedback of the level before this release.
Credit goes to Soundboard.com for ocean, cave, and seagull sound effects
Crappy seagull sprites by Senku Niola


ABOUT
Oceanic Cove has been in the works sometime since May of 2008, of course with long breaks in between. Originally, I have hoped to get it done for v.1.09; but with v.2.0 already out, this has to be ported in order to be continued. The first public release made it to the editing section of the SRB2 Message Board on Friday, August 21, 2009 (Build 6) and has received much criticism enough to futher my progress on OCZ. Soon after, I have changed many textures to fit the growing v.2.0 standards of aesthetics. Lag has been a main problem in the level, and although I have strongly opposed to splitting this into two acts, I have decided against my will to take such action for my own sanity. Even I have been troubled with handling the long waits of saving the level and testing this on my own computer. The entire level as a single act has taken about 5-15 minutes to save, depending on my computer's state. With the split edition, I have been able to cover more distance.

This level is long and massive, some areas may lag, so be forewarned (depends on system)! This level will require skill, endurance, and determination to get through with Sonic, especially. This was created with Sonic, or any other skin that behaves like Sonic, in mind. Tails, Knuckles, or any other character that behaves like them have been disregarded in the initial release of the level. Thus, Tails or Knuckles may not have a hard time getting through the level. On the contrary, although it was made for Sonic only, Tails and Knuckles have their own small secrets to find.

There are two emerald tokens in this level. If you're the type of person who likes finding secrets, then finding them will be a fun challenge for you. Collecting them, however, will be the real challenge. Not impossible, though, but difficult. This goes the same with emblems. There are two emblems for each character (STK) in this level (all in the so-called "Part 2" of OCZ). Finishing the act with an emerald token in possession will take you to a special stage, but a rather unique one: a merging of the concepts of the original SRB2 special stages with Mystic Realm's emerald stages. It will be like a regular stage, but you'll have to find a number of rings to get the emerald. This stage I still have to construct.

For many, it was tough controlling the character while platforming. I've included a script that expands your point of view (see console commands: cam_dist <value> and cam_height <value>). To expand your POV, simply press =. To set it back to its defaults, press -. Whenever the camera bugs up when modified, use the RESET CAMERA key. That is the only problem with the new feature.


KNOWN ISSUES

1. Few rendering errors with the textures throughout the level.
2. The level may lag terribly in netgames. Try the level in single player first, and then have fun in the netgame. If necessary, play at a smaller resolution.
3. There is no blockmap in this level due to its size. Therefore, Crawlas may randomly fall over cliffs. Using "Block Monster" flag may resolve the issue, but areas with flying robots will also have them affected. In addition, you may collide into walls and seem to go through them a bit. These walls are walls knuckles can usually climb, but can't due to this fault. These were not intended to happen, but levels this huge will have such problems.
4. Switches, when pressed, lowers the zoom tube pipe. However, at times, you may not enter the zoom tube automatically as intended unless you move around in the pipe.
5. Direction of upward and downward currents are not intended

CHANGELOG
See the MAINCFG lump in the wad if you're interested in a list of changes for each version.


CLOSING
Good luck running through the level, and I hope you have fun while you're at it. Feedback is GREATLY appreciated, positive and negative. But, if trying to make a point, do be constructive.


RELEASE
Current build: Saturday, May 8, 2010 ~ BUILD 10, Version 2.0

Screenshots of OCZ and the level itself are available as attachments below.


MIRROR: I've provided a mirror for the wad here.

Highend edition of OCZ is only available now until any bugs are found. I'll upload a less-laggy version of OCZ soon. Until then, if it lags, play with a smaller video resolution.

[Prime 2.0]

This is now my favorite singleplayer level of all time. Frankly, I'm too awestruck right now to say anything else.

Though, I will note that myself and one other judge had trouble downloading the attachment with Firefox. You may want to put up a mirror.

[Alex2608]

This is one of my favorite zone ever I have played in my SRB2 history. Nice music, very challenging (for sonic espacially) and quite a lot toexplore but can be a bit laggy in net games

[Chrome]

After you complete the second act in multiplayer, it crashes, though this is not that big of a problem. Splitting it into two acts was a good idea, it made this level much more bearable. I do feel that some of the textures seem littered about the map, however.

[Fawfulfan]

I hated this at first, but it really grew on me as I played through it. My only complaint is that the tendency of this level to send the player across platforms suspended above earlier sections of the level means a lot of really cheap setbacks.

[darkbob1713]

Inb4 hall of fame.

This level was just 100% awesome everywhere except for the boss arena and a few other areas. The boss wasn't all that special, and the arena gave him too much space to run away. In the section with the many ice platforms and the Deep Sea Zone sky, I think that the lower area should branch off into a new path instead of making the player climb back up and try again. Something that really annoys me in this level are the large and tall rooms where you climb upward, and if you fall you land at the beginning.

Despite these large flaws, this is definitely the best level on the entire MB, no questions asked.

[MascaraSnake]

Hmm, the visuals were very nicely executed, except for some of the ice-themed parts, where you need to vary your textures more (I see gray rock everywhere). Gameplay was overall very solid, but never quite innovative. It consisted mostly of slippery or crumbling platforms, and that got a bit old. The top-notch scenery and excessive secret placing redeem this easily though, and make up for the lack of innovation in the gameplay department.

[BlueZero4]

I played beta 7, so keep that in mind as you read the comments, Runite.

First thing is the texturing. Frequently FOFs had different side and top textures. Having them match is really one of the small improvements you can make to create an illusion of higher quality. Well actually, I think I just like it better that way. If you want your textures like that, you better have a good reason.

Next thing. As you "improve" your level visually, are you sure you're not losing the soul of your level? I know it might seem like a good idea now, but are you still able to look at your level and remember what you were making it into when you first started? Do you like the new textures even though they're not what you've been working with? These might be too many questions. These are probably the wrong questions. But I worry that one day you'll wake up and find you're not happy with this level. This level is too important to you to do something stupid like stressing over an arbitrary standard of quality.

And, being a remake, I feel a certain pang of disappointment: As I play the old sections, the gameplay is exactly the same. I'm not sure why I expected it to be different, but I did! I suppose that level layout is the biggest part of "what defines a level", but I at least expected the floating platforms in the middle of nowhere to be more interesting. I never liked the ice platforming anyway and really hoped you had found an alternative. Cleaning up the zoom tubes was quite a relief, however.

On the flip-side, I was also disappointed in the new parts of the level because I'm a nostalgic jerk and only wanted to see a revamped version of the old content. The new content felt kinda boring because I felt like I was just trudging through it to see the revamped old stuff.

Also, the save data. I really would've liked using my Knuckles save with 70 lives on this level so I wouldn't game over so often and dying on the ice parts wouldn't get on my nerves (as badly). I'm not going to add in a custom save data into my level pack until I actually get some secret levels in.

I'm contradicting myself.

[PHCC]

I didn't like this lvl.It causes me lag.

[nightmare cenz]

I really Liked your level Runite even though I can't play it in this computer, However I can still comment about it:

First of all, the beach part, I loved how it looked.. Its massive, nice and you used all of the possible textures for a beach level.

Second, For the cave, I gotta say it: You and your obsession with cold water. seriously, how many times did I die as Sonic in these parts?... disregarding that, I loved the dificult you gave to it, how the falling rocks could instantly kill you if you flew as Tails inside the cave or how the teleports (KIDNAPING PART >:U) worked.

The textures of the inside, I'm still amazed at how it looks, hell... If you ask me the staff should take this level as an example so they could remake Deep Sea (No offence).

And, at last, the final part. Its like a giant mountain, It makes you want to climb it and search for good stuff up there XD

This level is filled up with secrets, I love collecting stuff such as 1ups, rings, Shields and points. In my opinion, this level should be in the Hall of Frame.

Note: It Might have lag, but It's worth playing it.
Note2: Inb4 you say "If you can't play it in your computer, How can you give criticism?", I have 2 computers :D

[123 Runite]

Over 150 downloads, I expected more comments than 9. Thanks those who have shared their insights.

Originally Posted by Chrome

After you complete the second act in multiplayer, it crashes, though this is not that big of a problem.

Currently, I have no clue what caused this to happen.

Originally Posted by Chrome

I do feel that some of the textures seem littered about the map, however.

How can this be fixed?

Originally Posted by BlueZero4

Frequently FOFs had different side and top textures. Having them match is really one of the small improvements you can make to create an illusion of higher quality. Well actually, I think I just like it better that way. If you want your textures like that, you better have a good reason.

I imagined "slicing" some of these rock FOFs and thought of its flats (top, bottom, or both) distinctly from its side textures. Also, for certain textures, I supposed it boring for all the FOFs to have the same texture for both the flats and the sides.

Originally Posted by BlueZero4

Next thing. As you "improve" your level visually, are you sure you're not losing the soul of your level? I know it might seem like a good idea now, but are you still able to look at your level and remember what you were making it into when you first started? Do you like the new textures even though they're not what you've been working with?

After retexturing the entire level, I actually admired the level more than how I originally perceived it. ... When v.2.0.5 is out, compare its match levels with those of v.2.0.4. and reconsider your opinions.

Originally Posted by BlueZero4

And, being a remake, I feel a certain pang of disappointment: As I play the old sections, the gameplay is exactly the same. I'm not sure why I expected it to be different, but I did!

My main purposes for the new update were retexturing, adding more routes (kind of failed here), and clearing out bugs. However, I was able to incorporate Eggman into the level, add scenery, add/modify secrets, etc.

Originally Posted by BlueZero4

I suppose that level layout is the biggest part of "what defines a level", but I at least expected the floating platforms in the middle of nowhere to be more interesting.

After some thought, I have decided to add supports to those platforms that do not crumble.

Originally Posted by BlueZero4

On the flip-side, I was also disappointed in the new parts of the level because I'm a nostalgic jerk and only wanted to see a revamped version of the old content. The new content felt kinda boring because I felt like I was just trudging through it to see the revamped old stuff.

Consider those who have not played through the older versions. The updates were just to improve existing content, and I thought the main layout was alright enough to be left somewhat untouched. Though, I feel I am leaving something out...

Originally Posted by nightmare cenz

First of all, the beach part, you used all of the possible textures for a beach level.

Not really.

Originally Posted by nightmare cenz

Second, For the cave, I loved the dificult you gave to it, how the falling rocks could instantly kill you if you flew as Tails

Someone hatched an idea for what to do with the falling rocks so that would not happen. Instead of instantly killing the player, they will merely hurt the player upon contact, considering he or she has rings.

[MisterX]

I realy liked the lvl.But it causes much lag in multiplayer, but apart from that ... your lvl is practically perfect.

9/10

[Virt]

I remember playing this level in a netgame. There was a little lag, but other than that, it was awesome! It's a fairly large level, which gives it more of a challenge. Although I was confused in one part as to where I was supposed to go...

[Fred]

I wanted to play this, laggy as it was. Act 1 was somewhat bearable, but when I got to Act 2 it turned into a freaking slideshow. Does this level not have any one-sided linedefs?

So I opened it up in SRB2 Doom Builder to try and figure out what the hell was going on.

What in hell...?

Why do you have so many redundant linedefs? Like, for a completely flat wall, you use up 4 linedefs. No wonder the game lags so much, it's trying to render four stages at the same time! Did you goof up or something? How does this happen?

[J-town]

Geh, I was unable to play it at ALL it was so laggy on my system. Running in windowed 640x400.

I managed to get like, 2FPS at best. (Actually counting the frames per second, not using the glitchy FPS counter. That always says 30. No matter what.)

As Neo Chaotikal stated, I believe you should stop trying to render four stages at the same time. This thing's laggier than CASTLE EGGMAN!

[BlazeFan1]

I played this level at about 1 in the morning, and even in that disoriented state I could tell it was awesome.

The only thing I didn't understand was what permitted the level to run so well. Some of those rooms are WAAAAAY to big to not be subject to all kinds of horrible graphical issues, so all I'm wondering is why it works well, when I get those weird bars that block out the character sprite when I make rooms that size.

Anyway, the level doesn't lag on my system, which is amazing considering how huge it is. One of my own levels actually lags worse in one room. I have a good system, but still...

There is only one thing you might want to change editing-wise that I noticed. In the room in part 2 with the big waterfall that has a button that shows a different camera view at the top, I didn't think it was obvious enough that there was a tube present right next to it. Maybe give it a different texture or put an arrow sign over it or something.

So anyway, 5 stars for this one. It's a really excellent level.

[Autosaver]

Its funny, everyone is complaining "it lags! :(" but it played perfectly fine on my computer.

This level is simply amazing. Its so huge, so many places to explore! Its also very detailed and feels totally new every new are you enter. I don't know how I missed this level. Its one of the best SRB2 levels ever. Heck, its better then every single level the developers of SRB2 made.

You dusted off SRB2 me. Thanks

[MascaraSnake]

Originally Posted by Autosaver

Heck, its better then every single level the developers of SRB2 made.

Sure, if you prefer 15 minutes of jumping over slippery and/or crumbling platforms, this is heaven. i personally prefer ERZ2 because it looks just as good as has actually interesting gameplay.

[Kyasarin]

Originally Posted by SpiritCrusher

I personally prefer ERZ2 because it looks just as good as has actually interesting gameplay.

Ironically it's the opposite for me. I don't see what the hell makes Egg Rock popular, but I really liked Oceanic Cove.

[BlazeFan1]

Yep, gonna agree with SpiritCrusher here.

As I said earlier, its a great level, it works well, its desgined well, it looks good, etc.
But even so, the type of gameplay it presents just isnt for some people, while eggrock isnt for others. It depends if you like gimmicks or if you like platforming.

This level's great, but I still vote gimmicks.