Perfectly executed level! I've come back to playing SRB2 after a couple of years of not playing it, and I've been amazed at how boring some of the old maps I once loved actually are. A lot of old levels and level packs from the 1.09.4 era had a really samey feel, mostly because the only variations between the levels were the "flavor" of the hazard pits: death pits, water pits, lava pits, slime pits, etc... These hazards all basically functioned the same way, and when you load up Mystic Realm and play through it again you'll realize that all you're really doing is jumping over a different-colored pit each zone (with some minor exceptions, of course). All this leads me to an often-unshakable feeling that I'm not really playing anything.
The brilliance of your level is that you actually play it! It feels like a game! This level explores so much more in the way of hazards than the old-style maps with a level of excellence not commonly found. Absolutely everything works in tandem to create NEW experiences. This is rare. The best I can usually do when I make levels is try to create a feeling through use of the level design, but you actually create new interactions between the player and the game world! Not only are these experiences new, but they're implemented in an expert manner. The player is first introduced to each hazard in a relatively safe environment, and then each successive time the task is a little more complex and a little more dangerous. This isn't just level design - it's game design. And it's awesome.
I loved the disappearing platforms with the lights. For the first time in a while, I found myself actually using my brain to plan out my course before jumping. I had to use a combination of memory, timing, and deduction using the overhead lights to decide exactly when to jump and where to jump. And it took a while to get used to! Rarely does SRB2 make me think about the best course of action and make me learn a new skill along the way. Normally I just DO. ERZ1 and ERZ2 are the only official maps that have made me play this way.
I also loved how the enemies actually served a specific purpose within the level. Prime mentioned in another post somewhere in the subforum that enemies are actually gimmicks. These enemies are exactly that. I actually sorta hate crawlas, and buzzes, and the like. They can serve some purpose sometimes, but most of the time I think they're there to fill space, and if not, then they're annoying. You flying pumpkins were a little bit annoying with their fast firing rate (I personally think you should tone down their firing rate), but they serve their purpose and are actually fun to kill due to their amusing death animation. The other guys with the ghosts flying around them in a circle were a textbook example of using an enemy as a hazard correctly. There's an effective risk-vs-reward mechanic baked right into their DNA. Do you jump around them, risking a more difficult jump but guaranteeing that you won't get hit? Or do you try kill them jump straight through, making a more direct jump but risking a potentially lethal knockback? Amazing stuff.
In any case, this level was astoundingly well done. By the last room with the moving conveyor platforms, I was down to one life and my heart was actually pumping hard by the time I hit the end-level sign. Only multiplayer games and Dark Souls can usually get my heart to race! This was one of the few times in my recent SRB2 experience that reaching the end of the level felt so satisfying on it's own. That's how I can tell that you've made an awesome level.
Incredible job DrTapeworm, I hope to play more levels from you soon!
