Sonic the Hedgehog Robo Blast 2 (Beta name) GFHZ V2.0

[Espyo]

I decided to make a MOD of levels came out from my mind.
Blah, blah, blah. I don't want to bore you with details.
Anyway, here is the first map, Green Flowers Zone:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/woaa4a

Why is it named like that, and why is the MOD named Sonic the Hedgehog Robo Blast 2? Simple. It all started when I tried to make a MOD with made up levels, that look like the ones in Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis/Mega Drive).

I was going to do that, but then I tought nah! I would spend way to much space on textures and such. So, I decided to leave it a MOD that was "inspired" by Sonic the Hedgehog. The look-a-likes are just the main concept, really.

Random screenshots of the first level:

Now, I hope that there are no problems with the map, yet, I had a hard time putting the grass boarders, so I may have missed something. If you find a mistake, please tell me.

The MOD has got emblems, but only this level's emblems, per now :P

I hope to make a MOD with about 10 levels, and the special stages, that I'm still going to decide the concept.

Comment please!

 

[Shuffle]

This map's not half bad! My only issues is that a lot of the arrows are too narrow and short. Select your map and scale it up 150% or something.
Nice secret 1UP by the way.

 

[Jazz]

Not bad, just two things.

Scale it up a little, like Shuffle said.

Also you want to be able to actually be able to go underwater in your water death pits before you die. Also make the water translucent. That should make things a bit better looking and playing as far as that is concerned.

 

[BlueZero4]

SRB2 works because of flow. You can't have flow with phr33king tiny platforms. For instance, I need to be able to finish the level without stopping. I always get stuck on the tiny ledges because I can't get a boost off of the floor below me without running into the ledge in front of me.

How you choose to give your map flow is one thing, but consistently using the scale function won't get you any better at mapping.

 

[Rob]

How you choose to give your map flow is one thing, but consistently using the scale function won't get you any better at mapping.

No, but it's a great fix the first time around, and it'll also put in his head "OK, this is too small. I'll make it bigger next time."

 

[BlueZero4]

And yet, this isn't his first time. If you've been paying attention to his SM64 match levels, Shuffle has said to use scale consitently. Apparently it hasn't gotten it in his head that it's too small.

 

[JEV3]

This is actually quite good, but the death pits are a little cheap, especially for a first level. It reminds me of Sonic Heroes quite a bit in that respect... (which I don't play cause they remind me of Areal Garden... j/k) I'd add more detail to some of the areas and make them slightly larger, maybe with more simple platforming to make up for the removal of the pit, which in turn would also improve it.

However if you are going for the modern Sonic style (+non-linear) I guess just making it bigger would suffice. :p

 

[Espyo]

@ Shuffle: Arrows? Seriously, I faded out when I was trying to think about "arrows". What do you mean? I didn't put any arrows in the level, maybe except for ring arrows. Unless that is a term that I'm forgetting, or I just never heard of it.

Thanks. But, to which one are you refering to? The one behind the isolated watterfall, or the one in a small platform? Either way, you GOT to be sarcastic. They are the most stupid locations for a 1-UP I have ever seen/made.


@ Jazz: Man, I was going to do that, but I simply forgot! When I remembered, I tought, nah! It will be to hard. But I'll do that in the next release, because it looks way better.


@ BlueZero4: I know. You are only unnable to finish without stopping because of a small "miscount" in my plans. The path that won't make you stop at springs and such, will lead you to a dead end, if you keep on going. I have to change that later on.
Also, there are no tiny platforms anywhere, unless they lead to a secret or something. Totally useless in flow.
I didn't use the scale function, at all. Yet, I know why you're saying this. It's because some of the linedefs that belong to a sector could be more complex. I know that, I wasn't trying to hard on sector complexity when I was planning it. And you think that I started off small, where I wouldn't have a chance to create complexity, and then I scaled it up. Not true.

@ JEV3: Simple platforming? What do you mean? If your goal is to reach the finish line, than you will have NO problem with hard parts, because there are none. This level is actually quite easy.

@ All: Well, about the size... I don't quite realise what is the problem. Just answer me this. Which is the problem?:

1. The level can be easily finished in less than 25 seconds (small).
2. The level has some seriously tight parts (narrow).

If the problem is the first one, than no problem. I will just add more level to it. If it is the second, than I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. It might be tight in some parts, I know. But that is just semi-random scenario. I don't know.

After some of these questions solved, and after I had a spring missing, and some grass borders, I will make a new, better version.

 

[Jazz]

2. The level has some seriously tight parts (narrow).

That would be my primary complaint. Just note that, especially for Sonic players, the more cramped the level, the more inhibiting the level is on a player's speed.

Sonic is equally about speed and platforming, so keeping your level nice and open (though you are allowed to have a few cramped parts for contrast's sake) will improve both aspects: speed because the map is easier to run through, and platforming because its much easier to jump on a 256x256 platform, then to jump on a 128x128 (or 64x64) platform.

 

[on Edge]

I really like you're level, but it suffers from the same problem all of you're levels do.

You need tho scale it up by at least 200%. It's just too small to move properly.

 

[JEV3]

It doesn't necessarily need more level, just a little bit more put into whats already there.

First I'll come out and say that the size causes it to be quite annoying.

Now I'll elaborate on my aforementioned point. Most of the level is flat. You have some interesting slopes, but it is mainly three short flat paths winding through each other with some walls and springs dividing them. I prefer to jump a little more, and not because I don't want to fall in a pit.

BTW, I'd like to say no true hard part would be what you mean. But cheap deaths because I want to run and jump and fight baddies as is the nature of even most of the official games are not something I believe the level can benefit from.

I don't mean to offend you in any way. Just to tell you what I think the level could use to make it better.

 

[Espyo]

@ Jazz: Well, OK. I guess.

@ JEV3: I know that you're not offending me. You're far from it. You (and everyone else, at this point) is doing exactly they should do: Tell what's good, and what should be improved. Instead of just: "I likes it!" or "This stinks ROFLZ".
Flatness... I never improve that part too much in my maps... :S
About the cheap deaths... Well, I DID wanted it to be a "island" themed level. With water all over.

@ All: Well, I'll just have to try enlarging the level. What can I say?

 

[LongcrierCat]

That was freaking fun! Good job! Keep up the good work!

 

[Shuffle]

The arrows are too narrow and short.

I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. I meant to say areas/paths/alleys/whatever. Basically, some stuff is too narrow.

 

[Espyo]

Select your map and scale it up 150% or something.

Done. Scaled 150%.

Also you want to be able to actually be able to go underwater in your water death pits before you die. Also make the water translucent. That should make things a bit better looking and playing as far as that is concerned.

Done.

SRB2 works because of flow. You can't have flow with phr33king tiny platforms. For instance, I need to be able to finish the level without stopping. I always get stuck on the tiny ledges because I can't get a boost off of the floor below me without running into the ledge in front of me.

Done. Now you can finish the level without stopping. My personal record in this version is 20 seconds.

[quote="on Edge]
You need tho scale it up by at least 200%.[/quote]
WOW! Let's not go nuts. 150% is enough. If you want it even bigger, well, I'm sorry, but that's just not be able to play straight. I'm refering to everyone. Besides, only 40$ of the map is exposed to the death pit.



Well, it has been resized (150%), added plenty more complexity to the sectors, added some new ways (some, as in: almost none), added some missing things, and presto, V2.0!:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/v3va4d

 

[BlueZero4]

I personally liked it better before. Why? Because while yeah, the problematic areas are now fine, the areas that were fine before are WAY too big. I'd suggest just fixing the problematic areas instead of just blindly scaling it. Problematic refferring to the ledges and caves about 128 wide. If you could fix those teeny thing to be wider, I can imagine it making a world of difference.

 

[Jazz]

To add another comment on your water (it seems to bug me for some reason.) You want water death pits to have the PIT flat, while non-death pit water have another flat. Otherwise, all your water looks the same, and you cannot tell what water is dangerous and what water isn't, if you know what I mean.

 

[Espyo]

@ BlueZero4: I knew that it wouldn't be great this time. Time for another update...

@ Jazz: That was my original plan. Once I saw what you wrote, I imediattly tought: PIT flat. When I tried, I almost wanted to close my eyes. It looks REALLY ugly. I know that the FLOOR0_3 texture doesn't look so good neither, but it's best then the PIT texture. Even tough it doesn't look like it.