Twins'R'Okay
Mid-tier Pixel Artist
Making SRB2 Levels.
It's fun.
But, y'know, we kinda need to make sure other people have fun playing your level too.
And it's become apparent in recent OLDCs (and ULDCs), that some people don't know how to make their level fun.
Don't worry, we're here to help teach them.
"We're?"
That's right, while I could just make a guide and be done with it, many different people in this community has different ideas on what makes levels fun and worthwhile,
and so, this thread is born.
This thread's purpose is to be a centralized place for various tips n tricks when it comes to designing levels.
If you want to post a tip, Go ahead and hit that reply button! After awhile I'm gonna compile all of the current tips in this thread into a guide that will go into releases.
Also, If you can't think of, or explain a tip, go ahead and post links, videos, images, resources, etc. about level designing and how to make your level fun. This will also go into the guide.
Without further ado, let's start this thread with me rambling on what I think makes up a Sonic level,
aaaaaaaaaand the official tips and tricks guide from the wiki.
It's fun.
But, y'know, we kinda need to make sure other people have fun playing your level too.
And it's become apparent in recent OLDCs (and ULDCs), that some people don't know how to make their level fun.
Don't worry, we're here to help teach them.
"We're?"
That's right, while I could just make a guide and be done with it, many different people in this community has different ideas on what makes levels fun and worthwhile,
and so, this thread is born.
This thread's purpose is to be a centralized place for various tips n tricks when it comes to designing levels.
If you want to post a tip, Go ahead and hit that reply button! After awhile I'm gonna compile all of the current tips in this thread into a guide that will go into releases.
Also, If you can't think of, or explain a tip, go ahead and post links, videos, images, resources, etc. about level designing and how to make your level fun. This will also go into the guide.
Without further ado, let's start this thread with me rambling on what I think makes up a Sonic level,
aaaaaaaaaand the official tips and tricks guide from the wiki.
To me: Sonic levels are made up of 5 parts.
SPEED
PLATFORMING
PACING/FLOW
EXPLORATION
GIMMICKS
SPEED:
This should be self-explanatory, as this is the defining characteristic of your typical Sonic game.
You go fest, and that's cool!
However, going fest in a straight line is kinda boring.
So, the games often spice things up by adding vertigo or spectacle to each speed section in a Sonic game.
This isn't so easy to achieve in SRB2. Slopes and ramps do often work well when it comes to fitting that role, hell, maybe it's all you need when it comes to satisfying a player's sense of vertigo. But, I'm sure we can do better, not to toot my horn too much in this post, but I *did* make a """""functioning""""" loop-de-loop in my map using zoom tubes and I'm sure some people here can come up with more creative solutions.
PLATFORMING:
Despite the defining characteristic of your average Sonic game, this is still a platformer, so, at some point, you should be jumping from platform to platform.
Sonic games tend to have varying approaches to incorporating platforming into the game. Some feature barely any platforming, while others tend to feature entirely *too much* of it.
Due to SRB2s' more precise controls, platforming is not only agiven, but expected in nearly every level of the game. When it comes to the individual platforms, you probably shouldn't make them too small as landing on tiny objects tends to be annoying. On top of that, while your platforming sections should have verticality, it shouldn't have *too much* verticality, due to either SRB2's default renderer distorting the view the further I look up/down or SRB2's camera keeping me *from* looking up or down. I should be able to see the next platform at default camera settings within my FOV.
PACING/FLOW:
I find this harder to pin down and explain. It's also something that not every Sonic game gets down pat. Think of it like driving a racecar. If you wanna slow down, you have to gradually put your foot on the brakes to slow yourself down, and if you wanna speed up, you have to do the same for the acceleration pedal. You don't wanna jerk the player to a sudden stop or start, you should gradually slow them down first. Ramps and springs, i find, do a decent job at this (ramps more than springs). After all, if you suddenly stop the player with a wall when you want them go fast, it'll feel like a metaphorical kick to the nuts for the player.
EXPLORATION:
This is a common theme across all of the Sonic games for the most part. There is some degree of exploration. The first thing that Sonic games do when it comes to exploration are multiple paths. Since this is a platformer, you're often going from A to B. However, some Sonic levels give you a million different ways to get to point B.
While having a branching path in terms of level design is uhhhhhh fine(?), replicating the high-low road dicthonomy of level design is better. What is the high-low road dicthonomy. Basically a level design theory that has a high road and a low road. The low road is easier to access, easier to get through, and provides more vertigo, but you don't get much out of it afterwards. Meanwhile, The high road is significantly more difficult to access, as well as get through, but the rewards are far more worth it. When making your level, you should probably find ways to replicate that dicthonomy.
On top of having branching paths, Sonic levels have secrets. Often as rewards to those who are curious enough to check something they haven't seen before, or notice something that's a little off. Your level can have this too! Breakable walls with cracks in them are one of the most common ways to hide secrets, but I'm sure you can do better. So long as it isn't bullshit, like a fake wall that looks like all the other walls, for example.
On top of that, I feel there are multiple levels of secrecy when it comes to items in SRB2.
Regular shields don't need to be hidden at all.
More (contextually) valuable shields can be hidden in cheeky or hard to reach places.
Same goes for Invincibility or an Extra Life, except those should be hidden in slightly more hard to reach places than valuable shields.
Chaos Tokens should probably be hidden well, but not *too* well.
And finally, emblems sit at the top of the pyramid of secrecy; They should be hidden *very well*, with their hints well uh, hinting to their location without downright revealing it.
GIMMICKS:
Sometimes, making a good level just isn't enough. Sometimes, you need something to stand it out. That's where gimmicks come into play. Your typical Sonic game has loads of gimmicks, and nearly all of them change up the gameplay a bit to make them more interesting (for the most part). A good gimmick can elevate a level from good to great, as well as make it memorable to those who play.
As a rule of thumb, gimmicks should be simple and easy to understand. You should teach the gimmick in a safe environment first. The next few rooms should include that gimmick, but with a *low difficulty*, just to make sure the player can ease into the mechanic. Once the player is eased in, you gradually remove the safety net and find different ways to challenge them on it. At the end, make sure the player is tested on that gimmick and how it works, the difficulty should be *high* at this point. If you plan on doing something different with the gimmick, teach the player what is different and lower the difficulty curve so the player can get used to whats different before ramping things back up again.
SPEED
PLATFORMING
PACING/FLOW
EXPLORATION
GIMMICKS
SPEED:
This should be self-explanatory, as this is the defining characteristic of your typical Sonic game.
You go fest, and that's cool!
However, going fest in a straight line is kinda boring.
So, the games often spice things up by adding vertigo or spectacle to each speed section in a Sonic game.
This isn't so easy to achieve in SRB2. Slopes and ramps do often work well when it comes to fitting that role, hell, maybe it's all you need when it comes to satisfying a player's sense of vertigo. But, I'm sure we can do better, not to toot my horn too much in this post, but I *did* make a """""functioning""""" loop-de-loop in my map using zoom tubes and I'm sure some people here can come up with more creative solutions.
PLATFORMING:
Despite the defining characteristic of your average Sonic game, this is still a platformer, so, at some point, you should be jumping from platform to platform.
Sonic games tend to have varying approaches to incorporating platforming into the game. Some feature barely any platforming, while others tend to feature entirely *too much* of it.
Due to SRB2s' more precise controls, platforming is not only agiven, but expected in nearly every level of the game. When it comes to the individual platforms, you probably shouldn't make them too small as landing on tiny objects tends to be annoying. On top of that, while your platforming sections should have verticality, it shouldn't have *too much* verticality, due to either SRB2's default renderer distorting the view the further I look up/down or SRB2's camera keeping me *from* looking up or down. I should be able to see the next platform at default camera settings within my FOV.
PACING/FLOW:
I find this harder to pin down and explain. It's also something that not every Sonic game gets down pat. Think of it like driving a racecar. If you wanna slow down, you have to gradually put your foot on the brakes to slow yourself down, and if you wanna speed up, you have to do the same for the acceleration pedal. You don't wanna jerk the player to a sudden stop or start, you should gradually slow them down first. Ramps and springs, i find, do a decent job at this (ramps more than springs). After all, if you suddenly stop the player with a wall when you want them go fast, it'll feel like a metaphorical kick to the nuts for the player.
EXPLORATION:
This is a common theme across all of the Sonic games for the most part. There is some degree of exploration. The first thing that Sonic games do when it comes to exploration are multiple paths. Since this is a platformer, you're often going from A to B. However, some Sonic levels give you a million different ways to get to point B.
While having a branching path in terms of level design is uhhhhhh fine(?), replicating the high-low road dicthonomy of level design is better. What is the high-low road dicthonomy. Basically a level design theory that has a high road and a low road. The low road is easier to access, easier to get through, and provides more vertigo, but you don't get much out of it afterwards. Meanwhile, The high road is significantly more difficult to access, as well as get through, but the rewards are far more worth it. When making your level, you should probably find ways to replicate that dicthonomy.
On top of having branching paths, Sonic levels have secrets. Often as rewards to those who are curious enough to check something they haven't seen before, or notice something that's a little off. Your level can have this too! Breakable walls with cracks in them are one of the most common ways to hide secrets, but I'm sure you can do better. So long as it isn't bullshit, like a fake wall that looks like all the other walls, for example.
On top of that, I feel there are multiple levels of secrecy when it comes to items in SRB2.
Regular shields don't need to be hidden at all.
More (contextually) valuable shields can be hidden in cheeky or hard to reach places.
Same goes for Invincibility or an Extra Life, except those should be hidden in slightly more hard to reach places than valuable shields.
Chaos Tokens should probably be hidden well, but not *too* well.
And finally, emblems sit at the top of the pyramid of secrecy; They should be hidden *very well*, with their hints well uh, hinting to their location without downright revealing it.
GIMMICKS:
Sometimes, making a good level just isn't enough. Sometimes, you need something to stand it out. That's where gimmicks come into play. Your typical Sonic game has loads of gimmicks, and nearly all of them change up the gameplay a bit to make them more interesting (for the most part). A good gimmick can elevate a level from good to great, as well as make it memorable to those who play.
As a rule of thumb, gimmicks should be simple and easy to understand. You should teach the gimmick in a safe environment first. The next few rooms should include that gimmick, but with a *low difficulty*, just to make sure the player can ease into the mechanic. Once the player is eased in, you gradually remove the safety net and find different ways to challenge them on it. At the end, make sure the player is tested on that gimmick and how it works, the difficulty should be *high* at this point. If you plan on doing something different with the gimmick, teach the player what is different and lower the difficulty curve so the player can get used to whats different before ramping things back up again.
