Right now, as I have no one to test the maps with (ie can't play netgames, and no one over to play split screen with), I'm just going to pull an SSNTails and give comments but no rating.
Hidden Palace:
This was in fact made by me. As some of you know, I sent it in for Knuckles500's contest. I figured GHZ was over used, and the only other classic Sonic texture set was Hidden Palace Sonic 2. All I did was use the textures, didn't care if it was a conversion or no. When I made it, I didn't know any better way to get up onto something than a spring (Of course, now I just make a tunnel leading to a rising floor, but I didn't learn how to do that till later). I didn't think the walkways would be too narrow, considering that Sonic can just thok across half the level. Interesting that someone (forgot who) noted that it didn't favor Sonic. As I've mentioned, I'm an avid Tails fanatic, so I design with him, the overall weakest character, in mind. As for everything else, I like what you think of it. Considering it was my first complete match level, and second level ever (IRCers remember Grass Highway), I'm surprised it did this well.
Splash Fight:
Original idea, made me think of SSBM, but that's getting off track. The first thing I thought was "Hey, I'm underwater! Where's the colormap?" Then, I saw that I was not under water per se, but in the rather physically impossible state of being under underwater. Aside from that first thought, I thought the map was rather large, and although I shouldn't be talking about large levels, it didn't have anything to fill that largeness. Also, a look in Doom Builder says that the entire sector was made of one sided linedefs. One sided linedefs are bad. Sonic can thok through them, camera gets screwy in them, and so does Knuckles. Other than that, great idea, below average execution.
Tails Base:
From an aesthetic standpoint, this level is awesome. Foresty goodness, labratories, computer terminals, war rooms, rivers, excellent. However, from a design standpoint, it starts to dwindle. About seven silver rings in a three hundred unit area, a choice of four different shields, and I wonder which is going to be grabbed, and a low ceiling. It's called Tails Base for crying out loud! There's no place for Tails to fly (count on me to complain about this)! Additionally, theres not much incentive to run around over the level, except for a strafing run with 150+ rings.
House of Chaos:
First of all, it's a house. Houses at normal proportions are cramped. This is a house at subnormal proportions. I run around, and suddenly I find myself picking up a homing ring. Ick, those are usually bad news. Later, I find a bomb ring. Well, if someone is shooting me with one, I'm screwed even if it misses. Auto ring. Badbadbadbadbadbadbad. Auto+bomb=nono. I took that combo out of TTZ not because it's over powered, far from it, but because it lags like hell. Other than the ring fiasco, the actual house was small. Maybe making a yard of some sort?
Subterrainean Sickness:
Dark. Flashback to Triad Trials. Then back to the game. I run, fall in lava, die, respawn. Then, after that, I realize that it is a low ceiling. At first, bad, but then I see a lot of variable height blocks. Good. I saw a little light effect, but other than that, there wasn't anything visually stunning with the level. Not much else to say, but I like levels like this that allow Tails to kick butt.
Triad Trials:
Yeah. As expected, many people thought it was big. Meant it to be that way. As for the ice...I thought the platforms were wide enough to make it fun, despite being slippery as hell. Then again, my Tails favoritism comes into play what with his better traction and slower speed. Also, everything I put in was delibrate, including the surprise teleporters, and everything else (Anyone grab an Armegeddon Shield from a life or limb risk yet?). I'm glad to see that some liked the design and the effort-you have no idea the pain and suffering I went through with the rising floor in the ground section. Also, the darkness in the underground section-it's dark. Deal. It's meant to be. You aren't totally blind, otherwise I wouldn't have used it. It's seeable at the lowest brightness in software. The underground section is meant to be one where you can get hit and not know who did it if it weren't for the message at the top of the screen. Other than that, yeah it is too big for the average netgame, but this isn't your average map *decked*. Ouch..well, just remember it when you have a ten person LAN party or something. You'll be thanking me. Oh yeah, music. I hadn't realized a small MIDI would be so bad, but oh well. If I ever realese an updated version, I'll just use Spring Hill music.
