Description

Hey, Pisanos! In honor of RMN’s official Mario Month, We're bringing back the Mario-making spirit in the form of a level-design contest in the Super Mario Bros. X engine!

… Come again? You heard me right! We’re not really making a collaborative game this time around. This is a CONTEST to see who can make the best level in SMBX! The winner will receive lucrative prize of ANY GAME OF YOUR CHOICE ON STEAM UNDER $20.00, in addition to a nice achievement and makerscore!

Regardless of placement, each level submitted will be compiled into a custom-made SMBX game where everyone will be able to play and view feedback from our four judges: Isrieri, Deckiller, Halibabica, and your host, Ratty 524!

OKIE-DOKIE! WHAT ARE THE DETAILS?
As mentioned before, this is a CONTEST to see who can create the best mario-focused level, using any style of your choice. In light of this, we do have a few ground rules:

  • Hopefully this is a given for most of you, but the level you submit must be made in Super Mario Bros. X, either version 1.3 or 1.3.0.1 (The only differences are in some graphic edits and sound). You can download the latest version of the engine HERE.



  • Each participant is allowed to submit ONE level for the contest. No more, no less. You CAN submit a replacement to your submission, however, but you must indicate which level is the one to be judged somehow.



  • Your level should be built around the vanilla version of SMBX. This means NO HACKS/LUA CODE to modify your level beyond what the engine is already capable of. We want to keep this a fair competition, after all, and trust me, we'll know a hacked level when we see it.



  • Your levels must be built around Mario and Luigi ONLY. Yes, we’re aware that Peach, Toad, and even Link are playable characters in the engine, but it makes the judge’s job easier to compare levels that are built around characters with similar mechanics, so there we go! This also means that the character blocks (the ones that allow you to switch between characters in a single level) are banned.



  • With that said, all the other NPCs, exits, tiles and whatnot are NOT BANNED! Go ham! Keep in mind, however, that your use of these elements will be judged, and that some NPCs are known to be buggy (such as the SMW Bowser Statue) or bring unwelcome challenges to them (SMW Dry Bones for its hitbox, and SMB3 Lakitu for its spamming of homing spikeballs). Depending on how severe their impact is, your level CAN be docked points for its abuse of poorly-functioning NPCs. You've been warned.



  • Please make sure that all the files needed to make your level function are included with your submission, if applicable, before the deadline. If you plan on using custom graphics or audio, for instance, include that in your submission. In addition, we expect that all your sound/graphic paths to be correct. Getting a level that doesn’t play its music right won’t get you disqualified, but it may cost you a chance at winning.



  • Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in your level being disqualified or docked in points.



POINTS, EH!? WHAT-A-POINTS?
Glad you asked! We judges will use a 1-10 rating system for judging each level in this contest; a score of "1" in any category will be the lowest, representing an area your level functions poorly in, and "10" is the highest, showing an area the level does well in. Here is the criteria you should be considering for your submission, It’ll also be the criteria we judges will use to rate your levels:

  • DESIGN:
    - How deliberate does the level feel with its choices, such as platform or pipe placements?
    - What is the theme or overall concept of this level, and do the level’s elements work well with it?
  • AESTHETICS:
    - How cohesive/nice are the graphics used in the level? What visual themes contribute to creating a distinctive atmosphere in the level, and do they work well?
    - Is the audio used in the level appropriate, and how well does that contribute to creating an atmosphere/emotion in the level?
  • PLAYABILITY:
    - Does the level contain bugs or poor design decisions that hinder the way a player can play the level?
    - Is the level’s difficulty challenging in a way that is fair and not obtuse. Could the level, hypothetically, be beatable on the player’s first try, without the reliance on trial-and-error?


The final score of a level will be averaged between judges, with your final score being a total of the ratings in each category. The level with the highest total, obviously, will win. Aim for 10/10 levels in all categories, folks!

PASTA PRIZES
1st Place Golden Mario Achievement; 75 MS + 1 Steam game under $20 of your choice
2nd Place Silver Luigi Achievement; 60 MS
3rd Place Bronze Peach Achievement; 55 MS
Participated – Toad Achievement; 15 MS

HELPFUL LINKS
Not sure how to use SMBX or need help in making a quality level? Check out some of these plumber-approved tutorials and design articles to help you out!

RMN's Super Mario Bros. X Tutorial Portal - Contains many helpful articles that cover both working with the engine itself and performing some nifty tricks like making the Ball n' Chain obstacle from Super Mario World.

Anatomy of Super Mario Bros part 10, part 11, part 12, so on..., and so forth... - This is an comprehensive series of articles that dissects every level from Super Mario Bros, revealing a lot of deliberate and thoughtful design choices the game designers made at the time. I highly recommend you check these out if you want to create some really well-designed levels.

SMBX Graphics Portal - Check out these featured graphic packs on the SMBX forums for your custom asset needs!

All set? Then LET'S-A-GO!

Details

Achievements

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Posts

Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
Added the updated version of Ebonflow.
NeverSilent
Got any Dexreth amulets?
6280
Thanks, Ratty, but I don't really want to mess with importing graphics at this stage of development any more. I'm a little too afraid I might break something. Still, a good idea should I decide to make any more levels in the future, now that I'm a little more confident in my skills.

Either way, after some more testing I upgraded my submission one more time. Hopefully, now there will be no more random deaths because of bad block placement.
Mirak
Stand back. Artist at work. I paint with enthusiasm if not with talent.
9300
I have never touched this program before, but i don't seem to be running into much trouble. Using layers and events is fun and understandable if you can tolerate some awful limitations and nitpicks of the engine.

The problem with some of the levels i've played that you guys have submitted is that i'm an idiot at mario bros and haven't been able to clear any of them.

The problem with my level is that it's not challenging or entertaining at all. I'm also having the problem i had when i started using rpg maker in that i'm probably using some tiles and blocks incorrectly.

At least it looks nice if you squint and/or are intoxicated.

Also my night forest background gets lost behind some stuff.
And making a rain effect? Difficult. I managed to do it, but it doesn't look very real. It also lagged on my windows 98 laptop. It is a sacrifice i'm willing to make. I worked hard on that damn rain thing fuck.

I wish i could see what objects are in what layer without having to pick up every single one.

The editor's priority layering when erasing assets is FUCKED. FUCKED. Wassup wit dat shit.
author=Mirak
Also my night forest background gets lost behind some stuff.
And making a rain effect? Difficult. I managed to do it, but it doesn't look very real. It also lagged on my windows 98 laptop. It is a sacrifice i'm willing to make. I worked hard on that damn rain thing fuck.

I wish i could see what objects are in what layer without having to pick up every single one.

The editor's priority layering when erasing assets is FUCKED. FUCKED. Wassup wit dat shit.

What you could do is put the rain on it's own layer and tie it to a switch. If someone is lagging they can hit the switch to turn it off. It's not good if someone can't play your level.

Also, if you uncheck all the layers and turn them on one at a time you can see what layer something is on.. most of the time. If you click something to see what layer it is you could end up breaking an event, so you'll want to avoid doing that. Like if you pick up a tele event, you will have to redo the whole thing.
Punkitt
notorious rpgmaker 2k3 shill
3341
author=NeverSilent
Thanks, Ratty, but I don't really want to mess with importing graphics at this stage of development any more. I'm a little too afraid I might break something. Still, a good idea should I decide to make any more levels in the future, now that I'm a little more confident in my skills.

Either way, after some more testing I upgraded my submission one more time. Hopefully, now there will be no more random deaths because of bad block placement.


Yo, Never! Importing graphics is super easy and shouldn't affect or break anything at all. Just plug the graphics you want into the level folder and you'll be covered! The only thing I'd look out for is if the graphics change the hitbox size for an NPC, but that can easily be fixed by making a backup level copy before importing graphics.
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
Yeah, importing graphics is just a matter of simple renaming of existing NPCs and blocks. They only contribute to a tiiiiny portion of your level's filesize, anyway.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
Unless you go completely ape-shit with them. Otherwise, they're usually a nice touch.
TehGuy
Resident Nonexistence
1827
I finally did something for a contest... I feel so accomplished.
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
author=TehGuy
I finally did something for a contest... I feel so accomplished.

I like the name. xD
Mirak
Stand back. Artist at work. I paint with enthusiasm if not with talent.
9300
author=Link_2112
What you could do is put the rain on it's own layer and tie it to a switch. If someone is lagging they can hit the switch to turn it off. It's not good if someone can't play your level.
The thing is that i started the level editor today and it didn't lag at all. I don't know then. I also think it's too late to make a switch since the way the editor prioritizes erasable blocks would mean i'd destroy the entire section trying to remove the rain, despite it being on the foreground.

Worry not though! I shortened it a lot and now it's like two screens long. It's only the starting portion before you enter the actual level anyway, which has no rain in it.
author=Link_2112
Like if you pick up a tele event, you will have to redo the whole thing.
I think it would be better to leave the warps to the end no?
There I got my game "1 level contest" level fixed.
I didn't realize that you have to have it as a .zip file for others to download it.
You should check it out.
pianotm
The TM is for Totally Magical.
32347
Okay! I've updated my level. It should be a little better. I didn't get rid of the boss.
TehGuy
Resident Nonexistence
1827
author=insaneraving
There I got my game "1 level contest" level fixed.
I didn't realize that you have to have it as a .zip file for others to download it.
You should check it out.


Right Click -> Save Link As

though, yeah, it makes it simpler..
Haven't used SMBX in quite some time, but here goes. I guess I'll submit something colorful...
Solitayre
Circumstance penalty for being the bard.
18257
Man, this took me a while. Submitted my level, The Lost City.

It's sort of a slow-paced exploration level with lots of secrets and set pieces. I hope you all enjoy it. Feedback/comments welcome.
Solitayre
Circumstance penalty for being the bard.
18257
So far Otabo's level is my pick for winner.
The pyramid coming out of the sand along with the entrance
is a really nice concept for a desert level.
The choice of music "Visions" is also great.
Welldone!
Mirak
Stand back. Artist at work. I paint with enthusiasm if not with talent.
9300
Otabo's level is so god darn pretty jesus christ.

How do i build a moving platform? Like the ones that have a string that they follow?
The tiles for the strings seem to be transparent because nothing appears when i place them on screen.

And how do i make the platform follow the path? Do i just place a platform on top and it'll work?
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
author=Mirak
Otabo's level is so god darn pretty jesus christ.

How do i build a moving platform? Like the ones that have a string that they follow?
The tiles for the strings seem to be transparent because nothing appears when i place them on screen.

And how do i make the platform follow the path? Do i just place a platform on top and it'll work?

Because they're colored black by default, the string tiles for platforms are hard to notice unless you are using a bright background. Also yes, you can simply place the platform on the path to make it move, but make sure the platform NPC is set to "ON" (it replaces the right/left direction categories with other npcs).

Also, making the path by itself will cause the platform to fall off once it reaches the end, you can stop this and reverse the direction by using the rotating background tiles found in either the SMW or SMB3 tab.
Mirak
Stand back. Artist at work. I paint with enthusiasm if not with talent.
9300
Wow this is going to be difficult then since i'm making a haunted house level and it's very dark. I guess i could try changing the background to something bright while i work on the platforms. Thanks!