Ends 04/01/2012 12:00 AM

Judges
halibabica

It's finally here! The much-anticipated third installment of the RMN community series! And this time, halibabica's in charge!

WHAT IS THIS

Super RMN Bros. is a community collaborative game where everyone uses the Super Mario Bros. X engine to create Mario levels! The stages are made and submitted by members of RMN, then compiled into one big game at the end of the event. Huzzah!

WHAT YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE

Super Mario Bros. X v1.3, available at the Download link. This is the latest version of SMBX. It has everything you need to get started from the player, the editor, and a sample world.

You can also download the SMBX Graphics Pack by Red Yoshi here. It has a ton of Mario Brothers graphics that you can use in your level with a simple copy+paste!

JUST WHAT IS SUPER MARIO BROTHERS X?

Super Mario Bros X is a freeware game engine by Redigit geared towards having the gameplay features and physics of Mario 3 and Super Mario World while adding a ton of cool features and not having to deal with the restrictions of the old (S)NES hardware. If you want to see what SMBX can do, check out the games here on RMN or watch these videos showcasing SMBX's capabilities!

Games are distributed as a world with levels package they can add to Super Mario Bros X and play from the main game. There is no way to make a self contained game so all players will need to download SMBX in order to even play the game. The game does come with a large set of graphics and sounds like the RPG Maker RTPs so everybody at least has a large number of platformer resources to work with (and it'll keep the download of the actual game itself small).

You can view the RMN engine page for SMBX here.

HELP!

The editor can be tricky to use, especially for beginners. You can ask questions on our SMBX Help thread on our forums! If you have any questions go there for some tips or helpful links.

We also have a tutorials section on RMN for SMBX.

SUBMISSION RULES

  • Levels must be made in SMBX v1.3 .
  • I don't know if you've ever made Mario levels before. There are dozens of hacks and roms out there, so it's possible you've played custom levels or created your own. However, this project is being made specifically in the SMBX engine, so if you want to contribute, you have to use that. You can download it here.

  • Levels must be made FOR THIS PROJECT
  • So, you've used SMBX before, huh? Hey, you can just submit levels you already made! Right? WRONG. If you didn't make the level specifically for RMN Bros. 3, you're not allowed to submit it. Do not just zip up the levels of your personal project and dump them in here (Davenport, I'm looking at you). Everyone has to start from scratch. And if I catch you trying to submit a pre-made level, ooh, I'll, I'LL- ...deny it. Simple as that, really.

  • Levels must end in ONE SMB3 STAR
  • Starman doesn't work in SMBX like it does in the Mario games of yore. Each one you collect instead adds to your star count. There are two kinds of stars in the engine: SMB3 stars and SMW stars. The latter adds to your star count, but doesn't end the level. The former concludes the stage when collected. Each level must have ONE and ONLY ONE level-ending star. However, you can have any number of SMW stars (covered later).

  • There is no limit to the number of levels you can submit.
  • Beyond these four rules, the sky's just about the limit. There are a few other criteria your levels must meet for them to be accepted, but they're nothing huge, and are as follows.

LEVEL CRITERIA

  1. Checkpoints
  2. Theoretically, every level should have one of these. It's the SMW checkpoint object that lets you continue from partway through the level. Unless your level is extremely short, it should have one. If it can't have one for specific reasons (auto-scrolling, switch block/character shenanigans, etc.), it's recommended you not make the stage too long. Also, SMBX can only support one checkpoint per level, so placing multiples doesn't work.

  3. Power-Ups
  4. Your stage should have a good balance of items that are helpful to the player. ? Blocks should never contain lone Mushrooms; don't be afraid to give the player a Fire Flower or Leaf. On the other hand, exceptional items like the Tanooki and Hammer Suits should not be easily obtained. Use discretion with where you place items. One at the start and one after the checkpoint would be the least you could do. Also, pick items that the player can put to good use. A Fire Flower in an area with monsters immune to fire does the player no good; maybe an Ice Flower or Yoshi might be better instead. On the subject of Yoshi, he's a power-up like any other, and no restrictions are being placed on his use. Similarly, all styles of Kuribo's Shoe are allowed. Just remember, these things are very helpful, so choose carefully where you make them available.

  5. Banned Objects
  6. Your level must not contain any of the following items. If it does, you will be required to remove them.

    • SMB2 Crystal Ball, SMB3 Roulette, SMB3 ? Ball, SMW Keyhole, SMW Exit Gate
    • All banned for the same reason; they end the level. All levels must end with an SMB3 Star. No other exit type is allowed.

    • SMW Bowser Statue
    • Banned due to its glitchy hit box. You can still be hit by its fireballs while standing on top of it. Use the SMB3 Bowser Statue instead!

    • SMW Dry Bones
    • Banned for its stupid hit box. You may place Dry Bones in your level, but all Dry Bones in the project will use the SMB3 sprites instead.

  7. Unbanned Objects
  8. These are objects that were disallowed in the past. I'm permitting them for the reasons stated.

    • SMB3 Lakitu
    • This was banned in RMN Bros. 2 because it behaves erratically. You may use them in your levels, but be very careful when you do. They aren't impossible to deal with, but they can make situations extremely difficult. You'll definitely hear from me if it's a problem.

    • SMW Star
    • These were formerly banned because they didn't end the level. You may now use them as bonus secret stars in your stages. The player can collect them on alternate paths, but must be able to return to the rest of the level after grabbing them. More on these later.

  9. Different Characters
  10. This is, first and foremost, a Mario game. Mario will be the only character available to play as, but that doesn't mean you can't use the other characters. If you want to make a stage involving Luigi, Toad, Peach, and/or Link, you must specify so. Include the appropriate character block at the start. If you don't, I'll assume the stage was meant to be played as Mario. You don't have to switch back to Mario at the end of the stage, though. I will manage character swapping in the hub area.

  11. Player 2 Start
  12. SMBX has the option to play with a friend by sharing a keyboard and crowding around a monitor. There is no way to disallow a multiplayer game, so be sure to include both P1 and P2's start positions in your levels. HOWEVER, this is all you need to do to accommodate the second player. Making a balanced one-player game is difficult enough, so don't sweat it if something doesn't quite work for multi-mode. I'm not checking two player compatibility; you don't have to either.

  13. Secret Stars
  14. Each stage must have only one SMB3 level-ending star, but you can have (almost) as many SMW stars you want. Before you go throwing secret stars everywhere, though, you should understand how they work. The most important thing to know is that you can only have one star per section of a level. That's not my rule; that's a quirk of SMBX. It can only register one star per stage section, as it flags all stars in that section as 'collected' if one of them is found. Because this is the case, any secret stars you place must be in different sections than the star that ends the level. Incidentally, this also means the most stars any level can have is 21. Don't worry; if you mess it up, I'll tell you about it!

  15. Water Must be SWIMMABLE

    You can set waterfalls to either be swimmable or not, but ordinary water must always be. Don't fill your pits with water if they're supposed to be bottomless.

  16. Misc. Stuff
    • Pipes, Doors, and Carry Items
    • By default, all entrances in SMBX are set to disallow the player from carrying an item with them through the portal. If your level has objects the player may want to bring with them, be sure to set your entrances properly.

    • One-Tile Passages
    • Avoid making paths that are only one tile high. If Mario stands up in one, he zips through the wall in the opposite direction he's facing. In some places, this isn't a problem, but in others it can break the game. Spare my telling you to fix it and avoid creating such circumstances.

    • Ceilings
    • If you're making a water level or Mario is able to fly, you may want to block the area off the top of the screen so the player can't soar over everything. In aquatic stages, one could swim past everything from up there, so it's extremely important to include (same goes for underwater pits, actually). Of helpful note: one block placed above or below a level's boundary will create an impassable wall.

STORY AND TUTORIALS

Nothing too complicated here. Mario, Luigi, Toad, Peach, and Link have fallen into RMN's Pit of Challenges, where they must collect the stars from our levels if they ever hope to escape. The main villain is not Bowser, Wart, Kamek, Aristocrab, or anyone seen yet in the world of Mario. I will be making the final level myself, and the final boss is...me! Because by the time this is over, you will all want to kill me.

I will also be making a tutorial level that explains the mechanics of SMBX, covering both the basics and the advanced stuff. So don't bother explaining to the player how to break blocks with their tail or spin jump on Thwomps. I've got it covered!

TESTING AND FEEDBACK

This iteration of RMN Bros. is going to put greater emphasis on play testing and providing feedback for levels. I will be playing each level personally and leaving feedback the developers can use to improve their stages. My feedback will be divided into three categories:

  • Deal Breakers
  • These are things you MUST CHANGE or your level WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. These include all variety of game breaking errors and poor balance/design. I will provide thoughts and ideas on how to fix these, depending on the complexity of the problem.

  • If-You-Don'ts
  • These are things that, if you don't change them, I will. These include things like levels without checkpoints, blocks containing only mushrooms, or levels with unfitting power-ups. If you don't make these corrections, I'll see to them in the end.

  • Nitpicks
  • These are small complaints of low importance. Things that would make the level look or feel nicer, but aren't really a problem on their own. These will most likely be aesthetic in nature, and they don't have to be changed for the level to be accepted.

    Although I will be testing each level thoroughly myself, I strongly encourage others to do the same. You don't have to follow the same methods of providing feedback I am (in fact, you don't really have the authority to!), but every bit of criticism helps.

ADDITIONAL STAFFERS

This is a big project, and it's very bold of me to be managing it alone. That's why I'm leaving open two spots for other users to join me in running the show. But you can't just sign up and say "Hey hali I'll be your game management bro." You have to PROVE YOUR WORTH. How, you might ask? By playing levels and leaving feedback! The more in-depth, the better. Show me you have what it takes to contribute to this project, and I'll let you in. If you can't handle the work, I have no reason to hire you.

Duties of these staffers would include testing others levels and leaving feedback, as well as helping refine my own stages, tutorial, hubs, and so forth. I'm a tough critic, but even I can't face my own work alone!

PROJECT TIMELINE

Signups begin NOW, and EVERYONE is free to join! The project will run for one month (thirty days), and levels may be submitted for testing during this time. When the month is up, no more levels will be accepted. Existing levels may still be updated based on feedback. I will do my best to have the whole thing compiled just one week after the event ends. Then we can download and enjoy!

Registration

You must be logged in to sign up for Super RMN Bros. 3.

Posts

halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16858
from kentona
"SRB3 is being delayed for the FINAL time to May 31st"

That's a funny way to spell 'March', kentona.
Ok, I'm glad I've only got a few problems left. Hmmmm, the boom-boom part was weird. The first time I tested it nothing happened after I beat them. Then, I fixed eventing and it worked then. Why is it not working now? I'll look into it.
(After I looked at it) Ok, when I played through it... it worked.... Maybe in the confusion of all the re-uploading(confusion for me) I didn't realize my latest fix on the boss fixed that problem and I didn't re-upload that. Hmm...

And the coins in the shaft. I kinda... did place them according to how mario jumps. I tested them myself and could grab every one. But the coins do sort of connect with other coins in different jumps. It's probably unclear which coins go in which jump. I'll look into it.
Ends 04/01/2012 08:00 PM


Hmmm.... I see you've moved another day. How dare you.(Just kidding, I'm not impatient to see this game like some people) And I wonder why you moved it to April 1st :D
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16858
I think my addled brain forgot to remove that bit of feedback from my text file on your level, outcry. I saw that you fixed up the coins, and they were better for the most part.

Supra Mairo Bors 3: Agnry Sun by kentona

Nitpicks

- I like the way you handled the angry sun and its ability to “return” from the dead. There are only two things I really noticed being wrong with it. One is that, if you get far enough ahead of it, it stops chasing you and its counterparts don’t replace it. Two, if it drifts off the bottom of the screen, it counts itself as killed. I think you can fix the latter of those problems by lowering the stage limit, but the former is probably incurable.

AND HERE'S THE LEVEL LIST!

Perfected

apa649’s Goomba Caves and Sand Tombs
DarklordKeinor’s Mushroom Valley
Davenport’s Gloom Catacombs
Desmo360’s Ghosthouse Blues
kentona’s Ghostwall, Supra Mairo Bors, SMB3: Pippes, and SMB: Boswer’s Castl
seiromem’s Airship G, Magma Caverns, and Pipeworks

TOTAL: 12

Approved
apa649’s Poison Valley and Sky Rush
Deckiller’s Oasis Ruins and Triad Airship
GreatRedSpirit’s Spinning Hazard
halibabica’s Tutorial
jackalotrun’s Boss Blitz, Crystal Cave, Hilly Hyrule, Mad Metroid, Rockin Retro, and Vivid Void
kentona’s SMB2: Dessert, SMB3: Agnry Sun, SMB3: Clowds, and SMB: Lost Leevls
Link_2112’s Smash, Bro
outcry312’s Forest Castle
seiromem’s Funklen Forest
Tomstar’s Brilliant Battle, Cold Clouds, and Great Grasslands

TOTAL: 22

Denied

AncientNoob’s Amazing
DarklordKeinor’s Bobomb Cave
Davenport’s Booster’s Canyon
jackalotrun’s Blazing Brittalion, Desert Dunes, and Wooden World
Link_2112’s Major Linkage and Vanilla Lake
outcry312’s Snow Mountain Castle
seiromem’s Shrooms in the Night Sky, SMB2, and The Factory

TOTAL: 12

If your level is on the denied list, then you still have some Deal Breakers to fix. You’ll find my advice somewhere in the event comments, but you can ask again specifically too.

Perfected levels are those for which I have no Nitpicks or If You Don’ts. If you want your level on that list, you’ll have to fix everything I brought up about it.

from outcry312
I wonder why you moved it to April 1st :D
Where I live, it ends on March 31st at 7 PM. Hooray for time zones!
- I was hoping to find a leaf or 1-up in the block pile after pressing the P-switch, but that's barely worth a mention.

This was fantastic.
how is this a nitpick?

And lowering the stage didn't fix the suns killing themselves. I tried that.

EDIT:
And if you lower it too much, the perspective of the level is thrown off (that is, it centers mario in the middle of the screen, meaning that the top part of the relevant part of the level is not visible, which is bad since there are suns chasing you from up there!)
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
Well, I've fixxed the odd trees in Funklen Forst, Lowered the end wall In shrooms in the night sky along with lowering the enemy count. I didn't get rid of much because I feel the amount isnt too overwhelming IF you take your time and not run in like you just got an invincible star. And The Factory. My Completely horrible power-up after the checkpoint I fixxed. The banzai bill generator has been moved completely below the platform, and that one pipe at the start now looks like you cant enter it!
Also ,SMB2, I made one muhsroom block regenerate. And all fire flowers have been replaced with Ice flowers!

Welp, I think that covers it all. anything else you want edited please, Hesitate to ask.
- I still think the water part is too short, but the stage is fine otherwise! Good solution to the springboard problem.
I disagree.

- I was a bit disappointed you couldn’t reselect your character after the checkpoint. Maybe make a copy of the first room and link it through the pyramid door or something?

- I'm not sure it can happen or not, but if Birdo wanders off the cliff, the level may become unbeatable. I'd put lava down there (off-screen) just to be safe.
It can't happen.

And in SMB2 you can't choose a new character after you die, iirc.
Just letting you know, my levels have been edited once again.
Bobomb cave re-uploaded. All the complaints have been fixed accept for the 1 nitpick involving the secret exit pipe. I also went back and gave the player more jumping mobility should they fancy themselves a hammer bro suit.
I've totally avoided playing anybody else's levels so the full game is a complete surprise for me but I am curious: How often do stages have >1 stars? I've been slipping a second one into all of my half finished monstrosities (mostly as a kinda out of the way extra challenge on a forced section of the level) and I wonder how many others are doing the same/similar thing.
Lots of stuff I missed watching scream 3 on the vision box.
I'm going to address the problems on poison valley soon enough.
Also, yay 2 perfected levels. Thats better than what I expected and way better than my brother expected.
I'm always okay with more time, Now I can do levels and waste my time outside! No longer I have to choose between the two!
EDIT @ greatredspirit. I have 2 bonus stars in all my levels combined.
Also I like to try diffrent things with my secret stars. Like some are hidden some mini game prizes etc.
Its boring if ALL secret stars are in 2nd paths or all are hidden.
I actually changed it but I have two mega packs up there... I shall delete both and reinstall the new version, I had improved Wooden World & Desert Dunes... I have looked at most Nitpicks, I have just not the sort of idea about Zelda games so I shall leave Zelda game making to others...

The actual updates are on the new one...
I left Vivid Void and Rockin Retro, I'm itching to get at these but I'm out of ideas for these levels...
I am going to leave Hilly Hyrule out of this... (It was a bit of a quick fix and I just wanted to know what you thought)
Good riddance of Blazin Brittallion...

halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16858
from kentona
from me
- I was hoping to find a leaf or 1-up in the block pile after pressing the P-switch, but that's barely worth a mention.
how is this a nitpick?

When I come across something that I thought would be, but wasn't, I usually mention it. They don't fit under anything but Nitpicks, though, and they're typically forgivable too. I'm willing to let this one go, especially since I wrote that before I had to find the secret exit door when I played the stage. Knowing now that the P-Switch is mandatory for completing the stage, such an expectation makes no sense.

See, I'm not infallible! :P

Also, sounds like there's naught to be done about the agnry suns. I'll let that go, too. And the Birdo thing. But not the water part thing!

from GreatRedSpirit
how many secret stars


So far, there are 13 secret stars in the game, including the one in the tutorial and the extra one in Major Linkage. I'm kinda glad they're not cropping up absolutely everywhere, especially since I need to edit in events to spawn 3-up Moons on their deaths.

Link, is your level going to blow up if I try to do that?
author=GreatRedSpirit
I've totally avoided playing anybody else's levels so the full game is a complete surprise for me

Same
It's always interesting
And how about that chain level idea, I'm two thumbs up for that...
Out of the two levels I have, one of them has a bonus star. I only add one if I really need one. I suck at hiding secrets like bonus stars heh.

And I like the chain level idea too.Maybe after the deadline, everyone can participate in a chain level while we wait for Halibabica to set it up, as one final level.
I like the idea
Anyway i'm off for the rest of the night
cya
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16858
I'd rather keep it before the deadline, if at all possible. Once it passes, I'm not accepting anything but updates.
author=GreatRedSpirit
I wonder how many others are doing the same/similar thing.


I always put an extra star. One of my levels has 2 extra stars. My levels tend to be wide open so there is lots of places to hide a star. I seem to be incapable of making a stage be a straight line from point A to B.

I forgot to mention how many extra stars my levels have as I post them. I'll be sure to note that in the future.

author=halibabica
Link, is your level going to blow up if I try to do that?


If you do what, exactly? Put 3-ups? Why do that?

My stage will break down if you remove any event NPC, which is almost all of them, and considering how jam packed the level is already it wouldn't be a good idea to add anything. I could be at the limit for events and adding more could tip the scale. *side rant* I'd actually prefer that you didn't do anything to my levels. I'll listen to your feedback but being "in charge" of this event doesn't exactly give you free reign to do whatever you want with the levels(big brother has no place in my Mario game). I'm not suggesting that you're acting like that hah but hopefully it doesn't become an issue. Your feedback seems to be fair so far but I hope you don't forget the goal of this event.

So in summation; don't touch my shit, thanks :)

I'll fix that Ludwig issue.
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
And yet again, I have submitted a new level! I seriously have too much time on my hands -.-

Anywho, it's called Spike Palace! Guess what the gimic is!

I bet I could submit a new level every few hours or so, provided I have inspiration. But i'll Attempt
to restrain myself from doing so.
Cool, thanks guys.