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

If it's not an April Fools joke, this is gonna be one absurdly large game. Given another month I could easily finish 10 more levels.
Halibabica, what have you done... now everyones going to be pointing shotguns at everybodies head by tommorrow...
I may make a final Autoscrolling level, in fact I will

EDIT: What could possibly be my final level, an autoscrolling level: Cold Clouds (Hmm... I wonder where that takes place)
If this is extended another 30 days, I will submit 30 new levels.
If I still have the time i currently have over 30 days, I could probably successfully submit 120 levels with enough time for my Mario's Void in there somewhere...
(If it is extended, I wouldn't add that many of course, Halibabica would probably blast me into oblivion)
Anyway, I've updated my Cold Clouds with new music (The first few beats of SMB3 Underground, sped up, but actually pretty good...)
Decky
I'm a dog pirate
19645
I will submit ZERO levels :P
author=kentona
If this is extended another 30 days, I will submit 30 new levels.

Where are you gonna get 30 ideas?
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16948
APRIL FOOLS!

The show's over, folks.
Here's what's gonna happen next...

1. Event End Checkup

All non-perfected levels will be reviewed and have feedback posted for them. I have downloaded every stage in the event list to ensure I have the most recent copies. Once the feedback is posted, the creators will have time to make changes and resubmit them. If you update your level, please make a post saying so! Otherwise, I won't know to check it over again.

2. Final Level Construction

Users will be able to update their levels for as long as this phase takes. I'm a pretty efficient worker, so it won't last more than a few days. When the final level is complete, no more updates will be accepted.

3. Hub Construction

Once the final roster of accepted levels is established, I will be sorting them into the worlds that will pace the game's difficulty. With so many levels involved, it's looking like there will be 9 worlds total. Final level beta testing will also take place at this time. Hopefully, this won't take more than a week. ._.

4. Release of Game!

The moment you've all been waiting for. The fully compiled game will be released after everything's been connected together and properly tested.

I'll wrap this up as quick as I can, guys. Work has been scheduling me overtime for reasons I don't fully understand. :<

ALSO HEY APA649! You can finish up and submit that one level you've been busting your rear on. I'm not that hard-fisted. You'll have to PM it to me, though!
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16948
IMPORTANT MESSAGE!

Since the event is over, you're no longer able to submit new entries to it (or updated ones, for that matter). However, you can still update your levels through the miracle of RMN's lockers.

To update your file, simply give it the exact same name and file type as its predecessor. Upload it to your locker, and the file will be updated with the changes. Remember to post and let me know if you update something!
Crap, I thought I still had three hours left. And my last, most perfect level is almost finished. Oh well.
Knew it, goddamit, I couldn't get my level done.
sort of a shame really I did that level for a while, but I Quess it won't matter.
I kinda was excpecting this due to halibabica's silence.
So, where do you live hali?
I will be heading there tomorrow with a rocket launcher.
Well, gonna read what's gonna happpen next now that my rage is over.

Oh, nevermind... I...I should start reading more before I go raging that much from my cellphone.
author=halibabica
ALSO HEY APA649! You can finish up and submit that one level you've been busting your rear on. I'm not that hard-fisted. You'll have to PM it to me, though!
May I do the same? I'd hate to think you'd all be deprived of the glory that is Mario in Heat. I just need to get the Heat Man sprites working correctly.

Edit: It's complete now.
Damn brother raided the computer!
Now he's playing runescape or something...
I'll attempt a raid of my own once he leaves.
Time to critique some levels!

Aerial Arsenal
- I hate that Mother Brain is even included in SMBX. But I could ignore that if this level was good. It's too short, too easy, and should be rejected.

Blasted Boos
- Not bad. Secret star was well hidden. Challenging level, but not extremely difficult. Has a lot of variety.

Block Sea
- Call me sick, but I actually like red coin hunts. I like the overall design of the level, except for a few nitpicks.
- Swimming on top of the waves looks funny. I'd lower the water box a bit.
- Zelda enemies look out of place here.
- A few more power ups would be nice, given the size of the level and how much backtracking is involved.
- I have to ask: Why 11 coins?
- There should be some kind of signal that you've collected the last coin.

Boss Blitz Bonanza
- It's not bad. It's also not very original. It's just "meh."

Cold Clouds
- Easy, but that's not necessarily bad.
- Boring, and that is bad.
- Change the music. It gets annoying very quickly.
Hmm... I couldn't do much to Aerial Arsenal really...
Boss Blitz Bonanza is 10 times better than the original you've gotta at least give it that
I like Cold Clouds the way it is...
Thanks for the feedback
More critiques:

Crimson Slipper
- Very challenging! Good, consistent level design. I died several times. I like it.
- I actually managed to get Peach at the start without dying. It's very tricky and doesn't help at all.

Epic Elites
- The level design is very flat and boring. I flew over most of it. Put some effort into it.

Fairy Boy
- Good level. Easier than it looks. Except for the first part where you have to get a running start and jump perfectly so you touch the leaf at the height of your jump arc.

Hotel Heights
- This hotel is irresponsibly designed. A lot of people could get hurt here.
- What's with all these levels that have only one kind of power up?
- Good level though.

Jackalotruns Castle
- Another very flat level. And why are there airships inside a castle? Also they're not so much airships as long flat pieces of wood with pipes on their undersides. Make them look interesting.
- You look very much like Birdo.

Lakitu Bros
- I didn't know this could be done. Excellent work. If you have time in the future, would you like to collaborate on a project?

Luigi's Mansion
- Challenging. The part with the invisible blocks is time consuming. The switch block puzzle was clever. I like it.

Mario vs the Tree Base
- Perfect.
LEECH
who am i and how did i get in here
2599
Coult you critique my levels while your here nin8?
Ass, solving this mess is harder than I thought, For some reason I think I have evrything in place, but it just doesn't do what I want it to do. Mainly create the goddamn switches that trigger events.
And more:

MotherBrain Mothership
- This is just Aerial Assault without the Koopa Clown Car.

Narbacular Drop
- Pretty much okay. Why steal the title from a completely unrelated game though?

Partners in Prime
- I have no idea what that ninji is talking about.
- I can't get this one to work right. That first platform starts rising, and the ninji gets stuck in an endless loop.
- It's an interesting idea, but it looks like it will get very frustrating.

Picky Picky
- Argh plants! The one thing I regret about Super Princess Dreamland was putting in all those plants. But this is only one level, so it's okay.
- The debugger says there are 4 stars in this level. I see only 2.
- Idunno if you knew this, but the "?" veggie will give you random veggies when you pick it, so you don't have to manually vary them. Just use the "?" veggie for all of them.

Skyward Sword
- Something about the placement of obstacles is very strange. I died several times in the first room, and I normally don't suck this bad with Link.
- Through the left door: the player should always be able to see the platforms he\she is supposed to drop down to. I died because I had to guess.
- Is something supposed to come out of that little pipe below Wart?
- I cheated to get past Wart. You can get stuck by falling off the side of the tower.

Speed Spurt
- It's an average level. But what's with the pipe and switch near the end? There's no way to get in there or anything.

Splinter Bay
- Player 2 starting position is off the ground.
- First block has a mushroom in it. Rules state that it should have something else.
- Water looks grainy. Whatever you're doing to make custom graphics isn't working.
- Hey, it's my custom fishbone thingy! Extra points for you.
- Ship parts aren't all the same color.
- Buzzsaws inside eggs?! Well it's not a problem, just bizarre.
- Slippery wooden platforms? Why?
- You realize the podobos are visible when they're at rest unless they're inside lava, right?
- Shallow pools of water with no water box.
- This could have been a good level if it weren't for all those problems.
author=ldida1
Coult you critique my levels while your here nin8?

Sure thing.

Awesome Hills
- The main problem is block placement. It's purely an aesthetic issue, but there are parts of the terrain that don't match up properly.
- The level plays well enough though.

The Cave
- Needs a better name.
- Player 1 starting point is at the end of the level.
- End of the level has a bunch of empty space on both sides.
- I can't reach the third red coin from the top without cheating.
- The door to the second section doesn't work.
- There is no exit from the second section.
- Did you test play this level?
LEECH
who am i and how did i get in here
2599
author=nin8halos
author=ldida1
Coult you critique my levels while your here nin8?
Sure thing.

Awesome Hills
- The main problem is block placement. It's purely an aesthetic issue, but there are parts of the terrain that don't match up properly.
- The level plays well enough though.

The Cave
- Needs a better name.
- Player 1 starting point is at the end of the level.
- End of the level has a bunch of empty space on both sides.
- I can't reach the third red coin from the top without cheating.
- The door to the second section doesn't work.
- There is no exit from the second section.
- Did you test play this level?

I totally fixed all that stuff... When did you download?