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

Hmm....maybe ill try out for this. No guarentees, however.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
"Do or do not. There is no try."
- some goblin
Reviewing of Sand Tombs by apa649

Surprisingly a good level (played version 2)
Really can't find much wrong with it, it is a lovely desert adventure level.

Good things:
-places to explore
-looks nice
-uses the "good kind" of traps
-good distribution of enemies
-not frustrating
-quicksand area was neat
-no lag! (some levels have so much stuff shoved into the background that it lags badly)
-lots of secrets and hidden goodies

Issues:
(severity 1 is minor minor, severity 10 is oh the horror):

SEVERITY 3 - Been mentioned already, but there are still too many question blocks that are too high, like the ones at the start and the ones after the checkpoint

SEVERITY 2 - Too many secrets! Not really THAT bad but when every screen has a ? block out of reach that they can't go back and get, its going to drive the OCD people crazy. This is a nitpick here but they are in too high a concentration and are very easy to screw up (meaning can't go back and get if you killed the wrong enemy or whatever). I'd maybe remove one or two of those high-up boxes...

I think you would make a good ghost house level.

SEVERITY 2 - Too many lame repeating-coin boxes! Adding one more powerup or replacing with regular single coin boxes should do the trick.

SEVERITY 3 - the music, I don't like that song (maybe others do)

I don't have a say in approving or denying but if I did I would say APPROVED.

Now I can go make amazing2.lvl
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
from AncientNoob
SEVERITY 3 - the music, I don't like that song (maybe others do)

Noooo don't change that tune! Fleet Glide forever!

Incidentally, I won't request anyone change their BGM unless it is unfitting for the level they've made.
Look who submitted a gimmick level!

Spinning Hazard
Spin jumps will work! It's somewhat hard in that sense that screwing up will usually cost you a life. I worked to mitigate it but at this point I'm not sure if it's a good difficult or muscle memory made it too easy. The overall level and course is done barring any suggestions. I might go back and try to pretty it up and add a box reminding the player they can spin jump because the player is fucked if they forgot. 1-Ups are generous due to aforementioned "you will probably die if you fuck up" part without just handing them over.

It does have a secret star!
Jump tracks to the other saw blade before the checkpoint. Follow that track for a few seconds and it'll appear and the track takes you back to the checkpoint. It does rely on SMBX not shitting itself and hoping it doesn't decide to not spawn NPCs (The Locker in Moon Base Mario had this issue and significant parts of the level got cut because of it) so it might be problematic. It never happened in my test runs so hopefully it won't do it.


*edit*
I promise the next level won't be a dumb gimmick level like this one.
So. Yeah I'm going to try you're level now that I'm at home.I'm going to leave my thoughts on it soon aswell.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
from GreatRedSpirit
I might go back and try to pretty it up and add a box reminding the player they can spin jump because the player is fucked if they forgot.

I explain the value of spin jumps in the tutorial, but a box or sign reminding them is probably a good idea. I'll leave my thoughts on it soon!
GreatRedSpirit's "Spinning Hazard" level.

Pros:
Great music
Challenging but rewarding
Lots of diffrent obstacles
1-ups come in handy after this level

Cons:
Escpecially after the checkpoint the level gets really difficult
The 2nd half of the level can be skipped with a leaf or a Tanooki suit
The short sections mess you up really easily.


My thoughts:
Spinning Hazard in it's self is a good level but a really difficult one, the level
would be lot more fun with a Tanooki Suit, but since it has a potential to
completely destroy the level its most likely impossible to implement.
The level has a decent variety of obstacles some moving, some bouncable
and some static. (I just happen to hate the most common one...) I think the hardest part after learning
the gimmick well enough was the part after the 2nd checkpoint on the 4th and 5th stretch of line the saw hits.
But once you get past that it's pretty much smooth sailing after that... (Keyword being PRETTY and well... MUCH)
Probably the only thing I hope gets fixed is the problem with the Tanooki suit or a leaf.

Some other noticable stuff:
I noticed that your checkpoint left the strip of the line that you cross in on the pole...
I have not ever played SMW myself but is it suppose to be left there or not?
Since if it is then I made a terribly pointless feature in my level...

I thought of leafs but decided to ignore them and build the level around normal physics. They do make the level easier as long as you can control when to slowly drop and when to fall. Being able to skip the second half of the level isn't that bad as players won't know they can as they wouldn't know where the exit pipe is (and they have to dodge the spinning orb too!). Plus I like the idea of being able to break the stage that way with a bit of lateral thinking and surviving the first bit without getting hit!

I'll sit and think on the difficulty. I did try to put the most difficult parts after the checkpoint so failure doesn't mean doing the slower paced and easier stuff again.

Thanks for the feedback! Also the bit of pole being left behind is part of vanilla SMW, don't worry about trying to replace it when the player gets the checkpoint.
author=apa649
I noticed that your checkpoint left the strip of the line that you cross in on the pole...
I have not ever played SMW myself but is it suppose to be left there or not?
Since if it is then I made a terribly pointless feature in my level...

It normally has that in SMBX, just like how the physics are quite off. I played SMBX before SMW, and I felt there were major differences.
So I think it doesn't matter.
I submitted my half done level because I'm not certain about it's formation and would like to hear some thoughts on it. It turned out to be a bit unbalanced and I'm wondering if that really matters.

You will have to play through it several times to see it all. In game you would only be required to run through it once, but to find the 2 additional "stars" you would have to explore each route. As it stands right now all paths eventually lead to the rocky mountain area with a checkpoint(the statue). You will know when you've reached the end of what is made and you can get a glimpse at the idea for the next room.

A few things I know about that I will fix are some graphics for dead monsters, a clear indication that the statue is the checkpoint, and oh crap I just remembered I left a door without a teleport. If you hit a dead end while underground just restart and don't go that way, it will end up leading to the room with the checkpoint but is essentially a wrong path.

*in case you didn't know, use the "reset game" option in the editor to start from the beginning instead of the checkpoint.
so...given the smaller turnout, did we want to explore the idea of making this a more focused game and run it more like a project than a community event? That is, brainstorm the game's design, map out levels, assign tasks etc...

Or do we want to continue with it being a community event as is, allowing us more freedom to create? Either way is fine with me...I was just going to throw that out there for food for thought.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
I'd like to continue as we are. I'm a bit surprised there's not more interest, but whatchagonnado? I dunno if it was just bad timing or what.
I tried to play the Zelda level and my old friend
Error 13 came back. And I even got my hopes up that maybe smbx would
decide not to bitch and moan about any of the levels in this event...
How foolish of me...
But anyway I'll try and decipher whats causin' all these errors...

EDIT:
Well that didn't take long but I found out what was the EXACT problem in this level...
NPC-38 had a speed of 0.5. NOOOOOO!!!!!
I can't understand why was that the problem?
I mean I tested it now and it works! How was that little speed modificator the problem.
All I have to change now is to add music since my computer makes a sudden pause when you jump if theres no bgm...
Link_2112's "Zelda" level

My thoughts:
"Zelda" is a very open level with lots of places to go around. You can decide to
take a plunge after a P-bag or decide to go onwards and leave that pesky 1-up alone.
It's clear that alot of effort was put making this level, everything looks nice and
takes advantage of what Link has to offer.
The level feels also alot like TLoZ with the forest and convoluted secrets.
Then again the level feels alot like TLoZ with the forest and convoluted secrets...
I can't decide if that's a good or a bad thing in a mario game.
Regardless the level has many paths with little to no effect... so far.
Atleast I think you should add a power-up for the castle-like area's end since that path seems
to take longer and feels harder than most other paths.
I also think that the forest area would be a great opportunity to tribute the original Zelda by following the same path...
(I believe it was north west south west?...)
The level is so far pretty epic and I hope that you will finish it soon.
But if you want you should probably wait for Halibabica's or someone else's
comment since I have no clear idea how to make it better...
Well... Except for finishing it.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
After thinking about it a while, I've decided to extend the end date of this event by two weeks. That will leave more time for others to join and make levels, but if we still don't have enough by March...maybe we can put out an APB or something. But that's just half of my reason.

The other half is that I'm more tied up in things than I thought I'd be, so the extra time will put my mind at ease. I'll still test levels and leave feedback, but my attention is currently divided.

Looking forward to some cool stuff! I'll probably have feedback for Spinning Hazard and Zelda tomorrow. I also have half the Tutorial stage done...
Should just leave it open until we have a sufficient amount of quality levels polished and ready to deploy.

author=apa649
Atleast I think you should add a power-up for the castle-like area's end since that path seems to take longer and feels harder than most other paths.

Do you mean the one with the bridge? There is a fairy before it but maybe I can add something else.

I also think that the forest area would be a great opportunity to tribute the original Zelda by following the same path...
(I believe it was north west south west?...)

Heh, interesting idea but I don't want to use up too many sections(I only have 6 left). I felt that 3 choices was the right amount of length for that part. I'm thinking of moving the key because that part is pretty easy for the reward it gives.

The level is so far pretty epic and I hope that you will finish it soon.

Thanks for the comments! It'll probably be finished by the end of the week. So many other distractions~

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I didn't add music yet and also it's kind of bare. I'll find ways to add stuff like visuals, rupees, and more enemies/npc's. And it's odd that an npc with 0.5 speed crashes it for you. It obviously doesn't crash it for me.

One of my biggest concerns was the room with the checkpoint. If you get there via the doors, do you find that the rupees do an adequate job of guiding you to the checkpoint? I could always make it so that you can't leave the room until you get the checkpoint(I have a graphic with the word checkpoint that will appear when you get it). That room is the thing I'm most unsure of.
I found the checkpoint rather easily, but then again other times I went to look for something like 1-ups
that were in the same room and forgot about the checkpoint.
So I quess you could make it so that you have to collect the checkpoint to proceed
or put the checkpoint in the area after it so that you would have no choice but to see it.
I don't know, which ever seems the best idea to you.
Escpecially considering the small amount of sections you have left
maybe the new room idea is not the most ideal solution...

BTW: thx halibabica for the time increase it helps me with my projects too, since I have
not had an idea after the Sand Tombs level...
Level: Supra Mairo Bors
Style: SMB1
Difficulty: 2/5, I'd say
Notes:
I had to make a surprisingly large number of custom tiles for this. I expected there to be more SMB1 resources (either in the engine or in the Graphics Pack). I had made it so that you can't backtrack (in the spirit of SMB1) but that can be turned off, if you guys want.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
Spinning Hazard by GreatRedSpirit

Deal Breakers

- good lord, this stage is hard. I love the concept, but spinning through the air with just one saw to rely on is remarkably tedious. I can really only think of one solution to this problem: add another saw so the player has room to move around. Place a second saw generator next to the first, and it’ll creat a wider ‘platform’ for the player to use. Vertical parts would still be tough, but that’s fine.

- The saws after the checkpoint spawn way too far away from the platform. Reaching them is a serious pain; save the challenge for the rest of the level! They also try to move up the line before moving down it. I dunno if that’s an SMBX bug or related to the direction the saw is ‘facing’. Remedy both of these if you can!

- It’s really easy to get poked on the spikes you have to leap over, even when it looks like you’re safe. That’s because the spikes’ graphics aren’t as wide as their hit box. An easy fix for this would be to use the spikes I re-sprited for World of Hurt in RMN Bros. 2. They fill their hit box more accurately.

- The spikes are REALLY HARD to jump over consistently. I’d recommend you move them down one square, and maybe leave just one or two at their current height later on. This puts the block they sit on too close to the track, but if you use the ghost house floor tile instead, the saw can still pass underneath.

If You Don’ts

I ain't touchin' this one! o_o

Nitpicks

- Leaves would be a small mercy here in place of mushrooms. They could potentially break the second half, but some well-placed walls could remedy that pretty easily.

- Players would probably have a hard time finding the secret star here, especially since there are other decoy saws along the way. I’d perhaps put some coins to guide them, or move the secret saw’s track much closer as a better hint.

This level is ruthlessly hard. :<

I'll get to the other levels later. I was going to try them along with this one, but I'm just a little dazed right now. Dazed and destroyed.