Ends 04/01/2013 03:59 AM

Judges
halibabica
Deckiller
nin8halos
DarklordKeinor
Isrieri

RMN's Mario series takes its next big step!

WHAT IS THIS?

Super RMN World is a community collaborative game where everyone uses the Super Mario Bros. X engine to create Mario levels! The stages are submitted by members of RMN and compiled at the end of the event. This is the 4th installment of the series and hopes to be the most solid and enjoyable one yet.

Everyone is free to join whether you've used SMBX before or not. You need SMBX to participate. If you don't have it, you'll need to download it.

You may also want to pick up the graphics pack by Red Yoshi and supermarioman. It has many nice resprites for your stages.

STORY

As a peace offering for his past misdoings, Eli has constructed an art gallery and presented it to Mario and his friends. The paintings inside shimmer mysteriously; they're almost too real! Eli's waiting at the end to hear what his guests have to say, but can he really be trusted?

SUBMISSION RULES

  • Levels must be made in SMBX v1.3
  • Levels must be made FOR THIS PROJECT! No pre-made levels will be accepted!
  • Levels must end in ONE SMB3 STAR. Furthermore, this star must be placed in the square frame with the black jagged backdrop like in SMB3. The only exceptions to this rule are mini-boss stages, where the star may appear in the room after the fight.
  • Levels must contain FIVE DRAGON COINS. These are the SMW coins with the Yoshi emblem. These will be resprited into RMN Coins in the full game. Thematic resprites are allowed so long as they remain recognizable.
  • Levels must have a DIFFICULTY RATING from 1-8. This determines what world it will go too. It may be adjusted depending on many factors.
  • Levels must be submitted with the format "YourUserName_DifficultyRating_LevelName"
  • This naming rule applies to the compressed file you submit to the event, not the actual .lvl file. If you use any custom graphics or music, put the files in a folder with the EXACT SAME NAME as the .lvl file. You can make mp3's work in SMBX by specifying the file path in the Custom space (ex: Level Name/Name of Song.mp3). DO NOT PUT THE LEVEL FILE IN THIS FOLDER. Create a compressed file with everything included.

    You may submit up to EIGHT LEVELS, and you can't submit more than one level to the same world. Worlds have no specific themes. Levels may be denied for quality reasons. If your level is denied, you can fix it up and resubmit it. If you want to submit more than eight, you'll have to withdraw another first.

TESTING AND FEEDBACK

Super RMN World is raising its standards considerably. The five judges, halibabica, Deckiller, nin8halos, Isrieri, and DarklordKeinor will be critiquing the levels. Heed their advice, as they won't let anything sub-par through! You can adjust your levels as many times as needed, but don't expect to get in without a well-designed stage! A level will only be admitted after three judges approve it.

All feedback will be included in the Super RMN World Wiki. Click your username on the main page to find your level list. Click the level names to see the judges' feedback. Click the 'Talk' icon to post questions or comments. When at least three judges list 'Approved', the level's ready to go.

Although the judges will be testing each level thoroughly, participants are strongly encouraged to do the same. Every bit of criticism helps. Below is some advice to consider while designing your levels, among other criteria they must meet.

For good examples of the quality we're looking for, check out Super RMN All-Stars, Super Talking Time Bros 1+2 and Mario vs. The Moon Base.

GENERAL ADVICE

  1. Graphical Consistency
  2. SMBX uses graphics from many different games. Just because you have them at your disposal doesn't mean you should use them. Pick a theme for your level and use graphics/enemies that fit together visually.

  3. Pacing
  4. Your levels should have a rhythm to them. Challenging sections should be offset with easier parts. Power-ups should be spaced well enough apart, but not so far that the player gets desperate. Try not to throw in too much (or little) of anything.

  5. Aesthetics
  6. Use your tile sets properly and fill background space adequately. Don't leave it too empty, but don't clutter it up too much, either.

  7. Completable
  8. This means it shouldn't contain any no-win situations. The player mustn't become hopelessly trapped. Similarly, they shouldn't be able to die after collecting the star. Check to make sure they can't fall off any cliffs after getting it.

  9. Lengthy
  10. Don't make your level too short OR too long. Consider where to put your checkpoint. It shouldn't take too long to reach it, nor to reach the end from the checkpoint. Keep in mind what they player has to do in each stretch of level.

  11. Purposeful
  12. Give your level a reason to exist. Try not to make it bland or forgettable.

LEVEL CRITERIA

  1. Checkpoints
  2. Every level should have one. If it can't for specific reasons (auto-scrolling, switch block shenanigans, etc.), then don't make the stage too long. SMBX can only support one checkpoint per level, so multiples don't work. Like Dragon Coins, you may resprite it so long as it's still recognizable.

  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; give the player Fire Flowers or Leaves. 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. Incidentally, SMB2 enemies and Nipper plants will be changed to be vulnerable to fireballs for this project.

  5. Banned Objects
    • SMB2 Crystal Ball, SMB3 Roulette, SMB3 ? Ball, SMW Keyhole, SMW Exit Gate
    • All banned because they end the level. All levels must end with an SMB3 Star.

    • 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 Star
    • These were used as Secret Stars in Super RMN Bros. 3, but they're more trouble than they're worth. You may not use them.

  6. Bosses
  7. Boss stages will be handled by the judges. You may still use boss NPCs in your stages, but only as mini-bosses. The fights must be kept simple and easier, so don't go overboard.

  8. Different Characters
  9. Mario, Luigi, Toad, Peach, and Link will be available to play as from the start, and all levels must be completable with all characters. You can't make a level where the player is forced to be a specific character. However, you can include a character block at the start if you want to recommend someone in particular. Let the player decide if they want to be that character or not, and don't include sections only they can get through (such as a pit only Peach could hover across).

  10. Player 2 Start
  11. SMBX has the option to play with a friend, so you need to include P1 and P2's start positions. Make sure your level can be completed by two players. Avoid situations where one player can get through while the other is stuck. The following are a few things you can do to make your level P2 safe:

    • Don't block the level's main path with character blocks. All characters need to be able to get through, even in 1P mode.
    • Use generators for things like falling platforms, P-Switches, or in any instance where the player needs an NPC to advance.
    • Place exit warps carefully. If P2 warps into a spot P1 already occupies, collision detection bumps them apart, and possibly into nearby hazards. Warp exits should be safe anyway, so design carefully.

  12. Misc. Stuff
    • Tutorials
    • A tutorial level will be provided that explains the mechanics of SMBX, covering both the basics and advanced stuff.

    • Water
    • All water must be SWIMMABLE. By contrast, waterfalls must NOT be swimmable. Don't fill your pits with water if they're supposed to be bottomless.

    • Pipes, Doors, and Carry Items
    • All entrances in SMBX are set to disallow the player from carrying an item with them. Make sure you set them to allow carrying NPCs.

    • 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. This can break the game in some places. Just don't do it.

    • 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. See this screen sides tutorial for more info.

PROJECT TIMELINE

Signups begin NOW, and EVERYONE is free to join! The project will run for one month (all of March), and levels may be submitted for testing during this time. When the month is up, no more levels will be accepted. For one week after, existing levels may still be updated based on feedback. Beyond that, no more revisions will be allowed and the full game will be produced. It may take a while, but the end result will be worth it. Now, get cracking! Let's make this the best community Mario game yet!

Registration

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

Participants Entries
Blitzen
kentona
halibabica
GreatRedSpirit
Davenport
Jparker1984
Desmo360
Redd
Solitayre
Ratty524
Decky
outcry312
Gigabowser
nin8halos
pyrodoom
Seiromem
jackalotrun
DarklordKeinor
masterofmayhem
apa649
Carbz300
Blobofgoo
Tomstar
Isrieri
wildwes
GloopMaster
lonestarluigi
Thiago76590
andreea7214

Posts

halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
from Davenport
I Placed all the mp3 files inside the custom level folder. (Folder/file.mp3)

Did you fix the file path in the level itself, too? Also, don't forget to give them a difficulty from 1-8.

I never noticed seiromem was memories backwards.
author=lonestarluigi
author=jackalotrun
Snow Problem By Lone Star Luigi- My only real problem with it is that random cliff after the star...

Bowser's Air Fleet By Gloopmaster

- I agree with Darklord, it seemed too easy for a World 8 level...
Thanks for the feedback! also what difficulty wood you rate it?


One, definitely one.
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
from nin8halos
It seems that a lot of you (including myself) forget to allow carryable NPCs through your warps. So go change that.


Seems like another shit rule that feels like it's there just to make me do more; what's the relevance to this!? You can't carry items through levels (I don't think at least), and, at least in my levels, there is nothing of significance you can carry!
Go into more detail or rules such as this will be ignored by me from now on.
I'm not exactly furious (Extremely annoyed is the better word), I'm just confused as to why there are these (seemingly) pointless guidelines.
author=seiromem
from nin8halos
It seems that a lot of you (including myself) forget to allow carryable NPCs through your warps. So go change that.
Seems like another shit rule that feels like it's there just to make me do more; what's the relevance to this!? You can't carry items through levels (I don't think at least), and, at least in my levels, there is nothing of significance you can carry!
Go into more detail or rules such as this will be ignored by me from now on.
I'm not exactly furious (Extremely annoyed is the better word), I'm just confused as to why there are these (seemingly) pointless guidelines.


Because the event is Super RMN *World*, and Super Mario *World* lets you do that.
Isrieri
"My father told me this would happen."
6155
author=seiromem
Seems like another shit rule that feels like it's there just to make me do more ... Go into more detail or rules such as this will be ignored by me from now on.

It's for the convenience of the players. SMW always allowed shells, p-switches, and the like through pipes (but not doors) as a feature of the engine. It made pipe travel versus door travel a bit more significant, and more importantly it allowed for some creative puzzles/ways around problems. Not to mention that if everyone followed these rules, it creates consistency throughout the game. Which is very important. One of the bigger problems with our last game was that it wasn't consistent. So that's something we're going to be cracking down on in this entry.

We want to offer as many different options to the player as possible in our levels. Options are good. All of these guidelines that we are setting are to allow a more visceral game experience: We want to leave a pleasant taste in people's mouths, create a lasting impression with this game.

If you don't want to obey the rules, then you can take a hike. But seriously, we're not out to make rules just to be difficult: They're for a reason.
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375

Alright, the doors thing has been explained!
Everything else is figured out, lemme just make sure.
Reason to have all levels end with the same background: So that the player knows the level has ended (Rather pointless, sense the star already does that.)
The length of my ranting made it feel like there was a lot more pointless rules in place.
The reason I bitch about these things is because I like knowing stuff, and I HATE doing things I don't have to do. I also hate rules that seem to be there for no reason other than to limit and/or waste time, it's one of my worst pet peeves to be told "You can't do this and have to do this", and when I ask "Why?" they say "because we said so"
I'm sure there'll be no more trouble since I finally understand the rules.
author=Isrieri
author=seiromem
Seems like another shit rule that feels like it's there just to make me do more ... Go into more detail or rules such as this will be ignored by me from now on.
It's for the convenience of the players. SMW always allowed shells, p-switches, and the like through pipes (but not doors) as a feature of the engine. It made pipe travel versus door travel a bit more significant, and more importantly it allowed for some creative puzzles/ways around problems. Not to mention that if everyone followed these rules, it creates consistency throughout the game. Which is very important. One of the bigger problems with our last game was that it wasn't consistent. So that's something we're going to be cracking down on in this entry.

We want to offer as many different options to the player as possible in our levels. Options are good. All of these guidelines that we are setting are to allow a more visceral game experience: We want to leave a pleasant taste in people's mouths, create a lasting impression with this game.

If you don't want to obey the rules, then you can take a hike. But seriously, we're not out to make rules just to be difficult: They're for a reason.


If that's the case... then why do you guys say that doors must be the same way?
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
Added fixed version of Mega Mole Mountain
Added level: Cursed Funklen
Eagerly awaiting feedback!
Tell me if I've gotten something wrong....
Decky
I'm a dog pirate
19645
The ending of Fire Temple should be fine :O But yeah, I'll fix that checkpoint issue. I thought I had already fixed it by adding another switch block, but I guess I must've forgotten to save or something.

I'm fine with using the SMW checkpoint by default for the sake of consistency, but that should be clarified in the rules.

Edit: my two levels will be updated probably later tonight. I might put Water Temple on the backburner and focus on a simple platformer for World 1.
I have updated Simplicity and have raised the difficulty to 2, due to level length. The spring platforms are no longer eatable (I discovered a no win situation thanks to that). I've edited secret area 2 so the spring board effect doesn't look bad.

Also, the player can now bring npcs into pipes. Everyone should make sure their levels have that option with warp pipes.

I'm going to go back to my college paper and I will review more levels tonight.
Small update to Bowser's Air Fleet: Dry Bones now is the SMB3 version, even when hit with a shell/bomb (it used to be the SMW one's effect still)

Level review time!

Isrieri's Glazed Donut Road:
Good:

Hoppin' Chuck replacing Nipper (I think). You are aware that without nofireball=1 in the npc file, the configuration from the overall project will take precedence?

Clouds! Many people forget that clouds are at their disposal for secret hiding.

Yoshi~! I love yoshi~!

More seriously now, the level seems like a very legitimate SMW level. Good job.

Bad:

In section 3 (the underground one with a dragon coin), Chargin' Chuck appears out of nowhere. Looks very bad.


Davenport's Inferno:
Good:

Lava. Lava is awesome.

Podooboo's Shoes are also awesome.

The end area looks awesome.

Propellor blocks are awesome.

Bad:

Your lava is like half SMW half SMB3.

Yoshi coins, yoshi coins, where art thou?

First powerup, if it's a mushroom, is nigh impossible to get.

8bit castle. EW. EW.

Ending does not conform to rules.

Lava Dry Bones revert to Red Rexes when hit and have incorrect sprite width.

Pipes do not let NPC's though.


Pyrodoom's Metal Harbor:
Oh boy, where do I start...

Good:

Flaming Hammer Bros.! Yay~

A really awesome background.

Bad:

This isn't the Lost Levels. Bloopers can't fly.

Last dragon coin? How am I supposed to know it's way over there?

The greater part of the beginning segment is waiting for the koopa shell to slowly get the coins from the brick block... Please, don't make the player wait for all 99 coins to be obtained.

The rocket part is so jarring, don't you think? You should add a pipe so it's not quite as jarring.
Cursed Funklen By Seiromem

- One word: Consistancy, I thought that it would be a nice ghost level with Boos and Bony Beetles, and then suddenly, Goomba Bros and Propellagoombas...
- May I suggest changing Propellagoombas with Eeries...
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
Submitted my first level: Green Grass Galavant, intended for World 1.

By the way, what the fuck is a funklen?
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
Cursed Funklen isn't exactly ghost level, it's the funklen forest, however cursed. It looks dead with dead things in them, with goombas, hammer bros, and thieves wandering throughout, wondering what happened blah blah.
Goombas have made consistent appearances, being thrown by hammer bros, walking along through and wearing propeller hats. Same with everything else, at least I've tried. I'll argue with the goombas for sure.

author=Ratty524
By the way, what the fuck is a funklen?
Funklen is a nonsense word I came up with, to have the glorified alliteration title with forest.

Turned out FunkELn is German for brilliance!
author=seiromem
Cursed Funklen isn't exactly ghost level, it's the funklen forest, however cursed. It looks dead with dead things in them, with goombas, hammer bros, and thieves wandering throughout, wondering what happened blah blah.
Goombas have made consistent appearances, being thrown by hammer bros, walking along through and wearing propeller hats. Same with everything else, at least I've tried. I'll argue with the goombas for sure.

author=Ratty524
By the way, what the fuck is a funklen?

Funklen is a nonsense word I came up with, to have the glorified alliteration title with forest.

Turned out FunkELn is German for brilliance!


At least give them a darker tone to fit the damn level
Green Grass Galavant By Ratty

- Nothing sticks out really 'cept you missed the square in the star area...
i fully fixed snow problem you can carry npcs through the pipes now and that random cliff at the end of the level is replaced with a pipe for a bonus area
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
Here shall be the start of my level reviews. I'll also be doing you guys a favor and checking the compatibility of the level between characters (except Luigi since other than floaty physics he's identical to Mario)

Pyrodoom's Metal Harbor
+ My favorite stage from SA2
+ Simplistic level design fitting for a world 1 level
- Music paths error: You named your "custom" music field "pyrodoom_2_..." instead of "pyrodoom_1_..." I fixed that for you, though.
- Like Dark said, Bloopers shouldn't fly. The way you implemented this was terrible, too, because its possible for the player to swim on "air". Personally I think this level is better without the bloopers, because your water sections are so sparse anyway.
- Could have done more with this, especially after the checkpoint. The level becomes completely challenge-less past the checkpoint. How about secrets? Especially ones that accommodate power-ups?

And for the character compatibility rating, you are good to go for the most part.
Peach - OK (made the level ridiculously easy, as she tends to do with her mechanics)
Toad - OK
Link - OK
author=Ratty524
Here shall be the start of my level reviews. I'll also be doing you guys a favor and checking the compatibility of the level between characters (except Luigi since other than floaty physics he's identical to Mario)

Pyrodoom's Metal Harbor
+ My favorite stage from SA2
+ Simplistic level design fitting for a world 1 level
- Music paths error: You named your "custom" music field "pyrodoom_2_..." instead of "pyrodoom_1_..." I fixed that for you, though.
- Like Dark said, Bloopers shouldn't fly. The way you implemented this was terrible, too, because its possible for the player to swim on "air". Personally I think this level is better without the bloopers, because your water sections are so sparse anyway.
- Could have done more with this, especially after the checkpoint. The level becomes completely challenge-less past the checkpoint. How about secrets? Especially ones that accommodate power-ups?

And for the character compatibility rating, you are good to go for the most part.
Peach - OK (made the level ridiculously easy, as she tends to do with her mechanics)
Toad - OK
Link - OK

Thanks, sorry about no secrets. I added minor secrets as a "sorry" for anyone who falls somewhere, so you can get power-ups and coins like that. But I've never been big on secrets. I'll try and add some to Oil Oasis(yes, not Oil Kingdom, just changed the name by thinking of a word that is Desert and Ocean, and thought of Oasis. It's also assonance!(alliteration except with vowels))

Hope my updated version is better!
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
author=jackalotrun
Green Grass Galavant By Ratty- Nothing sticks out really 'cept you missed the square in the star area...

Derp. I fixed that, and added a few aesthetics and accommodations to my level. How was the red coin section, by the way?