DECKY'S PROFILE

author=halibabica

from Deckiller
I've seen levels with awesome ideas that were underutilized because people didn't want to step on the creator's toes; written feedback wouldn't be enough, because developers are more likely to dig deep into their inspiration when they get to put their own fingerprints on a level, credit and all. It would be a damn good thing if we all had a true reviser for our levels, but that would require everyone to be unafraid to see their ideas reworked.

Funny you should say that, because that's exactly what I did with Yoshi's Archipelago. I made no concessions with that game. If I found a stage lacking, I spruced it up how I saw fit. But I know you have reservations about that game, so...welp.

from jackalotrun
I hate to be a pester Hali, but ya don't seem to have gotten my mailbox message

My bad, dude. I asked, but forgot to check the answer. Liberty is indeed the person you want to contact.

Well, in that project you were just one person and not really intimately involved in the creation of the level - just polishing it. But for most of the project it was the right approach.

I did like the idea behind Mystery Fortress, since it was originally just a SMB3 fortress designed for a SMB3 clone. It would have been an awesome stage, but we would've needed to overhaul the entire level. Sadly, as it stands, it's unwieldy in its execution because it's two fairly large and puzzle-oriented fortresses wrapped into one. I am obsessed with pacing, so things like that bother me; I just didn't have the interest at the time to change it because my interest in SMBX waxes and wanes.

Shadow Temple, Water Temple, and Spirit Temple are hopefully good examples of a more collaborative approach to level building.

For those three temples, I had no choice but to check my ego at the door and bring in helpers due to IRL issues and lack of time. Most people haven't been willing to do this for their levels, and I certainly wasn't until forced to do so. Ultimately I think it was for the best, because those three temples were better than any individual level made by Isrieri, Hali, or myself.

Mario Vs. The Moon Base was also created in a collaborative style, level by level, and is amazing as a result.

For Water Temple, Isrieri did an amazing job with the rough draft while I had to take a break from RMN. I then came back and gave it more of my aesthetic style (though Isrieri laid a solid foundation with that too). I only changed about 20 percent of the platforming/puzzling. I'd say that level was 65 percent Isrieri, 25 percent me, 10 percent Hali.

Although most of Spirit Temple was flown solo by me, Hali's additions at the end are greater than the sum of their parts. My initial Wall of Death for the Spirit Temple didn't have the moving background or the birds, and I wanted to overhaul it BADLY. But I had my IRL issues and had to leave that level (along with the ideas of Shadow and Water Temple) with others. Honestly, I probably would've never thought of adding the birdies. Sometimes you need that second touch in your design to bring out the level's potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T8RlJyC7AI

(2 minutes in - one of the most iconic rooms in the Spirit Temple from Ocarina of Time)

I've seen levels with awesome ideas that were underutilized because people didn't want to step on the creator's toes; written feedback wouldn't be enough, because developers are more likely to dig deep into their inspiration when they get to put their own fingerprints on a level, credit and all. It would be a damn good thing if we all had a true reviser for our levels, but that would require everyone to be unafraid to see their ideas reworked.

Thanks for the feedback. Interestingly, the water and shadow temples were collaborations, as was the Wall of Death in the Spirit Temple. I wasn't happy with my original version but was too burned out to even fire up SMBX, so Hali reworked it and added moving backgrounds and the little flying dudes. Two heads are better than one? :thinking:

Hali's reworking of the Wall of Death is probably his best contribution to this game IMO.

Reminds me of old school anime in that regard :p

thanks for the compliments on my aethetics btw - my levels tend to be a little cluttered with enemies and too hard in hindsight, but I'm glad you at least like their look :D and yeah, Hali did a great job making the climbing wall better - I was so burned out then and couldn't quite get it working how I wanted it to.