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Psa: A Plea For Designers

Working on a new level? Have Tutorials to share? Post your work in progress here!
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TheLastLink
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Psa: A Plea For Designers

Post by TheLastLink »

please stop making no/low-jump platforming levels which rely heavily on ladders, ledgehanging, and muka boxes/sticks

you know who you are
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ThatOneFox
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Post by ThatOneFox »

^^^ Agree
It only works if it's done really well.
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Baufritz
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Post by Baufritz »

I'll try to avoid it.
It's okay for decorations though, or is it?
If it's broken, fix it.
If it isn't broken, I'll soon fix that.
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Phantomboy
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Post by Phantomboy »

This doesn't really belong in Level Spotlight, so I have mowed this to Design Workshop.

While this is more of a personal preference of you and shouldn't discourage new uses of low-jump mechanics, I can agree with the sentiment that in my own findings, ladders and ledge hanging tend to be fairly thin mechanically to rely on solely in a level.

However, perhaps there are new situations just waiting to be discovered, such as, I haven't seen a low-jump level set around mainly attempting to descend in a vertical style level. There are likely quite a few different gameplay elements that haven't really been explored in terms a lower jump level. I don't know :P I suppose it is more of a preference than anything else!
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ThatOneFox
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Post by ThatOneFox »

Baufritz wrote:I'll try to avoid it.
It's okay for decorations though, or is it?
I said when done well.
You sir, do it well.

I mean, Xyhargka was the only level of this kind that I actually found fun.
:skull: :bungee: Keith Keiser has a better ass than you :bungee: :skull:
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TheLastLink
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Post by TheLastLink »

TBH I can't remember ever playing a platformer like that and actually having fun.

*coughlookingatyougiantfishycough*
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Baufritz
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Post by Baufritz »

Phantomboy wrote:This doesn't really belong in Level Spotlight, so I have mowed this to Design Workshop.
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StreetLights wrote:I said when done well.
You sir, do it well.
Aww, thanks :3
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ThatOneFox
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Post by ThatOneFox »

You should have put phantom's avatar over the dog's face.
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Post by ElectroYoshi »

StreetLights wrote:You should have put phantom's avatar over the dog's face.
Missed opportunity if I ever saw one.

I seem to be a member of the minority in that I don't really mind those kinds of levels at all, but I think ledge-hanging should be as minimal as is humanly possible.
I need a shot again, that sweet adrenaline.
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ThatOneFox
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Post by ThatOneFox »

ffs do u guis even read my level reviews *smh*
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Phantomboy
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Post by Phantomboy »

Actually, if major game mechanics are ever able to be overhauled, I think ledge-hanging would be up there in my personal list. It isn't terrible and I certainly don't think that having a section where you are required to ledge hanging kills a level - but rather if the designer isn't careful with how accurate the level is asking a player to be with those mechanics, that can lead to frustration :P

I think that goes for most games though, a game can have imprecise mechanics, so long as they are supported by stronger mechanics and the level design isn't asking you to do too much with those imprecise mechanics.
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Post by Baufritz »

I can tell from my experience that ledge-hanging is more reliable when you hold down the jump button, even if your jump value is set to 0.
I also play-test my levels a lot to make sure the ledge-hanging doesn't get annoying.
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Phantomboy
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Post by Phantomboy »

Yeah, I think I need to improve my play-testing quota :P I tend to get caught up on one aspect of designing, and other things fall to the side. So, I definitely need to work on improving various aspects (such as ledge-hanging) through play-testing.
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tta
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Post by tta »

TheLastLink wrote:please stop making no/low-jump platforming levels which rely heavily on ladders, ledgehanging, and muka boxes/sticks

you know who you are

r.i.p. weak legs the series
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TheLastLink
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Post by TheLastLink »

tta wrote:r.i.p. weak legs the series
i wasnt referring to you but i guess you are still GUILTY though

anyway, is it really that hard to make a fun platforming level where you can actually jump?
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Entity
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Post by Entity »

I don't think the concept is necessarily a bad one, but I definitely agree it's overused. It can be used to great effect, but it always gets on my nerves :P
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Giantfishy
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Post by Giantfishy »

TheLastLink wrote:
*coughlookingatyougiantfishycough*
i'm sorry
it's all i know
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