The Contributons 2004 !!!!11

All about creating levels and level sets, custom elements and custom artwork.

Moderators: Flumminator, Zomis

User avatar
Holger
Site Admin
Posts: 4073
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 4:13 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by Holger »

Well, I'll think about it... :-)
User avatar
Martijn
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 10:54 am
Location: the Netherlands (Holland)
Contact:

Post by Martijn »

you could distribute one levelset/person for beta testing to keep the rest of the contributions secret for that person...

but the broken tapes/unsolvable levels will only be a problem this year, I suppose? for you always ask the makers for providing tapes, don't you?
Visit my Boulder Dash website at:
http://www.bd-fans.com

Watch my avatar! That orange little thing is Murphy, the Supaplex star!
User avatar
Grunt002
Posts: 148
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:35 pm
Location: Canada, eh?

Post by Grunt002 »

Yeah, let us know which ones we'll be doing and... PM?
that'd be nice, I'm joining it :D
YOU LIKE MY SIGNATURE DON'T YOU?
User avatar
Holger
Site Admin
Posts: 4073
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 4:13 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by Holger »

> but the broken tapes/unsolvable levels will only be a problem this year, I suppose? for you
> always ask the makers for providing tapes, don't you?

Yes, I do, but not all level creaters provide me with tapes.

And those who do often send me broken tapes (not due to engine changes, but for other reasons -- for example, because the level was changed after the tape was recorded etc.)

And some levels are simply obviously not solvable (exampe: level with penguin surrounded by steel wall etc.).

So it's a lot of work to sort this all out...
Zomis
Posts: 1502
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 1:27 pm
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Post by Zomis »

I've got an idea, send the not-good-tape levels to Bojster and he'll provide both you and us with some new, fresh tapes :)

I don't think you should have to do all that work Holger, seriously. Unless you really, really, really want to of course...
So I really like Bojster's and Darkon's idea. But I think that we could fix the levels aswell, not just report the errors in them (unless it's really strange things where we don't exactly know how the author wants it, then we could discuss it).
User avatar
Holger
Site Admin
Posts: 4073
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 4:13 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by Holger »

> I've got an idea, send the not-good-tape levels to Bojster and he'll provide both you and us
> with some new, fresh tapes

Indeed he's the unbeaten tape-creating-god...! ;-)

> I don't think you should have to do all that work Holger, seriously. Unless you really, really,
> really want to of course...

Well, I indeed prefer to do other things, I must admit (that's why it always takes some time)... :-/

> So I really like Bojster's and Darkon's idea. But I think that we could fix the levels aswell, not
> just report the errors in them (unless it's really strange things where we don't exactly know
> how the author wants it, then we could discuss it).

I think you are right, this is a good idea. And in fact, I already have some corrections of both levels and tapes for the contributions from Flumminator, bojster and Yoshi, if I remember right, which I have partly applied already.

So I will see to make a "beta version" of the 2004 contributions (and maybe all the old ones with corrections), and hope that the forum crowd not only plays them, but also have a look at solvability of levels and existing solution tapes. ;-)
User avatar
Mark
Posts: 60
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 10:22 pm
Location: Pensacola FL

Post by Mark »

Hmm. I started something, but I've been so bussy with my work that I forgot all about my project. There is another problem... There are too many options. What kind of levels should I make? There are so many elements and so many ideas. Sigh. I just can't think of something original anymore. Alan, your graphics are dazzling indeed, and any level played with your graphics is wonderful, but I can't think of anything. What if you guys gave me a project to work on. A story based level-set, or something or something easy thats fun and tricky. Maybe something new with hard difficulty. :twisted: I'm so confused. I could make levels just randomly, but that would seem wierd. Note: Any level I make should be played with the Alan's BD2K3. My levels only look cool with that set. 8) Also, I need your opinion. I love making levels... but what kind do the people want?
The Emerald King
User avatar
bojster
Posts: 458
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 7:42 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

Post by bojster »

I like demanding puzzles, like Walpurgis Flashbacks. But not as taxing as some of the levels in Puzzle set. Storyline doesn't concern me, but some coherence would be nice. Graphics aren't the most important either, but I'm glad you chose to use Alan's gfx set, because it's really great and it's a shame nobody else used it so far! Sounds doesn't concern me either, as I hardly ever turn it on. As for the gameplay: I don't like levels with timing (makes my fingers sweat ;-), as well as too arcade levels. Some arcade elements are perfectly fine, but as I have already mentioned, I prefer puzzles.
So, these are my preferences. Would be nice if you took it into consideration when making your levels, but of course let's listen to the others as well.
User avatar
Martijn
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 10:54 am
Location: the Netherlands (Holland)
Contact:

Post by Martijn »

The levels I prefer are the real classic ones. Not only reflex, not only thinking but a mix of it.

I'm working on 6 levelsets now. If you would like to help me, thank you! So if you want to help (as you suggested yourself), you may choose the project:

- Sand Mine: Levels with only Emerald Mine elements and sand, not grass.
- Boulder Dash Dream: Levels with only Boulder Dash elements, the original BD graphics, some new sounds (not classic) and a remix of the Boulder Dash tune as background music.
- Grass Mine: Levelset with levels in it which use grass instead of sand. (I was impressed when I saw the grass in the latest RnD version. It gives me another feeling than sand levels.)
- Heartlight Classic: The original levels from the game Heartlight with original graphics and sounds. Haven't started this yet.
- Supaplex project (hasn't got a good name yet): levels with only Supaplex elements and the original tune (not the remix which is standard in RnD) as background music.
- Training Cave: a levelset with all elements you can choose in the RnD leveleditor in the style of my 'Hard Training' levelset which is included in the Contributions 2004 (not released yet). Most of these levels are difficult and tricky (like using a burning dynamite as a bridge).

So if you want to join, tell me! I would appreciate it!
Visit my Boulder Dash website at:
http://www.bd-fans.com

Watch my avatar! That orange little thing is Murphy, the Supaplex star!
User avatar
Alan
Posts: 661
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 7:48 pm

Post by Alan »

I agree reflex levels are very easy to make, but there also the most annoying IMO. Puzzles are the best (no stress or time limit), but take longer to construct and can have multiple solutions (sometimes in a bad way)

I can honestly say nobody enjoys running away from a bunch of fireflys for a solid 10 minutes ;-)
User avatar
Darkon
Posts: 237
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:19 pm
Location: UK

Post by Darkon »

*whistles*

hehe gather noone got to the last level of my levelset then :-p


lets just say that its worser than a nightmare :-p

since that levelset ive been trying to mix some puzzles into my levels

ugh, how i despise my 1st levelset, i wasted so much space -_-
User avatar
Mark
Posts: 60
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 10:22 pm
Location: Pensacola FL

Post by Mark »

Martijn, I think I like the idea of training levels. I also like to make my own tutorials... But of course, I would be using Alan's BD2K3. There are a lot of graphics in there that could make the tutorial more fun. Err the training. :) Well, I don't know... Maybe I could work on a set of training levels then. Thats a good idea, but how did you want me to help you? Do you want me to send you my levels or what? Or did you already make them? Because I would start making training levels from 0-whatever... Maybe 25 levels would be fine for a training. No? Hmm... Howbout this: In each level, you could go through either two gates. If you went through the first gate, you would be playing the easy version of the level. If you went through the second gate, you would select the hard version of the level. It would be all in one level, and the theme would be the same, just not the same difficulty. Hmm. What do you think?
The Emerald King
User avatar
Martijn
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 10:54 am
Location: the Netherlands (Holland)
Contact:

Post by Martijn »

We could make the training levelset together. I have only made one level for it, because I'm working on the Boulder Dash levelset at the moment. If you would like to make it together with me (for making 100 levels takes a lot of time!), you could better send me a PM.

About the gates: nice idea, but
1. I don't know how to do that
2. after having played the difficult or the easy one, mostly you want a new level, not one which looks the same but easier/harder.

So I think we should work on one training levelset with many hard, challenging levels, but also with some easier ones in it. Just like 'Hard Training'.

Btw.: a training levelset, in the way I mean it, is not the same as a tutorial! A tutorial shows how the gameplay works, but the training levels are tricky, or they need quick reflexes, or hard thinking.. if you play such levels much enough, once you might beat bojster! :)
Visit my Boulder Dash website at:
http://www.bd-fans.com

Watch my avatar! That orange little thing is Murphy, the Supaplex star!
User avatar
Mark
Posts: 60
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 10:22 pm
Location: Pensacola FL

Post by Mark »

I can beat just about any level if I'm determined to solve it. I'm good at reflex games too. However, I don't think I enjoy annoying levels where its the same obsticle over and over. That gets boring eventually. I also like to make levels and then perfect it to where the level looks good. I like levels that appeal to the eye, and at the same time has a good fun factor.
The Emerald King
User avatar
bojster
Posts: 458
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 7:42 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

Post by bojster »

So anyway, what's the status of Contributions 2004? :P
Post Reply