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Post by Dragyn on Jul 21, 2017 14:24:39 GMT -5
I've finally released my first 2.1 level! Please give criticism and tell me what you think.  Level Name: Cheerful Level Creator: Dragyn Level ID: 36008877 Level Difficulty: Harder 6-7* Level Song and Author: Wishful by AeronMusic Collaboration / Solo Level : Solo Level Video: everyplay.com/videos/45254045Since it's been a week I guess I'll tag a level judge.  @qmotus |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 20:15:41 GMT -5
I got the tag, I'll be writing a review either tonight or tomorrow just so you know!
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3,250 posts
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Post by œ on Jul 30, 2017 20:52:58 GMT -5
I really like this level Gameplay: The gameplay in this level is smooth, anticipatable and fun. The sync is on point. Not to mention the song choice is great. The only problems I could find is that newer players would have trouble with the orbs in the ship and ufo but they really aren't that bad. Newer players might also struggle with the mirror portal but again, it isn't that bad. A few other parts may be a bit tough to do the first time but it still works well. The coins are also good. They are challenging for the difficulty and are hidden well. If I was Viprin, these coins would be at least silver. The gameplay is just excellent and I love it. Block design: The block design in this level is very good. Each block manages to be different, which tells that effort was put into this level. There are no faulty points in block design and it is consistently good and full. There really isn't much else to say except good job Backgrounds: The level isn't as strong in backgrounds as it is in block design. There are only 3 backgrounds in this level, each taking up about a third. They are nothing special but compliment the level nicely. I can tell that block design and air design were bigger focusses than backgrounds which is understandable. The way the song is layed out also doesn't help with varying the backgrounds. They look good but next time, go for something more creative and more varied. Colors: The colors in this level work very well. The aren't too bright and flashy but when they are brighter, the level is brighter so nothing stands out too much and the level has better flow. The only line flashes that went without the rest of the level were subtle and while they did contrast, they didn't to a point where it looked bad. I see no real problems in terms of colors. Good job. Air deco + other deco: The air deco in this level is also really good. While there isn't much through the entire level where it is looks really good. This is most likely due to the nature of the backgrounds but isn't a major drawback. The spike deco is solid black. Not much to say there. The saw deco is unique and original through the entire level. The ones at the drop made of spikes were my favorite. I don't think I've seen that before. The movement of the objects sets up a great atmosphere which I really enjoy. The rings around the orbs look nice. The gravity portal design is a bit iffy but it doesn't take away from the level. Maybe do something different next time. That is pretty much it. Originality: while it isn't the most original in terms of style or backgrounds, the block design stands out from other levels. Specifically some of the structure designs. The gameplay is also somewhat unique. Another thing original to me is the moving atmosphere. You don't see what is here too often these days. Original, but nothing over the top. Gameplay: 20/20 Sync: 10/10 Block Design: 20/20 Backgrounds: 7/10 Colors: 10/10 Air Deco/ Other Deco: 14/15 Coins: 5/5 Originality: 8/10 Overall: 94/100 If I was a level judge, this would be one of my picks. I jsut love this level. 100% feature worthy. Incredible job  Also sorry for doing this when you claimed it qmotus but this level is simply too good. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2017 8:49:59 GMT -5
* I'm going to keep this a little short, because I agree with the review above me. I just felt I had some things I could add.=== Gameplay === //Readability (How well can I see what's happening)I had no problem with reading the level that wasn't resolved by just looking at where to go. I don't really have much to add here because I don't see any flaws in this regard. //Layout (The overall composition of the level and its gameplay)There is a good variation in gamemodes, almost always perfect for matching with the music. There was no particular point at which I noticed any annoying gameplay, so good job! //Synchronization (How well does the gameplay sync to the music)The synchronization, however, I feel was off at a few points... by very small margins. Specifically the beginning cube. I found myself periodically trying to click to a notable part of the song and dying instead, or clicking too early or too late, but again, by a very small margin. It's really not an issue, I would just recommend playtesting a lot and really trying to nail the sync down, it's very close to being near-flawless. === Design === //Block Design (How well-designed are the blocks)This is probably the strongest part of your level. I didn't notice this at first, but you tend to group the block designs within similar architectures; as in, blocks within the same section with the same design have similar architecture. This is pretty helpful for establishing a landmark feeling, as in the player knows where they are throughout the level, and can usually effortlessly recall what's coming up next. Whether or not this was intentional, I thought I would point this out just because of how important it is to do this in most levels. As was said in the review above mine, the block design is very well done. In fact, you've done it well so many times in this level that I just assume you know what you're doing and I'm going to avoid doubling the size of this section by dissecting it. Nice work! //Additional Decoration (How well designed are the effects and external decoration)Anything passed 40% or so is very underwhelming when it comes to this section. Speaking purely about the external decoration, the first section has a nice feel to it due to you adding the "bubbling" effects throughout the open space. Beyond that, however, the level is teetering between simplistic and lacking. I would probably lean towards lacking, in that you could definitely add a bit more external design to compliment the blocks. Oftentimes this is one of the hardest things to do well in a level, so I wouldn't worry about it too much in this level. Just for future reference, try to fill your empty space with effects or designs (unless you have a reason specifically not to, I.E. the song feels empty for a time or something). I don't have much to add for the backgrounds. They could be expanded upon slightly, but honestly they work fine the way they are; not everything in your level needs to be super unique, but it wouldn't hurt to add a bit more in the future. Also I love it when people add dots to tell where to jump in the UFO sections //Colors (Do the colors work within the level)With the almost entirely monochromatic scheme you follow, it's kind of hard to mess up the colors. You aren't picking fully saturated blue or dark yellow or anything, so good job there, but monochromatic schemes are a very, very "safe" way to deal with colors. Due to the nature of the song, I would have loved to see a bit more diversity in the colors rather than just periodic pings on the outlines of blocks. It is quite hard to do this, though. Coming up with a good multicolor scheme is quite difficult, and it's why you don't see a huge amount of levels do it. However... because it's not a heavily employed design choice, it's a pretty nice way to separate your own level from others'. I would recommend trying to come up with a good color scheme beforehand, then apply it to your level as you design it. If you need help with that there is always Adobe Kuler (Free website by Adobe) that allows you to browse or create common color scheme archetypes, or even just create your own entirely. === Conclusion === Again, I mostly agree with the review above. There are definitely improvements that could be made... but there will always be improvements to be made, no matter the level, even if they are just very small ones. You did a nice job here, and I hope to see more great levels from you in the future I would also classify this is a "Feature-Worthy" level!
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