Quote:I'd like to echo many of Miika's thoughts here. Overall, I think the level design improved as the set grew, particularly with the latest additions and the decrease in long, tedious corridors. I especially appreciated that Reducing and Tempting are now two separate levels, the latter of which is one of my top picks for CCLP4.
Well, let me first say thanks for breaking up what would have been a double post.
In all seriousness, though, I think you're quite right on both counts. (The original motivation for combining those was to keep the total number of levels to a specific, well, number... but when I added two entirely new levels that motivation actually ended up working in reverse.)Quote:10- Finding
I didn't like this one. Maybe too much walking around and collecting again?
I actually have difficulty remembering which one this is, and I can't be bothered to open the set in an editor to check, so that probably tells you how much I like it. One thing I'll say about it, though, is that it's one of two levels with the teeth mechanism in the middle... so that probably tells you how much I like that mechanism.
Quote:11- Producing
The best parts in this level are the strong theme and the area where you manouver the block with the fireball in the same room. I hate the part with the tanks and ice.
Yeah, this is obviously the magnum opus of the set, which is why it's still the only CCLP level. My opinion of the specific parts you named is exactly the opposite, though - I don't really care for the fireball part much (it somehow manages to seem obvious and pointless at the same time) while the tank part - and that whole area, really - I consider to be one of the best level segments, if you can call it that, in this set.
Since this is a CCLP level, it gets an extra paragraph!
Quite possibly the most important thing that I look at when I judge a level - especially one of my own levels - is minimalism. This doesn't mean that big levels are out - in fact, large maps that employ minimalism are obviously far more difficult to make and I would thus rate them higher, all else being equal. What it does mean, though, is that there should be as few tiles as possible (ideally none) beyond what is required to accomplish the goal of a particular puzzle in a level. In this level, for instance, the fireball part does not fulfill this criterion to nearly the same extent as the tank portion (it could be made more compact while preserving the exact same core gameplay aspects, for example, while the part with the tanks would lose much aesthetic appeal this way).Quote:12- Building
Left no great impression on me, but I don't want to replay it again due to the invisible walls.
I actually don't like replaying this level much either despite having pretty much memorized the path through those walls. That pretty much sums up my thoughts on this one, I think.
Quote:13- Upping
Was this made just to use this silly name?
The names actually came afterwards for most of the levels. This one was originally named in direct reference to the CC1 level, and you may notice that it remains numbered as such.
Quote:14- Deciding
I like this type of pop-up wall mazes and this one adds something by using distance to make Chip guess what lies ahead. The layout is simple enough to not need too many attempts even if the first one fails. But is it too simple overall?
No, as I mentioned before, I think that short and sweet (and simple!) wins the race... or something. Mixed metaphors aside, this level probably can't be simplified in any way without losing its aesthetic appeal almost entirely, and that's just the way I like it.
Quote:15- Riding
Don't like this or levels like this.
Why? This is one of the best levels in the set! Even if you don't like levels that involve trudging through force floor corridors (I know some players don't), it's so short that I think you should give it a chance anyways.
Quote:16- Circling
Too big. Maybe would have been interesting with the same number of corridors but using thin walls instead.
Yeah, this is pretty much a proof-of-concept level. Actually, quite a few levels in this set are proof-of-concepts, but most of them are at least interesting otherwise. This one... pretty much isn't. (The thin wall idea is rather intriguing, though.)
Quote:17- Circling II
This was ok, however, there was not enough time to take it carefully in Lynx. Also, reacting to the monsters felt harder in MS (but that's ok). It was a bit long too, having to go through all four quarters. It that's something you want, maybe take off a ring or two? I like the use of invisible walls in this level.
Symmetry is extremely important for aesthetics when designing level maps. Here, the four quarters are essential for that. As for the invisible walls, I think that even players who usually find them annoying won't mind them here.
Quote:18- Mixing
An okay mix of things, but you run the risk of having one thing a player doesn't like that ruins the whole level. For me, this it the ff slide with fire.
I thought about removing that at one point, but it's just such an integral part of the level. It's also the only level with this type of force field slide as you call it, so I don't think it's too much of a problem overall.
As before, I think I'm going to wait for a bit to see if anyone has anything to add before continuing.