15-Mar-2012, 7:38 PM
I feel like my opinion on this subject has adjusted since playtesting CCLP3 and seeing CC enter the LP generation in which casual play takes precedence over competitive or uber-mentally challenging play. And for good reason. Let's face it: many of us now live in a world where we don't have a ton of time to play many games, and we need a quick diversion. There's a time and a place for long puzzle levels, but I'm not entirely convinced anymore that CC is the best outlet for them, particularly with no save or undo features. I do, however, enjoy long levels like YCTaOFNT, but in a much different way and context than most other levels.
My general level-making philosophy is to focus on making presentation and gameplay work hand-in-hand. People will be much more attracted to a level with an interesting theme or clever use of the game's elements than a level with the exact same gameplay that features poor presentation. And when it comes to gameplay, there are several factors to consider - generally, if a level features only one concept or a few game elements, I try to keep it small (like CCLP3's Blue Moon) or short with respect to how much time it takes to solve the level. If there's one thing that CC Let's Plays have taught us, it's that starting over after progressing far in a long level can be frustrating, especially if the level is rather monotonous in whatever tasks are required to solve it. That's one thing I enjoyed about YCTaOFNT - even if I failed somewhere down the road, it was still a lot of fun to replay everything.
My general level-making philosophy is to focus on making presentation and gameplay work hand-in-hand. People will be much more attracted to a level with an interesting theme or clever use of the game's elements than a level with the exact same gameplay that features poor presentation. And when it comes to gameplay, there are several factors to consider - generally, if a level features only one concept or a few game elements, I try to keep it small (like CCLP3's Blue Moon) or short with respect to how much time it takes to solve the level. If there's one thing that CC Let's Plays have taught us, it's that starting over after progressing far in a long level can be frustrating, especially if the level is rather monotonous in whatever tasks are required to solve it. That's one thing I enjoyed about YCTaOFNT - even if I failed somewhere down the road, it was still a lot of fun to replay everything.