Cheese Heist Grey Box

Here is the grey box version of the Cheese Heist level design I proposed earlier. It went through many changes from that first version, but the basic idea is still in tact. Jump over mouse traps and dodge tricky cat paws while you make your way to the big cheese!

Cat Paw Spiky Block

This video demonstrates the spiky Cat Paw block I made in my programming class. The default cat paw is simple in that when the player enters a trigger box it shakes and then begins to descend. The "claws" change from a silver to a red and it hits the ground with a meow and a camera shake. The camera shake can be toggled in case you have a paw that doesn't touch the ground/wall/etc. Here is a peak at the blueprints:

A timeline was used to make the platform feel more "alive." It also allows for the meow and camera shake to be timed with the impact, and the color changing for the claws.

The other spiky block is a hybrid mover and spiky block. It uses the basic properties of a mover but adds deadly red claws at the bottom and after a lot of brain-scratching hard work I managed to make it even move in a square if one so chooses. Take a look:

The teal area is more or less the same as a typical mover but the blue area has a branch where if the condition is true it will allow you to set and additional two destination points to create a square like near the end of the video. A closer look:

Platformer Level Proposal -Cheese Heist

 

For an assignment we have to design a tutorial level for a 2d platformer, one that will gently ease the player into new situations and help them learn naturally.  My concept is of a mouse on it's way to the Big Cheese, collecting cheese bits and dodging mousetraps and cat paws along the way. The cat paws can be ridden up if you are crafty, though. I bought myself Rhythm Heaven Megamix with holiday money over the break and music from one of the mini-games, Rat Race (the characters are actually mice despite the name), keeps playing in my head whenever I work on this. 

Rhythm Heaven Megamix, Nintendo SPD1, 2015, 3DS

I didn't really want the level to be in a kitchen though. I toyed around with the idea at first but then I couldn't really figure out what the platforms would be and how the mouse would be climbing. Chairs and a table seemed like a good idea at first, and riding the cat paws ended up being a concept that carried over from this idea, but it just didn't seem to make sense. So, if it wasn't going to make sense anyway I decided to go for something more abstract. The background is colors that are reminiscent of a kitchen, but the pattering and platforms are more of the candy colored abstractions found in Kirby games.

 

Kirby's Dream Land 3, HAL Laboratory, 1997, SNES 

Another thing I struggled with were the "spike" traps. I wasn't sure how literal I should be. Mouse traps were the first thing that came to mind but I wasn't sure how well that would work, so I thought about other things. Stationary cat paws... A Fork... But I decided to just go with the mouse trap. You can see some of my spit balling on the paper version of my map.

Sonic Advance 2 - Leaf Forest Act 1 Level Analysis

Like most Sonic games, Advance 2 sends you right into the action, but while it may seem intimidating at first it is really just a simple run down a hill (and not a forest at all). There is a higher path that weaves in and out for those more skilled and trying to improve their times, but falling from even the tallest point wont kill you. There are no death pits in this area, and even the water is shallow enough you'd really have to try to drown yourself there. The first enemy you will encounter doesn't really do much other than hop up and down. These red monkeys, Mon, are easily beaten just by jumping or spinning at them, and they never move to attack you.

 Up, up, and away!

 A little further along you can encounter your first spike trap. This is optional, however, by going under the spring, but chances are you will encounter this set up: A capsule with a shield, next to a spike trap. Further along is a Buzzer enemy that will fly in that direction if you wait, but it doesn't fly past the spikes, or will it try to shoot you until after you cross the spikes. The shield-spike placement is really neat, but I feel the inclusion of the enemy may be a bit too much, but this is also part of the way to get to the harder "upper route" so that may be the intention.

You can't scare me!

If you continue along past the spikes and Buzzer you will encounter the first loop in the level, it's nothing too challenging you just keep holding the direction you are going in and you will run right on through. These loops are a flashy staple of the franchise. The Advance games also have these sideways "corkscrew" style loops, basically the same concept. This level is also very liberal with springs, poles to grind on, and these looping handles that you can swing on. The player is free to play around on these (assuming they aren't zipping right on through this level is over in a flash) without any fear of death.

Round n' round we go!

As previously mentioned this level shows you water areas right away. There are two shallow pools, one you run along the bottom and the other, because of a speed booster, you run across the top of the water then onto a grinding rail. It looks very cool, but if you can contain yourself and decide to drop into the water below you will be rewarded with a 1-up for exploration. Running across the water does grant you a "special ring," however. Managing to collect all 7 in a level opens the area to the special stage where you can try and complete a challenge for power ups or the chaos emerald, but those are very hard for me to get playing as Sonic and I don't have everyone unlocked on this emulation so I cannot show this off. That isn't the first special ring in the stage, but most of the ones prior are on to the upper route, so if you are just plowing through the level normally that will probably be your first encounter with a special ring.

Here is me running through the stage for the first time in quite a few years and trying to figure out the keyboard controls: