We´ve spent some time with Super Mario Maker and there´s quite the number of user levels out there already. From what I´ve seen they usually fall in these categories:
Unfortunately, 90% of the current levels fall in the Random Chaos category. These levels wouldn´t have been possible if the elements remained locked for days as Nintendo´s original plan suggested. At the same time, Classic levels and Gimmick levels would still have been possible. The only real loss would´ve been the automated levels, which frankly I think that once the novelty wears off will stop being so popular in favor of classic and gimmick levels. Don´t get me wrong, I really appreciate the work and imagination behind a good automated level, but once you´ve seen 3 or 4 of them you just want to pick up the controller and play a level yourself.
The Random Chaos category would´ve been minimized and maybe some of those creators, when forced to work with a limited toolset, would have thought things twice when publishing their levels and unconsciously learnt somethings about level design in the process.
The original position of gradually unlocking all elements through 9 days was met with frontal opposition, to the point it was removed from the final release, but after seeing how things have turned out, has anyone of you changed your stance about this?
And the opposite: if you supported the original decission of 9 days to unlock everything, have you changed your mind after spending some time with the game?
In my case, I vouched for the 9 day lockdown and still think it was a good idea. I´ve been unlocking things at a much faster rate than I can make levels to use them, so them being locked for a few days wouldn´t have really bothered me.
Take topic to another castle if not relevant.
- Automated levels: These use lots of different elements creatively.
- Classic levels: These don´t use many different elements, but are used in interesting ways.
- Gimmick levels: These are usually short levels consisting of one challenge that relies on an original idea and just focus on that, so they use few elements as well.
- Random chaos: These are levels which feature one instance of every element in unorganized, not creative ways, or a thousand instances of the most complex elements carefully placed around the stage in a barf pattern.
Unfortunately, 90% of the current levels fall in the Random Chaos category. These levels wouldn´t have been possible if the elements remained locked for days as Nintendo´s original plan suggested. At the same time, Classic levels and Gimmick levels would still have been possible. The only real loss would´ve been the automated levels, which frankly I think that once the novelty wears off will stop being so popular in favor of classic and gimmick levels. Don´t get me wrong, I really appreciate the work and imagination behind a good automated level, but once you´ve seen 3 or 4 of them you just want to pick up the controller and play a level yourself.
The Random Chaos category would´ve been minimized and maybe some of those creators, when forced to work with a limited toolset, would have thought things twice when publishing their levels and unconsciously learnt somethings about level design in the process.
The original position of gradually unlocking all elements through 9 days was met with frontal opposition, to the point it was removed from the final release, but after seeing how things have turned out, has anyone of you changed your stance about this?
And the opposite: if you supported the original decission of 9 days to unlock everything, have you changed your mind after spending some time with the game?
In my case, I vouched for the 9 day lockdown and still think it was a good idea. I´ve been unlocking things at a much faster rate than I can make levels to use them, so them being locked for a few days wouldn´t have really bothered me.
Take topic to another castle if not relevant.
