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Super Mario Maker level design layouts and ideas

The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.

If you want to be fair about it, then you place a solid block that already blocks the first thwomp from falling, at the same height as the other invisible blocks.

Or you could trust them to realize that something weird must be going on, and after their first death they'll experiment.

Later I thought of something else you could do to change it from what I illustrated: put the invisible blocks just one space off the floor to make it easier for small Mario to hit all of them quickly. Then the path backwards is a bit tougher: not only are you closer to the thwomps, but Mario is taller.
 
The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.

Just show it for one.

Then slighty up the challenge before full terror.
 
Given that:

1) You can skip levels in the 100 Mario challenge without penalty (you just replace the level that annoys you with another random level).

2) If you're browsing levels, you can of course go back to the menu and check another level at any time.

3) In the 100 Mario challenge, you can rate a level only if you've finished it.

4) We're in 2015. Tons of opportunities for a gamer and so little time, and short attention span in general.

=> The sort of levels in the OP will be at the very bottom of the rate barrel and barely visible/played at all.

Oh don't be a Debbie Downer. I'm sure here in GAF we'll be glad to play OP's levels. GAF's community for this game is gonna be so great.
 
TyMs1da.jpg

I'm betting Nintendo won't let you upload stages with custom sound effects so thankfully you won't be able to share this torture with anyone.
 
OP you just hyped me for this game! Love your ideas!


The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.

I think it can be figured out. Most people do tend to jump to try and go faster/reach further.

No doubt the first try will always end in a loss.
 
Oh don't be a Debbie Downer. I'm sure here in GAF we'll be glad to play OP's levels. GAF's community for this game is gonna be so great.
From the moment this game has been announced, troll designs have been brought up, but IMO people underestimate how the game disfavours those.
 
The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.

Before the obstace you show them three blocks, the invisible one is in the middle, so its a break in the geomerty and its obvious that you need to "jump here, thus revealing the invisible block. Hopefully that will be enough to teach the player that there are invisible blocks.

I liked all the puzzles in the OP. Can't wait to try them!
 
So many ideas. I think to begin with I'll try to master making levels that require precision platforming. Nothing cheap but lots of giant leaps and pit falls.

Then when I’ve become accustomed to the tool set I'll be making haunted ninja houses of deceit that are as tricky as humanly possible.

OMG I cant wait for this game.
 
[im g]http://i.imgur.com/2L7fQvU.jpg[/img]

Hey, I just saw your article here about how the whole map is revealed on the level select screen.

I wondered if you considered putting the main part of the level with the hidden stuff on the "back" path, the second map for when you go through a door or down a pipe. At least IIRC there's a second map you can use, and I haven't seen it shown as part of the level preview like that.

It's what I plan on doing for levels like the ones in this thread where you have secrets in the design that you don't want people to see.
 
Not to be a party pooper but I don't think that Goomba one is possible to make. I'm pretty sure that the level editor won't let you make a level with an impossible jump to the flag pole. Maybe if you made a pipe at the beginning that continuously spawns Goombas it would be okay?
 
Not to be a party pooper but I don't think that Goomba one is possible to make. I'm pretty sure that the level editor won't let you make a level with an impossible jump to the flag pole. Maybe if you made a pipe at the beginning that continuously spawns Goombas it would be okay?

I think the restriction is just that you can't upload levels that are impossible to complete. If I play it through myself and can get to the flagpole then it's fine.

The editor lets you do all sorts of weird things, check this out.
 
The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.

Start off with one thwomp over a small pit with spikes, so that when you naturally jump over the spikes you activate the hidden blocks and see that they stop the thwomp.
 
I'm not a fan of the impossible Kaizo Mario stuff so I'll try to make the levels fit as much your average Mario difficulty level as possible. Same as I tried doing back in LittleBigPlanet :)
 
Just saw a "race the power up" level on a stream ! =D


Also, the obvious megaman recreation with an awesome BubbleMan Stage
 
What about a level like those P-Block ones from the NSMB games (you hit a P-Block to create a path and then run quickly to the next one), but the P-Blocks are hidden in ? Blocks in the ground so that you need to reveal them with Koopa Shells. You can get creative by altering the timing to send the Koopa Shells flying at the ? Block and stuff.
 
The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.

Split the stage into 3 sections, in section 1 have no spiked pit but place a single thwomp above the player, then another after that with breakable bricks underneath to show that thwomps can smash bricks and finally have a bottomless pit with a bridge of breakable blocks and a thwomp above it. Section 2 would have a mixture of thwomps , bricks and pits and eventually spikes but you'd only get the P block towards the end where you could visually demonstrate that a p block won't break under thwomps weight and then finally, section 3 could be the final test depicted by OP. The spacing would need to be almost perfect though, maybe thwomp 1 and 2 would activate at roughly the same time so you'd have to jump twice and then take a second before inching forward to block 3 and 4 and again before 5 and 6.
 
I'm interested in making Nintendo-esque levels, and have a concept in my head for a Lost Levels-esque "sequel" to Super Mario World that revolves around Bowser invading somewhere with an armada of airships. The airship music for the SMW theme is incredible and I think there's some neat design space with the feather in an airship level, especially as a replacement for castles. So I'm going to try to build a cohesive set of levels into worlds, implementing a bit more technical feather use on the airship level at the end of each world.
 
It's so obvious that this game will win GOTY.

First game I have ever preordered in my life. And it was only £30! Bargain.
 
The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.

Would you not start by making some visible blocks below the first few Thwomps? Or put a clue in level title.
 
Also, on the evil side of things...

A level where you start out immediately getting a powerup like fire Mario, and a pipe that keeps spitting out more fire flowers.

To the right is an incredibly difficult challenge full of all kinds of enemies. Players can keep returning to the pipe for more flowers to keep challenging the mess over there but it's just not possible to get through. Maybe it ends in a solid wall.

What you really have to do is hit an invisible block off to the left as small Mario, since the block is really low to the ground. This releases a vine to the top of the level where an easy path takes you to the end.

Couldn't you just crouch slide under that block as big Mario though?
 
Also, someone needs to do a Flappy Bird level. Super Mario World. Cape. Pipes and pits. Go. Or on a winged Yoshi.

I made a Flappy Bird-ish level, but without the cape or winged Yoshi because I haven't unlocked SMW yet. Also, I thought it'd be a little easier with jumps, but still tried to make it challenging.

It has a completion rate of 2.5%, so... maybe I made it a bit too hard...
 
My reviewer friend made a level inspired by Metroid. Forgive his commentary, he's an apathetic guy from Austria!

The idea is that there is lots of exploration and that you can only get past certain obstacles by getting a specific power-up fist. So, first he needs a mushroom to grow big and destroy some blocks on the way to pick up a fire flower. The fire balls are then used to destroy a piranha plant wall. After that the shoe, feather, star and shell helmet are all used as a way to gate progress. There are also two mini-bosses, one of them is intended to look a little like Ridley.

The level is not without issues. The timer is too short for example (you can't edit it). Making exploration a little too punishing. Because of this the level basically demands replays until you know where to go. Aside from that I don't think it's super obvious for the average joe which upgrade is needed for what exactly. Communicating that stuff to the player is tough.

Still, I love the idea and I hope to see more levels like these once it launches.
 
Had no idea we had these (amazing) custom sounds and effects. I need to buy/steal a Wii U!

Check out this level around the 12:10 mark, "Winners don't do shrooms." The only way to clear the level is to stay small Mario, but there are nearly no enemies, and there are mushrooms everywhere: https://youtu.be/CszEpvTb5BM?t=12m30s

Absolutely brilliant stuff. The most inspired level I've seen, imo.

EDIT: If the timestamp doesn't work (it goes to 7 min for me), skip to 12:30.
Woah, brilliant :O
 
Check out this level around the 12:10 mark, "Winners don't do shrooms." The only way to clear the level is to stay small Mario, but there are nearly no enemies, and there are mushrooms everywhere: https://youtu.be/CszEpvTb5BM?t=12m30s

Absolutely brilliant stuff. The most inspired level I've seen, imo.

EDIT: If the timestamp doesn't work (it goes to 7 min for me), skip to 12:30.
LOOOOOOOL

This level made me realize great things will come out of this game. My body is ready.
It really isn't. Oh the rage quits...
 
Given that:

1) You can skip levels in the 100 Mario challenge without penalty (you just replace the level that annoys you with another random level).

2) If you're browsing levels, you can of course go back to the menu and check another level at any time.

3) In the 100 Mario challenge, you can rate a level only if you've finished it.

4) We're in 2015. Tons of opportunities for a gamer and so little time, and short attention span in general.

=> The sort of levels in the OP will be at the very bottom of the rate barrel and barely visible/played at all.

yet there will be millions of them all the same.

Also : what do you think streamers will play : clever levels fairly designed with interesting pacing and difficulty curve or : "HOLY SHIT THIS IS SO UNFAIR FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUU #memeface *throws controller against wall and jump around room*"


So yeah, these levels will have a lot of traction and exposure don't worry, it's wether they will impede the enjoyment of people who just want to play good levels that remains to be seen.
 
I just figure out of a million terrible levels, there's gotta be close to a thousand good ones. I just hope those ones are the ones to get filtered through all the shit.

The game is looking GOTY good btw, can't wait to get started with it.
 
Woolly World actually has a special stage unlockable where you have to escort enemies through various traps and stuff, without killing them, so you can use them for something at the end. Very very tricky but fun. Would love to see someone get that working well in this.
 
It's going to be madness.

I'm planning on making levels based on the theme "Super Kooopa World".
1-1, 1-2 and so on. 6 levels per world.
 
The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.
You give them mandatory gaps to jump over which will force the player to hit the invisible blocks. You also put arrows pointing at them for these first sections. Then after that you have the real section.
 
My reviewer friend made a level inspired by Metroid. Forgive his commentary, he's an apathetic guy from Austria!

The idea is that there is lots of exploration and that you can only get past certain obstacles by getting a specific power-up fist. So, first he needs a mushroom to grow big and destroy some blocks on the way to pick up a fire flower. The fire balls are then used to destroy a piranha plant wall. After that the shoe, feather, star and shell helmet are all used as a way to gate progress. There are also two mini-bosses, one of them is intended to look a little like Ridley.

The level is not without issues. The timer is too short for example (you can't edit it). Making exploration a little too punishing. Because of this the level basically demands replays until you know where to go. Aside from that I don't think it's super obvious for the average joe which upgrade is needed for what exactly. Communicating that stuff to the player is tough.

Still, I love the idea and I hope to see more levels like these once it launches.

Dude, this level is absolutely awesome. It really flows like a Metroid game, and using powerups to access new areas to solve puzzles and have boss fights is genius. It could definitely be a bit shorter though since people will undoubtedly run out of time if they don't know exactly what to do.
 
The harders part about this would be how to make it so the players know what to do, how do you teach them there will be invisible blocks below thwomps in a controlled enviroment.
Coins.
Coins are the answer for (almost) everything.
They'll need to jump to get those coins and thus, hitting the invisible block.
Just show the first one with a coins above and everyone will understand.
 
I plan on making a level with the Mario World cape where I have a trail of coins showing your path above a huge gap. You'll have to dive bomb accurately to get past the obstacles I'll have in mid air. I'll have the level in several sections, starting out very simple with room for error but for the final flight super precision will be required.

I'll also have a level dedicated to sacrificing Yoshi's.
 
Okay, I'm dumb, because I feel like I'm missing something. This one looks impossible to me. If you need the Mushroom to break the blocks to finish, but thwomps trap you on the right side, how are you supposed to get back to the blocks you need to break?

Hitting the invisible blocks will stop the thwomps from ever hitting the brick blocks.
 
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