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Super Mario Maker level design layouts and ideas

CrazyHorse said:
Metroid style level https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGZ-mD53X1w
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qGxFh.png
 
JinjoUnchained said:
How about a level where you have to bounce off of flying Koopas over a bottomless pit? The twist is that pipes will shoot out star men in your most direct path from turtle to turtle, so you'll have to angle your jumps to avoid them as the invincibility would cause you to kill the koopa and plunge to your doom.

Here's another one: You're on a small ledge above a bottomless pit on the left hand side, with the flag pole out of reach on the right side. So you have to free fall, bounce off a lakitu, land in his cloud, and fly all the way back up to the flag pole before the lakitu cloud (juggem cloud?) disappears.
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Both of those are really cool ideas! I was thinking earlier about ways to make starmen something you have to avoid, that's perfect.

The cloud one is interesting too, it could be expanded into a more interesting challenge. The main thing that I like is the idea of seeing the flagpole right from the start, but having to fall into a pit and make your way back up in a U-shaped path.
 
Is it just me or do the assets to make things in the game seem very limited, i know you can shake them to give you alternate things but, seing as there are 3 mario games mixed, it seems rather small...

I was watching some video's and thinking oh hey i could make this lvl with this kind of ground... then going oh crap, it's not in the game. So much seems left out. I hope i am really wrong.
 
MissCauthon said:
Is it just me or do the assets to make things in the game seem very limited, i know you can shake them to give you alternate things but, seing as there are 3 mario games mixed, it seems rather small...

I was watching some video's and thinking oh hey i could make this lvl with this kind of ground... then going oh crap, it's not in the game. So much seems left out. I hope i am really wrong.
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Not everything is unlocked from the beginning remember, there are still some things missing in general but there is enough stuff there
 
I Wanna Be The Guy said:
Play it again. Yes they do. One level for example hides the warp pipe to lead to the exit which can only be accessed by using the raccoon suit to fly up to a specific spot.
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Uh, obviously if you've reached the end of the stage and there's no exit in sight, the answer lies in a pipe somewhere. And if you've tried every pipe along the way (and why wouldn't you?), then it's clearly in the sky. Did you honestly expect to never have to use the racoon suit to beat a stage?
 
I am seeing people saying that course searching by name is not included. i've seen there are browse options to the left of the course selection screen in the Course World menu. I have not seen the MagGlass button touched though from the Top Right of the screen. Does that just bring up the same options from the left?
 
GustyGardens said:
Game Informer put up a Test Chamber featuring the game and it's Expert 100 Mario Challenge.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...-39-s-most-difficult-user-created-levels.aspx
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Aw yiss. This seems like fun. I love how everyone is rooting for the guy who is currently playing.
One thing I was wondering about was if there is a possibility to remove videos that you have uploaded. Since there is an initial 10 level upload limit unless you unlock more slots by getting starts and such, it would be crazy if you uploaded 10 bad levels and forever be stuck with those. On the other hand, removing levels would suck because there's a chance a really good level will be removed by the time someone buys the game.
 
some more UI:

zyuqc.jpg

n4udd.jpg


you can see here how some of the menus look. shows that you can check a list of levels you made, levels you played and levels you "starred" (rated). the "play info" is your overall stats screen basically.
 
Valjean Lafitte said:
Uh, obviously if you've reached the end of the stage and there's no exit in sight, the answer lies in a pipe somewhere. And if you've tried every pipe along the way (and why wouldn't you?), then it's clearly in the sky. Did you honestly expect to never have to use the racoon suit to beat a stage?
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Knowing that there's a hidden pipe somewhere you have to fly to and actually knowing exactly where that is are two entirely different things. The point is that this style of level design did not suit the game and was not fun. Going back and forth trying to find the exit is not why I play a Mario game. Fair enough doing that as an extra thing like secret exits in SMW, but for main progression? Ugh. These kind of levels are why SMB3 is one of my least favourite main Mario games.
 
I Wanna Be The Guy said:
Knowing that there's a hidden pipe somewhere you have to fly to and actually knowing exactly where that is are two entirely different things. The point is that this style of level design did not suit the game and was not fun. Going back and forth trying to find the exit is not why I play a Mario game. Fair enough doing that as an extra thing like secret exits in SMW, but for main progression? Ugh. These kind of levels are why SMB3 is one of my least favourite main Mario games.
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I think you are making a bigger deal out of this than it actually is. I beat this game as a kid long before there were guides or anything and I don't remember getting stuck on any of the levels that were talked about so it really couldn't have been that bad.
We're talking about MAYBE running out of time 1-2 times before you should be able to figure out where to go in a hand full of levels across the entire game.
I don't want levels to be totally obscure but hand holding should not be the norm for Mario levels, especially once you get to world 4 or 5.
SMB3 is actually my favorite Mario game because of its variety...
 
Does anyone else plan to make training levels? I have small children and this seems like a great idea to get them started.
 
KeRaSh said:
I think you are making a bigger deal out of this than it actually is. I beat this game as a kid long before there were guides or anything and I don't remember getting stuck on any of the levels that were talked about so it really couldn't have been that bad.
We're talking about MAYBE running out of time 1-2 times before you should be able to figure out where to go in a hand full of levels across the entire game.
I don't want levels to be totally obscure but hand holding should not be the norm for Mario levels, especially once you get to world 4 or 5.
SMB3 is actually my favorite Mario game because of its variety...
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I do want handholding in Mario levels. As far as where I'm supposed to go. I never want where I'm supposed to go to be in question. That's not the game I want to play. Mario provides challenge in the platforming. That's what I want out of a Mario game and that's where the game doesn't need to hold my hand.
 
I Wanna Be The Guy said:
I do want handholding in Mario levels. As far as where I'm supposed to go. I never want where I'm supposed to go to be in question. That's not the game I want to play. Mario provides challenge in the platforming. That's what I want out of a Mario game and that's where the game doesn't need to hold my hand.
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Is this preference of yours only a thing with Mario games? How are you playing / enjoying anything other than Final Fantasy XIII nowdays? I guess every game with waypoints or a map is OK...
Still, I find it very weird to condemn one of the best Mario games for a few levels where the exit is not right in your face. Like I said, we are not talking about some obscure, unsolvable puzzle.
 
Cob32 said:
Does anyone else plan to make training levels? I have small children and this seems like a great idea to get them started.
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aren't the actual games better suited for that? or do you mean really really really really basic training levels? like "learn how to jump over thing without any enemies" type stuff?
 
TheMoon said:
aren't the actual games better suited for that? or do you mean really really really really basic training levels? like "learn how to jump over thing without any enemies" type stuff?
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It could be fun just to make simple levels without any real obstacles for little kids. Note blocks and springboards everywhere, vines to climb etc.

When my sister was really young, 4 or 5 years old, she used to love messing around in the first training level of Tomb Raider on PS1. She didn't even know how to turn on the console and get it to that point, so she'd come to me and say "I want to play Lara's house!" and I would get her all set up so she could just run and jump around. Never played the actual game, just enjoyed the small sandbox.

So I'm thinking that sort of thing done in Mario. :)
 
Valjean Lafitte said:
Touché, but that honestly is the only level in the game that's like that.
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Nah, a good chunk of level 7 is puzzle stuff like this. Really annoyed me when I replayed the game recently.

I Wanna Be The Guy said:
Knowing that there's a hidden pipe somewhere you have to fly to and actually knowing exactly where that is are two entirely different things. The point is that this style of level design did not suit the game and was not fun. Going back and forth trying to find the exit is not why I play a Mario game. Fair enough doing that as an extra thing like secret exits in SMW, but for main progression? Ugh. These kind of levels are why SMB3 is one of my least favourite main Mario games.
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This, except I don't mind it as much. The first six worlds are brilliant.
 
Cob32 said:
Does anyone else plan to make training levels? I have small children and this seems like a great idea to get them started.
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Yes, this is something I am also planning to do... very very basic levels that focus on 1 or 2 gameplay mechanics... Example: A level without pits, focusing on breakable blocks, question blocks/powerups, etc.
 
BGBW said:
This video about 3D World's level design is a handy look into how one can set out a level.

The teaching the player about you level gimmick in a safe way first is a smart idea. A lot of the hard levels being made in Mario Maker basically chuck you in at the deep end. The fact you can choose to skip a level makes it important that you don't annoy the player from the get go by seeming unfair.
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Thank you, I really like the idea of introduction, development, twist and conclusion in game design.

Does anyone have more resources on plat-former or game design in general?
I find most of the levels people made on Youtube unappealing, like too many rules are being broken (no consistent floor, invisible troll blocks, enemy troll blocks, leap of faith..)
The maps of classic Mario games are also interesting to study.
 
TheMoon said:
Not DKC. Just Donkey Kong. Very different.
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But the level is called Kong Country and the creator specifically says it was inspired by DKC. He even tried to create a mine cart section and put in references to Rare... It takes place in a jungle instead of a construction site.
 
RagnarokX said:
But the level is called Kong Country and the creator specifically says it was inspired by DKC. He even tried to create a mine cart section and put in references to Rare...
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just saw the first part when I posted it.

also, I don't really listen to stuff Josh says since he says a lotta nonsense all the time :P
 
My Super Mario Maker ideas shall be unknown to all but my google doc.

It's actually a bunch of course ideas based around the special amiibo costumes...

On that note, I wish you could customize the color of the assets accordingly to lend more distinction to them.
 
Cob32 said:
Does anyone else plan to make training levels? I have small children and this seems like a great idea to get them started.
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Yup. 100%

It's what I'm most excited for. My 3 going on 4 year old kills at Mario kart but can't handle the dpad.

Gonna do flat terrain for level one with a couple of blocks to jump over. Then add a goomba. Then a pit. Etc. even 1-1 is too hard for him right now.
 
Cob32 said:
Does anyone else plan to make training levels? I have small children and this seems like a great idea to get them started.
Click to expand...

This is AMAZING!!! I never thought about this.


My 3 year old will be in love with small simple levels!!!
 
Here's an idea. Why don't we post videos or images of memorable Mario levels from the original games? Might as well get some inspiration from the classics.

The idea I've been looking at is a NSMB update of this classic SMB3 level: That infamous Dark World airship autoscroller.

With more than one ship-to-ship jumping path, and some flying Starmen placed so of you run it just right, you'll be invincible for the level. But it shouldn't be a requirement, just harder to survive without it. Autoscrolling is likely returning, but I need to see just how fast Cheetah is. I'd love to use it, but I have to be careful to not run out of level too fast with it, plus it does limit some obstacles if they have to be navigated fast.

Then end on a cloud with a flagpole. Or tone down the difficulty and have an inside the lead airship part in a sublevel. Fight Bowser Junior or something, maybe. Or a crazy Frankenboss with a tower of enemies. I'll likely hide the real exit in the top right inside a barrier of clouds, so I can reuse the main world, but all the way to the right so it doesn't scroll any further. I'll just not give Mario the propeller helmet in that level. Would trivialize it, anyway.

So that's my first honest level attempt idea, I think. I do want to make some basic levels first, though. Got a mean idea for a Castle finish, so that'll be interesting if it pans out.
 
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