One other thing I've been doing recently is checking to see who has starred my levels and then going to play a couple of theirs. If you click on the white Stars/Players button on your level list, it will show you everyone who's played the level, who starred it, and who completed it. I figure if a player's willing to show my level some love, the least I can do is give some of their levels a shot.
@Kirk How many stars/playthroughs a level gets is never going to be a meritocracy. NCIS is often the highest rated drama on television but is it the best show on television? Not even close. Some people just like crap and some people are just going to star levels because they're a fan of the designer.
What I make a point to do is go into the "Up and Coming" section and play levels that have very few playthroughs because I want everyone to have their level seen (even if that level is not so great). So that's what I suggest we all do: every time you start up Mario Maker, go play a level or two from "Up and Coming" and show some love to those rarely played levels. Also, I star levels liberally. If a level is functional, at all clever, and/or remotely fun, I'll star it.
What the game really needs is a playtest option where you can send out your level to people on your friends list first and they can offer feedback before it's posted for public consumption. Because it's tremendously difficult to predict how a player is going to react to playing your level for the first time and random people who don't like your level won't offer feedback.
Here are a couple of my levels: THE PAC-MAN HUNGERS - 2511-0000-0033-55DC (this is the one where most of my stars are coming from) GO AHEAD AND JUMP! - EA73-0000-0028-D25E (this is a rather simple one I'm proud of, but hasn't gotten much play)
This is the first ranked mode that I'm actually good at, so I'm definitely enjoying it. It's just frustrating when someone else has the rainmaker and decides to take a more difficult path to the goal. On Camp Triggerfish, you should learn in a couple rounds the best path is to go around on the left, use the railings as cover, and catch the enemy in that choke point at the end, but players will often go straight at the spawn point with the rainmaker... and quickly get killed.
@Shiryu ...and use shoes with Bomb Sniffer, so you can see the other teams mines and the various other bombs they may hurl at you from behind.
I'm finding the roller to be the best weapon in tower control. Specifically, the default roller that comes with the suction bombs and the killer wail. It's a perfect combo for this mode and I say this as someone who hadn't played with the roller (outside of Amiibo challenges) since the week the game was released.
If they were releasing this on Wii U, I maybe could understand the outrage. But does anyone really want the continuation of the main Metroid Prime saga to take place on the 3DS? This is a spin-off title, if you're that offended, just pretend it doesn't exist. I think it looks like it could be fun.
Also, I saw Triforce Heroes mentioned above as another big disappointment. I'm sorry, but that game looks great. And it's a Zelda game with online multiplayer, I didn't think we'd ever see that from Nintendo. They've been so adamant that all their other co-op games are meant to be played in the same room with other people.
I do think the Animal Crossing game looks dumb. I'm not even against doing a Mario Party-style game in that universe, but it looks like the blandest board game experience ever. It looks like Mario Party without the mini-games. Who in the world wants to play that?
Typoman is really creative. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but it's quirky, atmospheric, and full of smart puzzles. It's like they turned the morning Word Jumble into a puzzle platformer. Very cool.
I'd never thought of having a female Link, but it really is a great idea. He's not Mario, he's not Star Fox, Link is a role played by multiple characters throughout the history of the series. He's like the Marvel Comics character Iron Fist, there are multiple versions throughout time. I'm a big Doctor Who fan, but one of the things that really bugged me since the relaunch is that he always regenerates as another pale white guy. There have been scenes when he regenerates where he's checked to make sure he hasn't grown a second head, but he can't grow boobs or come back with a darker skin color? There's a similar problem with Link. Nintendo should mix it up a little.
Also, I don't think this qualifies as gender swapping. Nor does the female Thor qualify as gender swapping. Thor was no longer worthy of carrying his hammer, a woman picked it up. Male Thor still exists, the male Links would still exist. It's a different thing. Gender swapping is something like when they relaunched Battlestar Galactica and cast Starbuck as a woman.
I played 4 matches last night and while I like the concept, the scoring definitely needs to be changed. Being first place on the losing team and not only getting nothing but actually dropping rank, is just no fun. If this is "Ranked Battle" shouldn't it be focused on an individual's performance regardless of what team they're on? It's going to take a lot longer to separate the good players from the bad and great players from the good, if great performances get you nothing when you happen to be on the losing team.
Also, while I'm sure some players are unaware of the difference in rules and are just inking everything in sight, inking a quieter area can be a good way to quickly build up your special. So maybe they're not all terrible players... maybe.
Comments 9
Re: More Than A Million Super Mario Maker Levels Have Been Uploaded In A Week
One other thing I've been doing recently is checking to see who has starred my levels and then going to play a couple of theirs. If you click on the white Stars/Players button on your level list, it will show you everyone who's played the level, who starred it, and who completed it. I figure if a player's willing to show my level some love, the least I can do is give some of their levels a shot.
Re: More Than A Million Super Mario Maker Levels Have Been Uploaded In A Week
@Kirk How many stars/playthroughs a level gets is never going to be a meritocracy. NCIS is often the highest rated drama on television but is it the best show on television? Not even close. Some people just like crap and some people are just going to star levels because they're a fan of the designer.
What I make a point to do is go into the "Up and Coming" section and play levels that have very few playthroughs because I want everyone to have their level seen (even if that level is not so great). So that's what I suggest we all do: every time you start up Mario Maker, go play a level or two from "Up and Coming" and show some love to those rarely played levels. Also, I star levels liberally. If a level is functional, at all clever, and/or remotely fun, I'll star it.
What the game really needs is a playtest option where you can send out your level to people on your friends list first and they can offer feedback before it's posted for public consumption. Because it's tremendously difficult to predict how a player is going to react to playing your level for the first time and random people who don't like your level won't offer feedback.
Here are a couple of my levels:
THE PAC-MAN HUNGERS - 2511-0000-0033-55DC (this is the one where most of my stars are coming from)
GO AHEAD AND JUMP! - EA73-0000-0028-D25E (this is a rather simple one I'm proud of, but hasn't gotten much play)
Re: Video: Drench Yourself in Splatoon's New Rainmaker Mode
This is the first ranked mode that I'm actually good at, so I'm definitely enjoying it. It's just frustrating when someone else has the rainmaker and decides to take a more difficult path to the goal. On Camp Triggerfish, you should learn in a couple rounds the best path is to go around on the left, use the railings as cover, and catch the enemy in that choke point at the end, but players will often go straight at the spawn point with the rainmaker... and quickly get killed.
Re: Reminder: Amazon-Exclusive Palutena amiibo Orders Open Today in North America
Just got mine, keep refreshing people. You can still get one.
Re: Guide: Master Splatoon's New Tower Control Mode with these Easy-to-Use Tricks & Tips
@Shiryu ...and use shoes with Bomb Sniffer, so you can see the other teams mines and the various other bombs they may hurl at you from behind.
I'm finding the roller to be the best weapon in tower control. Specifically, the default roller that comes with the suction bombs and the killer wail. It's a perfect combo for this mode and I say this as someone who hadn't played with the roller (outside of Amiibo challenges) since the week the game was released.
Re: Talking Point: Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Entitled Fury
If they were releasing this on Wii U, I maybe could understand the outrage. But does anyone really want the continuation of the main Metroid Prime saga to take place on the 3DS? This is a spin-off title, if you're that offended, just pretend it doesn't exist. I think it looks like it could be fun.
Also, I saw Triforce Heroes mentioned above as another big disappointment. I'm sorry, but that game looks great. And it's a Zelda game with online multiplayer, I didn't think we'd ever see that from Nintendo. They've been so adamant that all their other co-op games are meant to be played in the same room with other people.
I do think the Animal Crossing game looks dumb. I'm not even against doing a Mario Party-style game in that universe, but it looks like the blandest board game experience ever. It looks like Mario Party without the mini-games. Who in the world wants to play that?
Re: Nindies@Home E3 Promotion Offers Wii U eShop Demos With 15 Percent Off The Final Game
Typoman is really creative. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but it's quirky, atmospheric, and full of smart puzzles. It's like they turned the morning Word Jumble into a puzzle platformer. Very cool.
Re: Rumour: Could Female Link Be In Hyrule Warriors On 3DS?
I'd never thought of having a female Link, but it really is a great idea. He's not Mario, he's not Star Fox, Link is a role played by multiple characters throughout the history of the series. He's like the Marvel Comics character Iron Fist, there are multiple versions throughout time. I'm a big Doctor Who fan, but one of the things that really bugged me since the relaunch is that he always regenerates as another pale white guy. There have been scenes when he regenerates where he's checked to make sure he hasn't grown a second head, but he can't grow boobs or come back with a darker skin color? There's a similar problem with Link. Nintendo should mix it up a little.
Also, I don't think this qualifies as gender swapping. Nor does the female Thor qualify as gender swapping. Thor was no longer worthy of carrying his hammer, a woman picked it up. Male Thor still exists, the male Links would still exist. It's a different thing. Gender swapping is something like when they relaunched Battlestar Galactica and cast Starbuck as a woman.
Re: Hands On: Checking Out Splatoon's Freshly Unlocked Ranked Battle Mode
I played 4 matches last night and while I like the concept, the scoring definitely needs to be changed. Being first place on the losing team and not only getting nothing but actually dropping rank, is just no fun. If this is "Ranked Battle" shouldn't it be focused on an individual's performance regardless of what team they're on? It's going to take a lot longer to separate the good players from the bad and great players from the good, if great performances get you nothing when you happen to be on the losing team.
Also, while I'm sure some players are unaware of the difference in rules and are just inking everything in sight, inking a quieter area can be a good way to quickly build up your special. So maybe they're not all terrible players... maybe.