The bigger difference between the two is more about functionality. Things like being able to build up a nice collection of power ups versus a limited bar of about 10 at a time. The enemy battles on the map were also better on the Wii, the Wii U ones seem too frantic and easy to get knocked out of.
As far as the actual levels and gameplay, each Mario game has plenty of "more of the same" elements as well as it's own unique mechanics in spots, but the NSMB games are certainly the most similar looking titles.
What's been annoying me about the slopes issue is that articles like this one, that give us some comments from the development team, have been completely silent on the issue. Is there in fact a problem implementing them into the grid system? Then SAY SO! Just a quick mention that there are technical difficulties putting them in or whatever, so we can turn our attention to things that are more possible.
I'm sure more themes are possible, and I'm getting a bit tired of deciding between the same few. As in all the main series games, there are a few different types of more all-purpose "ground" levels, but you only get one here. The other themes are all the more specific types-Ghost House, Airship, Castle. At least rotate in some different music choices for the one ground theme. I'm also happy with the game as it is, but as long as we're making wish lists...
So, are the P-switch doors going to be visible outlines until a switch is hit, or invisible? There's certainly a strategic difference, the way ghost houses use hidden doors wouldn't be possible if the surprise is spoiled by seeing the outline first. And I wonder if they have their own separate switches or if they use the same coin-box swapping switches. More interesting possiblities if the blue and orange switches are independent of each other, but the clip doesn't really say.
It's probably time to stop asking for slopes, though. I don't think it's because of SMB compatibility, it's just most likely something that requires finer adjustment settings than the grid would allow.
Most useful additions at this point are more themes and more enemy types.
Geez, I wish I had enough upload capacity to be prolific enough to need to copy ideas. I'm still stuck in limit-of-10 territory. I have backlogged levels I can't do anything with because everyone heaps their stars on the same "celebrity" creators. How many uploads at a time does this guy have, anyway?
Well, I guess it doesn't matter if plenty of thought went into designing a level when it comes to the odd popularity contests of Course World. I just played a round of 100 Mario challenge last night, and I was serve up a good few questionable messes to play through. Some that seem positively lazy in how simple and easy they are, and some so randomly haphazard I had to give up.
But they go ahead and purge half of the levels I put up already. So, what, is the goal to have the bulk of uploaded levels seem like they came from blundering amatures to make the real Nintendo developed levels look like it needs a pro to pull it off?
So, this one's down, and so are a few more I've listed here. I guess I can just upload them again. Not sure if they get "flagged" at all as previously deleted and then removed even faster, or a second time may be an entirely different result and become a "hit". Oh well, it gives me the option of retooling them and adding checkpoints if I choose.
@ledreppe You're supposed to be able to get that by shaking a muncher. That seems like an even more reliable method than before, which was more random (and usually happened at times when I was on a roll building a level and didn't want to get interrupted by frantic screen tapping)
That's two solid valuable ones that help shape the ways you can make a level. Excellent.
And maybe, while everyone clamors for slopes, one of these Nintendo news sites with the ability to conduct developer interviews will get ahold of someone that worked on SMM and ask them if it's even possible. I've been waiting to see if there's just a basic issue with slopes requiring a more complex editing environment. As it is, the editing map is a block-based grid. Tracks can run through the centers of the blocks and connect in any direction, but slopes would be a messier equation if they were as flexible as in the regular Mario titles.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but slopes weren't used in SMB, right? Sure, they went nuts with them in SMB3. They're everywhere, and at all different angles. I doubt they didn't include them just because it would make the SMB levels unlike the game it's in the style of (SMW didn't have Airships, but it does here).Easy enough on whatever workstations the games were made on, but as a game running on a home console, it may need more of a "high resolution" editing environment. I choose to see this as something they probably can't just add in, and I'll let them surprise me if it turns out they can.
This still shouldn't be a big question for families with kids. Nintendo has been the Disney of game systems for decades now. What about PS4 or XBOX one really cry out "family system"? Grand Theft Auto? Call Of Duty? Halo? That's primarily what these systems seem to offer. Yes, Liitle Big Planet 3 or Rare Replay offer a more kid-friendly experience, and I know there must be more, but Nintendo can always be counted on to excel at family-centered games while still having things that should appeal to the more adult audience (unless you're looking to pop in some Bayonetta with the tykes).
It's hard for me to join in the cries of "no third party support", because it's all but a "who cares?" issue. It's a Nintendo machine, and Nintendo is going to cover most of the bases themselves anyway. Third party games on a Nintendo system are usually more of a distraction while waiting for the next Nintendo game. The issue I have with the other machines is "No FIRST party support". While not fully true, it's the way it feels with those systems. Almost all of their high profile titles are third party, or at least developed by company with their own identity and reputation (like Rare, or Media Molecule). Not enough titles if all you get is the first party games? Tell that to all the people who have put big money into buying their own Ms Pac-Man arcade machine or whichever was their old favorite. One title, that's it.
Even though it still comes down to different tastes in the end, the question of which of the 3 systems is best for families is a lot like taking the family out to the movie multiplex - You could take them to the new Disney/Pixar movie, or the latest Fast and Furious, Zombie Horror or War films. Which seems like a better fit?
Well, this is a bit confusing. Seems like almost everyone's choosing to just rattle off their level codes as replies to this post, but that's not what the video is saying to do. What I'm not so clear on is whether that's what we've already been doing by adding level listings on the dedicated page, or something else. Because he describes it as "upload your level", but the link is just to that page. "Upload"? Isn't it more like create a listing" with that page?
If I've already done that with several levels, do I just sit tight and see if any of mine ever get picked? The video announcement just makes it sound like we need to do something additional to get in on it.
There's one thing every Mario games has had over the years that you can't get with Maro Maker - a play guide. Before the internet, there were serveral gaming magazines to point you through the tougher spots.
So now that we're orphaned and left to figure out SMM levels on our own, any level that's too puzzling is scrapped in favor of the next one, and the other key factor in low completion rates. Don't know what to do in this level? Ah, skip it. There's a couple million more to choose from.
I'm guessing that considering the length of the list of makers available that a very small fraction of those submitting levels make the cut. And judging by the familiarity of names like "Andre GX" and "Panga" and "Projared", these guys climbed the charts because they were already "internet famous" in gaming circles. I havn't been able to find myself on any of those lists. The rest of us players are at the mercy of whatever random chance the game employs to select 100 Mario challenge levels you get.
It looks like I'll be stuck for a long time to come with my 10 level limit, since I get starred at a fraction of a percentage of the rate the course maker elite do. From here on I guess the levels I make will just live in my Wii U's memory.
Maybe not too hard, but it's a bit of a struggle whenever you unleash a few Lakitus on things. Simple premise and layout- just get past an endless supply of Koopas to reach the end. But the supply keeps getting replenished from above, so it's not going to be easy to predict. The ? boxes all give you help, but it's hard to hold on to those fire flowers when it's raining turtles. The one way gates solved the problem of an easy cheat - You can't steal a Lakitu cloud if you can't get up to it. Guess you'll just have to plow through those koopas.
When I was first play-testing this, I had no idea that the wigglers could jump into the car and steal it. It was a genuine LOL when it happened. The only catch is you're cooked if he does, because you can't get it back from him and you need it. So don't wait too long to hop in. You'll need to get Yoshi to grab the P-switch, and take the time to go up and get a helmet from the pipe, it'll help ahead.
I went easy on the Bowser here. there's enough other stuff going on I didn't want to add some double king size mess to deal with. Easier than most real SMW castles for me, but still a enough of a tustle.
What if 2D Mario levels operated like Mario 64's do, where you go back into an area you've been to for a different adventure? It's a little like that. It just builds on the first part by piling on more ostacles. The first part is just the same as before. The cavern sub-world, however, has two new areas that lead to power ups. It's not always that easy to hang onto them, though.
The big difference is when you take the pipe back up. It's a cavalry of power ups! But they're all fermented up here, and good luck avoiding a rush of moles while you're pickled on funky mushrooms. And watch your step around the new spikes, 'cause there's a few of those. The best course is to keep grabbing mushrooms and bluster your way to a lakitu's cloud, then head for the fire flower a little higher and ahead, then fire away at the lakitus until you reach the end. It's a messy and chaotic scramble, but doable most of the time for me.
I guess some would find this level annoying, but there's something about the way these moles go off like popcorn all around you, especially with the sound effect. The key to blowing through this easily is to charge ahead and know how to make the jumps quickly without getting hung up on the little bumps and drops. You don't get any power ups to help you (or do you?....), You just need to charge to the finish without getting rattled by the steady bursting of Monty Moles.
I doubt I'm the only one to think of this, but being able to combine the ground theme with the castle as a subworld made for a good heaven/hell level. It's hard to get in any real danger up above. You can fall off in some spots buts there's no enemies to attack and plenty of pointless coins and 1ups to grab while frolicking around. But you'll have to go through the pipes to get to the end.
All the high stakes platforming happens below. (and it's handy that you don't get a preview map of a level's subworld, so you can't study what to do ahead of time). Hint: the first area is a dead end, just meant to show you that it's hostile below, and you should instantly bullet-bounce back into the pipe. The next pipe is the only way to advance, though. I hope it's tricky but fair for most players. I'm not that big on brutally hard levels myself, so if I can design it and get through it most of the time, I'd think any good Mario player can handle it.
Be ready to act fast in the last sub-world area. You'll be dumped onto falling platforms that you'll need to climb up and make it to the pipe.
Well, I feel a bit better seeing how many other people trying to make actual Mario type levels are having trouble standing out from the crowd of auto & hyper-hard ones. Although seeing one of them say they had only gotten about 210 stars bummed me out, since I think I've gotten less than 10 still. I get about 5-10 notifications a day of activity, lots of "someone" played your level, some give actual names, and I wonder if you get that even if all they do is look at the start, see that it's not going to play itself for them or throw 50 stacks of large spiny-goomba-koopa-bowsers at them and so they bail on it.
I'd like to see rather than just "played your level", a notification that says they COMPLETED it. It's pretty obvious if they did if they give it a star, and I even got a screen shot of someone finishing one of mine, but I still wonder if having millions of levels available causes people to skip and dismiss anything they don't have patience for, but it still gets reported back to you that someone "played" it.
I'm generally trying to produce the kind of levels I prefer to play- a few tricky spots, and one or two areas that require some figuring out, connected together by some basic Mario goomba jumping and shell kicking. Seems like others are looking for this as well, but it looks like it's hard to be found amongst all the auto plays and brutal challenge ones. And of course the "not really trying" type levels usually show up in any 100 Mario challenge, too. The extra short and very random mishmashes put up by users that don't have much of a sense of how to build a level.
I guess I won't be getting upgraded to more than 10 uploads any time soon at this rate. Good thing I have a 2nd Wii U, then, but I've almost used up my 10 on both.
This kind of level might be more appropriate if they made a "Sonic Maker" game. We're already used to sitting there watching parts of Sonic levels run on autopilot. I find myself waiting to see if any of these levels have weak spots that don't always go as planned, but so far they've all been seamless. At least it's an easy pass if you're working your way through a 100 Mario Challenge .
I'm more bothered by the "let's see how many giant enemy stacks we can start the level with" types. Loading the space with an impossible mob of enemies and 50 stars bouncing all over so you can plow through them is not enjoyable level design. Would you turn your stereo up louder than you can stand and then wear earplugs to compensate or stare at the sun while wearing 15 pairs of sunglasses? It's always more interesting and challenging to place one or two enemies in a way that presents an obstacle and a single strategic power-up than a 100 enemies on all sides and an atom bomb to neutralize them all. It's also no big thrill to rack up 50 1ups in a second since they don't matter like they do in the regular games. You can only get 3 from each level, and it's still more fun to find one lone 1up in a hidden box than have a hundred rain down on you for doing basically nothing.
Well, there is ONE place where coins and lives matter a little - If you line up 4 levels in the coursebot, you can play them as a "world". You start with 3 lives, and carry over any you earn during the levels.
Of course, you can obviously only do this with levels that are in your courses, which means you probably created them yourself. So you're setting your own challenge here, which takes away from it a bit, since you may not want to set yourself up as much of a challenge as Nintendo may have done. And power-ups don't carry over, so the fun of grabbing one that isn't in the level you're doing is gone.
But it's a little something, anyway. I recreated the entire first world of SMB this way, and it plays much the same. You even get a "world clear" screen at the end. Other than that, this is clearly a different type of Mario experience and some of those old rules just don't apply in this format.
Mario Maker is indeed a cool stage, but I can't help but notice that at all times it's displaying something that doesn't really reflect the source material - why, it's SLOPED SURFACES! There's even some tilted platforms for a moment. I guess it would be even more innacurate to show the hand drawing that, but I wonder what the thought was when they chose to have such cut corners on the platforms. Certainly not "hey, this will look just like the actual game!". It's practically mocking us, but it's still a nice stage to have.
I wouldn't mind being able to set up power up blocks the way they usually work - where they give Super Mario a fire flower or cape, but only give small mario a mushroom. It helps up the challenge a little.
I'd like those slopes as much as the next person, but I think you're looking at a tougher implementation with that. The interface is designed on square grid, and that may be a limitation needed in order to make the editing process so quick and dynamic in real time. Defining a non-squared ground line may be more than it can do while remaining playable in one click. There's plenty of things common to Mario games since at least SMW that may also be too difficult to include - Swaying mushroom platforms, snake blocks, the giant ramrods from castle stages, the 4 platform spinning wheels that only move forward as they turn. At any rate, I hope someone interviews one of the developers and asks what items couldn't be used because they couldn't be simplified enough.
The main thing I want is still themes. A few more across each game style. Preferably ones that don't result in more solid black backgrounds for SMB and SMB3.
Apart from those things I'm sure many of us are hoping they add in a Fliprus.
Anyone test if this update fixed the take-no-damage glitch recently found? That seems like a hole Nintendo would prefer to plug, especially if people were already designing levels meant to exploit it.
It seems a SMB2 template would require a lot more than the others unless you just wanted the visual style. To do it justice you'd also need more vertical space than just 2 screens high, and it would really conflict with the ability to swap game styles (I don't recall being able to yank radishes out of the ground or create magic doors in any of the other styles) .
I'd just be happy with more templates for the ones we have. Star Road, Forest, Desert, Snow, as well as one with a water level. (like SMW 1-4). A few more enemy types, too. And another thing I'd realy like to see is some shake options for the tracks - shake once for a simple thin line, shake twice for invisible tracks (dotted lines while editing).
I hope the main focus won't always be on insanely hard. Creative and fun should at least place in that race.
But mostly, I'm just a bit frustrated how fast things are rushed into being old news. "Been out a few weeks"?! It's been one week, 4 days. Already we're moving on, calling it older than it is and lamenting a lack of titles for the Holiday season. Um, this IS a title for the holiday season, if we don't rush to call it a old classic before it's been on shelves a month, that is.
I've been trying to make levels that have about the same challenge level as average official stages had. Some tricky spots, but not a gaunlet of precision multitasking acrobatics. It's actually easier in some ways to make a ridiculously hard level than it is to find a good balance in a moderate one. There's a place for brutal difficulty, but if it's all anyone wants to make or talk about it'll turn playing the 100 Mario challenge into a screen swiping skip fest.
I wonder if Miyamoto would have ever imagined, while he was sketching out graph paper level ideas 30 years ago, that the entire process would become an entertaining game itself. And what a nice job they did building it up from what we saw in the first reveal last year. The way it looked then seemed a little more limited but fun looking, but they built it into a love letter to Mario history and made level creation into a gaming passtime.
I can understand why some things are tweaked (being hit by a fireball doesn't turn enemies into coins?) and why slopes and other mainstay elements aren't present. Some things would require a deeper interface and be less accesible to some players, or bog down the experience. But they also threw in just enough to make up for it by adding new elements (were one way gates ever a thing before?).
I feel a bit bad if any of the development team were happy wih the timed rollout of tools, because they put some work into making even that a fun experience, I'm glad though that they didn't fully buckle and remove it completely just to satisfy us crybabies. They sped it up in just the right way. I really didn't want to resort to clock cheats but I didn't want to wait a week to try some Mario World courses either. Now two days in and it'll be in the next delivery, later tonight I imagine.
Even though it's great the way it is already, I'm anxious to find out what's conceivable with DLC besides more costumes.
Nice move on their part. I see the ways they were trying to get enjoyable gameplay spread out over time instead of rushing through it all. The presentation is more than just a toolset, though, and it was a good combination of learning curve and accomplishment as they had it. But 9 days gets bothersome if you're really waiting for one of the last items.
I guess it's a little random, though. Since I have two versions (yep, I had pre-purchased it on disc but then I got tempted by the system bundle, so I got dueling Wii U's now). I spent about the same time with each, but one opened up the next batch and the other one hasn't yet. But I also have twice the upload limit once they fill out!
More background themes, please. Forest of Illusion, Star World, maybe even some kind of switch palace/bonus room kind of thing.
I've been wondering if the lack of slopes is due to an effort to keep the creation process easier, or because SMB didn't have any. It shouldn't matter if slopes are out of place in that style, since airships are out of place in SMW yet there they are. I think it's to do with the grid method of filling the space they're using, the tool would just have to have more complex options in order to define non-squared terrain.
What contraptions would people like to see, though, if they could add some in? Those countdown platforms from SMW? Ground panels that rise or lower only when stood on? So many levels relied on items like this in the original games, but would they get repetitive if they were available to use? And I could certainly see adding in boss rooms and and a few Boom Boom type bosses with a few attack patterns each.
I agree that the amiibo costumes are amusing, but too limited a thing to get too excited about DLC that only adds more of those. Giving them an actual power up ability (Link's arrows, Kirby's float, etc.) would make it a lot more interesting, but it's a bit late for that since none of the current ones can do that.
Wow, a review a week and a half ahead of availablity? Now you're just tauting us regular folk.
To those raising the question of "last 2D Mario you'll ever need", well, no. It's a nice set of tools, but it's missing tons of things that have been staples of 2D Mario since at least SMB3. You won't even be able to slide down a hill of goombas due to the lack of slopes, and think of how many complex conveyor types and enemy types you'll have no access to. If you just wanted to use it to recreate past levels, you'd actually find very few you could do.
This review pretty much nails that by calling it a divergent path. They're not giving you the means to create everything that could ever be in a Mario game, or even everything that ever was in one. Just a nice, big set of standard elements to mix and match, and a couple new tricks (has there ever been a level with those "one way" gates before?). I trust the more inventive creators will come up with plenty of resourceful ideas, but you won't be able to put a Rex into your SMW levels, or set up a vertically scrolling "rising lava" level, or a Reznor wheel. The list goes on, but so does the list of possible new ideas.
I just look forward right now to getting past this annoying period where the press keeps showing off what they're doing with it while we sit and wait out the release schedule.
In a way, you can't fault Nintendo for being caught off guard that these sell out so well. With the Wii U selling like parkas at a beach resort, they should be forgiven for being cautious about going into massive production for what is essentially accessories for that system. They probably imagined someone 30 years from now making a documentary about digging up a landfill and finding tons of unsold Zeldas.
With all we've seen of it now, we can start to plan on what we can and can't put together with it.
Above all, it's a great tool set to get our hands on, and there should be an endless supply of interesting levels to make. But I'm starting to wonder how many levels from actual Mario games it's capable of making. Not that it's meant to just duplicate levels from the past games, but with the elements that are missing, it would be impossible to get every detail. No sloped surfaces to slide down means tons of levels can't be outright copied. And Super Mario World was brimming with special gadget platforms you won't have to work with. It seems the SMM levels will have to rely more on mazes and enemies than rotating triple platforms and bars of blocks that expand and contract, and all the other level gimmicks not present. It'll be interesting to see if people can find alternate ways to do some of those things, though.
Has any mention been made of DLC, and what sort of things they can add to the tool set?
With all we've seen of it now, we can start to plan on what we can and can't put together with it.
Above all, it's a great tool set to get our hands on, and there should be an endless supply of interesting levels to make. But I'm starting to wonder how many levels from actual Mario games it's capable of making. Not that it's meant to just duplicate levels from the past games, but with the elements that are missing, it would be impossible to get every detail. No sloped surfaces to slide down means tons of levels can't be outright copied. And Super Mario World was brimming with special gadget platforms you won't have to work with. It seems the SMM levels will have to rely more on mazes and enemies than rotating triple platforms and bars of blocks that expand and contract, and all the other level gimmicks not present. It'll be interesting to see if people can find alternate ways to do some of those things, though.
Has any mention been made of DLC, and what sort of things they can add to the tool set?
Where do Nintendo commercials even run these days? I never really see any, but I'm probably not watching the shows they'd be most likely to buy time during.
There's enough positive points about the time-release tools that I'm not too bothered by it. It should give you more time with each "level" that you get to know each function better before there's too many choices.
There still seems to be something new revealed with each of these previews. One thing I've been wondering about that's pretty common in NSMB games is the hidden hollow walls. Will there be a way to create secret areas with the same cutaway spots.
Also, are there large coins to hide 3 per level? Or Dragon coins when in SMW mode? And even though it's a nice effect sometimes, will there be a way to turn off that drop shadow? It kind of distracts from being able to create levels that truely look like those game styles.
The GS by me only had 44 to distribute, and was done in less than 20 minutes. I was close to the end of the line, but still made it. I'm goin to be angry if I see these characters just up for grabs in a store someday, though. i still would have preferred sleeping a little later and be able to just get the Amiibos I want off the shelf. I understand why they do it this way, but it's still beyond annoying to go to such lengths to buy a plastic toy. I hope their market research learns a few things from each character's sales. These they make us claw over a limited batch for, but they must have thought everyone wanted 3 Zeldas apiece.
Comments 282
Re: Video: Watch as New Super Mario Bros. Wii Gets Pitted Side-by-Side with its Wii U Successor
The bigger difference between the two is more about functionality. Things like being able to build up a nice collection of power ups versus a limited bar of about 10 at a time. The enemy battles on the map were also better on the Wii, the Wii U ones seem too frantic and easy to get knocked out of.
As far as the actual levels and gameplay, each Mario game has plenty of "more of the same" elements as well as it's own unique mechanics in spots, but the NSMB games are certainly the most similar looking titles.
Re: Super Mario Maker Director Shares Details About the Upcoming Update
What's been annoying me about the slopes issue is that articles like this one, that give us some comments from the development team, have been completely silent on the issue. Is there in fact a problem implementing them into the grid system? Then SAY SO! Just a quick mention that there are technical difficulties putting them in or whatever, so we can turn our attention to things that are more possible.
I'm sure more themes are possible, and I'm getting a bit tired of deciding between the same few. As in all the main series games, there are a few different types of more all-purpose "ground" levels, but you only get one here. The other themes are all the more specific types-Ghost House, Airship, Castle. At least rotate in some different music choices for the one ground theme.
I'm also happy with the game as it is, but as long as we're making wish lists...
Re: Upcoming Super Mario Maker Update Adds P Warp Doors, the Fire Koopa Clown Car and More
So, are the P-switch doors going to be visible outlines until a switch is hit, or invisible? There's certainly a strategic difference, the way ghost houses use hidden doors wouldn't be possible if the surprise is spoiled by seeing the outline first. And I wonder if they have their own separate switches or if they use the same coin-box swapping switches. More interesting possiblities if the blue and orange switches are independent of each other, but the clip doesn't really say.
It's probably time to stop asking for slopes, though. I don't think it's because of SMB compatibility, it's just most likely something that requires finer adjustment settings than the grid would allow.
Most useful additions at this point are more themes and more enemy types.
Re: Accusations of Plagiarism Directed at Popular Super Mario Maker Level Creator
Geez, I wish I had enough upload capacity to be prolific enough to need to copy ideas. I'm still stuck in limit-of-10 territory. I have backlogged levels I can't do anything with because everyone heaps their stars on the same "celebrity" creators. How many uploads at a time does this guy have, anyway?
Re: Vanilla Doom
Well, I guess it doesn't matter if plenty of thought went into designing a level when it comes to the odd popularity contests of Course World. I just played a round of 100 Mario challenge last night, and I was serve up a good few questionable messes to play through. Some that seem positively lazy in how simple and easy they are, and some so randomly haphazard I had to give up.
But they go ahead and purge half of the levels I put up already. So, what, is the goal to have the bulk of uploaded levels seem like they came from blundering amatures to make the real Nintendo developed levels look like it needs a pro to pull it off?
So, this one's down, and so are a few more I've listed here. I guess I can just upload them again. Not sure if they get "flagged" at all as previously deleted and then removed even faster, or a second time may be an entirely different result and become a "hit". Oh well, it gives me the option of retooling them and adding checkpoints if I choose.
Re: Video: Check Out The Super Mario Maker Door-Knocking Easter Egg
@ledreppe
You're supposed to be able to get that by shaking a muncher. That seems like an even more reliable method than before, which was more random (and usually happened at times when I was on a roll building a level and didn't want to get interrupted by frantic screen tapping)
Re: Super Mario Maker Gets Mid-Level Checkpoints and More in Upcoming Update
That's two solid valuable ones that help shape the ways you can make a level. Excellent.
And maybe, while everyone clamors for slopes, one of these Nintendo news sites with the ability to conduct developer interviews will get ahold of someone that worked on SMM and ask them if it's even possible. I've been waiting to see if there's just a basic issue with slopes requiring a more complex editing environment. As it is, the editing map is a block-based grid. Tracks can run through the centers of the blocks and connect in any direction, but slopes would be a messier equation if they were as flexible as in the regular Mario titles.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but slopes weren't used in SMB, right? Sure, they went nuts with them in SMB3. They're everywhere, and at all different angles. I doubt they didn't include them just because it would make the SMB levels unlike the game it's in the style of (SMW didn't have Airships, but it does here).Easy enough on whatever workstations the games were made on, but as a game running on a home console, it may need more of a "high resolution" editing environment. I choose to see this as something they probably can't just add in, and I'll let them surprise me if it turns out they can.
Re: Parent Trap: Does The Wii U Still Make Sense For Families?
This still shouldn't be a big question for families with kids. Nintendo has been the Disney of game systems for decades now. What about PS4 or XBOX one really cry out "family system"? Grand Theft Auto? Call Of Duty? Halo? That's primarily what these systems seem to offer. Yes, Liitle Big Planet 3 or Rare Replay offer a more kid-friendly experience, and I know there must be more, but Nintendo can always be counted on to excel at family-centered games while still having things that should appeal to the more adult audience (unless you're looking to pop in some Bayonetta with the tykes).
It's hard for me to join in the cries of "no third party support", because it's all but a "who cares?" issue. It's a Nintendo machine, and Nintendo is going to cover most of the bases themselves anyway. Third party games on a Nintendo system are usually more of a distraction while waiting for the next Nintendo game. The issue I have with the other machines is "No FIRST party support". While not fully true, it's the way it feels with those systems. Almost all of their high profile titles are third party, or at least developed by company with their own identity and reputation (like Rare, or Media Molecule). Not enough titles if all you get is the first party games? Tell that to all the people who have put big money into buying their own Ms Pac-Man arcade machine or whichever was their old favorite. One title, that's it.
Even though it still comes down to different tastes in the end, the question of which of the 3 systems is best for families is a lot like taking the family out to the movie multiplex - You could take them to the new Disney/Pixar movie, or the latest Fast and Furious, Zombie Horror or War films. Which seems like a better fit?
Re: Video: We Want Your Super Mario Maker Levels for Our New YouTube Series
Well, this is a bit confusing. Seems like almost everyone's choosing to just rattle off their level codes as replies to this post, but that's not what the video is saying to do. What I'm not so clear on is whether that's what we've already been doing by adding level listings on the dedicated page, or something else. Because he describes it as "upload your level", but the link is just to that page. "Upload"? Isn't it more like create a listing" with that page?
If I've already done that with several levels, do I just sit tight and see if any of mine ever get picked? The video announcement just makes it sound like we need to do something additional to get in on it.
Re: Takashi Tezuka Gives His Opinion on Hard Levels Made with Super Mario Maker
There's one thing every Mario games has had over the years that you can't get with Maro Maker - a play guide. Before the internet, there were serveral gaming magazines to point you through the tougher spots.
So now that we're orphaned and left to figure out SMM levels on our own, any level that's too puzzling is scrapped in favor of the next one, and the other key factor in low completion rates. Don't know what to do in this level? Ah, skip it. There's a couple million more to choose from.
I'm guessing that considering the length of the list of makers available that a very small fraction of those submitting levels make the cut. And judging by the familiarity of names like "Andre GX" and "Panga" and "Projared", these guys climbed the charts because they were already "internet famous" in gaming circles. I havn't been able to find myself on any of those lists. The rest of us players are at the mercy of whatever random chance the game employs to select 100 Mario challenge levels you get.
It looks like I'll be stuck for a long time to come with my 10 level limit, since I get starred at a fraction of a percentage of the rate the course maker elite do. From here on I guess the levels I make will just live in my Wii U's memory.
Re: Hey! You! Get Off Of My Clouds!
Maybe not too hard, but it's a bit of a struggle whenever you unleash a few Lakitus on things. Simple premise and layout- just get past an endless supply of Koopas to reach the end. But the supply keeps getting replenished from above, so it's not going to be easy to predict. The ? boxes all give you help, but it's hard to hold on to those fire flowers when it's raining turtles. The one way gates solved the problem of an easy cheat - You can't steal a Lakitu cloud if you can't get up to it. Guess you'll just have to plow through those koopas.
Re: Drive-Thru Castle
When I was first play-testing this, I had no idea that the wigglers could jump into the car and steal it. It was a genuine LOL when it happened. The only catch is you're cooked if he does, because you can't get it back from him and you need it. So don't wait too long to hop in. You'll need to get Yoshi to grab the P-switch, and take the time to go up and get a helmet from the pipe, it'll help ahead.
I went easy on the Bowser here. there's enough other stuff going on I didn't want to add some double king size mess to deal with. Easier than most real SMW castles for me, but still a enough of a tustle.
Re: Holey Moley Reinfested
What if 2D Mario levels operated like Mario 64's do, where you go back into an area you've been to for a different adventure? It's a little like that. It just builds on the first part by piling on more ostacles. The first part is just the same as before. The cavern sub-world, however, has two new areas that lead to power ups. It's not always that easy to hang onto them, though.
The big difference is when you take the pipe back up. It's a cavalry of power ups! But they're all fermented up here, and good luck avoiding a rush of moles while you're pickled on funky mushrooms. And watch your step around the new spikes, 'cause there's a few of those. The best course is to keep grabbing mushrooms and bluster your way to a lakitu's cloud, then head for the fire flower a little higher and ahead, then fire away at the lakitus until you reach the end. It's a messy and chaotic scramble, but doable most of the time for me.
Re: Holey Moley
I guess some would find this level annoying, but there's something about the way these moles go off like popcorn all around you, especially with the sound effect. The key to blowing through this easily is to charge ahead and know how to make the jumps quickly without getting hung up on the little bumps and drops. You don't get any power ups to help you (or do you?....), You just need to charge to the finish without getting rattled by the steady bursting of Monty Moles.
Re: Heaven Above, #&!! Below
I doubt I'm the only one to think of this, but being able to combine the ground theme with the castle as a subworld made for a good heaven/hell level. It's hard to get in any real danger up above. You can fall off in some spots buts there's no enemies to attack and plenty of pointless coins and 1ups to grab while frolicking around. But you'll have to go through the pipes to get to the end.
All the high stakes platforming happens below. (and it's handy that you don't get a preview map of a level's subworld, so you can't study what to do ahead of time). Hint: the first area is a dead end, just meant to show you that it's hostile below, and you should instantly bullet-bounce back into the pipe. The next pipe is the only way to advance, though. I hope it's tricky but fair for most players. I'm not that big on brutally hard levels myself, so if I can design it and get through it most of the time, I'd think any good Mario player can handle it.
Be ready to act fast in the last sub-world area. You'll be dumped onto falling platforms that you'll need to climb up and make it to the pipe.
Re: Video: This Super Mario Maker Player Captures The Frustration of Surprise 'Don't Move' Stages
Well, I feel a bit better seeing how many other people trying to make actual Mario type levels are having trouble standing out from the crowd of auto & hyper-hard ones. Although seeing one of them say they had only gotten about 210 stars bummed me out, since I think I've gotten less than 10 still. I get about 5-10 notifications a day of activity, lots of "someone" played your level, some give actual names, and I wonder if you get that even if all they do is look at the start, see that it's not going to play itself for them or throw 50 stacks of large spiny-goomba-koopa-bowsers at them and so they bail on it.
I'd like to see rather than just "played your level", a notification that says they COMPLETED it. It's pretty obvious if they did if they give it a star, and I even got a screen shot of someone finishing one of mine, but I still wonder if having millions of levels available causes people to skip and dismiss anything they don't have patience for, but it still gets reported back to you that someone "played" it.
I'm generally trying to produce the kind of levels I prefer to play- a few tricky spots, and one or two areas that require some figuring out, connected together by some basic Mario goomba jumping and shell kicking. Seems like others are looking for this as well, but it looks like it's hard to be found amongst all the auto plays and brutal challenge ones. And of course the "not really trying" type levels usually show up in any 100 Mario challenge, too. The extra short and very random mishmashes put up by users that don't have much of a sense of how to build a level.
I guess I won't be getting upgraded to more than 10 uploads any time soon at this rate. Good thing I have a 2nd Wii U, then, but I've almost used up my 10 on both.
Re: Video: This Super Mario Maker Player Captures The Frustration of Surprise 'Don't Move' Stages
This kind of level might be more appropriate if they made a "Sonic Maker" game. We're already used to sitting there watching parts of Sonic levels run on autopilot. I find myself waiting to see if any of these levels have weak spots that don't always go as planned, but so far they've all been seamless. At least it's an easy pass if you're working your way through a 100 Mario Challenge .
I'm more bothered by the "let's see how many giant enemy stacks we can start the level with" types. Loading the space with an impossible mob of enemies and 50 stars bouncing all over so you can plow through them is not enjoyable level design. Would you turn your stereo up louder than you can stand and then wear earplugs to compensate or stare at the sun while wearing 15 pairs of sunglasses? It's always more interesting and challenging to place one or two enemies in a way that presents an obstacle and a single strategic power-up than a 100 enemies on all sides and an atom bomb to neutralize them all. It's also no big thrill to rack up 50 1ups in a second since they don't matter like they do in the regular games. You can only get 3 from each level, and it's still more fun to find one lone 1up in a hidden box than have a hundred rain down on you for doing basically nothing.
Re: Super Nindie Maker: Choice Provisions' Paratroopa Pounce
Well, there is ONE place where coins and lives matter a little - If you line up 4 levels in the coursebot, you can play them as a "world". You start with 3 lives, and carry over any you earn during the levels.
Of course, you can obviously only do this with levels that are in your courses, which means you probably created them yourself. So you're setting your own challenge here, which takes away from it a bit, since you may not want to set yourself up as much of a challenge as Nintendo may have done. And power-ups don't carry over, so the fun of grabbing one that isn't in the level you're doing is gone.
But it's a little something, anyway. I recreated the entire first world of SMB this way, and it plays much the same. You even get a "world clear" screen at the end. Other than that, this is clearly a different type of Mario experience and some of those old rules just don't apply in this format.
Re: Video: Super Mario Maker and Wind Waker Star in Super Smash Bros. DLC
Mario Maker is indeed a cool stage, but I can't help but notice that at all times it's displaying something that doesn't really reflect the source material - why, it's SLOPED SURFACES! There's even some tilted platforms for a moment. I guess it would be even more innacurate to show the hand drawing that, but I wonder what the thought was when they chose to have such cut corners on the platforms. Certainly not "hey, this will look just like the actual game!". It's practically mocking us, but it's still a nice stage to have.
Re: Angry Sun Game Files Reportedly Uncovered In Super Mario Maker
I wouldn't mind being able to set up power up blocks the way they usually work - where they give Super Mario a fire flower or cape, but only give small mario a mushroom. It helps up the challenge a little.
I'd like those slopes as much as the next person, but I think you're looking at a tougher implementation with that. The interface is designed on square grid, and that may be a limitation needed in order to make the editing process so quick and dynamic in real time. Defining a non-squared ground line may be more than it can do while remaining playable in one click. There's plenty of things common to Mario games since at least SMW that may also be too difficult to include - Swaying mushroom platforms, snake blocks, the giant ramrods from castle stages, the 4 platform spinning wheels that only move forward as they turn. At any rate, I hope someone interviews one of the developers and asks what items couldn't be used because they couldn't be simplified enough.
The main thing I want is still themes. A few more across each game style. Preferably ones that don't result in more solid black backgrounds for SMB and SMB3.
Apart from those things I'm sure many of us are hoping they add in a Fliprus.
Re: Nintendo Hammers Out A New Update For Super Mario Maker
Anyone test if this update fixed the take-no-damage glitch recently found? That seems like a hole Nintendo would prefer to plug, especially if people were already designing levels meant to exploit it.
It seems a SMB2 template would require a lot more than the others unless you just wanted the visual style. To do it justice you'd also need more vertical space than just 2 screens high, and it would really conflict with the ability to swap game styles (I don't recall being able to yank radishes out of the ground or create magic doors in any of the other styles) .
I'd just be happy with more templates for the ones we have. Star Road, Forest, Desert, Snow, as well as one with a water level. (like SMW 1-4).
A few more enemy types, too. And another thing I'd realy like to see is some shake options for the tracks - shake once for a simple thin line, shake twice for invisible tracks (dotted lines while editing).
Re: Video: Is This The Hardest Super Mario Maker Level Ever Made?
I hope the main focus won't always be on insanely hard. Creative and fun should at least place in that race.
But mostly, I'm just a bit frustrated how fast things are rushed into being old news. "Been out a few weeks"?! It's been one week, 4 days. Already we're moving on, calling it older than it is and lamenting a lack of titles for the Holiday season. Um, this IS a title for the holiday season, if we don't rush to call it a old classic before it's been on shelves a month, that is.
I've been trying to make levels that have about the same challenge level as average official stages had. Some tricky spots, but not a gaunlet of precision multitasking acrobatics. It's actually easier in some ways to make a ridiculously hard level than it is to find a good balance in a moderate one. There's a place for brutal difficulty, but if it's all anyone wants to make or talk about it'll turn playing the 100 Mario challenge into a screen swiping skip fest.
Re: Mario History: Super Mario Maker - 2015
I wonder if Miyamoto would have ever imagined, while he was sketching out graph paper level ideas 30 years ago, that the entire process would become an entertaining game itself. And what a nice job they did building it up from what we saw in the first reveal last year. The way it looked then seemed a little more limited but fun looking, but they built it into a love letter to Mario history and made level creation into a gaming passtime.
I can understand why some things are tweaked (being hit by a fireball doesn't turn enemies into coins?) and why slopes and other mainstay elements aren't present. Some things would require a deeper interface and be less accesible to some players, or bog down the experience. But they also threw in just enough to make up for it by adding new elements (were one way gates ever a thing before?).
I feel a bit bad if any of the development team were happy wih the timed rollout of tools, because they put some work into making even that a fun experience, I'm glad though that they didn't fully buckle and remove it completely just to satisfy us crybabies. They sped it up in just the right way. I really didn't want to resort to clock cheats but I didn't want to wait a week to try some Mario World courses either. Now two days in and it'll be in the next delivery, later tonight I imagine.
Even though it's great the way it is already, I'm anxious to find out what's conceivable with DLC besides more costumes.
Re: Super Mario Maker Patch Speeds Up Tool Delivery
Nice move on their part. I see the ways they were trying to get enjoyable gameplay spread out over time instead of rushing through it all. The presentation is more than just a toolset, though, and it was a good combination of learning curve and accomplishment as they had it. But 9 days gets bothersome if you're really waiting for one of the last items.
I guess it's a little random, though. Since I have two versions (yep, I had pre-purchased it on disc but then I got tempted by the system bundle, so I got dueling Wii U's now). I spent about the same time with each, but one opened up the next batch and the other one hasn't yet. But I also have twice the upload limit once they fill out!
Re: Super Mario Maker DLC Confirmed, Famitsu's Mascot Necky The Fox Coming Soon
More background themes, please. Forest of Illusion, Star World, maybe even some kind of switch palace/bonus room kind of thing.
I've been wondering if the lack of slopes is due to an effort to keep the creation process easier, or because SMB didn't have any. It shouldn't matter if slopes are out of place in that style, since airships are out of place in SMW yet there they are. I think it's to do with the grid method of filling the space they're using, the tool would just have to have more complex options in order to define non-squared terrain.
What contraptions would people like to see, though, if they could add some in? Those countdown platforms from SMW? Ground panels that rise or lower only when stood on? So many levels relied on items like this in the original games, but would they get repetitive if they were available to use? And I could certainly see adding in boss rooms and and a few Boom Boom type bosses with a few attack patterns each.
I agree that the amiibo costumes are amusing, but too limited a thing to get too excited about DLC that only adds more of those. Giving them an actual power up ability (Link's arrows, Kirby's float, etc.) would make it a lot more interesting, but it's a bit late for that since none of the current ones can do that.
Re: Review: Super Mario Maker (Wii U)
Wow, a review a week and a half ahead of availablity? Now you're just tauting us regular folk.
To those raising the question of "last 2D Mario you'll ever need", well, no. It's a nice set of tools, but it's missing tons of things that have been staples of 2D Mario since at least SMB3. You won't even be able to slide down a hill of goombas due to the lack of slopes, and think of how many complex conveyor types and enemy types you'll have no access to. If you just wanted to use it to recreate past levels, you'd actually find very few you could do.
This review pretty much nails that by calling it a divergent path. They're not giving you the means to create everything that could ever be in a Mario game, or even everything that ever was in one. Just a nice, big set of standard elements to mix and match, and a couple new tricks (has there ever been a level with those "one way" gates before?). I trust the more inventive creators will come up with plenty of resourceful ideas, but you won't be able to put a Rex into your SMW levels, or set up a vertically scrolling "rising lava" level, or a Reznor wheel. The list goes on, but so does the list of possible new ideas.
I just look forward right now to getting past this annoying period where the press keeps showing off what they're doing with it while we sit and wait out the release schedule.
Re: Nintendo of America Provides an Update on Three amiibo Getting Restocks This Week
In a way, you can't fault Nintendo for being caught off guard that these sell out so well. With the Wii U selling like parkas at a beach resort, they should be forgiven for being cautious about going into massive production for what is essentially accessories for that system. They probably imagined someone 30 years from now making a documentary about digging up a landfill and finding tons of unsold Zeldas.
Re: Super Mario Maker
With all we've seen of it now, we can start to plan on what we can and can't put together with it.
Above all, it's a great tool set to get our hands on, and there should be an endless supply of interesting levels to make. But I'm starting to wonder how many levels from actual Mario games it's capable of making. Not that it's meant to just duplicate levels from the past games, but with the elements that are missing, it would be impossible to get every detail. No sloped surfaces to slide down means tons of levels can't be outright copied. And Super Mario World was brimming with special gadget platforms you won't have to work with. It seems the SMM levels will have to rely more on mazes and enemies than rotating triple platforms and bars of blocks that expand and contract, and all the other level gimmicks not present. It'll be interesting to see if people can find alternate ways to do some of those things, though.
Has any mention been made of DLC, and what sort of things they can add to the tool set?
Re: Super Mario Maker
With all we've seen of it now, we can start to plan on what we can and can't put together with it.
Above all, it's a great tool set to get our hands on, and there should be an endless supply of interesting levels to make. But I'm starting to wonder how many levels from actual Mario games it's capable of making. Not that it's meant to just duplicate levels from the past games, but with the elements that are missing, it would be impossible to get every detail. No sloped surfaces to slide down means tons of levels can't be outright copied. And Super Mario World was brimming with special gadget platforms you won't have to work with. It seems the SMM levels will have to rely more on mazes and enemies than rotating triple platforms and bars of blocks that expand and contract, and all the other level gimmicks not present. It'll be interesting to see if people can find alternate ways to do some of those things, though.
Has any mention been made of DLC, and what sort of things they can add to the tool set?
Re: Nintendo of America Opts for 'Real World' Super Mario Maker TV Campaign
Where do Nintendo commercials even run these days? I never really see any, but I'm probably not watching the shows they'd be most likely to buy time during.
Re: Nintendo's Awesome Super Mario Maker Overview Announces New Features
There's enough positive points about the time-release tools that I'm not too bothered by it. It should give you more time with each "level" that you get to know each function better before there's too many choices.
There still seems to be something new revealed with each of these previews. One thing I've been wondering about that's pretty common in NSMB games is the hidden hollow walls. Will there be a way to create secret areas with the same cutaway spots.
Also, are there large coins to hide 3 per level? Or Dragon coins when in SMW mode? And even though it's a nice effect sometimes, will there be a way to turn off that drop shadow? It kind of distracts from being able to create levels that truely look like those game styles.
Re: GameStop Confirms amiibo 3-Pack Pre-Order Event This Weekend
The GS by me only had 44 to distribute, and was done in less than 20 minutes. I was close to the end of the line, but still made it. I'm goin to be angry if I see these characters just up for grabs in a store someday, though.
i still would have preferred sleeping a little later and be able to just get the Amiibos I want off the shelf.
I understand why they do it this way, but it's still beyond annoying to go to such lengths to buy a plastic toy. I hope their market research learns a few things from each character's sales. These they make us claw over a limited batch for, but they must have thought everyone wanted 3 Zeldas apiece.