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Junkyard

Archive: 15 posts

Junkyard (http://lbp.me/v/ce40rr)

Junkyard is my best platformer so far. I worked really hard on it, and now I have published it. FINALLY

This level is simple platforming. You have to find your way out of this wasteland. It haves lots of jumpbads, grappling and of course, points! There is small race too. Level works best on one player, but two, three or four players can also play this if they want.

Tell me what you think about this level. Enjoy!

http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40608&d=1341046586

http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40609&d=1341046588		2012-06-30 07:58:00

Author:
Dansku1698
Posts: 36

Hey Dansku, I've queued your level, and will probably play it later today.

But if you want more people to play, try uploading some screenshots on this page to help promote your level 		2012-06-30 08:29:00

Author:
DaSpoony
Posts: 191

Hey Dansku, I've queued your level, and will probably play it later today.

But if you want more people to play, try uploading some screenshots on this page to help promote your level

Okey I put some screenshots later, I have to take them first

Edit. Now I have upload some screenshots 		2012-06-30 09:41:00

Author:
Dansku1698
Posts: 36

Oooh how did I miss this ... Anyways , the pics look great ! Got it queued so I can check it out soon 2012-06-30 20:01:00

Author:
Pyrotrooper91
Posts: 337

Oooh how did I miss this ... Anyways , the pics look great ! Got it queued so I can check it out soon

Dude -_-

................................................		2012-06-30 21:12:00

Author:
dutch
Posts: 54

Dude -_-

................................................

...What? Is this supposed to not make sense?....		2012-06-30 22:29:00

Author:
Valeview
Posts: 1581

Man, those pictures sure look sweet. Below is the review I've created for the level, enjoy. (Please note that when I conduct level reviews, I play the level while also reviewing, so even minor details stays fresh in my mind, it's just that, with some levels I review, I might go into detail about different sections as well, from beginning to end.)

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The level begins as you're greeted by the entrance to the fabulous junkyard, with rusty, metal fences right nearby. The junkyard already looks nice just as you enter, as you look upon a nice use of materials, with decos like chords, pipes, barnacle and vents thrown in. The points are spread out nicely in this beginning area, even if one set felt like a challenge to reach without slipping into a fiery inferno nearby. Bouncing around the yellow tubes is pretty cool, with torn off black and grey checkerboard-styled bits and pieces in the background. So yeah, the design was pretty rad, and the music was nice too, although sometimes it sounded like it was messing up a little, for some odd reason.

Still, certain parts of the level felt, somehow...barren. Not in a design sense, or for the music, but these kind of large, open areas where you explore deserve a little more sound thrown in. now I know you have thrown sounds in, like when some of the yellow tubes appear for example, but it's not exactly the case with certain segments. I'll give you an example though. The link below shows a beautiful place with an awesome-looking skull in the background, but I believe a little sound could be thrown as the thing holding you inside moves, and then maybe some after you fall into yet another great looking area. If you're not sure what I mean by the "skull area", here's that link.

http://lbp.me/p/qrv-4kv

And below is a link showing an image of what was right below. So yeah, when you fall down to this area, I'd add some sound, during that fall. Also, maybe have a few rocks fall down, just to fit that "falling effect". Minor details like that can spruce things up even more.

http://lbp.me/p/qrv-7s4

Not that you don't already throw in minor details. Things like water dripping from the pipes, or the green gas slipping through the vents, it's all great additions to this conniving junkyard obstacle course you've whipped up for us. Bouncing off the metal platforms with bounce pads secretly hidden in them is good, and if things weren't dazzling before, they sure are here. More rock walls show up, along with a bit of yellow tape here, patched up tubes there, and some rusty car horns up top. The link below shows the area after that, where I can rant on a little about. As you were walking up to reach here, you were running across barnacle after barnacle. I think you could ease up a little on the decoration in that area, but maybe that's me. Throwing in some falling rocks and a little fiery explosion was cool, yet it still lacked the sounds when it crashed into the rocky floors, so I'd add some sounds to when it hits, even if the fall of it isn't that big, it should make it livelier, just like certain parts that lack a bit of audio, no offence. Here's the link I promised to clarify what I mean.

http://lbp.me/p/qrv-ph-

The race at the end is pretty cool too. Nothing long really, but that's fine. More beautiful lighting is thrown in, and the different exploding parts are good. There's not as much a problem with these as you do hear sounds on some parts, plus some of these kinds don't need too much sounds, yet the ones you put in really fit. The TNT signs were a cool addition, even if they were sometimes a little hard to see, but that didn't matter. See, if it was a level where you had to pay CLOSE attention to where they were, that'd be one thing, but that's not the case here. The TNT signs fit in as great minute details, and the explosions are quite nice, I must say. I liked the yellow fog created from the explosion, although, due to the whole "race scenario", I might have made it disappear a bit quicker. The switching angles were also good warnings that an explosion was most likely gonna go off as well.

The little shelter after the race is kinda cool as well. The hanging wires are a nice addition, and I love the little sparks that emit from them. The blinking and non-blinking spotlights are also nice, as is the machine on the left, even though I thought I was supposed to stand in front of it, but found out that wasn't the case, and have no idea what it's purpose is besides shooting a bit of sparks. xD Still, a good form of decoration, but a little distracting. (Although that's just the very very very unnecessary nitpick side of me speaking, don't listen to him))

So yeah, the design of the room was pretty cool, although running through it detracted from the gameplay a bit, although again, probably just the unnecessary nitpick part of me speaking. It would be one thing if there was something you had to see before finishing the level, and that whole "testing experiment" thing could've been it, a sort of teaser for a sequel, but all there was were sounds, it was kind of obscure what you were attempting to hint at with it. So, overall, I'd go about doing it one of the two following ways, very similar to each other.

1. Right after finishing the race, you're bounced up to the scoreboard. That first room is still there though, with the blinking spotlights and whatnot, and other objects visible around the scoreboard.

2. You're bounced up into that first room with the spotlights, and the scoreboard is over on the left or right maybe.

Now, if you find it necessary though to include that whole "Text experiment" part, whether it's supposed to be some sort of cliffhanger or whatever, then I suggest adding something to it. If you don't wanna show what was inside, maybe show some sort of creature quickly fly out after breaking the ceiling, very quickly though so all you see is a dark shade of it's body. Then maybe you could keep going and reach the scoreboard, or perhaps you fall down in a sort of epic crash, and then crash into the scoreboard. If you don't know what I mean, please refer to the ending of the level, "Vile Anchorage" by Lockstitch. Here's a link to the level below, in case you haven't played it, but wish to.

http://lbp.me/v/tj4740


TL;DR.....

Pros
---------
1. A nice and solid design for the level. This a real nice and open junkyard you've got going on, and the use of stickers, decos and lighting is quite good. There are also certain scenes in particular I liked, like as you were racing as different parts of the level were being destroyed by TNT, or as you arrived at a sort of "construction zone", with a patched up yellow tube and yellow tape around, or when you're inside a certain moving object, right in front of this marvelous-looking skull, right before crashing down into another gorgeous segment below.
2. Some nice gameplay weaved in, using both grappling and bouncing about. The race segment was also a good way to end things off.

Cons
--------
1. Pretty good music, but there seemed to be a lack of sounds. Sure, there are definitely some, but I still felt like a certain part where part of the ceiling crashes down before you race should get some, along with when you're falling down somewhere, after seeing a certain skull design, and being moved across.
2. The ending was a little dragged imo, but that's kind of a minor nitpick. Still, it would be most appreciated for you to take some of my points on leaving the player hanging more, if that was your intent, or doing something about putting the scoreboard in the room you arrive in after the race, if you have no intent on teasing a Part 2 really with that "lab" room a little later.

No glitches were really found in this level. There were a few hiccups in the music as it played, but that could just be a glitch in the game. Can't blame the creator for that really.

Overall, this was a great level, and with a little fine tuning for the audio, I believe it could be even better. I hope you take none of my points the wrong way, as it is simply my duty to find things that I believe could be either, fixed, removed or replaced, and I hope this review has been helpful. 		2012-06-30 22:37:00

Author:
Dragonvarsity
Posts: 5208

adding to the queue2012-06-30 23:28:00

Author:
biorogue
Posts: 8424

Thanks for your comment, Dragonvarsity. I added some sounds and little details in the level, like falling rocks I will think about the ending too

Thanks also everybody else, who played my level 		2012-07-01 09:51:00

Author:
Dansku1698
Posts: 36

Thanks for your comment, Dragonvarsity. I added some sounds and little details in the level, like falling rocks I will think about the ending too

Thanks also everybody else, who played my level

Thank you for taking my points into consideration. If you'd like, I'd be happy to replay it. 		2012-07-01 12:16:00

Author:
Dragonvarsity
Posts: 5208

Looks exactly like something you'd find in the actual story mode, awesome level.2012-07-01 12:24:00

Author:
Ironface
Posts: 432

Thank you for taking my points into consideration. If you'd like, I'd be happy to replay it.

Yes It's almost the same, I'm still thinking the ending
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Thanks, Ironface! 		2012-07-01 13:18:00

Author:
Dansku1698
Posts: 36

...What? Is this supposed to not make sense?....

I wasn't referring to his post, I was reffering to what was underneath that.
I just find it disrespectful when people advertise there own levels in someone's level showcase thread. You are doing that too kinda, but the notification is less then his and alot off people are doing that so I guess then its ok.		2012-07-01 22:07:00

Author:
dutch
Posts: 54

I wasn't referring to his post, I was reffering to what was underneath that.
I just find it disrespectful when people advertise there own levels in someone's level showcase thread. You are doing that too kinda, but the notification is less then his and alot off people are doing that so I guess then its ok.

I see where you're getting at with the whole "advertising levels in another person's thread", but I think there's been a bit of confusion. These level advertisements are below a grey line, meaning it's in their signature. These ads for their levels are shown anywhere they post, it's just an addition to their own profile.		2012-07-01 23:28:00

Author:
Dragonvarsity
Posts: 5208

I see where you're getting at with the whole "advertising levels in another person's thread", but I think there's been a bit of confusion. These level advertisements are below a grey line, meaning it's in their signature. These ads for their levels are shown anywhere they post, it's just an addition to their own profile.


I still find it disrespectful if its that noticable Amon.		2012-07-02 16:47:00

Author:
dutch
Posts: 54


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