next »

[Stevolutionary]

Hey, if people can make art chapters in Knytt Stories then why not Super Meat Boy?  Sounds entertaining.  I only read the first 2 or 3 so the rest will be a surprise 

Thanks man! Glad i'm getting some good feedback. 

[Karoo]

I got one! a level with a zoomed out static camera and you start next to bandage girl but a difficult path through moving saws on the other side leading to one of those XBLA info signs. the player will be so tempted to get through it and read the sign but they cant

[RockLeeSmile]

Some people will get enraged, some people will find it hilarious and others will maybe sit back and think a little. Most people wont 'get' it, but still, it'd provide a different experience than the millions of identical level types the portal will inevitably get swamped with.

I'll put aside the argument about if this could be (or is intended to be) fun (and yes I understand the point, I've been through art school and tackled some similar themes about 100 times ) in favor of the argument: are we just deluding ourselves to believe there will be millions of levels, ever? This isn't exactly Little Big Planet and for a lot of people I imagine they've gone back to playing Halo or Call of Duty (or whatever bro-ish game they like), so outside of this semi-tight-knit group here on these very forums, who do we think is planning to jump in and create all these millions of levels? I know there will be some increase when everyone has access to an easy interface, but I don't think it will be an epidemic like that. Do you?

I'll talk about your idea too, don't worry.

[Stevolutionary]

Some people will get enraged, some people will find it hilarious and others will maybe sit back and think a little. Most people wont 'get' it, but still, it'd provide a different experience than the millions of identical level types the portal will inevitably get swamped with.

I'll put aside the argument about if this could be (or is intended to be) fun (and yes I understand the point, I've been through art school and tackled some similar themes about 100 times ) in favor of the argument: are we just deluding ourselves to believe there will be millions of levels, ever? This isn't exactly Little Big Planet and for a lot of people I imagine they've gone back to playing Halo or Call of Duty (or whatever bro-ish game they like), so outside of this semi-tight-knit group here on these very forums, who do we think is planning to jump in and create all these millions of levels? I know there will be some increase when everyone has access to an easy interface, but I don't think it will be an epidemic like that. Do you?

I'll talk about your idea too, don't worry.

I'm exaggerating for effect of course when I say millions, but I do imagine the majority of the fan levels will indeed follow set categories of extreme hardcore difficulty, or unremarkable levels just retreading similar mechanics to the main game, or tribute levels - some extremely well done, most very unremarkable. Little Big Planet, as you mentioned, is pretty much like that.

I realise there's a core of people here discussing level editing, but I do feel once the editor hits, there will be a bunch of people from Gamefaqs, 360achievements, IGN, NeoGaf, etc, etc, getting together and making levels too. I don't think we're the only organised group or forum who'll be at it or discussing it, and although not expecting millions, I reckon we'll end up with a few hundred chapters at least, and well over a few thousand levels in total.

I just think it'd be interesting to make something that turns your expectations upside down, even if most people probably won't understand the (slightly tongue-in-cheek) point it's making and just think it's an annoying pile of shit.

I'd fully expect an extremely niche audience for it though. I wouldn't ever expect this chapter to be a big hit.

[cousinoer5]

Very interesting chapter idea, I look forward to seeing this.

For another idea, how about, using waypoints, make it seem like bandage girl is running away from you? Like, start Meat boy right next to her, and since he takes a bit to spawn, she'll get a head start, make her move at the same speed as Meat Boy's running speed and keep her going for a long straight stretch of nothing, until eventually you get to a wall and she stops. If you could find a way to tie it in with your theme, it could make for a nice depressing experience.

[sh00takai]

I love most of the ideas suggested in this thread and I really hope this chapter sees daylight. Once the editor is out, there will probably be a lot of basic speedrun / challenge / character specific chapters from easy to insanely hard difficulty, but not that many chapters like this one.

Chapters that break boundaries of the original gameplay and mess with the players head will most likely be rare and memorable, but only if done right. It will be challenging to give the player a feeling that this chapter is fun when the levels are not, but if the level names and the visual side is spot on, it might just work. One thing to trick people in to continue playing this chapter would be to start it with a few levels that don't take long to complete, so they would get a comfortable first impression that the chapter is easy and focuses on the artistic value.

I agree that not many people will like the levels or get the idea in the end and many won't even bother to try the rest after getting bored during the first stages, but if they would, the whole game would have been made a lot different. I'm 100% behind your idea because the finished chapter would definitely add more depth into the game.

One idea for a level: Use fans to blow and suck Meat Boy so that he passes an extremely hard level filled with traps without any effort from the player. If the player touches the controller, Meat Boy dies instantly. I know, it's kinda similar to some other ideas, but I'd love to see an automated run like that because you can do a lot of insane tricks with the fans.

[MegaMew]

Dunno if this is one of the ideas since I didn't read them all, but RockLee has a stage in his set with invisible blocks.  I think a simple maze with no way to die made entirely out of invisible blocks might be pretty cool.  It would slowly uncover itself as you went through.  It wouldn't even have to be a maze, just zigzaged path or something.

[Patashu]

How about a back and forth winding passage like this:

Code:

######.#
#......#
#.######
#......#
######.#
#......#
#.######
#......#
######.#

And an autoscrolling camera that slowly moves up, forcing you to climb the serpentine maze. It'd be set up so you'd just barely make it to the next level before you're scrolled off over and over again. Dread?

[Stevolutionary]

Liking these ideas!

Sh00takai - That would fit in perfectly as an 'anti-fun' level, and fit in with the themes of Existential Dread - that all your actions have terrible consequences and the temptation to do nothing to avoid suffering.

MegaMew - I also love this moving BG idea. I had a similar idea in mind to call Rejection. My only worry is unless you set off immediately, BG would move off the edge of screen making it confusing, yet if you slowed her down, you'd be able to catch her early. It's 100% and idea I want to use, but it would need some implementation. Also, by catching her, it's showing some form of redemption that resolves the anxiety of the level, when I don't want any form of catharsis. A definite concept I will use, but needs some thematic tweaking.

Regarding an invisible block maze, that is on the list, with either that or a completely dark level both using a simple no-lethal maze. I'd probably go with the dark one simply because the invisible would let you leave a trail if 4 colour meat boy wasn't able to be used, and I want no navigation aids.

Patashu - I like the idea, but the problem is that it forces action. The whole point of Existentialism is the feeling that existence is meaningless, and that there is no motivating force to anything and sometimes that creates inaction. By having a pressure (moving screen) it forces you to move, which is kind of contrary to the point. I want at no point any hazard to force the player to do anything.

Lastly, I would also like to do a level called Choice and have it with something silly like 101 identical portals with only one leading to BG. Every other one leads not to death, but an empty room that you have to choose to quit out of.

[sh00takai]

Lastly, I would also like to do a level called Choice and have it with something silly like 101 identical portals with only one leading to BG. Every other one leads not to death, but an empty room that you have to choose to quit out of.

Sounds great. It will be so frustrating to play these levels if you create them some day. I suggest you hide meat boy's trails in this level somehow. It would be no fun at all if you switched the character to reset the level and there was clues about which portals you already visited.

Hmm, actually, I'm not sure if the trails remain on the blocks like they do on the saws.

[Stevolutionary]

Lastly, I would also like to do a level called Choice and have it with something silly like 101 identical portals with only one leading to BG. Every other one leads not to death, but an empty room that you have to choose to quit out of.

Sounds great. It will be so frustrating to play these levels if you create them some day. I suggest you hide meat boy's trails in this level somehow. It would be no fun at all if you switched the character to reset the level and there was clues about which portals you already visited.

Well, my aim is (if possible) to use 4 colour Meat Boy separate from his tileset as he never leaves a trail, and is also quite visually dull.

[sh00takai]

Well, my aim is (if possible) to use 4 colour Meat Boy separate from his tileset as he never leaves a trail, and is also quite visually dull.

Now I remember you mentioned it earlier. Using 4 bit Meat Boy should be possible. Check out this Picture posted by SuperMeatBoy@Twitter.

[Stevolutionary]

Well, my aim is (if possible) to use 4 colour Meat Boy separate from his tileset as he never leaves a trail, and is also quite visually dull.

Now I remember you mentioned it earlier. Using 4 bit Meat Boy should be possible. Check out this Picture posted by SuperMeatBoy@Twitter.

Oooh, actually that's got me considering Tofu Boy now! He's already a joke-ish character and would fit the themes very well, especially as there's no real dexterity or speed required in any of the levels. Can you turn trails off at all?

I also like how Meat Ninja is usable - I can forsee some super hardcore levels using him... 

[sh00takai]

Oooh, actually that's got me considering Tofu Boy now! He's already a joke-ish character and would fit the themes very well, especially as there's no real dexterity or speed required in any of the levels. Can you turn trails off at all?

Excellent, would fit in the chapter better than anyone else. I think you can't remove the trails completely but I'm sure there's some way to hide them. You could color the layers so that the trails can't be noticed or use the fore layer to cover the active layer's tiles with something.

Meat Ninja sounds interesting, it's about time I get to test him. I haven't used him even once yet.

[Stevolutionary]

Oooh, actually that's got me considering Tofu Boy now! He's already a joke-ish character and would fit the themes very well, especially as there's no real dexterity or speed required in any of the levels. Can you turn trails off at all?

Excellent, would fit in the chapter better than anyone else. I think you can't remove the trails completely but I'm sure there's some way to hide them. You could color the layers so that the trails can't be noticed or use the fore layer to cover the active layer's tiles with something.

Meat Ninja sounds interesting, it's about time I get to test him. I haven't used him even once yet.

Just had a GREAT idea for the BG chase level. Is there any way to finish a level without touching BG? My idea would be to chase her through the level, then right at the end Meat Boy drops out of nowhere and touches her, thus ending the level, but essentially you lost her to Meat Boy after 19 levels of struggle. Workable?

...MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR ANOTHER GAME BELOW....










A bit of a ripoff of Braid's ending though, but still, it's a universal theme.