[Misc/Normal] Oriante

So, I've played around with the editor a couple of times before, I had a level I really enjoyed mapped out a few months ago but my computer lost it. This level started as an environmental experiment - very bare (it's currently at three tilesets, all by Nifflas himself) - and I've gone on adding more and more challenge elements gradually. Very simple ones - regular enemies, no puzzles -, and in specific spots.

It's at twenty screens right now, and it probably won't grow far far beyond that number. I've only used common tilesets - the same happened to me when doing this one that happened with my previous experiments: I'm more drawn to playing around with the familiar formula and trying it to explore it fully than going for customized content, especially since I can't do pixel art to save my life.

Ed. gave it a simple title. The plot? Juni has to leave.

It shouldn't take much more to complete, and right now I'm mostly posting to ask for opinions on some screens done so far. Are they just too derivative and unimaginative? Any suggestions?

The color scheme is a bit off-putting to me, but the composition and the overall aesthetic seem really nice. Also, I know what you mean, I'm also very drawn to playing with the original tilesets and stuff... for the same reasons, too. But I took an experimental approach to that

Yeah, the red/blue clash is a bit of an eye-bleeder but I think you're doing okay with "dressing" the screens (excusing the SGEs in them at the moment). There's also a bit of a problem with the illusion of depth, namely the complete absence of any at all. In the first screen the cutouts above the passage look completely 2-dimensional, as though they're just painted onto a wall; and in the second screen there's no real differentiation between the background and the solid surfaces.

The final screen also feels very flat but that could be very easily improved by placing some background objects so it's not just a huge field of red

Thanks for responding! I'd half-thought about the depth before but now I've really looked at it and I see more clearly it's a problem right now. And I understand about the colour schme but I'm kind of repelled-compelled to it. Two questions: what is 'dressing'? What are 'SGE'? And one more very specific one: is depth a problem with the passageway on the first screen too or does the piped background work?

Hi, I'm glad I didn't offend you with that and I'll try to be a little clearer in the details.

By "dressing" the screen I mean the placing of things like the pipes that add detail and atmosphere. SGE stands for Small Graphical Error and I was referring to a few points where the pipes don't seem to quite join up.

As to the passage on the first screen, I think it works; I'd guess that was a passage instead of a platform even without Juni in it. The easiest way to make the backgrounds look more distinct would be using less saturated colours than in the foreground to give an illusion of distance.

I understand what you mean about the colour-scheme, by the way. If it works for you then, of course, you stick with it 

I hope I've been a bit clearer and given you comments you can actually work with, I'm always happy to see someone new making levels 

The colour scheme is what makes your screenshots unique. They have a real alien world feel to them! It is a little hard to make things out, but I believe you could just keep that in mind with your level design.

I hope I've been a bit clearer and given you comments you can actually work with, I'm always happy to see someone new making levels 

You were perfectly clear; I'm not sure I'll be able to work the problems out fully but I really appreciate any feedback at all. I didn't want to shoot out an automatic formulaic level (though the absence of custom probably makes it that...) so I'm happy that there were these few comments to help me see things, thank you.

The color scheme is a bit off-putting to me, but the composition and the overall aesthetic seem really nice. Also, I know what you mean, I'm also very drawn to playing with the original tilesets and stuff... for the same reasons, too. But I took an experimental approach to that

yohji, thanks for the compliments! (I love your stuff.) I get the appeal of breaking the tilesets down, the couple of levels I tried before were probably inspired by yours in that sense; I took some of the basic more unused, decorative (non-solid) tilesets in the basic set and rearranged them around a lot, trying to work out some strange scenery. It was sort of OCD (working things out pretty much tile by tile) and tremendous fun; I just wanted to try something more linear right now and I'm making the effort to actually finish something even if it might come off banal. There was one level that I seriously liked in that vein but I think it's lost, if I find it again I'll post it and I'd love the opinion of folks like you.

The colour scheme is what makes your screenshots unique. They have a real alien world feel to them! It is a little hard to make things out, but I believe you could just keep that in mind with your level design.

Yeah, I don't want to blind anyone but there's something about the colour scheme that's really compelling to me in how awkward it is, and there are some screens where I love seeing it (others where I hate seeing it). Anyway, I think I'm maybe working out a way around the pink-exclusive, eye-hurting look...

yohji, thanks for the compliments! (I love your stuff.) I get the appeal of breaking the tilesets down, the couple of levels I tried before were probably inspired by yours in that sense; I took some of the basic more unused, decorative (non-solid) tilesets in the basic set and rearranged them around a lot, trying to work out some strange scenery. It was sort of OCD (working things out pretty much tile by tile) and tremendous fun; I just wanted to try something more linear right now and I'm making the effort to actually finish something even if it might come off banal. There was one level that I seriously liked in that vein but I think it's lost, if I find it again I'll post it and I'd love the opinion of folks like you.

Thanks for the compliments  I'd love to see those unfinished strange scenery levels. Maybe we could collaborate on one in the future? Assuming you can find them 

Mmmm... collaboration.  

Doesn't sound bad yohji.

Am almost done with this, I think I like what I've done with it. I think some aspects of it might be too busy but I had fun letting it fold out and develop, and I hope it'll be fun; it's been fun to do. Should be done before year's end if I figure out one or two technical elements (I'd never even used shifts, I'm trying to use them well). And thanks for the responses; just knowing there's still people curious about new levels helped a lot in actually having the motivation to continue it.

Now that is a nice screenie. 

Wow, it really is 
If there's more like that I can't wait to try your level. Really good use of the tileset.

Thanks!

I add my amazement to the amazement pool.  I use this tileset too, but not as much diagonally.

Help!

So what I wanted to do initially sort of expanded and got more complicated. I've been doing my best figuring the level out but now, I'm kind of stuck. I want it to be finished as soon as possible (before year's end actually), especially since such a small level doesn't really justify taking any more time. But I'd like to have a clear view of it to finish it off nicely and right now I'm just too in it to be properly critical. So I was wondering if anyone would be interested in playing the now mostly-finished version to help me figure out some of the kinks, some of the ideas that do and don't work, what could be improved, what's the overall sucess (or not...) of the level in terms of fun, of execution, of look... Not so much beta-testing because there's not much challenge/probably one or two glitches only, as much as, well, a helping hand.

Is anyone up for it?