We all get annoyed when we try something in JCS and it doesn't work like we'd like it to. Or when we reach that limit to what the game is capable of doing. Or when something that Jazz 2 does harms the gameplay of your level. Or when something doesn't work like it should! I'm talking about little things, things that could just as easily have been coded the other way. Here are a few of the things that irritate me.

-Enemies give you rapid fire. This is especially annoying when making massive single player episodes. Within a level or two, the player will have full fast fire, making most challenges involving enemies a little too easy. This is one of the biggest obstacles I've encountered in my current episode, Devan's Secret Weapon (still in the works). The only way I see around it is forcing the player to die.

-Coins turn to gems after you use a coin warp. See appropriate topic. It makes sense in the official levels, but there are so many things you could do if this were not the case.

-Gems are useless in single player. Sure, they're fun to collect. But they don't give you extra lives. How did Epic overlook this small bug?

-not enough enemy variety. I'm trying to make some nice challenges in my levels. There just aren't many options when it comes to enemy behavior. How many walk-back-and-forth enemies do we need, anyway?

-can't use custom movies. I'm sure lots of people are annoyed by this. The only two movies are intro and ending. You can't have a level link to anything else

-that darned secret level error. You know, the one where you keep repeating the previous level? This one isn't only a JCS error, but in actual JJ2 going to Garg Lair will ensure you never get far. Course, you could type JJNXT every time it pops back up. Also annoying when trying to make split paths in big episodes. (I've heard using a bonus signpost works.)

-spikes only hurt on the floor. Hey, even Diamondus features ceiling spikes. Only thing is... they don't hurt you. One of the oldest nuisances in the book.

-rotating spike bolls can be shot down. One of my levels features a challenge with these things. Only thing is, by then the player is bound to have full fastfire. It'll be a piece of cake! Even without the fastfire problem, this is annoying.

-cannot have both event properties AND regen. Explains itself.

-rolling rocks are difficult to work with, and are unpredictable. Guess and check is never fun.

-only 2 boss music choices. Why can't we use custom files without overwriting one of them?

-Can't save in large levels. Self explanatory.

-water turns off lighting. Once water has been used, all lighting effects for the rest of the level will be ineffective. Can't even do the cool Lagunicus thing from JJ1

-Jazz always has a spotlight on him. Nope, no darkness can be complete.

-That note off error in the music. Whenever you die.

-some songs don't repeat. Like in Blade's battle pack

-the chat errors online. Too many backspaces = next message won't appear.

-team chat problems. These are well known. Red team won't display in brackets, and team chat only works if the odd players are blue and the evens red

-ammo regen errors in multiplayer

-easy to run through obstacles. In single player levels, it is hard to create challenges if the player can simply run past all the enemies, such as bats and sparks, even when they are very near by.

Did I miss any? Post yours!

Originally Posted by Another Jazz 2 fan

-Enemies give you rapid fire. This is especially annoying when making massive single player episodes. Within a level or two, the player will have full fast fire, making most challenges involving enemies a little too easy. This is one of the biggest obstacles I've encountered in my current episode, Devan's Secret Weapon (still in the works). The only way I see around it is forcing the player to die.

I hate this one too. Fortunately, using a combination of CTF bases, sucker tubes, triggers (optional) and checkpoints, you can reset the fastfire to none at the start of every level.

-that darned secret level error. You know, the one where you keep repeating the previous level? This one isn't only a JCS error, but in actual JJ2 going to Garg Lair will ensure you never get far. Course, you could type JJNXT every time it pops back up. Also annoying when trying to make split paths in big episodes. (I've heard using a bonus signpost works.)

It does.

-spikes only hurt on the floor. Hey, even Diamondus features ceiling spikes. Only thing is... they don't hurt you. One of the oldest nuisances in the book.

Use the event "Bees" (not Bee, Bees). It's not perfect, but it's better then nothing.

-rotating spike bolls can be shot down. One of my levels features a challenge with these things. Only thing is, by then the player is bound to have full fastfire. It'll be a piece of cake! Even without the fastfire problem, this is annoying.

They'll come back if you make them generate... this happens to set pretty much all the fields to the generating speed.

-rolling rocks are difficult to work with, and are unpredictable. Guess and check is never fun.

Not to mention they get stuck in walls.

-easy to run through obstacles. In single player levels, it is hard to create challenges if the player can simply run past all the enemies, such as bats and sparks, even when they are very near by.!

Swinging platforms generally make the player have to stop... or placing some destruct scenery in the way is ok, too, as it gives the enemies a chance to catch up.

Levels which let players run through non stop are never fun anyway. When I design single player levels, which I spend a lot of time doing these days, I make sure that I place lots of puzzles around the level, and often force players to explore by presenting them with multiple routes (or sometimes I just go insane and make the level totally nonlinear so it resembles a sort of gigantic multiplayer level...), blocked passages which open up from a far away trigger crate, and elaborate secret areas. There are often unique challanges in the levels I make too, such as moving platforms or "Pits-of-doom-and-certain-instant-death." I call those Podacid. Catchy, isn't it?

Originally Posted by Another Jazz 2 Fan

-Enemies give you rapid fire. This is especially annoying when making massive single player episodes. Within a level or two, the player will have full fast fire, making most challenges involving enemies a little too easy. This is one of the biggest obstacles I've encountered in my current episode, Devan's Secret Weapon (still in the works). The only way I see around it is forcing the player to die.

This is very annoying. I also dislike when they give carrots - after one spends so much time placing carrots exactly where they should be.

-Coins turn to gems after you use a coin warp. See appropriate topic. It makes sense in the official levels, but there are so many things you could do if this were not the case.

If only gems actually had a use.

-Gems are useless in single player. Sure, they're fun to collect. But they don't give you extra lives. How did Epic overlook this small bug?

I bet they probably just never got around to coding it. Jazz 2 was released on a deadline.

-not enough enemy variety. I'm trying to make some nice challenges in my levels. There just aren't many options when it comes to enemy behavior. How many walk-back-and-forth enemies do we need, anyway?

Indeed. It gets old having only two or three different kinds of enemies per level.

-can't use custom movies. I'm sure lots of people are annoyed by this. The only two movies are intro and ending. You can't have a level link to anything else

At least it saves us from cheesy cutscenes made in Paint.

-rotating spike bolls can be shot down. One of my levels features a challenge with these things. Only thing is, by then the player is bound to have full fastfire. It'll be a piece of cake! Even without the fastfire problem, this is annoying.

Many players never do this; I myself try not to - it is more fun. Regenerators work, though.

-only 2 boss music choices. Why can't we use custom files without overwriting one of them?

That would be too easy. This is an Epic game, after all.

-Jazz always has a spotlight on him. Nope, no darkness can be complete.

There is always layer three if you do not mind the UGLY.

-That note off error in the music. Whenever you die.

*Shudder*

-the chat errors online. Too many backspaces = next message won't appear.

There are various patches for that.

-ammo regen errors in multiplayer

See above.

-easy to run through obstacles. In single player levels, it is hard to create challenges if the player can simply run past all the enemies, such as bats and sparks, even when they are very near by.

Indeed.

We should flood Epic's mail box with this list.

~ Traft

Originally Posted by Unknown Rabbit

I hate this one too. Fortunately, using a combination of CTF bases, sucker tubes, triggers (optional) and checkpoints, you can reset the fastfire to none at the start of every level.

You'll have to teach/show me how to do that. Maybe a small example I can look at in JCS?

Use the event "Bees" (not Bee, Bees). It's not perfect, but it's better then nothing.

yeah, I guess there are almost always ways of getting around the problems! Thanks, I'll try to remember that one.

They'll come back if you make them generate... this happens to set pretty much all the fields to the generating speed.

ok. I hope whatever I set it to is workable. I thought that generators didn't work on events with other properties cause it resets them. Guess I never tested it.

Swinging platforms generally make the player have to stop... or placing some destruct scenery in the way is ok, too, as it gives the enemies a chance to catch up.

I've never really done a lot with swinging platforms, now that you mention it. And it seems my levels are curiously devoid of destruct scenery. I think I'll at least stick in some destruct scenery, always satisfies the trigger (and buttstomp) happy players anyway!

Thanks.

~AJ2f

Originally Posted by Trafton

This is very annoying. I also dislike when they give carrots - after one spends so much time placing carrots exactly where they should be.

Yeah, that too. Why do enemies need to leave anything behind, anyway? (I guess gems are ok)

I bet they probably just never got around to coding it. Jazz 2 was released on a deadline.

Yeah, and we were all really screwed over when they gave up on making patches not much later.

Indeed. It gets old having only two or three different kinds of enemies per level.

That's one of the things that no matter what, you can never really compensate for in levels. You can only use the enemies they give you.

Many players never do this; I myself try not to - it is more fun. Regenerators work, though.

Or maybe a text sign before them that says "If you shoot these down, I will personally come to your house and make sure that you never play Jazz 2 again." Yeah, I kinda like that! Saves me from the regen thing.

That would be too easy. This is an Epic game, after all.

Of course. I think the coding started off pretty good, but then when they were rushed they left much unfinished or half broken.

There are various patches for that.

Yeah, I know. But not official patches.


Oh, and Mike, I look forward to playing your levels. Oh man... now I need to go back and revamp mine... this pack will never be released at THIS rate.

Say, if it ever does, would any of you like to beta test it?

~AJ2f

Oh yeah box's also leave behind things like fast fires aswell! Very anoying!

Oh, and I forgot one (fixed by the weapon program, but not compat with XP... least it wasn't when I downloaded it. I should check again).

The WEAPON SWITCH when you get a new one or a powerup! That really hurts online play for me. Soooo annoying.

~AJ2f

Originally Posted by Another Jazz 2 fan

You'll have to teach/show me how to do that. Maybe a small example I can look at in JCS?

I guess.

Strange

Originally Posted by Fl@$h

An extra life in there would be nice, too. Not to mention it also takes all your weapons.

Originally Posted by Another Jazz 2 fan

We all get annoyed when we try something in JCS and it doesn't work like we'd like it to. Or when we reach that limit to what the game is capable of doing. Or when something that Jazz 2 does harms the gameplay of your level. Or when something doesn't work like it should! I'm talking about little things, things that could just as easily have been coded the other way. Here are a few of the things that irritate me.

-Enemies give you rapid fire. This is especially annoying when making massive single player episodes. Within a level or two, the player will have full fast fire, making most challenges involving enemies a little too easy. This is one of the biggest obstacles I've encountered in my current episode, Devan's Secret Weapon (still in the works). The only way I see around it is forcing the player to die.
-Yes, that is annoying, it forces the level maker to make the level even more challenging, and makes things more complicated.

-Coins turn to gems after you use a coin warp. See appropriate topic. It makes sense in the official levels, but there are so many things you could do if this were not the case.
-Arkfgkfg, I hate this bug, what if you're making levels with multiple coin warps or something, this gets seriously annoying at times.

-Gems are useless in single player. Sure, they're fun to collect. But they don't give you extra lives. How did Epic overlook this small bug?

-Not that annoying, but it would be nice if they'd give you extra lives at the end of the level if you collect 100 or something.

-not enough enemy variety. I'm trying to make some nice challenges in my levels. There just aren't many options when it comes to enemy behavior. How many walk-back-and-forth enemies do we need, anyway?

-It would be better if there would of been more, and if we could create our own, but just work with what you have.

-can't use custom movies. I'm sure lots of people are annoyed by this. The only two movies are intro and ending. You can't have a level link to anything else

-This isn't any nuisance to me mostly because I lack the skill to make custom movies; just do what Ninja Dodo did in Lost World.

-that darned secret level error. You know, the one where you keep repeating the previous level? This one isn't only a JCS error, but in actual JJ2 going to Garg Lair will ensure you never get far. Course, you could type JJNXT every time it pops back up. Also annoying when trying to make split paths in big episodes. (I've heard using a bonus signpost works.)

There IS a way around that, just put an exit signpost with 1 in the secret column in it.

-spikes only hurt on the floor. Hey, even Diamondus features ceiling spikes. Only thing is... they don't hurt you. One of the oldest nuisances in the book.

-Use the "bees" event on the ceiling spikes.

-rotating spike bolls can be shot down. One of my levels features a challenge with these things. Only thing is, by then the player is bound to have full fastfire. It'll be a piece of cake! Even without the fastfire problem, this is annoying.

-Use 3D spike balls.

-cannot have both event properties AND regen. Explains itself.

*Fully agrees*

-rolling rocks are difficult to work with, and are unpredictable. Guess and check is never fun.

-I don't use them much, so no comment.

-only 2 boss music choices. Why can't we use custom files without overwriting one of them?

-*fully agrees again*

-Can't save in large levels. Self explanatory.

-I usually don't save anyways, since most things don't take that long to beat that they need saving.

-water turns off lighting. Once water has been used, all lighting effects for the rest of the level will be ineffective. Can't even do the cool Lagunicus thing from JJ1

-I despise this bug. I wanted to make a level where it gets darker the deeper you go, but.....*sigh*

-Jazz always has a spotlight on him. Nope, no darkness can be complete.

-Not unless you put layer 3 over him.

-That note off error in the music. Whenever you die.

-Truly Evil

-some songs don't repeat. Like in Blade's battle pack

-Also very evil.

-the chat errors online. Too many backspaces = next message won't appear.

-Bah, I hate it when that happens, its like they are forcing you to type without mistakes/without erasing them


-team chat problems. These are well known. Red team won't display in brackets, and team chat only works if the odd players are blue and the evens red

-Yes.

-ammo regen errors in multiplayer

-Narg, doing this is getting hellishly tiring.

-easy to run through obstacles. In single player levels, it is hard to create challenges if the player can simply run past all the enemies, such as bats and sparks, even when they are very near by.

-Errr.....What?

Did I miss any? Post yours!

You can't wallclimb with your own team members in CTF, this makes team stuff more complicated.

Only 8 layers, sometimes I find myself needing more.

You can't animate a bg unless it is warped.

The getting stuck bug.

Seeker holes (Now been fixed by programs but before it was quite annoying)

/me didn't read any posts above except AJ2F so don't blame me if some of these came up already.

Originally Posted by Radium

An extra life in there would be nice, too. Not to mention it also takes all your weapons.

My favorite part about this reply is that it doesn't take any of your lives or weapons away. It is such a wonderfully untested response.



Anyway, yes, that's what I meant. Looks like it would work, though a bit less freedom of movement in practice would probably be good.

Originally Posted by Unknown Rabbit

My favorite part about this reply is that it doesn't take any of your lives or weapons away. It is such a wonderfully untested response.

Akk, I knew that. Just forgot. NOW I remember why I never used that as an instant-death device...

I think I remember seeing somewhere that getting 100 gems was going to reward you with an extra life, but they took it out or something. Purple gems are meant to be worth 100 red gems. I'm probably wrong though.

Radium:

You can use it as an instant death device if you know how. What I do is use a series of 4 rows of events. The top row is sucker tubes with Y speed 63. This ensures you lose a life unless you are cheating. The next row is red ctf bases. NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED BLUE ONES. The third row is sucker tubes with speed 0, 0. Do not give it any x or y speed. This provides just the right delay time for this to work. The final row is "bees" events. This works because when you hit a ctf base, jj2 is tricked into thinking you have 0 hearts remaining. When you hit the bees, you drop to -1. Suddenly jj2 figures out you are dead and you lose a life. The top row of sucker tubes is not vital, but the other 3 rows are. Also note that you need at least 8 events for this to work.

Also, unlike what some people think, you do not need to put the ctf bases in walls or put 2 on top of each other. One row of red bases always works.