Battle1, our favorite battle level by CliffyB, overhosted to death... most people hate it. If you do, write a review, to point out all Battle1 glitches. If you like it, prove that it's good by saying finest things there. Discuss other reviews if they seem to have too low/high ratings in your opinion.

Let the ratings and reviews flow!

BATTLE1
Made by: Miss Cliffy
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EYECANDY: Bad
I must say the eyecandy in battle1 is rather dull. There is only one background layer which is ripped from castle1, layers 5-7 were left unused. There isn't much in layer 4, it's all very empty. There are two passages with bricks in the background, that's all. No ambient lighting used. There's also hardly anything in the foreground. I wouldn't have used the layers 1 and 2, because these two are just disgusting in battle, but there could be some stuff in layer 3. Very bad, no real work spend in eyecandy.
PROS: No tilebugs I have seen
CONS: Very empty, no real effort shown.
FINAL RATING: 3.5

GAMEPLAY: Okay/Bad
The gameplay of battle two is just average I would say. It's very strategic and you have to think carefully when playing this level. But there are also several glitches:
1. Two deadends on the sides of the level
2. There is a part where you have to use a copter event which Lori can't grab. As Miss Cliffy ( ) made the level he couldn't know that there would be a rabbit in the future which wouldn't be able to grab the copter. But as TSF came out he could've fixed that.
3. The bubble shield. Shields in battle suck, because the player who has the shield rules the game as long as he has it. It just ruins the balance.
4. One part of the level contains some RFs over a v-pole, but you can't grab all of them because the v-pole's effect isn't strong enough.
5. Blaster powerup doesn't respawn. That was probably planned, but I don't like it.
PROS:Very strategically game
CONS: Lots of glitches (listed above)
FINAL RATING: 5.0

AMMO PLACEMENT: Okay/Bad
The ammo placement is ok, but there are some bad points. First of all, WHY IS THERE A SHIELD IN A BATTLE LEVEL??? Like said before it ruins the balance. Also, the seeker powerup should be a lot harder to get. If you play the level the first time you may first have to find the warp that leads to the powerup, but after finding it out once it's too easy. This could be for example more balanced if there would be a little room next to the seek powerup filled with electro blaster to rack up kills from guys who camp there. But the room should be made in a way that you can't shoot where the warp target is, because otherwise people would start camping THERE. What I said now is probably more gameplay than ammo, but I don't care.
The blaster powerup doesn't respawn. Oh well..
Also all those crates create huge lag apperantely I guess. And the most of the RF ammo over the V-Pole near the room with the bricks isn't reachable.
PROS: Most of ammo is good placed.
CONS: Read the above paragraph
FINAL RATING: 5.0

ENEMY PLACEMENT: N\A
I know, this doesn't fit in a review of a battle level, but as I discovered some enemies I will also write about it.
Well, if you open the level in Single Player (go to JCS and Save & Run), and then cheat jjfly you can fly to the top. There are some platforms with a bunch of weapons and a lizard and a bat. I don't really know why this exists, tough I find it very weird. However, no rating
PROS: N\A
CONS: N\A
FINAL RATING: N\A

BUGS: Bad
There are a lot of bugs, which I listed above. I don't think I'll have to repeat them, so don't get on my nervs.
PROS: none
CONS: Lots of bugs, mentioned above.
FINAL RATING: 3.5

Overall, this level is totally overhosted, and if someone unofficial would've made it no one would remember it today. I wonder why I rated the 7 option on the poll, I just did it without thinking.
However, maybe I have been a bit mean in this review, but who cares. This is the end of the review, Cooba I hope this is what you wanted. Otherwise I can't help you.

Have fun dudes, PHT

like im gonna read that ? anyway.. skilled people like Battle1, less skilled people dont like it.

10/10

Originally Posted by $tilettø

like im gonna read that ?

Do you mean my review?
I've written much longer ones

It is, indeed.

Stiletto, I cheer your impulssive love to Battle1.

Piz : Lol.

I have a strange feeling soon people will come and say "Let's review Battle2!" and "Let's review Battle3!" and "Let's get on the nervs of our dear friend PHT!" and some stuff like that
The invasion has started..But beware, if you continue to do so sometime, somewhere, somehow a polar bear will come and eat ya all, and for heaven's sake, YAIH! No "Let's review a JJ2 level!" and "Let's make PHT angry!" threads will be there anymore
Oh well, some fine day...

*just joking*

I quite like it but need different music and better eyecandy 8.0

Originally Posted by PHT2

There are some platforms with a bunch of weapons and a lizard and a bat. I don't really know why this exists, though I find it very weird.

It was supposed to be 'The Ultimate Weapon of Doom' accesible by a weird ability to fly without cheats. Those enemies are pointless, but powerups there were meant to be secret way to always win in Battle1.

That room is in Battlea, too.

Way to fly without using cheats!??

7.5. Excellent gameplay, so-so eyecandy, good size.

Serves its purpose as the first coming-with-the-game battle level nicely I think.
Battle 3 is cool but sort of lopsided. I like Battle 2 personally, because there are no powerups and some interesting areas to fight in, but frankly Battle 1 is hosted so often because it really works well. I don't know if it's perfect, but for all we know, it's the first battle level ever, so it doesn't have to be.

Originally Posted by Trafton

7.5. Excellent gameplay, so-so eyecandy, good size.

Excellent gameplay?
I think I will put that into my signature

Originally Posted by RockyR

it's the first battle level ever

Lies. Battlea was one.

I think I will review it also, because of lack of J2O stuff to do with it so.

Battle1

Eyecandy sucks. Background layers scream 'USE ME!!!'. Yes, entire level has only three layers used. Layer 3, 4 and 8. Emptiness of level makes it very awful. The brown bricks on layer 4 don't help. Plus, this level isn't tilebug free.

There's almost no gameplay. All I do in Battle1 if it's hosted, follow path to Water Shield, fall down, go to warp, get some seekers, and go to copters again. While enemies usually try to get water shield, there's chance I will die following my path. Layout is very bad, it's filled with dead ends and there are only two ways to get to higher level, both warps.

Ammo placement is what saves level. It's placed well and originally, not too hard to get. Except seeker and bouncer powerup, where players have tendancy to camp, and hideous water shield.

Overall, Battle1 is mediocre level, with lot of unfair stuff, and it's overhosted to death. In fact, I like this level only because it has a secret room in upper right corner.

RATING : 3.0

My favorite battle level. So 10. Haha, It's got that charm to it that makes it the best choice for duels.

Originally Posted by PHT2

Excellent gameplay?
I think I will put that into my signature

Yes; I am reviewing it as if I had never seen it before. The flow is very good. It is organized and there are multiple routes. It is overhosted, but the gameplay is very good.

Originally Posted by Trafton

Yes; I am reviewing it as if I had never seen it before. The flow is very good. It is organized and there are multiple routes. It is overhosted, but the gameplay is very good.

Traft, the flow could be a lot better, imo. Bottom left dead end, copter is just annoying, vine under the bouncer powerup can get you stuck etc.

Eyecandy: Dull and repetetive, some parts look a bit awkward (like that spring room, why doesnt that little warp whole have the brown backround tiles when the rest of the room does? Could have a bit more creativity, but on the plus side at least thngs tile.
Rating: 5

Gameplay/Layout/Flow: It has a bit of strategy involved, but it also has a lot of annoying mistakes. Destruct blocks aren't really needed, copter could've possibly been a spring (h8 copters), that pole with the rfs seems a bit useless, and some passages could've been a tad bigger. Also a bit Jazz Biased.
Rating: 6

Placement of Stuff: Not so good. 1. Freezer ammo. Explains itself. At least most of the time its in an out-of-the-way location 2. The seeker ammo. Two 15seeks crates and a powerup. Big seeker messes there = lots of weapon crate lag and lots of camping, especially lots of those kills where the person who warps to that place isnt even let down before he is killed. Water shield complicates things a lot more and shouldnt (imo) be in the level. Bouncer powerup area has the same problem as the seeker area, but the bouncer was a good choice for the level. Carrots are alright, but the top one could've been a tad farther away from the seeker since it makes that area be one of the most important in the level, and some other areas barely used or even almost ignored. I question what the epic people were thinking when they put a non regenerating blaster powerup right under the seeker (although that did inspire some of Zerox), as well as the little secret on top of te level.
Rating: 2.5

Originality: One of the places where the level fails as well. I'm going to spare this level in this category because it was one of the first levels made, so it's not too original compared to the levels now (although I have to rate Fun Factor now instead).

Fun Factor: This level is alright to play, but now I get sick of seeing it because everyone hosts it. They completely purged all the fun of this level =\. Anyways, its fun when you play with a lot of people here, but I find duels here take too long and I don't have the patience to wait that long (like waiting for a carrot to regen and getting it until your h goes from 1 to 5 while your opponent camps just below the seeker area), so I tend to rush them a bit. So, at least for me, one on one games here take long, are stressful, and I just dislike them.
Rating: 3.2

Overall (not an average): This level might've been good back then, but I don't like it now. Lots of problems which could be easily fixed, lots of small mistakes, overhosted to death, I might even dislike this more then I dislike DW.
Rating: 3

Final Rating: 3.94. Technically this should get rounded to a 4 but I rated 3, 3.2, 3.5, 3.7 instead .

Don't expect me to write an epic review, instead I'll just say that the level has a very good design/layout, I mean look at the carrot placement at the top right, the way the bottom middle is designed, most solid levels aren't made with that style. The placement was just ownage even for its time.

The eyecandy plain sucks but there must've been a reason why not much effort was put out to make the level look good.

The ammo, powerup and shield placement was really sucky especialy with the bubble shield placement, but it was one of the first levels. Go figure.

There may be levels that are designed better than battle1 but not many. However this level is not without its faults in layout as it encourages campers, and cheap kills exist at the top right.

Originally Posted by $tilettø

skilled people like Battle1, less skilled people dont like it.
10/10

Someone's full of themselves.

I'll go with 7/10. Good gameplay, poor eyecandy.

Originally Posted by $tilettø

like im gonna read that ? anyway.. skilled people like Battle1, less skilled people dont like it.

10/10

You should vote on the poll.

i remember back in 98 when i first started making levels, the first thing i did was mess with battle1. i changed the tileset to the night one first, then i proceeded to alter it accordingly.

i remember i made the level so big it took my friend josh 5 minutes to dl it, so i said "screw this" and i went back to using the original.

(yay for backups!)

Battle1, Battle2 and Battle3 are really different than our battle levels nowadays. They have such a different layout, none is making that layout style anymore. I think those levels are pretty good and I don't know why everyone are against them. Indeed, their eyecandy isn't amazing but it's decent, I can't say it is bad at all.

Battle1: 7.7
Battle2: 7.2
Battle3: 7.5

That is my opinion.

How comes people started posting threads that have been posted several times already recently?

Originally Posted by Agent Cooba

Lies. Battlea was one.

Battlea is nearly the same than Battle1, with a few changes.

It was done before Battle1, anyway.

Let's compare two reviews for Battle1 by Blacky, first from this thread, second from Waz's article.

Originally Posted by Blackraptor

Eyecandy: Dull and repetetive, some parts look a bit awkward (like that spring room, why doesnt that little warp whole have the brown backround tiles when the rest of the room does? Could have a bit more creativity, but on the plus side at least thngs tile.
Rating: 5

Gameplay/Layout/Flow: It has a bit of strategy involved, but it also has a lot of annoying mistakes. Destruct blocks aren't really needed, copter could've possibly been a spring (h8 copters), that pole with the rfs seems a bit useless, and some passages could've been a tad bigger. Also a bit Jazz Biased.
Rating: 6

Placement of Stuff: Not so good. 1. Freezer ammo. Explains itself. At least most of the time its in an out-of-the-way location 2. The seeker ammo. Two 15seeks crates and a powerup. Big seeker messes there = lots of weapon crate lag and lots of camping, especially lots of those kills where the person who warps to that place isnt even let down before he is killed. Water shield complicates things a lot more and shouldnt (imo) be in the level. Bouncer powerup area has the same problem as the seeker area, but the bouncer was a good choice for the level. Carrots are alright, but the top one could've been a tad farther away from the seeker since it makes that area be one of the most important in the level, and some other areas barely used or even almost ignored. I question what the epic people were thinking when they put a non regenerating blaster powerup right under the seeker (although that did inspire some of Zerox), as well as the little secret on top of te level.
Rating: 2.5

Originality: One of the places where the level fails as well. I'm going to spare this level in this category because it was one of the first levels made, so it's not too original compared to the levels now (although I have to rate Fun Factor now instead).

Fun Factor: This level is alright to play, but now I get sick of seeing it because everyone hosts it. They completely purged all the fun of this level =\. Anyways, its fun when you play with a lot of people here, but I find duels here take too long and I don't have the patience to wait that long (like waiting for a carrot to regen and getting it until your h goes from 1 to 5 while your opponent camps just below the seeker area), so I tend to rush them a bit. So, at least for me, one on one games here take long, are stressful, and I just dislike them.
Rating: 3.2

Overall (not an average): This level might've been good back then, but I don't like it now. Lots of problems which could be easily fixed, lots of small mistakes, overhosted to death, I might even dislike this more then I dislike DW.
Rating: 3

Final Rating: 3.94. Technically this should get rounded to a 4 but I rated 3, 3.2, 3.5, 3.7 instead .

Originally Posted by Blackraptor

Gameplay: Ok, some places welcome some springs, but its pretty good, except for that dead end at the bottom left.
Pros: Alright.
Cons: some minor things that could of been fixed by placing one or 2 event tiles.
Rating: 7

Eyecandy: Nothing special, but nothing wrong either.
Pros: Basic good eyecandy.
Cons: Nothing extraordinary
Rating: 6.5

Layout: I quite liked it, very strategic and all, except Im not too fond of the destruct blocks or some dead ends. A bit spaz biased.
Pros: Very strategic, nicely done
Cons: A bit spaz biased, dead end.
Rating: 8.2

Ammo: Placed ok, except the freezer wasnt really needed, and so wasnt the shield at the top. Great place for seeker. I dont think Blaster generates though.
Pros: Nothing really horrible.
Cons: Some ammo not needed, Blaster doesnt generate, shield out in the open.
Rating: 7.2

Overall (not an average): Its actually a great level. lots of strategy will be involved in duels that take place here. This could of gotten a 9 from me if it werent for some noticable cons.
Pros: Great
Cons: Too many noticable ones
Rating: 7.5

Final: I think you get the point from my not so well made review. I would make one for B1 or DW or some others, but you get the point.

I see a difference.

Originally Posted by Blackraptor

Traft, the flow could be a lot better, imo. Bottom left dead end, copter is just annoying, vine under the bouncer powerup can get you stuck etc.

...

Final Rating: 3.94. Technically this should get rounded to a 4 but I rated 3, 3.2, 3.5, 3.7 instead .

As a reviewer, could you honestly tell me you'd give this sort of level a 4? You gave a 4.5 to CraccoBoy's Cracco Gathering Plus (Dec 2002), which you called "[bad]...[full of] ripped tiles," and you gave the same rating to Fantastic Bunny's In Lost Wood (Aug 2002), where you noted that the second level has "NO WAY OUT!" You even gave a 4.7 to hhf's Ice Cap Zone (Nov 2002), which you noted as "completely missing the important tiles" and having "not much good quality" and said it just plain "looks screwy."

Although I understand Battle1-bashing is cool, is two dead ends (if you're going to count the bottom left as one, you have to do the same to the bottom right - but really dead ends are not as bad in battle as they are in CTF at all), use of a copter (evil I agree), and a wayward vine (that's being a little touchy in my view) would be enough to rank it under a "screwy" MS Paint tileset?

I think that you're not being totally intellectually honest, as much as I also hate the overhostedness of Battle1. Also, I recall you rating it much higher in a previous topic like this one - what swayed your opinion so much?

First review in ages. Yay or something.

Eyecandy is ok, but too dull and basic. Like many people have mentioned before: use of foreground and background layers anyone? The gameplay isn't all that good either, with two powerups who just scream "camp me". And it has a shield, which is a major nuisance in battle games. And it's not all that hard to get stuck on the vine near the bouncer powerup, especially in games with more than 2 players.

Conclusion: it's a nice basic battle level, but it doesn't quite have what it takes to deserve a high rating. I'd reconsider if the foreground and background layers were used and the powerups weren't accessible by warps. And if the completely unnecessary vine near the bouncers were to be removed.

Originally Posted by Trafton

...use of a copter (evil I agree)...

Heh, so Epic didn't beta test the game, so sue them... I'm just quoting you Trafton, I'm talking to Blackraptor in these sentences.
-----
Ok, I might as well just rate all the other levels.

Capture 1/Springboard CTF = 9.0
Capture 2 = 8.5
Capture 3/Diamondus Warzone = 10
Capture 4 = 6.5
Battle 1 = 10
Battle 2 = 9.0
Battle 3 = 6.5
Treasure 1 = 8.0
Treasure 2 = 8.0
Treasure 3 = 8.7

Originally Posted by Trafton

As a reviewer, could you honestly tell me you'd give this sort of level a 4? You gave a 4.5 to CraccoBoy's Cracco Gathering Plus (Dec 2002), which you called "[bad]...[full of] ripped tiles," and you gave the same rating to Fantastic Bunny's In Lost Wood (Aug 2002), where you noted that the second level has "NO WAY OUT!" You even gave a 4.7 to hhf's Ice Cap Zone (Nov 2002), which you noted as "completely missing the important tiles" and having "not much good quality" and said it just plain "looks screwy."

Although I understand Battle1-bashing is cool, is two dead ends (if you're going to count the bottom left as one, you have to do the same to the bottom right - but really dead ends are not as bad in battle as they are in CTF at all), use of a copter (evil I agree), and a wayward vine (that's being a little touchy in my view) would be enough to rank it under a "screwy" MS Paint tileset?

I think that you're not being totally intellectually honest, as much as I also hate the overhostedness of Battle1. Also, I recall you rating it much higher in a previous topic like this one - what swayed your opinion so much?

Several past experiences + me getting absolutely sick of it .

I dont like it

Originally Posted by !Tman!

I dont like it

Unsupported rating removal edit. Please support more details in your review. ^.^

Actually you can't say "it was the first battle level so it's great" because if a publisher makes a new game and the first level is bad it isn't very good just because it is the first level ever made of that game. Even if it contains a level editor (Accidentally wanted to write JCS first as this became my word for Level Editor ).

Originally Posted by Agent Cooba

Unsupported rating (removal). Please (provide) more details in your review. ^.^

(Unauthorized parody correction. ~Violet)

Originally Posted by Unknown Rabbit

(Unauthorized (correction of) parody correction. ~Violet)

(~OLsen)

Actually I think battle 1 really sucks. The whole level is only fixed on the part with the Seeker upgrade the rest of the level is barely used. Also this level requires no skill at all just waiting and some dirty tricks does it so I dont like it at all.

OFFTOPIC: Btw Im back after two years ( if there are any people who can remember me :P )

I remember you.

Hey Fire

ok why i dont like it is as soon as ur warp to the seekers u fly in the air... Because your being shot. I've made it all the way to the top just by being shot at..