Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

Arcane Observatory

Someone cycled to the level and people started to criticise it, what i will use in my review.

Theme

Arcane Observatory, this name refers to WarCraft 3’s building where there are these magical floating stuffs in a building. What can I say, this level is totally based around that thing, thus there is the big building made of floating platforms, with a dark forest at the background, raining heavily with the really nicely fitting music (what is made by Alexander Brandon who made the musics for jj2 too), that adds a lot to the feeling while being at the this level. I feel like I was at a mediveal, magical sorcery place, genious, I love the Theme of the level.
[18:07:20] RabRabCC: the theme of the level is nice though
[18:07:25] PurpleJazzCC: well yes

20 out of 20

Eyecandy

Mainly it’s dark over there, it’s relaxing for the eyes. I especially like the background, even though it’s the basic offering of the tileset. There are some nice background parts, many windows, it’s simple but natural, what means you’ve put there the right amount of decoration. There aren’t confusing things, except for the BNC PUs, they are a little hidden but once you found them it’s no big deal, I mean, a part of them is visible. This amount of Eyecandy is really right for a CTF level (or anything else basically). It’s definietly nice.

20 out of 20

Layout

Well after all these nice points, I’m sad about it, but i have to say that the level is a little too much focused on the Theme and the look, what causes the level’s gameplay and layout to have problems.
Firstly I would explain it’s simplified layout: Bases in the middle routes side by side, Powerups at the 4 corners of the level, carrot in the middle. That sounds allright, it’s obviously balanced, fairly easy to understand. The carrot’s box is problematic though, since there is only a full carrot, and it’s really campy. The entrance of the carrot is campy, the box is a trap, and the exit of the box is also very campy, this makes a larger team game carrotless, as the flagholder can’t risk going to the carrot , because he/she has hardly any way to get out with more health. Moreover in these two critical places, the entrance of the carrot box and the exit from the box are the two ways where you can go to the other side, and they have seekers close so they are ultimate camp places. That is bad.
[18:05:45] -t3’: this dead end is a terrible design decision
[18:06:07] -t3’: it could just have a passage to the other side
He is talking about 69 23 to 73 25. I have to agree with him, there is a solution with triggers, so that the person can go up with the tube (or if he/she wants to get out he can get out by buttstomping) and the person who wants to go to the other side has one other nice way to do so.
[18:11:41] PurpleJazzCC: i don’t really like the platformish layout
Well In my view of things, being platformish isn’t an issue of layout, but okay, the level is platformish, I will come back to it at the gameplay section.
The layout is simple anyway, there aren’t many tactical issues, you can’t really chase else than in liner paths when the enemy isn’t far, you can rather camp.
It’s unique so that’s a good point.

16 out of 30

Gameplay

Duels work, since there is only one carrot, maybe in duels the carrot problem i explained right above is nonexsistent. It’s quite big though, so it might take a lot of time if someone decides to run around and hide. The size suggests 3v3, but the carrot and it’s campyness suggests 2v2 rather. In 3v3 it becomes a carrotless map, it might still be fun it does work then too, but it’s somewhat bad. The RF is crucial, BNC is useful too, and as there are both of them in both sides, it gives enough supply. The BNC’s dead-end is a bit dangerous, but I don’t think it’s a problem. The ammos are allright, they are functional in the level, yet there could be some non powerupped toaster, they might had some use. Ah and EB seems to be a little useless, there are no walls you could use it on else than the carrot box. The ammo placement is a bit agureable, you shouldn’t put seeks close a campy place.
Pits:
[18:06:20] PurpleJazzCC: i think the pits here are annoying and
[18:06:23] PurpleJazzCC: unnecessary
[18:06:46] PurpleJazzCC: they were fine in coffee
[18:06:52] PurpleJazzCC: but here they just seem really random
[18:07:12] PurpleJazzCC: a bit of a risky design choice considering this
[18:07:18] PurpleJazzCC: was to make a new mappool level
Many people (excluding me) hates pits. PJ is right, these pits aren’t carrying something tactical or intended, they are just there, like “why not?”. I can assume, the reason why the pits are there is the name, the theme’s concept, and now comes back what I said earlier, the theme is more in the focus than the gameplay. The base areas are neat, they can be approached from many ways, can be defended with seeks or something.
[18:09:52] Kenny-CDF-: i dont really like its flow :/
[18:12:20] PurpleJazzCC: yea lots of jumping required here
That’s true, you gotta jump a lot, but mainly the flow is allright I mean you don’t crush to unexpected obsticles, if I ignore occasionally falling down.
As the last thing about the gameplay I will say, the platformish layout. There are plenty of ways you can go on, you can always change direction, there aren’t anything to control your movement, like you needn’t go up, in the route you can just go right along, and this makes the players be very unexpectable, you can’t really predict where to go, and if you even could, you can not get in front of your enemy, or you can’t shoot him from a place. The carrot box and the middle place is an exception to this said, but I already told what’s bad about them.

14 out of 30

Conclusion

This is a nice level, it’s pretty, has a catchy feeling, yet the gameplay is dull, not too tactical, with a campy carrot box. What advice i would give is that, you need to plan the gameplay ahead and then decorate the level, what you, comrade, do quite right.

-RabidRabb

What’s that?

An amazingly designed level with a toungebreaking title.. ah really you could just name it something simpler like Jungle’s Inside or… River Potato.
Allright aside of the jokes, this is a really great looking level, the tileset is perfectly used, creating a natural jungle environment with waterfalls and a river. Astonishing, it’s so peasant to just watch the image. I think I can assume you are at the very top of making eyecandies. There are a few things in the foregorund covering a little of the played area, but I didn’t find it distracting or confusing, even though the colors aren’t really different for the playable area.
The layout is, as usual, horizontal mainly it’s balanced. (Aside of that Toaster PU isn’t as good as BNC Pu, in my opinion, so maybe it would be better if RF was swapped with Toaster. However that probably goes againt your intentions.) I learned it very fast, it’s not complicated, so it won’t be a bad point for anyone, who sees it first.
I din’t try it online but it’s not complicated and it must be good for 2v2 and 3v3 (duels are agurable) It should be an usual fight like people has in other levels, this level is quite orthodox in gameplay, what to say. I’m sorry for not trying it
All weapons are in this level (except TNT and ice but those aren’t even necessary) No seeker Pu what is a nice point. There are enough ammos spread all around. I especially like the full carrot’s area, that it’s special, it probably makes the most difference to this level from other levels.
The music is nice and soft, perfectly fitting the environment, The only thing is that the track tiself is a little short, but well, it makes the size small so it’s fine. Okay, so it’s not from necros, whatever.

I’m assured this is a really appropriate level for the contest, it definietly fits the expectations. The (for me strong) bad point is that it’s orthodox and simple in layout and gameplay. Neverthless you will have a great chance to win with it.

RabidRabb

I wanted to write a full review but in lack of time, these are quite odd levels again, I specially like the event size Dom/Ctf level. Well actually the single player level is a bit unenjoyable for me. DF is usually very annoying but unique and for me, fun idea.
You might directly go in the opposing way, but I would suggest some more orthodoxity.

Ow, look, a new ctf level, let’s review it!

Introduction

Super Substructure, interesting name, like rabbits shootin’ around under some factory, nah that’s what you wouldn’t expect!

Look/Eyecandy

It’s pleasant, I could say realistic (As much as a level needs to be). At one place (left to the bnc PU) it feels a but confusing first but it’s fastly learnable. The walls are always made with edges, it makes it easy to detect where can you pass. It’s not overdone, though it would be possible to make it more pretty. The tileset offers huge amount of things to use, you didn’t abuse it, but of course, it’s impossible to use everything from it, so I won’t take it as a bad point.
hah, I didn’t find the +1 carrots for a long time.

Rating: 18/25

Layout

Ouch! It’s a larger level, and is totally assymetrical, what generates problems here, because the things are arranged closer to one team. All the powerups are closer to the red base, also the spawns are at the bases so. In a 3v3 or 2v2 you will get PUs more often as red at spawnings and this is a bad thing. The layout is quite irregular, what I actually like. One more thing, the bases are very differently structured, what makes it even more (red) basied. It takes moderate time to learn the level and to get used to the flow.

Rating: 6/15

Gameplay
I did not try it online

Due to the layout and the many PUs the amount of carrots are right, as being 1 full and two small. I think it would fit 3v3s likely, also bigger games. There are some campy areas, let’s see what are they: The RF PUs place, which gives a way to try to dd, but it is more like a trap, as you can only get to one place with it, and it’s easily broken by some BNCs. The blue base is easy to defend with seeks, standing at the base, the red is hard to defend fully, because the fly carrot and the tube to the right makes a possibility to get to the base without meeting an enemy.
Now let’s see the flow. This is a part of the level I found a bit annoying. The springs at the right side are weirdly arranged, the spring at 58 31 aren’t putting you properly, also the one at 73 50 can slow you, but these are not problems once you got used to the moving in the level. However, after running around a few times I still found myself at places that I wasn’t intended to go to (for example the Blaster PU by the green spring under it, the place at 55 35; 118 18).
An other problem I think would occur, is that it is disbeneficial to play with Lori/Jazz, bc Spaz’s double jump is useful to get you faster in moving.
Now i was a lot criticizing so I’m now gonna try to focus on positive things. I really like the Red base’s structure, it’s quite interesting and unique. The powerups are nicely chosen to the environment. (RF for horizontal shooting, BNC to spam from above, Toaster to hit when going up or down at bigger vertical falls, though the blaster might not be so necesary)

Rating: 20/30

Pickups

The PUs and the carrots are rightly placed. There are quite a lot of simple ammo around the level, even too much (a lot of seekers at the right side) I don’t want to go deep into where and why, as so because I didn’t try it online I’m sorry! ._..

Rating: 21/25

Music

The name of it is : ‘Point of Departure’, it’s in the musicdisc ‘Progression’ and the maker of it is ‘Necros’, one of the best tracked music makers so far, he should get the credit for it!
This is a great music in itself. Even though it makes me more think of nature it’s kinda fitting it, additionally because the music itself was inspirated by a documentary of bullet trains (some kind of modern trains) (As Necros explains it in the Track’s info)
You can download ModPlugTracker for free and with that you can play all kinds of tracked musics, also make them, and the info is usually “hidden” at the sample/instrument names.

Rating: 5/5

Overall

This is a great level, you are improving a lot, looking at your older levels and mainly that’s why I wanted to award you with a review. If i will try it online I might complete this to help you even more.
I do believe it’s sufficient to get you applied at XLM. Good Job!

7 out of 10

Welcome
to my Detailed review!

Oddity

Starter

Well what to say, even through it has a name that doesn’t tell much it’s really accurate, I mean the level is irregularly big with numerous weird things, it might also fit the good old orbitus. Even if I fould it very confusing first, it has creative things and interesting parts!

Look/Eyecandy

This tileset has it’s own great atmosphere, what you abused right. The background is great, the decorations aren’t overdone. Also a good thing that the tiles show, or least reflect what can happen there. It’s not hurting my eyes, it feels natural, in the right meaning. You cared about the walls in many places so it doesn’t really feel blank anywhere. Maybe there could be a bit more yellow stuff but it’s quite well done this way too. There is nearly nothing in the foreground covering playable areas, it’s easy to understand how to move in the level, the outfit is definitely not confusing. On top of these I didn’t find any tilebugs. It might feel undone, not made that carefully, yet it’s just appearing to be quite decent.
GJ, but well, I didn’t crap my pants so no max points. xd,,

Rating:23/25

Layout

Basically: huge. It’s using the oldschool two bases facing each other in the sides type. The lower part is appearing to be a bit useless, but i didn’t try it it might work well. Symmetrical, what is appropriate in this size. It takes certain time to understand and learn the layout (and the whole lvl) though.

Rating:11/15

Gameplay
Yes, I will be talking about it without trying it out with ppl.

Referring to the size, it could work with the minimum of 3;3 players, and it could very well be played in JDC events or such. There are quite many PUs with 2 damage, and only +1 Cs what, I believe, can make killing easy. I think the most fighting would be around the bases, they are very vulnerable to BNCs, so a defender might have significant advantage. The shield has only 10 sec, so it doesn’t carry that much strength, still can entitle you to a safe capturing. Just as you wrote about your own lvl, yes the many warps make it confusing and chaotic, what I wouldn’t basically mark as a bad point, just as a property. I think it doesn’t give advantage to a character, a lori player takes care of it. The flow is understandable easily but the float ups are usually more annoying than useful, and as I already mentioned, it takes a little time to learn. (just like any other lvl, but this might take a bit long)

Rating:24/30

Pickups

Ugh, 9 PUs, 7 with Dmg, with most types, excepting Seeker and Electroblaster. I agree with the decision, even if I think seeker could be a good weapon here. There is a shield and only small carrots, so it’s basically not needed. The placements are fine, the most creative, the shield’s warpout, it’s really fun as you can take damage if it’s taken, but I think the other ways shouldn’t be there so that you would be forced to get a hit. The PUs are always in places that ensure you can’t take it to full, In my opinion it’s bad, least the toasters could be simply out. There are lots of ammos spread in the level, mostly just a little, but on the bottom there are big piles, it acts allright. I don’t like the FF placements, I usually took then however I never wanted. There is only one place where I feel like there should be something put, it’s the top middle place. It would be an ammo refiller, but I would more adivse a +1 C. I think that in a 4v4 match or above it would be quite appropriate.

Rating:20/25

Music

It’s not needed to mention I suppose.

Rating:5/5

Overall

It’s quite unorthodox, and doesn’t come with instant understanding, so it might be repellent for random people. It must be definitely fun to play with big armies anyway.

83 out of 100

Sparkling Caves
:3

Starter

I tested this level several times, and now finally there it has it’s cool outfit. Just like Oddity, it’s unorthodox, hm, I’m gonna say Thunderwalker style.

Look/Eyecandy

Yey! It’s really fancy! It’s damn outworked in many places, it differs in many places, It’s pleasuring to be here, really. The concept that the top is light and the bottom is dark is great! It’s not irritating to the eyes, the foregrouns things are just a very few, the eyecandy isn’t confusing. I also like that the warps and that one tube is marked. Okay, enough of the deserved praising, in the bottom the backgrounds and the walls feel a very very little blank.
yeez, I was close to pantscarpping

Rating:24/25

Layout

Ahh! An assymetrical level, with one base at the bottom left and the other in the top right. What is sure that it was irregularly hard a job to balance, and it was worthy, I couldn’t point out any advantage. The leves size is medium. Is fairly easy to learn.

Rating:14/15

Gameplay

As you mention it at the description, yes, it’s definietly fitting to 2v2s and duels. Trough the testings I myself played it a few times, It is cool, but irregular. oppa TW style The fights are a bit crippled, with the types of 2 damage weapons. Also it’s a little similar to Battle moded levels, as it only has +1 Cs. When I was playing here, the fights weren’t that intense, i usually was just walking around in joy without meeting any enemies. It is sharpened to killing anyway, I think it needs more personal strength than teamplay. The flow is good, I didn’t find it annoying anywhere. It doesn’t give adventage to any characters again.

Rating:27/30

Pickups

Mainly, it’s great, the PUs determine the way of the fights, there could be EB, it would make it different though. The FFs are placed out from the playing area, thumb up for that! The PUs and Shield are placed fairly and rightly. Maybe the carrots are a bit closer to the blue base, just a minimal thing. There are enough ammos, but don’t be afraid to put bigger piles of them. The shield as you also mentioned, carries much power. Well, I don’t feel like having anything else to say. Moo

Rating:22/25

Music

Is that a diamondus remix? Hah!

Rating:5/5

Overall

This level is definitely the shine of the pack. Was worth the time to make and test! Just a little note, the warps leading out to pit requires plus.

92 out of 100

Greedy Buddha

Starter

What a name, hah. This is of the not too played gamemode, bank robbery. As you also told above, commenting your own levels, it isn’t made with that effort, what is quite visible.

Look/Eyecandy

The lower part of the level feels a bit boring and just looks plain. The tubes are very unnatural and outstanding. However, the background is amazing, I love it! At a few places the eyecandy is cool. Simply lacking the vast work what was put into Sparkling Caves, this tileset has enormous propriaties to utilise. Not eyehurting view. The tubes and the plain walls let you feel artificial what is in the bottom, I’m sad you didn’t work it out, would be a real masterpiece then with that top.

Rating:19/25

Layout

There are in the 4 corners the bases and the banks. They are placed right, but I think that the banks are very hard to defend. There are 2 +1Cs in the middle what keeps the people alive. There are many very fast and easy ways to access the banks. It probably doesn’t make the game bad, but make it a matter of speed. It’s symmertical, so balanced. Minimal time to learn. Nothing irregular, a bit plain.

Rating:10/15

Gameplay
I didn’t try this online.

There would be a big gush of points, as the banks would be always full of robbers, really, the people wanting to stop them will have a very very hard time. Altrough they can kill them if they stay for too long. It could work properly, but victory will quite depend on the teamplay, whether the bank isn’t filled with too much robbers, and are coming in in right order, to abuse the most gold out. I would love to try it out. Just guessing, I say it would need 3v3+ players. That, the points are got for 100 coins first and then the followings only cost half of it is great idea. The flow is a few times miscoordinated or annoying.

Rating:25/30

Pickups

Well, this will be a part where i complain a lot. Fisrt of all, the only PU there is, the toaster isn’t much, and the level is also poor in other simple ammos. Minimally I would put one more PU, damaging 2. No, pepper PU isn’t a significant thing. Secondly, The bases aren’t carrying much potential, only a little ammos. The fire shields there are bugged or something, I didn’t ever get them. Lastly the small Cs on the middle will heal you up against a potential chaser. Again, don’t be afraid to put a lot of ammo out.

Rating:13/25

Music

I took the time and got it. It’s fitting obviously.

Rating:5/5

Overall

This gamemode is quite underplayed (just like 95% of the gamemodes by the way..), even as there are growing number of good levels in them.
Hard words coming, but this map is significantly decreasing the quality of this upload. You either should’ve put more time/testing to it, or not include it.

72 out of 100

Final Conclusions

Really a precise job done mainly! These rightly made, irregular levels, pointing out the two CTFs, would deserve to be played, however I fear the unorthodoxity will decrease their popularity. Big respect for you sir anyway!

83+92+72=247
247/300 => 8.2/10

8.2 out of 10

~RabidRabb

Really, if you have read this, big respect to you too, dear reader!

Prelude

“The Battle of Jungle 2.0 Day”, well not as a blaming, but this isn’t a good name, I mean, it’s a CTF level, and the place is exactly referring to the tileset’s title. You dont need complicated names, a Jungle Bungle or Jungle Fight or even a Kubus CTF would make a better impression. The level is tiny and has numerous weird things in it, so why do I reveiw this? Because, it’s your first level and you quite much appear to need advice!

Eyecandy

The look is basically decent, the edges of the walls and leaves are smooth, there are waterfalls, tree tubes made right. I think I can state that the background looks excellent with the bare look and the water, even though you didnt ulitlise Layer 7. The places where rabbits jump around looks all fine, but the edge walls are usually blank. The leaves add a good eyecandy, but several times they are placed in unnatural positions, also I first found them confusing, but it’s easy the get used to or just to turn Low detail on, It actually makes the levels clear, and doesn’t ruin near anything, that’s a good point!

Rating:21/25

Layout

The bases in the opposing sides are in Death-Ends (Places where you hardly have way to get out without getting hit). The level is definetly tiny, closely just a one route level, but the ways have different functions near the bases. There is a sort of ridiculous part, the lower big box, with warps leading to it with small ways out of it, it’s totally empty, Both the Full Carrot and the Seeker PU is above it. Shouldn’t those two, or least one be there? Well you can hide there for limited amout of time, but with that, you would trap yourself quite afar of the bases. It’s wrongly made part of the level. Anyway this map is generally simple (what doesn’t mean bad!) and is mirrored, the only differnece is BNC and RF powerup, rightly balancing. It’s just a piece of cake to learn the level.

Rating:7/15

Gameplay

The three most dangerous powerup, 2 +1 C, 1 FullC. Well i didn’t actually play it, but i could easily imagine how it could turn out thinking about the small size. A duel could be sort of right, there would be a lot of camping and carrot fight though. The 2v2 would be err, well actually i can’t imagine how that would be, it could act fine. 3v3 would be bloody as hell, ew. There is a big fail on the pickups, i will expalin them one paragraph below. Whatever, so what i would mainly say, there are too much PUs and Carrots. Just shooting seekers out from the spot of the FullC and the Seeker PU you can get all the PUs and camp the carrot at once, it’s superior to any place, it would ruin the game In my opinion. Let’s talk about the flow. Those chumps at 52:16 and 97:16, are damn annoying. Accidentally i found myself pushing walls, and i always ran into the warps leading to the bottom. The rest was appropriate.

Rating:20/35

Pickups

The most important and very big mistake is that, the generators aren’t setted. This way, they spawn in a few seconds after they got taken. When you turn an event into a generator, you can set it’s delay of time to spawn again on the right lower corner of the Set Event Window. You need to make it like 25 to PUs and Carrots, and 20 to the simple ammos.
The PUs were in acceptable places, but, they are too much and too close. One should be only on top, and not in the middle, but close to one side, and the other should be in the bottom box, I think. BNC is quite good to break camps, so it should be one of the PUs. There are just a little small ammos, there should be a bigger bunch just next to the bases (it should be BNC for both sides). Ice inside the tubes in the middle isn’t too useful. The +1 Carrots are placed right, but i would mark them too much for the tiny map.

Rating:8/20

Music

Easter.s3m, “Frolick Lane” By Alexander Brandon. It itslef is a great tune, yet just by the filename, it’s not really meant to fit a Jungle level, there are some samples that feel like decent for a jungle but it’s too fast, happy and clear. For a jungle i would choose a slower, rithmic and mystic music, the general music for this tileset could’ve been just great for it.

Rating:3/5

Ending

1. Look at other players’ good levels, the popular levels are played for a right reason, their creators understood more of this misterious art of making JJ2 levels. There are tons of things you can learn from them. If you didnt play this then go ahead: The Resurrection of Devan Shell Get trough all the five episodes (if you didn’t already) and alaize the levels, watch how it works, see how the eyecandy is made is severaly creative ways!
2. Let each place have it’s use! Spread out the Powerups, ammos, and carrots in the level.
3. Never forget to Test your own level, run around a lot and think if all the things are right, there are no bugs, bad parts of the level! You could also ask someone else to test BEFORE you want to release it, an other perspective can make a large positive change!
   Be creative, set your mind free and learn. I wish you all the best!

6 out of 10

~RabidRabb

Prelude

Wow what we got here, the first (uploaded) level of such an experienced player. Err, the name is a lazy solution, however i think it actually fits your personation. The starter glance made me instantly want to write a review, i was sure i would see something tasty. So did i!

Eyecandy

The apmosphere is smooth and cool, it’s even more natural than the other levels with this tileset, considering that in jungles it usually rains. The place is like if it lived, with the moth all around in A windy dusk, great as the (layer 8) background synchronizes with the rain. The eyecandy is goodlooking, some waterfalls, rooty treey stuffs and such, the tileset is used right. To complete the list of goods, its still looking great and probably even helps to turn on low detail. Well there is one little bad thing that the colors are sometimes confusing.
Dah you bbswing base copier :3!

Rating:23/25

Layout

Mainly, small, two sides, each with a sort of separated base area, middle area with 2 full Cs, its investive. In the bottom corners there are Rf and Bnc, the mid sides have +1 Carrots. Each place of the level has something to go for. The bases appear to be quite easy to defend as you can block all the ways if you camp under the flaggies, also the top mid fullC could have ways leading to the bases, with like tubes or winds (imo). Okay, so its symmetrical -> balanced, its mirrored, bah these recent levels are all like that.. (its a negative point). The structure is sorta fair not a challange to learn.

Rating:11/15

Gameplay

My very first game was a duel here though it more seems to be good for larger games due to the pickups, it’s wasn’t that bad. It could work, cause it’s not that hard to chase, RFs are very effective to hit. I played some 3v3s and it was quite good, first i thought it would be too slow and bad bc of the 4 carrots, yet the 2 damage PUs and placements for the carrots compensated it very well. The game is actionful, because it’s not that big, and has many death end like places, for example, the top middle carrot, PUs. Both face to face and long range combat happens. I especially love the bridge, you can shoot BNCs down to kill someone going towards the C/ shoot seekers down, you can even get up from below with the help of an RF. Some more discussion about fighting below, at pickups paragraph.
Let’s see what’s in the other hand, The flow. Goin trough the level is much times confusing and not once annoying. Here to mention the tubes taking out you from the top c area, so are the float ups that keep giving you to wroung directions, makes you stuck as you may buttstomp, goin the way you want is often ruined. It appears to be annoying. I would stroungly suggest to remove the tubes leading out from the top C aera, and making there a wider place. The springs usually let you too up from the other one or not making you up enough, it’s not coordinated well. (its possible to get used to everything anyway).

Rating:29/35

Pickups

So, 2 Full cs, 2 +1 Cs placed in a shape of a plus in the level. It’s allright, you needn’t risk going for a full C that are in dangerous places, and even if your not a flagholder you can heal yourself back, so the +1Cs are quite useful. Its funny when the top C is down so you can take them both as someone is hitting you, but you will still be in risk to get hit again, very well placed. The PU choices are pretty accurate, BNC has great uses blaster boosts you to make big chops, and the RF, that cuts as knife does the butter. There are lots of BNC barrels what is good, due to that this is a sort of vertical level, there isnt too many seekers, fine enough. The thing i sometimes miss are some RFs to reload, as it only is in the bottom at the PU, and like some inside the trees up, but i wouldnt really count with that one. In my opinion the toaster is just useless, it doesnt do significant damage, doesn’t give you too good chance to make hit, though there are crates of it on top of the bases. I would rather put there some RFs, better not crate, but RFs. ‘Bout the fastfires, i must admit, they are a good combo with blaster, but i personally hate them, even with that, probably i’m alone with that i don’t know, you could put them out of the way.

Rating:17/20

Music

The begining of it was like WTF and as the song repeats you hear it everytime, it could really been cut out. Altrough this isn’t a part to complain about, the music is damn accurate, greatly fitting the level, and is impressive to listen. I kept it for like 4 hours not getting bored of it, its a minimal thing that its MP3 and 4 MB.

Rating:5/5

Ending

It’s good to see such an advanced level, as your first upload. You are good at this, just dont be lazy!
(I could’ve added some praising chatlogs but i forgot to save them xd,,)

8.5 out of 10

~RabidRabb

Foreword

People mostly dont review a new person’s first level, but i tried it, and i came to think that it deserves some feedback.

Eyecandy(look)

It’s quite simple, and similar to the basic design of Tubelectric, the background is nice, even if it looks like a copy of the original, least you was smart enough to do so. The edges of the walls and platformars are correct, and the walls themself arent mostly made with only one tile, you seem to understand how to make such. Anyway, if you put tiles to non-moving forground layers, make sure to put the nearby walls to it too, to make it natural. You even used some animated tiles, and used them fine.

Rating:17/25

Layout

With the walltypes, the level is separated to 3 near equal parts, alrtoung the things in it are’n like that. The two useful powerrups are close in the middle (horizontally) there are two carrots sort of like that it’s allright. However the corners on the level are a little useless, ammos are over the level, so you dont need to go there for that. Every place should have use in the level, it can be to get powerups, health, get ammo, hide or such. Yet the corners arent really good for even hiding. You should plan the level on the siginciant things, and the ways between them.

Rating:8/15

Gameplay

I didnt play on this level, just ran around like 3 times, and i think that it would be bad for battle because if you get hit with a 2dmg ammo, you slowly can get 2 carrots, and you become very vulnerable, with 5 hearts, it might be okay but still it would be just around the important parts of the level. However, i think it could be pertty good for pestillence or lrs, these gametypes can be good with places to hide, where people less likely go because it doesnt have much in it. The flow (the smoothness of moving) is generally fine, but in some cases are annoying, one to point out: the stairs with toasters. There are lots of random start positions, could be less, in my opinion. Oh, and one more thing, dont leave the very edges of the level open, its buggy.

Rating:17/30

Pickups

The first thing came to my mind was that there are too much ammos all over the level, moreover, all of them mixed. You should use like: one type, a big pile, in a room of the level, so if your low, of that ammo, you go there and reload it. Yet the placement of the PUs are pretty accurate. The ice PU is useless, you should put an RF or Toaster PU instead, and should’ve put it into the box of the fastfires. The carrots are placed right, but they are not enough, i would say the minimum is 3, but it could have 4 without any problem, too.

Rating:13/25

Music

I personally like it, though it doesnt really fit the level in my opinion.

Rating:2/5

Ending

It’s not bad, you are in the right way to become a good levelmaker.
I give you some notes:

You should play, and check other people’s nice levels, like FireSword’s Garden Brawl or Purplejazz’s Triton Armory to see how a good level is like, how it works, what makes it is good.
You could also read articles about how to make levels, of course if you understand english well. For example Blackraptor’s How to make decent (or better) MP levels
If you are determined, you can win the joy of having played levels!

5.7 out of 10

~RabidRabb

Prelude

Lithium’s third uploaded CTF level just like the last one, containing pits, Bannerwatch Base. To be honest i don’t really get what the name means (even after googling it) but let’s stay at that its a kind of headquarters in a drear planet. I’m referring to the modern look and the shuttles in the background. So let’s see!

Eyecandy

Generally good, not glowing, not deceptive, natural (get it right) and goodlooking. I definetly like the spaceships in the background. The structure of the walls and layer 5 backgrouns are systematic mixed with random what is a right method in making such things. The windows as transpalucent wall items is loveable. They even have light around it, you used Lights pretty fine. On the other hand, this tileset is very rich in elements, yet the level doesn’t utilize it. The level doesn’t have just some tubecovers at the foreground layers, it doesn’t include any eyecandy, not even on masked walls. Some people find foreground things in the playing area annoying so it might count as a good point though. Moreover you optimized this nice and kind of simple eyecandy for low detail.

Rating:20/25

Layout

Mainly its like two bases facing eachother, each side the falg and +1 carrot in the middle, top toaster and bottom RF. between them there is an open area. The top of the bases are very abuseable places, considering that people hardly can get up to hit, if its camped. I was really thinking that maybe, there was some sneaky way to get up or shoot in, but no, I just could get hit to blink, and then have a try. I would suggest to make a tricky way to backstab the camper like a tube from the middle to up (also leaveing unmasked the place between the top warps). ‘Bout the lower tight way, it’s hard to chase trough, shooting in with Electroblaster isnt effecite, but it doesn’t ensure you to get to the base so it’s somewhat fine. Let’s turn the page to balancing. The level is symmetrical so its solved, its a very lazy solution though to mirror the half. Also, in such a small size i think it would be expected to make it assimetrical. Anyway the structure is fair, easy to learn.

Rating:9/15

Gameplay

This is the most important part of a level, especially in CTF. To begin, you recomend duels and 2v2s because of the size, however i tried a duel and it was very boring. The reason was that, there were 3 carrots and the map is full of defendable places. You hardly ever risk your life with chasing/attacking because your enemy can just hit you, you can’t even go with him and block his way or something because he can just simply turn back. This thing partially affects 2v2s too. Despite there you can risk attacking the flagholder, you will still have a quite hard time, he will mostly have a huge advantage. So both Duels and 2v2s are slow and actionless (obviously unless ppl make lots of mistakes). What’s next? 3v3s which lacks of this bad probably. I played the most of that in this level, it can keep 6 players ‘cause of the plenty of PUs and carrots, the little backward here is the small size. The fighting is near pure mindplay so is definetly great, furthermore, the bases themselves aren’t strongly campable, what makes a good tactical, domination game.
Turning to the bad, the ways are too narrow at certean places. Sadly i have to mention the flow here because its bothering. I usually have to retry jumping up with the srping down at the RF PUs. There is a little chance to fail to get the flag, you occasionally run to a srping or fall down so its bad. I’m not reflecting to that its a total failure, because its just time to get used to it (like most things), only that, it can weightly decrase the people’s impression.

Rating:24/35

Pickups

Lots of armour all over the small level, you always have something useful. I’m personally more the fan of big ammo piles to reload, but whatever. The powerup choice is definetly awesome. BNC would be too powerful, seeker wouldn’t really fit, but here i find myself using RF and Toaster effectively in face to face combat. The PUs are hardly controllable, even decreasing the functionality of duels (but increase 3v3’s)(imo). The toaster PU’s placement is fine, yet The RF powerup freaked me out a litte bit, it definetly needs time to get used it. At first glance i didn’t get what’s with the +1 carrots, but they are good and original, i didn’t really like it at the begining, but the more i played the more i liked it. The full corrot is in the center if the map, with warps leading to it. I once shooted it down from myself, with spamming some RFs, was funny. What to say, greatly placed. Maybe the only thing that makes the top place bad to camp is that there isn’t too much ammo, i find this nice, but if you go there with filled pockets you wont have a bad time. Oh and you left there some Daamm tasty chocolates! NOM NOM!

Rating:17/20

Music

Greatly fits. I personally love it. By the way it is named “Cosmic Outflow” and is made by Falcon and Pulse in 1996 (you should add it, really, they deserve it!).

Rating:5/5

Ending

Nice Job Sir, it’s a good level. Probably would be even better if you took my suggestions into consideration.

7.5 out of 10

~RabidRabb

Prelude
Surely not the first level but the first upload of Plumbe, Crystalline. The word itself means something consisting or made of crystal. Hm, the most logical story I can imagine behind this, is a spaceship, gathering minerals from planets. Sounds cool, even fits the level that way.

Eyecandy
The easiest thing in making a level, still it takes a deal of time. This tileset is quite popular, what to say, i didn’t ever try it, guessably it’s easy to use. Basically it differs from the exisiting levels, is natural and not chaotic, not overdone. With the lowest detail it don’t get way too bad, so it is okay, but probably the one thing you could improve in it, to optimize it for low detail (put all layer 4 backgrounds to layer 5, put layer 3 eyecandy to layer 2). It’s not that important, don’t misunderstand it. I didn’t find any tilebugs, so in my opinion it deserves a high rating.

Rating:23/25

Gameplay
Due to the big amount of ammo, in lead with the seeker crates (EDIT: well i think the seeker crates were fine, you shoudln’t have modfied that thing) and 2 damage PUs the game is full of action. Followed by a relatively small size (as it’s designed for 3v3 and more), but after a 4v4 and a 3v3 i can state that it is pretty much fun. I will mention certean places. To begin with, there is the Toaster PU’s area. it’s kind of campy but can be a trap too. The problem isn’t with that anyway. The trig scenerys block you from shooting in seekers (from the last version it’s partly fixed), and if want to prevent people from going in with tricks, you just need to make the walls of the entrances sharp like this . About the carrot: it’s hardly campable which is definetly a nice thing. Anyway if you shoot it, it usually sets to be in different places for different players. The place under the base is a little weird, there is a fly carrot for going up, which is only acessable for the team of that side. It’s possible to RF climb/WJ up there. Despite its only for the team it doesn’t help, it’s not faster than going up with the springs 15 tiles away, not even put you to the base instantly, you can still be shot easily. The flow is generally fine, yet needs some time to get used to, i rarely find myself hitting the walls, from certean springs. One note about the Team triggers, if nomovement is on and someone uses GMR to get to the base, he can avoid to touch the trig zones, this could be easily changed like this .

Rating:28/35

Layout
To start off, The bases are placed in the sides of the level in the middle height, connected with three main ways. The question of balancing is just a piece of cake, with the symmetry. Yet if look at it, every important thing is in the higher half. This doesn’t mean that the lower half is useless though, you may use it for your adventage, to hide, because people less likely come there. In the middle, the tube with the blaster PU and coinwarp is unique, i like it, even though it isn’t a crucial part of the level, you can access both the carrot and toaster with orher (faster) entrances. Well i don’t know if i missed anything, i already mentioned several parts of the level above.

Rating:12/15

Pickups
There we have RF and Toaster at each side, they are quite close to the base, as with that the spawns. If you died, you have a good chance to begin with a PU. More as a fact, than a bad thing, The PUs aren’t controllable as they are spread out in the level. The type choices are great, no upgaded Bnc and Seeker, the bouncy wouldn’t have too much use and the seeker one would be too strong. The rest of the 2 damage dealers are there, making the survival a little extreme as there is only one full carrot, which is in the center of the map (considering that the warps are the bottom lead to it). The seeker crates are pretty useful what to say, they usually fill your pockets on your way. You rarely have to care about running out of a type of armour, i think its a good point. However the bottom of the level doesn’t have much in it, it could keep some pepper spray, which is a great weapon in linear maps. I can’t deny anyway, RF is superior to pepper in chance of hitting. Each of the pickups are takeable without any tricks, although with electroblaster, you can get the blaster and the RF from below.

Rating:20/23

Music
Fits.

Rating:2/2

Ending
Well deserved to be in the national tournament mappool. Nicely done!
Playing a 4v4:
[13:59:20] [GpW]Kenny: if id rate this it would be 10
[14:03:26] KrytGpW: EPIC MAP

8.5/10
~RabidRabb

Really great thing, it’s perceptible how it’s formed in adept hands. It would be great to get concentrated types of music, with quality like this. Here i mean Electronic, DnB or Dubstep, things like these.

So, a small singe player level.

For the first look, i tought it looks cool, it has a good – and somewhat original eyecandy. I love that it’s covered with a black transpalucent layer, it obviously fits with the name and feel. Actually i liked the background, was also a great point. By the way as it has to come, there are bad things. one is that the things moving with you are somewhere a bit empty, there are some tilebugs (that could’ve been noticed if you go trough the level like 1-2 times and look for it). the feeling of it is fine, but in several parts it makes the way uncertain. After some deaths it wasn’t that but it’s still confusing.

eyecandy: 21/30

Enemies, flow, pickups and other droughty things: I started it and i fell down close immediately, i tought i will die, then i tought i will have to climb back. uh… i didnt get how it was meant to fall until i played like the 3/4 of the level. The first thing came in my mind was the tree that was used as masked, unmasek bg and unmasked fg too. It was deceptive. Anyway, after realising what’s going on, playing became fun, There were some unnoticable cactuses, some suprising enemies, it was the thing that hurted, because most enemies weren’t too hard to kill. the whole thing wasn’t really channeling. There were a great amount of toasters what i loved. Gun6 is the weapon of SP levels. There were a deal of food, once i got a sugar rush (What ended up a werid way, i ran into the Tuf Boss immedietly killing it. it was rather funny. Also it is shootable and killable, next time dont put unactivated bosses in the way. it even hurts if you touch it.). Mainly the way became clear after a time. it was okay. the ending was hardly understandable, i mean i always got warped to the tuf boss, i could roam to other bosses though. Maybe the channeling thing was not to fall off the trees, It happened a lot with me. The bosses werent that hard (for me). it was rather short, for the time i understood the system of the level it ended. There were unneeded savepoints, one could be enough in the whole map. the others should only be in easy (and some extra carrots too). The hard mode was right, with the more enemies. Dont take these as blaming, i’m just focusing on the things to mention and focus on.

gameplay: 28/40

Aboat the externalities, the music fitted well, the name is appropriate.I like the Jungle gods thing. What more to say aboat it duh.

externalities:10/10

I think it was somewhat original, low used tileset, with this dark cover, new typed bossfight. I could even call it “find it out” as it has lots of strange happenings.

originality: 13/20

Overally: Not bad, but there is where to improve.
Rating: 72/100 -> 7.2 and a DR.

~RabRab

(added a missing closing tag for the bold. ~Violet)

Nice work! It acts better than i excepted!

Cool story, nice design, challaging levels. Well done!

What an idea! I would never except that it looks fine! It needs event generated things however because it would look dull.
[edit: DR]

—Foreword—
I have to say that it gave experience playing this creatively channeling level, the name is strongly fitting the look, music and gameplay, in one word, the theme. I guess there are pelolpe don’t understand it, it means a trip after using drugs, appropriate isn’t it? The level doesn’t got story, but in my opinion, a SP pack needs it, not a one level trial, also, here we are going trough a psychedelic experience, so we aren’t aware of the world. lol.

—Look—

Background
Mushrooms going towards the upper right corner, some of them are “dancing”, spiced with changing colors. CraZy. It is cool, and exciting anyway, i never got bored of it. This makes the view even more colorful.
Eyecandy
Well i could leave the praising but i don’t. It is amazing. Hanging leaves, branches of trees, lava lamps, waterfalls, and mushrooms all around, even parts of originally background items. Great use of Layer 4-5(maybe 6 too, i couldn’t check it in JCS) walls, times going black. Decent tileset usage. The pickups and other events improve it too, i like the foods used and the the gems, big rock was also in it, and the mass of trigger rocks, nah that rocks at all. Rare timebugs can be found hardly, easyly ignoreable, overally, the look is a comple masterpiece. Dammit, it’s magic.

Rating: 29/30

—Layout—
As the game gets started, it leaves you to choose left or right way to go what makes me feel confused. By the way its not bad, and the whole level is baised on this thing, there is a main path, with lots of byways allaround consisting pickups and enemyes. I think it is good, because once you saw a place not needed in going forward, next time, after you got roasted you won’t be forced to go to all the places. Next thing to mention is that in some cases, you had to find a secret alike way to get trough what is a bit werid, altrugh, yes, i know there are arrow posts but they are hard to notice because of the exuberant eyecandy. Otherway it was natural, cool and long so what to say? it must get high rating.

Rating: 14/15

—Gameplay—

I was wondering. Wherever i’ve gone, i met unordinary things. Yet it was kinda difficult, thanks to the lots of hurting and pits. After a bunch of deaths i startd to care a lot and go slowly. The first pitty part’s first part with the swinging vine and plaform got me 20 times that i said okay. this is cool but i just don’t get how to, so i skipped it. I think this level is hard for any skilled player, this makes it just more exciting. Something new that waits for beating.
The great deal of separate events were loveably infrequent. The best was the Trigerr rocks as collapsing scan alike platforms, if you touch it by sides it falls.
One thing to mention, at least one more checkpoint could’ve been added, somewhere after the first pits, because the second pitty part is very deadly, and getting back to start from there kills the spirit of playing without cheats -> :(.
By the way i found that in easy mode, it gets skipped if you fall into the pit at the left, lower corner. Also easy mode let’s a second chance after falling into a pit, brilliant idea. As i saw hard gives a lot more enemyes, and so, it make them in crucial places too.
Overally it’s very creative, nicely done, not as a bad point, it is hard.

Pickups

Due to the several byways this is a truly rich level in gatherables. Countless gems and foods, good amount of armours, imaginitive coins.
Both gems and coins were greatly placed in boxes, and in many different way, it was cool. The toaster ammo was the most precious thing, right after carrots. In some places the thing was proposally in the walls, i see how this is new, but it is hard to collect, anyway it fits to a SP level.
The secrets were hidden unobviusly, for the fourth – fifth time (i mean restarts, not only meant by dying) i started to find them, they were very imaginitive. I even found new secrets for the tenth time, this made an adevturious feeling keeped long. and still there are some that i dont understand, like the Toaster PU at 270,46. I really ‘d liked to see it in JCS.

Enemyes

There were a lot of enemyes fitting the theme, decently placed. The witch was nice that it was there, well i could consist an end boss, but the level was complete like this too, i felt exhasuted enough reaching the exit.
One thing was annying, those hidden enemys. they really husted a lot, it is ignorable to have a few, but this was a bit much. In hard mode i would add more Fencers, to increase difficulity, becasuse more helmuts just need some more shoots, anyway the beeboy useage was great in it.

Rating: 44/50

—Music—

The genre is Psytrance, even by that is fits, moreover it superly suits the level. Its also great because it is new. The only backward of it is the hefty 17.7MB size.

Rating:5/5

—Last words—
I would really respect the man that beats this level without deaths (and cheats) for the first time. It is truely hard, it makes a challange for anyone. Altrough it is fun and recomended to play it.
DR : is it a question?

Total Rating: 92/100 -> 9.2

RabidRabb

Wortless not being able to help TSF :(

Well done. nice look, nice idea.
Probably the the layout is a bit boring, because of the repeating rooms.

I can say just one word: Amazing.

Best Tileset ever, very easy to use , and damn good feeling!
Death Metal rocks!