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[Boy Wander]

How on earth does it troll newbies? It slowly ramps up difficulty. The first enemy is after a step that teaches players they have to jump. Monty moles take a long time to pop out and warn the player with dust and sound. They also teach players that monty moles will pop out when there is dirt, since most of the level is made of grass semisolid platforms. This gives players additional warning. On top of that I provided ample platforms to stay above the enemies altogether and ample powerups (mushrooms, fire flower, yoshi, a propeller mushroom). Then it introduces monty moles that can jump, adding a bit more challenge. Then it features a couple of long jumps over pits full of safety platforms. It ends with a fakeout ending to amuse veterans that seems challenging but all players have to do is stand in front of a wall. It has a very high completion rate. It's no more trolling than the official 1-1s.

For what it's worth, my feedback would not be that it trolled newbies but rather I felt there was too much going on and too many different power ups for a 1-1. Having said that, it's actually very difficult to make something that feels like a 1-1. My voting criteria was basically to play SMB, SMB3 and SMW 1-1 levels and try to remember how they felt when playing the GAF levels. Some levels, it was obvious that they were way too difficult for a beginner 1-1 level. Yours didn't fall into that category for me but then, I'm not a noob Mario player so it's difficult for me to be objective when judging a stages difficulty. One thing I would say is that if, as a player, you're not used to the movement of the moles, they can be much more difficult to jump on than your bog standard Goomba or Koopa. But on the other hand, a 1-1 that is a few platforms with a few Goombas doesn't exactly inspire you to carry on. It's a difficult balance....

 

[urfe]

I finished my latest. I would appreciate any feedback there is. I really like making levels with the Ashley character, and have made another one. II is my most popular level with 17 stars. I and III were duds and will probably get erased soon. IV is an expanded version of II.

It's possible to die, but very hard. The level took me about 4 minutes to beat.

I don't think my levels are conventional, but I really like them, and I think liking your own levels is important.

 

[UncleSporky]

Bob-omb Bulwarks

F55C-0000-0091-02F8

Pretty happy with this one, focused more on gameplay than story or visuals. Still pretty easy but there's something viscerally fun about blowing stuff up with bombs.

After I finished it I realized I unintentionally set up the level in such a way that first you want to blow up blocks, then you don't, then you do, then you don't, etc. Either this gives the level a nice cadence or it will confuse everyone. Maybe both.

Also features a crumbling vehicle ride:

I figured out that leaving holes in the "airship" and passing some bob-omb blasters through it would nearly guarantee a huge chunk being taken out of it, which players can't really avoid. So it's like a built in "oh shiiiiit" moment even if they are doing a good job of keeping their ride from getting busted up. But not really dangerous.

 

[Oni Link 666]

▲-1 /] [\
(B003-0000-0083-8CD6)

▲-2 |↓||↑|
(A35F-0000-0085-37D0)

▲-3 Koopa Crypts
(DD81-0000-008B-11A7)

▲-4 Bowser's Fortress
(FFFA-0000-0091-6FE7)

Bowser's Armada
(44AD-0000-0092-79E1)

 

[JoeM86]

Another one that focuses on one sole mechanic

Necessary Shoes (0220-0000-0091-C7C4)

 

[vikki]

I finished my latest. I would appreciate any feedback there is. I really like making levels with the Ashley character, and have made another one. II is my most popular level with 17 stars. I and III were duds and will probably get erased soon. IV is an expanded version of II.

It's possible to die, but very hard. The level took me about 4 minutes to beat.

I don't think my levels are conventional, but I really like them, and I think liking your own levels is important.

So I tried it, I will probably go back and try to figure out how to beat it. It was fun from what I played of it, but I do have a little criticism. First off, I got stuck under that first P block that dropped down. which is the first thing that happens. I had to restart the stage immediately. Also, I can see how you set up the puzzles. The player has to go through little trials, no enemies, to build a bridge section by section to reach the goal. That is a fantastic idea, but there doesn't seem to be much direction. I don't think it should be linear by any stretch, but maybe some hints or something that tells me that im going the right way. There are so many paths that I will have to play the stage a few times before I will grasp where I am going. I only truly played the stage once, the first time I was stuck. When I did get through a good portion of the stage, I ended up in a pipe where I had no idea to go left or right, I chose right and fell in the pit and died.

 

[:Motorbass]

Bob-omb Bulwarks

F55C-0000-0091-02F8
Also features a crumbling vehicle ride:

Heyyy, seems like we had a similar idea!

Flight of the Battleship (F345-0000-0048-5D1C)

I'll try your level tonight!

 

[urfe]

So I tried it, I will probably go back and try to figure out how to beat it. It was fun from what I played of it, but I do have a little criticism. First off, I got stuck under that first P block that dropped down. which is the first thing that happens. I had to restart the stage immediately. Also, I can see how you set up the puzzles. The player has to go through little trials, no enemies, to build a bridge section by section to reach the goal. That is a fantastic idea, but there doesn't seem to be much direction. I don't think it should be linear by any stretch, but maybe some hints or something that tells me that im going the right way. There are so many paths that I will have to play the stage a few times before I will grasp where I am going. I only truly played the stage once, the first time I was stuck. When I did get through a good portion of the stage, I ended up in a pipe where I had no idea to go left or right, I chose right and fell in the pit and died.

Thank you very much for playing it.

I will probably reupload the level tomorrow morning with arrows, especially at the part where you died. You're supposed to go up there. As there are pits on both sides, I assumed the player would jump. Looks like a bad assumption.

I want to make it so the player definitely does not die, and has to go around the level to figure it out. I'll probably get rid of those pigs completely.

Once again, I really appreciate your advice.

 

[vikki]

Thank you very much for playing it.

I will probably reupload the level tomorrow morning with arrows, especially at the part where you died. You're supposed to go up there. As there are pits on both sides, I assumed the player would jump. Looks like a bad assumption.

I want to make it so the player definitely does not die, and has to go around the level to figure it out. I'll probably get rid of those pigs completely.

Once again, I really appreciate your advice.

It was fun and my critique was just that. I like the openness of the stage and the fact that the player has to kind of figure out what to do, so I don't know exactly how you will be able to give visual hints on where to go and maintain the non linear feel. arrows will help in certain situations, but I do think the stage should be left for the player to figure out as well. It's a tough balance. I really do like the idea for the stage. It's really cool.

 

[BolognaSoup]

Bob-omb Bulwarks

F55C-0000-0091-02F8

Pretty happy with this one, focused more on gameplay than story or visuals. Still pretty easy but there's something viscerally fun about blowing stuff up with bombs.

After I finished it I realized I unintentionally set up the level in such a way that first you want to blow up blocks, then you don't, then you do, then you don't, etc. Either this gives the level a nice cadence or it will confuse everyone. Maybe both.

Also features a crumbling vehicle ride:

I figured out that leaving holes in the "airship" and passing some bob-omb blasters through it would nearly guarantee a huge chunk being taken out of it, which players can't really avoid. So it's like a built in "oh shiiiiit" moment even if they are doing a good job of keeping their ride from getting busted up. But not really dangerous.

This was awesome! I left feedback for you. Love the ride section.

 

[Symphonia]

Why is it mostly Japanese gamers making stages that are impossible to complete? I just had four stages in a row on 100 Mario Challenge that were all from Japan and all were impossible. It's ruining my enjoyment of the game.

 

[BolognaSoup]

My first creation: Lands up, Caves down.

5F4D-0000-0081-789F

Tried to create something that I felt would mostly fit in with the NSMB games and gets progressively more difficult throughout with some rewards for exploration. Spent a fair bit of time trying to make it visually appealing too. Hope you enjoy it!

 

[UncleSporky]

Heyyy, seems like we had a similar idea!

Flight of the Battleship (F345-0000-0048-5D1C)

I'll try your level tonight!

Yeah, I've seen a few ideas like that, and generally they are always cool. I think the fisrt one I saw may have been one of the first ever, and was already one of the best...it was something like Mr. Bones' Wild Ride, looked like a train and even featured train noises as you went. B-Bech's Really Big ROB level is a good one too.

I don't think I've played yours but with a name like that it sounds like you probably made the ship more artistic than mine, I just went functional for this one. Partly because it's not a whole level focused on it, just kind of an ending fun thing that a lot of people might not see anyway if they can't get through the early parts.

This was awesome! I left feedback for you. Love the ride section.

I'm glad you liked it!!

 

[daydream]

And with that, we come to the final group of the preliminary voting! As you can see, I also added a deadline for the final voting. Figured a week should give everyone the chance to check out the cream of the crop.

SMM-GAF Contest #1

Theme: Level 1-1 for a new Mario game
Description: Creating the first level for an entirely new Mario platformer must be a tough task for the level designers at Nintendo. Certain traditions of 1-1 stages must be respected while also avoiding the dangers of being derivative. Now it's up to you to create a level that would serve as the very first stage of a new Mario game. Think about what direction the game goes in. Think about a new idea that might be featured more heavily and expanded on in certain ways as the game progresses. The first impression is what counts, right?

Voting Rules:

Once the deadline for submitting levels is reached, I will assemble all the entries and post the list in here. SMM-GAF will then go ahead and try the levels. You can assign points to up to three levels - your first pick gets three points, your second pick two points, your third pick one point.

The voting will be done in a group format. With 68 entries, I will post four randomly assembled groups of 17 and we'll vote on one group at a time. Three levels - the ones with the most points - from each group will advance into the final voting group. In the case of a tie in third place, both proceed.

You can give feedback in the thread and reveal your ranking if you wish. However, you must send me your ballot in a PM, this ensures anonymity for those who want it and, more importantly, gives me an easier time counting your votes. Including the creators' names in the ballot is sufficient. Obviously, you cannot vote for your own levels.

The deadlines for voting will be the following:

Group 1 ~ Thursday, Sep 24 (12PM GMT+1)
Group 2 ~ Thursday, Oct 1 (12PM GMT+1)
Group 3 ~ Tuesday, Oct 6 (12PM GMT+1)
Group 4 ~ Sunday, Oct 11 (12PM GMT+1)

Final ~ Monday, Oct 19 (12PM GMT+1)

The final three winners will be included in the Community Showcase.

Group #4

• KeRash
• Sölf
• Ferrio
• Xenoboy
• Hasney
• vikki
• jholmes
• Axiom
• Robin64
• Boy Wander
• Thud
• black_clavus
• Platy
• RZRiot
• Santangelo
• BooJoh
• SuperJay
• dead_lighter

Note: Thanks to Dad, we have an account that has all the group 4 levels starred on it! Punch in this code to access it: EEFD-0000-0091-F4D1

 

[Naar]

Please check out these levels by a guy called Master A1, I've been talking to him on Miiverse and he's waiting for GAF membership. His levels are some of the most imaginative I've seen, and really deserve to be played.
My favourite is Monty Mole Ain't Stupid, 12B4-0000-0081-0C9B, a really clever use of a rideable Monty Mole.
Snake Block Rodeo, B02B-0000-0090-0584, has some really great improvised snakeblocks and interesting uses for them.
Check them out!

yea he has some good levels. very creative and challenging. my only complaint is his levels can be too long sometimes.

he seems to pop in everytime i stream

 

[DarthGoomba]

I'm curious to see your feedback on some of the levels that I have made:

Into the Clouds
My personal favorite. It is a horizontal level that has you going higher and higher into the clouds. It's not easy, but it's never unfair.
(E167-0000-0058-7A15)

Bowser storms the Temple of Time
A little tribute to Ocarina of Time! It was featured on GamExplain a while ago. No too difficult.
https://youtu.be/lLacGOUn36I?t=899
(774B-0000-0052-7FF9)

I Saw What You Did There!
In this level you have to make sure to walk along with the saws while avoiding enemies. Make sure to go into the pipe!
(C64E-0000-0047-B28F)

Let me know what you think! (and what I can do better next time)

 

[jholmes]

voting for group 3 is closed!

it was a close one but advancing to the next round (in alphabetical order): Dad, Nocturnowl, Sixfortyfive

thanks to everyone who voted, group 4 will be up later today!

Erm... I guess the deadline wasn't postponed to get those on your account, hunh?

Oh well, three really good level makers moving ahead there. But now I'm not going to vote round 4 either, with me being in it. I was all ready to play some levels, dag nabbit.

 

[Thud]

Congrats to the winners of group 3!

This group also looks very strong.

I think I'll play and vote as usual, eventhough my entry is in it as well.

 

[daydream]

so, Dad graciously set up a dummy account with all the group 4 stages starred on it.

you can find it here: EEFD-0000-0091-F4D1

Erm... I guess the deadline wasn't postponed to get those on your account, hunh?

Oh well, three really good level makers moving ahead there. But now I'm not going to vote round 4 either, with me being in it. I was all ready to play some levels, dag nabbit.

yeah, still figuring that out, sorry. i offered to extend the period but i didn't get a yes or no on that from anyone.

 

[Naar]

I just make a Mario Trials 4 and now its starting to get tough I think

8FBD-0000-0091-F0E1

Fun fact:

Generally speaking i dont like the kind of levels that i am making in the Mario Trials, but the thing that got me into making them was seeing the shit levels in mario maker and i thought to myself maybe i can create a level that is fun and challenging and not be a troll/kaizo level

so if i was able to achieve that in these 4 levels please let me know!

The Mario Trials

B908-0000-0085-67F4

The Mario Trials 2

39FB-0000-008E-76E6

The Mario Trials 3

FDBB-0000-008F-B56E

I wont make anymore trials levels until at least the first 3 have been beaten 10 times

 

[Annoying Old Party Man]

You guys having fun with the game? Was thinking of DLing it to doodle with it while on bed.

Is it more fun playing other people's levels, or making your own?

 

[Herb Alpert]

You guys having with the game? Was thinking of DLing it to doodle with it while on bed.

Is it more fun playing other people's levels, or making your own?

As far as I am concerned, it depends on the day. When I have no idea and have little time to spend playing, I like to try other people's levels.
When I have an idea, I can spend a lot of time designing one.

 

[Boy Wander]

You guys having fun with the game? Was thinking of DLing it to doodle with it while on bed.

Is it more fun playing other people's levels, or making your own?

Both. So long as you stick to GAF created levels. If you play 100 Mario Challenge levels you will quickly go insane.

 

[koam]

I've spent over 6 hours building this course so I really hope you like this.

Mario has been sent to a maximum security prison for a crime that he hasn't committed. It's your job to help Mario escape the prison! Begin by escaping solitary confinement but try not to let any other prisoners our as you make your way through the prison. There are plenty of powerups but there are quite a few puzzles to solve on your way out. Your pal Yoshi can help exonerate you so make sure to take him with you.

Enemy difficulty: Medium
Puzzle difficulty: Hard
There are no hidden blocks, fake doors or hidden doors. Feedback welcomed! Taking a break from creating now. I'll be trying a few of the courses lists here in the meanwhile.

The Great Escape
63EF-0000-0092-1302

 

[Thud]

I did a quick run through the round 4 stages, fun stages. And I finished my 1-4 stage to complete the set:

Mushroom World 1-4 (Lost Levels)
Complete Mushroom World 1 in this alternate 1-4 stage. Thank you for playing! The mushrooms are in another part of the level.

6F9-0000-0091-EEE7

You can find the previous installments and my other levels on

My Mario Maker Hub

 

[koam]

I just make a Mario Trials 4 and now its starting to get tough I think

8FBD-0000-0091-F0E1

Fun fact:

Generally speaking i dont like the kind of levels that i am making in the Mario Trials, but the thing that got me into making them was seeing the shit levels in mario maker and i thought to myself maybe i can create a level that is fun and challenging and not be a troll/kaizo level

so if i was able to achieve that in these 4 levels please let me know!

The Mario Trials

B908-0000-0085-67F4

The Mario Trials 2

39FB-0000-008E-76E6

The Mario Trials 3

FDBB-0000-008F-B56E

I wont make anymore trials levels until at least the first 3 have been beaten 10 times

You really like your triple jumps! Fun tracks and I see you have a 4th already

 

[Sephzilla]

voting for group 3 is closed!

it was a close one but advancing to the next round (in alphabetical order): Dad, Nocturnowl, Sixfortyfive

thanks to everyone who voted, group 4 will be up later today!

well good luck to the winners

 

[vikki]

well good luck to the winners

Third round was tough, there was a lot of competition, but you were getting my vote, had I not missed voting by like 10 minutes.

 

[Sephzilla]

(just to be clear i'm not actually salty or anything, i just thought a disappointed "well" response worked appropriately w/ that gif. the competition in this 1-1 contest has been tough)

 

[B_Bech]

Alright my next batch are two polar opposite stages, both fun in their own ways.

Lucky Clover Cliffs
(8FAE-0000-0091-DD9D)

This is by far my easiest stage. This is a stage I built striving for not quite a 1-1 level of difficulty, but perhaps a 2-1 or a 3-1. It's pretty fun and as a bonus you can challenge yourself to rescue all the trapped Yoshis.

The End of a Rivalry
(07C9-0000-0091-0563)

People who know me are well aware that I'm a fan of making fun boss fights... Well, I decided to make an entire stage of 1 giant boss fight. Mario and Bowser settle their rivalry in one last bout, each pulling out all the stops to topple the other. It's pretty freaking epic if I do say so myself-- and entirely fair. I built this one specifically to be as fun to watch as it is to play, so anyone interested in recording a playthrough/ streaming it let me know!



I also have yet to receive feedback on my tricky ghost house stage, so if anyone can comment on that I'll star some of your stages in return. POW Thwomp Palace
(6688-0000-0090-1C51)


Alright Gaf, bout to play all your stages! I'll let you know what I think!

 

[Thud]

I just make a Mario Trials 4 and now its starting to get tough I think

8FBD-0000-0091-F0E1

Fun fact:

Generally speaking i dont like the kind of levels that i am making in the Mario Trials, but the thing that got me into making them was seeing the shit levels in mario maker and i thought to myself maybe i can create a level that is fun and challenging and not be a troll/kaizo level

so if i was able to achieve that in these 4 levels please let me know!

The Mario Trials

B908-0000-0085-67F4

The Mario Trials 2

39FB-0000-008E-76E6

The Mario Trials 3

FDBB-0000-008F-B56E

I wont make anymore trials levels until at least the first 3 have been beaten 10 times

3 has a very shitty ending with the spikes. The rest of the stage is not that hard.

 

[Platy]

One of the first stages I made was a tutorial/training stages from one of the most advanced mechanics in the game, the crouch slide/crouch jump.

I sended to a gaffer for streaming and he generously said it was "as fun as a prostate exam".

Them I tryed to make it more fun .... but I only managed to write tips on the stage to act as a real tutorial.

and now the stage is getting some ... positive comments and even some stars ?

I wonder if I should make more training stuff .... the skill level of some players are really showing on some ridiculous easy stages appearing in normal 100 mario mode

 

[Battle Born]

This is the latest level I've made. It's an adaptation of Boulder Roller from Donkey Kong Country Returns but it's a lot easier than the original.

Grinder Roller
A7F9-0000-0092-1EFC

I've also uploaded all of my levels in Mario Maker Hub if you want to check them out.

 

[Tertullian]

I only released when someone pointed it out to me, but what this game reminds me of more than anything else is the level editor from Lode Runner: The Legend Returns. Dunno if anyone else mentioned that.

 

[Thud]

One of the first stages I made was a tutorial/training stages from one of the most advanced mechanics in the game, the crouch slide/crouch jump.

I sended to a gaffer for streaming and he generously said it was "as fun as a prostate exam".

Them I tryed to make it more fun .... but I only managed to write tips on the stage to act as a real tutorial.

and now the stage is getting some ... positive comments and even some stars ?

I wonder if I should make more training stuff .... the skill level of some players are really showing on some ridiculous easy stages appearing in normal 100 mario mode

I think you can add coins to make the player want to grab those and maybe increase the dash zone for beginners.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Kirk]

I wanted to try my hand at making a one screen stage. I think it's pretty challenging; it requires some patience and a steady hand...but YMMV depending on your experience with these levels.

The Patience Room

(1C20-0000-0086-24B8)

The nice thing is that it can be challenging without being too frustrating without a checkpoint since the level is very short.

 

[BluePigGanon]

Played a bunch of gaffer levels last night and have decided you can break level designers into two broad camps: One camp gives you a mushroom or something right away for a little insurance. The other just chortles "bwahahahahaha!" and does not.

 

[daydream]

Third round was tough, there was a lot of competition, but you were getting my vote, had I not missed voting by like 10 minutes.

i would have counted it since the deadline is not super strict and i wanna encourage people who take the time to check out the submissions but i had already made the post announcing the top three

Spoiler

it would have made a difference, too

 

[Naar]

You really like your triple jumps! Fun tracks and I see you have a 4th already

well it rarely ever used in a level and i dont think i over use it no more than 2 jumps per level dont think its too much

3 has a very shitty ending with the spikes. The rest of the stage is not that hard.

yea sorry people were cheesing 2 (before i fixed it) and thought i would be cruel a bit

also they are not very hard. only one that is hard is The Mario Trials 4

 

[Sephzilla]

i would have counted it since the deadline is not super strict and i wanna encourage people who take the time to check out the submissions but i had already made the post announcing the top three

Spoiler

it would have made a difference, too

GODDAMNIT

Spoiler

lol

 

[ciD_Vain]

I wanted to try my hand at making a one screen stage. I think it's pretty challenging; it requires some patience and a steady hand...but YMMV depending on your experience with these levels.

The Patience Room

(1C20-0000-0086-24B8)

The nice thing is that it can be challenging without being too frustrating without a checkpoint since the level is very short.

Just played this and could not beat it lol. Still starred it though!

 

[TheMagician]

Conveyor Belt Castle

5895-0000-008C-21BF

 

[jarosh]

I made a new level.

Could probably pass for an early Halloween level.

 

[Dr_Boris_Goltz]

Oh my god my Seinfeld music level is getting the best comments.

Someone just wrote "moops." Also love "level about nothing" and "these courses are makin' me thirsty!"

And I'm really happy that some people are recognizing the Castle Rock Entertainment ending.

Do you have a video of your level?

 

[Naar]

hey guys im thinking of streaming again levels made by you. i havent streamed in a few days, so i am hoping to see new levels by you

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GF9h_iHp9GUy2W0Ceh_Z1nFGe-NbgWvUrnXRpBenVbQ/viewform submission link

http://www.twitch.tv/naar82

i will stream about 1 hour from now

 

[ciD_Vain]

hey guys im thinking of streaming again levels made by you. i havent streamed in a few days, so i am hoping to see new levels by you

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GF9h_iHp9GUy2W0Ceh_Z1nFGe-NbgWvUrnXRpBenVbQ/viewform submission link

http://www.twitch.tv/naar82

i will stream about 1 hour from now

Just submitted one! Not as difficult as my last few stages.

 

[Boy Wander]

GODDAMNIT

Spoiler

lol

I just made John Cena my bitch. Wtf did I just play lol.

 

[(mat)]

hey guys im thinking of streaming again levels made by you. i havent streamed in a few days, so i am hoping to see new levels by you

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GF9h_iHp9GUy2W0Ceh_Z1nFGe-NbgWvUrnXRpBenVbQ/viewform submission link

http://www.twitch.tv/naar82

i will stream about 1 hour from now

Submitted a level. Bob-omb Shooting Gallery 2: D0E8-0000-0054-F4A2

Just shoot through the holes, baby!

Since you're not streaming for a little while, I think I'll be done my lunch break by the time you begin, but I'm looking forward to going back and watching the replay later on in the day. Have fun!

 

[CrisKre]

Posting again. Would love some feedback. There are lots of secrets and puzzles here, and i just hope i didn't over design it. Had a blast doing it!

Big trouble in Little Toadkyo!

(8C80-0000-0091-14B6)

Little video of the beginning:
https://youtu.be/WnRBxwwub_A

What do you guys think?

 

[Sephzilla]

I just made John Cena my bitch. Wtf did I just play lol.

You just won the Royal Rumble, sir!