My level
 

Hey everyone, seeing as people were complaining about the lack of activity and new levels here, I was gonna post a level that i have more or less completed recently.

I'd like some constructive criticism (that means NOT just: "You do this wrong" I have my own style, suggestions please) on it before I add in images and the like...

Oh, its for a playerworld project, so there is still some flaws in the tileset.

That's a church right? Could have another roof on top of it with a cross on it and I noticed that there is only one set of steps and it's on the higher set of cliffs

I noticed that you're missing the corner pieces when you're connecting different grass and sand tiles, and when you're doing diagonal cliffing. I attached an example with some of the parts I'm talking about.

There is a cave door on the lower and middle part of the cliff, I assume they connect.

I think the level is pretty neat. There is a simple overall design with a decent amount of detail, and I can see everything fitting together and into a larger overworld. I would expect to see some trees separate from the forest mass, but I realise they would not fit in anywhere on this level, so maybe elsewhere.

Are the tiles leading up to the lower cave entrance blocking? It seems a bit counterintuitive to make the path you are expecting people to take look so obstructed. Also the two cave entrances being on the same y coordiante is a bit strange-looking, considering you expect the physically-lower one to be visually-lower as well if they are so close together. Props for the actual use of caves and multiple levels of elevation, though, caves are cool.

Is the line of mud at the bottom a path? I am used to seeing the "flatter" grass/mud transitions used for paths so I would feel awkward actually using that path, but I am not sure whether those are available on your tileset. Also it is a bit warped, who walks like that?

I do not like the building. The roof should extend somewhat beyond the wall, and for the windows being so fancy, the wall and especially the hole (does not even look like a door, to me) looks awfully plain. I guess you might be fixing both of those by adding NPCs at a later stage, though.

That line is just arrogant as hell and makes you look like a huge jerk, in my opinion. Trust me, I am pretty knowledgable about either.

Preemptively attacking those you might criticise you, and also using the "it is my style defense" before anyone even criticised your style, are just signals that you are not even really interested in critique.

I really dislike the tileset overall, I do not think the colors are fitting together well at all and all the contrast and oversaturated stuff is pretty distracting (depending on the sprites you use, I guess).

I do not think the cliff tiles are tall enough, especially if there are caves in them (can characters even fit through them?), and they look way too right-angled relative to the ground, even more so considering that there are apparently stairs leading up on them. The level of detail and contrast on the cliffs (tiny, pale yellowish bricks) makes them stand out from the Graal/Zelda-style grass and trees design (with bushes and trees and rocks that are basically huge blobs, with detail drawn on, and glowingly green). The grass being darker and more saturated than the cliffs is somewhat offputting too.

The grass/grass and grass/mud transitions do not seem quite polished enough to me, but that might be because you omitted the corner tiles. The mud itself is a bit too repetitive, I think, and seems to be lacking the standard tileset random variations with rocks and everything.

Sorry for going on about the tileset so much when you posted in the levels and not the graphics forum, but I think I would like your level more if it was in the default tileset.

oh nvm

holy crap loriel

What did I do wrong now? x_x

Jesus, I love the swamp tiles !

It's a really nice idea to put a church on some cliffs, I bet there is a dungeon deep there !
Nice level, it can't really look bad with that tileset (from Ardeo right?)

I suggest you add some water (cliffs or paths) to the level, to make it more colorfull and enjoyable =)

All the cool churches are built upon ancient indian burial mounds.

For the love of Galen, do not do this. Not every level has to range from the sea to the mountains.

Well then, have another suggestion maybe? Water fits with everything

Maybe add a sign to notice people about the way, etc... ?

My suggestion is not adding water.

Okay :\

I am gonna force to let my graphics guy (Codein <3) read your post, Loriel, seeing as I have no graphic knowledge and will not be able to change much of it.
The criticism part was not meant to be arrogant, I just.... Well, sometimes people presume that their style is the only working one, and that has been the reason I am reluctant to posting here.

Oh, and Maximus, those corner tiles are left out on purpose (except for on the cliffs, better fix that. The grass has the corner tiles, but it looks way too... blocky... I guess, if I use those tiles. The way I used them in the higher/lower grass right now, to me it looks like a more natural flow from high to low, if you catch my drift.

And Loriel, I have read your entire post, but picking it apart and responding to each different part is too much, if you dont mind.
You have a good point on the cliffing, and I will try to make them higher if it doesnt disrupt the level too much.

The blocking off the cave entrance is for gameplay purposes. I am indeed going to make a dungeon below there, and although I am not sure what exactly the dungeon will be themed with, a dark diablo influenced tileset is certainly what I aspire.

I like the criticism so far :) Yes, it is for Ardeo, and I have a very logical way I have set the gmap up, so water is indeed not an option, maybe a well or something if I can convince Codein to make one.

Haha, you guys are giving him tons of work!

I have this vague complaint about my own work, there is something missing in the detailing, maybe someone can help me spot it? Since I have no clue...

it was just long thats all^^

lol

Yeah, do not worry, this is just, like, my opinion and everything. I am a bit oversensitive to people asking for constructive criticism, expecting praise and damning any comment as flaming. However, I am not anything like an authority on level design so I am not going to get mad if you do not change every detail of your level to please me.

I don't like the colors of the tiles, and I hope you got permission to use this tree. Also, the tree does not fit the other tiles.
Level: church looks a bit boring, too many grass-bush tiles for my taste. Cliffs seem to be a bit short, no?

Angelu gave me permission some time a go.

You do understand my concerns about it all, dont you? Sometimes people can be arrogant and ignore any possible other way, losing track of the idea that there can be different styles, no matter how weird they may be (Cubism, what?)

I think it would stand out better if you were more creative with the grass add more dirt do little bit more different style with the tree's i think it would give it more flavor to the level

Could you elaborate? Different style with the trees seems kinda non-descript... I dont really get what you mean.

i still think the bushes look like watermelons ^.^

I like the building. ^^