I'm probably in the minority of opinion here, but I think the terrain placement is too varied for a world 1 level, given the amount of enemies here. Some enemies can be troublesome to get by, but this seems like it would be fine if it was in world 2. Perhaps the enemy a cement can be changed, or you can make the layout slightly more linear. I know SMWC frowns upon linearity, but it wouldn't hurt to make this level just slightly more flat.

I have a feeling it is already too late to voice my opinion, since this thread is 4 months old.

--------------------
don't click this link...

Hi. It's been a while since I did anything.

Why was the midpoint of my level relocated (sometime between the last base ROM and January 2013)? Without the midpoint in it, the side room in which it was originally placed serves no purpose. Combined with how the midpoint is now floating in an arbitrary position, it really makes my functionally vanilla level with simplistic graphics give off a "remnants of beta" feel, which I'm not proud of as the level's creator. Because my level doesn't have anything flashy in it, I'd at least like to have it achieve a certain level of polish in its design to keep it from being completely forgettable and regrettable.

I'd prefer if the midpoint could be reinstated to its original position, but if there is a real reason why it can't be, I'd be happy to slightly rework that section of the level so it doesn't seem like the midpoint was added in as an afterthought.

Next time a change is made to my level by someone that isn't me, could whoever does it send me a PM? I won't get it immediately since I'm not particularly active around here anymore, but I'd just like to remain some form of in the loop regarding my level. I want to make sure my contribution to this project is something I'm happy with.

--------------------
May we meet again outside the battlefield.

Eh, it's true that we wouldn't want to have a checkpoint in a place that the player can bypass entirely without seeing. The me from 2011 seems to have treated powerups and midpoints more as a player's privilege rather than a right.

I might try rearranging that section a little to maybe help guide players more toward the midpoint room, but I'd still like to keep the split paths. Would it be alright if I changed a few things to make it so that the player has to take the path without the midpoint in order to reach the third SMWCoin, or would a challenge like that be out of place for World 1?

Either way, I'll see what I can do and get back to you guys in a bit.

--------------------
May we meet again outside the battlefield.

Revised version of level 190, screens 08-0A

(I'd link it instead, but Photobucket's gotten worse over the years; nobody's still running 1024x768, right?)

Basically, now going for the midpoint necessitates (outside of crafty shell-kicking) entering the green pipe which takes you to the midpoint room. The yellow pipe from which you return was lowered and the surrounding landmasses heightened to prevent a player exiting the pipe from being able to land somewhere other than the pool below. What this adds up to: the midpoint and the third SMWCoin are (almost) mutually exclusive in a single run through the level.

The midpoint bars extend through to the upper route's floor to more obviously indicate that by taking the upper route the player is bypassing the midpoint. Also, because of the raising of the landmasses around the yellow pipe, crossing the gap to reach the SMWCoin now involves spin-jumping off the Spike Top—which isn't difficult to do, though the player may have to actually realise that they have to do it.

I figured that a SMWCoin warranted something a little more demanding, but I'd need confirmation that something like this isn't too much for World 1, even as an optional secret, before I send the revised level in.

--------------------
May we meet again outside the battlefield.

Cave story–Geothermal will be fitting here