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3rd Annual Kaizo Level Design Contest

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The 3rd Annual Kaizo Level Design Contest



Here we are, at the 3rd Annual Kaizo Level Design Contest! I, Ultimaximus, will be your host once again, this time joined by Alexander as co-host. This year, we're aiming for something bigger to present at the finale of the competition than last year's TAS of every level entry. Instead, we're aiming for a Kaizo collaboration hack compiled entirely from this year's entries! Of course, this will require a few restrictions on levels that want to be in the collab, for understandable reasons.
Entering the collab will be optional, though highly recommended. All entries will be considered to be entered into the collab unless otherwise stated, and some entries may be exempt from the collab at host discretion, to ensure quality levels. Additionally, we will be enforcing bsnes compatibility (more details later), and we are using last year's system of Creativity and Difficulty categories that you may enter.


The contest will be open for 1 month as last time, submissions must be posted to in this thread. You are free to privately PM an entry to either host for whatever reason, though this is not recommended. All entries must be posted in My Files. If you want your entry in the collab, you must post in the sign-up thread detailed later.



DEADLINE:
The deadline for submitted entries will be May 31st June 6th, 23:59 (EST). Late entries may or may not be allowed at our discretion. An extension may be added at popular demand if C3 interferes with level development.


RULES:
The rules are as follows:
  • All submissions must be in the form of an IPS patch
    • For instructions on creating an IPS Patch, check the F.A.Q.
  •  
  • The category you are entering must be stated when you post the level
    • If the category is not stated, it will be entered into the "Creative" category by default, and points deducted in "Understanding"
  •  
  • You must state whether or not you want your entry in the collab when you post your entry. Otherwise, it will be assumed that you want it in
  •  
  • You may participate in both categories, but not with the same level
  •  
  • All entries must be possible to complete
  •  
  • Entries must be compatible with the SNES or bsnes. See details later in this post
  •  
  • After the deadline, updates will only be excused if they are to fix game-breaking errors
    • You may or may not be informed of game-breaking issues, so be sure to test your level and patch thoroughly
    • If your entry requires an update, and you were informed of this by a judge, points will be deducted
    • The term "game-breaking" refers to anything that severely hampers playability. This includes freezing, crashing, and corrupt patches, as well as errors that involve impossible levels, massive unintended shortcuts that require little effort (such as leaving in test doors, but does not include wall-jumping), unintended consequences, etc.
  •  
  • Entries will not be downloaded until the deadline has been reached, so your link must be working at that time
  •  
  • Do not lock your entry
  •  
  • Only one level may be entered into the contest per category
  •  
  • You are free to use any material in your hack as long as you have the permission to use such content
    • Submitted content on SMWC is free to be used
    • Level numbers, secondary exits, ExGFX slots, sprites, blocks, music/samples, MAP16, patches, and LevelASM must be signed up for in the proper thread if you are entering the collab
  •  
  • Your level may contain no more than 2 exits.
  •  
  • The level to be judged must be easily accessible and obvious on the OverWorld
    • Entries must specify which level is to be judged
  •  
  • If you are entering the collab, switch palaces are forbidden.

Failure to comply with these rules will result in deduction of points in the "Understanding" section, or a disqualification if severe (such as a corrupt patch, impossibility, or a ROM).


GUIDELINES:
These are the guidelines which you will be judged by:
  • "Creativity" Category

    • Creativity (15): Did the entry display creativity? Did it display original tricks, and put new spins on old ones, or blatantly used unoriginal tricks?
    • Difficulty (10): Was the difficulty just right? Challenging enough to be difficult, but not agonizing? Was there a smooth and consistent difficulty level throughout the entry?
    • Fun (10): Was the entry fun to play through, or just an uninteresting bore?
    • Appeal (10): Was the entry visually appealing? Were there any glitched graphics, cutoff, or floating & stacked munchers? Did the music add to the mood of the entry, and fit well?
    • Understanding (5): Did the entry display understanding of all the rules?
    • Collab (Yes/No): If proposed for the collab, should it be accepted?
  •  
  • "Difficulty" Category

    • Difficulty (15): Was the difficulty just right? Very hard and challenging, but not excessively? Was there a smooth and consistent difficulty level throughout the entry?
    • Creativity (10): Did the entry display creativity? Did it display original tricks, and put new spins on old ones, or blatantly used unoriginal tricks?
    • Fun (10): Was the entry fun to play through, or just an uninteresting bore?
    • Appeal (10): Was the entry visually appealing? Were there any glitched graphics, cutoff, or floating & stacked munchers? Did the music add to the mood of the entry, and fit well?
    • Understanding (5): Did the entry display understanding of all the rules?
    • Collab (Yes/No): If proposed for the collab, should it be accepted?


Just to clarify, glitches are allowed, but could lower score in the "Difficulty" section of the "Creative" category. It also depends on the type of glitch used. For example, the "Big Mario in Small Gap" glitch will probably not lower points in the "Difficulty" section. Just make sure that the glitch is easy to pull off and widely known. If you must, put the information in a message block. If it's an "insane" glitch like "Walljumping" though, it will lower points regardless of the category you've entered, since only a small margin of people can walljump with some ease (it is judge's discretion as to which section to deduct, and for how many points). If you still are not sure which glitches could lower your score, just post a question here.
Pit levels will not be allowed in either category; cheap tricks and artificial difficulty will result in deduction of points.


It was decided that hacks must be compatible with the Super Nintendo. However, since most people do not own a flash cart to test their hacks on, bsnes will be used in substitution. Note that most recent versions of bsnes use the "phoenix" GUI, which requires no header on your ROM and a .sfc extension. Since Lunar Magic automatically adds a header, this may be problematic, so you are free to use the bsnes v070 in the Tools section or the bsnes v071 in my signature instead (download the entire folder). These versions use the old "Qt" GUI which is feature-rich and allows .smc extensions and ROM headers.

Although bsnes has a reputation for being very slow, this is because of the level of accuracy it attains, which is CPU intensive. However, these versions have a new "core" system, in which there is a Performance core which sacrifices a small degree of accuracy for faster speeds (note that you must restart bsnes for core changes to take effect), which may be enough to get it running full speed on slower computers (byuu has run it full speed on an Atom netbook). This does not mean you have to play your hack with bsnes whenever you test it, you only have to make sure it runs properly on it.

If using bsnes proves too troublesome, you could use Snes9X v1.52 or v1.53, which I believe uses the same audio core as bsnes, I am not entirely sure though.

99% of compatibility problems arise from the use of AddMusic, therefore you will have to use HuFlungDu's Addmusic (or possibly AddMusicM). Details and help is available in HFD's AddMusic thread, as well as Kaijyuu's SNES compatibility thread, but help will be available in this forum as well.



Alexander and I will be leading a collaboration hack using the levels entered into this contest. Participation is optional. The hack will be compatible with the SNES/bsnes, though your entry must be compatible as well even if you are not participating. Level numbers, secondary exits, ExGFX slots, sprites, blocks, music/samples, MAP16, patches, and LevelASM will require sign-ups.


...and that's that! To review, the entries are due by the end of May beginning of June, must be entered in either the "Creative" or "Difficult" category, compatible with either the SNES or bsnes, and follow additional rules for the collab if you choose. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in this thread for clarification. Good luck, both you and us judges will need it!


Official Userbar:
...actually we don't have a userbar this year. Feel free to make one though, one may be adopted as the official one.
Hosts
---
Ultimaximus
Alexander

Judge
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PangaeaPanga
mockingod
Sadistic Designer
Alexander
Maruhai


Entries
---
The Plan Big Boo - FellipeUzumaki - Creativity
Hot Hot Panic - Thehoundsquad - Assumed Creativity
Hornet Castle - Botcrazy - Creativity
Lake Eerie - cousinoer5 - Difficulty
Ice Cold Kaizo - TheOtherGuy25 - Creativity (no collab)
I Hate Masks - Kaizokoban - Difficulty
Hypocritical - miguel21450 - Creativity
Flaming Fortress - LaularuKyrumo - Difficulty
Not A Kaizo Hack - Patgangster - Difficulty (no collab)
Hooked on Quack - 2dareduck - Creativity (no collab)
Tunnel of Fortitude - TomPhanto - Creativity (no collab)
Torpedo Boogie - TomPhanto - Difficulty (no collab)
Weird Cave of Hate - yogui - Creativity
TheHAZE - notgoodwithusernames - Difficulty (UPDATED)
Good luck to all entrants. Let's make this one the best year yet!

Warning: Opinions expressed by Lexie or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Lexie himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.


Yoshi's Island Disassembly C3 Thread
SPASM - LevelASM for Yoshi's Island!
Yoshi's Island Disassembly Data Dump Wiki
Can we discuss in here too? if not then delete my post.
Also I am saddened that SD wont be making a level. ;__;
REMOVED
This is the discussion, yes.

Warning: Opinions expressed by Lexie or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Lexie himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.


Yoshi's Island Disassembly C3 Thread
SPASM - LevelASM for Yoshi's Island!
Yoshi's Island Disassembly Data Dump Wiki
I'm very happy to be a judge of this year's contest, I always liked Kaizo hacks but I don't have enough creativity to make one, so I'm going to help on the only way I can, by judging.

I hope you guys will make great and impressive Kaizo levels, for those entering the "Difficulty" category, try to make it a bit easier than Cool Or Cruel, but not too much !
Actually, I think C|C was about the perfect difficulty for this.

But that's just me.

Warning: Opinions expressed by Lexie or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Lexie himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.


Yoshi's Island Disassembly C3 Thread
SPASM - LevelASM for Yoshi's Island!
Yoshi's Island Disassembly Data Dump Wiki
Originally posted by Alexander
Actually, I think C|C was about the perfect difficulty for this.

But that's just me.

That's why I said "a bit".
Uugh... I don't think I'll be competing this year. I haven't done too well in past years, and trying to find time/creativity to do this would be like trying to scrape jelly out of an empty jelly jar.

See, even my metaphors are un-creative!
Now with extra girl and extra hacker
Hmm.

Part of me wants to stay away from this, and part of me wants to see if I still have it after two years.

I may play around with this but kinda doubt I'll end up submitting one.
maybe you should enter what do you got to lose
Yeah...sorry...I'm a bit of a n00b when it comes to Kaizo...

So naturally, I have a lot of questions:

1) Is there a list of which glitches are okay to use and which ones aren't?
2) What is the line between a normal hack and Kaizo?
3) Are we allowed to use ASM, or must it be vanilla?
4) If it doesn't have to be vanilla, is it okay to change GFX files into things that don't cause cut-off (for example, a muncher replacement.)

Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'm thinking about entering.
Eh, sure. Why not? Kaizo hacking doesn't seem too ha-aaaaaaand I broke the ROM.


Considering the stuff asked for in the signups thread, I can answer 3 and 4.
3) We are allowed to use ASM, but when using patches you must convert it to levelASM (otherwise it applies to the entire ROM, unless the patch works for one level already).
4) Use ExGFX.

The answer to your second question is, in my opinion, when something causes trouble for the player. Mainly because "normal" hacks like ASMT have been called Kaizo hacks because of how difficult the game is, despite there being minimal muncher spam and cheep tricks.

Professional frame-by-frame time wizard. YouTube - Twitter - SMW Glitch List - SMW Randomizer
1. There is no definitive list, because it'd cause immense trouble for glitches that *aren't* on the list, or glitches that can go either way based on their use. It's been left to be subjective to the entry and the judge. However, you can't use walljumps, and other glitches I'm sure common sense will tell you if they are okay or not.

World Community Grid: Thread | Team
 
If you cannot decide whether or not a glitch is viable to be used or not, then PM Ulti or myself.

Warning: Opinions expressed by Lexie or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Lexie himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.


Yoshi's Island Disassembly C3 Thread
SPASM - LevelASM for Yoshi's Island!
Yoshi's Island Disassembly Data Dump Wiki
Wait. So does this mean I want to give you the IPS patch of the entire hack? Or do you want me to put the level right up front? I know I may sound stupid, but I have no idea what the heck I'm doing.

EDIT: I think simple glitches are okay.
Originally posted by Botcrazy
Wait. So does this mean I want to give you the IPS patch of the entire hack? Or do you want me to put the level right up front? I know I may sound stupid, but I have no idea what the heck I'm doing.

EDIT: I think simple glitches are okay.


When you submit your level for the contest, include everything that you inserted for your level. Music, ExGFX, sprites, MAP16, etc.

PM me if you are unsure of what this means, though it's pretty straightforward.

Warning: Opinions expressed by Lexie or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Lexie himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.


Yoshi's Island Disassembly C3 Thread
SPASM - LevelASM for Yoshi's Island!
Yoshi's Island Disassembly Data Dump Wiki
I've done my hack for the Kaizer Contest, posted in my files, I have to do anything else?

(Sorry for bad english)
My channel on Youtube

Hell of Pain - My hack

Originally posted by FellipeUzumaki
I've done my hack for the Kaizer Contest, posted in my files, I have to do anything else?

(Sorry for bad english)


I'll check to make sure you have everything sometime this afternoon. If you have everything in check, then I'll add it to the OP. Otherwise, I'll PM you regarding what you do not have.

Warning: Opinions expressed by Lexie or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Lexie himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.


Yoshi's Island Disassembly C3 Thread
SPASM - LevelASM for Yoshi's Island!
Yoshi's Island Disassembly Data Dump Wiki
Originally posted by FellipeUzumaki
I've done my hack for the Kaizer Contest, posted in my files, I have to do anything else?

(Sorry for bad english)

It's an .ips file, looks like you did your job well.
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