Things to point out:
-- It's a really long level overall. The length is absurdly unnecessary.
-- The time you have to get the key and enter in the pipe that leads to the room with the keyhole isn't enough.
-- The transition of level themes through sublevels feels weird, and has nothing to do with the level's name.

Things to-do:
-- Cut away at least 2~3 sublevels of this, making the length of the entire level more reasonable.
-- Make all the levels from stratch. First section may be a vertical level. As for the other sections, I'm still building ideas for them.
-- Some changes on the aesthetics. The current ones look mediocre.

This level is messy in its current state. So... suggestions and opinions would be cool. I'll start to work on this level whenever possible for me.

Glad to see you're trying to make this level more coherent. I think you need to think of a single theme and make variations on it. My thoughts on a theme are to simply reference what the name of the level is: What if you make a cave level that it open to the air in places, allowing animated snow to fall into it and form snowdrifts on the cavern floor? As the level was I remember it being like, a cloud cave for a very brief time before it became every other theme available.

Good to hear you're chopping the excess length. That was the level's biggest problem.

Both still WiP.
Also, I've added a snowfall on the background for the sake of the aesthetics fit the level's name. Click me?

I'll be posting an IPS once I'm done with the first section.

Seems a bit... plain, I guess, at the moment. I would add in probably a few more enemies and maybe some more obsticles like extra jumps you have to make, things blocking you, etc. Looks decent at the moment though.

- BlackMageMario

It's still a huge step up from the old one, which was nothing but a mess. Nice job so far - I'll have the upside-down Venus Fire Traps inserted into the next base ROM for you.

Alright guys, let's give this a shot.
It's still a WIP level. If there's anything bad/unfair/wrong in it, please let me know.

First, a couple of things to note:
-- I didn't change any music of any level. I'm going to think of some that would fit well in the level once I'm done making it entirely, but you're free to suggest some.
-- Ignore glitched graphics. Also, upside-down Venus Fire Traps will be inserted in the next base ROM as S.N.N. stated.
-- Try not to get bothered with the Y position of the background at all at some secondary entrances, as I already tried fixing it through LM but I failed horribly. I plan on making the BG only contain the snowfall, and use Layer 3 for the rest.

---

For these who don't feel like playing it, view the screens below:
First section (107)
Second section (5F)
Second section's "secret" (CB)
Second section's sublevel (1F4)

The biggest thing I noticed was that you need to remember to make all entrances to the cavern parts slippery. Secondary Entrances 5F and CB both forget to set this bit.

I died in a bunch of stupid ways related to the ice but the level's enemy placements aren't too tough and powerups are plentiful so I just blame my own playing. This may change ones upside-down venus fire traps are added but we'll have to see.

If it weren't for the provided images I don't think I would have ever found the key. Its current offscreen placement is probably not the best location for it. You could consider putting it in 1F4 so that the puzzle behind the key isn't randomly locating it but instead transporting it to the keyhole. You can always add an extra screen or two to CB if you think that the secret exit route becomes too short by doing this.

I know you said the music choices weren't final but I think the music used in 1F4 would probably fit all of the cavern portions of the level.

Despite all the words, it's actually coming along really well. Design feels solid, with small alternate paths to explore and pad the level. On paper, it's a really quick run from the start to the midpoint but if you just do that you miss out on the extras. Keep it up and I'm looking forward to the next patch.

Oh whoops. Needless to say, it's fixed now.


I... I actually kind of agree with that. Some of the design choices I made were supposed to be a bit difficult since it's a W5 level, but I may have taken it a bit too far. Once the upside-down Venus Fire Traps are inserted in the ROM and I do another playthrough again in the level, I'll consider redesigning a few spots that may be unfair.


Done. In fact, I switched the key by something else.


That music is a bit "fiery-ish" but it may fit. Today, I thought of using Blizzard Buffalo as the music of all the cave sections of the level. I'll try both your suggestion and what I thought of.


Thanks a lot! I'll post a new IPS when I'm done with the entire level. The progress may be -slow- for now, as I'm lacking some ideas for the rest of the level.