UltraRobot's Level Building Topic

Heart of the Typhoon: marbleblast.com/index.php/downloads/cust...heart-of-the-typhoon

Sprawling Cuboid: marbleblast.com/index.php/downloads/cust...719-sprawling-cuboid

I will be using this topic to post updates on the progress of my custom levels, I might also write down some level ideas if I find them good enough.

For now, I will post some pictures of a MBP 1.50 multiplayer level I have been working on. Please keep in mind the interior is still not finished. Suggestions and feedback are welcome.

I present Heart of the Typhoon, a multiplayer level taking place inside of a gigantic tornado. I haven't placed any gems, powerups, or hazards yet since the interior isn't even completely finished. For example, there will be a tornado on the center of the level, just like in the classic MBG level Eye of the Storm. Hopefully, these will be one the elements that will improve and make this level's gameplay more interesting and unique.

Honestly, I love this level already.

Big level and perfect for MP if MBP 1.5 beta 3 has custom level support.

That is so amazing. just wow

@Krishiv, level editor's coming out in Beta 4

I've made some more progress on Heart of the Typhoon. The interior is nearing completion, here are some screenshots of new things that have been added to it:



Feel free to post any suggestions and criticism you may have, they will be useful for the improvement of this level and of my level building skills in general.

That's absolutely gorgeous.

Looks really cool, but also looks really square, especially from above.

As I've finally acquired the necessary free time to resume the production of Heart of the Typhoon, I will now be searching for a way to address the level's main issue: the fact that it is too squarish in overall shape, as was mentioned by promarbler14, which I really appreciate as it has opened my eyes and made me realize that it is indeed a significant issue in the level's aesthetics. Instead of just placing a square of random force chevrons on the level's edge and calling it a day, I want to do something that looks better, whether or not it uses random force. I am having a bit of a "mapper's block" in finding exactly what to do, so suggestions would be immensely appreciated. Nevertheless, I plan on finishing the level whether or not I find an adequate way of dealing with the "squariness" issue.

By the way, if you have any suggestions on what type of level I could create after I finish Heart of the Typhoon (or even suggestions for a better level name), then by all means post them here. I already have a few ideas, which I might disclose at a later time.

Make it an 8 pointed star by taking a square just as big and rotating it 45 degrees. Then add lots of arches and details/decorations (fire pits would match!)

Also I recommend using that brown texture too and maybe give the level a hellish feel (and of course then it would need a new name)

If you want I can send you the .dif for the tree I used in CGL 9, looks like it would fit in well with your level just ask!

My god, these levels are good!!! Keep up the great work.

elnathan wrote: Make it an 8 pointed star by taking a square just as big and rotating it 45 degrees. Then add lots of arches and details/decorations (fire pits would match!)

Just because you add stars and arches/decorations doesn't mean it helps. It looks good, yes, but for Multiplayer you want to focus strictly on gameplay, and scenery is on the bottom of the list. Doesn't mean the level can look #@$% but scenery is least useful.

That is one gorgeous looking level! Looks like a very fun map to fly around on!

Regarding the "squareness" issue, perhaps you could add big quarter-pipes to the edges of the level? It would make for a fun map, though keep in mind that it may make some structures overly easy to climb.

If you want something pointlessly pretty, play around with pies and radical clones until it's aesthetically pleasing.

I meant take a square that's the size of the entire level, and rotate that by 45 degrees.

Also, maybe make "branches" off of the level with parts of their own, but since this level is already quite large this might not be the greatest idea.
(Not like tree branches, like pathways with gems on)

The level looks fine as it is imo. I don't care what shape it's in, I just care that it's fun. It's a really good-looking map.

I've made changes to the exterior shape of Heart of the Typhoon's interior, and decided to take that as an opportunity to add some more content to it, expanding it a bit more. Although there is still some work to be done before this expansion is complete, I would like some early feedback in order to know if the changes are worth it or if I should just go back to the previous version of the interior and finish that one instead.

This looks fantastic. I still have some reservations on the level, but hopefully it actually works out nicely when actually played.

This looks amazing! I love the idea of having a launch/jump at the edge of the map to be able to fly to whichever section of the map you want.

Sweet level. They should make you a level maker for MBP. Hint. Hint.

I've been making good progress on the new sections of Heart of the Typhoon. I still have some work to do, but I'm getting closer and closer to finally completing the interior. Here are a few pictures so you can check out the latest additions. I recommend right-clicking them and opening them in a new tab or window so you can see them in their full size for a clearer view.

After so many hours spent working on it, the interior for Heart of the Typhoon is finally finished. I will not be making any more additions or changes to it, unless the need to do so arises. As usual, here are a few pictures so you can check out the final result.



Now all I've got to do is add the gem spawns, power-ups, hazards and player spawns, and the level will be finally finished and ready for release.

Heart of the Typhoon is now complete and should be available in the Marble Blast Platinum Custom Levels section of the website's Downloads page.

Download link: marbleblast.com/index.php/downloads/cust...heart-of-the-typhoon

Super Awesome level! I like the exterior of the level. My first finish was 203 points. Beats the ultimate score by 3 points.

Here's a sneak peek of my next custom multiplayer level, which I've just started working on. It is currently called "Power, Wisdom, Courage". It will feature teleporters and moving platforms. Keep in mind the name is not definitive and might or might not be changed. The picture you are about to see is only a small portion of it.



In other news, I'm also planning on releasing a small update for Heart of the Typhoon, with the goal of improving (if possible) the level's performance for lower-end systems which might have trouble maintaining a stable framerate on its current version.

Haha, love the whole Zelda reference! The level sounds hard to make, but if you can pull it off, it'll surely be great.

Wow. Like the unique concept of the new one and Heart of the typhoon looks SO awesome. Curious, what's the par time for HotT? 5 mins? 6 mins?

Heart of the Typhoon is 7 minutes long, but the time will be reduced to 6 minutes in the upcoming update for it, as I've been told by a few people that 7 minutes is a bit too long.

The Power section of Power, Wisdom, Courage has been completed. Here are some pictures so you can see what it looks like. As always, I recommend right-clicking them and opening them in a new tab or window so you can see them in their full size for a clearer view.



As you can see, the Power section features a mix of horizontality and verticality, being shaped very loosely like a pyramid of sorts. The Wisdom section will be more inclined towards horizontality, while the Courage section will be more inclined towards verticality. Additionally, each section will use moving platforms in a different way.

In the center of this section is a yellow portal that sends players back to the hub. On the left and right sides are two holes that the player can fall into in order to be transported to the two other sections of the level. The player will need to step on a large trapdoor in order to access these holes.

There are several ways to climb this section. The orange platforms are moving platforms that will move up and down rapidly in order to launch players upwards, as in MBG's Money Tree or MBP's Cardcaddy's Diamond Collection. There are also several carpet ramps that provide easy vertical transportation, as well as some horizontal carpet which can be used to cushion the players' falls, generally after being launched by one of the moving platforms. And of course, there will be several power-ups to pick up.

I will now start making the Wisdom section, and after that the Courage section. Feel free to post your opinion on this first section I've made for Power, Wisdom, Courage.

Here's a small status update since I haven't updated this topic in ages.

My level building progress got slowed down a lot due to various factors in real life. However, I've recently got back to level building at my usual pace. Power, Wisdom, Courage is suspended, I honestly don't know when I'll finish that level, as I'm already reconsidering remaking it completely (the main issue seems to be that it'll end up being too big, so that's why I'm thinking about redesigning it completely).

Instead, I've started work on a new multiplayer level, which will be smaller than Heart of the Typhoon, and more innovative in its design. Its name is 'Quasar', and it will be my first level that uses Gravity Modifiers, alongside teleporters and moving platforms. I will post a few pictures once I've made some more progress on it, as for now it's far from complete.

Well, honestly I was thinking it might end up being too big too.

Looking forward to your further creations!

Bumping this topic since I'm back to making levels after a hiatus of several months.

Quasar, the multiplayer Hunt level I had started making before my hiatus, is no longer being worked on. Instead, I've been working on another Hunt level since my return to Marble Blast. It's a fusion of two classic and well-known multiplayer levels which will make use of new features introduced in MBP 1.60.