Mega Man Maker Level V2 Feedback 3-21-23

 Clockwork Canyon V2 Feedback - 3/21/23

        With my second iteration of Clockwork Canyon, I wanted to tighten the gameplay ramp, scope, aesthetic, and general feel of the level. The first iteration had a solid foundation, though much of the ideas and conventions within the first version were either undeveloped, unfocused, or overdone. A few comments between each of my five play testers was the overwhelming presence of enemies. Although this was meant to be an introductory level, the ability to respawn without repercussion first led to me creating what I believed to be a healthy challenge with obstacles meant to be overcome, though nearly all who tested my original level claimed the placement and number of enemies was inconsistent in my original version. Thankfully, the difficulty was noted as being much more cohesive, improving flow and making the level a fun and brief introductory experience for those new to Mega Man.

 

        Some players made it through quicker than I had hoped, but such is the case when we're all required to play and work with Mega Man for a chunk of time. As laid out in the directorial notes, this level was intended to work as a tutorial for players 'unfamiliar with Mega Man', so it's only natural that gamers who have been working and testing closely with Mega Man Maker would be able to beat an introductory level so quickly. This swiftness was not without challenge, however. Of the five players who tested my game, two of them passed the level without dying at least once, but of those two, only one was able to complete the level without taking any damage. Taking about nine and a half minutes, the player was able to carefully observe each area laid before him and took the necessary actions to pass through the level, learn the intended / implicit lessons, and reach the end without ever taking damage. Of those who took considerable damage and ultimately died once or more, many of them rushed through, underestimating the involvement needed to complete the level safely. This need for engaging challenge is made very clear with some weaker platformers that practically play themselves by holding the right button.

        One comment I got from a handful of my testers was that though some visual clutter was properly solved, new areas of intensity showed up as a result of some minor design changes. The elevator shaft section was once cramped with animating textures and a plethora of moving enemies. In the latest installment, many of the enemies have been removed and the path of focus has been honed in with more effective use of tile textures. I also attempted to clean the overall layout of the level. Cutting out unnecessary physical features, making barriers and boundaries easier to 'read', and reducing the overall enemy count made for a cleaner, more intuitive, and concise level that left players wanting to "explore it all over again". When I first peeked through the tiles and graphics available, I knew my visuals would be limited, but the impact I was able to achieve through the right use of animating tiles, visually cohesive textures, and overall design direction was noted to feel busy, but no longer too overwhelming. Despite the difficulty in organizing the visual fidelity of my level, the hindrances noted were also said to be rather negligible by the second iteration. As such, most of the gripes on visuals in this version will be considered a minor detraction that wouldn't necessarily ruin the quality of my level. 

        Overall, the second version of my map is easier to understand and easier to play and complete. This is done without scaling back on the ability of the level to communicate implicit lessons and techniques to the player that are crucial for introductory levels like this.