SCORES ON THE DOORS
Fungal Paradise Act 1 – SBW
Short and sweet, the smallest level up for judging.
Aesthetics – 7/10
Nice looking level, the tileset was used well and there was just enough going on to make it look good.
Playability – 4/10
Not bad, there were a couple of cheapish tricks (the oscillating ball down the slope comes up pretty fast for instance, and there's an infinite drop) but overall it was good to play. If it were longer it would score much better. It's also irritating that the grasshopper badniks jump into the scenery and stay there, but hey ho.
Flow – 5/10
Again, this is good but suffers because of the length of the level. There are also some bits on the lower route that are dead-stops (through the glitchiness of the engine, but that's something a level designer will always have to deal with), although judging by RPG's time they can be overcome. For me, it feels a little claustrophobic when speedrunning sometimes, but it gets the pressure on so it's all good.
Tilt – 8/10
This has a definite feel to it, a sort of compact, hazard-laden interior type level (Metropolis came to mind, or the underground parts of Marble/Marble Garden). It's all thought out, and none of it overdone. Also one of the trickier levels submitted, even though it's short.
Bonus Marks – 7/10
Multiple routes ftw, someone was listening to my marking scheme :). Not only that, but they tie in with each other, giving the level a unified feel rather than each route is it's own level. Nice job.
Score – 31/50
Green Forest – RPG
Big, open, flowing and with a godawful spring challenge in the middle, this is RPG's first entry.
Aesthetics – 4/10
I really don't know what to think about this. There are times it's beautiful, and times it's ugly. Floating springs not attached to anything and mismatched tiles abound. This should really be scoring higher here.
Playability – 2/10
This is really where this level falls down. Too many infinite drops with no warning; the first few plays through I feel I'm being punished for no reason. Then there's the spring challenge – this is a no-no. There is absolutely no indication of where you're supposed to go! You have to learn it bit by bit, and if you make a mistake there's a fall all the way to the bottom waiting for you. Enormously frustrating, although you did at least put a checkpoint at the top. Things like that put gamers off replaying or even continuing a game.
Flow – 7/10
Again, you can tell this level was designed by a TAer – no mercy for the weak, apparently. I still hate the spring bit, but once you get to know the level it's reasonably satisfying to blast through. It's just sticking with it long enough to do that that's the difficult bit.
Tilt – 6/10
The spring bit is, I suppose, a noteworthy feature that gives the level distinction, as are the rollercoaster sections (which are well thought out and put together). Not a huge amount else to really distinguish this level though.
Bonus – 5/10
A few alternate routes and also the spring-orgies for rollercoaster fun and frolics earn some points here.
Score – 24/50
Green Fusion Zone – Joe
Fusion is right – there's some of everything in here.
Aesthetics – 4/10
Too much of everything! It feels too patchwork, too mish-mash. The background work lets this down too, in that there's basically none except in places where it looks like an obstacle and is confusing. There are nice touches though, like the Coconuts climbing the pipe.
Playability – 8/10
Nice level, always very obvious where you've to go next and no cheapness. There's one infinite drop but you can be let off since it's obvious it's there and what you should do (that upside-down half-pipe bit). I would've put a wall or something in the way, but it's fine. I also liked the secret bits with all the goodies.
Flow – 5/10
Unfortunately, this level is either propelling you through it itself or is too blocked up with stuff to be a great TA level. There's nothing in it that's particularly challenging from a TA standpoint, and the payoffs aren't great anyway. Still fun though.
Tilt – 3/10
There's some nice features, like where you go all the way round the pipe to pick up the first invincibility, but it's still too much of everything and not enough individuality. Too many types of badniks I think, and no gimmicks whatsoever. It just doesn't feel distinctive.
Bonus Marks – 5/10
As I've said, I like the secret bits and there's the odd bit of branching routes. Nothing mind blowing but still nice to see.
Score – 25/50
Mystic Forest 2 – Mike
Fly away with me.
Aesthetics – 4/10
They do the job but not a lot more.
Playability – 6/10
Definitely fun even past the novelty value, although the end bit would be at home in Press Right Adventure.
Flow – 2/10
It may flow but there's no real challenge to it, and hence no feeling of speeding through destroying the level. I don't see it as a TA level to be honest.
Tilt – 10/10
Completely different and instantly recognisable. A no brainer for marks here.
Bonus Marks – 6/10
Multiple routes, music, NiGHTS reference – all here, so have some marks.
Score – 28/50
Perilous Journey 1 - egg
Definitely perilous for my blood pressure.
Aesthetics – 2/10
Sorry, not good at all. There are places that have been done properly, but a lot of the level (especially at the start) is a collage of mismatched tiles that look thrown together. Too much going on, not enough continuity or alignment.
Playability – 2/10
It's never clear where you're meant to go. A bunch of the routes just land you back where you started. There's infinite drops with no warning. A lot of the traps are really fiddly (or rely on sheer luck) to avoid (the two oscillating spike balls at the start for instance, they hit you if you're on the spring). The start's definitely the worst bit, and it does improve after that (until the nasty can't-finish bit at the end), but to be honest I really didn't like it.
Flow – 4/10
Once you get an idea where the cheapness is it's not that hard to avoid and you can get a decent run through the level. It still frustrates the hell out of me though.
Tilt – 4/10
There are some gimmicks and some clever use of them (like the two balls together) but mostly they end up being cheap tricks instead of interesting challenges (spinning spike platform immediately after the squashing spikes, for instance). The thought is right, the implementation less so.
Bonus Marks – 5/10
Specifically chosen music, which I'm not sure fits but still qualifies you for some marks. There are also multiple routes, although they seem to me to be totally disjoint rather than flowing together.
Score – 17/50
Perilous Journey 2 - egg
Marble Garden with cheap traps.
Aesthetics – 4/10
Again, not desperately well put together but an improvement over 1.
Playability – 3/10
At least there was space to run and a reasonably obvious path, but OH MY GOD SO MUCH CHEAPNESS. Being spring-launched straight into spikes is not fun. Infinite pits of doom are not fun. Smashing a badnik and finding a Robotnik telly hidden behind it is not fun. There's plenty more examples, but that gives you an idea.
Flow – 4/10
Again, when you worked out where the cheapness all is it's possible to avoid it if you plan like three screens ahead, and there's a little more space to run.
Tilt – 4/10
Plays a bit like Marble Garden in places, which is good. Again, there's thought put into the gimmicks, but they end up being bloody impossible. You're a sadist, dude.
Bonus Marks – 5/10
Points for music, some alternative routes and an attempt at unique traps.
Score – 20/50
Silent Meadow 1 – Joe
Silent my backside, this place is crawling with enemies!
Aesthetics – 6/10
Solid enough – stuck to the Emerald Hill set and it works well, although there's nothing particularly special about it.
Playability – 6/10
There's a nice mix of challenges and speed. There are too many badniks though, especially of the sort that fly out of the wall you're running up and hit you, which is really annoying. It's always reasonably obvious where you should go next. Oh, and one thing that costs marks too – infinite drops. Can't stress enough what a bad thing they are.
Flow – 7/10
Again, solid. It could possibly use more alternate routes, and there are quite a few occasions you get stopped mid-run where there's no apparent need to be, but a fun speedrun nevertheless.
Tilt – 2/10
Not a lot that's original here I'm afraid. So many types of badniks, coupled with no original use of features or gimmicks, mean this level doesn't really have much personality.
Bonus Marks – 4/10
As with Tilt, there's little in the way of innovative stuff that I can give marks here for. There are a few hidden secrets though, and a couple of alternate routes kicking about, so credit for them.
Score – 25/50
Silent Meadow 2 – Joe
Indoor activities are rife in this one
Aesthetics – 6/10
As with Act 1, solid and do the job but nothing special.
Playability – 7/10
This one's quite contained, a more claustrophobic level like Metropolis or some such, but still with spring-orgies and open spaces to run. A nice balance. There's still some obvious cheapness though, which is a shame.
Flow – 6/10
This one's quite frustrating to TA until you discover that large chunks can be skipped if you're good. Rewarding the best players gets you marks in this bracket.
Tilt – 4/10
Better than the previous one – there's some nice use of the hovering thingies, and better badnik placement, although there's still too many varieties.
Bonus Marks – 4/10
Exactly as for 1, although I'm not sure if we're meant to be able to access some of the alternate routes (but when has that ever stopped us?).
Score – 27/50
Jungle Coaster – RPG
The speedster's heaven.
Aesthetics – 3/10
I'm guessing this wasn't the focus of this level. Functional and nothing more.
Playability – 2/10
No traps, no enemies, no nothing very much. But then, this level wasn't built to be normally playable, was it?
Flow – 9/10
Ohmygodhowfastarewegoingiwannabesick! Mentalist fun at insane speeds, this level was definitely built to be a TAer's plaything. I'm guessing that this'll be the most competed-for level at TUSC :)
Tilt – 10/10
There ain't no other level I can think of like this one, and this achieved with springs and pipe. Genius.
Bonus Marks – 6/10
Daftly appropriate music and multiple routes earn some points here, but then I doubt anyone cares – this was never going to win under my marking scheme, but it's sufficiently unabashed, unadulterated speed that who gives a damn :)
Score – 30/50
Jungle Peril 2 – RPG
Works much better with the music, for some reason.
Aesthetics – 5/10
Nothing fancy, it's all functional for this one.
Playability – 6/10
I was tempted to mark this down heavily because of things like if you hit some platforms then fall you can't get to the next section but you aren't automatically killed which are hella annoying, but then I played it with the music. As a pseudo-boss level, it kinda works.
Flow – 8/10
A challenging level with high speed and high danger makes for a happy speedrunner. But climbing AGAIN?!? What are you doing at TSC when clearly your calling is up a mountain somewhere?
Tilt – 8/10
As above – as a pseudo-Boss level it works well. If only Sonic DIY let you have a Robotnik in pursuit, it'd be perfect.
Bonus Marks – 3/10
Can't really give you more than 3 for the choice of music, and since there are no alternate routes that's what you get.
Score – 30/50
Rumble Hill 1
Insanity strikes back
Aesthetics – 7/10
A bit of a mish-mash but well put together and pretty nice looking.
Playability – 2/10
I felt like I was being thrown about by a stupidly strong ADHD kid. Seriously, this level is nuts. Unfortunately it's got enemies on high speed paths and infinite drops, which is bad. Worse though is the never ending sense of “Where the hell do I go now?â€. Still, if you like disorientation, this is your level.
Flow – 8/10
The flip side of what I said above is that once you get a handle on it, it's insane amounts of fun. Sod getting fast times, the feeling of being tossed about by an angry rhino while still having some semblance of control is awesome.
Tilt – 6/10
It's hard to say what makes this unique – it seems to have all the same kind of aspects as a standard level only done at fartoofast speed. Still, there are some well thought out gimmicks that fit nicely into the level, so it's all good.
Bonus Marks – 6/10
For music, some multiple routeness and sheer madness.
Score – 29/50