@@jerq887 A lot of semisolids when used to make rooms look like they're inside have obvious air space at the edge, which breaks the illusion if placed at the exact size the room is. The commenter is suggesting to make them one block bigger in all dimensions than the room you're using it for, so there's no gaps and it looks as good as possible.
If they ever add an SMB2 theme, we should definitely have waterfalls. They’d be like semisolids, only completely passable and animated. They’d be great in the other styles too, but they’d look hideous in NSMBU and 3D World. (Just look at the waterfalls the Newer Team tried to make in Newer Wii. Their colors are too dull, and their flow is far too choppy).
@@pepearown4968 Semi-solids aren't good anyways in 3d world. They're only sort of useful with the Cat suit, and aside from that they're not even aesthetically pleasing.
The ground decor that pops up inside the terrain in New Soup can look really bad if left untamed, especially in the Underground theme when the pebbles repeat. Make sure you pay close attention to your ground when making a big piece of it!!
I totally agree! When I make underground New Soup courses I always make sure to get rid of any and all different terrain. Same with the desert except at night. The skulls fit nicely there.
Also, in the airship theme for any game style, do not have a bunch of windows placed willy nilly all over the ship(s). After all, they are manmade structures, not imperfect natural terrain. Things need to be consistent in some way. Consequently, you should only keep the windows in a straight line directly below the upper deck or something like that. Just don’t have them thrown in haphazardly throughout the world.
With Doors, I always put a semisolid behind it. I just hate how the doors look without it (and unfortunately, in the 3D World theme, you can't put semisolids behind doors)
I honestly hate *most* of the semi solids in 3D world. The desert theme, overworld, and Ghost house semi solids are fine, but the rest are just boring old fences.
Probably because they're trying to mimic the original super Mario bros' approach to pipes like those. Seriously, look at a smb longplay and see for yourself.
Another good tip, not mentioned in the video, is replacing a few ground blocks with others, like hard blocks or ice. It looks much more interesting than just a big, plain chunk of ground. Although it looks good only in smb1 and maybe 3, still worth keeping in mind.
Dangit, i just wrote the longest comment about block design and now i just found this.. Although i do want to say block design can look really good in nsmbu and sometimes mario world!
One thing you didn't mention is combining the aesthetic with the gameplay for example, designing a level based on objects of a certain color or using ice blocks as indicators for speed runs.
If it’s too over kill don’t do it, you don’t need to spend a lot of time doing detail for a transition, make sure to put lots of detail in places where detail is needed
Well, if you don't have a level with 100s of likes, if you really tried you can be happy that it's better than 90% of all levels. After all the popularity of levels when the level is better from the majority's perspective rises exponentially, not linearly.
Here’s another one. If you have a big area of ground, you can replace some of the ground blocks with iron or brick blocks. I sometimes use these in my levels and they make them look a lot better.
One thing to keep in mind, from my experience playing, with the vines: I use a controller with a d-pad, and the vine decorations are a huge pain in speed running areas, because if I'm barely tilted upward while holding right, Mario stops to grab onto them.
I just finished an extremely hard underground level where you jump across vines and dodge enemies. Since it is so hard I am having a lot of trouble uploading it. But I found out that if you use the gem semi solids in random holes on walls in the underground theme it looked like ores are in the cave or buried in stone.
By the way, here’s a tip that drastically helps for scroll stop: Instead of adding 1 layer of blocks, add 2 or 3. In styles where when blocks connect and their textures change then it doesn’t look very nice, for example nsmbu desert theme, you can actually see the other side of the scroll stop just slightly and it doesn’t look very good. Hope that helped someone lol
Here is a small little tip in case you did not know: Semisolids can layer on each other, can you can make good bg design. What I mean is, if you put a small semi solid, say for example a 3x3 semisolid, onto a larger semi solid that outweighs it in height, then the smaller one will layer over the bigger one. What you can do with this is prettier backgrounds, for example you can have a scaffold holding up the tunnel walls in a small tunnel.
I love decorating my levels and I have some tips to add. When you said that in certain themes you can have decoration in the ground, you're wrong. Every theme has them but many VERY closely resemble the other blocks (only in New Soup). One thing to note is that the NSMBU ground tiles in the underground theme are pretty ugly so don't over use them. I like to use them in the underwater theme and use them to make stars and fish in the ground. My favorite theme is SMB1. This is because it's so easy to decorate in it. I was inspired by a MM1 maker. He created a series called Super Peachy World. Even though it's SMM1 I still highly recommend it. I don't have the course IDs but you can find videos on RU-vid.
@@Odyssey_Central I believe it's only in New Soup for every theme. Other themes have it in their airship themes. The only exception is 3D World which has its elements based on tile placement when editing. This makes 3D World decoration very hard.
@OdysseyCentral The specific ground pieces are also in SMW. The rest of the themes have them only in the airship theme. 3D World has randomized ones for castle and airship. SMWs are much less noticeable, but are there in every theme.
Mind if I share a tip? :) When using scroll stop, have the ground be at least 2 tiles thick (vertically and horizontally). Some themes, including almost every SMB1 theme, are exceptions. Also, nice profile pic change.
New tip:This only works in under ground and desert in certain styles but you can use a certain semi solid (the like wood one) instead of mushroom Platforms.
WOW. this is so very useful. i had absolutely no idea how to use any ground decor or vines or semisolids or any other decorations. Time to go make some good-looking levels!
Here's a GREAT tip not mentioned: if you're making a underground Themed level, erase parts of the wall and put a semi solid, kinda looks like ores then!
when i make houses in my levels, i use mario world because one of the overworld semisolids looks like a mushroom, i use mushroom platforms for the roof and add a pipe to look like a chimney, i add some flowers and bushes to make look nicer its very effective if youre trying to make a house
This may not be a good tip for everyone, but i think its better if you add block deco to large chunks of ground blocks, or even small chunks of ground, it looks much better. Incase you dont know how to add block deco, its basically just changing some blocks from ground, to whatever else matches. I suggest adding breakable bricks to desert levels, hard bricks to castles and or airships, clouds to sky or night and so on. Just make sure you dont add too much different blocks or it may look cluttered. Also, adding ice blocks as a replacement to water works really well, you can even make a beach theme! Heres how: (This one is only for nsmbu, however feel free to try it on other styles) Change the level theme to sky, as i think the backround works really well and the ground blocks match the beach ground blocks from nsmb. No real block deco so just make sure the terrain isnt just one huge clump of ground, feel free to experiment though, Make sure to place ice blocks wherever water would so that it actually looks like a beach. I recomend placing it in small holes and make sure its not just a straight line. You can also add frozen coin blocks to lead to secrets Also, add vines, but refrain from placing them on the ground or it may get somewhat annoying. I recommend using goombrats, koopas, fishyboobkins (spikes) and any underwater type enemy, just be carefull as there's no actual water in this level. And voila, a beach theme! Edit: Twisters work really well too! Also to clarify by block deco i mean block design, as in not just being all ground blocks but with other blocks that fit the theme aswell.
I am proud of the first level I used these tips for. It is called Old Wiggler Maze (V1M-TL7-6QF). It has a final boss, which you CAN make easier with the vines, but that is intentional. If you want to, go and play it! I would really appreciate it.
Here’s a tip for the semisolids I use in my levels! (this won’t work for ALL semisolids) if you combine semisolids, like in SMW,Underground’s bone and that one without holes, they will look VERY good! I also put skull platforms at the top, too. (I mostly use them for 4 unit semisolids)
Thanks for the tips my levels looks way better now Also another tip if you used a pipe for a secret room, use the colours for the theme so if it was a frozen night snow level then blue would be good and if it was a castle level then you could use red
Honestly random ground decor can look nice. Like, in forests and grasslands, flowers don’t normally go together but they can appear here, there, and everywhere! As long as it’s not bunched up rapidly (like half the flat ground has a bunch of flowers and the other half has nothing), where it shows that the creator just placed blocks one by one. I just don’t like them too much when they’re all together in one place rather than spread a little here and there.
A tip I have to say is, while it may just be my opinion, it always looks better if your roofs aren’t blocky unless it’s the castle or airship theme, maybe even ghost house as well. It does not look right to me when there is a ninety degree turn in a roof in an underground level. Basically try to make your roofs look natural unless it’s castle, airship, or ghost house, as in those styles it does look better if it’s not blocky but it makes more sense to have blocky roofs in those styles.
Another one that drives me insane: If you are going to put in a pipe make sure that the direction in and out make sense. For example, it makes no sense if you go down a pipe and suddenly come up a pipe in an air level. Or if I enter right through a pipe and exit left... in other words it looks like you left the way you came. Use other pipes as decorations to make it appear that the pipe changed direction.
you don't need to use semi-solids as background semi-solids (some ends of which are visible) can be used in the ceiling of levels to make them feel somewhat older.
Tip for vines: You can use them to make little secrets. For example, in one of my levels, i give the player a powerup to make the level a lot easier if they just explore.
I really thought (and hoped) you would talk about how amazing hard blocks look scattered through the ground in the Mario World underground theme. Might also be good in other themes such as NSMBU ghost house, but I'm not sure.
I love your videos and your tips have helped me in so many ways. Thank you for everything and keep up the good work! :) Here’s a level I made with tons of decorations and has some of the tips 22K-GMF-WKF Mario Goes to the Moon One small step for Mario, one giant leap for Nintendo Kind My 4 rules for my levels are this: 1: Treat the player fairly- No trolls unless it’s a troll level, if that’s the case the troll level should be about figuring out what to do, not where to go. 2: Add decoration- Every single level I’ve made I have decorations. In the super Mario world theme for the ground, there’s 2 different ground tiles. On that has flat grass and one that has pointy grass. Decoration is important 3: Use checkpoints if the level is long, especially before or after a hard part 4: Have a theme, idea, or a purpose for the level. I’m making a level called ThE NiGhTmArE, which is a horror level that preys on everyone’s most common fears. Thank you again! Your videos are always so helpful and I click on it right when I get He notification. Keep up the awesome work and have an awesome day! :)
another nice looking way to get rid of naked pipes if you don't want a ceiling is placing a second pipe at the opposite side. this makes it look like a single pipe with two ends
More Tips! This Will Improve It EVEN MORE 1:Much Like The Skulls Certain Items Can Be Put In Walls To Make It Nicer! A Fire Flower Can Be Used In An Un Reachable Garden And A Super Hammer For Construction Areas! 2:? Boxes Can Be Used In Question Themed Sections! Like A Small Quiz Can Have A ? Block In The Roof (Can't Be Reached) In Order To Spice It Up A Bit! 3:Much Like The Support Trick You Can Put A Single Track/Mushroom Platform (Tracks Look Better) To Connect It To Something! 4:Putting Items On Tracks That Are Un Reachable Can Make Some Areas Look Better! In A Space Level You Could Add Stars To The Tracks To Make The Space Level Seem ... Spacey! Propeller Shrooms On Planes Also Look Good! 5:In A Power Up Room Where The Power Ups Fall From The Sky (Not That I've Seen One) If It's Super Leaves Then Maybe Make A Tree At The Top Of The Screen To Make The Leaves Seem Like They Are Falling From A Tree! 6:Before A Boss Fight You Should Show The Boss As Foreshadowing! Do This In Areas That Have Enough Room Where This Won't Shrink A Hallway Or Something Because That Will Mess With Gameplay!
Also, please try your hardest to have symmetry. It may seem unimportant, but it's one of the most important things for aesthetics, yet people rarely remember to have it and makes certain areas that follow the tips in this video still look ugly. Edit: Another tip: use enemies and other obstacles that look nice with the chosen level theme. For example: Pokeys go best with desert and snow levels, as wigglers look best in jungle levels. Edit 2: Along with enemies and other obstacles in specific level themes, choose the color of pipes that are A. Unused or B. Warp pipes based off of the level theme. Yellow goes with desert, blue goes with water and underground, etc. If you're going for the sky theme, having a variety works best imo.
This is a fantastic video. I do most of these things but I still learnt some new stuff. It really helps your level look real using your tips, and makes me want to go back and tweak mine! Something I think is worth noting is that it can be cool to use multiple semisolids on top of each other, either for further decoration or to make a new semisolid (e.g. in SMW castle I love combining the metallic diamond fence and black wall semisolids). I also think it’s worth noting symmetry is a useful thing to consider. It really makes levels look much nicer. And I love the aesthetic like your example at the end, but if you make the semisolid one block narrower on each side to create a ledge effect.
here is a tip that just helps a slight bit. If you have an underwater or underground level. Have an above ground area with a pipe leading to the main lelvel
Some people take the aesthetic use of assets way overboard and make eyesores of levels full of needlessly busy floors and ceilings, useless tracks everywhere, etc. It's hard to focus on anything and it ultimately makes the creator appear pretentious. Super intricate≠good.
Something to note with vine cheese is that if it just lets you cheese one simple or easy jump where it would be easier just to do the level right, it can be ok since the player doesn't really gain any benefits for using the vines. You can also add a 10 coin or perhaps a secret to the vine if you notice vine cheese instead of just removing the vine to integrate it into the gameplay.
Very important tip: almost never overdecorate, if you overdecorate your level can end up ugly, random, too distracting, or just too confusing, it's good to have decoration, but if it gets to the point where even you are a little confused by the amount of decoration, you absolutely have a problem. There can be certain situations where it can work, but it's hard to think of one
Also, don't forget about the Scroll Stop feature. As long as there's a solid line of Ground tiles and/or Iron Blocks perpendicular to the scroll direction, the camera will always stop at that line. The effect may be ruined, though, if you spawn too close to the wall/ceiling.
My little extra tip is to be consistent. In my super world airship levels I stayed consistent and every time that there was ground there was a semisolid background.
