Noldor Ranzou's Netkeen Level Packs

Noldor Ranzou · Post by **Noldor Ranzou** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 21:04

Hello there! I'm releasing here my Netkeen level packs (a total of three). I made them with Abiathar.

Download here

Each pack is based on the original CK files from Netkeen (graphic-wise) but they contain some new music obtained from different sources. Furthermore, each one has a total of four maps.

About the maps sizes... some are best suited for 1 vs 1 duels and some of them can be played with 3 or 4 players.

More details can be found on the Readme file included in the rar file.

Any comments/constructive criticism regarding these maps are welcome, just take into account that these are my first maps.

By the way, I have recorded some videos which show all these maps played on multiplayer, so you can preview them beforehand.

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

troublesomekeen · Post by **troublesomekeen** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 21:51

Oooh, this is splendid!

I need to find time to play, and someone to play with.

Mirror, mirror
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/773 ... 0Packs.zip

lemm · Post by **lemm** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 22:37

These look great! Thanks for making them. There are some good dueling levels in there.

Where did you get the music?

Noldor Ranzou · Post by **Noldor Ranzou** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 22:48

Thanks for the first replies!

The NR1 pack has music I extracted from Blake Stone and the rest are MIDIs from different sources (downloaded them years ago) which I converted to IMF. Some are from games such as Art of Fighting and Dragon Ball Z Butouden 2 while some others are from bands like Iron Maiden and Skid Row.

Post by **Ceilick** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 10:42

Wow, very well done! I really like some of the vertical map designs you made (Deadly Rooms and Control Tower); I found vertical maps to be a challenge to design while keeping them fun.

The maps that look the most fun (from watching, no time to play

) are Ursa Major, Parking Platform, and Excavation Site.

Some advice I would offer are two points really:

1. Avoid situations where a player can stand still and shoot all the way across the map. Make platforms uneven or put something in the way to block shots. This isn't always bad though, and sometimes long straightaways are fun!

2. Be careful when making two player arenas in which one player can 'control' the top of a level (usually with bombs) and have the other player 'trapped' on the bottom. It's no fun to be the player trapped on the bottom with no hope of killing the other. I didn't really analyze whether any of your arenas have this issue, but I know many of mine did and it's an easy thing to overlook when designing.

Hope you decide to make more levels, good luck!

joe-ilya · Post by **joe-ilya** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 12:28

Ceilick wrote: 2. Be careful when making two player arenas in which one player can 'control' the top of a level (usually with bombs) and have the other player 'trapped' on the bottom. It's no fun to be the player trapped on the bottom with no hope of killing the other. I didn't really analyze whether any of your arenas have this issue, but I know many of mine did and it's an easy thing to overlook when designing.

Never played Netkeen(I want to) but I think this point is invalid since the player at the top sector will eventually run out of bombs and go look for some, while at it, the player at the bottom sector can creep to the top sector and shoot him down.

Noldor Ranzou · Post by **Noldor Ranzou** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:37

Ceilick wrote:Wow, very well done! I really like some of the vertical map designs you made (Deadly Rooms and Control Tower); I found vertical maps to be a challenge to design while keeping them fun.

The maps that look the most fun (from watching, no time to play ) are Ursa Major, Parking Platform, and Excavation Site.

Some advice I would offer are two points really:

1. Avoid situations where a player can stand still and shoot all the way across the map. Make platforms uneven or put something in the way to block shots. This isn't always bad though, and sometimes long straightaways are fun!

2. Be careful when making two player arenas in which one player can 'control' the top of a level (usually with bombs) and have the other player 'trapped' on the bottom. It's no fun to be the player trapped on the bottom with no hope of killing the other. I didn't really analyze whether any of your arenas have this issue, but I know many of mine did and it's an easy thing to overlook when designing.

Hope you decide to make more levels, good luck!

Thank you for your comments. I'll eventually make more maps since I've got positive replies so far.

About your two points, the first one I'll take it into account when creating future maps. The second one maybe it could be applied to Praesepe Station, although it was just an experiment I wanted to do. Also, considering what the person below you wrote, the player at the top will need more bombs/ammo at some point and he/she will be forced to leave this secured area. Anyways, thanks for this advice!

Post by **Ceilick** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:57

I think this point is invalid since the player at the top sector will eventually run out of bombs and go look for some.

Well, yes, this is a solution to that problem, and maps where this occurs, its not a problem. My point was, not all maps with 'top dominance' do this.

I took a closer look at Praesepe Station too and while it looks easy to get trapped on the bottom, the top player does have to leave his guard positions to get the goodies, and the map is small enough that the bottom player can both see the top player is gone, and reach the top quickly. Great!

Parking platform may have this issue too, since bombs can be picked up on the top and the bottom player doesn't seem to have any way to get up there and fight without jumping into easy line of fire and having nowhere safe to land.

lemm · Post by **lemm** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 16:00

I think the main concern when designing a dueling level for Netkeen is to eliminate stalemates, where either one or both players recede into an impenetrable corner of the map. I've tried to make dueling maps with tunnels, but I think those with more open areas are more fun. Solid islands in the middle of the map should be shaped with extreme prudence. My favorite Netkeen map is High Noon by Celick, found in the Vorticons level pack. It's suitably sized (about 40x30 tiles), there is a lot of open area, and powerups are well distributed.

Specific Comments:

I think that Hard Hat Area is the best dueling map. The Vitalins as well as the bombs are located in a vulnerable positions, and there is a lot of open area.

I like the bottom left of Praesepe Station. The floating island in the angled corner is a great motif that encourages action, and the undulating terrain is interesting too. I'm not a fan of the rest of the map, though.

The bottom part of Parking Area is neat, but it seems almost impossible to take those elevators without receiving several bombs to the head because of how bombs bounce off the wall. I suggest to expand the level outwards on either side and add a few more platforms. Like this:

Lastly, I like how you took the time to add in decorations to all of your levels. It adds that little bit extra!

Noldor Ranzou · Post by **Noldor Ranzou** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 18:25

lemm wrote:I think the main concern when designing a dueling level for Netkeen is to eliminate stalemates, where either one or both players recede into an impenetrable corner of the map. I've tried to make dueling maps with tunnels, but I think those with more open areas are more fun. Solid islands in the middle of the map should be shaped with extreme prudence. My favorite Netkeen map is High Noon by Celick, found in the Vorticons level pack. It's suitably sized (about 40x30 tiles), there is a lot of open area, and powerups are well distributed.

Specific Comments:

I think that Hard Hat Area is the best dueling map. The Vitalins as well as the bombs are located in a vulnerable positions, and there is a lot of open area.

I like the bottom left of Praesepe Station. The floating island in the angled corner is a great motif that encourages action, and the undulating terrain is interesting too. I'm not a fan of the rest of the map, though.

The bottom part of Parking Area is neat, but it seems almost impossible to take those elevators without receiving several bombs to the head because of how bombs bounce off the wall. I suggest to expand the level outwards on either side and add a few more platforms. Like this:

Lastly, I like how you took the time to add in decorations to all of your levels. It adds that little bit extra!

Alright, for the next maps I'll take all of this into consideration. Thank you.