Super Mario Maker 2 - Tumblr Posts
In Super Mario Maker 2, various glitch setups exist that cause a course's background to not be refreshed on every frame, which results in objects leaving trails behind them. While these courses are deleted from the servers if they are uploaded, they can still be played locally on the user's device.
The footage shows a group of Bull's Eye Bills in such a course, creating geometric patterns by leaving trails.
Main Blog | Twitter | Patreon | Small Findings | Source
Catching Up: Other Projects
I've started and not finished way too many projects this decade, many of which I've barely or even never talked about before, all of which I was incredibly invested in when I was working on them. Today, I'm going to talk about none of them. Instead, I decided to clean out my closet and keep only the most essential ones – the ones that still mean a lot to me – and I've put the rest to, well, rest.
I've already talked about some of the ones I'm keeping in this series, but there's a few that I haven't yet, either due to time constraints or because there's not much to say about them. So, without further ado, here's what's left.
Portfolio
When I was still looking for a job, I wanted to put together a portfolio site to show off all the different skills I've picked up. Even though I've found a job already, the idea stuck around, because... well, I've made so much stuff in the past decade that I need a place to put it all! I've used Imgur for this purpose in the past, but I haven't updated it in a long time, and I'd like to make something a little more robust.
The thing is, putting this site together involves programming, which is hard to do when it's what I already spend most of my waking hours on at work. So I've put the idea on the backburner for now. In the meantime, I'm thinking I'll use this blog as sort of a "content hub" with collections and tags for everything. It's pretty easy to keep up with, and would be a suitable replacement until I can put something more fancy together!
Mario Maker
When Super Mario Maker 2 came out, I thought I was going to lose my entire life to making levels for it. Instead, I forced out like three levels before I realized I was still kind of burned out on the first game. But since the new update dropped earlier this month, I made four in the span of a couple weeks! I think it's safe to say I'm back in business ✨ Since I haven't yet posted any of them here on the blog, I'll be doing that very soon, as part of the previously mentioned "content hub" thing.
Part of my initial fatigue is that I started to plan out these massive adventures where I try to fit as much as I can into one level. And while I did finish one of them, called Skyway Metro... I felt like it needed a strategy guide to go with it?? For some reason??? So this huge, completely finished level has just been sitting here waiting for me to make a completely unnecessary add-on that most people won't even see. Well, I'm happy to say that I'm officially abandoning that idea and releasing the level later today!
And as for the other big level ideas? I'd still like to make those at some point, but I find I'm having much more success (and much more fun) making smaller concept levels that I can put together in one sitting. All of them are written down, though, waiting in the wings for when I'm ready to tackle something on a bit larger scale.
Ice Cap Zone
Recently I finally opened up "Project Community," AKA Ice Cap Zone, a Discord server/gaming community that's not tied to any one game, person, or topic. I wanted to make something that isn't just "the WillWare server" or "the Mari0 server" – something that anyone can join, make new friends, play games together, etc. You can join here if that sounds like your kind of thing!
Unfortunately I haven't been able to put a lot of focus into it, and as a result things have been pretty quiet. I think part of the problem is that it's hard to make a server with no topic appealing, especially when literally everyone has a Discord server these days. I feel like it would almost be easier to just make it a personal server instead.
Regardless, I'm not letting this one go just yet. I've still got a few things I want to do with it.
Springloaded
Here's an interesting one – I've got a whole story set in the world of Splatoon that I'd like to tell someday! The thing is, I feel like it would be best told as a webcomic, and well... you've seen my story with drawing. But part of why I've been practicing lately is to get to the point where I could draw this passably. And so far, I feel like I might just get there!
Pretty much everyone who has made a webcomic has the same advice, and that's "Just start making it! Don't wait until you're 'good enough' – you'll get there by doing it." And personally, I feel like that's solid advice. So, I will!... as soon as Retrush is finished. After all, I really don't need two massive, years-long projects on my plate at the same time. Plus, it'll let me get some extra practice in!
Games???
Way off in the distance – past Retrush, beyond Springloaded – there are a metric ton of game ideas that I'd like to make sometime. In fact, making games has been what I've wanted to do since I was a kid!
Much like with webcomics, the best way to make them is to just start doing it. But right now, between work and all the other projects I'm putting together, it's just a little too overwhelming for me to add game dev on top of everything else. That said, I am starting small and letting myself tinker with capturing some parts of the ideas I have. And one day, when I have a little less on my plate... perhaps I could put them together.
———
Even after I've narrowed it down, this is still a lot of projects and things to do. I often joke that I've got enough work for the rest of my life! But the reason I do it is because I'm equally excited about all of these things, and I want to share them with the world.
A lot of people struggle with the mindset that if they're not constantly producing Content™, then they're not a real artist/musician/developer/creator. Thing is, I know I'm a real creator. I'm constantly dreaming of new things to make, I can't even switch it off! And I enjoy putting them together, as much as I can (reasonably) handle. Now I want to push my limits, learn new things, dream even bigger – and make them real.
It may take forever, but I'm playing the long game. It may take work, but I'm giving myself space and doing what I can. It may take skills that I don't have, but I'm always learning. And if even one person gets as excited about these things as I have been while making them... then it's all worth it.
Lost In Skyway Metro | 6FN-F3B-N7G
A full adventure in one level! Search high and low for a way out of this massive city full of buildings, construction, and subway tunnels to explore. Find enough Key Coins to purchase a subway ticket home!
This took over 30 hours to make, and it's one of my biggest and best levels yet. I hope you enjoy ✨
Dijon Dunes (60s Rush) | YCC-YLK-9MF
The first course I made for Super Mario Maker 2, modeled after the Retrush level of the same name, Dijon Dunes is a more technical speedrunning course with plenty of ways to bound gracefully over the desert sands. You only get 60 seconds – go for the best time!
Snaking Corridors | QQM-R3V-RFG
A claustrophobic, circuitous cave featuring snake blocks in unique configurations. Secretly a speedrunning level, but you have to really earn your time on this one.
Here’s a speedrun I did for Snaking Corridors in about 46 seconds! There’s a few cool shortcuts and side passages here – I’m really proud of how this one came together.
Snaking Corridors | QQM-R3V-RFG
A claustrophobic, circuitous cave featuring snake blocks in unique configurations. Secretly a speedrunning level, but you have to really earn your time on this one.
Red-Blue Residence | MG7-682-2TG
Use Link’s bow and bombs to solve puzzles based on ON/OFF switches! Just like any good dungeon, there’s plenty of secrets too.
I kinda threw this one together in two hours the night the update came out, but there’s some neat puzzles here and I think it turned out pretty well.
Flurricane | TTR-J82-1RF
Dodge a massive blizzard circling through the sky on a wild hunt for 50 coins! The snow won’t hurt you, but the storm clouds will, so watch your head. Maybe you can even use the storm to your advantage...
Really proud of this one!
This level was also made for speedrunning! It’s easy enough to find 50 coins casually, but there’s only so many available when blasting through the level. Navigating the uneven terrain and getting enough coins along the way makes this an interesting run!
Flurricane | TTR-J82-1RF
Dodge a massive blizzard circling through the sky on a wild hunt for 50 coins! The snow won’t hurt you, but the storm clouds will, so watch your head. Maybe you can even use the storm to your advantage…
Really proud of this one!
Prickly Pass | K1Y-NGS-L5G
Tons of Spikes and spiky things call this mountain their home. Use the rolling spikes to clear a way through! This level is a bit on the long side, especially if you go for the secret room...
Defying Gravity | 0S3-TMC-D7G
Use the Cape Feather to slow your fall through an autoscrolling cloudy chasm. The descent is fraught with peril, and if you get hit even once... well, you better hope you’re close to the bottom!
Here’s a speedrun I did for my friend PrinnyOfTime’s “A Plain Course” in 00′30″415. Try to beat my time: HPJ-3V1-32H
The conveyor belts are really rough to get a hang of, but this is still an addictive level to speedrun because everything up to that is timed with the music ✨
Here’s a speedrun for my friend PrinnyOfTime’s “Airship Armada” in exactly 00′40″000. Try to beat my time: T9R-93B-3PF
This run could definitely be optimized further, but it’s the one I got a recording of, so I’m sticking with it. Gracefully bounding over all the danger is difficult but very satisfying!
This level was originally going to be released with a four-page strategy guide, since it’s so complex! However, it was holding up the release of the level itself for way too long, so I ultimately decided to scrap it – but what I’ve got turned out pretty good! Tumblr probably crunched the quality, so click here to see it in full resolution.
Lost In Skyway Metro | 6FN-F3B-N7G
A full adventure in one level! Search high and low for a way out of this massive city full of buildings, construction, and subway tunnels to explore. Find enough Key Coins to purchase a subway ticket home!
This took over 30 hours to make, and it’s one of my biggest and best levels yet. I hope you enjoy ✨
Blaster Faster (20sec) | 08M-C6P-95G
Blast processing! Get ahead of the floating blaster so it speeds you along to the goal. A ridiculous little concept level that makes for a fun speedrun.
Teetering Tundra | 820-4GH-9NG
Finally went back and finished one of the very first levels I started for SMM2! A chill(y) exploration of seesaws and other physics(y) things. Some puzzle-solving in this one!
Cheep Creep Creek | LRN-G2C-LRG
Try saying that three times fast! This flooded, overgrown thicket is infested with Cheep Cheeps and Piranha Creepers. You'll have to go aboveground and underwater to cut a path to the goal!
I have a list of Mario Maker level ideas in my to-dos. Anytime I come up with a level idea – which is a lot – I add it to the list, so I can come back to it at some point. Most of them are massive, sprawling adventures or high-level concepts that need tons of work to be viable.
Thing is, I've only finished one of the levels on that list – Skyway Metro. Every other level I've released was completely improvised, and usually done in one sitting. Flurricane took two hours, Cheep Creep Creek was made in an evening. I haven't come back to the list in weeks!
Besides the overwhelming scale of some of the levels on the list, I think I just enjoy the creative process of improv more. It's more hands on; I'm actually putting things together and experimenting, rather than thinking about what needs to be done and how to accomplish it.
On top of this, planning something makes it an obligation, and obligations are hard to start when you have ADHD. But when I'm experimenting, I've already started – I don't have to overcome that hurdle.
This is best illustrated by when I worked on Prickly Pass. It's a larger level, so I only made about half of it at first. But I procrastinated on coming back to it, and made Flurricane instead! It took me about a week before I finally pulled it up again and finished it.
Honestly, this is starting to make me rethink how I make stuff in general; it seems like I have a lot more fun when I don't plan things out in advance. It's fun to dream up these huge, complex ideas... but it's a lot more fun to throw together a smaller, tighter experience. (Plus I actually finish those, as opposed to the big stuff that takes forever.)
Maybe I'm just burnt out from working on Projects™ all the time, but regardless, I think it'll be good to lean toward more of the improv stuff for now. That's why I've been doing so much writing and level design lately!
Blaster Faster 2 (30sec) | 739-GWT-YVG
Speedrun through an abandoned explosives factory! Like before, the floating blaster will propel you to the goal, but it's more of an obstacle this time. Can you keep your cool in this heated sequel?
Super Block Fort | 1V0-9NC-FVF
A maze of blocks and pipes, filled with big enemies and bigger treasures! Focused around a neat trick with Clear Pipes, which can save a lot of time in this level if used well. Makes for a great beginner speedrun!