Someone should pay me to do this.

Anyhow...

1) 33.8MB download?  That's not a good thing, especially since 32MB of that is an mp3.  Keep the mp3's separate!

2) You should stop releasing new stages until you fix the old ones.  That way, the same mistakes don't get carried over from stage to stage.

3) Again, this stage is too tall.  Setting boundhigh to -400 is still overkill, especially since there's nothing but black up there.  Try -200.

After that, set vertical follow to .8 and floortension to 60.  Makes for smoother jumping.

4) Again, the shadow is facing the wrong way for this particular stage.

I'll just recommend the same thing as last time:

Find:

Code:

[Shadow]

color = 100,100,100
yscale = -.2
reflect = 0

Replace:

Code:

[Shadow]
intensity = 128
color = 0,0,0
yscale = .3

Where did you get the strange idea to use reflect = 0?  It's not even a real command and doesn't do anything.

5) For bgvolume, the + sign doesn't do anything, so erase it.

6) I know even in my own stages, I don't always trim graphics down to the bare minimum, but I make sure borders or blank spaces are not excessive.

There's also a lot of graphics in the sff file that aren't used at all, including exact duplicates.  Just get rid of them.  Your sff file is too big for what the stage is.  It's almost 6MB.  Even my most complicated hi-res stages don't even hit 3MB.

[BG stars] is a misnomer since it's just a blank black layer...but it's a huge 800x800 image that's just black.  That's just absurd.  Trim it down to 32x32 or so and tile = 1,1 will take care of the rest.  You don't even need to set a delta here since it's just black and the furthest layer back.

7) The moon looks bad.  The blue halo should have been trimmed off.  If you wanted to keep halo, then you should have trimmed it off, and used a separate blue graphic behind it.  The border has an abrupt cutoff and is not smooth.

Pay attention to your .def file.  You specified two moons in the exact same place.  That does nothing.  Get rid of one of them.

You can also try defining a slower delta like delta = .5,.5

8. Other deltas need to be changed too.  Well, to be more accurate, you need to add them here.  If you do not define a delta, it defaults to 1,1 automatically.  That's fine for the floor layer, but then it looks like the entire stage is moving as one piece.  If you want to create depth, that's not a good thing.  Generally, items behind the floor layer have a slower delta and items in front of the floor layer have a faster delta.

For [BG Man] <- mislabeled, btw, it's really one of the mountain graphics,
try delta = .67,.67

Also for [BG Man]'s mountain sprite, the mask command here does nothing either since the masking color is not present at all in the original graphic.

9) For animations, mask command does nothing.  It's automatically set to 1.

10) Again, I recommend use of addalpha in the prior stages to avoid turning transparent objects too bright (sometimes causes "white-out").  A lot of transaparent objects are not supposed to be light sources, so don't define them as such.  I doubt the water waves are radioactive and glow at night.

For animations, addalpha is set as as?d?.  The first ? is the brightness level and the second ? is the transparency level.  Since the water wave has indistinct borders, the second ? should always be 256.  The first number can vary.  Try as192d256.  160/256 = 62.5% brightness, 256/256 = 100% transparency.

Find:

Code:

[Begin Action 10]
11111, 1, 1, 1, 500, , a
9, 0, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 0, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 1, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 2, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 3, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 4, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 5, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 6, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 7, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 8, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 9, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 10, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 11, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 12, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 13, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 14, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 15, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 16, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 17, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 18, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 19, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 20, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 21, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 22, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 23, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 24, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 25, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 26, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 27, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 28, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 29, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 30, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 31, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 32, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 33, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 34, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 35, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 36, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 37, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 38, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 39, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 40, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 41, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 42, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 43, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 44, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 45, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 46, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 47, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 48, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 49, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 50, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 51, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 52, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 53, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 54, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 55, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 56, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 57, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 58, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 59, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 60, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 61, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 62, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 63, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 64, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 65, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 66, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 67, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 68, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 69, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 70, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 71, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 72, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 73, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 74, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 75, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 76, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 77, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 78, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 79, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 80, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 81, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 82, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 83, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 84, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 85, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 86, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 87, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 88, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 89, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 90, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 91, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 92, 0, 0, 3, , a
9, 93, 0, 0, 3, , a
11111, 1, 1, 1, 600, , a

Replace:

Code:

[Begin action 10]
11111, 1, 1, 1, 500, , a
9, 0, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 0, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 1, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 2, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 3, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 4, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 5, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 6, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 7, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 8, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 9, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 10, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 11, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 12, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 13, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 14, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 15, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 16, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 17, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 18, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 19, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 20, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 21, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 22, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 23, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 24, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 25, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 26, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 27, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 28, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 29, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 30, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 31, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 32, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 33, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 34, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 35, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 36, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 37, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 38, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 39, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 40, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 41, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 42, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 43, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 44, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 45, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 46, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 47, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 48, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 49, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 50, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 51, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 52, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 53, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 54, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 55, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 56, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 57, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 58, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 59, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 60, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 61, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 62, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 63, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 64, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 65, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 66, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 67, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 68, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 69, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 70, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 71, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 72, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 73, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 74, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 75, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 76, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 77, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 78, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 79, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 80, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 81, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 82, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 83, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 84, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 85, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 86, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 87, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 88, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 89, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 90, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 91, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 92, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
9, 93, 0, 0, 3, , as160d256
11111, 1, 1, 1, 600, , a

That way, the waves don't turn out bright white.

10) I would leave the lightning alone since it's supposed to be really bright, so 100% brightness and transparency level is fine.  That's what trans = add or a in an animation definition defaults to.

11) Get rid of the current rain graphics and find all new ones.  It doesn't look good.  You can see the rain drops splashing in midair, as Teros said.  There's way too many rain definitions as well.  All you need at most is probably 3 layers of rain (each with one maybe two or 3 frames of animation) and use of the velocity and tile commands.  Two layers with differing deltas behind the fighters and one layer with another delta in front of the fighters.  Also, use addalpha for the rain.

The splash animation should be its own separate layer (just one and use tile command in x-direction only [tile = 1,0]).

12) Again, you're using commands that don't do anything!

Look at [BG Smoke Floor1],

xscale = 1, 0
yscalestart = 100
yscaledelta = 3

All those commands do nothing.  Those are parallax commands and parallax is not defined here.

13) Also for that, use addalpha for the fog.

Find:

Code:

[BG Floor Smoke1]
type  = normal
spriteno = 6,5
layerno = 1
start = 0, 181
delta = 1, 1
velocity = 1,0
trans = add
xscale = 1, 0
yscalestart = 100
yscaledelta = 3
tile = 1,0

Replace:

Code:

[BG Floor Smoke1]
type  = normal
spriteno = 6,5
layerno = 1
start = 0, 181
delta = 1, 1
velocity = 1,0
trans = addalpha
alpha = 224,256
tile = 1,0

It tones the brightness down just a little.

14) Try differing deltas for the remaining mountain layers:

For [Rocks], maybe .7,.7

For [rocks1] and [rocks2], maybe .75,.75

After adjusting deltas, you may need to readjust the mountain positions.

15) Again, the floor looks oddly skewed.  I'm assuming the original was parallax.  Hard to fix.  I would just find a new floor.

16) Again, the "statues" look awful.  You can't just do a simple palette swap.  The entire graphic has to be edited.  When was the last time you saw a stone statue with that much black in it?

17) You put a weird bat animation in there.  You even defined it wrong using sub instead of add in the animation definition.  It also doesn't move.  It also just plain looks bad.  Just take it out.

18) After adjusting deltas, you can see the moon being covered up.  That's because the mountains masking color is not part of the image itself.  So, you can either put the moon after that mountain layer in the def file or properly edit that mountain layer's palette.

19) You set background controls to objects that don't exist.  Just get rid of the background controllers.

So, needs a lot of work.

I'm getting the idea that you're using a poorly constructed stage as a template.  That's not a good thing.  Get rid of it.
You keep using strange commands and syntax, so I'm convinced you're using a shitty template.

Remember, it's not a race to release stages.  Take your time.  Fix errors.  Then go onto the next one.  Please don't release another new one till you've gone over the prior two first.

CoLD said, January 24, 2008, 04:53:45 am

very nice stage ... again good work my friend 

PS: I think you can do somthing to tha far sides ot the stage ... just like in Realm of The Mist and Abbys of Hell your very creative you can do it  (ziltama make some very good suggestions nad feedback)

As far as calling me a elitist hard ass i never claimed to be professional nor elite; thats a asumption on your part my comment was valid

I'm sorry, but I'm with Big Boss on this.  Maybe it's not constructive what he's saying, but this is still a forum.  If we're gonna take the good, let's take the bad as well.  Far too often do we get the "this stage/character rocks!" comment that doesn't really help anything either.  As to descerning what is necessarily flamebait, remember this:  flamebait is just what it is..... flamebait, meaning DON'T FUCKING GET CAUGHT UP IN IT.  The door swings both ways.

Bless my cotton socks.

Sol Badguy Z said, January 25, 2008, 08:25:07 am

Well, maybe where I'm from on the net we are a little too lax on the thing - I can't say that just because this place is bigger, that it needs more policing, hell, herv was huge back in the day, and even though....


*at HerV*

Demon:  "SEEEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEELLLLLLLLLL RIIIIIIIISSSSEEEE!!!!!"  >:V [/growlanser how]


....topics were still generally fun to read, and eventually, everything turned out ok.  I don't think it's asking too much for everyone to relax a little when dealing with goons and assclowns as, if they're doing this often enough, it makes them easier to point out and ignore.  Addressing a fuckwad (greater internet fuckwad theory) in any way only helps to worsen the situation, why bother?  Well, anyway, that was just my two cents.  No desire to derail the thread any further.

PS:  OOOOoooo, thank you!  I made them myself!

I hear ya. I had a comment all prepped and ready to go... filled with logic and reason (maybe a witty jab here and there), but in the end I'll bite my tongue and swallow my pride for now... and go smoke a 'cig. I'm just glad i found this site. Some of you guys may have been here for years (I've read as much as possible in the past few days... the beginning, the leak, the "war" over code/sprite/edit rights, elecbyte's fake return), and I was aware of mugen in the past, but I had NO IDEA just how deep it was or the dedication some of you have shown. Anyway, I'm just glad to be here.

Atheis, how are those improvements coming along?