JugadorXEI

The path where players can fast fall into springs, in order to go into an alternate path, is a really fun idea, and very Sonic-like to boot. It only felt a little underpowered, but nothing some capsules, sneaker panels or rings can't fix.

I tend to take issue with SPB capsules, because their existence makes frontrunning more punishing, specially since Ring Racers already has strong catchup tools (and, for context, I don't like them in Joypolis or Daytona either). It's a balance consideration that you need to be careful with.

The level feels a little cramped near the end, and I worry 8 players may make it too chaotic. You may want to widen it up a bit... But if you were looking into making it chaotic, then it may be just fine.

Consider adding an extra lap or two to the level, 2:30 - 3:00 minute levels is considered to be the general sweetspot for level length. And for the position area, pull the springs a little closer from the wall so that they are visible.

All in all, pretty good layout with workable flaws. I hope you keep improving upon it!

Diggle

You've some good ideas on what makes fun Ring Racers maps in terms of layout and theming. The varying paths in act 1 are fun, and give some nice variety and pathing opportunities. I think there isn't much reason to take the upper path though, unfortunately, so maybe putting some more loot up there would be a good call (or maybe just shortening it a bit?)

I would recommend looking into switching up your ring patterns and locations a bit more. Everything seems to be placed in big blocks, which doesn't make for very engaging pathing, and there's probably too many rings. I think that if you nail this and add some more capsules around the track, these would be excellent. Try and study how base game maps handle ring economy and capsules!

JugadorXEI

It's a pretty simple, inoffensive map layout, yet it's a type of layout that works rather well in Ring Racers all the same. Some of my feedback from Act 1 applies here: adding an extra lap or two, and fixing the Z-axis problem with the springs would be a good idea.

The shortcut right at the start of the level feels a little odd, positionally. Nothing offensive, but I definitely paid more attention to it compared to the way ahead into the track, which is to take the right turn. Maybe an Ark Arrow would help.

Diggle

Act 2 is pretty fun, with tight cornering and spring jumps allowing for some fun tri-dash opportunities. Having spots for players to use Ring Racers' unique movement options is always a good idea!

JugadorXEI

Pretty ambitious to make a sprint level for the jam! I love the various locale changes, specially how the sky turns into a sunset by the end.

The only things to work on would be that one confusing path split near the end of Lap 1, the cave using a single texture for the walls, and one single texture for the floor with very little decor, and maaaaaybe it should be a little longer. But other than those little nitpicks, it's a pretty nice level.

Diggle

Maps that tell a story are one of my absolute favorite genres of maps, and you've absolutely nailed it with this set of levels! It really feels like going on an adventure, and I really, really appreciate it.

Act 1 feels grounded and not too crazy, and it's a fun layout. Going through various areas and switching things up throughout the track, marking different areas very clearly, really makes maps feel alive and like actual locations. Smart stuff! It's fine for the city area to be a bit low visibility since it's very close quarters, but I'd recommend really abusing ARK arrows in that case. It'll help players a lot with navigation.

JugadorXEI

It's a bit on the simpler side. It's cool that you get a little sneak peak of this level from the previous one.

The cutscene at the end of the level is really damn cool, but it doesn't make a lot of sense when played in Battle. Maybe a

PrisonBreak()

I don't really focus on visuals a whole lot, but even though it was supposed to be an airship, it didn't feel very airship-ish, so maybe a turbine here and there would be nice, or gusts of wind in the background (scrolling midtextures), etc...

Other than that, it's a very serviceable battle level with no real flaws.

Diggle

I find it hard to give feedback on battle maps since I'm kind of bad at it, but I can tell you that the theme of Act 2 is very cute and the finale showing the final act is genius. Maybe more navigation opportunities between the floors would be a good call.

JugadorXEI

Again, it's pretty awesome that you can see this level from the previous one, and you can even see Act 1 down there as well.

The animated rainbow texture on the skybow and some parts of the level can feel a bit too much, and I imagine photosensitive people may not like it. Consider making them slow scrolling textures instead.

Other than that, maybe a shortcut could be good. I think you could definitely do something with Dash Rings to retrofit a shortcut without fundamentally changing the level much.

All in all, from acts 1 to 3, it's an awesome set of levels. Good job!

Diggle

It's called a road… it's a really fun layout! The active and intense sloping with no guard rails make it feel pretty intense. Remember to use ARK arrows to help people navigate!

Eldog

I feel like I didn't touch much on deco during the stream. Some areas look straight out of Frozen Production, but some are a bit flat and open. More tubes, pillars, or conveyor belts on other levels!

JugadorXEI

It's very nice to see a different take on Frozen Production - very wonderful use of vanilla assets.

Being able to fail the shortcuts, and being hit during the charger panel sequence really sucks, though. I think adding rails on the shortcuts and turning the charger panel into multiple stripes of sneaker panels could mitigate those issues nicely, though. Oh, and that tiny lip of wall at the end of the lap, that could be done away with.

Other than that? It's honestly really good and very varied - the geometry, conveyor belts, ice physics, ice sprayers, trick panels and trick dash rings, crushers, etc..., they all wrap the level up into a very Ring Racers-shaped package, and I can see this becoming a netgame classic. Good job!

Diggle

A worthy successor to Frozen Production, I'd say! Fun layout, with some callbacks to FP1 and some new and original areas. I especially love the optional rocket section, that's so cool! Not many notes to give, you have a good grasp on mapping and this is great.

JugadorXEI

The small town aesthetic is really nice, and you definitely did the Dream palette justice. Really comfy and simple level design. I can see this level being popular in netgames.

The "do not cross" fences, due to them being close to the ground, don't do a good job for directioning. If someone is going up a slope - like it happens multiple times in your level - they won't see the fences until it's too late. I recommend using Ark Arrows liberally instead to mark the direction players should go to.

Likewise, the tripwire could use an Ark Arrow denoting it as such, since its colors and the ground's colors are very similar.

Other than those minor issues, I would say you got a great level going!

Diggle

Beautiful stuff! Basing all the visuals of the map on the dream colour palette was an excellent and creative choice, and it's paid off big time. The map is so striking and pretty. The Act 1 layout, while pretty simple, sets a great cozy mood, and there's still plenty of opportunity for shenanigans.

JugadorXEI

Act 2 really feels like you got your bearings over what makes a Ring Racers level fun. The quarterpipes, halfpipes, trick panels, and just the general feel of the level is very smooth. I will say, if the starting quarterpipe had capsules to encourage high jumps, and the halfpipes had rewards on its sides, it may make interaction with the level even more fun.

Otherwise, I will leverage some of the feedback I mentioned in Act 1 here: some better directioning using Ark Arrows would be appreciated.

Keep up the good work!

Diggle

Act 2 steps it up a bit, introducing tricks and a more engaging layout. The voltage going into the next lap feels super satisfying, and the half-pipe road area is great. The faster-paced music fits perfectly with the faster-paced track. Nothing but praise from me on these tracks, very well done!

JugadorXEI

Honestly, it's a really solid level, and you already addressed my feedback with regards of adding a shortcut, so not much more to say. Looking forward to playing it in netgames!

And congratulations for breaking the AI summary feature with your yaoi room, that was great.

Diggle

Not super much to say here, it's a simple layout that works well. Could maybe use some more catch-up in the form of a tripwire here or there, but what's here is very sound and a fun map! A good friend calls this type of map - a winding road with many guard rails and very little or no offroad - a “rollercoaster map”, and I feel like this falls into that genre very neatly. Good stuff.

JugadorXEI

Wow, you improved a lot.

Even though the 360º turns can be cheesed by taking the jumps a certain way, and by fastfall bouncing, it is a very fun layout nonetheless, and I really, really appreciate that you took a risk by doing something like it to begin with. I also like how the ending ties Act 1 and 2 together.

Keep up the good work.

Diggle

You've always had a staggering amount of creativity put into your maps, and this takes the yoylecake (I really wanted to say that). The setpiece that you repeat across these two maps, that being the tripwire gimmick, is really fun to interact with and so inventive! Very interesting use of the mechanic.

The two maps feel similar and I have no idea what a yoylecake actually is, so I can't really comment on the theme, but they are very fun layouts. The intro area heading up to yoylecake heaven at the start of Act 1 is very cute. We covered some issues with the tripwire setpiece and its cheesability on the stream… I think just raising the ramps' height would do a lot to resolve this. Good stuff, keep it up!

JugadorXEI

Likewise with Act 1, I hope you fix the 360º turn cheesing.

Eldog

I feel right at home with the monkey ball music...

JugadorXEI

Pretty fun level! I hope you're able to fix the lag problems with it, I think it could become a favourite among many.

The 2nd shortcut is REALLY FUNNY. But there is no way you can keep it, unless you're able to withstand truckloads of netgame salt thrown your way, so maybe some adjustments are in order to make it more fair.

Not much more to say, other than: great job!

Diggle

You probably know this already, but the performance issues Act 1 suffers REALLY hold this one back. Which is a shame, because if I ignore those, this layout is super fun and the vibes it puts forth are immaculate! If you can manage to reduce the strain on the engine just a little bit, this would be an instant classic. Excellent layout work!

Eldog

Y'know, I didn't think we would top the "SIXTY PRISONS!?" from last jam.

The bobbing fofs and trick panels are a really interesting combination that I never would have thought of. Can't wait to fastfall on top of someone's head and kill them instantly.

JugadorXEI

You absolutely, positively cooked with the capsules. And the level. Discovering that the ground is bouncy and reacts to Voltage Drops appropiately is insanely cute. It's also a cute detail that Act 1 has the sun set down, and Act 2 is stormy and during the night - details like that are awesome. (Or maybe it was a coincidence, since you are using Aqueduct Crystal assets, but hey, take the credit for it.)

Once again, great job!

Diggle

Let's just say that you are absolutely unhinged (affectionate) for The Snake. That's instantly my favorite prisons stage ever, well done. I find it a bit tough to give feedback on the battle portion of battle maps, but I didn't find too many issues with it. I feel like it'd shine with a medium to high player count.

Eldog

I said everything I wanted to onstream, but I'd like to reiterate how cool this is!!! I love weird interpretations, keep cooking!

JugadorXEI

This level is AWESOME and a really good interpretation of the theme. I have no further feedback other than I think you cooked. Keep up the good work!

Diggle

This is my favorite interpretation of the theme, hands down. And it REALLY helps that the map is an absolute banger too! You really nailed the theme and the layout has a good rhythm to it, with the loop serving as its high point and trickiest area. I had some trouble figuring out how to take it exactly, but once you get it down, it's really satisfying. Not much to add, excellent work!

JugadorXEI

I have to say, I was not expecting "Marble Garden but underwater", but I kinda dig it. The layout is really solid.

An issue I have with the level layout-wise, is that the quarterpipe cut right before you get out of the water is hard to see, and maybe something could be done to make it more visible. I'm also not too sure about the frontrunner-exclusive path when entering underwater, but maybe it is fine in a larger netgame.

Other than that, I think it plays great, so keep up the good work.

Diggle

As I recall, you mentioned that this map wasn't quite finished and you just sent in what you had. Well, what you had was pretty good! Visually unfinished, but the layout flows really well and I haven't perceived any big issues with it at all, so I'd say this is yet another banger. Would be super cool to see it finished! Love all the various sections and the water physics are handled very well.

JugadorXEI

It's a pretty simple level. I don't think there's any vanilla battle circle maps, so I suppose it does fill that niche nicely. Don't be afraid to do a little more to make your level stand out.

Incorporating ideas and concepts from the original source would be a good idea, such as the arena slowly getting destroyed as time passes or overtime happens - you can be very freeform with Battle level design-wise, so be sure to experiment next time!

Diggle

Relatively simple arena-styled battle map, and as such, I don't have that much to say. I really like the tripwires serving as barriers on the outside. Fun map!

JugadorXEI

I still stand by what I said during the stream - if you play the level with the mentality that you are playing a platformer, it can be a pretty fun romp, but as a Ring Racers level, there's a lot of things working against it. Red moon panels just give a lot of free speed, and it makes player interaction just nigh impossible, so it kind of just becomes a singleplayer race after a while.

The general concept of the level is a wacky idea, and it could work if you used moon panels more sparingly and with some restraint, intersperced with sections where you drive your kart. Put another way, if you dedicated some setpieces to moon panels, and the downtime was dedicated to purely racing and shortcuts, it could be cool, but the layout would need some rethinking. Nevertheless, I would like to play a version of the level where there's less spikes and moon panels, just to see how it would play, as long as it doesn't compromise your own vision of it.

Diggle

I'm not sure how to explain exactly what my issue is with this track, but I think it boils down to there just being too many hazards that often feel hard or next to impossible to react to. I think there is a very distinct space for maps that fight the player, and this definitely goes too far for my tastes. Even now, having played it in a controlled environment with zero ping, it feels like I'm at the mercy of the track!

I think, in order to make this more palatable to the average player, cutting down on spikes would go a long way. The moon panels actually work really well here (for once! I'm not usually a big fan of them), but the spikes just feel kinda tough to deal with, especially with everything else going on in the track. Lots of potential here though - I think you could definitely turn this into a map that fights the player in a more engaging way than it currently does, albeit with some work.

JugadorXEI

Honestly, it's a pretty solid battle level. You make good use of the UFO spawners and the overtime kiosk to make sure players race to less-traveled areas of the level, which is very nice.

I will mirror Eldog's comment that the cave's water should probably be water-ridable. It would be cool.

Keep up the good work!

Diggle

Excellent icon. Very cute continuation of the vanilla Chao Garden maps, lovely adaptation! As said on the stream, I feel like going up to the top of the map feels a little bit cumbersome as it is right now. I'm not super sure how to fix it, and maybe it doesn't really need fixing…? It's a little hard to judge. I love the brawl tunnel, feels like a great spot for some killing. Nice stuff.

JugadorXEI

I had to watch some videos of Hydrocity Act 1 to familiarize myself again... And holy crap, you were very faithful with this layout. It's not just the iron bars, but also the invincibility near the start of the level if you go back, the little dead ends with goodies in them, the fans, and of course, the spikes. I don't think anybody pointed it out during the stream, so I thought I'd point it out here - the faithfulness is very appreciated, and it is also really cool.

As for the layout, the quarterpipe sections seem surprisingly easy to drive backwards to, so more respawn lines may help there, so that players don't do that accidentally. The roads being a little thin makes Proximity Mines pretty darn good, because they'll cover a lot of ground, so you may want to make some roads wider to compensate for it.

Other than that? It's really cool and pretty solid and fun. I really love that you put a lot of platforming elements into it, and the roads being thin is pretty charming in a cool way. Keep up the good work!

Diggle

Fun adaptation of Hydro City Act 1! This being an Act 1 to base game's Hydrocity is interesting, since that one isn't even marked as Act 2, but it totally is Act 2, lol… had never even considered it! Great idea!

Looking at Hyd Rocity in the original Sonic game, I can tell which parts you adapted and recognize areas from it, and I love that. Very faithful. The layout is fun and dynamic, and I love the little nooks and crannies you hid goodies in. The spike traps can kinda sneak up on you, but even that is accurate to the source material, so I won't come down on that too hard… it actually makes learning the map pretty fun! Overall, love seeing Hydroci Ty like this, good stuff!

JugadorXEI

This is the type of layout that I find really fun, and I don't say this because I like Class C and stacking sneaker panels, no no...

It feels very engaging throughout - lots of stuff to dodge, some cool lines, and the waterriding sections in general feel both precise and fun.

I would say, the visibility on the DEZ rocket setpiece could be a little better, both for signaling that you're supposed to drop and just to see the rockets better, as well as nerfing the triple tripwire waterride shortcut, since it's a little crazy.

Other than that, super fun. Keep up the good work.

Diggle

A fun layout with tricky cornering and lots of hazards to dodge, but in a fair way. Turning the corner and reacting to a cycle quickly is something I enjoy, although I'm aware a lot of people don't enjoy cycle hazards (weak), so you might get some mixed opinions on that. Overall, I see the vision here, and I kind of wish the visuals were a bit more lively? It doesn't look bad by any means, but the various areas do kinda feel like big boxes rather than actual places. If you can make the level and the turns feel a bit more natural, I think it would really make the stage shine.

Black Doom commenting throughout the race is really cool!!

Eldog

If Speed Skating is so good, why didn't they make a Speed Skating— they WHAT?

JugadorXEI

It's Pico on Ice. Yuri on Ice...? Yaoi on Ice...? Ice? Hm.

Diggle

lmao

JugadorXEI

Pretty solid level throughout! You're already aware of the shortcut maybe being a little weak, so I really have no further feedback. Keep up the good work!

Diggle

One of the coolest and most inventive map themes in the jam, in my opinion. The aesthetic and vibes are through the roof on these maps, and a lot of love was clearly put into them.

Act 1 flows super well. The layout is very dynamic and satisfying to zoom through, and the various cool opportunities to tri-dash from the airtime sections are good for my soul. I actually don't have much more to say on this? Solid layout, great stuff.

JugadorXEI

I already helped you test this level privately, and provided you feedback directly regarding some of its more common pain points - I hope you address them, because I think the fun parts of this layout are really fun.

Diggle

Act 2 has some really cool ideas and is visually striking, but suffers from some unfortunate visibility issues. The tripwires kinda sneak up on you sometimes, and the ending teleport blends in a bit with the road, making it hard to spot… and sometimes puts you backwards! If you can resolve the issues at play here, though, you'll have something special on your hands. Also a great layout with good potential!

JugadorXEI

For a first level, you got a lot of things right! The position area, the map length, having various elements like dash rings, sneaker panels, springs, and so forth and so on. It definitely feels like you took notes of the things you liked, and put them into your level, which is really cool.

The two main nitpicks I have are item sets, which should be even rows of 3 or 4 item boxes, in order to help with both visibility, and allowing players to deliberately pick either an item box or a ring box. In addition, I feel like you should consider using regular springs, instead of moon panels, for the various jumps throughout the level - while moon panels give you air control, which is befitting of platformers (the main inspiration), fast falling and triangle dashing provide the players enough agency and granularity in how they perform these platforming challenges. If you tried them out and found them wanting though, feel free to disregard me on this.

All in all, you did really well, so keep up the good work!

Diggle

2hu! There's a lot to love here. Thematically, the maps are so very cute, and the music adds a lot. You've tried to vary the layout up a lot, and I think you've done a decent job making it fun to engage with. The main way you could improve in the future, I think, is by cutting down on the stretches where there's wide road with little happening… there's a lot of areas that kinda feel like dead air in both acts.

Act 1 I don't have too much to say about; it's cute, and the moon panels work well enough, simulating the platforminess of the source material.

JugadorXEI

Ah, now this is why you wanted to use moon panels. I feel like you're justified in using them this way, since players do have to move around with the air control.

The lower and upper paths are pretty cool and appropiately Sonic-y for Ring Racers, but the lower path feels significantly worse, and there doesn't seem to be any chance to getting to the upper path once you fall down, which feels rather bad. And on top of that, if you fall into a pit during the shroom jumps, then the respawn times will be very long. This is something you may need to tweak so it feels less punishing for players in general.

Other than that, it's really cool that you challenged yourself by making a sprint level, which are generally harder to make, and I like that it's a different biome as well compared to Act 1. So very good job on that front as well!

Diggle

I love that you made it a sprint map, and the moon panels actually work pretty well for the mushrooms! The “failure” paths underneath them are awesome and something I love seeing in maps. I think the road ends up a bit too wide at spots, as mentioned before, leading to a few areas feeling like dead air. I think you'd do well to spruce it up a bit with rings and capsules here. Overall, though, excellent job with these maps, they're both very enjoyable!

Congratulations on finishing your first level!

Even though the extreme ice physics made it a little challenging to drive around, which I hope it's something you fix, it's very easy to see it being a good 2-4 player battle map nonetheless. The visuals are very remarkable and polished. Keep up the good work!

Diggle

Wow!!! This battle map is stunning - you did such a good job with the visuals here, it's beautiful! The actual gameplay is a little tough to judge… the ice using UDMF friction is kinda just wayyyyy too much. If you could change it using terrain to apply something like Mega Ice Cap's ice physics, I think this would actually legitimately be one of my favorite battle maps in Ring Racers. Stellar work. Woomy!

Eldog

I can't believe you were trying to cook two acts of this in just a month. Take a well deserved break, but I need to see Chapter 2 eventually...

JugadorXEI

Oh my goodness, you guys absolutely cooked with this one. This was so exciting to see and to play.

The only thing that's maybe a little mean, is the upwards slope that leads you into a bush, since there's not a lot of time to react to it.

Other than that? Wonderful visuals, wonderful layout, the fact that there's both the Castle Town and the Field of Hopes and Dreams in it... It's just so peak...

Diggle

Deltaracers… what you've put down here is genuinely incredible. Fun layout, wonderful visuals, thematically faithful to the original. You heard it in my voice when we got to this map! It's simply amazing, no further notes.

Eldog

After the stream, I realized that even without making adjustments to the map geometry, you might benefit from scaling it to 1/5 instead of 1/4. Not sure how well that would actually work, but if it does, it would be really easy to implement.

JugadorXEI

Your levels have always looked unique, and this is no exception. The skybox is surprisingly detailed, and I really like how the level looks in general.

I feel like this layout flows really well with the half-pipe loops leading into clean-looking drifts... If you know it's coming. And unfortunately, visibility is an aspect that should definitely be improved upon here, since it's very difficult to see the turns coming after them.

Test Level Zone, for example, gives players plenty of time to react to the turn after its loop, which is something that you could apply here as well. Horizontal springs could also help, but it would feel more like a bandaid, so I would like you to consider lengthening the roads after the loops instead, if you can.

Other than that, I feel like this level has a lot of potential, if you are willing to tweak the half-pipe segments a little bit. And adding two extra laps so it becomes a 2:30 - 3:00 minute level would be quite ideal for Ring Racers as well.

Keep up the good work!

Eldog

I really look forward to seeing this refined just a little, because it's almost there! I feel like you only have to change a little to make a big impact, the core layouts feel solid and fun to drive!

JugadorXEI

A simple yet pleasant level. The layout is pretty nice, and I didn't have issues figuring out where to go.

There's some conveyance issues, such as the pits being shallow pools of water that makes players think it can be driven through, as well as the general lack of waterriding, which seems like an oversight to me. You may need to reconsider some of the level when it comes to it, though. One more lap also wouldn't hurt.

Nevertheless, I do like beach levels, so I hope you improve upon this. Good job!

Dillon

I feel like maps like this tend to go underappreciated, but I really enjoy a simple map with a well done layout. I really struggle to think of anything that wasn't said on stream; maybe some item capsules on that NB flag might be fun too?

Eldog

I love underwater levels, so seeing one in the jam was a pleasant surprise! I'm not sure how it will feel once the colormap is a bit toned down, but I might recommend having some walls or other rocky outcroppings alongside the track in some parts of the water section. It feels like a large majority of it is deathpitted, and some spots to dodge jawz or bank items off of are nice.

JugadorXEI

Really nice. I'm a fan of underwater driving, there's not enough levels with it, so I'm glad you gave it a go here.

The trick panel has very silly ways to mess you up, such as going too high (using a boost item) and bonking into the sky ceiling, or going too high, to the point that tricking sends you on the path of the previous Act. May be worth tweaking so that doesn't happen. The path to the underwater tripwire could also do with some widening so that players don't accidentally fall when trying it.

Nevertheless, it's a solid layout, so keep up the good work!

JugadorXEI

You know, it stands to reason that an Act 2 of Scarlet Gardens Zone would be as tight to navigate as its first act.

I really like how visually appealing the level is, from the garden to the mansion itself. The layout is pretty solid as well.

As someone who plays as Class C, the lack of acceleration on stair jank sections makes it extremely tricky to get good lines whilst keeping some good speed going, specially since the roads are rather narrow, and I can imagine dodging traps on top of that in an 8-player lobby would be rather tough. I wonder if the level would benefit from being mobjscaled just a tad, just to alleviate this?

Nevertheless, good job with the level!

Dillon

I love this take on the visuals, it's such an amazing vibe, and it fits in super well, even though it's so different from the vanilla map! Maybe it has more to do with the srb2 map, but I haven't played enough of that to know :p

I'm all for the stairjank, but I think what makes it tough for me is how close it is to the walls, which only intensifies the feeling of losing control. Barren Badlands gets away with it mostly because there's a lot of space to recover, even if it is offroad. I do like the technicality, though! Maybe the carpet could be just a bit more narrow, though.

JugadorXEI

The visuals here are rather good as well!

Like the judges commented on during the stream, more ways to get up to the platform would be preferable, since that's where the main brawling comes into play.

No further comments, keep up the good work!

Dillon

I never really felt a reason to go to the lower floor. Maybe it's just because we only had 4 players, but it also just felt a lot more dangerous to drive around down there, but I can understand if it's meant to be mostly a punishment.

JugadorXEI

I had a really pleasant time playing this level, the lines were satisfying to do, and it flowed really well from setpiece to setpiece.

It's a little unfortunate that boatmode does break for non-hosts, so I cannot really point out anything about it since it would be unfair. I do hope it does get looked into and fixed!

Good job!

Dillon

The feeling of the city falling apart around you as you race is really cool! I wish it happened more often throughout, honestly.

JugadorXEI

I really like this layout, it's just solid driving throughout. I also enjoy how the position area ties with Act 1, as well as it being a mad dash to the finish line in order to get first blood.

The only thing that feels a little confusing are the green turbine thingies, which don't read like a course element, but maybe that's something an Ark Arrow can fix.

Keep up the good work!

Dillon

I think the map looks and plays pretty good, but I can't shake the feeling it's missing something in comparison to act 1... It'd be cool if some of that dynamism from the previous map carried through to act 2 as well!

JugadorXEI

Pretty cool take on Haunted Ship! It feels close in feel to the original while having your own spin on it. My favourite part is the water riding section with all the sneaker panels abound.

I think that the sand cave area feels a little extraneous with all the empty space, and maybe it could do with more rings, more capsules, and a better reward on that one sick rock structure climb. I also do think the endcut is potentially a little evil, and it could be blocked on the last lap.

Regardless, this is really fun, so great job!

Dillon

I think adding a bit of land to the map really fleshes out the vibe! Sort of gives an idea of how this ship met its end and became haunted, it's cool!

That little upper path in the cave should definitely reward you better than 20 rings. If you still want it to be rings, 50 would be my go-to; it's enough to feel impactful but not so much as to be overpowered. Though, something like a drop target would be funny...!

JugadorXEI

This is a really cool level with a lot of explosive setpieces. Going against the current, the mix of abovewater and underwater driving, the use of trick panels and sneaker panels... it's all really cool.

I will say though, this level kicked my ass plenty during the stream. It feels really punishing, and the shortcuts don't come up until a minute and a half later, which means that I wasn't able to interact with players for a decent amount of time. And, for example, getting hit in the upwards slope with the many sneaker panels setpiece meant that I would lose control for a long time. The latter could be fixed by adding some shortcuts earlier into the level, and the latter could do with more respawn lines so players don't die for an excessive amount of time.

However, the level is great, the layout is solid, it uses Ring Racers elements really well, and I can see this being a well-liked level in netgames too. You are really showing a strong understanding on what makes a Ring Racers level tick, and that is very remarkable. Keep up the good work!

Dillon

The water currents at the start should be stronger >:) Not really, but it's a cool setpiece nonetheless! In fact, it might be cool for it to return later in the map, if you can squeeze it in. Maybe the section after the spring panels at the start of lap 3?

Speaking of, that section feels a bit wide and barren, and I'm not sure any of us took the charger panel cuts on either side; by the time you see them, it's usually too late to try for them unless you know they're coming. Also, The X-jump after the halfpipe is pretty blind; making it a bit longer would help a lot.

Eldog

I wanna take you for a ri-ide~

JugadorXEI

This is mogi viable, trust.

I really enjoy how you incorporated nearly everything from the original level, up to and including the visual portal, and the layout's pretty solid to boot. I really enjoy jumping off the discs.

My only nitpicks are that I hope you fix the visual portal and respawn point shenanigans, and maybe do something about the lack of contrast on the movie reel path - the wall and floor color are too similar.

Nevertheless, great job on the level!

Dillon

In hindsight, Media Studio seems like a shoe-in for this jam, considering how often media has multiple Acts! I really like how you took every notable bit of the battle map and translated it to race; everything feels like it just fits!

I said this on stream, but it's pretty easy to get under the last CD, by bad driving or an unlucky hit, so death planing some of that would be helpful. Also, coming out of the teleporter, you can take a pretty sharp turn left, but there's a death plane just to the side of the line! Some visible geometry that you just bonk off of would be preferable, I think.

Eldog

I LOVE Diggle's idea of making the sneaker panels speed up each lap. If you need help with that, hit me up...

JugadorXEI

This is not mogi viable, trust.

The stripes of sneaker panels that turn on and off are a really good idea. I appreciate the generally slight less chaotic take on Pico Park as well.

Dillon

You think I'd dignify this with feedback? Well, actually, I would, but it's all stuff you've heard already :p I guess it's better than a circle map...? But only barely!

Eldog

I LOVE that you made an "Act 2" of your KartZ map. It's such a fun idea, and my personal favorite interpretation of the theme!

Keep cooking, can't wait to see what you come up with next!

JugadorXEI

Really damn cool.

I feel like as soon as you fix the free tripwires on the level, you will have something extremely solid going. This level was so fun to drive on.

Keep up the good work.

Dillon

Really cool interpretation of a vanilla map! I like how you adapted some setpieces from act 1 as well; helps to make them both feel more cohesive! Bonus points for making it in KartZ first; that's just really funny honestly (and cool)!

I think the 2nd cut is a bit hard to see, and even when you do, the death plane around it is so aggressive; you barely overshoot the tripwire and just die. Making it longer or moving it further back along the road would help, I think.

Eldog

I'm honestly surprised to only see one returning level from the All-In-One jam. It was one of the ideas I considered when coming up with this jam's theme.

If any map was going to come back for Act 2, though, I'm really glad it was Moonlit Sentinel. The way you elaborated on Act 1's theme, and the layout being reminiscent of both the race map's dangerous corridors and the battle map's elevated, more precarious nature is so cool.

Absolutely phenomenal work!!!

JugadorXEI

This felt like such a cool platforming-esque level, and the visuals are top notch. While very tough, it felt rewarding all the same.

Keep up the good work!

Dillon

How dare you give us a nerfed version of the map...! The proper version better be crazy! All jokes aside, I really love how this map flows, and it feels like a fitting follow-up to the last map. Honestly, though, I'm curious where that extra difficulty will come from... it feels pretty well-tuned already!

I mentioned this a couple times on stream, but the first u-turn ark arrow outside is a bit high, especially when your vision is already drawn down to all the spikes just before it!

JugadorXEI

I'm so happy to see this back, man.

The endcut is a little crazy, though. It's the only thing I'd touch on, if not remove.

Other than that, amazing job!

Mr. Logan

Just a quick suggestion: I do think the final cut should be removed (or atleast reworked in some way), the fact that the cut ends up skiping 2 hairpins with a sizable amount of road makes the back from a potential runner, to just a pure bagger, where the cut ends up being WAY to overcentralizing, up to the point where the entire map doesnt matter until that point! I think otherwise, the map itself is amazing! Keep up the good work~

Dillon

Just wanna say, I really appreciate all the v1 maps you've been bringing back, it makes me happy :)

The last cut is wayyy too strong; I think you could still keep it, but have it cut into the u-turn with the springs instead. The cut right before lap 2 launches you straight into a pit, as well; extending the wall or blocking players there would be appreciated!

Eldog

Happy to see you returning from SI-HT! Imperial Rose Garden was always one of my instant-vote V1 maps, and this seems like it's shaping up to be the same!

JugadorXEI

Another track I am happy to see brought over.

The end section is a little mean, and it could be tweaked to be a little easier to navigate. Other than that, I think the new layout is pretty good in general and befits Ring Racers' mechanics rather well.

Looking forward to seeing the level finalized.

Dillon

Please include the orbi launcher at the start again, it was funny :) (and also demonstrates you can shoot through the walls really well!)

The new halfpipe that leads to a drop target capsule feels a bit weak, in my opinion; it might be fun to have a spring panel at the end of it, too! That way, there's a benefit for everyone that takes it on a given lap as well, instead of just the person who got to the capsule first.

JugadorXEI

Honestly? Just a solid battle level. I love how it is decorated throughout, and the positions of the UFOs, blue spheres and battle boxes are pretty much just perfect.

My only nitpick is that maybe the quad orbi capsules could be done without, but other than that, good job on the level!

Dillon

Maybe this is a bad idea, but I really wonder what the map would be like with act 2's gimmick. If nothing else, it'd be pretty funny...!

Eldog

Piggybacking off Dillon's idea, I think you should do something with the infection spreading over time... or maybe in Overtime...?

Eldog

When I said this was the coolest gimmick in the entire jam, I meant it. The fact that you got this to work, and polished it so much in the span of only a month is so insane to me....

The fact that the team-up between you two is so obviously reflected in the end product is really really cool. I was a little disappointed seeing so many solo entrants, but this pairing resulted in something so cool that you completely resolved my disappointment.

JugadorXEI

Wow, just wow. This is probably the craziest and most creative gimmick I've seen in a level both in Ring Racers and SRB2Kart (and Kart, of course, didn't have splats support). This is my favourite level from a technical and creative standpoint, even if it had directional issues here and there, which I hope are addressed.

Keep up the good work.

Dillon

I just wanted to say again how much I LOVE this gimmick. It's the sort of thing that makes me disappointed it's only in one map! Though I guess it might get old if it got used too often.

Also, this is the type of map where you should definitely have too many rings! There's a good amount already, at least for 4, but given the gimmick, I can see higher playcounts struggling with how much offroad there could potentially be.

JugadorXEI

MAD RAT DEAD MENTIONED.

I feel this is a pretty alright and fun track. The endcut is a little overcentralizing, which should be addressed, and it could do with two more laps at least, but other than that, it's a nice romp. Good job on the level!

Dillon

I didn't clock the boxes as being spring panels; the only indication being on top is tough when the only way to really see it is hitting the steam plumes, which is inconistent at best unless you go out of your way to do so. It'd be nice if there were some indication on the sides of the boxes as well, or you could even slant the top face so the texture is easier to spot!

JugadorXEI

This definitely feels like a crazier version of Act 1 for sure. I definitely like the ideas you present here.

I do wish that the boxes were more accessible so that tricks were more common in the level, and having more rings wouldn't hurt in general. The endcut here is also pretty crazy. However, I do appreciate that you went a lot crazier here with sneaker panels, trick panels, conveyors and springs in general.

Keep up the good work!

Dillon

This goes for both acts by the way: I really love the custom textures! Though I do feel some are a bit hard to read, specifically the sign right at the start of act 2. The plain text is a bit high and the silhoutte doesn't immediately read as "drop", at least to me; at the very least, I'd suggest not flashing them so they're both always visible.

Eldog

As I'm updating the site, I realized I can have a space to ramble about my level design philosophy!

This is literally just unplanned rambling. Tell me if you got anything from this I guess???

JugadorXEI

I have already played this enough in private netgames enough to really like it, and I've seen you already tweak the level in ways that address most of my concerns, so no further feedback on my end. Keep up the good work!

Dillon

Really, Really cool gimmick, really cool layouts. It's awesome to see three acts of it as well so we get to see it explored in different ways.

I think that if items are going to go through the hardlights, it should be more obvious that they do. Even after seeing it happen multiple times, I found myself still throwing items while on a bridge (and you saw during prisons I forgot about it there, too). Maybe you could have a ball switch hiding behind a hardlight wall that could only be hit by throwing through it?

JugadorXEI

The bridges here are given more of a focus, but unfortunately they feel rather incompatible with item play. I remember that the concern was that seeing trap items float wasn't very aesthetic, but I'd rather have that sacrifice for the sake of gameplay, because items falling off bridges feel a little lame.

Other than that, I really like how tricky this layout feels and the ideas presented here. I know this level will also have some feedback addressed as well, so no more further comments on my end. Good job on the level.

Eldog

This map gets the nepotism award for being my map.

JugadorXEI

I quite like this one, very solid. The bowl part of the level can feel a tad difficult for players to interact with, but it feels like a rather minor issue compared to what it allows, and what it allows is really funny item rebounds and shenanigans. Good job on the level.

JugadorXEI

This level feels Panic City-coded to me - a very deliberately simple, solid, safe layout, built in such a way that players won't get overwhelmed easily. I do think it's a tiny bit on the simpler side, though, and there's definitely space for item capsules, trick panels, and springs as well.

Nevertheless, I do like the level quite a bit, specially how you need to rely on raw driving skill to get things done. Keep up the good work!

Dillon

I wish I had more to say about the map as is, but it's just good. I really can't think of any other way to describe it.

We mentioned on stream some ways to visually spice up the map, but some more would be like little lamps or streetlights, maybe some billboards, benches, etc. Maybe even changing the time of day would help identify the map a bit more.

There's also one banked turn with a sneaker panel on it; more stuff like that would be cool, and you could maybe even make it a halfpipe with capsules above!

JugadorXEI

We have Petroleum Refinery Zone at home. You even kept the random sector that kills you, too.

I am struggling quite a bit of what to touch on - I think this layout works pretty great for Ring Racers, so no further feedback on my end.

I hope you keep working on the level and finish it up!

Dillon

Sorry man, but you can't hide that meme music from me! It was fun taking the first few turns and slowly coming to realize what the map was. Good pick, by the way! Petroleum Refinery is up there in terms of what maps I think of first when I think SRB2K.

I don't think there's really anything *wrong* with the textures, but they do feel a bit repetitive. I guess that's more of an issue with Chrome Gadget itself though.

Also, you definitely shouldn't do this, but it would be REALLY funny if you kept that accidental death plane in :)

JugadorXEI

Other than the minor gripes I touched upon during the stream, I think the layout is pretty solid.

If you're going to commit to using Robotnik Coaster's assets for your level, you should definitely also grab the different carnival games and amusement rides that exist on the original level and add them here as well, to help complete it aesthetically.

Keep up the good work.

Dillon

It does feel a bit barren right now, but I guess it is a beta, huh? I don't have any issues with the layout, but another cut would be appreciated.

It's a bit hard to tell the left path of the split at the end has anything on it, too; I think putting some ring capsules in front of the springs would make it more obvious and more appealing to take, too.

JugadorXEI

I really like how aesthetically pleasing the level is, and the layout is quite fun and solid to drive on as well. I like the little skillcuts that players can do throughout the level as well.

The position area is a bit treacherous, with not a lot of space to move around, which I hope is something you address.

Nevertheless, keep up the good work!

Dillon

The water tube cut is really cool! But I did find it pretty disorienting to come out of, especially since there's not one specific way to take it. You can actually go fast enough to come out the other side still in the spiral as well, which is kinda funny, but maybe should be blocked off.