Organization Too many "junk" levels being uploaded - please weed out

I keep running across levels that are unplayable. It is a waste of our time to download, scan, and then discover the level is impossible, or DELIBERATELY DESIGNED TO BE UNPLAYABLE because they are simply examples of some odd physics that other creators may be interested in. Not everyone wishes to be a creator, they just want to play legitimate levels…

These unplayable examples need to be posted in a different area other than in the new level section, because they are not even intended to be a new levels. Personal Album names are uselessly vague. Example: what does PutPut mean? It has several "junk" levels as described below.

People are posting levels that have:
No flag at all
No legitimate path to get to the flag
No controllable B bot
Not enough time allowed when starting the level to even make the first move, or spin of the map, before the level collapses, B gets zapped, or something falls.

They are also posting levels that use "cop-out ways" to beat the level. These include flinging a bot or a block piece around in mid-air to hit the flag, or setting up a bot to automatically hit the flag without help. Yes, this is a cop-out by those who have no actual plan to connect their creative modules together by a legitimate path from start to finish... So they just fling things

There have also been quite a number of levels that use BALLS (or bots) that you hit to reach the goal flag. Generally, no bot required. However, these levels, while creative and original, are often unplayable as well, because the motors used to hit the balls are sluggish at best, and often uncontrollable, with questionable trajectories. The more motors used, the worse it gets. The pinball and multi-ball games are horrible!

I propose the following solutions:

New top-level tabs (next to LEVELS) should be created for:

UNPLAYABLE EXAMPLES
BALL GAMES (this would also include ones like"High Man" who is hit into the water toward a tiny goal flag)
FLING THINGS

Creators will be responsible for putting their levels in the correct categories.

All new levels to be vetted/moderated/curated before placing them out in public.
(With the exception of the UNPLAYABLE EXAMPLES category, since the creator is usually aware that there is something a bit messed up, or just weird, that he wants to show us)

And anything without a goal flag, at least 1 controllable B bot, or a legitimate path should be returned to the creator to fix the error. (An eye, or a head, should be placed on B bot)

Possibly rename LEVELS to BONUS LEVELS to reflect the cream of the crop... Those that are truly deserving of being a part of Mekorama, ones that even Martin himself would be proud to include...

And there's my rant…

In the meantime anything that fits an unplayable, or fling thing, level will get a one star rating from me. I'd like to suggest that others rate these unplayables as one star as well, so that those people who are not interested in being creators, can have legitimate BONUS levels to download and play without feeling frustrated by so many "junk" levels.

 

Correct....but it does make it a BALL level, which means it is less of a puzzle level and more of a skill/precision level, likely with difficult to maneuver mechanisms, and therefore needs to be separated out.

Playable means BEATABLE...as in, it needs a goal flag. If no goal flag, it's a junk level, since there's no point to it, no ending, no closure.

 

My first criteria in rating is...is there a goal flag...and is it solvable. Is it solvable by a viable path, or is there a way to cheat and solve, such as by flinging instead? FLING levels tend to get lower ratings, because it shows lack of logical thinking by the creator, in my opinion. Flinging is an option, that's mentioned, so that it can be fixed.

My next consideration is maneuverability of hitting mechanisms, especially if it has balls (I am finding out that I cannot move a ball with a yellow bot, no matter how many times I run around it, run into it, back and forth, etc. I simply cannot move a ball with a yellow bot...it's a waste of my time to try. If there's no other mechanism to move the ball then a yellow bot... You get one star for lack of playability/solvability

 

Which level are you referring to? You have 9.

Also, it sounds if you are getting emotionally involved in this discussion, and like you are taking this personally. that's probably not a good thing. This is only a game, nothing to get upset about, but making sure that levels are playable and categorized appropriately should not become a personal issue, as it is good for everyone.

 

No problem then… I'm really only suggesting that we categorize things a little better, that's all

 

I

I like "high man", too. I still haven't hit the flag… that totally escapes me
But I take out my frustration by squishing him under the platform and trying to get him to squirt out and drown

 

Good ideas!
There have been quite a lot of unplayable winless levels in the first weeks… and the reason the percentages fairly low now is that i give one-star so often that they get deleted, revised, and reuploaded. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if people dread seeing my name on their rating alerts… Sorry about that folks…it's nothing personal...even though one person probably thinks I'm picking on him… But I'm really not.

I don't mind not being able to see a flag… Whether I can see it or not is irrelevant, I just need to know it's there, somewhere. Seeing a checkmark on the level tells me that is beatable even if I can't see the flag. However I'm very wary of those without checkmarks, and I'm not willing to waste my time because I've run across so many junk levels that didn't have them, either hidden or otherwise.

We forgot:
"flailing snakes and monsters" Those are the tall towers that fall over and then spin around the board while you try to run a pattern. Sort of a "random gauntlet" I guess. I hate those.

"practice/tutorial" levels that ckaykay mentioned. Those would be different from developer levels that are just trying to show cool physics in a non-playable manner. but these would be little, super easy playable levels that beginners need to cut their teeth on before they tackle the really rough ones .

The ones with no bots and movable blocks, tend to be really sluggish... And often use balls which make it worse

And we still need a category for games that use BALLS. Simply because of the way balls are used, or hit or trying to push them with things that can't push them. My own "pool table" would fit that one. It does not really fit precision, its simply just got fiddly bits that can be annoying if you don't like ball games. And I don't like ball games… But I've always loved pool, and realized I could simulate a pool table... Plus it's a great pun.

Remember, we can put about 10,000 cards in this game… So we need to get this issue sorted out and categorize things now, while the game is still new in there is only 40 pages of levels to work with.

Then people can download the categories they like… And avoid the ones we don't (which for me are balls, flailing snakes, and fling things)

It would be nice if the game also have the same categories, so that when downloaded from the website it would automatically show up in the proper page or folder in the game. I have 360 cards on a single page ...and this is was getting unwieldy at only 100. LOL

Yes, I like the idea of $.99 vetted level packs. I don't mind if one of my levels gets into it… My name is on it, that's all that matters. I don't need any further recognition or monetary compensation.

However I think there should be a disclaimer, or at the very least a flag on our accounts, stating that anything uploaded may be sold within the game. If we do not agree, we check a box of saying
"NO, do not put my level in any of your packs"
"YES, you have permission to include my levels in your packs, without any monetary compensation to me"

Probably should get a lawyer involved for this one… I hate lawyers… But i think it's in the terms of service and the copyright/digital rights situation already within the game

 

Ah, ok. While it does come under the category of BALL levels, there is no actual hitting or pushing of a ball, which is good. It is merely a ball release, roll...and pray.

But I don't see the puzzle part. It does not seem to make any difference which ball goes first, or what order you release them in, or even if you don't release all of them....you still get enough of the gaps filled to win the game.

So, this might go under Retrograde's combo game, but there's no skill involved...and the puzzle is not obvious or uniquely defined.

So, I'm still leaning toward BALL, because there is no robot.

 

That sounds like a good label to add..Brute Force...or maybe Doggedly Determined

To quote a poem from a friend of mine, describing me a few decades ago:

When contemplating how to be,
one word repeats,
"tenacity"
--TAAustin 1991

 

Hmmm.
Tenacious Chaotic Persistence

Except the words are too long for a web tab, and invariably will be very difficult to spell for some folks.