8️⃣ Common mistakes that can make your platformer map less enjoyable. (And how to fix them)

Now, as a person who will scroll through discovery and try out games, I’ve noticed some things that a lot of people forget that make the map less enjoyable and more annoying.


Here are 8 common mistakes that people make in their maps, as well as how to fix and improve them


1. no lasers or respawn zones

Problem:
When you fall, there’s nothing to respawn you and you have to walk all the way back to the start
(this one drives me insane)


Solution: add a massive zone on the floor that is wired to a respawn device


Even better solution:
Add an overlay on the screen that will respawn you when you click it!


2. no damage set on lasers

Problem:
laser used on the floor or as parkour haven’t been edited at all, making the parkour useless and the respawn annoying

Screenshot 2024-04-20 6.23.26 PM


Solution:
Just go into the laser setting and change the damage to anything above 200

It’s that easy


3. laser image is off (sorry for the confusing title)

Problem:
I couldn’t find the original post from @mysz , But he basically said that turning off the laser points (as seen below) is an “unforgivable sin” because the hit-box of the laser is still there.

image


Solution:
Just don’t turn them off, It is actually painful when they are


4. repetitiveness

Problem:
The map has the same prop over and over, or just one terrain spammed.


Reason:
An explanation is needed for this one.

I feel like a map can be more boring if it’s just one thing that is the obstacle. even just a little bit of the same prop can be less fun


Solution:
Be creative! don’t stick with one prop, try to mix it up every 1-3 spots and keep it all to a theme! (Yes, it can be hard to continuously go to the prop menu, but it’s well worth it!)


5. no checkpoints

Problem:
There are no check points, making falling more costly the higher you go


Solution:
add biggish areas with checkpoints throughout the map


Even better solution:
Try making each checkpoint correlate with the area ahead. (Like DLD).

ex. (DLD)

image


6. when you fall, THE GAME ENDS

Problem:
This one is slightly less common but is still a very major oversight
When you die, THE GAME ENDS :skull:

Seriously though. I’ve found very high quality maps with this.


Solution:
Just don’t do it! It’s SUPER annoying when you have to start all over and wait for the game to load again


7. Impossible jumps

Problem:
Certain jumps are impossible, and prevent players from going any further


Solution:
This goes for all maps
Play test it.
Before publishing, maybe invite friends to try it out with you, or post play testing links on the wix or a padlet!


8. the rejoin strat

Problem:

Basically there are nine spawners and only 1 will allow you to proceed. This is an intentional design to get more plays. But, it also is really annoying.


Solution:
Don’t do this
If you want tons of plays, put effort and time into your map.
time for some maths.

Time + effort = good map w/ LOTS of plays


58 Likes

This is really useful!

I really hope my platformer has none of these :skull:

6 Likes

Why did you link two of my guides

10 Likes

They kinda relate to the topic
(I’ll take them off if you don’t want them there)

3 Likes

Ok
And they’re fine

4 Likes

Some other reasons:
There are two spawn points
You cant fall at all
You can’t win the game
The map goes in all directions with no instructions
But nice guide @SirWyWy

8 Likes

Nice guide! Here are a few more reasons as well: Broken mechanics, excessive backtracking, a jump that the creator deemed ok because they jumped over it once in 100 million attempts, or ANYTHING made for April Fools [1].


  1. Seriously! Just make like a secondary route or something! ↩︎

7 Likes

yes this is very annoying, and the reason ppl do it is that it gets more plays…

that’s why the "get snack at 3 A.M. series has a lot of plays…
each person plays it 20 times…

5 Likes

i think the impossible jumps one happens a lot because sometimes people build maps that are too good for them, that they can’t do themselves. but then they think “ah, well, i’m sure more skilled people can do this” and they start making it ridiculously hard just because of their own skill issue

solution: get a skilled player to playtest for you

8 Likes

Nice guide! I think that people who read this can make a successful high-quality map, and even fun! Since platforming is still new, this really helps out to GKC platforming game creators.

3 Likes

just add lasers to that

2 Likes

excuse me this actually works out really well when all the jumps are like that

8 Likes

Lasers take more memory than one big zone

1 Like
1 Like

half of the time platformer game are trying to be like dld witch doesn’t work sometimes.

2 Likes

I’ll add onto that. One of my favorite platformer maps so far is Flipswap Factory, by TJGimkitThing. The map introduces a gimmick (the ability to toggle which platformers are enabled or not) and it’s this uniqueness that makes it more fun to play than other maps.

13 Likes

Thanks! I’ll use this for now on!

2 Likes

Question: does changing the title of a guide ruin any links of it?

1 Like

No I don’t think it does. Also :skull: for the rejoin strat they must be really desperate for plays.

2 Likes

I’d just retitle your guide to Common mistakes that can make your platformer map less enjoyable. (And how to fix them)
So you don’t have to keep changing the title

1 Like