Caution: Moving Parts

42nd: Caution: Moving Parts Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level

I deserve better than this.

Overview Creator(s): gone-sovereign Composer(s): Silverstein, Kouji Murata (originals) Bot of Defeat (cover) Statistics Scores: 80 52 70 43 Total: 61.25 / 100 Rank: 42nd Elements: 1 Box Items: Minoan Nobita Swallowegg Jewel Platform Shift Enemies: Minoan Nobita Swallowegg Gimmicks: Jewel Platform Shift Bosses: Uranus

Theme Music Silverstein - Smile In Your Sleep Boss: Mega Man V - Boss Stage Order Location: Tier 7 Previous: Burning Bunker Next: Twilight Fortress

Caution: Moving Parts is the 42nd place entry in Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level. A somewhat short underground cave level that uses Jewel Man's tileset and aesthetic, it primarily features shifting terrain that tries to crush Mega Man if he stays in one place for too long. As such, a modicum of speed is required to make it safely through the level; this speed is also key to clearing the See Seasickness sidequest, which requires clearing Caution: Moving Parts in 2 minutes and 30 seconds or less.

Strategy

The Tengu Blade's dash is handy for quickly finishing the level, as it's slightly faster than a normal slide and can take Mega Man through enemies without taking damage or slowing him down. However, it isn't strictly necessary to beat the time limit. Additionally, the level's boss, Uranus, is weak to the Tengu Blade's dash, so having a W-Tank on standby is recommended if one wishes to liberally use it throughout the level.

The level itself starts off with rapid-fire introductions to its three box enemies, followed by Jewel Platforms. As a quick and safe solution, the Rush Jet can be used to cross over gaps without risking either a jump into a ceiling spike or a drop into a pit. The first checkpoint is located not long into the level, and a secret area directly to the left contains a sign, an E-Tank, and an M-Tank. Past said checkpoint is the first appearance of shifting terrain: first with a moving floor that Swalloweggs fly over, followed by a large ceiling that can easily crush Mega Man. A handful of nooks and crannies act as safe spots from the ceiling, and it's important to move from one to the other as quickly as possible; thankfully, there are no enemies to slow Mega Man down. The next two screens, meanwhile, have platforms that move up into spikes while Minoans hang overhead. Once again, moving quickly to a safe area is important, though the Minoans can crash into Mega Man if he's too reckless.

The second checkpoint marks the last stretch of the level, which brings back Jewel Platforms and combines them with the shifting tiles. While there are no ceiling spikes near the former as in the first part of the level, Swalloweggs will often fly overhead and try to attack with their jet eggs. The shifting tiles, meanwhile, come in two kinds; one where the ground and the ceiling move in tandem with one another, and one where they slam into each other before retracting. To safely land on the former, jump from the swing while the ground is at its lowest point. To safely go through the crushers, wait for them to move apart from one another before jumping. Unlike other shifting tiles, there is a small delay between the tiles moving apart and them moving together again, which should be used to get off of them and onto safe ground.

Judge Comments

Judge Comments
ParmaJon  : 80 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 29 / 35 10 / 15 8 / 10 23 / 25 10 / 15 What a fun level! While I can't say it really pushes the boundaries in crazy ways, it's a very competent level. Arguably every asset is introduced and used well. It follows the usual A->B->A+B almost to the T, but that's fine. Every enemy and gimmick feels like it belongs where it is placed. The final stretch is really what impressed me, though. It seems like everything is just right, if that makes sense; it's engaging and gripping without being too hard. On the downside, you are missing some collision in the second room at the furthest right wall, so you just plummet to your death if you try to be a cool dude and slide off the Jewel Man platform. Normally I don't give great aesthetic points for just using one default tileset, but the music gives the level an identity. You won't let me down. You lied Through your teeth You smiled in your sleep.
PKWeegee  : 52 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 12 / 35 9 / 15 10 / 10 11 / 25 10 / 15 Hmm...it works, for what it's worth. Even if there isn't much of it, what is there is not bad. Although it's a tad annoying to swing on the platforms while birds drop eggs. Other than that, it felt fine to play, and none of the sections ever felt unfair. Not bad, but could be expanded upon.
M-Jacq  : 70 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 24 / 35 7 / 15 10 / 10 21 / 25 8 / 15 "I silenced all my critics?" Well, that's one way to ward off bad reviews. ;) But for real, despite (or perhaps because of) its minimalism, this level's a lot of fun. A lot of the levels in this contest which used Jewel Platforms didn't quite take into account that enemies you kill while the platform is swinging will despawn and respawn as you tilt back and forth - not this level! The shifting tiles were used with admirable restraint while still creating some interesting challenges. (It helps that you control the cycles on the Jewel Platforms, which means that it doesn't feel arbitrary when their cycles sync up with the crushy walls.) Enemy introductions were on point, too, which is always nice. Maybe it's a little short, but I don't mind that in a level as long as it's sufficiently challenging. (*Especially* if it's sufficiently challenging! Nothing worse than a HARD level that drags.) Cool.
Freems  : 43 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 14 / 35 6 / 15 6 / 10 11 / 25 6 / 15 There was sure something there. Any area not taking place over instant death was just barren and the enemies you could easily run by without thinking about them for a second. While the instant death never felt pressing, it is strange that it felt more overbearing in the swing section than the moving platforms section. Speaking of when they combine, there's an unfortunate thing where sometimes the timing of the swing and the moving terrain doesn't quite sync up well (especially in the first jump in the last screen) which leaves you kinda stuck for a while. That and moving terrain right before the boss door is a perfect way to get yourself into a glitchy mess. Unfortunately, it just ends up as...not a whole lot happening.

Notes

• The sign in the hidden screen quotes lyrics from the Silverstein song "In Silent Seas We Drown".