Cutting Edge Technology

106th: Cutting Edge Technology Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level

Behold, the world inside John Cage's computer.

Overview Creator(s): AAAAAA Statistics Scores: 18 9 10 20 Total: 14.25 / 100 Rank: 106th Elements: 1 Box Items: Bomb Potton Molmole Pakatto 24 Sheep Block Super Cutter Enemies: Bomb Potton Molmole Pakatto 24 Gimmicks: Sheep Block Super Cutter Other Information: -4 Functionality Penalty

Theme Music None Stage Order Location: Tier 1 Previous: Space Pipes Next: Pint House Power House

Cutting Edge Technology is the 106th place entry in Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level. It is seemingly supposed to represent the inside of a computer, judging from the random background tiles that resemble computer fans. The stage itself mostly focuses on Sheep Block platforming, while avoiding attacks from enemies and Super Cutters that endlessly spawn from the aforementioned fans. Beyond that, the stage itself is notable for lacking an Energy Element when initially submitted, resulting in one being added by the devteam.

Strategy

The first few screens aren't notable, mainly consisting of avoiding a few Bomb Pottons and going through a short Molmole section, with an introduction to Super Cutters sandwiched between them. The Sheep Blocks here come in two varieties: red and yellow blocks that disappear very quickly, and green and blue blocks that take a lot longer to disappear. This is important as in two consecutive screens, Mega Man needs to avoid enemy attacks while waiting for the blocks to vanish. The Rain Flush can instantly kill Pakatto 24s regardless of their shields, while the Flame Mixer will destroy Super Cutters on contact (if one doesn't sneak past the flames). At the first checkpoint, a split path presents itself, though the only real choice is going right; the left path leads to a blank screen and instant death.

The rest of the stage from this point on demands quick platforming on red/yellow Sheep Blocks, with the aim of reaching safe ground before falling into a pit or onto spikes. As ever, use of the Rain Flush or Flame Mixer where possible is recommended. Occasionally, a wall of Sheep Blocks will barricade the path forward, requiring a sense of when to jump before the platform vanishes in order to avoid death. At the very end is an Energy Element and a sign from the devteam – despite two boss doors being at the end, they are non-functional and nothing exists beyond them.

Judge Comments

Judge Comments
ParmaJon  : 18 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 8 / 35 2 / 15 2 / 10 2 / 25 4 / 15 Pro tip: don't use blank backgrounds. It generally doesn't go over well. The whole level is just blank and empty, and the lack of music makes it feel more empty. The parts where you are on the Sheep Man blocks and you are dodging things as you fall were alright, almost too good for the rest of the level. The level has a difficulty curve and an introduction to the gimmicks. It feels more like a 12 hour level, or it just wasn't finished. There really isn't much to talk about because there's so much nothing. Like, there seem to be split paths that just don't work. It just doesn't make a great level experience overall.
PKWeegee  : 9 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 3 / 35 0 / 15 3 / 10 1 / 25 2 / 15 Oh dear, where did we go wrong? Level is hard to look at, Sheep blocks are baffling and used weirdly, there is a screen transition that leads into the void, and you forgot a stop scroll object at the end. What happened?
M-Jacq  : 10 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 2 / 35 0 / 15 1 / 10 2 / 25 5 / 15 Every tile in this level looks like a Lego. Which is appropriate, because this level was about as fun as repeatingly stepping on the contents of a Lego set. I guess some of the individual rooms are good - there's that one room with the Pakattos that's pretty okay. But then just a few screens ahead of it is a screen where the Pakattos are pointed backwards, so I think those happy accidents are just that: accidents. Actually, I think the thing that really, truly aggravates me about this level is that the sheep blocks have clearly been altered so that they go off at different speeds, which is as befuddling as it is infuriating. WHY!?!? Why make the timing of the perilous disappearing platforms *more* random? And while we're here, what is up with that "choose your own adventure" at the midpoint, where taking the left path just kills you? You're supposed to put the meme reward for going left at the START of the stage, not the checkpoint.
Freems  : 20 / 100
Design Creativity Function Fun Aesthetic 5 / 35 3 / 15 5 / 10 2 / 25 5 / 15 I feel like I shouldn't say anything yet and keep up the silence. Sometimes when I play a level it's very hard for me to tell if I'm supposed to say what I think went wrong because I don't know if it's sincere or a joke, or if the other judges are about to say the same thing I'm about to. So we'll keep it real quick. It physically doesn't look good, the sheep blocks don't really work the way they usually do with the colors mix and matching, nor are their timings consistent across the level making guessing when to go at times a little trial and error-y. There are multiple points where you can just walk off into an endless void and die and most if not all of the enemies are just there to fill a quota. I imagine this is either a case of running out of time, or one's first foray into Game Maker, in which case it's certainly practice makes perfect. I liked dodging cut enemies while waiting for the sheep blocks though. That was cute.

Trivia

• Cutting Edge Technology is the lowest ranking stage in MaG48HMML that wasn't explicitly trying for last place (before late penalties were applied, it had the lowest base score of all entries).
• When originally submitted, the two boss doors at the end were functional objects, but since they weren't on a valid screen edge, touching them would result in a softlock. This, combined with the level initially lacking an Energy Element at the end, resulted in two functionality penalties and a -4 point deduction.
• Cutting Edge Technology is the only level in MaG48HMML to be submitted without any music, and is the first such level since the original Make a Good Mega Man Level's Objective: Vain Space and The Quickening.