Rating CP Levels

[HappyStikBeaver]

Ok...Well, it kind of annoys me how some people rate mine and other people's CP levels. First off, don't rate a level extremely low if you are frustrated with it or are not a good CP player. Second, don't rate a level with 1 star and 5 skulls if it's made by someone you don't like, or if it contains on part you don't like, such as an IDEASTEAL! (ok, lets not start the whole ideasteal thing again. Please. No, really.) Third, don't rate an okay-ish level 5 stars just because you like the one person or their other levels. That just starts one of those other things, and the okay-ish, 3 star level gets rated one star. Guess what? It turns out, some people don't like any levels that aren't made by Redbone, BryanSNK, and a few others on the first five pages! So, whoops, there goes a decent level to the depths of "horrible" levels! Not that I don't like those people's levels, by the way. So, don't go telling me, "Oh, don't get upset because one of your levels was badly rated!," but really, that's how most of my levels are rated. Please stop. And yes, you know who you are.

[Blackduck]

I normally rate all the levels the rating I think they deserve without being biased, and the rating I give tend to be close to the rating it ends up at. I don't think anybody's out to get you or anything, I think maybe it's just a sign for you to try a new approach at creating levels! Normally high rated levels are things that use concepts that people haven't done before (although it's harder now a days) or by mixing stuff together in a way that was no thought of. Also, the top two levels are ideasteals.

[Redbone]

Veetex is not ideasteal >:U Thing is, people hate on levels that are either easy, art, or ideasteal. To be honest, I don't really see what's so good about my levels, especially my top rated ones. I say my only really good ones are Doom Cliffs and Boboil's Lunch (which was downrated simply for being Boboil, thank you players), which were both on the top ten at one point, when people actually liked difficulty. You should never trust the ratings of a level (I consider my 4's easier than an average 2 most of the time), just go by what you think is quality.

[Megadog]

I like medium/hard levels, within reason.

I make hard levels, and will probably never be in the top ten again (I was once, with Tower of Power, No. 1!)

:(

[Blackduck]

Veetex is not ideasteal >:U

I wasn't talking about the Vertext part of it, but the fact that it's an ideasteal of the level "Lumaj Attacks", just like "Jamul Attacks", which is currently #2. Now that I think about it, it's kind of funny the 2 ideasteals are the top rated ones and the original is way back in the list.

[BryanSNK]

I liked HappyStik's level. There's a lot of little creative things going on in the level that you may not realize at first. So for the people that gave it one star....they probably kept killing the key at the start...or failing at the crumbly bridges :P

[AtkinsSJ]

I'm repeatedly confused at the way that nobody can tell who rated their levels, or what they rated them, or why, and yet there are several topics complaining and telling people to stop rating x stars/skulls for reason y.

[hyperme]

Every time someone says 'ideasteal', I get annoyed. Just because it uses the same idea, it isn't stolen. Unless the 'steal' ripped the idea out of the 'steallee's' head. I mean, using 'ideasteal' logic, Rockband is a Gitar Hero 'ideasteal'. or Sonic is a mario one. There are only so many things you can do. It's implementation you should rate, not the idea.

Also, easy doesn't equal bad. A new player may go 'I want easy levels' see loads of low rates and be sad. If you don't like easy, don't play. I don't care that you need to complete 2,000 levels for a thing. If you're going for it, and have to play easy levels, don't donw rate because you don't like easy. You choosed to play it.

[Megadog]

Yeah, and also, I wanna know who rated BKM 2 stars, and why?

And BKB was also downrated for being hard, which angers me, because it is actually a good level if you exclude the difficulty, yet WKB is higher than it, which is not.

[Kerma]

Honestly, I blame myself for me getting low ratings, I make everyone here hate me :p

Anyways, On topic:

I rate levels on what I think they are. I rate 1-2 stars if I honestly didn't have a fun time. Sometimes I rate a level 5 when it clearly shouldn't because I know it's a joke (Rate 1 star, and pumpkineater's recent levels for example)

[SpaceManiac]

Every time someone says 'ideasteal', I get annoyed. Just because it uses the same idea, it isn't stolen. Unless the 'steal' ripped the idea out of the 'steallee's' head. I mean, using 'ideasteal' logic, Rockband is a Gitar Hero 'ideasteal'. or Sonic is a mario one. There are only so many things you can do. It's implementation you should rate, not the idea.

Also, easy doesn't equal bad. A new player may go 'I want easy levels' see loads of low rates and be sad. If you don't like easy, don't play. I don't care that you need to complete 2,000 levels for a thing. If you're going for it, and have to play easy levels, don't donw rate because you don't like easy. You choosed to play it.

We've had this discussion before... "Ideasteal" is a term that applies only to Costume Party and refers to ending up having to play a level twice because two people made the same thing. This is NOT levels that are based on similar concepts. Guitar Hero a) isn't a CP level b) isn't just Rock Band but by a different author, it's got plenty of uniqueness!

And people, don't complain about ratings! If your levels are rated low, try something different. "My level was rated low because it's too hard" - make an easier level. "My level was rated low because blah blah blah" - don't do blah blah blah!

People rate levels based on what they think of them. It averages out in the end. Your levels will probably never be rated exactly what you want - they're other people's opinions, not yours!

[HappyStikBeaver]

Big thanks to whomever went through and rated all of my levels one star. Congratulations on annoying me. Was that really necessary? And again, ENOUGH WITH THE IDEASTEAL!! And SM, thanks for exactly contradicting what I was trying to say. I never have made the same thing twice (except for Costume Chambers 1 and 2, and even those were way different)!! Ok, I'm sorry I made two somewhat "ideasteal" levels, but does that make all of my levels bad? Or everyone hate me? :(

[Megadog]

Honestly, I blame myself for me getting low ratings, I make everyone here hate me :p
Maybe you should think before you make silly trigger hunt levels.

[SpaceManiac]

Big thanks to whomever went through and rated all of my levels one star. Congratulations on annoying me. Was that really necessary? And again, ENOUGH WITH THE IDEASTEAL!! And SM, thanks for exactly contradicting what I was trying to say. I never have made the same thing twice (except for Costume Chambers 1 and 2, and even those were way different)!! Ok, I'm sorry I made two somewhat "ideasteal" levels, but does that make all of my levels bad? Or everyone hate me? :(

Honestly, I never said anybody was doing any ideastealing. Just reminding everyone what the definition was ;)

[HappyStikBeaver]

Ok! I don't care! That"s not what I'm mad about! Oh, and SM, you don't have to quote a whole paragraph if you're only going to respond to one tiny part that has nothing to do with this thread. It's just I didn't want this thread to turn into another ideasteal one. I just wanted people to know I didn't like how they sometimes rated my levels! I'd like some respect shown to me and/or my levels! If not, I guess I'll just stop making them.

[uberDude]

I completely agree with SpaceManiac. The ratings are entirely based on other peoples' feelings and their own rating systems. I would tend to think that if, say, the Martian Bob (sorry to anyone who is a martian or Bob) rates levels x stars/y skulls, he would do so consistently, on a consistent rating system, so ratings average out in relation to each other. Please, calm down.

[sonicchaos1993]

I completely agree with uberDude. Most players rate levels based on how they like them. If your levels are constantly being rated poorly, it doesn't mean that other people don't like you, but rather, that there may be something about your levels that players don't enjoy, or may be too fustrating. If you want tips on improving your levels, you could always ask for constructive critisism on the chat. Constructive criticism is a level designer's best friend!

[HappyStikBeaver]

Wooh! Mega-bump! I just wanted some more people yelling at me and rating my levels bad for no reason again. Ok so how does everyone like my new level? Other than my once 4 star now 1 star Vampire BHE leve, my make a point about how fantasy pack is not halloween level is obviously making a great entrance. Ok, so start saying they deserve it even though I actualy spend time, effort, and creativity on them.

[moltanem2000]

IMO, the second half should have been first, seeing as if you mess up the crumbly bridges you have to restart completely. Trial and error also isn't a good idea, at all, far into a level.

I believe someone (might have been WTG) said this about SWC worlds, and it also applies for CP levels (paraphrased): Put the hardest and most annoying stuff at the beginning, and then make it get significantly easier as the level progresses. There's nothing worse than getting to the end only to find trial-and-error and/or an almost impossible battle/puzzle and have to restart all over again.

I haven't actually rated it, but if I was to, I'd give it a 2 or maybe 3 if I was feeling generous. Mainly because
* Trial and error
* Trial and error in the last half of level
* Ghost and witch section is completely useless, both costumes are used for 2 seconds and no new or interesting ideas are presented at all.
* Second half is significantly harder than first half, with more ways to get trapped
* Overall design isn't anything new or (keep in mind "IMO") really that interesting.

Of course there's a time and place for all of these where they might work, usually because the level is satirical, but this is not the case for your level. I found it slightly below average, so I would give it a slightly below average mark.

The fact that you spent time and effort is great for you, and you should feel good knowing you put effort into something you're proud of, but generally consumers only care about the product.

EDIT:
Something to keep note of:
Negatives are much stronger than positives. A level with 2 or 3 good things will be enjoyed by a larger population than a level with 9-10 good things but 8-9 bad things.

[HappyStikBeaver]

If you would have looked at the beginning of the first side, you would have noticed the bluse squares on the "trial and error" part before they are turned back off. Also, the which and ghost costumes are just there to show a comparison between the costumes on one side and the costume on the other. Plus, if I used any interesting ideas, I probably would be nailed for ideasteal. On a last note, a rating of 2 stars (or 3 if you're feeling nice) is still better than 1.

[Kerma]

I rated your vampire level low, because I started, the level, loads of things started happening,and all the sudden I was trapped in this room. I tried it again, and somehow got the target and frank went down. I was way lost from there though.

Clarity is a must have in levels. I want to know where I am and where I should be headed before I play one.

[SpaceManiac]

I probably would be nailed for ideasteal.

I was under the impression we'd all gotten over that :???:

[bowserfan]

I was under the impression we'd all gotten over that :???:
Same here :/