MegaMan Level 1 Feedback

Megaman Level 1 Feedback

What went right?
The map did fit the feeling of being an "intro" level. It introduced a good variety of "easy" enemies and did not have any complex design or puzzle. It introduced health packs and the flow of the map was easy to follow.

Annotated Map of Megaman Level 1

What went wrong?
The level itself was not long enough. It took roughly 1 minute and 30 seconds for most players to beat it. Some completed it under 1 minute when they skipped past all the enemies and followed the critical path. Some enemy placements were wonky, especially the first enemy encounter where the player could run into it due to the room transition to be wrong. The room was supposed to scroll instead of fading, which might have been a mistake on my part that I forgot to switch the room transition to scroll. 

How might you improve your map next time?
For the next level, I'll need to find a way to prolong the map without adding more enemies. Perhaps adding more groundwork and map puzzles could be a way to add length to the map without adding more enemies. I definitely need to playtest it more to make sure the length is considerably longer and if the enemies were appropriately positioned or balanced in terms of challenge. 

Enemy spawning too close to screen transition

Were the challenges presented appropriate to the skill level of the player?
I do believe the challenges were easy enough. After all, most players finished the level under 2 minutes. Though of course, it also meant the level was too short but introduction levels are usually like that. 

Was the critical path obvious?
Yes, the map was pretty straightforward. Though 2D maps are usually more linear in that case, save for a few right or left turns that usually lead to a dead end. Getting to the end was easy as long as you keep going right. 

How was the overall flow?
The map was fairly simple, consisting of only 11 "rooms". The flow was straightforward, linear even. Not much choice was presented to the player except keep going forward. 

Was the player taught everything needed to complete the level?
I do believe the playtesters were taught mostly everything needed in the introduction level. That would be what health packs and the energy element look like, how to deal with certain enemies, and using platforms to your advantage.