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Topic, Game "BLockoban"

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Ferrari12 13 years ago
  Yeah, happy birthday!!! :D

And I have the same excuse as Camo :P
CamoDragoon 13 years ago
  Happy birthday OMG! I was pretty sure who it was but........didn't want to jump the gun. :)
oldmtnguy 13 years ago
  Thanks to all for the birthday wishes. It just proves that even at 61, you're never too old to play.
Ferrari12 13 years ago
  A blockoban level in a contest, I've never seen that before, but I hope it'll be cool. Good luck Simon :)
SimonM 13 years ago
  happy birthday

PS: There is a contest going on at the moment: you make a level the best level will be voted and the maker wins a medal on his/her profile and a bit experience points. Be sure you compete or atleast vote on the one you think is the winner. btw I'm entering with a blockoban level.
Contest Topic
oldmanrob 13 years ago
  Happy birthday. :)
chris3000 13 years ago
  Happy birthday!
lmr 13 years ago
  Happy (July 1) Birthday
AK 13 years ago
  I'm on a roll. Just beat 15 officials. This is the last game I have to get in the top 100. I just need.... 23 more levels. XD Well, I can do it!
jasperpostema 13 years ago
  2011th Post. and it is 2011, lol!
chris3000 13 years ago
  Welcome back!
CamoDragoon 13 years ago
  WB murtaza! :)
SimonM 13 years ago
  welcome back, I hope you'll also make new levels.
murtaza64 13 years ago
  hey guys im backkkkk
chris3000 13 years ago
  Congratz Zombie911.
oldmtnguy 13 years ago
  Congratulations to Zombie911 for becoming the latest Blockoban Addict!
CamoDragoon 13 years ago
  Thanks for clarifying TM, that is what I expected it to be :)
ToughMan 13 years ago
  @CD, I value all the effort and your contribution to the game which is, obviously, enormous. Most of your levels have been rated either 4 or 5. They are indeed great levels and have the full pack of a good entertaining design.

As for the symmetry issue, it is something subjective like rating. I really like symmetry, however there have been many levels (mostly yours) that have gotten the full 1 point from that criterion even though not symmetric just because they had a good design.... To cut it short...for this criterion I seek for a nice design (not necessarily a symmetric one but obviously a symmetric one has more chances of being nice). Fyi, the most difficult criterion to satisfy is the 5th one (uniqueness) that also includes general concept and this is mainly the reason between 4s and 5s.
chris3000 13 years ago
  I think you've contributed to this whole game, congratz!
CamoDragoon 13 years ago
  Hey guys, just a small landmark side note, but with my newest level Colored Traffic (BLockoban), I've now reached 500 uploaded levels. I prefer not to make those big number levels, don't find them that enjoyable :)

lol, I'm been remaking my under-par locally saved levels, and I'm still only on page 2 out of 18. :P


@TM, does that mean you are rating a lot of my levels 4/5 because of a loss of symmetry? I find that my favorite type of levels are ones like Coup de Grace (BLockoban), Little Ambassadors (BLockoban), or Growing Pains (BLockoban). I really enjoy levels like the first two, where there are few blocks in a small-->medium area and you're searching for that little trick needed to place them. I also get a good thrill from those levels where you have to manage over a wide space with few blocks, attempting to close them into a central point. I really try to actually avoid symmetry most of the time, as the puzzle seems to be more follow the leader (usually) by both sides and there is usually a single underlying system for the both. I prefer asymmetric designs, where you have different things to work with on either side, and things that you could account for having on one side may be nonexistent on the other. I don't want to point the finger at TM or anyone else, just pointing that fact out that I, as a level designer, usually don't shot for symmetry. :)
chris3000 13 years ago
  I got the 2000th post of blockoban.
lmr 13 years ago
  To carry on the same subject... I have seldom rated any levels. I don't feel skilled enough to feel I have the right to judge others. The few I have rated I enjoyed so much that I gave them a 5. A couple I gave a 4 because they were similar to other designs by the same person (but not part of a series) and not quite as good.
I like that this discussion that is happening. The point of view given by the top designers and scorers is valuable. Also it shows that for the most part how people rate puzzles is more or less the same across the board and that it mostly boils down to personal style preference. It is a good thing that not everyone rates every design! And that most designs are rated on their merit.
ToughMan 13 years ago
  I really think M has a very interesting point of view of how rating should be given. A very respected opinion. I also agree with the fact that ALL designers should get a bonus for participating and contributing to the game. However, if all players voted liked M then we would have only fiver designers or VOID ones (which is not intended of course). Having said that I can only conclude that it would be unfair for the best designer (factually!!) and good friend...M!!

To make it easy I, personally, use the following principle: I have FIVE criteria each one with equal weight:
1) Fun
2) Symmetric Design
3) Challenging level
4) Optimization and
5) Uniqueness (a small percentage of this criterion is also related to the level category)
I add them up and rate accordingly. Obviously most levels add up to 3 or more (never actually rated 1-2). To the above rule I have only three exceptions: 1) If I see a new designer...no matter the design I always rate 5!! ALways boost new designers, 2) I almost always rate 5/5 M's levels. No need to count. In this case I rate like Murat...hehe, and 3) In kids category I never rate lower than 3, because I cannot really apply the above mentioned rating system...plus our kids need more similar levels and I could never penalize so much someone who tries to provide entertainment and entry levels for them.

In any case we need, once more, to pay our respect to ALL the designers, thank all the players and congratulate our admins for providing us with the fun, challenge and entertainment.
murat 13 years ago
  I only give 5 stars to levels I really enjoy, and I don't rate the rest.
SimonM 13 years ago
  Quoting murat from Game "BLockoban"
For me there is only one rating: 5/5. I see Blockoban as a puzzle, that I not only try to solve, but try to solve with a minimum of moves. And I give the highest rating only to games that challenge me to reach that minimum of moves, and thus I really enjoy playing. And for the other games, since people have worked for it to design it, I don't think that I have the right to discredit them just because I don't happen to like it. So I just prefer to not rate them instead.

the last sentence, gis, he said that he won't rate them instead
gameinsky 13 years ago
  so you rate 5, but only rate the levels that deserve a 5 ?
murat 13 years ago
  For me there is only one rating: 5/5. I see Blockoban as a puzzle, that I not only try to solve, but try to solve with a minimum of moves. And I give the highest rating only to games that challenge me to reach that minimum of moves, and thus I really enjoy playing. And for the other games, since people have worked for it to design it, I don't think that I have the right to discredit them just because I don't happen to like it. So I just prefer to not rate them instead.
Garygoh884 13 years ago
  I played the iPod version of this game but it crashed.
Sillius 13 years ago
  See this is where I think you're wrong :D
1/5: Maybe this shouldn't even have been accepted in the first place, contains many major flaws.
2/5: No reason to reject, but unpolished and lacks design/a fun gameplay
3/5: Good level, but with some minor flaws in design and/or gameplay.
4/5: Excellent level, no obvious flaws and an overall enjoyable level.
5/5 For the perfect level (this is a rating you shouldn't just give any "good" level)

If everyone were rating like this, we would see a larger gap between the "really good/"legendary"" designers and the newcommers who just release their first level. It would also help making level creation a bit more competitive :)
Ferrari12 13 years ago
  1/5: Level with inappropriate content, should've been re-designed. I've only rated this once or twice.
2/5: Shouldn't have been accepted, many major flaws. Only rated a few times.
3/5: No reason to reject, but might be unpolished, with some major flaws, annoying gameplay, ver poor design etc
4/5: Good level, but with some minor flaws in design and/or gameplay.
5/5: Excellent level, no obvious flaws and an overall enjoyable level.

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Play Game "BLockoban"

First post of the topic

jp 16 years ago
  sound on / off added (burfy's feedback).
16 official levels now. All levels are great. I must say I'm a big fan of Psychotronic's levels (thx Psycho). When a level is "only" accepted, it doesn't mean it will not be official one day, it's just I'm not sure for now.
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