Doesn't matter anyway. This level was received very well when the demo came out even by Chimpo despite it having a little more flat foreground than most other Green levels. I'm not going to change it simple based on an opinion that the level is too flat when looked at level map size.
Wanted to try and make more of the tiles myself, but I ended up getting lazy. Is the moai head too much? I figured that would be better/different from just having totem poles or whatever again.
Well of course I'm a little bothered by the reuse of the AIZ rocks and the GHZ palmtrees, but the ground tiles are truly amazing and so is the moai head. That grass can never get old, however. Something about it makes it work on just about everything you dish it upon. I also like the arrangement to the background as well.
Hahaha, oh wow, how amazing, that stone head used there in that level.. why didn't I think of that =D Nicely done, not only is it something I haven't seen before in a sonic level, it's pretty well detailed too and actually looks like stone! EDIT: Also the FG in general looks decent and uses a nice set of golden/brown colours, the grass is easy come, easy go, seeing as everyone likes to use that grass for some reason.
Like Azukara suggested, you should change the tree and the rock. You might want to improve the backgrounds so it doesn't look so Sonic 2 and the grass looks blown up to 200% with everything else being 100%. The ground tiles look great though and I like seeing the floating island in the background. As for the totem guy, he looks a little out of place but maybe it would look a bit nicer if the grass looked much better. I dunno. I'm curious how this will look after you improve it. It has a lot of potential. Also, you wanted constructive criticism so there you go. >_> Edit- Maybe you could incorporate the totem guy into part of the level design instead of just having him in the background.
That's my feeling too. The head looks too dominant to be treated as a BG object. It looks like it's blocking Sonic's path.
It's like Super Mario Land met Sonic 2. :v: But, I think you should make custom grass and other objects too. It'd look much better with how far you've gone already.
Maybe your environmental props just need to look sharper or more angular? Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing too many rounded objects (that weren't loops) in the Genesis games.
Well, specifically in reference to the new palmtree. But looking now, I guess not quite. Eh, it's fine.
The moai head looks cool! I'd suggest giving it sharper edges and a more distinctly geometric shape, because it kind of looks too ... modest to me as of now. At the same time, I'd blend it more with the ground and general level theme, like this: ...minus the previous moai head underneath which makes the nose look wrong, of course. >_> ...come to think of it, it does look kind of solid. Maybe you could mirror it and use it as a giant rock, or it could be spewing water for a random water-stream section?
Just as long as the eyes don't shoot lasers. Lasers that can break open simple rock objects and snipe Sonic on the other ledge as he passes by. You know, laser moai.
Haha. I was reminded of the pillars in Aquatic Ruin Zone that fire arrows, which I think would be a more appropriate weapon. Lasers do make a bit more sense coming from the moai's eyes, though. :v: Perhaps it could fire arrows from its mouth, maybe even in an arcing trajectory? [/rambling] Also, I agree that Jan Abaza's suggestions look/sound quite good, though I'll be interested in BlazeH's updates in either case, as the concept is cool.
I dunno... the diamond pattern on the moai head itself seems to add a lot of visual noise. Though the changes to the nose are interesting. Hm. How about... Rounder? Jan's more 45 degree angle might also be better with the flat end.
