Topic: Limits on numbers of levels, secret levels and boss robots in a mission?

[Naphtha]

I'm actually mostly asking because I actually want to try doing a challenge playthrough of Grant Hallman's "Ironblade" and "Ironstar" missions that partly involves combining the two into one mission and partly involves adding Boss 2 in a couple places, rather than because I have something in mind for a mission of my own.

But are there set limits on how many levels or secret levels can exist in a mission? I've seen two D2 missions go over Counterstrike's 24 main levels, but I've never seen any go over First Strike's 27 or any missions for either game with more secret levels than the default mission.  I'm not sure if secret levels are handled separately, or how an upper limit is figured if there is one (at least, there should reasonably be one).

Also, what about boss robots? Can the same boss robot appear in multiple levels (asking especially with regards to D1 here), or would that just cause problems with the mission? "Ironblade" and "Ironstar" have four secret levels between them, and I wanted to also add Boss 2 to the final level of each mission, but I just want to be sure that won't mess anything up before I try combining the missions for the playthrough. ^^;;

[Scyphi]

As far as I know, there is no limit to the number of levels or secret levels. I believe I have seen a custom mission set that exceeded thirty levels in D2, and it had a number of secret levels too, so I can't picture any issues there, either.

There shouldn't be any problem using the same boss robot more than once in a mission.

[(LL)Atan]

Just for your info:
these levels were made by G.E.L.D. (Guilde of Evil Level Designers)
Grant was one member of them.
As ever, if you want to play around with other L.D. levels/missions, it would be a nice touch to ask permission.

[Kaiaatzl]

Well, from his post, I don't think he was planning to distribute it at all...
So the worst he could do would be a video playthrough, right?

Somewhat off topic because I forget: Were you in the GELD, Atan?  Or was your group a different one?

[(LL)Atan]

well there might be a difference, you are right.., I didn't saw it in that way.

OT
Yes, member of:
Level Lords
G.E.L.D.
and I helped or worked together with uncounted 'lone wolf' level designers on their projects too.

[Naphtha]

As far as things go, no, I didn't intend to distribute this as my own work.  But come to think of it, maybe I should get in touch with Grant and Lars for permission anyway, just in case.  Can you PM me some contact info, or help me contact them? It doesn't look like there's much on DMDB.

[Alieo]

Speaking of multiple levels, I once gave D1 First Strike the "Super Mario Bros. Endgame." What I mean by that is, using DMB II, I repeated the use of levels 1-27 after level 27 with harder robots each time, so Level 1 the second go-round was Level 28, and I replaced all Class 1 Drones with Class 2 Drones; Class 2 Drones got replaced by Small Hulks, Mediums replaced small, larges replaced mediums, Fusion Hulks replaced Large Hulks, and upgraded all Class 2 Platform Robots to the missile launchers. That was for Levels 28-54. I named the levels "Lunar Outpost 2.0" and "Mercury Core 2.0" etc... I think I did 4 rounds of progression until there were no drones and small hulks, a sh** ton of Fusion Hulks, both boss robots were Boss 2, and even replaced a few reactors with Boss 1's in the upper 100s levels. There was a total of 108 levels. And yes, the level counter did display "Level 108" in the auto map. That was fun... got wiped out with my old Windows 98 PC, though.

[CrazyEnzo03]

Ha, that's just like the "second playthrough" on shmups, only more playthroughs.

[Alieo]

lol! yeah... Well I mean, when you beat SMB, all the goombas are replaced by buzzy beetles, so why not replace all the weaker robots with progressively harder robots each time? Actually, I think I remember replacing the C1Drones with D2Drones, and replaced the C2Drones with C3 Gopher Robots and eliminated all the small hulks. Then, by the time you got to the fourth playthrough (Level 1 being Level 82, on Level 6 (Level 87), you were greeted by a barrage of Class 2 Platform Missile launchers right at the start!

[Scyphi]

That actually kind of sounds like fun, a good way to hone your mad bot-blasting skills.

Although I'd imagine that after awhile, the frustration level just continually spikes again and again.