Tip: Budget your sprites. There is a 255 maximum sprites-per-level limit. Although that seems like a lot, I ran into it in my first level. I had to delete about 25 objects just to put in the level exit, some keys, and some doors!
Tip: Don't overuse one kind of enemy. Spread them evenly abou the level. If you noticed in Harry, there were only two levels where the only enemies were PR Bots. All the levels after that, each enemy was used where it was needed.
Tip: Anything you don't know how to do but want to?? Instead of waiting for the new version of the editor to come out, look at how they did it in the game! Its not that hard. If there's something you absolutely cannot figure out, e-mail me!.
Mailmen CAN BE killed!!! If you have a spot where there a lot of mail carts, hide some chairs, plants, or barrels somewhere. If you push them in front of the mail people, they will explode!!!!
Also, sodas have more uses then as normal projectile weapons. Two sodas will take out a soldier, and one will destroy an entire grate that normally takes 20 shots. Another way to destroy grates is to push barrels in front of them and shoot the barrel. This saves LOADS of ammo!
This tip's for pyros: Its neat to blow stuff up!! Need a barrier that you have to shoot to pass, but not a grate? Or need a way to shake the screen and confuse the player? Or just for fun... lay down many water coolers and barrels close together! Watch them all explode and shake the screen!!!
The Put Everything In Level One Syndrome. Well you make this great level. In this great three level world. In the first level, you include soldiers, ghosts, blobs, scientists, boulders, dart players, disk throwers, shrapnel guns, security guns, BADASS guns, the Force, hill, valleys, a bottomless pit and everything. This leaves one problem: How the heck to you top a level that has everything?? What do you put in level two?? Really, putting everything in the first level leaves no 'when do I get the Shrapnel Gun?' anxiety of the first Episode, nothing to do in level two, and it will probably make the first level too damn easy! At the max I would restrict one level to only one gun OR the Force, only a couple of major enemies/hazards, and not much else. Here's the level of introduction in Return of Uberman:
Level One: Mail Guy, Dart Guy, AOL Guy, Turret-PR-bot, Red Bot, ONE Scientist, ONE security gun, TWO toxic Blobs, *First Staple Gun*
Level Two: Swivel Warriors, ONE Chieften, Boulders, TWO elevation changes, Fans, Fire Pipes, More Security Guns, Incinerator, normal Robots, Reversors,
Level Three: ONE Soldier, *Second Staple Gun*, the Under the Foreground-trick, the Power-station trick, large use of stairs, large use of switches
Level Four: Large use of elevation changes, cannons, large use of soldiers, large use of oil slicks, large use of boulders, TWO grates,
Yes, I do include a LOT in my levels. But, if you've played them, you'll notice I also use HUGE levels, lots of unique tricks, and they are VERY hard (like, you can't beat level three unless you can beat the last level of Episode One.)
The Make Your Level Too Easy Syndrom. Here's another common problem. People are often afraid people aren't very good and are going to need constant support. This goes along with the Put Everything In One Level Syndrome. After every fight, Harry gets completely restocked in Comfort and Staples, when it is completely unneeded. This also goes along with excess use of Confort tiles. DO NOT DO THIS unle