Looks like water levels are in popular demand. I have to say, i do love those! I've got a new one of my own-
Level Name-
Murky Musty MineTheme- A mostly flooded (and abandoned) mine. This mine was built right next to a lake, which eventually got larger as a result of more water feeding into it from the river. Blasting caused cracks, and later holes to form in the walls. The lake flooded the mine. Sea creatures entered into the cracks and have made the mine their new home. Even some land creatures have taken refuge, including some creepy ones who like dark and/or damp environments. The mine itself has a green tinted mossy look to it from all the water.
Music- Water World from DKC3. Mixed with parts from Misty Menace or Mining Melancholy, especially the metallic percussive beats in the background.
Gimmick- Darkness, and lit portions like Floodlit Fish
Animal Buddies- Glimmer as a friendly but non-crate creature, Enguarde
Enemy Candidates-
(
underwater) Squidge, Lurchin, Flotsam, Lockjaw, Croctopus, Shuri, Chomps/Jr, Puftup
(
above water) Kloak, Click-Clack, Neek, Slippa, Kritter, Klaptrap, regular and TNT Knocka (walking variety)
Archetype- Level foreground from DKC1's mine levels, and some tiles from the mine levels of DKC2. Water surface and rippling effects, dynamic brightness shifts. Two layers of background. Background from the cavern levels of DKC3 and erase the part that appears to be a hole like the dark blue space seen here-
http://www.bghq.com/bgs/snes/d/dkc3/a735.pngBlue crystal mine background from Kannon's Klaim behind the edited DKC3 cave BG (though with darker colors to match the dark theme). If it didn't kill the game's framerate, i'd like to have a wavy mist like in Misty Mine when you're on dry land. But that might be impossible to do with all the other effects...
Design- Most of the level will take place underwater, with a couple dry land bits. As you swim down into the mine, i want a gradual darkening ala DKC1's day/night transition effects. Lanters up top are still dimly lit. But as you go deeper into the submerged mine, further away from the lanterns, it gets darker. Near the bottom, i want it to be as dark as Glimmer's Galleon. Even the surface is dimly lit (like Bouncy Bonanza). Glimmer will be there, but not following you. He will function the same as Gleamin' Bream from Floodlit Fish (DKC3). Small circle of light that expands when you get near him (no need to stab him). I'd like to see remnants of a mine cart track, unusable but rusted. Maybe some rusty overturned mine carts too.
I propose a new type of object for this level- glowing energy crystals. I'd probably take the four crystal sprites from DKC3's banana bird caves for this. The good news is that the closer you get to the crystal, the brighter the surrounding area gets due to the luminescence. But the bad news is if you get too close and end up touching the crystal, your Kong will be injured as it gives off harmful radiation. So it functions as a useful hazard. I might want to take the same bubble of light element and add it it Squidges too. They remind me of jellyfish, and some types of jellyfish give off a luminescent glow in the deep dark depths of the ocean. Having them travel around slightly lit up would be interesting. Again, same light bubble concept as Gleamin' Bream. And again, an enemy hazard.