I've always liked adding lots of levels, I think my early games had about 30 or so. Henry has about 70! TNSS has 121. My current game has 70 rooms and is nowhere near complete.
You could essentially use one frame, and have all the objects in that frame, as tiles etc (or as external files), and basically use a level generation system to load specific tiles for that level.
Considering that is the first game, i think that would be a little tricky. To be honest i'd go for less than ten, do 5 or 6 but learn how to make each level really shine. Then when you try to make a new game after perfecting the old one, you will have learnt what does and doesn't work.
Alas, I'd say five gfx-sets is enough for a generic platformer for example (grass, desert, ice, fire, watery), with maybe two or three levels using each gfx-set.
Creating benchmarks for yourself helps you create levels, things such as parts or zones or worlds.
Say each world has 5 or 10 levels, you can make 1 world and take a break. Make another world and take a break, etc.
That way you don't get bored with the game, over stressed, or what ever, and the player has a way to track his progress without using large numbers. World 3 level 4 is still sometimes easier for people to remember then level 34.
It depends heavily on the game type of course! If the levels are short, fast to pass and they are relatively easy to make, you'll have more of them. For example, Abstractica 3 has 545 levels in it. Then again, if it's some adventure/platform game, the situation is completely different and already 10 levels may be much. So without considering the game type, you can't say what's a suitable number of levels.
Captain of the Guard was my first real MMF game, and had about 30. I think people are usually really excited about making their first game, and tend to have a lot of levels in them. I did, at least. I had a lot of fun with it, regardless.
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"To be a true ninja you must first pick the most stealthy of our assorted combat suits. Might I suggest the bright neon orange?"
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DaVince This fool just HAD to have a custom rating
If you mean do you have to plan it with pen and paper before hand, that's complete nonsense. It can hrlp sometimes, but if you've got a solid idea in your head just go for it! You only need to plan stuff out on paper if you're going to have some very complex events going on, such as puzzles.
Drawing it out on paper might be a good idea, but you shouldn't hang your hat on it. A lot of times your sizing might be off and it'll mess up the overall level when you go to put it all in the program.
But it's still a good way to get your general ideas out.
Edited by the Author.
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"Del Duio has received 0 trophies. Click here to see them all."
"To be a true ninja you must first pick the most stealthy of our assorted combat suits. Might I suggest the bright neon orange?"
DXF Games, coming next: Hasslevania 2- This Space for Rent!
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Edited by the Author.
Then again, if it's some adventure/platform game, the situation is completely different and already 10 levels may be much. So without considering the game type, you can't say what's a suitable number of levels.
