- The simple stuff. Moving the camera. Placing and removing blocks. Creating blocks by holding click and moving the camera. Creating a gear.
- Adding shortcuts.
- Drawing and placing simple artwork that matches a level's gameplay theme.
- Creating an obstacle (e.g. SJ challenge), then adding more difficulty to it later in the level. Multiple levels of this style at different points in the campaign - exploring different gimmicks and obstacle types.
- Teleporting between layers.
- Encouraging exploration - adding paths or small areas that don't look/feel like the "main" path through a level, and rewarding players who explore with artwork, stats, or routes.
- Creating simple contraptions. Worm Hill from the PR3 Campaign comes to mind. You shoot a brick and a Worm Platform extends. This type of thing would be very satisfying to build yourself, then see it in action as you race on the fully completed level.
- Using rotated blocks.
- Fixing places where players get stuck.
- Exploring 'Item Advantage'. Maybe offering an item block with three items and giving an obstacle that can be tackled differently based on the random item.
- Using layers to draw art. Something like a tutorial on how to draw a simplified version of Dusk Raiders' art for example (which uses simpler lines to great effect). And using layers that go over the player.
- Creating custom blocks. Drawing simple shading. Techniques (like icons and colour) that help players understand their function. e.g. Building an Up Arrow that Vanishes
- Avoiding simple design pitfalls e.g. don't build a hole that you're supposed to jump OVER, then force the player to jump INTO a similar hole later without clear indication. The tutorial could be about considering what players learn in the level and where they might get confused.
- Building good racing lines and keeping momentum by moving the Player Spawn and Testing. Something like ZRD's Sprinter or The Duck campaign's precision stat levels - with easy inputs and satisfying payoff.
- Explaining rubberbanding and how to build it.
- Creating checkpoint challenge levels (an easy frust or checkpoint trap level).
- Replayability. Once you've played a race once and learnt its mechanics, retrying the race could open up satisfying racing lines and new shortcuts or approaches throughout the level. Avoiding too many slow sections (like having too many required SJs).
- Circular level design (remove unnecessary backtracking).
- Scaling difficulty. Creating levels that spike in difficulty and trend upwards - giving gameplay highs and lows to keep players engaged rather than frustrated or bored.
- Circular narrative (making satisfying level endings that parallel and juxtapose the level's beginning. In terms of art and mechanics). Explain where art should be at its highest quality in a level (i.e. start, end, and around gameplay high-points).