It seems I cannot create my own working progress paths. Trying to do so will only result in the Mario icon blinking.

Let me be more clear about this issue; my level's area has 2 views. View 1 has a progress path with an ID of 1 (to match the view). All the node values are set a 0, like in the original progress paths. View 2 is a bonus area, and does not have or need a progress path. What could I possibly be doing wrong here? The original progress paths from the levels work fine when in use, but ones I create refuse to work despite having the exact same data. What could I possibly be doing wrong?
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New Super Mario Bros. Empire | World 1 demo

Are you setting the correct progress path ID in the view settings?

Also make sure there are no progress paths in other areas that you don't want (particularly with the same id). The game takes all progress paths from all areas, sorts them by ID, then splits the bottom screen length among them all (proportional to the length I think)

The ID for my progress path is 1, and the ID for the view is also 1. There are no paths in the other areas. I have no clue what's stopping it from working.
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New Super Mario Bros. Empire | World 1 demo

What determines the links is not that the id's are equal. You have to click the view, then at the left you'll see a progress path ID textbox, you hqv to put the corresponding path ID there.

Ah, I see. Actually took me a while longer than it should have to find that. Thanks for clearing it up.
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New Super Mario Bros. Empire | World 1 demo

Was that your problem.? Does it work now?