Author Topic: [NES] Metroid 1 hack - "Metroid - Rogue Dawn" - Version 1.21 (Read 339334 times)

johnny · « **Reply #140 on:** July 17, 2015, 10:29:45 am »

Quote from: Chpexo on July 15, 2015, 11:15:43 pm

Firstly I should say that you should upload elsewhere where giving my email isn't required. Thankfully I have a throwaway email.

The song composition is good but is too short and lacks any complex effects. The NES's instruments unmodified sound ugly in my opinion. Here's my edit. I should apologize in advance if I am stealing any of optomon's thunder here:

Famitracker file:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/vl74plq243lwuwr/prologue+Chpexo+edit.ftm

WAV file:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/4e0xxdplei987c7/prologue+Chpexo+edit.wav

Sorry about the e-mail and yes you have improved dramatically on what I have done.

I guess I could try to work on making it longer I dunno.

Quote from: optomon on July 16, 2015, 01:12:18 am

I had some trouble downloading it as well, I couldn't get the email to work. But now that I can hear it, that is a pretty nice loop actually. You could totally build a song around that.

Thanks so much!

I really appreciate that. Yeah when I made it I had in mind a combination of Kraid's Lair and Brinstar at first. Mostly because I figured it would be great to have a slower theme with an exploratory hint to it, not so bouncy and da da da daaaa like Brinstar is but getting the point that its an introductory area. But then considering how short it was, I thought it may be better as a part for a dialogue.

optomon · « **Reply #141 on:** July 17, 2015, 02:14:10 pm »

Another track is up. A faster paced theme, a more conventional Blaster Master-ish song. Definitely not like the first two. I'll admit that it is not typical Metroid material, so I'm kind of taking a risk with it as far as how it's supposed to work in the game.

Track C

stuffgnome · « **Reply #142 on:** July 17, 2015, 02:33:00 pm »

Wow! Track C is definitely my favorite so far. It does remind me of Blaster Master but with a little Ninja Gaiden thrown in the mix, a very good thing indeed.

johnny · « **Reply #143 on:** July 17, 2015, 08:51:01 pm »

Quote from: optomon on July 17, 2015, 02:14:10 pm

Another track is up. A faster paced theme, a more conventional Blaster Master-ish song. Definitely not like the first two. I'll admit that it is not typical Metroid material, so I'm kind of taking a risk with it as far as how it's supposed to work in the game.

Track C

Sounds like something that would play as the planet is about to explode. Like a countdown.

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #144 on:** July 18, 2015, 05:50:38 am »

Ya I like track C the best. My favorite part is the when the front track does that Crescendo esk piece from 35-40s, but the slowed down mario power-up kind of sound at 40 comes in just a little too obtrusive for me. The blastmater-type back beat somewhat reminds me of the dragonforce - through the fire and the flames guitar solo which is one of my favorite rock melodies, with that some of the 8-bit notes just seem to sound better, like the deeper and higher ones I think or when they're building to deeper or building to higher.

johnny · « **Reply #145 on:** July 19, 2015, 08:17:02 am »

Quote from: optomon on July 17, 2015, 02:14:10 pm

Another track is up. A faster paced theme, a more conventional Blaster Master-ish song. Definitely not like the first two. I'll admit that it is not typical Metroid material, so I'm kind of taking a risk with it as far as how it's supposed to work in the game.

Track C

Now that I listen to it, it could even have a bit of a prime hint to it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06oAfsTXa6A

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #146 on:** July 23, 2015, 06:06:19 pm »

One thing I would say about gaming sound tracks particularly for exploration games or non-linear, is that the music in each particular part of the game has a distinct purpose and feel to it so as to set the right mood and clue the gamer as to what they might expect. Brinstar - beginning, getting your bearings, very fun pure exploration, finding some power ups, very little danger. Chozo room - VERY contrasting sound to adjacent parts of Brinstar, clear you've come up on something important and serious by nothing other than the stark contrast in music. Norfair - similar to Brinstar in effect but a very distinct sound to it. Kraid and Ridley's - a more heavy serious and dangerous sound, each being very distinct from eachother. Tourian - The Heaviest and most serious of them all. Escape - it's own unique sound with a countdown and time pressure built into it. Nothing is homogeneous about any of the tracks, purposeful and distinct.

Grimlock · « **Reply #147 on:** July 26, 2015, 11:44:07 am »

A quick update on the level design. Major improvements have been made across a large area of the game with the remaining areas a work in progress. Slope detection is about 75% complete. Once the slope detection is all wrapped up I plan on putting together a demo video and posting it.

All of the screens in the previous posted screenshots have been revisited and polished further.

A screenshot from the jungle area:

MathUser2929 · « **Reply #148 on:** July 26, 2015, 07:43:14 pm »

Holy cow are those good graphics. I thought this was a SNES hack at first from that picture.

Chpexo · « **Reply #149 on:** July 26, 2015, 11:25:23 pm »

Grimlock · « **Reply #150 on:** July 27, 2015, 12:06:56 am »

It's actually the same tileset, I've added a few more tiles to it but the majority of my recent work has been with the design itself.

The transition between the upper tile and the bottom tile is a bit on the obvious side when the platform is constructed as thin as you see there. I could easily make the platform thicker by 1 16x16 block to remedy it but I may leave it as is to preserve the uniqueness of the design (the look of the thin platform). IMO some less than perfect tile transitions have to be expected with complex NES graphics and level design. This sort of tile transition is present in a few locations but for the most part it isn't an issue. I think it is acceptable when it's limited considering the limitations of the NES. There just isn't enough tiles available to avoid every instance of less than perfect transitions.

Since you brought it up I'm going to keep it in mind, I might come up with a simple graphic adjustment that blends the tiles better when used as you see there.

Grimlock · « **Reply #151 on:** August 10, 2015, 03:07:03 am »

I posted some more info on the background and storyline of "Rogue Dawn" on the Board 2 forum, it's been a few months since I posted background info here at RHDN:

Board 2 post:

Regarding the timeline of the hack, it takes place just before Metroid 1. The hack is designed around the background given in the Metroid 1 instruction manual. Basically it illustrates how the metroid species was discovered by a research team on planet SR388. When their ship was preparing to take a specimen from the planet to a distant research station it was attacked and ultimately the specimen fell into the hands of a pirate group who later took the specimen to planet ZEBES.

The game begins just after the research vessel is attacked high above SR388 and forced to crash land on the planet's surface. You play as Ridleys shadow agent/assassin, awaken from your hibernation sleep ordered to seek out and recover a sample of the specimen. You have no knowledge of your origins, the only human in a pirate group led by a ruthless over lord by the name of "Ridley". The only part of your past life that remains is a name "Dawn Aran". Your entire existence spanning from early childhood has been catered to mold you into the ultimate dark operative, manipulated and distorted to carry out the will of the pirate leadership.

Obviously the main character is blood related to Samus Aran. Dawn Aran was abducted from a colony by the pirate faction in the event that killed Samus's family and the rest of the colony. Dawn is thought to have perished long ago. There was never a mention of a sister in any comic series that I am aware of but it could easily be that Samus had cousins and other family members in the colony she lived in as a child.

Ultimately "Metroid - Rogue Dawn" reveals why Samus is so obsessed with eradicating the Metroid threat.... Samus's own family is directly responsible.

johnny · « **Reply #152 on:** August 10, 2015, 10:14:00 am »

Quote from: Grimlock on August 10, 2015, 03:07:03 am

I posted some more info on the background and storyline of "Rogue Dawn" on the Board 2 forum, it's been a few months since I posted background info here at RHDN:

Board 2 post:

Regarding the timeline of the hack, it takes place just before Metroid 1. The hack is designed around the background given in the Metroid 1 instruction manual. Basically it illustrates how the metroid species was discovered by a research team on planet SR388. When their ship was preparing to take a specimen from the planet to a distant research station it was attacked and ultimately the specimen fell into the hands of a pirate group who later took the specimen to planet ZEBES.

The game begins just after the research vessel is attacked high above SR388 and forced to crash land on the planet's surface. You play as Ridleys shadow agent/assassin, awaken from your hibernation sleep ordered to seek out and recover a sample of the specimen. You have no knowledge of your origins, the only human in a pirate group led by a ruthless over lord by the name of "Ridley". The only part of your past life that remains is a name "Dawn Aran". Your entire existence spanning from early childhood has been catered to mold you into the ultimate dark operative, manipulated and distorted to carry out the will of the pirate leadership.

Obviously the main character is blood related to Samus Aran. Dawn Aran was abducted from a colony by the pirate faction in the event that killed Samus's family and the rest of the colony. Dawn is thought to have perished long ago. There was never a mention of a sister in any comic series that I am aware of but it could easily be that Samus had cousins and other family members in the colony she lived in as a child.

Ultimately "Metroid - Rogue Dawn" reveals why Samus is so obsessed with eradicating the Metroid threat.... Samus's own family is directly responsible.

Would be cool if a theory like this was factored in:

The researchers exploring SR388 created sentinels to guard planets and protect them. These human/alien hybrids are raised with those clear goals in mind. Though later on, on the Planet Zebes, the space pirates create one of their own hybrids using data collected from the wrecked research ships records, fused with their own DNA to guard Zebes. That creature came to be known as Kraid. Though Kraid was not as formidable an enemy to Samus on Zebes as sentinels were to intruders on SR388, he was still a massive obstacle for her to overcome.

Grimlock · « **Reply #153 on:** August 10, 2015, 07:59:28 pm »

That's an interesting take on Kraid although he won't be included in this hack. All of the bosses and nearly all of the enemies will be redrawn and replaced with new sprites. Mother Brain has already been redesigned into a new final boss. When I check a few more items off of my to do list I'm going to focus on the sprites.

August 10, 2015, 10:33:43 pm - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)

Something I drafted up today in Tile Layer Pro:

Dawn Aran's coworkers and occupants of her ship...

(There is four of them because there is 4 animation frames (although I could add more frames in the future). Animating the graphic will be the next step)

It's hand drawn, I just had an image of the Super Metroid graphic open for reference.

johnny · « **Reply #154 on:** August 16, 2015, 12:23:38 pm »

Quote from: Grimlock on August 10, 2015, 07:59:28 pm

That's an interesting take on Kraid although he won't be included in this hack. All of the bosses and nearly all of the enemies will be redrawn and replaced with new sprites. Mother Brain has already been redesigned into a new final boss. When I check a few more items off of my to do list I'm going to focus on the sprites.
August 10, 2015, 10:33:43 pm - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Something I drafted up today in Tile Layer Pro:

Dawn Aran's coworkers and occupants of her ship...

(There is four of them because there is 4 animation frames (although I could add more frames in the future). Animating the graphic will be the next step)

It's hand drawn, I just had an image of the Super Metroid graphic open for reference.

That's pretty awesome. Seems like this is coming together well.

JUg · « **Reply #155 on:** August 17, 2015, 02:27:53 pm »

I gotta say I'm very impressed with the visuals and I'm eager to play this hack. I don't normally play Metroid hacks but this one seems like a lot of work went into it. Definatly going to put this one in cartridge format lol

Grimlock · « **Reply #156 on:** August 17, 2015, 10:38:03 pm »

I need some opinions on this newly modified graphics set & palette change for the crashed ship (Ridley) area, which one do you guys prefer and why?

EDIT: The theme of the area has been changed from an abandoned ship to a crashed Federation research ship (Was blasted out of orbit just before the game starts). It's a science vessel so I'm trying to make it fit the theme better.

Crashed Research Vessel:

New Version:

Old Version:

New Version:

Old Version:

New Version:

[/quote]

August 17, 2015, 11:18:48 pm - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)

Here's the same graphics set with the light fully on (I was considering making the first half of the ship in darkness and the second half fully lit).

MegaManJuno · « **Reply #157 on:** August 18, 2015, 12:31:13 am »

I like the new "lights on" palettes, but the "lights off" ones seems too bright, maybe. Maybe if the dark blue was darker, or possibly even a dark purple (to go with the reddish lights)?

It just seems to me like the dark blue during "lights off" is brighter than the dark teal during "lights on".

Vanya · « **Reply #158 on:** August 18, 2015, 01:25:51 am »

I agree. Definitely go for a darker color for the low light version.

M-Tee · « **Reply #159 on:** August 18, 2015, 08:51:51 pm »

I typed up a lengthy reply to this, but must have closed without sending.

The purple and orange isn't working. The dark purples and blues on the NES are simply too saturated to pull of that kind of hue jump with lighting.

Moreover, by using such saturated colors, I feel that it doesn't adhere to the overall mood or style of the game.

Your original design looks like it'd be at home in 1991, maybe Shatterhand-era. The vibrant purple and orange looks more at home in, say '86, when more arbitrary colors would have been used, say in something like Layla. The technology was the same, but the aesthetics of the times were different.

I totally understand what you're trying to do with it. Small, localized, dim lighting. Warm lighting, cool shadows, etc. I know, because I've tried to pull of the same in my own work.

But, when it comes to showing an area in darkness, I'm a fan of simply dropping all of the values a notch. To illustrate, I took your "new, lit" image as a sample:

That way, instead of low, dim lighting. It's basically, none, or barely ambient lighting.