[Shugo]

EDIT: It's done! Check out a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2knU_8u9VFI and the project page here: http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/1734/

The final version:



Heya, just signed up. Been using this site for ages but never actually got involved or made anything myself until now.

First, some background: Nintendo Life posted their April Fools' joke with something that, as a big Luigi fan, I wished was true: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/04/new_luigi_code_to_provide_a_fresh_take_on_virtual_console_classics

The bolded part in the article, Dr. Luigi, got me thinking: Surely someone had done that before, I mean it's such an obvious switcheroo. Plus I play the 8bit Dr. Mario all the time (I have so many copies of it) and even a little change like that would freshen things up, so I searched for a hack...and came up empty-handed. It also hit me that 'obvious' changes like Pauline as the lead in Donkey Kong only came around this year too.

So, having never messed with romhacking before I grabbed a sprite editor and dove in, thinking this would be simple...and ended up spending my whole morning and afternoon on it before I could call the project 'done'. What an interesting trip that was. Here's the result!



By rom-hacking standards it probably isn't much; I just replaced all of Mario's graphics and the two logos. I put a lot of effort into drawing them, though! I tried not to make Luigi look too 'modern', and even consulted other Luigi sprites from other NES/GB games of the time to keep him looking classic but also not looking too much like Mario. Hey, for a first try I'm feeling pretty good about it!

So is it release-worthy? Do you think I need to tweak something? I was also considering adding a little "Year of Luigi Collection" blurb either above or below the title logo and possibly making this a series of relatively simple (but infinitely awesome) Luigi insertion hacks. What do you think? Let me know!

[Da_GPer]

Ya know, everyone has to start from somewhere. Since this is your first, Id say good job. Besides, it really does look good too.

[Pikachumanson]

Your hack looks nice! Keep up the good work!

[MathUser2929]

Looks like a good sprite edit. I think they would accept this on the main site if you submitted it. But you may be waiting a while for approval. The submission queue dates all the way back to the 20th of last month so you might be waiting for a bit.

[Vanya]

I like this! It's a great start, too. Cheers!
Hmmm... maybe a Dr. Peach hack should be up next?

[ChronoMoogle]

Cool idea and a good way to start!
So the year of the luigi finally had its influence on the romhacking scene lol

[M-Tee]

Maybe think about some palette changes. Nothing drastic and wacky, but for instance Mario's pills, title screen logo, and viruses are all primary colors set against secondary color backdrops. Perhaps Luigi's would all be secondary colors set against primary color backdrops. IMO, a little something to make it feel more like his own game and not him in Mario's game.

[justin3009]

Either way, even as just a beginner hack, this is absolutely beautifully done!

[TRIFORCE89]

So is it release-worthy? Do you think I need to tweak something? I was also considering adding a little "Year of Luigi Collection" blurb either above or below the title logo and possibly making this a series of relatively simple (but infinitely awesome) Luigi insertion hacks. What do you think? Let me know!

That'd be interesting, yes.

Also, this is a nice little companion hack to the Dr. Wario one already on the site.

[Shugo]

Maybe think about some palette changes. Nothing drastic and wacky, but for instance Mario's pills, title screen logo, and viruses are all primary colors set against secondary color backdrops. Perhaps Luigi's would all be secondary colors set against primary color backdrops. IMO, a little something to make it feel more like his own game and not him in Mario's game.

You know, changing pill/virus/background colors is exactly something that crossed my mind while doing this. I figured that the pills/viruses being three primary colors were actually a gameplay mechanic more than just aesthetics, so I didn't bother. I could always make two versions, though. A little more green would definitely make this a Luigi game.

Palette hacking is a new door for me to open entirely, though, so that'll take some more figuring out (though I can't imagine it being hard).

Also, this is a nice little companion hack to the Dr. Wario one already on the site.

Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that as another inspiration for this. I came across that on my hunt for a Dr. Luigi too. Very nice, I always wondered if it was possible on NES (with limited palettes, of course). Sadly that hack doesn't run on my Everdrive, for some reason. (I prefer the real thing over emulators, and you have to admit seeing a cool hack up on a CRT like THIS is 500 times cooler than any emulator.)

[M-Tee]

Palette is a snap. Quicker and easier than graphics actually. Don't think simply like "greening"it up. The original contained very little red actually. Think more of how the colors relate.

[NES Boy]

I'm bumping this topic to say that Nintendo recently announced their own Dr. Luigi game. Here's the trailer and here's the announcement itself.

[Shugo]

Haha yeah, I just saw the Nintendo Direct. It's not an NES edit, though. Which I'm happy for! I loved the WiiWare Dr. Mario and still play it online sometimes.

I never did release this though, did I? I better do that before the Year of Luigi is over.

[Vanya]

Here's an idea. Edit the virus graphics in your hack to match the new virus design in the new game!

[Shugo]

Here's an idea. Edit the virus graphics in your hack to match the new virus design in the new game!

I had the thought to do that right after I submitted it today and now I'm mad at myself.

Maybe I'll add it in n updated version. Should be fun animating them.

[Vanya]

Sounds like a plan! Magicbox had some good quality stills you can use as reference:

http://www.the-magicbox.com/1312/game131218b.shtml

[NES Boy]

If you could hack the music, you could replace Chill and Fever with Cough and Sneeze (A.K.A. Cube and Que Que) from Dr. Mario 64.

[Jorpho]

I never much cared for Cube and Que Que.  (Are they really supposed to be Cough and Sneeze?  That would make a hell of a lot more sense.)  The N64 remixes in general are kind of lacking.

But if there's one think that might be hackable, it's the coda to Fever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=I3deBh9I5uI#t=126

The Game Boy version (which is tragically missing a lot of the NES music) puts this delightful little coda on the end of Fever and it is the sweetest little piece of music I have ever heard from the Game Boy.  Subsequent versions do different things with it.  Perhaps the NES uses a sufficiently-similar music format that the music could be extended?

Anyway, I love what they did with the title music in that trailer.  If I ever learn how to remix, that's what I'm starting with.  (Did you know it bears a striking resemblance to the opening theme of Little Shop of Horrors?)

[Shugo]

All this music hacking stuff is way out of my league, but wow, I never realized the GB Fever had the extra part but the NES one didn't. Like, my subconscious knew it was part of the song but I never realized I wasn't hearing it when I played the NES version. Would be cool to hack it in but again I don't know the first thing about NES music hacking.

[NES Boy]

The extra part in Fever is present in both the SNES version and the Melee remix. The N64 version does its own thing when it comes to the extra part.

Anyway, Cube and Que Que were called Cough and Sneeze in both the GBA version (Dr. Mario & Puzzle Leage) and the WiiWare version (Dr. Mario Online Rx).