Zelda 1 Redux / The Legend of Zelda Redux

[iridium_ionizer]

To belabor the point, and because I just wanted to make a few that were actually SUBTLE, here are a few more.

Shadow, skinny, stocky, tall.

It seems like you have plenty of options and the decision making process is well underway. Best of luck.

Whatever ones of mine you don't use I will probably use in my upcoming tree-themed ROMhack The Legend of Arboles: The Branch to the Root.

[ifightdragons]

#3 or #7

Or A (Shadow) for the suggestion above me by iridium_ionizer.

[Supergamerguy]

Less is more here. The more you have to search the better. Add an optional patch for something more obvious. I also like bogaa's flute idea, that would be pretty cool.

The more you have to search? Might as well play the original game at that point.

To elaborate, I think #2 is the perfect balance between subtlety and function, where you dont notice it right off the bat when changing screens, but it's still easily visible for all players on all means of gaming (crts, emulation, etc.)

[line2666]

The bombable cracks right now are obvious to novice and veterans alike, so to match I guess I'd stick with #2... Although iridium_ionizer (skinny) model is good alternate in keeping with the bush style.

If the bomb hints took some searching, then I'd use iridium_ionizer (shadow) model.


I should try some of these mockups in-game and try creating some type of comparison gallery.

[Pleiades7]

Let me know what you guys think, and if any of those look good for implementation.
Vote by numbers:
0 is obviously the original tree so it doesn't count.
1 (Danny/Shadic), 2 (My new mockup), 3 , 4, 5 (Iridium's) or 6 (my original dry tree).

I made another one just for shits and giggles, this will be #7:

2 is the best, hands down, without a doubt. Perfect in every way  Good job 

[AdamDravian]

I could be wrong, but wouldn't be surprised if some of the votes for 3 were actually intended for 2. I think it'd be an easy mistake to make since 2 is the third picture.

[ShadowOne333]

Huh I wasn't expecting my mockup to be actually that well received lol
I did a test in-game with a slightly more retouched #2 mockup and this is how it looks:



If most people are okay with it, I might make this the burnable tree then.

[Shadic]

Yeah, I'm fine with that. Debate comes down to differing philosophies of if the bushes should be secrets, or a lock-and-key. I'm honestly more in the latter camp myself.

Looks good.

[ifightdragons]

Looks very good.

[SimplyDanny]

Huh I wasn't expecting my mockup to be actually that well received lol
I did a test in-game with a slightly more retouched #2 mockup and this is how it looks:



If most people are okay with it, I might make this the burnable tree then.

I honestly think this looks the best, took me a moment to realize which one was different.

[Supergamerguy]

I honestly think this looks the best, took me a moment to realize which one was different.

Same, this is the perfect blend of subtlety and crypticness that could fool both veterans and novices alike, while also allowing for those with a keen eye to take advantage of the situation. Keep up the good work!

[CaptainHIT]

Just a sidenote, wouldn't it be more approperiate to call the Magical Sword as the Master Sword instead?

[gzip]

Same, this is the perfect blend of subtlety and crypticness that could fool both veterans and novices alike, while also allowing for those with a keen eye to take advantage of the situation.

This is a ridiculous notion. Anything beyond a few pixels is going to stick out like a sore thumb to anyone who pays even the smallest attention to detail, even if you missed it the first time.

It really does come down to a difference in philosophies. This changes a fundamental game mechanic. The discovery component is completely removed. The challenge in that regard is gone.

Now it comes down to an argument of aesthetics because the difference between option 2 and the original stump is pretty much nil as far as discovery and gameplay is concerned. The masses want ease. No surprise.

Ok, I'm done beating a dead horse. Rant over. 

[Supergamerguy]

This is a ridiculous notion. Anything beyond a few pixels is going to stick out like a sore thumb to anyone who pays even the smallest attention to detail, even if you missed it the first time.

It really does come down to a difference in philosophies. This changes a fundamental game mechanic. The discovery component is completely removed. The challenge in that regard is gone.

Now it comes down to an argument of aesthetics because the difference between option 2 and the original stump is pretty much nil as far as discovery and gameplay is concerned. The masses want ease. No surprise.

Ok, I'm done beating a dead horse. Rant over. 

Well not everybody has played Zelda 1 over 50 times like veterans have. I get that those who have played the game extensively will know where the entrances are based on a combination of past knowledge and visual distinction, but if the Tree is close enough to the original sprite (like #2), it still has the chance to fool those who are actively in battle with enemies while trying to find an entrance. But that is just personal preference on my part....

However, if you want the "challenge" of discovery, you might as well just play the original game in that regard. The "challenge" is just burning or bombing everything in sight, which (imo) is what the Redux hack is trying to fix.

[ShadowOne333]

Ease up, everyone
If you guys don't like either the cracked walls or the burnable tree sprites, they can easily be removed with a 2 byte change in the code.

Simple as that, I think even the Dungeon walls can also be removed in the same vein, so just a couple byte changes and you can have the original secrecy of the game, for those that do want it.

For restoring the Dungeon walls to the original "hidden" tiles:
https://github.com/ShadowOne333/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Redux/blob/master/code/redux.asm#L306

Starting there for Dungeon Walls:

Code Select Expand

Line 314 - Change both $58 and $59 to $DE
Line 320 - Change both $5A and $5C to $DC
Line 317 - Change both $5B and $5D to $DD
Line 311 - Change both $5E and $5F to $DF

To restore the Overworld cracked walls and the burnable tree to original "hidden" tiles:
https://github.com/ShadowOne333/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Redux/blob/master/code/redux.asm#L339

Code Select Expand

Line 339 - Change $54 and $58 to $D8 and $C4, respectively

That's all that's needed

[ifightdragons]

This is a ridiculous notion. Anything beyond a few pixels is going to stick out like a sore thumb to anyone who pays even the smallest attention to detail, even if you missed it the first time.

It really does come down to a difference in philosophies. This changes a fundamental game mechanic. The discovery component is completely removed. The challenge in that regard is gone.

Now it comes down to an argument of aesthetics because the difference between option 2 and the original stump is pretty much nil as far as discovery and gameplay is concerned. The masses want ease. No surprise.

Ok, I'm done beating a dead horse. Rant over. 

The challenge of burning every single bush in the game? That sure was a fun challenge.

No, but honestly, I understand where you're coming from. But you're free to play without these changes nonetheless. 

[ShadowOne333]

Don't fight over it, guys
I already did an optional patch for this:
https://github.com/ShadowOne333/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Redux/commit/15e51396092aff3f8dba8322108f4d11af5125b2

I also kept the original dry tree sprite I made in there just for archival purposes, so it can easily be added back if people want to have the more obvious burnable tree sprite.

[Supergamerguy]

Don't fight over it, guys
I already did an optional patch for this:
https://github.com/ShadowOne333/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Redux/commit/15e51396092aff3f8dba8322108f4d11af5125b2

I also kept the original dry tree sprite I made in there just for archival purposes, so it can easily be added back if people want to have the more obvious burnable tree sprite.

Thank you ShadowOne for clearing that up!

[EthansDreamLand]

I know you are busy working on the romhack and that people were arguing over the bush, but is it okay to have a optional patch be like the middle version of your suggested bushes?

[ShadowOne333]

I know you are busy working on the romhack and that people were arguing over the bush, but is it okay to have a optional patch be like the middle version of your suggested bushes?

I could, yeah, but then some people might want a specific sprite over the current one, then another one, and then another, and so on, and tbh I really don't have the time nor desire to be making custom tree sprites ad-infinitum for each possible or submitted sprite.
I'm already stretching it by having my old tree sprite in there, even if as dummy data.

What you can do is download YY-CHR, and open up the file called "OverworldAssets.bin" inside /code/gfx with YY-CHR.
Then set "Graphic format" to 2BPP NES, and "Pattern" to FC/NES x16, then you can easily edit the tree sprite pixel by pixel to match whichever you want. Then save, and simply click on the "make.bat" file to compile everything.

Also, there's still the Link's Awakening GFX to address for the new tree, if someone wants to tackle that one based on the one I did, go ahead. The current tree sprite for the LA GFX is inside /code/optional/la_gfx02.bin



Outside of that, I found a way to squeeze some extra tiles for the title screen. Just around the same ones in amount as with the extra graphics for Dungeons and Overworld. I decided to tackle something easy and went with adding the Famicom subtitle of "THE HYRULE FANTASY" to the Title Screen, just for shits and giggles.
Let me know what you guys think could be a good way to implement it: