Metroid Incursion - Original build thread

[Grimlock]

Dang, it kills me that I haven't had the time to finish this MOD/hack.  I'd like to get going on it again soon, can anyone direct me to some title screen editing tutorials? All the areas are complete I just need to edit the title screen.

Thanks.

[Quietus]

There seems to be a tonne of information in the thread you created before.  Is the info there not what you're after?

[Odb718]

If you'd like some help I can try my hand at making a screen for you. Make a mock-up and I'll see if I can make something.
It's been a very long time since I edited in my title screen. I believe I used nesticle to make changes to the tile set and see the changes on screen to make it easy. You might want to look into it.

[snarfblam]

A tile editor with a tile arranger can help in the same way. Tile Layer can do this.

[Grimlock]

There seems to be a tonne of information in the thread you created before.  Is the info there not what you're after?

You're right!  Thanks for the reminder.  I started educating myself with that thread in the past but life got in the way.  I'm going to refresh my memory and hopefully get this MOD finished up.

[Grimlock]

If you'd like some help I can try my hand at making a screen for you. Make a mock-up and I'll see if I can make something.
It's been a very long time since I edited in my title screen. I believe I used nesticle to make changes to the tile set and see the changes on screen to make it easy. You might want to look into it.

Thanks for the offer, I'm going to see if I can figure it out first.

[Grimlock]

Update: I have the title screen completed and have started play testing.  I'm hoping to have this MOD completed and released this weekend.

Final release name: Metroid Incursion

[Grimlock]

(This issue has been resolved)

I'm having an issue with the Ridley boss not showing up.  I have the "toggle level boss" button pressed in on the boss sprite/enemy but the room is empty when I play through the ROM and reach that screen.  If the toggle button is active could there be another reason why the boss wouldn't be loaded? I applied the "generate password tracking data" option in the tools menu.  The Kraid boss does show up and when destroyed the statue functions properly at the Tourian entrance.

I have been play testing on my Kindle fire with a Bluetooth connected game pad. I can do everything except beat the Ridley boss and because of that can not properly playtest through Tourian.


UPDATE: I just play tested with FCEUX 2.2.2 and the Ridley boss is not loading. I verified the boss toggle was active and I used the generate password option... Not sure what to do next...

UPDATE: Problem solved - I did not previously notice that the boss creature acquires a sprite slot like all the other creatures do.  I have a creature is slot ()0 in an adjacent screen which prevented the boss sprite from loading, I changed the sprite slot for the boss to correct the problem. Simple solution to a frustrating problem.

UPDATE: apparently the boss needs to be sprite slot ()0 in order to fully load, in sprite slot ()1 he would just jump, not attack, and when killed would not give a reward for doing so.  I removed all creature sprites in the rooms next to the boss room (just to be sure) and it works properly now set to ()0.

With that figured out I am going to start play testing with the save/wavy ice/mini map patch and see if all is well.

[Grimlock]

Note: Screenshots of final Metroid Incursion added to first post, I'll add a link to the final download after Snarfblam gets back to me on the issues I'm having with the "Metroid Plus.ips" patch.  :cool:

[snarfblam]

I just checked out the more recent batch of screenshots and they are downright sexy. Hopefully it won't be too much of a hassle getting Metroid+Saving worked in there.

[Grimlock]

Thanks, the title text is a little funky with the color variations, I tried changing the colors in tile layer pro but it must be hard coded or something.

[Grimlock]

Metroid Incursion is complete.  I uploaded the IPS zip file to the first post in the thread.  I hope everyone enjoys the final product, it was a long journey getting it finished!   :grin: :razz:

EDIT: I created a thread for Metroid Incursion in the "Completed Stuff" section of the forum.

[Grimlock]

IPS removed. (Post #1 for explanation).  Anyone who tried the first release I would really appreciate your feedback.  Any ideas for changes, or improvements would be great.  I'm probably going to redo the title screen, I'll consider any change requests/ideas for the MOD as a whole.

Thanks

EDIT: Version 1.1 attached

[altoiddealer]

Finished!  Great hack!


[spoiler]Loved basically everything about this hack, except for the long, boring trek back to brinstar after defeating Ridley.  The landscape looked nice but you really need to put some enemies there or something![/spoiler]

After defeating Ridley, at the top of the shaft on the right hand side there was glitched door tiles that basically allowed me to jump into the wall and get permastuck.  Fortunately I had a recent savestate to return to.

I thought I was permastuck in the sewers as well; I would have been if I didn't have Ice beam. I went left from the elevator and bounced into the hole by rolling/dropping from the ledge in the middle of the room.  After getting to the end of this area I learned I needed bombs to continue... and to get back out  :=x:  However, I was able to bait one of those flying guys all the way back to the hole to freeze it and use it as a ledge, so the crisis was averted.

[Grimlock]

Thanks for the feedback Altoid.

I agree about the one area so I modified it as you suggested in your spoiler.  I think I figured out the spot you went through the wall, I changed the graphic/tiles used there which where door tiles.

Regarding the area you bounced through, you could have just shot the sewer grate and the cracked block and just jumped back through to where you came from (no frozen enemy platform required).  I made the grates breakable also.

[altoiddealer]

Oh yeah, duh  :blush:

[spoiler]I found the grate in that room later on, after I had bombs... and forgot that was the same room when I posted here  :cool:[/spoiler]

[MetroidMst]

Played it yesterday, and for a Metroid hack, it was actually quite good. However, things kind of bogged down once I got into Kraids Lair. It had some interesting ideas, but it was painful. I would recommend it on the basis that it is a solid NEStroid hack. Pretty fun, a little bit difficult, and a silly escape.

[Grimlock]

Played it yesterday, and for a Metroid hack, it was actually quite good. However, things kind of bogged down once I got into Kraids Lair. It had some interesting ideas, but it was painful. I would recommend it on the basis that it is a solid NEStroid hack. Pretty fun, a little bit difficult, and a silly escape.

Did you play the plus version or the regular version.  The regular was a little "silly" since I added a little humor in the text that wasn't there in the "plus" version.  As for Kraids area, it's been love hate feedback. I still think the concept (mazish) is a unique idea, I just think it boils down to the players patients.  I like it but then again I'm the creator so I'm biased by nature.  Honestly the majority of the complaints where towards the respawning of the creatures than anything else, I can understand that, still, is a challenge really all that bad, most of the game is pretty easy I'd say.

Thanks for the feedback.

[MetroidMst]

I played the regular version.

I kind of personally expect respawning enemies in Metroid, since that is just what it is. There were some instances of Sidehoppers being placed in such a way that they hit the player coming out of a door, and you can't even move at that point. While that happened in the original, I still hold that it is a terrible thing to have in a hack period. Otherwise, it was still a fun experience. And again, Kraid's area was interesting, just. . . I don't know. Maybe it was the shot blocks that really made me dislike that section.

Also, just out of curiosity, did you design that one section in Kraid's Lair after "The Scream" painting? I only ask because it seems very similar.

[Grimlock]

I know what you mean about avoiding players getting hit when entering a room, I find that lame also and really tried to avoid that.  I did do some last minute tweaking of the enemies, mainly adding a few more here and there.  I must have inadvertently placed one of two too close to a door.  How many times did you experience this?  If I update the game to 1.2 I'll eliminate those placement errors.

The enemy placement in the "plus" version is a little different due to final changes being made after the patch was added, it may or may not have the placement issue.  Your post has been the first to mention it in either the normal or plus versions.

The resemblance to the scream painting is coincidental, though I see what you mean.

Thanks again for the honest feedback.

[MetroidMst]

From what I remember, I think it was just a couple of instances in Ridley's Lair where it happened. I will have to make a note to look when I edit my video(s) of it together later.

[Grimlock]

From what I remember, I think it was just a couple of instances in Ridley's Lair where it happened. I will have to make a note to look when I edit my video(s) of it together later.

Thanks, I'll probably do a play through in an emulator with Editroid open in the background and look for the placement errors if I start on a v1.2, if you come across any errors let me know and Ill make note of them.

Have you tried the plus version?  Snarfblams map hack and wavy ice is pretty cool and adds to the game play.  If not to play through the whole game, it would be worth while to check out in game.

I've considered making an extended version of the hack, adding new areas, spreading out the items, and tweaking the existing areas enough to make it worth while to play through again for players who already played the original.  Not sure though if I'll commit to that yet, if I did though I'd probably tweak the level design to address some of the design disagreements while still keeping elements of the original intent, such as lightening up on the areas you pass behind the graphics in Kraids area but keeping some of the maze element to it.

I've also considered starting a second New hack, unrelated to the first.

[Kitsune_Phoenix]

I think people are working on hacks to allow wall-jumping, Springball, crouching, mid-air morphing and possibly even aiming down. However, aside from the wall-jumping one (which is somewhere here on MetConst) I have no proof that any of the other things I mentioned have actually been made to work in M1. However, you could still consider looking those things up to see if they could be added to Incursion 1.2.

[Quietus]

I have no proof that any of the other things I mentioned have actually been made to work in M1.

Drakon posted a video in his thread just six lines down from this thread. :razz: