[SM] Effective way of blocking areas for demo?

[QuarterCircleMetroid]

Me again.

I plan to release my hack as multiple parts, or demos, much like Cider or Project Base, just versions that ultimately lead up to the final product.

Most demos these days, and even back then, were just full versions of the game but either had a forced time limit or had an area that was blocked off that wasn't in the final game. I want to do that with a few doors that lead deeper into the planet in my hack, but I wonder what would be the most effective way of telling the player that, hey, this is a demo, you can't go here.

I played around with the thought of gray doors blocking off areas but I think that would make the player believe they could be unlocked, thus, effectively wasting their time looking for ways to unlock it. Then I thought about having a wall blocking a door that could be opened were the wall not there, but then that might make the player think they could exit through that door and there might be an item in that little space.

So what would be a good way to block off areas that don't look unnatural and don't make the player think about things that don't exist?

[MetroidMst]

Honestly, the more unnatural the better, because then it is apparent that 1, the player can't go there, and 2, that it won't look that way in the final version.

Another way to do it and keep things looking natural, is to have the door in place, but instead of door tiles behind the doorcap, just make those solid blocks instead. I think the player would get the idea they can't pass through it after running into it and nothing happens.

[Zhs2]

You could remove all doubt with a custom message block, possibly supplied with some assembly needed.

[Digital_Mantra]

Screw demo hacks.. I want something finished.

[QuarterCircleMetroid]

But that's just the thing. While they will be demos, they will also be finished hacks in their own right. Sort of a collection of mini hacks that eventually culminate into the actual, completed & "full" hack whenever that's released.

I think it's a neat idea, but that's of course not enough.  :lol:

[Quote58]

Screw demo hacks.. I want something finished.

I agree. I'd rather just have like, a trailer between now and the full release.

Edit: if you have a bunch of demos leading to a full hack, what would make someone want to play the full version if they have played the demos? And if they don't play the demos before the hack, then whats the point of having them?

[FullOfFail]

Normally I'm against Demos, but maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but I see the potential in this. Make it kind of like a Trilogy, or whatnot, and have each version play a different area of the hack. Then, eventually, you'd play the final product and see how they all tie into eachother. Though, this gets a little complicated when you factor in power-ups. Each version would have to be highly customized. But if you mean more of the standard Demo, I'd just wait off and finish it. It takes years to make a good hack, we all realize that, so we'll never rush you about anything. Just show your hack love.

Edit: Wrote that before you posted, yeah I think we're on the same page. Experiment!

[MetroidMst]

There should be a point in development where a demo is no longer an option. It should only go out to testers. I would say that around 1/5 is the most you would ever want to show in a public demo, and even that might be pushing it. If you do have a demo, it should be short and quickly show why someone would want to play the finished hack, then end. Anything beyond that, and like Shadow said, why bother playing the finished hack? I may revisit it at some point, but I certainly won't be as enthused about the finished hack.

[QuarterCircleMetroid]

I thought about that, and is probably the one thing that's preventing me from actually going through with my original plan. I can't think of a reason why they would want to play the full version after playing the demos, I guess it was just a hope that they do lol.

If anything I'll probably keep this information for any later hacks and just go on with releasing a full version of the current one I'm doing. Regardless of whether or not I'm gonna implement this information, it's still nice to know for future reference.

@FoF, you got what i was going for with the whole trilogy thing. Actually, you got it down EXACTLY what I planned, and with the power ups, since different areas would be opened and the previously explored areas are now closed off, you'll just get different power ups. For instance, in the first "demo" / part, you might get Varia Suit, Morph, Bombs, Super Missiles, and, say, Spazer. Then in the next part / version, you get Gravity, Missiles, and maybe Plasma. And another part would be just the power suit and one or two beam upgrades.

[Quietus]

I guess it would really depend on how you plan to release the different versions.  If you're looking to simply stop players ever going through a door, you can either put obvious solid blocks over the door, which will immediately stand out as 'don't go here' or you could just note the doors you want blocked off, take a backup, flick through those rooms, physically remove the doors, and then release it.

[personitis]

I believe he's talking about doing things the way Minecraft has been built up the way it is. The original (first) release is a completed game in it's own, while each additional release afterword adds more and more content to the hack, kind of like free DLC.

While they will be demos, they will also be finished hacks in their own right. Sort of a collection of mini hacks that eventually culminate into the actual, completed & "full" hack whenever that's released.

Thing is, there's an end goal of having an actual complete hack... which is kind of weird for a game that would continue to add on content after it's initial release.

The best way to go about blocking off inaccessible areas in this scenario isn't really clear though. You could turn any door cap tiles you want closed off for the time into solid blocks (and preferably use the grey door cap) so as to hint that there will be additional features beyond that door at some point. There's also Mst's thought of keeping things looking natural, where when a new version is released, a door suddenly appears where a wall was located. This would effectively hide the new elements but could possibly make it a headache to backtrack for something as basic as a missile.

Though if you're looking for the best way to make sure a player can not access an area in a demo, the ultimate way is to simply not include that stuff in the released demo. Make a copy of the ROM you're working on and delete any content you don't want visable/accessible and release that ROM.

Finally, since you seem to be planning a hack, best of luck to ya.

[QuarterCircleMetroid]

Thanks!

I've gotten a few minor rooms done, like the Gauntlet entrance, and the entrance to the missile before the Wrecked Ship. The Landing Site is still being worked on and will probably be the room with the most changes to it ( since, obviously, it's a big room. Not sure if it's the biggest room, though. ), if not the one with a lot of items.

For a little while I struggled with placing items until I finally understood the whole PLM process and what-not.

In any case, I think I might just make it a mini-hack (or a half hack, my head hurts too much so I'm not too sure on the differences) and release it like that, just to get actual hacking experience in. Then I'll move onto bigger projects.