Super Metroid: Janus Incident

[Drathian]

Greetings to Metroid Construction,

My introduction:
[spoiler]
I am a minor old time rom hacker, and pc game hacker (my most famous mods was for LOTRBFME1), known first looooooooooong time ago as Cecil765, then Dracul, and finally Drathian.  Only one of my rom hacks I think has made it to TOSEC (Castlevania Red-scale), one co-hack published on another site (BS Zelda Soul Calibur Hack by Duke and I), the rest of my hacks have fallen into disarry due to the closure of my once popular website.  I had a website known as Demon Castle Dracula (Daemonschlossdracula in german), it was a rom hacking collection website sorta like this one though not as popular set to primarly CastleVania hacks (both mine and others), though i had some metroid content on it as well.  It also had this really cool floating animated metroid bouncing around in the browser window and some other html gimmics.  Unfortunately my site has had its share of problems.  Back in the 90s, when i was a teenager and less mature, I had made some enemies and they reported my first site to the webhost which closed it geocities, threatened a dmca, and killed my main email address at the time, costing me a lot of headache. I reopened the website on a german hoster, until it became shutdown due to the closure of de.geocitices.  Finally my last website lasted up until the end of 2014 when I was asked to take it down by a private party... under private conditions.

As far as romhacking, wow it has come a long way since the late 90s.  I was working hacks when tilelayerpro and yychr were still brand new.  So you younglings don't know how good you have it lol -kidding (i figure some of you are actually my age or older even so that was in jest)  I used to hang around the interwebs with a few famous rom hackers, like Thaddeus and Redrum, its been a while.

I know hex editing, compiling, decompiling, tile editing, palette editing as far as rom hacking methods go.  I could do assembly but I doubt it as I have sloppy coding habits.

Metroid Hacking:

Ok my metroid hacking was not welcome at romhacking forums and reading through It appears they still have rules that I don't intend to break.  This leaves me with a bit of dilemma, as I have some projects I'm preparing to work on, but I figure at least one or two of them are not welcome here either for *nudity*

My Metroid hacks:
[spoiler]topless and nude metroid on nes with three different hair colors, began work on a gba nude project for zero mission[/spoiler]

I do know of a site that accepts this kind of rom hacking content, but the stuff there is a bit extreme, I want artistic freedom, but don't want to be a total freak/jerk/werido like the hacks there, so I'm in a bit of pickle on how to share hacks, demos, releases, heck even screenshots.

I have noticed the incorporation of some artistic nudity in some hacks here (much like the original jap release would have had). Here is where my mini-request comes into place.  Is it likely that some kind person, perhaps even the author themselves (I think it was Grime maybe?, i know a few other of their usernames but i'll leave it at that), let me have access to the ips for the current nudity in super metroid, heck whatever metroid.  I could do it myself but I hate wasting time repeating others work, when i have some level design etc that i'd rather be working on.  I've made some hacks on nes, snes, gba, psx, ps2, xbox, wii, etc, so whatever content is welcome.  I also have a hobby of collecting data on the net of things that are rare -er (of course legal) that get lost in the cracks of time, and afaik some of this stuff has already been lost forever especially with romhacking.

My website may reopen, a version of it if (besides that awful outdated blog), if anyone thinks it would be worthwhile, i just need to really pay attention to legal compliance this time.

Notwithstanding that request, I do plan on making some more interesting projects down the line on metroids of multiple console types, if the community will have me, so will you?  And to moderators, how would you like to handle this dilemma with a style of hacking that can sometimes lead to controversy? ie: what is allowed not allowed in screenshots, videos, and releases regarding this matter.

Thank You,
-Drathian
[/spoiler]

Current Project:
Super Metroid - The Janus Incident
Features & *Goals:

• Samus's Nemesis - Dr. Justine Bailey
• Timed Play
• level and layout changes
• Mechanic Change: Samus goals to lose suit armor (trapped in it initially)
• *Mechanic Change: More and not just intro text cutscreens
• Boss fights are proceeded by Miniboss for "items" each time
• *text dialogue

Samus Aran finds herself traveling through the vast void of space.
In a dark, cold, sector of the universe, she passes a research center
that seems oddly familiar. As she charts a course to another sector, and
another bounty, a distress message reaches her ship.

"This is Captain Charon Vox, head of security for Janus Corporation.
We are in dire need of assistance.  This is a matter of vital importance.
If you receive this message, you could be our last hope."

As the message began to fade, Samus set a path toward the hauntingly
familiar Janus Corporation.  Her future course set to directly intersect with
the path of the newest ally of the Galactic Federation, she was also
on a collision course with the remnants of a hidden past.

Ultimately Samus will be forced to choose the face that seals her fate.

[Quietus]

In short: You're making a hack involving nudity. Is this OK?

I think that for the most part, it's going to depend on the degree. Having the player character nude isn't likely to cause major problems (I expect one for Super would be welcomed, simply because it is a resprite). Having nudity as your hack is entirely different. Having blatant naked chicks lining the areas, tiles, or backgrounds is likely to be considered pr0n, and therefore unacceptable.

[Drathian]

I was planning to have nudity as part of the mod, but not be the central theme, namely player character, (no i'm not going to put nude tapestries, paintings, strippers, ladys of ill repute stuff like that)  But the nudity i I wish to include will be story driven and have reason for it, while when i was a teenager and today even I am a fan of nudity and fan service; if you aren't you are either a prude or a liar lol, I also want this patch to take a different approach and to make a point and not be the central theme, though part of the game mechanics will require something like it.  I would like it to touch on some sci-fi horror themes, some things controversial- something nintendo would be uncomfortable doing for sure.  I don't want to reveal too much of my project idea just yet, I'm on storyboarding and figuring out what mechanics I will need to modify to get it to work.  I have done some projects in the past, I do have the skill and importantly time to get this off the ground.  I haven't felt inspired before, is why my hacks have mainly been limited in nature.  My castlevania hacks were more impressive albeit then my metroid ones, but I learn from each project.

Plus I think some of my ideas if implemented successfully will be useful to other people's projects as well.

Depending on the popularity of my project I obviously can make a pg-13 version as well, for those that like the concept but aren't fully comfortable.  I'm just putting out my feelers to see what the community is like.  So I can decide if making this is worthwhile, (ie anyone would actually play it, or be able to get it even).

Like I said, there is a sorta sister site of romhacking that goes deep into the controversial, but some of it goes too far, and lacks real substance, no offense to the author of that site, I understand the reasoning for it, and agree with it existing.

Sorry, if I seem overly cautious but I'd rather be then break rules or get me or anyone else in trouble.  Knowing how the media is, I'd rather not draw too much attention to my project either,  resulting in a probable C&D, and perhaps harassment from inside/outside of the community.

[Quietus]

At least you did the right thing in asking first. :^_^:

As I mentioned above, your reasons are not really the issue - content is. Ultimately, you'll need to let us know how much there'll be, and how in-your-face it is going to be. It's impossible for us to say it'll be OK otherwise. Is it just smutty text? Is it just the player character? Are there actual images planned?

There's always the other option: Release it with clear warnings to those that can then choose not to try it. Just don't fill your creation thread with pr0n either. :grin:

[begrimed]

Awesome, we gots us an oldie! I'm the one who made the naked Samus dying animation. I'm not sure if I ever actually made a patch that applies only the nude death, but I made one that un-applies it. Either way, I just now made one for you ("Samus_Death_Nude.ips"), and have attached both of them to this post.

I think nudity in hacks is fine, even a whole lot of it if it fits the atmosphere, as you said. If a hack has a close-up of Samus floating naked in a healing tank in the intro, or she just runs around the whole game naked or something, that's all cool. I don't see the problem with stuff like that. Same goes for blood and violence. You are not restricted to the original game's rating. The people who don't want naked hacks will simply not play them, or they'll use the PG version.

Actually perverted and porny stuff might not go over so well. We've had a lot of people here who are really young. Aside from some swearing occasionally, this place is generally kept pretty clean for that reason, and because Nintendo probably knows about us by now (hi). There's nobody telling you that you can't make pervy stuff, but definitely expect it to be handled way differently, and treated even more differently. It likely won't be allowed to be hosted here directly (you'd need to use your own dropbox or something), and any screenshots or videos of it would need to be censored, spoilered and marked very obviously as mature content.

There are also people who will straight-up hate your hack immediately because of the nudity, no matter how good it is, and probably judge your character for it. Be prepared for genuine anger, lol.

If you're still unsure about whether something can go up, just PM it to me and we'll figure it out.

[Drathian]

Grimm, thank you, I'm sure some people will appreciate that censor one as well.   Maybe good for people that play metroid around other people too!

I'm going to get a basic synopsis hopefully today, I have a friend who is a writer that is already onboard the project, he's weary of being credited for it so think more ghostwriter i suppose.

I have some ideas that I would like to express for the project, however my writing sometimes is confusing and not grammatically the best either.  So to express what I want too effectively I'm going to get together and will post back soon.

This will be a more plot centered hack, which will create its own challenges and benefits.

And no its not outrageous pervy stuff, or even really fan service like.  I just wanted to incorporate some ideas and themes that nintendo wouldn't go for but could make for a good story.  I'll update everyone here on it in a bit, sorry for being cryptic i just want to do it justice in the description.

Also I'm prepared that some in the community won't like it, not so worried about that as I will have two versions which should help,  here's hoping i don't make it too popular and end up on Kotaku.... geez.

[Zero One]

To be honest, I think as long as you stop short of outright just posting porn on the board, we don't really give a shit. An NSFW tag on your thread will be sufficient; anybody who ignores that and complains about it can sod off.

[snarfblam]

I don't know why you seem loathe to mention sites by name, but if your hack has a little more depth than nazi dick mario bros, I think it would be tolerated at RHDN. I could be wrong, but there are no rules there regarding obscenity, though forum threads should probably be tagged with [NSFW]. It sounds like you want to do something a little more thoughtful that the typical fare on baddesthacks, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't appreciate your work.

[Drathian]

Update:

I now have a working title and direction for the project.  Initially I planned to do something like in the movie Aliens with Ripley, going to call it something like Metroid Incubation  However after talking about it I have something even more interesting idea up my sleeve.  This will require at least one asm change, unforunately, but i'm going to work on it like that change is already in progress.  Ideally I'll want a game with timed consequences, minibosses after boss fight guarding the items,  more cutscreens and not just the initial one, Losing the armor progression (suit is malfunctioning) = abilities changes,  as well as hopefully (but more unlikely) text dialogue feature.  I'm not ready to reveal part of the story yet as i'm fine tuning it, with help, soon...

[sm cory]

most of the things you are explaining, I was already working on it other then the jb suit. I will PM you my progress and maybe we can work together on something! if that's cool with you...

[Drathian]

Update:  Sorry for the lack of updates, but i had a major hardware failure, while I do have backups of everything its taking quite some time and I'm waiting on parts.  sm cory, let me know how your project goes I'm interested in a few things I haven't had a chance to look directly at the editor yet, so i wasn't sure if the suits (regular, varia etc) are full sprites for each of the 3 of them, or simple color palette swipes, which would be important for me to know for design purposes.  I do have some of the script written and ready, and ideas for most of the mechanics changes.

I don't really want to to a total nude hack for the main mod I'm working on, more of a topless one at some point in the story, but i'll probably create a full nude one as a side project for other people to utilize for whatever.

My main issue at the moment is fixing the computer.  I have terabytes of data to move, and a very complicated setup with raid disks, multiple partitions, disk formats, junctions, links etc plus dual booting... that i  need to get up and running in the next few days, which means it will be at least a week before i'm free of this setup issue.  But i have not forgotten about this project and am still enthusiastic about it.

Thanks everyone for your patience!

Off topic, in the meantime i have picked up a cool justin bailey version 1 repro cart, its fun, I know i shouldn't support too much of that kind of thing (that can be kind of a racket, and mod authors lose out on it) but it feels so cool to get a snes game again these days basically new!   If anyone is interested i could easily post some pics of it from my phone in the meantime let me know. :)

[Jet3rd]

Is this project dead? I hope not.

[Drathian]

No its not dead, on hiatus atm.

I was having a lot of trouble getting the character sprites to do what I was hoping for.  I may have to backscale some on the losing armor features, as the suits appear to be mostly palette swaps.  Not to mention waiting for that improved editor to come out would accelerate development.  I find that level design is easier then sprite editing & ASM work.

I may do a spinoff mod that is easier in the near future. I want this one to be my modding/romhacking legacy.

Even with Assembly patches aside i can still make this an interesting mod.

+I also wasn't sure if anyone was interested outside of the discussed sprite change controversy.  Thank you for your feedback and support.

[Jet3rd]

Glad to hear that! I actually think that your idea of a hack is really cool and it sounds like it would be fun to play through. I'm not experienced enough to help you but may I know what your using for the editing of sprites?

A spinoff mod sounds cool.