[SM] "Dark Room" Effect With Lights In The Room (And Light Following Samus)

[Mar99troid]

Hello, I'm wondering how to do this dark room effect with lightbulbs shown in this video, because I think I would really need it for my own hack.
MST kinda tries to explain it, but I didn't really understand anything (probably because the explanation was lacking any details). Why are the blocks shown here becoming blue, how do I change transparency levels of layers and how do I make BG 2 appear in front of solid blocks in the first place?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkPvURb2nAU (12:30)

Also I think there was a simular effect in another hack where there was a bright circle following Samus around like in Metroid Fusion in the dark sector. You probably need some coding skills for that, but if somebody knows how to pull that off then please try to explain it to me. Maybe BG Layer 2, which I somehow make appear in front of layer 1, has to always follow Samus (match with her coordinates in the room)?

[Moehr]

If you set bg layer2 to not move it will follow Samus (%=0). If layer2 tiles are set to foreground in the tiletable editor (no red square) they will appear in front of layer 1 tiles set to background (having a red square). If layer3 fx is set properly with palette blend you may be able to get layer2 tiles transparent, but I don't know much about the fx layer settings yet. I dont think you would have to do ASM though unless you want to get more complex then that.

[Mar99troid]

If you set bg layer2 to not move it will follow Samus (%=0). If layer2 tiles are set to foreground in the tiletable editor (no red square) they will appear in front of layer 1 tiles set to background (having a red square). If layer3 fx is set properly with palette blend you may be able to get layer2 tiles transparent, but I don't know much about the fx layer settings yet. I dont think you would have to do ASM though unless you want to get more complex then that.

Thanks for explaining how to set layer 2 bg infront of layer 1 tiles! However, when I set the background to not move in X and Y direction it doesn't really "follow" Samus but only stays in the middle of the screen the entire time.

[Mar99troid]

There must be a way to make layer 2 tiles let layer 1 appear "darker", right? Like a dark blue "filter" or something. Everything behind layer 2 (Blocks, Samus, PLMs, ...)  should appear dark. Or vice versa to make layer 2 a "ray of light" if you know how. Both options would help. I'm also open for ways that don't involve layer 2 at all if there are any.

[benox50]

There are 2 transparency with layer 2, one bright and one dark. In smile 2.5 the dark is called ''wacky dark transparency''
They are in FX1 option, scroll the bottom bar to the right to see the drop down options in smile 2.5
You must use a substractive blend, I think wacky dark transparency does that, with a palette blend white color to tell how much RGB to substract.
Less white = less to substract, more white = more to substract.