Metroid - Lab X (Working title - NES Hack I'm Working On)

[doc_remedy]

I have found so much useful information here in this community that has helped me.  I have hit a few dead ends and wanted to present them here for a remix / hack I've been working on, currently titled Metroid - Lab X

The premise of my hack:  Samus shortly after her mission on Zebes discovers there is a second base that was being built on the large moon of Zebes for cloning and genetic testing of creatures native to Zebes, as well as the Metroid organisms.  The creatures have been genetically modified to be a bit more terrifying.  Find and infiltrate the Mother Brain clone that powers this base before the Space Pirates weaponize the genetically modified organisms.  Log Data: The surface of the moons base seems to have breathable oxygen until entering it's lower levels. 

What I've successfully done:
Sprite redesigns of Samus - plus - During Brinstar (OG area name) her helmet is not active - once descending it mounts
Redesigned the bullets shot out of her gun
Multiple terrain and enemy sprite redesigns. More spikes, More Teeth. More terrifying.
Successfully modded lava in some parts to become water Samus can run through.

Resources used:
Metrandomizer (95% of the map was unusable from multiple export attempts)
IPS patched for Saving + map (except I need to redraw the map data still)
Also added the patch to allow the freeze ray and wave gun to be combined, which was amazing
Editroid 3.7 and 4.0 beta as my main level editor

Troubleshooting I have yet to resolve and would love help with:
Pal Swaps, when Samus dies and respawns in Norfair (I used a Pal Swap before the elevator down) the Pal reverts back to the default instead of staying.

The initial use of Metrandomizer added build data and text to the intro screen, which now won't load in Metroid Title Editor 1.4.  I would ultimately like to redraw and design the entire intro screen but loading it all in Tile Layer Pro of YY-CHR doesn't seem to be the best plan of attack. or I'm missing something here.

I would also love to be able to add custom text to not only the intro screen (for a game story premise before starting) but also would love to add text to certain rooms like done in Metroid Rogue Dawn.

If anyone is able to help that would be great, but I openly admit I'm still a novice at hex and code.  Here are a few screen shots though if any are interested in seeing this!

Metroid - Lab X_screenshot 1_start + sprites
https://www.dropbox.com/s/22asyw08y032p4o/Metroid%20Lab-X_Screenshot_1.jpg?dl=0

Metroid - Lab X_screenshot 2_biomechanical terrain, grass, rocks, animated water tiles
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mycyk1xoglbg6bg/Metroid%20Lab-X_Screenshot_2.jpg?dl=0

Metroid - Lab X_screenshot 3_vertical room redesigns
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bj0egxasc16aqgm/Metroid%20Lab-X_Screenshot_3.jpg?dl=0

Metroid - Lab X_screenshot 4_Norfair terrain + hooks_animated acid tiles, new dragon sprite
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vy7aqpa9q7npmxv/Metroid%20Lab-X_Screenshot_4.jpg?dl=0

------ Hopefully this forum is active and someone can come to my aid! haha

[doc_remedy]

Well I figured out the answers to all my questions on my Own! Haha

I have found 1 bug however.

When you die and continue, all items can be acquired again, including missles and energy tanks which makes maxing them out easier for those who die.

When saving the game and then continuing from a save file slot, you have all items and missles acquired which is great, except you lose all your energy tanks, but the save file slot shows how many you originally had at time of save.

If anyone can help that'd be wonderful. Ty

[doc_remedy]

So that Metroid NES ROM hack I've been working on - Here is a video showcasing more of the game.  Description has lots of info!  Working Demo can be provided for anyone serious about providing feedback!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONbPmgmJxkM

[Metroid3D]

Just wanna say I think this is looking excellent! Looking forward to seeing the final finished product, keep up the good work!

[doc_remedy]

I appreciate the brief review and confidence boost!!!

[Nikoshiba]

That really looks impressive !

[doc_remedy]

Thanks!!!!  I feel like I can make fine tune edits forever and never feel finished  :lol:

[doc_remedy]

Good day, I've gotten some GREAT real world feedback on this ROM hack I was working on, and finalized on a new title, Metroid: Orphan Moon!  I am nearing the end of the hack with only a few things left to iron out and a few minor bugs I'm trying to figure out so I thought I'd post a small little demo!  If anyone wants to try it out, I'd be happy to let you try it an provide more feedback as well!

So with all that said, check out this quick little video!

Metroid: Orphan Moon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14r3gUYm78k

[RT-55J]

Custom music? Color me excited!

When saving the game and then continuing from a save file slot, you have all items and missles acquired which is great, except you lose all your energy tanks, but the save file slot shows how many you originally had at time of save.

IIRC the solution to this problem is to select the "Generate Password Data" option in one of the dropdown menus in Editroid. You need to do it every time you modify the item types/locations. (Hopefully you already found this out.)

[DonnyDonovan]

Whoa.  From that video this looks like a really solid addition to the pantheon of M1 hacks.  Color me excited.

[P.Yoshi]

That video is amazing, Doc! I especially love the new art - the character and the tiles look great!

[doc_remedy]

Custom music? Color me excited!

When saving the game and then continuing from a save file slot, you have all items and missles acquired which is great, except you lose all your energy tanks, but the save file slot shows how many you originally had at time of save.

IIRC the solution to this problem is to select the "Generate Password Data" option in one of the dropdown menus in Editroid. You need to do it every time you modify the item types/locations. (Hopefully you already found this out.)

I have NOT found this!  I will play around with that in Editroid and MANY thanks to you!!!!  So at this stage do I just do that for every "room" that contains an item or just the ones with the E tanks?  EDIT** I spoke too soon typing this and it was solved as soon as I opened editroid.  All I had to do was make a few doors inactive to swap them out for the tanks and items I wants to save!  THANKS!

To everyone else I appreciate the kind words! I am excited for this venture and hope to redo all the custom music in stereo with more sound options as a soundtrack I can also launch!

[doc_remedy]

I appreciate all the help and direction I've come across on this forum here!  I'm nearing the end of doing what I'd like to do for this project but have 2 road blocks that is super annoying me. Hacking the music, Metroid Tuner is super helpful and as a musician it was fairly easy to learn to use but I for the life of me I haven't figured this out.

What triggers boss fight themes to play?  (1) When you are in "Kraid's Lair" and you enter the room to fight Kraid the music changes, I can't find that theme in Metroid Tuner to either edit or how to turn the trigger off even?  Which brings me to (2) The "Mother Brain Theme" that triggers when you enter the command center in Tourian.  For me it DOESN'T trigger on so the music I was going to write for it doesn't play haha

Maybe Metroid Tuner isn't what I need?  Any help and guidance would be wonderful!

[RT-55J]

I forget how this property is edited, but when you click on a screen in Editroid and you see a little musical note in the screen properties, that means that when you enter that screen via a door that the area's secondary song (item room, boss theme, etc) is activated.

I hope that helps. (If not I hope someone else jumps in here.)

[doc_remedy]

Yeah that was the first thing I tried, it typically cues the "creepy music", in the Kraid room the fight theme plays whether I toggle that note icon or not, but u did give me an idea to try.  Maybe that alternate kraid fight theme is somehow hard-coded in that specific room?  Maybe I delete it and create a new room and see if it plays. If so then it has to be somehow linked to Kraid himself.

I will try this and report back! Thanks for the reply btw!

[doc_remedy]

Well I made a series of new roms with different variables on the Kraid room, trying to figure out what triggers the "Kraid Fight Theme" music which I just recently realized is the "Tourian Theme" technically.  I've edited the Tourian Theme and the music IS different in my hack, but fighting Kraid still triggers the original music theme and not the one I made.  So the variables I tested are below. (I'm typing all this as I come closer to solving it to possibly help others that come across it as well.)

variables:
Kept original Kraid room / Made a new room
Toggled the "Creepy Music" icon for the room
Toggled to have Kraid as an enemy (Fake Kraid) or as a Boss (Takes more than 1 missle to kill and rewards missles on death, trigger statue in statue room) and also made a variable to remove all instances of Kraid.

these variables gave me 10 possible combinations and I discovered the trigger.

ANY TIME Kraid is marked as the "BOSS" when you enter the room the music is switched to the Tourian Theme music (the original, not the one I made that plays in MY "Tourian" level. So maybe I'll fine comb through the Tourian Theme banks in MedtroidTuner instead of the Kraid Theme banks to find a copy of the original theme. But I wish I could just turn off the trigger altogether.