Super Metroid SNES Custom Box Art

[MetroidMst]

Yet another goal for hackers, to get a cover done for their hack by the expert. It is nice to see this done because it is just about as close to "real" a hack can get.

[Riffman81]

Yet another goal for hackers, to get a cover done for their hack by the expert. It is nice to see this done because it is just about as close to "real" a hack can get.

I don't know about being an expert, but thanks!  :^_^: I started making covers a few years back because I enjoyed the feeling of being able to play hacks and unreleased games on my SNES. Emulation is great, and it has turned a whole new generation onto classics like Super Metroid. But being able to play these games on the real console is where it's at for me... and having some nice art work to go along with those great hacks/unreleased games is icing on the cake.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Parabox]

It would also be pretty awesome if you could change the logos of Nintendo etc, if you want it to say Licensed by Metroid Construction and MetConst Seal of Approval. Just an idea for the lot of you out there still working on your hacks.

[Riffman81]

It would also be pretty awesome if you could change the logos of Nintendo etc, if you want it to say Licensed by Metroid Construction and MetConst Seal of Approval. Just an idea for the lot of you out there still working on your hacks.

The cart above is my own personal cart... made to look authentic.  But I'd have no issue doing custom logos for those interested with future hacks.

[advancedpillow]

I hope the powers that be don't mind me bumping this thread. I figure it's worth it though because carting some of the hacks from this site is of very high personal internet to me. Perhaps it is to some other people too? Actual new Super Metroid games flashed on a cart is like a dream come true to my inner child. I cannot believe that this is even possible to begin with. It's like my birthday 1994 again! But I digress...

Riffman, I ordered Super Metroid Redesign several weeks ago from a website that does this and it looks like they are using your designs for the label and box art. Congrats! I guess it's official. A simple google search and you're bound to find the site I'm talking about.

I can't remember who off the top of my head, but someone requested in this thread that they wished they had Terranigma on an actual cart. They have that to. Again, just do a google search; I'm sure that will lead you in the right direction.

Perhaps getting your hack on a cart could be the ultimate final step in your artistic creation? I know once I am finished with my hack, I am definitely doing this. Thought you'd all appreciate the info, if you didn't already know.

EDIT: I've uploaded my own version of Eris boxart. I was planning on using this for myself without uploading here, but I thought what the hell.





The illustration of Samus was done by Ivan Flores. I've credited him on the box and label. Here is his deviant art site, he's got some pretty amazing stuff there and a few more of Samus.  http://transfuse.deviantart.com/

I spent a lot of time trying to get the small print stuff on the back accurate according to my own Super Metroid box. The SNES template I had wasn't 100% accurate to the SM layout. Also, I got rid of the rating since the original was before the ratings board existed. Still, I was tempted to put an M rating there.

The copy on the back cover is based off of DMantra's own description listed here in this thread. I took the liberty of adding a bit more flourishes to notch up the tension. It is as follows.

"Eris Station. Situated under the cold planet's surface, Galactic Federation researchers endure the harsh environment motivated by sheer awe to explore and study the ruins of an ancient Chozo civilization.

Of all Chozo settlements still intact, Eris contains the most, neither destroyed by time nor vandalized by Space Pirates — a marble shrine; the Sacred Grounds of Ethos; an ancient laboratory; a crystal cavern graveyard; a monolithic phazon tree brimming with life, hollowed out by the very same biodiversity it sustains. Life and society seem to have flourished here for countless cycles. But nothing lasts forever.

Something terrible has happened to the research teams. Not a single update has been transmitted in nearly a half cycle.

Enter Samus Aran. Only she can uncover the mysteries that lay buried deep beneath the frozen surface of Eris and confront the lethal forces that have laid dormant until now."

Obviously, feel free to use this. I have hi-res, 300dpi, files if you want them too.

[Quietus]

I won't say too much here, because it doesn't need to be said (again), but selling ROMs is exactly the sort of thing that makes companies like Nintendo go on a crusade to close everything down. :eyeroll:

[advancedpillow]

Ah, I was so excited about this prospect I didn't even realize what I was promoting here. However, this seems like gray territory--it could be argued you're not buying roms, you're buying the physical labor of putting a rom on a cart? That being said, the last thing I want to do is argue. If you think providing this link to buy backups for your carts...:wink:...is still a problem let me know and I will gladly remove all references to it.

Edit: I went ahead and remove the references anyway. I'll be damned if I'm going to bring any negative attention to this site or the other one. Apologies for providing the link in the first place.

[Quietus]

It's not so much that you've done anything wrong, as you're just providing other people, with similar interests, a link to something, but the guy who is distributing the ROMs is doing wrong.  Charging for them as well is just compounding the problem.

On a more personal note, I think they guy should clearly state that he's not charging for the 'games', but it charging for his time in creating the packaging / cart, as I'm sure most hackers here are creating the hacks because they love the game, and are happy that they can freely distribute them (the patches).  Somebody making money off it seems a bit shitty.

[advancedpillow]

I know what you mean and I largely agree. If there was (is there?) a free way to get a hack to a cart, I'd prefer that. And even more so, I would rather give a hack's creator the cash if he or she could cart it, and if a transaction is absolutely necessary. But as this is the only option I am faced with if I want to play these hacks on my SNES, then I'm stuck paying up.

[Quietus]

(is there?) a free way to get a hack to a cart

Well, yes and no. :^_^:  You can just do what this guy's doing yourself, so it'd be free from labour costs, but you'd still have to pay for the equipment to do so.

[advancedpillow]

I could do this myself? It's not magic?!  :whoa:  It would pay for itself in the long run. However, I don't know how or where to get the material that I would need to utilize in order to do this. Time to Google....

[Riffman81]

Riffman, I ordered Super Metroid Redesign several weeks ago from a website that does this and it looks like they are using your designs for the label and box art. Congrats! I guess it's official. A simple google search and you're bound to find the site I'm talking about.

I'm well aware of this site using my covers. Truth is, almost every cover there is mine. The guy that runs the site in subject did ask for my permission to use them, and I told him that would be fine, as most of the covers I made were already uploaded to another cover making site. That must have been how he found them in the first place. I've had a few friends get carts made from this guy and he's pretty fair with his prices, and the carts I've seen of his are top quality. I'm not going to get into the debate about making repro carts... but i will give my opinion on the subject.

Let's face it... nothing beats playing new SNES games on real hardware, with real box art... just like it's 1991 all over again. Sure, we can buy SNES flash carts (And most I've tested have major issues with running certain ROMs) but for me, it's just not the same. I don't see what the big deal is with people making a fuss about reproduction games. We're talking about games that are rapidly approaching 20 years old. Look at all the NES and SNES system clones out there... Hell, I make reproduction carts myself, as I've said several times on this forum, and it takes time and costly materials to do quality work. This guy has been doing this for over 5 years now, and Nintendo does know of his actions, as many have reported him in the past and it's gone nowhere. I believe if they were going to do something, it would have been done long ago. I approve of what this guy does, it gives us old school gamers a chance to get our favorite hack on actual SNES hardware. The people that frown upon this just ruin it for those that do like getting these carts and playing them. However, it is their right to not approve of what this guy does.

Now, if you want to put your favorite SNES ROM hacks on cart... there are many things you need to know, but if you learn to do it yourself, it'll save you some cash. First, you have to know what carts will work with the ROM image you are trying to reproduce. You can't just slap Super Metroid Eris on a Super Mario World cart, not all SNES carts have the same boards when you open them up. Second, you'll need an EPROM burner and that can get quite costly as well. You'll also have to find and order the blank ROM chips you'll need to burn the image to. Now, figure in the costs of quality paper for labels, printer ink, soldering iron, universal game cases for cover art, old SNES carts, etc... and your looking at even more cash. Hacks like Super Metroid Redesign also require special chips due to the ROM being expanded. You'll have to pay close attention to what chips your using. In theroy, you might be thinking of using a Super Metroid cart for reproducing a super metroid hack... and in some cases, this could work if the ROM hasn't been altered in size. But as I said already, hacks like redesign are larger then the original, and require more work. Also, I use mostly old sports titles like Madden and NBA Live '95 that I find on evil-bay, yard sales, and flea markets for $1. I wont destroy an original Super Metroid cart or other classics like Mega Man or Zelda to make a cart for a ROM hack. I can't go into great details about how to build these things, and as I've said in the past, I do it for my own personal collection. However, if you really want to make carts, then do some searching on google. I remember a few years ago finding a document explaining in great detail the entire process.

It takes time, trial and error to make these things, and parts are getting harder and harder to find. I would just save the cash and have the gentleman at game reproductions make them for you, but it's your call. You may find more satisfaction in making them yourself... but remember, time is ticking, and as I said, parts are getting hard to find.

EDIT: BTW, nice cover art for Eris!! I like the text for the title, wish I had came up with that. Good Job.

[Quietus]

I approve of what this guy does, it gives us old school gamers a chance to get our favorite hack on actual SNES hardware. The people that frown upon this just ruin it for those that do like getting these carts and playing them. However, it is their right to not approve of what this guy does.

The large majority of people agree with you.  It's the companies that own the copyrights that frown upon it, especially when their games are now available for purchase again through things like Xbox Live, the PSN, and Wii Ware, since they're then losing out on a legitimate sale.  It's all about copyright, which is why we distribute hacks in .ips format, and not just the edited ROM.  It's a shame, but that's just how it is.

[Lunaria]

I think you need to do some research on the therm of sale Quietus, it actually means selling a copy.

People who really do care a lot about huge video game collection on the original hardware like this will most certainly not fancy a digital distribution as a replacement for a hard copy of it. And as it's not a replacement for it you get, you will most likely not buy a digital copy for that reason, which in turn means that there was not a lost sale in the first place.

Not to mention, the huge collector fans are also the most likely user base to buy the darn re-releases of their favorite titles in the first place! :P

[Zhs2]

This guy has been doing this for over 5 years now, and Nintendo does know of his actions, as many have reported him in the past and it's gone nowhere.

Wow. Are some people butthurt, or what? :O_o:

[Quietus]

I think you need to do some research on the therm of sale Quietus, it actually means selling a copy.

The term 'sale' is not restricted to any one format.  Music is a prime example, having largely moved toward digital distribution.  They're still sales, and while companies can still get sales from a large number of people by distributing them as downloads, they're not going to cater for the tiny minority that would prefer actual cartridges / whatever.

People who really do care a lot about huge video game collection on the original hardware like this will most certainly not fancy a digital distribution as a replacement for a hard copy of it. And as it's not a replacement for it you get, you will most likely not buy a digital copy for that reason, which in turn means that there was not a lost sale in the first place.

While this may be true - as in they wouldn't like a digital copy, so choose not to buy one at all - they're such a tiny minority that I can see why any copyright owner might ignore it.  Anyway, I'm not talking about the loss of sales being their gripe; it's the breach of copyright that gets their knickers in a twist.  The reason that they clamp down on people distributing their product is because they still own the copyright, and as long as they do, and can make money from it, in any form, then they are right to protect it.

[Crashtour99]

I have kinda mixed feelings on this issue.  If the guy is selling these carts for the same cost as materials (plus maybe a little extra for time and effort) then that seems fine.  But if he's making a profit from them, that seems pretty disrespectful.  His prices seem awfully damn high, but I don't know how much the materials and equipment cost.
The hackers spend years making these hacks and provide them for free.  Hell, I wouldn't have a problem with him making profits from them if he sent at least half to the hackers.

[advancedpillow]

I regret bringing this up. My objective in my original post was, simply, that it will be a dream-come-true to play the hacks, and other games from his site, on my SNES. The process in making this possible, described by Riffman, sounds like a very time-consuming and expensive procedure. If this person wants to charge me for the service, then I'm fine with that. Because, literally, playing new SNES games on my actual SNES has been a dream of mine since the release of the N64. I am investigating carting hacks on my own. But until then, this is my only option.

The hackers spend years making these hacks and provide them for free.  Hell, I wouldn't have a problem with him making profits from them if he sent at least half to the hackers.

The fact that everyone provides these hacks for free is incredible, overwhelming in a way. I know how much work it takes, how much dedication is required, how much passion one must have--not to mention technical skill. I know that charging for the hacks is kind of against the creed, but, truth is, if this ever did change, I would be more than happy to compensation a hacker for his or her work. Not only because these hacks are, like I said, dreams-come-true (even if I merely play them on an emulator), but also because it could be a small way of saying thanks for taking the time to provide it for us all in the first place. I hope you all take this as a compliment and not a slight on what a hacker stands for. I can't be more thankful than I am for the work that it takes.

I do see both sides on this (perhaps we all see both sides too); however, I didn't mean to start an argument. I do want to specifically mention that I have no sympathy, in this situation, for Nintendo and their copyrights. My loyalty lies with the hackers because, in my opinion, they are essentially Nintendo-from-the-90s now, providing new experiences with the games I've loved all my life. So when I say I see both sides, I'm talking about the hacker compensation versus the site's fees.

EDIT: Thanks, Riffman! The display font I used is Gotham-Black.

[Zhs2]

I have kinda mixed feelings on this issue.  If the guy is selling these carts for the same cost as materials (plus maybe a little extra for time and effort) then that seems fine.  But if he's making a profit from them, that seems pretty disrespectful.  His prices seem awfully damn high, but I don't know how much the materials and equipment cost.
The hackers spend years making these hacks and provide them for free.  Hell, I wouldn't have a problem with him making profits from them if he sent at least half to the hackers.

You can't exactly expect the guy not to try and turn a profit, especially since the cost is part materials and part labor (I'm sure it takes work as well as parts in order to assemble the thing, plus the tools to write the image to the card!) Given that the parts are especially exorbitantly priced, I can certainly expect a guy to want to receive compensation for his work, although given that time is money it's a bit unfair that the hack creators aren't seeing a cent. I guess that's life. :/

It'd probably be cool if he was donating most of his profit to a charity, if not the actual hackers :E

[personitis]

It'd probably be cool if he was donating most of his profit to a charity, if not the actual hackers :E

Or to the site.

[Riffman81]

sigh.... I just knew this would draw attention sooner or later, maybe I should have never said ANYTHING about carting my favorite Metroid hacks?? It looks like the majority is 50/50 when it comes to reproduction games. This wasn't what I had in mind when I made this topic for my custom Super Metroid SNES covers. I'm glad others such as advancedpillow have decided to share covers on this thread. Let's keep it about cover art and not about reproduction carts. We all have different points of view on the subject and we all are entitled to our opinions.

Back on topic, I'm wondering how many of you hackers would like instruction manuals made for your hacks? It's just an idea I've been toying with for some time now... I started making one awhile back for Zelda: Parallel Worlds. I never finished it and basically used the original Link to the Past manual as my base. I did a few test prints and it actually was coming together very nicely. I have been really busy with work, my band, family life in general... I think that's the big reason it never got finished. But if the idea is appealing to any of you, please post and let me know... thinking about it a little more, I guess a manual would really only be of benefit for those who have, or plan on carting their hacks. Either way, I figured since everyone seemed to like the idea of cover art, you might like manuals to go with it. These manuals could also be included as a .pdf file with the initial release of your hack... Like Crys included my covers with the release of Ice Metal.

Just an idea, feel free to share your thoughts. Also, if anyone would like to contribute to the writing of these, or help out in putting them together, then let me know.  :yay:

[Lunaria]

I like the idea of making a manual, and you're free to do so, but I don't have the time or care enough to make it anytime soon. :p

[Zhs2]

sigh.... I just knew this would draw attention sooner or later, maybe I should have never said ANYTHING about carting my favorite Metroid hacks?? It looks like the majority is 50/50 when it comes to reproduction games.

Uh, the questionability is making money off of reproduction carts. The actual making of them is perfectly fine. Anyone who says otherwise is probably going to have their post deleted for not sharing anything of worth in the first place!

[advancedpillow]

Yes, to the manuals. Although I havn't started designing one yet, my plan was indeed to create a few. I also thought about designing strategy guides, as you said, delivered as a pdf, possibly at release or a few weeks after so as not to spoil anything. But that would be a huge project and I can't quite fit that into my schedule as of yet. But it's something I am going to tackle one day soon, for sure.

[Quietus]

We all have different points of view on the subject

I disagree.  I think that almost everybody here would agree that it's fantastic.  It was just the fact that the guy was profiting from it that got a few chins wagging.  The idea itself (producing real cartiridges) is, and, yes, I am about to use the word, so put it in your journals: awesome.

Oh, and walkthroughs would be a great addition to the hacks page.  However, good luck doing a walkthrough for open hacks, like Ice Metal. :heheh: