Super Mario Land 3 Limited Edition Pre-order, new Mario World hack

[Guntz]

I dunno about that. I imagine VB Wario Land would use a lot of colors if it wasn't in red and black, kind of like Super Game Boy games, or Game Boy Color games. Could the SNES even handle the large sprites VB Wario Land uses? Or does the game actually use a small resolution, giving the illusion of large sprites?

... Actually, the Virtual Boy is technically 16-bit I think (or 32-bit, it looks 16-bit though). Maybe VB Wario Land could work on SNES. But what game would you use to make it with? I think Mario World is too limited, even if it can be hacked extensively.

[TheSonicRetard]

The virtual boy is 32 bits, but that really doesn't matter too much.

[Guntz]

Here is that gameplay video I mentioned earlier:

http://youtu.be/_nbgLniagR8

[TheSonicRetard]

That looks great! Your level design is pretty good, which is typically the stumbling block for any hack. It doesn't rely on kaizo levels of difficulty, the ground patterns and coin placements direct you without the level being a straight line, platforms seem placed with reason, and I didn't see any leaps of faith. Also, the alternate path in the first level you showed is easy enough to spot, but still hidden enough to miss. That, and you practiced one of the best tenants of good level design - you showed the "door" before the key. I.E. the player got to see the inaccessible route before they reached the blue switch. That is imperative, because it keeps that route in mind for the player and makes going back to old levels rewarding once they do find the blue switch.

Looking forward to this! How long have you been doing level hacks?

[Guntz]

Thanks for the very detailed analysis, it's nice to know a lot of the things I typically do with levels are good. I first started working with Mario levels in late '07, early '08. Even back then, I found extreme difficulty to be boring, I always tried to reflect the level design of actual Mario levels. Since then, I personally think I've gotten a ton better at level design. One of the last worlds I put into Super Mario Land 3 is called "Isle of Fudge". If you compare those levels to the ones in Rice Beach (like 1 and Secret), you'll probably guess which levels are older, haha.

Unlike Mario World, the switch palaces are used to block off early sections of the game for later playability. There is no "Star Road" anymore, there's just a main path and lots of side paths.

I feel I might have to delay the production of the game, because there's at least one lingering thing really should fix in the game. I don't want to say, it's somewhat dumb. Thank god- err, Fu So Ya, for implementing the ability to save and load individual levels.

That and I have to play test the game one more time, and that means 100% completion. All 85 levels and 103 exits. But I shouldn't get ahead of myself, I must finish the Limited Edition levels. One of the levels is pretty cool in theory, I hope it turns out well.

[TheSonicRetard]

If I can speak truthfully, the only real let down I saw in the video was a lack of new artwork. But I imagine that's not the focus of your hack, and I'm much more interested in good level design than pretty art, so I don't really mind too much. Still, the Kirby replacement for the Goomba looks really good, and I'd like to see more stuff like that in a follow up hack.

Of course, I haven't played the game so who knows how much you've changed up.

[Guntz]

Some enemies have been changed. A few levels and the title screen have a bit of new graphics. Original graphics is not my specialty. If I wanted to, I could try and make up some new enemies, before it's time for release. The big problem right now is I have two separate versions of Super Mario Land 3. Limited Edition and standard. If I make any changes to the standard game in Limited Edition, I'd have to do it to the standard version as well. For levels, that isn't too hard, just save and load. Graphics are similar too, save and load, but it gets pretty difficult keeping track of the two versions.

I love to hear constructive criticism, it lets me know what I'm doing wrong. You would have come in real handy back in October / November when I was doing massive improvements to the hack. Back then I was trying to find people who could critique the game, but I didn't find many people. It's a bit late for making huge changes though. But, with what little time I still have, I'm gonna try and make SML3 even better than it was in December when I initially finalized the game.

I have a short demo available, it allows play of about 12 or 15 levels. I can't remember how many. Basically, you can play the first two worlds.

http://www.mediafire.com/?pczn151zcr4ono2

[Drakon]

I never made any videos, sorry.

Didn't I already give you a demo?

http://www.mediafire.com/?pczn151zcr4ono2

The Limited Edition version will have 85 levels and 103 exits.

Yeah you already did but I test a lot of stuff for people so I tested and then forgot I had it haha. Anyway good for other people who'd potentially want to buy it to have the demo posted here.

[Guntz]

The gameplay video is of a section of the game not playable in the demo, if that helps at all.

[Drakon]

As for VB warioland it would have to be a port. Making a mario world romhack to be like vb warioland you'd be better programming the entire thing from scratch...and good luck with that. As for making a good hack it's very difficult. You always have to worry about not making it too difficult or too hard, and coming up with new ideas that wasn't in the original game.

I agree on the artwork thing even minor cosmetic changes like pallette swaps pretty much scream "This is not your typical mario world". When I posted my early sf2 arcade hack videos on youtube people didn't really notice it was different until I changed the pallettes, that actually helped gain attention. I do think it's important to save artwork changes for last since they're usually the easiest thing to change.

[Guntz]

There are some palette changes, but not much. If I manage to find the time over the next year or two, I would love to see my second Mario hack through to completion, and do everything Mario Land 3 doesn't. Yeah I did start one, very nicely designed overworld maps, but not much more than that. It has great potential though, I can feel it. Now if time wasn't such a rare commodity.

[Cross]

Am the only person tho thinks its odd paying for hacked games? i can understand games that never came out but hacks?

[Guntz]

Well, reproducing cartridges and printing boxes and manuals isn't free. That is technically what you are paying for. The ROM is free, not counted in the cost of the product. But you're also paying a bit for the labor of the publisher and developer, but that's not unreasonable.

I get what you're saying though, hacks typically feel like emulator fodder. But sometimes, people want to play an old favorite with new levels on the real deal. Me personally, I just wanted my hack on a cartridge, but now everyone wants one it seems, which makes me rather proud of my hack... And makes me embarrassed that there are some small flaws still in the game. I must fix them before it's too late... I'd like to get at least an extra week to work on the Limited Edition and Standard ROMs, that alone would make a huge difference, especially when you factor testing in.

[NostalgicMachine]

Here is that gameplay video I mentioned earlier:

http://youtu.be/_nbgLniagR8

This is awesome, man. I'm genuinely impressed!

[Kyle]

Hiya Guntz! I got a chance to play around with this on my PowerPak last night. It felt really solid and I look forward to playing it again.

I don't know if this is a borderline douchey request, but would it be possible to post a build with the Kirbys reverted back to Goombas? It felt weird stomping Kirbys since I like him as a protagonist.