Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack?

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Printable Version

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Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 15th October 2014

Yeah, it was like ten years ago. If anyone still has a copy, btw, I'd really appreciate getting it back.

Anyway! I have done another one, for Super Mario World. I call it Thoughtful Mario World, because I am conceited and put a great deal of thought (and a ridiculous amount of playtesting) into it. I've replaced every level up through Roy's Castle, as well as the regular Star World levels, so that's 65 unique exits (the vanilla game has 96).

https://www.dropbox.com/s/o7x8djn7zr4qghb/Thoughtful%20Mario%20World.zip?dl=0

I'd appreciate any feedback.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Dark Jaguar - 20th October 2014

I'll have to check it out. I'm aware that such tools have become pretty popular. In fact, Nintendo is basically releasing an official "level maker" based on Super Mario Bros themselves. It'll be interesting if only because it'll be extremely high-profile with a built-in community.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 23rd October 2014

I hope you do, and that you enjoy it. I've put a ton of effort into making it. There are many secrets and hidden tunnels. I've designed every part of every level to be a unique challenge, many of which can be overcome in different ways, depending on your style of play. Almost every level has multiple paths and at least a few points where they intersect, so that one may play a level several times over and not have the exact same experience. I want this to be something somebody plays and comes away thinking "this guy made a better Super Mario World than Nintendo did".

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 21st November 2014

Anyone try it yet?

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 26th November 2014

I'll give it a whirl. What emulator do you recommend?

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 26th November 2014

If you've got the specs to run it smoothly, BSNES is probably the best SNES emulator there is. Otherwise, I'd go with SNES9x.

Hope you like it, beanjo!

Here are some of the levels that you'll find in the game. I've made more than is in this version, now. So, there's about 60-ish levels playable now. And, I don't make small, bullshit levels. Click on the image to see the full level.

[Image: F6aG1fG.png]

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 19th December 2014

Haven't forgot about you Weltaii, but the holiday season has been busy. ;) I'll have some days off soon, though, so I'll be sure to sit down and give your ROM a try.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 2nd January 2015

Weltall, your game's a bastard. I got past the first level, but the second one is pretty tough. Of course, I'm playing on a keyboard.

The style I usually go for is forward-running and jumping. I saw there were some other options for jumping high but that kind of precision is too difficult for now. These are awesome level designs, though. I like the challenge.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 11th January 2015

I've been going back and making changes to balance the earlier levels. I've always playtested using a controller, so it didn't seem as hard to me as it probably does on a keyboard.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 28th January 2015

Oh my christ, this is SO much easier with a controller! It's like a different game. I ordered a cheap USB paddle that's fashioned exactly as an SNES one. Maybe I'll get around to replaying Earthbound and classics I missed like Chrono Trigger.

Anyway, I just beat the second level (if your path is eastward), and I'll play more later. This is a cinch now, and very fun. More difficult than the Super Nintendo one, which is good, I and everyone else have played that to death.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - A Black Falcon - 28th January 2015

So, OB1 was right all along to move his game from the PC to Wii in part because he didn't want people to play a game designed for a controller with keyboards? (Yes, it's better, but I don't mind the idea of allowing alternate control methods.)

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 28th January 2015

OB1 was right about that. Keyboards are worthless for platformers.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 29th January 2015

Haha yes, glad you're enjoying yourself. For some reason, it never even occurred to me that people might use a keyboard to play. I've never found that workable, so I've had a controller for basically ever.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 7th February 2015

Sooo I'm an idiot and can't get past the first koopa. I used to beat the snot out of him when I was a kid. Guess I don't got it anymore :(

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Dark Jaguar - 23rd February 2015

It's true, rolling a d-pad is FAR easier than having to use multiple fingers to control your movement by consciously releasing one key to press another. I've been playing PC platformers for years, and ever since games like Commander Keen and the like I've been wanting a PC Gamepad. The good news is most of those old dos games supported joysticks, which can be mapped pretty well using DOSBox. (An XBox One controller is the best option for your "joystick".)

This isn't console elitism, there are plenty of PC games built around a mouse and keyboard than control far better with those. Platformers just aren't one of them.

Oh, I just started playing your mod Weltall. Sorry for the delay. No excuses, I just didn't get around to it until now. I've only played a bit, but so far it seems interesting. I like having to keep track of certain shells and so on. You mess with some expectations, and sometimes it feels like a cheap trick but other times it's pretty clever. I'm only two levels in, because I started around the time I usually go to bed, but I intend to get back to it whenever I'm not playing a few of my other current game projects.

When I'm done, I will probably give a go at my own Mario level design. I'll probably be using Nintendo's own editor when it comes out. It seems pretty powerful. What editor did you use? Oh, do you go by "Ten" on another forum by chance?

SJ, your problem is you need to jump on it's head, like a kid would. You are attempting to negotiate the issue like an adult, by trying to talk to the koopa. Note that there is no "talk" command in the game.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 23rd February 2015

Dark Jaguar Wrote:Oh, I just started playing your mod Weltall. Sorry for the delay. No excuses, I just didn't get around to it until now. I've only played a bit, but so far it seems interesting. I like having to keep track of certain shells and so on. You mess with some expectations, and sometimes it feels like a cheap trick but other times it's pretty clever. I'm only two levels in, because I started around the time I usually go to bed, but I intend to get back to it whenever I'm not playing a few of my other current game projects.

'scool. I'm interested to know which parts you might have thought were unfair, since I'm trying my best to minimize unfairness.

Quote:When I'm done, I will probably give a go at my own Mario level design. I'll probably be using Nintendo's own editor when it comes out. It seems pretty powerful. What editor did you use? Oh, do you go by "Ten" on another forum by chance?

I do! And, I use Lunar Magic to edit the SMW rom, plus a few other tools that the other forum makes available.

Quote:SJ, your problem is you need to jump on it's head, like a kid would. You are attempting to negotiate the issue like an adult, by trying to talk to the koopa. Note that there is no "talk" command in the game.

snx now I kind of want to make it work like that.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Dark Jaguar - 23rd February 2015

Well, for example, I actually found it pretty clever that the very out of the way mushroom in one area of a stage was actually needed in the very next zone to survive a nearly unavoidable banzai bill screaming at you right from the start. Clever, but a rather harsh punishment for those that went without. If you're going for one of the harder mods though, that's fine. I'm game for a challenge so long as I don't practically need to use save states. If it's simply meant as only a slightly harder take on the original, that could be adjusted a bit. Maybe make sure there's a continue point just before the out of the way mushroom block in question? Not sure, I'd actually like to be clear I've nailed your intent first.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 26th February 2015

Quote:SJ, your problem is you need to jump on it's head, like a kid would. You are attempting to negotiate the issue like an adult, by trying to talk to the koopa. Note that there is no "talk" command in the game.

It's my fault, really. I thought I was still playing Shenmue.

Weltall, is there a way to bring in this feature from the original: after completing a level, when replaying it, you can exit by pressing Start and then Select. You keep whatever items you got from the level and don't lose a life. Is that possible? Or is that baked into the level creator?

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 26th February 2015

Dark Jaguar Wrote:Well, for example, I actually found it pretty clever that the very out of the way mushroom in one area of a stage was actually needed in the very next zone to survive a nearly unavoidable banzai bill screaming at you right from the start. Clever, but a rather harsh punishment for those that went without. If you're going for one of the harder mods though, that's fine. I'm game for a challenge so long as I don't practically need to use save states. If it's simply meant as only a slightly harder take on the original, that could be adjusted a bit. Maybe make sure there's a continue point just before the out of the way mushroom block in question? Not sure, I'd actually like to be clear I've nailed your intent first.

At this point, it's hard to even say. I have thoroughly revamped a lot of these levels and a large part of it has to do with difficulty and balance.

After I do some cleaning-up, I'll put up a copy of the current version.

You can see here how Road to the Palace has changed in the last few months.

Sacred Jellybean Wrote:It's my fault, really. I thought I was still playing Shenmue.

Weltall, is there a way to bring in this feature from the original: after completing a level, when replaying it, you can exit by pressing Start and then Select. You keep whatever items you got from the level and don't lose a life. Is that possible? Or is that baked into the level creator?

To be honest, I have no idea why you aren't able to do it. I use that feature all the time in playtesting,

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Sacred Jellybean - 26th February 2015

I probably did something dumb like not map Select properly. I'll check again when I next play.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Dark Jaguar - 26th February 2015

The best way to test select would be to get an item in your item box and try to get it to drop down on your head zone.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 28th August 2015

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Dark Jaguar - 28th August 2015

Sorry, I sorta lapsed on keeping on with your ROM.

I'm actually very interested in seeing how easily this can be brought over to Mario Maker. From what I've seen, users can make sequences of levels, but not "world maps". The reviews I've seen so far point out one glaring oversight, which is that the whole level is shown as a tiny picture when you pick it, basically "spoiling" any surprises you were going for unless you're particularly clever. This is the sort of thing a patch can resolve, so we'll see.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 28th August 2015

Great time to get back into it, then! It's almost entirely revamped. I've extensively refined every level that was in the first version, and there's quite a few new ones.

I would say that the biggest barrier would be the custom resources and backgrounds and stuff, but I would love to have at my disposal some of the features Mario Maker allows for.

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Dark Jaguar - 28th August 2015

I can't speak to backgrounds, but it does allow custom music (composed inside it Mario Paint style).

In fact...

One feature I'd love to see added in down the line is SMB2 stuff (the US version I mean) like plucking vegetables and shy guys. As it turns out, the main creator of good ol' Doki Doki said he just never bothered talking to the Mario Maker people, and says it does seem like a missed opportunity, so who knows?

Does anyone remember when I made a Super Mario Bros. hack? - Weltall - 14th December 2017

It's been two and a half years since I've said so, but I have been working on it daily the whole time. In that time, I have taken up learning how to draw pixel art and the finished parts of the game have entirely original graphics. Also, it's no longer a Mario game, as I've gone off in an entirely different direction with the game.

The new title is "Ganymede", and it is the tale of a man on a boat who ends up boatwrecked on an island in the middle of the ocean, and his journey might not necessarily involve him even wanting to try to return home. It is a story adapted from an album by the same name by a band called The Shills. It bears very little resemblance to what you tried back in 2015.

This is the official trailer:

And, here's the demo (the first area is 99% done).