One year already?

I just noticed the project has been public for over a year. I could´ve prepared something, a trailer, screenshots, anything, but it completely slipped my mind...
My girlfriend is right, I suck at remember anniversaries.

Anyway, the progress these days:

- Added the automorph and autoclimb features. Automorph requires to hold down diagonally for 4 frames when near a ground tunnel, then Samus crouches and 4 frames later she morphs. This avoids accidental automorphing. To automatically climb a 1 or 2 block high ledge, touch the wall holding the direction and press Jump. Kinda like pulling up from the grip state. If the ledge leads to a tunnel, Samus automatically morphs after climbing.
This control scheme does not interfere with the classic style, so purists won´t be affected at all.

- Changed jumping mechanics a bit. Morphing while jumping doesn´t reset the vertical speed, unless you´re falling (otherwise the charge-bomb attack becomes useless in air). Also, firing from a spinjump preserves the vertical momentum as well.

- Expanded the transitions system. I tried to revamp it, but it was a complete failure. Instead I´m expanding the existing system with extra transition types. Now accessing the subscreen looks great. I had to do some serious bugfixing to the camera system. It´s incredible how fadein/outs can hide camera glitches.

EDIT: Here´s a video showing some of the new features.


- Started with the map screen eye candy. I had to tone down the scanlines, they looked horrible with the map grid on top. It´s still very basic:


The top bar will display the remaining metroids in the area, and in the whole game. The bottom bar will display the current game time and item completion percentage.

That´s about it.

Before I forget it again, AM2R got featured in an interview at Ars Technica. It´s a very interesting read: Resurrecting Classic Games
Thanks to Andrew Webster for letting me participate.

Ok, as always comments an suggestions are welcome.

Comments

Nice. The map screen looks polished. Can't wait to see/hear more!
kenji imatake said…
yes, we all can't wait. this project is going so well... I hope FSMR will follow/ equally match this. you have done a fantastic job, keep it up ;)
Ramellan said…
You are my hero. Quite litterally. As THE game that got me into gaming and programming, Metroid II is something I have always wanted to start looking like the new stuff. As someone who envisioned almost exactly the same type of game as you, but was never able to do anything about it, I say thank you. AND I CANT WAIT TILL THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE. If I am wrong and there IS anything I CAN do, lemme know. cause i sure as hell cant draw or program anything. yet.
Anonymous said…
Hey DoctorM64, I just started my own Metroid Engine project, I guess you are busy with your own project, but I'd appreciate it if I could ask you some questions. Tiles, 30x32 or 30x30? Do you use any kind of filter when in fullscreen mode?
Anonymous said…
Hoo, your girlfriend said you suck at remembering anaverseries! You know, i dont get why girls get so upset when you froget, they should at least give us a heads up or something... Anyway, i like the map, i remember when i got to that area. Had to keep starting over because i eather got hurt or pressed a key and took off my spider ball, didnt die, just fell to the begining...
Anonymous said…
I gotta say, this remake looks very professionally done. The map screen looks awesome. How are the Gamma Metroids? I'm looking forward to seeing their lightning attacks. (Those things scared me when I first encountered them.)
Anonymous said…
I'm very grateful for what you are doing. I know programming isn't easy but the best things in life are not always easy to achieve. Keep up the hard work!! Again, Thanks!!
Anonymous said…
Great work as per usual, I am awaiting this with higher anticipation every day. One small request though. I think it would be good to make an option when you first start playing as to whether you want the map enabled or not. It's true that in the original Metroid 2 it was easy to get lost because of the monotony, but I think that in this game it will be much easier to remember where you are in relation to the rest of the world. Having no map will also prolong the game experience, and force people into using their memory while playing. But apart from that, your game should be the perfect remake to a slightly sub-par game.
Anonymous said…
Happy birthday to AM2R !!!
Oy said…
Hey!

It's looking great, and the map screen's comming along nicely.

I do have a question though; are you planning to have Item markers (collected and not) for Missiles, Energy Tankes ect, like they did in Fusion and Zero Mission?
Anonymous said…
"Morphing while jumping doesn´t reset the vertical speed, unless you´re falling (otherwise the charge-bomb attack becomes useless in air). Also, firing from a spinjump preserves the vertical momentum as well."

AWESOME!!!! :D
I like the new features! Great job with the midair morph, it seems very smooth.
Dark Master said…
Congratulations!
Is this game is excellent.
I can not wait to be able to play it!
They look great new movements.
No doubt the game will be a great success! Go ahead Doc!
Hope all excited about his game.
I'm the one who speaks with you again
MSN (Dark Master) ^ ^, so that you are not
xd forget.
Android-Music said…
Hmmm, I thinks legs are lil long on the abilities screen, nah?
Unknown said…
its looking fantastic. i myself am working on a similar "retro" game and i understand how much attention to little details about how the character controls really matters. i cant wait for this project to have a solid playable version up and running.
Anonymous said…
One word for the new moves. "Epic!"
Anonymous said…
Good job keep up the good work
Palamon said…
I like how at the platforms you showed how you could choose between auto-climb and auto-morph easily and without messing up by accidentally having the wrong auto thing happen.

As for the maps, or lack of in the original, I also kind of liked the fact that you could easily get lost in the deep unexplored caves of the planet in the original. I think it added to the exploration and mystery of it more.

I think if you are going to incorporate the player getting whole maps of the region which include unexplored areas, the map download sites should be completely optional like in Super Metroid rather then forced or semi-forced like in Fusion and Zero Mission.
Anonymous said…
Love the update. Really liking the auto climb feature and the menu screen looks great! Keep it up :)
Anonymous said…
This is the most amazing remake I've ever seen in the past five years! Everything seems very professionally done. I wish you all the best!
Anonymous said…
Palamon: You know, it's still optional to go to the map-screen ;)
Palamon said…
Good point, (and just in case anyone disregards the just kidding wink) the whole map will still show up on the mini-map and will get displayed to you when you first the map for a new region, making map avoidance difficult.
Anonymous said…
Hey Doc if Nintendo asked you to shut down ythe project ask if you an pay money to keep the project going.
BassZ1890 said…
As always it looks amazing! Also the changes to jumping then morph balling will be nice especially for sticking to the ceiling with the spider ball.

Looking forward to the games completion :)
Unknown said…
I have some suggestions that seem very insignificant, but will make the gameplay seem less... 8bit, I guess you could say. But I don't want to load up the comment page with a full discussion on my ideas, because some of them are also very in depth, but would implement ideas from other Metroid games effectively into this one. Not sure this comment will include my email, but it's I8AB2Day@gmail.com.
Anonymous said…
I hope the last feature in the Video does not make the Game too Easy, i really enjoy whatching this Project for months now, and its nice to see how you put out more and more features, but keep in Mind more cool stuff needs Harder Level design.For us Metroid nerds its nice.But also Fast/
Just a opinion.I do not want to tip on your toe, you are doing a nice job and it makes me happy, the demo was also awsome.
Its not ever much helps much, in mso ;)
Anonymous said…
Looking awesome as always, the new techniques seem to work very well and I can't wait to try them out in the actual game.
Anonymous said…
The thing that separates the good games from the great games is really well-tuned, innovative gameplay, always focused on smoothing out minor inefficiencies and annoying upkeep. I'm so happy that you understand that and are devoting so much attention to really making the gameplay on this incredible. You're doing wonderful work, thank you.
Anonymous said…
Palamon: Here's a tip for you, if map-rooms are anything like the ones in Zero Mission you could do like this. When entering a map room, close your eyes, walk towards the map download-machine, start button mashing for a while, open a tiny bit of your eyelids so that it's all blurry and you can't make out any fine details except wheter or not the map-screen is still showing, if it is, close your eyes and repeat from the button mashing stage, repeat until the map screen is gone.

As for the small map thing in the upper right corner, Duct Tape will easily solve that ;)
Sudtrap said…
Oh, I doubt the maps are gonna be forced. That wouldn't make the game very like Metriod 2, now would it?
Unknown said…
That music in the preview video was pretty rad, man, very atmospheric. Those auto features are going to make the gameplay a lot more streamlined - awesome work man.
Anonymous said…
Keep up the good work Dr.

Hope the Gammas are as cool as the Alphas, I would really like to see them.
JasonsJewelry said…
Excellent progress and thanks for the new video!
Anonymous said…
Great video!
Now that music caught the metroid spirit, good job.
Spin jumping, shooting then keep on air with space jump is awesome.
But at the same time, wouldn't it take away most of the screw attack exclusiveness?
Razuberyl said…
Hey man When ur project will be released so looks so awesome i think better than a Nintendo work!
i hope to see it later released :D

Greetings
Anonymous said…
This whole thing, in it's year running, has been spectacular. I don't think Nintendo could come up with this, and if you showed this to them they'd say "you've just made our next metroid game." Seriously, this is unbelievable. Keep up the great work.
Unknown said…
I'm worried about the auto-climb. It seems like I would end up accidentally climbing up a step, when I would rather be jumping to avoid something. That could get me hit quite a few times.
Anonymous said…
if I could be a little picky about suggestions, the graphics of the space jump could use a little improvement

the auto ball and climb features are definitely convenient. no more lacking control of jumps or overextending, and no more wasting seconds hesitating trying to activate the morph

I can't wait til this project is done, it already seems like it'll be fun
Anonymous said…
It's like the Christmas of 1992. Although Metroid 2 had been out in the US since May, I had discovered that I was to receive this game for Christmas. I had gotten quite good and finding where my mom had hid the presents. I remember sitting up late many nights before the 25th, thinking about the awesomeness to come. I have to admit I'm feeling maybe a bit of that anticipation. I am stoked about this! Keep going!
Anonymous said…
You're getting so popular spam's starting to show up! I like the idea for the auto-climb, but do you need the Power Grip to do it? I also liked the screenshots from the like you sent out. It looks alot more organic than the demos.
Anonymous said…
Wow auto-clim rocks, i want more samus`s moves if it is possible.^^
Anonymous said…
are you going to break up the map screen into the different regions of the world, ala super metroid?
DoctorM64 said…
>I'd appreciate it if I could ask you some questions. Tiles, 30x32 or 30x30? Do you use any kind of filter when in fullscreen mode?

16x16 for tiles. Email me (doctorm64*AT*live.com), and I´ll try to help.


>How are the Gamma Metroids?

Fine, thanks for asking. I´m struggling to aminate the different states, since all the legs are different sprites with independent angles. They´re not very smart yet...


>I think it would be good to make an option when you first start playing as to whether you want the map enabled or not.

That´s a good idea. I´ll add that option.


>are you planning to have Item markers (collected and not) for Missiles, Energy Tankes ect, like they did in Fusion and Zero Mission?

Nope. It would make exploration extremely easy. Most of the missile tanks are in plain sight inside the different ruins, what´s sometime hidden is the way to get them. Energy tanks, Super Missiles and Power Bombs are going to be hidden, but mostly in secret areas, instead of the classic obscure 1 block secret in the middle of nowhere.


>I'm worried about the auto-climb. It seems like I would end up accidentally climbing up a step, when I would rather be jumping to avoid something.

You have to hold forward and press Jump to auto-climb. If it messes with your play style, you can turn it off in the options screen.


>I like the idea for the auto-climb, but do you need the Power Grip to do it?

Yes. You get the powergrip pretty soon anyway.


>are you going to break up the map screen into the different regions of the world, ala super metroid?

No. Each of the different areas are very small, and wouldn´t be enough for an entire region. The whole map is one hughe region, you´ll be able to see all the areas of the game at once on the map screen (if you´ve discovered them of course).


I´ve had more work than expected these weeks, but I´m managing to work on the project at least an hour everyday.
Thanks for the comments! See you next update!
Anonymous said…
Kool
Anonymous said…
hi i was just wondering, will you add the scan visor? id love to dee it return
Palamon said…
While I liked the idea of the scan visor in Super Metroid, I don't think it was implemented very well. Having to stand there, freezing the screen so you could literally scan the room from top to bottom took away from the pace of the game and seemed foreign, although it was cool to see it wipe away tunnels that the background hid and what type of blocks were which.

I much prefer using power bombs to lite up all the hidden blocks, revealing their identities in an entire room at once. It keeps the pace up and saves from the meticulous scanning of every little corner to see if you missed something.
Anonymous said…
=/ The spiderball is supposed to be gooey.
ronny14 said…
@anamanous before palmon:
Th scan visor was stupid, it was only in the stupidest metroid games of all: The Prime Ones.
The 3D aspect didn't fit metroid well at all to me, and the last thing I want to see is have a good 2D metroid fangame ruin itself by adding stupidness from prime in it.
kenji imatake said…
*agrees* I mean... the 3D games didn't have that feel of exploration like MZM or SM, even fusion had nice exploration through an abandon space station. metroid prime 3 was my least favorite because of the interaction with other characters and the space pirates were very desperate to kill you... MZM didn't even have this desperation. and the gravity suit is suppose to let you go through lava, prime thought otherwise. spider ball could stick to any surface, in prime it was iron railings... so no, scan visor would just bring out the fun of this remake. correct doctorM64?
DoctorM64 said…
The scan visor is part of a completely different game design. Prime games were planned and made with a different approach. The scan visor allows to actually understand the environment, and to read some backstory, if you dedicate time to it.

This is part of a different style of exploration: the examination. You can choose to find out parts of the story, or just rush through the levels.

The classic 2D kind of exploration consists of finding hidden areas and items, without changing the pace of the game. The scan visor would make the game slower, specially if it´s required to operate mechanisms needed to advance.

Besides, instead of revealing some backstory about the chozo in scannable logs, I prefer to keep that tragedy as a mistery.

I haven´t played any Prime games (I don´t own a gamecube), but I´ve seen enough speedruns to understand it. I´ve played the demo of Metroid Prime 2D, and the scan visor just didn´t fit, IMHO.

What do you think?
-Response to Kenji imatake- The reason that the gravity suit was used to go through water in metroid prime instead of lava is because it is based on the gravity suit from super metroid, which allowed both, just like it does in MZM, and the reason that the spider ball needed magnetic railing is that otherwise there would be no poit in getting items like the grappling beam or space jump boots. Though I do agree with Dr. M that the scan visor did make the MP2D demo seem to drag on a bit. If scan visor was to be used in a game, I also think it would be best to only use it for backstory.
Palamon said…
I agree with what the Anonymous person said...
=/ The spiderball is supposed to be gooey.

At least in Metroid 2, it was a very organic power-up and I think would look a lot more interesting if the spiderball made the morphball look like it was covered in a sticky translucent mucus flowing over the entire surface of the ball instead of a generic magnetic glow coming from the sides or behind it.
(I hope the current spiderball in the movie was just a graphical place holder)
Anonymous said…
DoctorM64
me decepciona que dediques todo tu empeño solo a la gente que habla ingles, siendo que tambien hay mucha gente que lee tus avances, pero hablan español y estan limitados a entender todo esto que escriben, deberias dedicar tambien una traducción a tus comentarios, para al menos entender las propuestas y proyectos que tienes, varias veces he intentado sugerirte o preguntarte algo mediante el idioma ingles, pero parece que es peor, porque no pones ni la más minima atención...
Ojala lo hagas (la traducción en tus comentarios y proyectos), te lo agradeceria toda la gente latina estoy seguro.
En cuanto al proyecto, he querido decirte que encuentro que es un gran trabajo, y lo que más me impató fue la lucha del metroid alfa, que increible que hayas creado un arte como ese, jamás me lo imaginé, y la música de la lucha está excelente, la única que me sonó agena al juego es la música que le pones de entrada al juego, el tema del tunel de SR388, encuentro que está muy alejado de ser parecido al antiguo... Si quieres mi consejo deberias seguir los pasos que tomó nintendo al remasterizar el Metroid Clásico y llevarlo a ser el Metroid Zero Mission, cuya música es practicamente la misma solo con algunas variaciones (y quedó aun más excelente).
Ojalá puedas entender que no todo tu público habla ingles, y que no todos pueden entenderlo, y si le dijiste a Dark Master que hablas español, no creo que te sea de gran esfuerzo poder hacerlo...
de antemano gracias

suerte en tu proyecto

Patronus
Palamon said…
And for those of us that don't read Spanish, the message quickly translated.

DoctorM64
it disappoints me that you dedicate all your alone determination to the people who speaks English, being that also there are many people who reads your advances, but they speak Spanish and are limited to understanding all this that they write, you should dedicate also a translation to your comments, at least to understand the proposals and projects that you have, several times I have tried to suggest you or to wonder a little by means of the English language, but it seems that it is worse, because you put not even the most minimal attention...
I hope you will do it (the translation in your comments and projects), all the Latin people would be grateful for it to you I am sure.
As for the project, I have wanted to say to you that I think that it is a big work, and what more me impató was the struggle of the metroid alpha, that incredible that you have created an art as that one, I never imagined it, and the music of the struggle is excellent, the only one that me sounded agena to the game is the music that you put of entry to the game, the topic of the tunnel of SR388, I think that it is very remote..
If you want my advice you should continue the steps that it took nintendo to the remasterizar Metroid Clásico and lead to being it Metroid Zero Mission, whose music is practically the same one alone with some changes (and it remained even more excellent).
I hope you will be able to understand that not all your public speaks English, and that they not all can understand it, and if you said to Dark Master that you speak Spanish, I do not believe that it you performs big effort to be able to do it...
in advance thank you

luck in your project

Patronus

Free Online Spanish to English Translator
Jais said…
You've done some very good work here, M64. The project is very exciting. ;)

Oh, before I forget; If you ever need some help with the music for the project, don't be afraid to send me a message.
Dark Master said…
@ Patonous:
It's true what they say. But you have to see the Chambers Lafuente (Dr M64) is making an effort to ensure that all people benefit from your project. Besides almost all comments are from people who speak English. I also speak Spanish but I translate it for the freedom of the translator of google. I am not criticizing your comment or anything, just say you have to think about all people.
Nice work Doc!
Dark Master said…
(En español)
@ Patonous:
Es cierto lo que dices. Pero hay que ver las Salas Lafuente (Dr. M64) está haciendo un esfuerzo para garantizar que todas las personas que se benefician de su proyecto. Además casi todos los comentarios son de personas que hablan Inglés. También hablan español pero traducirlo por la libertad del traductor de google. No estoy criticando su comentario ni nada, sólo dicen lo que tienes que pensar en todas las personas.
Buen trabajo Doc!
Dark Master said…
Lo siento quize decir Patronus
Anonymous said…
Thanks for agreeing to add my suggestion (the map disabling/abling) into your project. Means a lot to a hardcore exploration fan like me. Keep up the fantastic work.
Anonymous said…
Gracias Dark Master por la traducción, igual es necesario que hayan traducciones (al menos en los comentadios de DoctorM64)
porque aqui en chile hay muchos que estan al tanto de este magnifico proyecto, y que se interesan por saber como está el avance del juego, pero luego que ven que sólo hay comentarios en ingles, se desinteresan totalmente (yo te lo digo porque si yo no tubiese sierto conocimiento en ingles también quizás me hubiese desinteresado), al final soy yo el que tiene que contarle a todos mis amigos y conocidos que les gusta el juego como estan los avances y mejoras en el juego...
Puedes pasarlo como que es un detalle menor esto de las traducciones, pero si no te lo digo yo, estoy seguro que mañana te lo dirá otro.
Sería de gran ayuda y además aumentaría el número de fans.
bueno eso era

un saludo

Patronus
Anonymous said…
can I have access to your gamemaker engine for my own project?

my email is numonohi_boi@yahoo.com
Anonymous said…
^No of course he is not just going to give you his engine. What would be the fun in that? If you want to make a game like this become better at gamemaker.

Oh and palamon, it seems you can speak both English and Spanish, so why don't you translate everything for him. Just make your own blog in spanish and ask dr M64 to link his to yours. Then everyone can be happy and dr M64 will not have to spend any time on translations.
Palamon said…
Jaap, I was just wondering what that long message was saying so I used a free online translator to find out.

I figured I would be nice and share it with everyone since I already had it translated since all I have to do is cut and paste.

I also put the link to the translator on the bottom of my message (which is down bty but you can always google another one)
in hopes that all non-English speakers would use the link to translate their messages to English and also use it to read English messages.
(I admit, I should have put the link in Spanish)

I may have been nice enough to translate one message, but I'm not nice enough to translate them all.

Free Online Translator

Jaap, yo acabo de preguntar lo que ese mensaje largo decía tan que utilizaba a un traductor en línea libre para averiguar.

Figuré que sería agradable y lo compartiría con todos desde que yo ya lo tuve tradujo desde que todo tengo que hacer es cortado y es pegado.

Yo también puse el lazo al traductor en el fondo de mi mensaje (que es hacia abajo bty pero usted pueden siempre google otro uno) en esperanzas que todos altavoces no-ingleses utilizarían el lazo para traducir sus mensajes a inglés y también utilizarlo para leer mensajes ingleses.
(Admito, debo haber puesto el lazo en español)

Puedo haber sido suficiente agradable para traducir un mensaje, pero yo no soy suficiente agradable para traducirlos todo.

Liberte a Traductor en línea
Anonymous said…
THANK YOU!!!! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THIS PROJECT IS FINISHED!!!!!!
Will this be a GBA ROM?
Seriously you're the best
Anonymous said…
YOU NEVER PLAYED A PRIME GAME!?!??!?

I thought you had to be a real metroid fan to actually spend a huge amount of time making a metroid game!
oh well.. i guess you are still a real metroid fan... yet, it suprises me that you haven't. I really recomend you play the first one atleast. Just buy a Wii! i'm suprised you dont even have a Wii.

!Si no juegas un juego de prime, no voya poder jugar este juego saviendo que el creador nunca jugo uno de los mejores jegos de la MISMA seria!

oh and great job on the progress, it looks like you're well over half way done.
Anonymous said…
I will begin squashing one kitten per day until this game is released!
Anonymous said…
you are a genius, great game, great remake, only

Popular posts from this blog

Skippy's 1st Anniversary!

The future of AM2R

No future for AM2R