Progress Report: Second Ruins

Progress has been slow but steady these days.
I decided to redo the second ruins from scratch, since they were too close to the original map. I also planned some cool puzzles and scripted events to add some variety.

First, I´ll list some ideas I have about the design of the chozo ruins in the game.
All the ruins have these in common:
  • There´s what it appears to be a Metroid breeding enviroment in every ruin, most of them under the main building.
  • The ruins are inside a hughe cave, and you can explore the outside part of the building.
  • There´s one beam upgrade and at least 1 item to find in these areas (the third ruins actually has 2 beam upgrades, but I´ll exchange it for another item).
  • Only one ruin has a boss battle, the second one (Arachnus)

The first ruins.
They are almost at the same level of the planet surface, so I made it look like a temple. It has the golden tiles of MZM, and some statues on the roof. Outside, at the upper side of the cave, you can see some of the sky of SR388 (the ruins appear to be inside a mountain).

The second ruins.
In the original map there are some pipes connecting different parts of the building. There´s also water pools in some rooms, and an underground lake. You even fight a Metroid underwater! (water has no effect on Samus on the GB version).
So, I made this place look like a water treatment plant. Many pipes, and some water-involving puzzles will be between Samus and the items.

The third ruins.
I have no idea what this area could be. I still haven´t decided.

  • In these ruins you get Spazer Beam and Space Jump.
  • There are some areas with a lot of sand.
  • The Metroid breeding area is under the building, and is made with plant tiles.

If you have any idea of what this place could have been when the Chozo were still on SR388, let me know.

The fourth ruins.
In this place you get all the beam upgrades. This tower like building could then be an armory or a weapons research facility. The corridors are heavily guarded by strong robot enemies.

The hive.
This is the final area, with all the Omega Metroids and the Queen.
I´m still planning what tiles will be used here.

This will give you an idea of how different the areas will be. Unlike the original, you´ll be able to tell in which area of the game you are by just looking at a single game screen.
Right now I´m making some new puzzle elements to make some of the second ruins areas more varied, without breaking the pace.

I won´t be posting screenshots this time, since I´m also updating the tilesets color palettes. The original MZM tiles are too bright, since they were designed for a small LCD screen. Playing the game on a PC monitor lets you play with contrast and dark rooms, without losing sight of the main character. The game is now aiming to a more atmospheric visual style.

Hyrule_SwordsMan is drawing awesome enemies. I´m coding the AI as they come out of the oven. Almost all the enemies of the first area are done.

Anyway, if you have any suggestions about the Chozo ruins, let me know.

Comments

Oy said…
Well, after looking closely at the metroid 2 map, I noticed how those long areas with the handful of Gamma metroids are right below the 3rd Temple. And i wondered if maybe those long area could be some sort of Drilling or mining area, which would make the 3rd temple some sort of storage for the Equipment, or maybe and smaller mining site.
just a thought.

I like what you've got so far though. It's sounding really good. :)
Pfhortipfhy said…
Keep rockin the ventcore, man. Great job.
hipnotyq said…
great update!!!
:D please let this come out sooonn....
Anonymous said…
Looking forward to the games compleation.
Anonymous said…
The more your prject is evolving, the more i'm strating to wonder when it'll come out cuz' you sound like you could eternally find something to make it better (it looked good at first, even better afetrwards, and starts looking really awesome by the sound of how you described so well the different places to make them look different one from another (which was a real pain in the original game, on top of not having a map of course). As for the third ruin, i might give the game another quick shot and try to find out what kind of place it might be... like putting my imagination at work, right :P ? i'll try to find out and post it if i find a clue. Don't expect too much though, and continue to progress with the hard work. Thanks to all of you guys working hard on this project, i wish you luck. really !
Anonymous said…
um i know what the third floor is it is a training ground in which to test your power suit like humans have for guns and stuff and as for the sand well thats to make a feel like its an environment so they dont have to leave the building and say HEY LOOK AT ARE NEW WEAPON PLZ STEAL IT kind of thing if you get my drift
Anonymous said…
hey i know can you plz by the love of god make a bonus game where you get to play as a metroid and suck energy out of things and evolve into the next metroid stage and you know live through a metroid life in the same graphics of course and dont worry if the metroid gets too big for some rooms becuase metroids are able to go through walls anyways becuase ive been looking for a game like that and well no luck and plz DONT PUT SAMUS IN THIS IT WOULD RUIN THE FUN
Anonymous said…
and to answer oys question about the storage yeah right and mines have floating platforms sure um its a power suit testing site
Anonymous said…
and the testing ground also helps you get the hang of your power suit sorry i forgot to tell you this in my first post
Unknown said…
the third ruins is called "the ancient sewers" you'll notice in certain areas a lot of pipes are running through the place. and to tell you why their sewers, go to the metroid database, click the metroid 2 return of samus link, then music, look at the music's they have, one will be named ancient sewers,try it out just to see if Im right, and if so, then its a sewer system XP
Oy said…
To gamma47: The idea of a weapon testing ground is good, but with the fourth area being weapon storage, it might seem too similar. And yes, mines can have floating platforms. They're suport structures placed to allow easy access to the lower levels of the mine. Simple. ;-)
R. said…
This is starting to look really cool. Keep up the work, for god's sake, we need a Metroid 2 remake :P
Anonymous said…
I'm soooo happy to see AM2R alive, continue !
Anonymous said…
@thesupermetroid

i agree from my looking around(not that hard) it seems most logical that the third ruins would be a sewers.
Anonymous said…
Where does all the sand comes from in those sewers ? Maybe the cave is located underneath a desert or something and sand infiltrates inside through the ceiling (maybe then it would be a good idea to make the background look like there's an infinite flow of sand coming down from the ceiling, just an idea though)
WiLL said…
While what you doing is a masterpieces, however, I , no, We all want to see this project finished. I don't know, but if that thing about Nintendo sooner or later will shut you down if they find you is true. I think you should do some measurements about it. Like make it somehow a secret project, yet accesible to the fans.
Anonymous said…
heres the thing it might be a sewer after the suprise attack of the metroids due to the amount of damage done by the becuase you gotta remeber the Chozo were here before and the where attacked by suprise rumor has it no survivors and a weapon storage being a testing ground thats imposible becuase the storage is massive and there would be no room for a testing ground and the sewer system again might be just for decoration to simulate a good practice terrain
Anonymous said…
heres the thing it might be a sewer after the suprise attack of the metroids due to the amount of damage done by the becuase you gotta remeber the Chozo were here before and the where attacked by suprise rumor has it no survivors and a weapon storage being a testing ground thats imposible becuase the storage is massive and there would be no room for a testing ground and the sewer system again might be just for decoration to simulate a good practice terrain and plus if the testing ground were in the storage and the weapon makes a mistake, there goes your weapons storage lol
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
Sorry I dont know if I'm posting in the right place, but I think that you should have the missles be a different button for the keybord, because I need to use like 4 of my fingers just to aim at ridly and change to Super missles. it could be like Metroid Prime. (how the missles have a seperit button i mean)
Dylan French said…
In the final release, controls will be fully customizable along with joypad support, so I wouldn't worry about that.
Anonymous said…
This is just my opinion, but I feel very strongly about this. No sewers and no weapons testing, they are too much like the other areas. Sand was an important part of the original Metroid 2, so it must return. I believe the best way to do this is through a mining facility. It should definitely be dark and shadowy, I'm thinking similar to the Phazon Mines of Metroid Prime, except with brownish rocks and yellow light instead of gray rocks and bluish light. Additionally, the mines would provide an opportunity to show the mechanical abilities of the Chozo. We've seen their technology, but their industry should be similar, ancient and intricate. (I'm now thinking of Elysia from Metroid Prime 3.) If you plan to have the breeding facility below the mines, you could possibly incorporate a cool transition where the rocks change gradually to a darker hue, then out of the darkness, something that appears out of place. The breeding facility could be similar to Brinstar "Green Zone" in Super Metroid. Keep on truckin'!
Anonymous said…
lol, my physics teacher says keep on truckin'. He's a cool dude.

Anyway, I'm so happy to see how well everyone knows their metroid. Where I live, not many people know about it :(

there should be sewers since it corresponds with the origional. It's the sixth soundtrack found here:

http://mdb.classicgaming.gamespy.com/?g=m2&p=music
Anonymous said…
I Think that the mining theme sounds prety cool, but I would stick to the sewers because thats what it was intended to be originaly. I also think that there should be an extras mode or someting. like you could play the Demo and try to set a low time or make anoter minigame like, you play as a metroid and suck the life out of other enemys and evolve, but you have to wach out for some because they will hurt you. like the robots! O.K.! back to topic! you could have the sewers at the top, and in the middle have a mining field, and then the metroid breeding place. just a sugjestion. (bad spelling, im not suposed to be on and im typing quickly!!!)
Unknown said…
hmm... mines arent too bad an Idea, and the preview of the chozo's industrial machinery isnt bad either... I would agree in a shadowy area im AM2R like sector 6 (NOC) from metroid fusion. there is more than just sewers there anyway, also the sand coming through the ceiling isnt shabby either. a suggestion could be like the chozo were mining the rest of their sewers but now that I think about it, the sand idea wont work because samus is really deep in the depths of SR388 at that time. is there a giant crater of desert on the surface?
Unknown said…
arg!I didnt finish the example suggestion, well here it is. as I was saying from my last post, the chozo were mining deeper into the sewers with no enough light to provide for them then they find the metroids and are forced to flee. but thats just my idea...
Alex said…
Hi,
Regarding your Metroid 2 remake; Do you need custom sprites at all? If you do, let me submit this enemy, originally intended for SM Redesign hack but perhaps it works for you as well:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/Alianger/1205530788-00.png
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/Alianger/snap2sentinel.png
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/Alianger/super-metroidenemywip-sentinel.png

As you can see it uses some variations on the SM palette. How it would act:
Sentinel (preliminary name) hovers around quite slowly, possibly following samus around, with its drones spinning around it (2 or 4).
The trick to killing it is shooting in between the drones. If the player hits them, they charge up and let off an electrical discharge towards the player, similar to the space pirate attack but perhaps in 8 directions.

/Alianger on Youtube
Namagem said…
Alex- Unfortunately, he's trying to stick to a Metroid 2 Motif, and not stray too far from it. That enemy would fit in super metroid, but it doesn't work very well in this game. Plus, I'm pretty sure he will only use enemies in Metroid 2, unless he's taking one or two for one of the new areas.

I like the Mines idea for Area 3. Although it was originally intended to be a sewer, mine fits it more thematically.
Alex said…
Ok, and who are you?
Even if it won't fit in a strict M2 remake it could be used for later, in sidequests and such.
Namagem said…
Even so, the creature doesn't fit the graphics style very well.
You are a very talented pixel artist, for sure, but it doesn't seem like it would work.

Me? I'm just a fan of the series, who's withing this project. All I was trying to say is, this game is about caves and creatures, while SM integrated some technological monstrosities as well. However, there's not very much sentient technology on SR388.

It's really up to him, if he'll use it or not, but I was just saying, I doubt he will.
Alex said…
Oh I see ^^
Yeah I realize that and it was made for a SM hack initally, but I thought that maybe he'd be interested in something like this for a bonus area, a later build or such. Not just this particular sprite but new content in general.
DoctorM64 said…
Alex: Those are some impressive sprites, they're very well shaded for a Super Metroid style game.
But I'm sticking to the original M2 enemies, even for the new area.

Anyway, a mining area seems reasonable for the third ruins.
Anonymous said…
You could use a Torizo to guard the Plasma Beam, because There was a Torizo in Metroid Fusion, the one with the plants and it shot out a Plasma Beam if you hurt it. It guarded the Plasma Beam, and there wasent a Plasma Beam guardian in Super Metroid. So it could have been from SR388, and it also guards the Plasma Beam which is the strongest beam in Metroid 2. It would be cool to have another Torizo fight. Just a thought. (Although it would be a Super Metorid sprite so it probibly wont fit in)...
Anonymous said…
I agree with the mining idea. You dont have to stick 100% to the original game. I dont think that a sewer would go well anyways.
Anonymous said…
Dude, have you thought of a name yet? The other day I was trying to think of what future Metroid games could be called (besides "Dread") and I thought of "Metroid Evolution". . . Don't metroids evolve in Metroid 2? That could be a pretty sweet name for your remake!
Anonymous said…
Hey I tried out your demo and its some impressive work so far. If I could say one thing is that the controls could use some tweaking, I'm not sure why but something feels off to them. Keep up the good work though.
Dylan French said…
Once again I will repeat, in the final release the controls will be completely customizable as well as adding joystick support.
Anonymous said…
I was thinking of the name Metroid Extinction! (bad spelling) But theres a sprite movie on youtube called that... It would be a cool name though.
Anonymous said…
I did some reserch and I found out that Nintendo has an uncompleated Metroid 2 remake. It is titled Metroid: 2DX. It was just a colered version and it wasent put up for sale, because a Zelda game took its place. I also read that some programers finished the game and you can buy it off of the internet. I'v looked but cant find it. You can look it up on Wikipidia or Wikitroid. If anyone can find where to buy it, pleas coment.
Anonymous said…
Yah! after you get the metroids out you should releas another demo! You could make it up to like 3 or 4 metroids. By the way, iv ben looking for some new metroid sprites, like the omega metroid from fusion. Iv found some gama sprites that look like they where ment to be in fusion, but thats all. I look foward to see how the metroids will look.
WiLL said…
There is a fan-made colored version of Metroid 2. I played that first, but it's very glitchy at the end.

BTW, the tech demo is slowing-down for me in large rooms. Is this normal?
Anonymous said…
i said the same thing awhile ago about the metroid game but nothing would be able to hurt you since metroids are like a solid and gell like thats why they can go through walls because their body forms around the tiniest crack of a wall or ceiling and it is a weapons testing site becuase why would there be space jump and a ass load of room in that place and it would be perfect for a play battle with powersuits as a sport the Chozo use it as which would make the perfect test project and as for the sand thats not sand jackasses(sorry its just i know way more then you do and ive seen a metroid egg after it evovled thing in my neighbors tree and then an hour later there were cia people there believe me it scared the shit out of me when i relized they where actually real and i was excited)its actaully the monsters after the metroid sucks the energy out of something or someone they turn to dust and when someone?something touches it it turns to a pile of dustwhich means the sand is actually dead creatures and chozo so boyaa
Anonymous said…
sorry the comment above is mine just school pc is slow
Anonymous said…
oh yeah im also making a new metroid game that has graphics as good as ps3 and the battlefields are the actual size which means there might require alot of running or driving but anyways back to the point im making a new metroid game called Metroid: Deception of War. it has 8 diffrent people and its so real that there will be blood for the adult servers and you can dig and actually have a conversation with the soldiers and there will be gossip about what kind of leader you are so my advice is dont be an asshole leader and they can get shellshock and you can upgrade,build or evolve into structures,command troops,drive,switch to control another unit, repair structures,research techs and abilitiesand whatnot and im interested in anyone who can help me make this online dream come true at Projectgamma6969@yahoo.com and ill explain how good it has to be and the story line and everything so plz contact me then ok ill except any support
Dylan French said…
What the hell? 'STFU GUYZ ISEEN LIVE METROID FOR REALZ, SO I NOWS MOREZ, RETARDS LOLZ'. 1) The designer has already decided on what the area is going to be like. Stop whining that what you wanted the area to be like was not decided on. 2) Why are you advertising a game on this blog. This is not intended for that use. Plus, why are you trying to make others make it for you? If you want to make a game, I suggest you learn how to do it yourself, as you're not very likely to have many people interested. 3) Please visit some nice self-help seminars on proper grammar. Thank you
DoctorM64 said…
Guys, calm down.
I´m finishing the second area, and I´m still considering all the oppinions. Mining facility is a good idea, and if anybody comes with a better idea, I´ll take it.

@gamma47: please check your post and see if you wrote all that you meant to write, instead of multi-posting. If you are working on a game, there are better places to ask for help.
Metroid Fan Mission is a good place, but you´ll have to post some of your work (images or a demo). Good luck.
Anonymous said…
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm getting addicted to checking this blog for updates.

Could you take a bunch of screen shots and do daily updates, put one up every day or something?
Anonymous said…
about multi posting im sorry i get stuck around crappy pc's its hell plz help me anyway i posted a advertisement becuase im 16 about to get my first job and the people here seem really good at ideas and no i know more because there is a site that you can go to called www.metroidguide.com which will give you every single information ever on metroids even on creatures that weren't made yet
Anonymous said…
Arrogant much?
I've been playing this game since I was four, which was about 13 years ago. I'm sure there are loads more who visit this site who have a stronger understanding of the metroid universe than I do.
Anonymous said…
yeah but theres never anything to do at school so i had to look at that site my whole life(metroid 2 got me into this game when i was a baby i dont know what my mom was thinking)
Anonymous said…
holy shit i read about a chozo automated weapon and on the bottom it sai"Tis was said to be the first reaction against the x until they created the METROID" holy shit the chozo made the metroids against the x and that brings this up will we be able to see X Parisites sometimes becuase that would make sense and they host of this project should make seens where theres a metroid sucking the energy out of a boss(which is an X) and then absorb it and you might have to face them later
Anonymous said…
oh yea and wouldn't the fourth area be the mining area since theres no structure there on the gameboy
Anonymous said…
I agree with Gamma, there should be X parasites on SR388... and i think u r crazy gamma, did u ever think of going to the happy hotel where u hug yourself all day and night?
Anonymous said…
When i first saw this metroid 2 remake i almost cried from happiness... do ur best doctor.
Anonymous said…
i agree you should take your time and dont rush this gift from god that way when your done you and jesus are happy
Dylan French said…
Still, you posted in the completely wrong place to ask for developing help. I agree with DR.M, that you should post in another area on the internet and will likely need some sort of example of your work or ideas. And I'm not whining. I could care less what you do. I'm just trying to help you and give you some suggestions to help you reach your designing goals. I could say more, but I won't.
Anonymous said…
hey if you have some space can i help make the metroids and the shell of the evolved metroid becuase ive really seen on an i can make a perfect design what it really looks like and im really good at making metroids(i want this game to be perfect and im really bored)the design is actually cool and it would up the game a bit.
Dylan French said…
pics or it didn't happen
Dylan French said…
Well, I was specifically talking about where you claim you saw a "real" metroid. Sprites would be nice too.
Anonymous said…
Gamma u should really let the author of this game decide on what he wants to do... it's not like u hired him or anything.
Anonymous said…
at least now i know the truth which brings me to the iventer of metroid. maybe he saw and was in this kind of stuff hmmmm
Anonymous said…
I ask only news beams
Dylan French said…
o.k., so it didn't really happen. Thanks for the answer Gamma
Anonymous said…
i already said the answer look at the earlier posts
Dylan French said…
Yes, and I don't believe you unless you give me some solid evidence.
Anonymous said…
well why don't you ask the CIA but unfortunately they have the license to kill anyways back to the game talk where getting out of topic i think the fourth area is a mining field and the third area is a testing ground
Dylan French said…
When words fail you, there is always face-palm.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj257/bobrocks95/facepalm.jpg
Anonymous said…
i saw a couple fiaws in your demo i strongly sugest that you try to at least make rigly a little more detailed.also he should have a tail that sorta whacks you you know in metroid zero mission when you fight rigly.iff you can send me the game in prosses i might be able to fix any other flaws in your game. my email adress is metroid1010@gmail.com
Anonymous said…
I KNOW WHAT KIND OF TILES YOU CAN USE FOR THE HIVE its very cool .my email adress is metroid1010@gmail.com
Anonymous said…
Umm... Ethen, his name is spelled Ridley, and it was just a demo. He isnt even going to be in the final game...
Anonymous said…
Third area could be an industrial facility of some kind, like a factory or an agricultural site (chozo agriculture should be interesting, seeing as they live underground).
Unknown said…
Anonymous said...

Third area could be an industrial facility of some kind, like a factory or an agricultural site (chozo agriculture should be interesting, seeing as they live underground).

I suggested that a while back and while I was reading all the posts you gave me an idea, why dont we mix the mines with the weapons, of course, it would be one thing I would expect DR.M to do, it would be intresting to see, and have it all shadowy like sec.6 (NOC) from metroid fusion, as explained in one of my earlier posts.
Unknown said…
DR.M, also add the infinant sand coming throug the cieling in the background, its the one thing thats a pretty good decent idea around here...
Unknown said…
sorry about my spelling btw...
Anonymous said…
I still the third ruins are R KELLY'S GIANT CLOSETS
Anonymous said…
I think the third area should be the an abandoned space pirate vessel with the crew all turned to sand and it connects to the metroid breeding site but try to make it look like the whole ship was turned into ruins itself
Anonymous said…
Maybe for the fourth area you should add Nightmare from metroid fusion because in the original story of metroid 2 the galactic federation sent a research team to SR388 to destroy the metroids so the galactic federation may have sent a powerful team of robots to help defend the research team from the metroids but may have been exterminated just like the reaserch team but may have left nightmare to defend the breeding site from intruders...just a thought

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