The Forum, Finally

Ok, the comments of each post are getting a little uncomfortable to discuss ideas. So, here´s the official AM2R forum: http://am2r.freeforums.org
Feel free to discuss anything there. I´m not going to stop posting here, you´ll be able to follow AM2R´s progress from this blog as always.

Speaking of progress, I now have some free studio time to continue with the soundtrack production. Right now I´m making a variation of the Alpha Metroid fight song for the Gamma encounters. The idea is to make a different version for each evolution.

After some playtesting, I found out that even with all the Metroid fights, hidden items and Minibosses, the game is quite short compared to other Metroid games. I was able to clear the first 4 areas in about 1 hour (without exploring too much), I even had to "simulate" the time some Metroid fights take, since not all of them are in the map yet.
So, since I´m making an entire new area to accomodate the new items, I could add some Metroid fights, so it wouldn´t be optional anymore. This opens an array of many interesting scenarios that weren´t possible in the original game. (Underwater physics Metroid fights...)
All I have to do is tweak some of the room layouts to accomodate these fights.

I think this new area will also bring back (to some extent) the feeling of exploring a place, hoping that a Metroid doesn´t appear all of the sudden. If you played the original, you more or less know where to expect a fight, but in Area 5, things will be as mysterious as it should be.

Anyway, I´ll be writing some posts in the new forum. Feel free to drop by, and be sure to keep checking this blog.

Comments

Anonymous said…
A forum is a nice thing but beware of flame wars and impatient fans...

Hope you'll have good admins to watch your forum.
fantroid said…
It was nice idea to make forum. But I agree with Iraden, too.
Dudeman said…
so an area between the omega nest and area 4?

what to go there... correct me if I'm wrong but I think you laid them out like this

area one is a simple cavey place

2nd area you said you wanted it to be a water treatment plant?

Area 3 is an organic breading area

area 4 you had said it was a tech tower of sorts...

what if area 5 was some kind of Chozo library/living quarters? partially destroyed and enchanted with a creepy atmosphere
Anonymous said…
Maybe if your feeling really creative you might think about making a new metroid evolution thats more of an aquatic metroid. Something that would be completly new to the game, just an idea, great job with everything else btw, cant wait for it to be finished ^_^
Unknown said…
Thanks, for the idea of water metroid, that I could draw when I have time, but I don't know if that idea would work for this game, it great idea.
Ken said…
Hearing you talk about exploring an area hoping you don't run into a metroid is getting me all nostalgic and excited. Can't wait!
samushunter242 said…
im sorry for spaming but does ANYONE know a decent screen and audio recorder
Anonymous said…
The problem with the waiting for a metroid part is that you said there would be no metroids there, didn't you?
Karrde said…
Well Doc, as someone who's got a lot of testing and feature design (not technical dev but theoretical design; ESF, see URL) experience, can I give you some advice? YOU can get through it in an hour :P For starters, Metroid 2 is shorter than the others as I recall to begin with, so consider that. Then, call in some favors. Get a friend or family member to sit down and play. Preferably someone who's not that familiar with Metroid 2. Make them play without guidance. Simulate the fights that you need to. This will give you a better idea of how it actually plays. I know ppl who have done this without explaining anything just to test how intuitive something is. But this should give you a better picture to work with.
Firespawn7 said…
I agree with Karrde. Testing on people who have never played the game gives you a better idea of what a Metroid games true length really is. People who play the game a lot or are familiar with where to go and all that will blaze through the game. If it's their first time playing it, they are bound to spend more time figuring out where to go and looking for the hidden expansions (as well as how to reach some of those super hard expansions that often require insane shinespark skills) and all that jazz.

Also, about the new area, if you make it too big, it will make the game less of a remake than a new game entirely. You don't want players spending most of their time in a new area, that just doesn't make it fell like a remake at all. Just a thought.
Dragonheart91 said…
I do like the idea of the water area being optional. It's possible to have suspense and surprises without Metroids. For example, you could have Serris swim by at super speed as your entering before you have the Gravity Suit. That would essentially have the player terrified for the rest of their experience. Then toss in a vicious surprise mini-boss and you've got a suspense filled area.

However, it wouldn't be a big deal to me if it's mandatory.
Anonymous said…
More is always better! Good to hear about the new metroid fights.
Anonymous said…
Keep up the good work!
Anonymous said…
More is good, but please don't get carried away. As others have said, the game will take the rest of us far longer time to play than it will you (the key designer). If you up the challenge and length too much, you may break the game for regular players, or get yourself lost in a bunch of new ideas that never get implemented.

I do want the game to be a quality product when done, but even Metroid Confrontation gave me a good 30+ minutes of enjoyment on the first run... and it wasn't all that lengthy.
Dr. Grey said…
Posted a greeting thread. Can't have a forum without a place to introduce yourself. =P
netsendjoe said…
hey doc. im still following everything. i think the water physics idea is good. someone brought up the idea of having water type metroids, though that sounds like it would deviate a bit from the real metroid story... although i have seen this nicely pulled off in several fanfics. omg... ice metroids. but i digress. im thinking that your priorities right now for am2r should be wrapping up all the loose ends. i mean.. you can always release an updated version later on with fixes and other things that you wanted to include, as well as additional areas to explore and whatnot. maybe some of us are giving you too much input is what im saying.
Oy said…
I think the idea of adding new areas and mixing up the item placement and metroid placement would be a good idea to increase the length of the game. I don't think you need to be too worried about creating new areas. Exploration has always been the staple of the metroid series and is certainly what I love about the games. You could even throw in some surprise mini-bosses here and there, other than the metroids. Go nuts!
Ben said…
I never played Metroid 2 on the Game Boy. Just saying.
Josh said…
A new area huh? How about putting Yakuza or Serris in it? Or better yet, both of them! ;D
Anonymous said…
the forum is blocked on my end, dns blocker blocks some forums so, do you think if it isnt too much, to find a website that makes forums other then freeforums.org?
Anonymous said…
Doc, I think the best way to extend the game is to add more rooms. Try expanding just a little on some of the areas. I also think you should make some of the enemies later in the game much stronger. You could make some enemies resistant to all attacks except missles. This would give the player more of a reason to spend time hunting for hidden missle tanks in previous areas.

Also, I've always wanted to see a little more of SR388's surface. I think you should add more surface areas above the first main Chozo Ruins tower. I really do think the best way to expand the game's length is to add more optional areas. If a player wants to speed run through the game, you should allow the player to skip these areas. But, if a player wants to take their time to explore the hidden areas of the game, you should let them do that. This concept is what made Super Metroid such a good game. For instance, Super Metroid had a bonus area in Brinstar where you learn how to walljump, but you can't get there until later in the game.

Also, the other day I was reading Zero Mission's guide. In the story part, it mentioned that metroids were believed to have caused the extermination of most other creatures on SR388. Perhaps you could find some way to link this with the Chozo.
purplecowadoom said…
I don't think the move to a forum was the best idea. All it will serve to do is dilute the hundred or so posts you normally get from your fans into a bunch of different sections, which I can't help but see as an excuse to overlook them. If that was the plan, okay. Say so. Otherwise, I don't see the point. When (or IF, as the case may be) you start getting a thousand posts, or even five hundred posts, THEN you have a legitimate excuse to establish a forum.
Hadriex said…
Rising lava boss fight? One metroid is attacking, and one after another more metroids join the fight, (the early game ones).
If you can't dispatch them quickly, you'll find yourself fighting potentially four metroids at the top of the passage.

You may be powned at the point X_X
Dragonheart91 said…
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This sounds like a really fun sequence. I would love something like that if it were able to be worked into the game in a nice way. Make sure there is a lead-in to it that sort of "warns" the player and a save room just before it though. It would be like a boss fight sort of.
Zoonyboy said…
i like the idea doc. there is a wii channel called the homebrew channel that allows u to launch 3rd party apps. there is a website wich i will post on a later comment that will teach u how to do this. emagine being able to play am2r on a WII with WII controls. you would probubly use the nunchuck. so see u in a later comment!!!!!!!!!!!
Zoonyboy said…
a couple things to tell u before i hed up to the computer. 1) in the manga the chozo INVENTED the metroids but it never expreses that IN the games. i would recamend reading it (online like i did) and see whatelse you can work into the game through carvings and such. 2) The water metroids sound good. you could make them like alphas with a fish tail and the core in their mouth. 3) the homebrew channel would be GREAT for u!
Anonymous said…
I agree with Zoo.
Zoonyboy said…
hey doc I'm on my computer now so here is a link that might help you with the homebrew channel. if you can't find what you need here just goggle "how to make a hombrew channel app"

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_devkitppc
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
MetroidMan347 said…
Here is my theory. Every sector of the BSL Research Station was based on a DIFFERENT part of SR388. So in theory the Doc could make a water area if he so chose, seeing as it in theory does exist on SR388.
Anonymous said…
no, the sectors in the BSL were based on different landscapes from both zebes and sr388
sector 2 was based on green brinstar
sector 3 was based on norfair
sector 4 was based on maridia
purplecowadoom said…
How about having a metroid fight against a zeta or omega that shields their weak spot with one of their claws. You'd be in a room with liquid nitrogen tanks lining the place though, and in order to gain access to the metroid's weak spot, you'd have to lure it near one of the nitrogen tanks and then hit the tank with a missle.
MetroidMan347 said…
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH
OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
LLLLLLOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Anonymous said…
Sector 5 is nothing, the enemies don't fit in there, but one of them, the waver, is from brinstar
Sector 6 is the dark areas: Crashed Frigate and Maridia sandy desert
Amanntai said…
hey Doc, i noticed in the second trailer you use the fusion sprite for the Chozo statues. why don't you use the ZM sprites?
Anonymous said…
As far as the length goes, keep in mind that people have completed Super Metroid with 100% in less than two hours while an inexperienced Metroid gamer may take at least four or five hours to complete and not even have 100%. As the designer you have a unique perspective on the game.
Dragonheart91 said…
4-5 hours? LOL! It took me 14 hours to complete Super Metroid my first time and that was NOT 100%. Going back again after knowing the lay-out and attempting to get 100% STILL took 8 hours.

Of course I don't speed-run. But still, it takes a long time to beat Super Metroid.
purplecowadoom said…
I beat the game my first time in the amount of time it took you to get 100%, and got 100% in about 3 hours. It's all in how people go about it.
Anonymous said…
is the game going to be free or are we going to have to pay for it!?!?!? im just wondering since im hoping to get this for free, and since ive always wanted to play metroid 2
Dragonheart91 said…
You can't charge for fan games. Nintendo owns everything in this game even though Doc is the one going to the work to make it. Nintendo could shut him down at any time if they wished because they own the project. If he tried to charge money, he WOULD be immediately shut down.

So, it will be free.
Anonymous said…
What about a Trailer, or new Preview?
I mean you could show more areas in the game but don't reveal the omegas^^
MetroidMan347 said…
Are the Omegas gonna be more like the one in fusion is or more like the originals?
purplecowadoom said…
If he keeps using that fake fan-chart as a reference for his sprites, the Omegas will have a build somewhat like a T-rex.
Ezekiel Rage said…
so many people want a link with fusion. amazing. well, you could always have an old chozo artwork feature a picture of an X parasite somewhere. that way you see them without samus ever meeting them.
as for serris or yakuza or how they all are named, who said that they were alive when the X duplicated them? ridley was dead frozen when the X duplicated him, so serris for example could have been dead aswell, or maybe a clone in fusion. but id rather have other enemies in there.
if space pirates stole metroids from SR388, dont you think theyd have at least a very small base there, or a left over camp?
same goes for the federation.
also, you could show the consrtuction of BSL in the background of the starting point in the game.
just some suggestions...
keep it up, dont care about the length too much. believe me, i completed MZM under 2 hours, lenght in a metroid game comes from exploration and enjoying the game. speedrunning =/= game length...
Anonymous said…
Serris was not an X parasite when the federation put him on the BSL in sector 4, and he was still alive
MetroidMan347 said…
and had the natural ability to use the speed booster. My theory is that the Chozo experimented with the speed booster and created Serris before Samus' Suit upgrade. That or they studied that ability in him and crafted the speed booster to work similarly. Something like that.
Anonymous said…
You are right indeed MetroidMan347.
DarKo said…
I'm just throwing it out there, I know I'm late for the name forum thing but what about using Annihilation: Metroid 2 Remake, you know still have the AM2R thing, by the way you got a good thing going on here man.
Anonymous said…
No entiendo como se usa ese foro. no me gusta. que la gente siga comentando aca y no ahi.
bobsam said…
I hope you add some easter eggs.
purplecowadoom said…
Yeah! Big Blue and pink polka-dotted ones!
Unknown said…
some suggestions:

1. add a 100% completion ending in which the player, not samus, sees the x parasites come out of hiding after samus leaves the planet

2. don't be afraid to make the game a little different. make that new area, use water physics, add the power bomb, and add more mini bosses

3. make aquatic metroids
Anonymous said…
How about a angler fish type boss for the water area (if you make it) that could have a X-parasite looking lure at the end of that thingy angler fish have. It could show how the X-parasite was part of that planet, and show how some animals addapted to the metroids being there. That way you could have a different boss, and have a type of tie in to fusion. Also if you could make it work out like this, have just the X show up first, then have the fishes eyes light up before the boss fight starts, kindof like a nod to the ridley fights in super metroid. Also some ideas for an aquatic metroid, maybe take a look at some aquatic reptiles or 'armored' fish, and go off that. Or take a normal metroid design and make it even more jellyfish-ish? just some ideas ^_^
Anonymous said…
and when i said "show how some animals addapted to the metroids being there." I mean that the angler fish type boss would feed off metroids by luring them with the 'X-parasite' decoy
purplecowadoom said…
That is extremely clever idea that I would normally support, but you're missing one key piece of information that discredits the entire "x-bait" thing:

Metroids don't need bait. They eat everything anyway. Blasted homicidal jellyfish!
Anonymous said…
Odio ese foro!!! no se como usarlo es una mierda. Chau

buen trabajo con este juego.
no puedo esperar a jugarlo
MetaRidley said…
How is the game progress (%) ?
It will works on Linux?
purplecowadoom said…
Everything works yet simultaneously doesn't work on Linux. It's also creates one of the rare circumstances that causes me to think that penguins should die.
Unknown said…
@purle: even the cute n' fluffy baby penguins? :(
purplecowadoom said…
Do they represent the crappiest D.I.Y. OS this side of the universe? That would be a yes. If I go on a genocidal rampage, I'll save just enough so you can breed some more. PRIVATELY.
Anonymous said…
POST A NEW INFORMATION...
Tobi said…
so does this mean the real one is coming OUT!! cuzz i wanna PLAY it
Tobi said…
O make it longer plzz lol i heard what you said soo make area 1 to 7
Zoonyboy said…
I hope that the tentacles on the Moheek are moving. they would just look a whole lot better
Anonymous said…
I think Nightmare would do good in the game cuz you could hide him and them randomely gavity is weird and nightmare burst out of the ceiling and you gotta fight him and that could be how you get gravity suit, if you dont have that planned already. But nightmare is s good creepy boss from fusion that isint in many games and should be. you could make the theme really creepy and really make him fit the definition of nightmare.
Anonymous said…
I think, and would appreciate it, if you could maybe put not mods, but,you could make it to where instead of medels, you unlock suits. like, kill 400 enemys and you unlock dark suit, 1000 and you unlock light suit. collect 75% pickups and you get ped suit, 100%and you get ped with hazard sheild. explore every inch of the map gets you phazon suit. get all other suits and you get all the fusion suits. and then have power, varia, and gravity be the standerd suits that you find, or for power, start out with. You can do it any way, but that is just a suggestion and I think it is a really good idea.

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