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.
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
Hope you'll have good admins to watch your forum.
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
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.
However, it wouldn't be a big deal to me if it's mandatory.
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.
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.
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
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.
http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_devkitppc
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sector 2 was based on green brinstar
sector 3 was based on norfair
sector 4 was based on maridia
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH
OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
LLLLLLOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Sector 6 is the dark areas: Crashed Frigate and Maridia sandy desert
Of course I don't speed-run. But still, it takes a long time to beat Super Metroid.
So, it will be free.
I mean you could show more areas in the game but don't reveal the omegas^^
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...
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
Metroids don't need bait. They eat everything anyway. Blasted homicidal jellyfish!
buen trabajo con este juego.
no puedo esperar a jugarlo
It will works on Linux?