Metroid-style Exploration in Sonic games (preferably 3&K)

While I lack any technical knowledge on the subject, I think that the nature of Metroid-style exploration being impossible would be a letdown on a cosmic level.


I mean, the games are fun, but after a while, all it seems like is just reinventing the wheel. At the core, you're just speeding from the left side of the level to the right (or vice versa in "Return to the Origin"), racking up rings and busting up badniks, and every so often whomping Eggman's fat ass.


But maybe that's just me. I could come up with a mockup for a map of how one would go from one part of the game world to another.


If we were talking about S3&k, perhaps Hidden Palace could serve as a hub of sorts, where the Emerald Shrine serves as a means of getting around, where procuring an emerald opens up a porthole to HP. This would make finding the Emeralds more imperative.


You'd play as Sonic, but you'd acquire new powers (Spin Dash and Homing Attack, and abilities to use various ways to access new areas and even the ability to swap out Sonic for Tails and Knuckles.

 

This, sounds amazing. :U


Please, go for it!

 

Uhh... I don't know how to "go for it".


I have no real know-how whatsoever.


But if anyone else wants to "go for it", I'll help however I can. I can test on hardware, work on ideas and concept, and even make some ugly-as-sin concept drawings for original art, which I'll take pictures of since I have no working scanner (or any for that matter).


Like, for example:


* S2-style shields are the default, but you can unlock the other shields throughout the game, which in turn are used to access new areas (for example, after gaining the Fire Shield Access, you can get past a wall of lava in Lava Reef Zone to access a new area)


* Along with Water, Fire and Electricity shields, maybe some new shields? Like Ice, which makes you immune to many of the Ice-based attacks in Ice Cap Zone (I imagine it being a pallete-swap of Fire Shield) but fades when you come in contact with water or fire, or Spike, which makes you immune to Spikes.


* Changing into Tails and Knuckles occurs when you jump on a Tails or Knux box, and it wears off when you die or when you hit another change box (for example, a Knux becomes a Sonic box when you're Knux)


* No more bonus stages


If anyone wants to add something, speak up.


And please, don't just condemn me for not being able to do this myself. And even if I could, I know this would be one of those things that someone else could do way better than me. And I don't even want credit for the resulting hack, nor would I seek it. Just seeing this would be all I need.

 

It would be hilarious to see Sonic acquiring the morph ball.


Seriously though this is a neat idea.

 

Didn't he acquire the morph ball in Sonic Spinball... and got it back again in my pinball-based Sonic 2 hack idea?


And I hope it makes the leap past the "idea" phase.

 

Well, you should really try then.


At least try to make a level that would play like Metroid.


Unlocking abilities and swapping characters are almost details from a programming standpoint. If you want an example, open an original S3K in regen, select knux and launch the game, open the ram editor, and change the content of B000 to B003 from '00016444' to '00010A94', and you'll play as Sonic. More things have to be changed for this to work perfectly (especially palette and mappings), but this may show you how easy it actually is.


The only tricky part would be to load the levels properly and fast enough, but even that can be done easily: create an object that will set the next level number, starting position, end the level and load the next one when you touch it, and place it where it's needed. Everything will have to be placed in an array, but that's a detail as well.


Edit: and if you want it even more like metroid, have some collectible items to increase jump height and maximum speed could make it easier to design more complex levels depending on what has been collected.

 

I've tried using ESE2 on S1, but for a different thing. Surrounded all the Emeralds w/ blue diamonds, making it harder to get to. Also changed the level select text, so it said Zone in lieu of Stage. Booted it and went to a red screen.


I also tried to do a VVVVVV-stlye hack, placing hazards everywhere. Wouldn't let me place items. Maybe do this to Mega Man 1 for NES.


Also... jump and speed powerups = EPIC WIN!

 

the checksum check. that can be disabled look where it says file & whatnot and find your way till you find a dialog box saying "Disable Checksum Check" or something. (I would have to look on mine about where that's located at, using another computer.)


And having sonic given a "Morph Ball" does seem nifty if your making narrow passages. VIA Sonic 1 Disassembly, and SonMapEd just lind ALL the spinning animations in SonMapEd and save each one so you can shrink with paint, and (forgot how I did it) make the .bin file and load it with Tile Layer Pro to find ALL tiles, then add the animations to Sonic's animation .bin file, use a hex editor if needed, (TranslHEXtion for instance) and at the end of sonic's animation file add some zero's, and open TLP, both sonic's animation file and "Morph_Ball.bin" (file name is an example). add the "Morph_Ball" animation to sonic's and save. and add the "Morph_Ball" with SonMapEd. (you'd have to add it to the animation's .asm file)


I think there are tutorials somewhere.

 

Maybe the Morph Ball could be the first step to getting the Spindash?

 

Very interesting idea Jareth. Out of curiosity though, how would the HUB world work? Would you beat an Act, then go back to HUB, or would you beat both acts, then return? And with that, how would the Final Boss work? Would you jump on the Master Emerald? Would you go onto Sky Santurary and move on to the Death Egg? I mean, I love the idea of a HUB world, but tbh, I'm starting to see hacks that use them are becoming more repetitive and as a cool ass novelty, than something that adds more to the gameplay itself. Though, I really dig the additional attacks/powerup idea. Beat a level, unlock it near the boss, or make it like SA2, where you have to find the powerup somewhere. Think kind of like the Light Shoes or Ancient light. It be cool that way, and make it challanging. You can power up if you want, but it is not necissary, thus creating new paths for the characters.

 

There'd be no acts. Each zone would be open to exploration, with a means of going from the current zone to the next (i.e. Flying Battery leading to Ice Cap, which I heard was the intention of the developers).


Still working out the ideas in my head for the HUB. It's really just a starting point, like where Samus Aran lands her ship in Super Metroid.