I've got a little something for ya

It's an editor update. Holy f@#%, Batman!

Now I know it has been a while, and I can't even remember how much has changed since the last official "update", but I can tell you that you no longer need that annoying XNA Redistributable package (/spit). I've rewritten the whole graphics part of the application in OpenGL using the Open Toolkit Package for C# bindings. You don't need to know exactly what that is unless you're going to build the code (which I know you aren't!), so all YOU need to know is you can just download and run the program now. That is, unless you haven't updated Windows for years, then you still need a .NET update, but that's your problem, pal.

Anyways, try it out, try and break it, and do tell me if you do. I like it when people try to break it, so fill yourself with rage and have at the editor! And once you've calmed down and returned from anger management, post a comment or a bug report on the issues list.

SMTC Level Editor (Changeset: cb2d164dd0, Build date: 100628)

EDIT: Updated project once more to fix a miscalculation.

Super Metroid Classic Engine Video

Youtube did something ghastly to the audio, otherwise this is a pretty accurate depiction of the engine. A download link will be posted when I have finished cleaning up the bugs.

ROCKET KNIGHT

I've created and posted a full Rocket Knight playthrough, as well as the game's soundtrack.
So if you were wondering what I was up to (you weren't), wonder no more!

May Update

I figured it's been a long time since I posted anything, so here it is.
Latest Download.

This version contains a bunch of smaller bug fixes (including some crash-related ones) and also adds water physics. Samus will now slide around in water unless you get the Gravity Suit. In order to allow for backwards compatibility, this feature has been disabled in acid until I go back through all the levels and make sure the player can escape from the acid if he/she falls in.

The Zebes Depths area has been completed but has not been appended to the map quite yet. If you want to test it out, you'll have to set your SMTC.cfg to start you in Rooms/Dept00.mcl. I worked hard on those levels so at least pretend to appreciate them.

Scripting is in the works at the moment but is only partially functional. To see some examples of what it can do, go to your SMTC.cfg. The cvars on the bottom can be used to edit the properties of water physics in-game. More options will come once I work out the bugs in the parser.

As for the more global picture, Toasty and I have been talking about starting a new project. It won't be a remake, instead it will be a completely original game mixing RPG and Strategy elements. Very few details have been even discussed but you can expect to hear about any betas on this blog at some point.

What's this? A review? Oh my!

After noticing Sudtrap's comment about a month ago in Salty's Useless Update Post:

Sudtrap said...

I've gotten the Gamersnark interested in reviewing the game and game engine, and he'd like to do a interview as well, when you release it!
(A link to one of his better videos)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO9q9M5Irl0

Otherwise, I look forward to the release! ^_^

I should probably note that Gamersnark has completed his review and it's up on his website and in his YouTube channel. Take a look, let him and us know what you think! It also features a Q&A interview with Mr. SaltyJustice himself. Perhaps we'll contact him for another review in the future if you guys like it.

http://www.gamerzsnark.com/Salty%27s%20Metroid%20Review.htm

Ubuntu Build

I toyed around with SMTC in Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) today. Altered the build settings, changed some paths to be compatible, etc. Here's the end result:

SMTC in Ubuntu

Although it's still got some issues to track down (such as not accepting input..), it is compile-able! The libraries are also usable in Mac OSX and other distros, so you may see those as a possibility.

More on this when I decide to work on it further.

Source Release

This is the download link for the existing SMTC Source. I used Codeblocks for this, and Allegro 4.9.x 4.0.3. The Audio library I used was BASS 2.4.

This release is for you amateurs out there, as well as anyone presently interested in helping port the game to other operating systems. I will upgrade the source releases as the RCs come out.

Final RC version

This is the final version of the SMTC RC1 version. It contains fixes for the Mother Brain encounter, as well as all the previous patch versions rolled into one.

The next RC will probably be released next month, or SMTC 1.0 if I think it's polished enough. While I won't be immediately patching any minor bugs until then, feel free to post whatever bugs you do find.

Update: A few fatal errors have been patched, as of April 4.
Elevators should no longer crash the program
Helix beam hitting a corner should no longer crash the program
Transitioning in rooms should no longer crash the program sometimes
Non-standard door positions should no longer cause scrolling

SMTC Release Candidate Mark I Released!

At long last, here it is. SMTC 1.0 (Mark I), a fully playable Metroid Classic game experience.

There are FAR fewer parade floats and flying streamers than I had come to expect.

Anyway, you can download it here.

As always you can get the latest release at www.g0dsoft.com/smtc/Downloads/SMTC_Release_Latest.rar.

For the love of god, read the readme I included. All of it. I'm serious.
And start pimping this to your friends/neighbors/victims/people you don't like. Get the word out people!

Update: Just encountered a crash. Using the elevator from Ridley's Lair to Norfair. Haven't been able to reproduce it yet. SAVE OFTEN. As in, every time you pass a save room.

Also, the list of known bugs is nowhere near up to date. I'll post a new one soon.

Update 2: Patched a crash issue in Tourian. Please download the zip/rar again if you got it earlier this afternoon.

Update 3: If you are experiencing a crash in the Mother Brain's room, please try this patch and leave a comment if it works. If not, back to the drawing board.

Update 4: This patch should solve some minor problems in the Ridley's Lair section (and one major one, yeesh). Replace your old Rooms folder with the new one included. Also contains some other minor bug fixes.

FYI: If you're downloading this for the first time, the package is being updated with the patches, so you won't need them.

Updateless Update

Okay so we're going with the monthly format here.
February doesn't get an update because February was midterms/swine flu month.

The Editor is nearing its final version, barring some unforseen bugs.
Kraid is done (it only took a few hours to build and test him, but you try fucking doing that with swine flu).
Ridley is done as far as I know.
I'm going to work on the Mother Brain now. The Zebetites and Rinkas are already done but they're "harmless" to allow testing unmolested, which you may have seen in the case of Ridley and Kraid. Those two are now fully armed.
Screw Attack has been added and seems to work.
Fixed a massive crash that had to do with doors opening and target lists.

I probably did some other stuff but forgot what I did (I'm like that).

Expect an actual release next week. More importantly, next week's release will be an RC, meaning it might be the finished version (or 1.0. Metroid 2 will be 2.0, but that's getting ahead of myself).

Finally, I'd like to see you people (okay, you two) make a video or somesuch that I can post on youtube to pimp the RC. So if you're interested in doing that you can mail me or post a comment.
I'd do it myself but my system refuses to record sound internally. Also I suck hard at video editing.

The Full Map

Here's a preview of the full map. No, it's not even close to complete, as Maridia and Brinstar Green need to be added.

You will note that Brinstar Red (in the bottom) is way below the rest. That's because I there's not much space between Kraid's Lair and Ridley's Lair.

I find backtracking across Brinstar to be tedious, especially with the plethora of vertical shafts. Brinstar Red connects two fairly disparate sections of Brinstar, allowing an alternate route back once you've collected Bombs and the Ice Beam. Going further into Brinstar Red will require the Wave Beam and Screw Attack, and allow access to Maridia (which shortcuts to Ridley's Lair) and Brinstar Green (which shortcuts to Kraid's lair).

The Space Jump will be found in Brinstar Red, as will the Spazer Beam and Gravity Suit.
The Helix Beam will be found in Brinstar Green.
The Shock Beam and Burn Beam will be found in Maridia.

Obviously this is still a work in progress. I'll append more sections to this map as I go.

I am not happy about this

I don't know why but I'm just not happy with this release, and I'm doing it anyway. Please post bugs that you have found, if any.

Known Bugs:
Unmorphing in midair causes Samus to land and stop for 1 frame before continuing to run.
Collecting an item during a certain run frame causes the sound of footstep to repeat for a while.
Several rooms still have bad positions on the minimap.
That's all I can think of.

New Features:
Wow where to begin.

==== Sound ====
Pretty sure I got all the sounds and music from the original Metroid. Made some progress in other Metroid games as well. Have to fix a sound bug or two.
All the Music entities in the Editor work and are correctly integrated.

==== Editor ====
Added a bunch of new entities to the Editor's list. All current entities except Metroids and Rinkas work.
Note: The Save entity should be obvious. The stuff next to that is the Minigun entities that exist in Mother Brain's room.
About 1/4 of the tiles from Metroid 2 have been added, in color!

==== Enemies ====
Enemies work. Period. Send any bugs you find in. Apart from the Rinkas and Metroids, all the enemies on the Editor's list should work fully.
Ridley is fully functional. You will find him in Ridley's Lair. He has around 200 hp and splatters into gibs when he dies. If you want to fight him without traveling down there, press 6 at any time to spawn him on the top left side of your room. Killing him nets you 75 missiles.

==== Rooms ====
There are about 3 rooms in Norfair that I have not completed yet, and most of the rooms in Norfair have no enemies yet.
Kraid's Lair is done (though lacking a Kraid)
Ridley's Lair is done
Tourian is done
Brinstar is done
Save Rooms have been added to the game. Check the maps in your Images\Maps folder to find out where they are. Press F3 while on top of the save pillar to save your game. It will use the name of the game you loaded with, or entered at the start of the game.

==== Items ====
Most of the original game's equipment, and then some, is included. Still have yet to do the Screw Attack.
The Beam weapons have been overhauled. I added 3 extra beams though support for some is still lacking:
Burn Beam: Sets enemies on fire for a few seconds, dealing out damage each second. Presently not supported to actually deal out damage. Needs more graphical support. The Burn Beam is incompatible with the Ice Beam and Plasma Beam.
Shock Beam: Stuns enemies 3-4x longer than a normal beam impact. Increases damage by 1. The stun is not supported yet, but the damage upgrade is. Not compatible with the Wave Beam.
Helix Beam: The Beam becomes a Helix form, creating two seperate beams that criss-cross through the air. Increases damage comparable to the Spazer Beam. Allows the mixing of Burn and Ice beams (one on each carrier).

You no longer start the game with a default loadout. You now start with just 99 energy. If you need to test equipment, press 5 to enable the gear.

==== Misc ====
Press T during the starting music to skip it.
Don't use campaigns yet, they have not been improved to the latest formats.
The Cvar for fireworks mode causes Missiles to spray fireworks all over the place. Use it!
Old Savefiles are no longer anywhere near compatible. Delete them please.
Random games should still not work. I'm not sure if I'll include them in the final game at all.

As always, you can get the latest release at
www.g0dsoft.com/smtc/Downloads/SMTC_Release_Latest.rar
or, by clicking here.


Please report bugs!
Also, the game is very close to completed. Here's a todo list to make the game playable from the start to finish:
Finish up Norfair (not looking forward to this shit...)
Add Acid to all rooms that don't have it.
Put in Kraid.
Put in the Mother Brain.
Put in Metroids and Rinkas.
Put in the Screw Attack.