Although I spent most of September 2014 working on SMBX Teaches Typing, I also decided to make a banner for my project (that way, you can show your support without having to painstakingly type out the entire title of my episode
) during that time. However, I quickly realized that this banner (at least, how I initially envisioned it) would probably take me as much time to make as any of my levels, and since I didn't want another long period of time where I wasn't releasing any levels (hey, I can dream, can't I), I decided to stop when I thought it looked presentable enough. And so, I present to you "Chaotic Culmination: Banner v0.1!"
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[url=http://www.smbxgame.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=824][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/VMqxHx1.png[/IMG][/url]
It is one of those brief time of peace in the Mushroom Universe when the princess isn't being kidnapped. Mario, Luigi, Peach, The Strongest (read: Playable) Toad, and Link take turns updating the sign (the one that says "___ days since last invasion"). One day, as the sign is about to be updated by your player of choice, the kingdom is invaded by a Mysterious Figure who quickly takes over the kingdom. Shocked, your player of choice (heretofore refereed to as "you") begins to run toward the castle to stop this invasion, but you soon come across an even more sinister plot: all of the midway points are being taken away! This is such an unorthodox plan that you can do nothing but just stand there for a few seconds before finally realizing that you just HAVE to save the midway points. Eventually, you track them to a rocket ship where all of the midway points are being stored, and you manage to sneak aboard just before the rocket ship launches. Now, the first level begins. It will be called "Battle for Midway Points" and will use music from "1943: The Battle Of Midway." The level will consist of you having to sneak around the ship to take out its crew and free the midway points. If you die even once on this level, then a cut-scene will show you being cast from the ship and landing on a nearby planetoid, and you will have to go through the rest of the episode without midway points. If you should succeed, however, a cut-scene will show the different midway points returning to their proper locations, but suddenly the ship self-destructs. You manage to survive, but land on the same planetoid mentioned before. In both scenarios, shortly after you arrive on the planetoid, you realize that there are warps to different universes all across it. However, the one that leads back to the Mushroom Universe is sealed, and you will have to explore the other universes before you can break the seal and return home. Unless you're Link, in which case your heroic persona drives you to free the Mushroom Universe anyway, even though you can finally return home.
The Gameplay
This is where the episode will truly begin, with you being able to select which universe to explore first via a world map, with each universe representing a different video game franchise. Once you enter a warp, you will be taken to a HUB-like area where you can choose which galaxy (representing system) and solar system (representing the individual game) to explore. After this, you will go through worlds(do you get it?) back on the world map, but can, at anytime (while not in a level), go back to the universe select and go to a different universe or part of the universe. Unfortunately (because I've been saying "however" a bit much), you quickly realize that ALL of the selectable universes have been taken over by the very Mysterious Figure who invaded the Mushroom Universe! Consulting with the former heroes of these universes will tell you that he was able to use his "Neural-Paralysis Cannon" to paralyze the protagonists and stop any resistance in its tracks. Strangely, after all of this, the Mysterious Figure simply puts the villain in control and leaves mysteriously. It's now up to you to oust the villain and restore peace to each of these universes. Once you free a solar system, the protagonist(s) will give you a star sprite-swap as a reward. Once you gather enough of these, you can break the seal and return to the Mushroom Universe, where similar circumstances have occurred in your absence. One last thing to note: sometimes, solar systems will have secret portals to alternate universes, but don't tell anyone; they're a secret!
The Levels
Green Hill Zone based level Updated (v 1.1)
When I was thinking of what to make for my episode's first public level, I went with something that I knew everyone in a Super Mario Bros. based community would be fond of: Sonic the Hedgehog! Okay, technically I started with this mode 7 tech demo, but that wasn't really a level, it was a tech demo. Anyway, this level takes advantage of the editor's inability to pause to provide a musical intro before the loop jumps in. For the updated version, I fixed the alignment of the grass and checkered tiles, as well as slightly decreased the amount of time the sign spins. No loop-dee-loops, though; that's for another update.
Spoiler: show
http://www.mediafire.com/download/m4csr ... ill1.1.zip
Gradius III based level
After my debut with Green Hill Zone, I decided to take a departure...FOR SPAAAAACE! My reason for this departure was to achieve a level of parallax scrolling beyond that of Mystic Cave Zone, and Gradius III gave me just what I was looking for. In this level, you take control of half the Vic-Viper (the half without the gun, but at least it sparkles!) and must avoid various Rinka sprite-swaps, all in front of a sea of parallax-scrolling stars.
Spoiler: show
http://www.mediafire.com/download/x5k4s ... espace.zip
Metal Storm based level
Once I finished the Gradius III based level, I didn't know what I should follow it up with. Then, I REMembered IREM's Metal Storm! This is my first anit-gravity level, but since that has been done in SMBX before, that's not the real draw for this level (or, rather, it isn't supposed to be). The real draw for this level is that the NPC's effects have multiple frames of animation! It may not be as impressive as any of my other levels' gimmicks, but it's something I haven't seen done before, so I decided to do it. Also, I did put effort into making the upside-down part have traps that are also a hindrance during the right-side up part, and vice-versa.
Spoiler: show
http://www.mediafire.com/download/uvocd ... lstorm.zip
Sonic 3D Blast level: Green Grove
Yes, you read that right; this is a level styled after Sonic 3D Blast. It took four months of my time to create this level, and I think it paid off. This isn't just some cheap gimmick, either: the bullets and spiked ball won't hurt you if they're in the "background"; they have to be on the same "plane" as you are. The only problem with this level is that you can only play as Mario or Luigi (this is my only level that can't be beaten with all playable characters) because the 3D effect will be destroyed should you play as anyone else. Also, when you hear the Blaarg sound effect, don't hold right or you will die.
Spoiler: show
http://www.mediafire.com/download/809yh ... ngrove.zip
Zelda II Death Mountain based level
Once I finished my 3D level, I knew that it would be difficult to top it, so instead of just making a level, I made a level connected with the world map. Let me explain: normally, SMBX levels take up one spot on the world map, and once it's completed, a line is drawn to the next level. For this level, much like Death Mountain in the actual Zelda II, completing a section or two of the level takes you to another part of the world map, where you can move a bit and continue the level. You might even have to choose a path. Think of it like having multiple midway points in a level. The only problem with this type of level is that it doesn't really end; it just sort of stops. That's why I added a town at the end, and when you make it to that town, you have beaten the level, and rather than hearing a short tune, your reward is that you can explore the town and talk to the people in it.
Spoiler: show
http://www.mediafire.com/download/jois8 ... athmnt.zip
Little Samson based level
Once I finished the Death Mountain based level, I thought that I had ran out of what I could possibly add to SMBX aside from HD graphics. It was then that I realized that it's the little things in life that truly matter, hence the basis for this level. Also, I finally added something that other members might actually use in their levels: a health bar for layer+event bosses! I was even able to remove that pesky kill-in-one-hit-with-hammer bug that used to plague these kinds of bosses. In fact, I felt that I did such a good job with this level, I submitted it to the Make a Good Level contest, even though it would lose 10 points for me not following the directions properly.
Spoiler: show
http://www.mediafire.com/download/plfb1 ... eruins.zip
Raocow's play-through of Little Ruins in MAGL X (skip to 1:00 to bypass watching him go through the hub).
Spoiler: show
Wow, I can't believe it took me a year to put this together. Sure, I took a break to work on my SMWCX entry, but that only took so long to make. Ever since I began this project, I have always wanted to make a level that had a cut-scene comprised of full-motion animation. However, I'm not quite that skilled yet, so I decided to make a cut-scene using large, detailed sprites instead, not unlike Ninja Gaiden (NES). Of course, it wasn't until I began making the cut-scene when I realized just how time-consuming it really is. Even then, I'm quite proud of what I have been able to accomplish. I'd even go so far as to say that this cut-scene will revolutionize storytelling in SMBX, but I know that would never happen.
Spoiler: show
Spoiler: show
http://www.mediafire.com/download/o4m8i ... eerch1.zip
Previews:
For my next level, I have a crazy idea: I'm going to try to make a fun backtracking level. Wish me luck!
Update 7/1/15:
To those of you following my project (I'm sure there are some), you may have noticed that it has been a while since the last update, and even longer since the last level was released. Although progress was being made, progress had been really slow (it has almost been ANOTHER YEAR since my last level), and that combined with the incredibly ambitious scope I had for this project, like fully animated cut-scenes, near-perfect recreations of various franchises' enemies and bosses, and having all of my levels be high quality as well as build upon gimmicks introduced in previous levels, I realized that the only way this project had a chance at being finished is if I were immortal (or if I had a well-coordinated professional team working on it with me), and even then, SMBX would be looooong outdated by the time this episode ever got released (heck, vanilla SMBX is outdated RIGHT NOW). Because of that, I've decided to cancel this project. The partly finished level that I was making for this project will be released in the Levels subforum when it is finished.
Because this episode was killed by its ambition, I decided to make a far less ambitious project when I took over
, so you can still look forward to me finishing an episode.The Plea
As you can see, even if you just read everything and didn't play any of the levels, this project will take me a long time to complete by myself. That's why I'm asking anyone who is willing to help me to do so; just let me know which game, series of games for a system, or entire franchise you will be adding to my project in a PM, and send me the levels once you have finished. That way, I can test them. If you want to help out but don't have a game in mind, send me a PM and I'll tell you what I'm planning on adding, and you can pick from them. Once I've finished testing the level, I'll add it to this post if I didn't find any errors, and I'll consult with you if I do find errors; that way, we can compromise on how to fix the level without deviating from what you had in mind.
One last thing: for you smart-alecs, "you" in the paragraph directly before this one does not mean "your player of choice."
