THE SMBX CLASSICS COLLECTION (VOLUMES 16-17)

[candle]

The overall purpose of the SMBX Classics Collection is to find and preserve rare SMBX episodes and demos that are no longer available, or easily attainable to the public. In addition to this, shine a light on obscure and underated gems that have shown up over the years only to be overlooked or forgotten about.
(...)
Episodes are found, and most include an interview with the level designer themselves (which gives a great insight to our community history).

A cyber archaeologist! All hail, kindred spirit! And good luck on your quest!

I'm just trying out "Bowser's Brain Control Takeover" edit: with SMBX 2 on Windows 8.1 /edit, and have come across a couple of issues:

• Every time I enter the "Item Chance" mushroom house, I get an error message related to Mix_LoadMUS, followed by the path to the music file. The level seems to work correctly, only you don't hear any music. I've opened the music file manually using VLC Player, and it starts correctly.
• It seems odd to me that in the same mushroom house, the most "special" thing you can get appears to be
  Spoiler: show

  a Super Mushroom.
• There is a pit in 2-1 from which the only escape would have been a vertical pipe to the right - only you can't enter it and so must jump into the bottomless pit instead. Nor is there an invisible block that you could use to escape.
• edit2: Confirming the missing pipe connection in 2-2 /edit2
• edit3: Gonna pm Cedur about further findings so we'll have a unified list of bugs /edit3

[Cedur]

There is a pit in 2-1 from which the only escape would have been a vertical pipe to the right - only you can't enter it and so must jump into the bottomless pit instead. Nor is there an invisible block that you could use to escape.

I'm already taking care of reporting bugs, read above. I'm currently at 6-1.

[candle]

There is a pit in 2-1 from which the only escape would have been a vertical pipe to the right - only you can't enter it and so must jump into the bottomless pit instead. Nor is there an invisible block that you could use to escape.

I'm already taking care of reporting bugs, read above. I'm currently at 6-1.

I know, but my OS or SMBX version seem to have triggered at least one bug that hasn't been reported before. Shall I pm you about additional findings (if any) and then you add them to your list? Or just keep on editing my original post?

edit: Alright, mate Happy bug-hunting!

[Cedur]

I already noticed everything you said (I don't mind the music not playing), but if you find something I haven't mentioned yet, go ahead sure

[Knux]

Are you fixing this up as you go along, Cedur?

[Cedur]

maybe, once I'm done with it ... I make direct warps in the editor so I can't hand out a fixed version offhand, so yeah ...

[candle]

Is it even technically possible to collect all red coins in 2-! (Elevator Panic)? I've literally spent hours on it and still haven't made it - and meanwhile I've already reached 6-1.

[Cedur]

It's not mandatory in the slightest; I didn't even bother getting to the top; there's a prize for all red coins but it's not even worth it:

Spoiler: show

just green yoshi

also sorry for not reacting to PMs yet; I'll resume playing in a few days I guess

[Knux]

Think I might set-up a discord server and hire a few beta testers to prevent future issues like this - if anyone wants to get involved PM me.

[candle]

also sorry for not reacting to PMs yet; I'll resume playing in a few days I guess

Take your time, Cedur There's not much to coordinate anyway. Also, feel free to tell me if I get too carried away with the reports that I pm you. I understand that the main purpose of this collection is to preserve these demos and episodes, not to take care of every minor annoyance and oddity.

Knux, the unreachable secret exit in world #2 is the only major issue I've encountered up until 6-3.

[candle]

Has anybody solved the switch puzzle in 8-1 yet? I'm not so good at thinking under time-pressure... Also, I'm beginning to suspect that the characteristics of Kamikaze Koopa shells (aerodynamics) and/or of Switch Blocks (timeouts between hits?) have changed since the creation of BBCT.
Figured it out!

Spoiler: show

1. Hit the yellow and blue switch blocks to reach the ?-block to the left. Obtain the Kamikaze Koopa shell from it.
2. Hit the blue switch block and ascend until you stand on the green row of blocks.
3. Hit the upper right blue switch block from the left (using the shell), then jump on the green block in the shaft. You can now continue your ascension.

Apparently, you need the yellow switch on the lower floor only if you accidentally lock yourself out from the puzzle.

Knux, is it okay if I ask these questions in this thread, at least for playtesting? Or would you prefer me to create a separate thread on BBCT instead?

[Cedur]

To be honest I don't feel like resuming this now. The episode is just poor by today's standards. Levels are overly cramped and gameovers are far too likely. It's impressive how accurately you're going through it but I'm just plainly disappointed by it

[Knux]

Has anybody solved the switch puzzle in 8-1 yet? I'm not so good at thinking under time-pressure... Also, I'm beginning to suspect that the characteristics of Kamikaze Koopa shells (aerodynamics) and/or of Switch Blocks (timeouts between hits?) have changed since the creation of BBCT.

Knux, is it okay if I ask these questions in this thread, at least for playtesting? Or would you prefer me to create a separate thread on BBCT instead?

I'm thinking of starting a discord channel and getting a bunch of people to help beta test every episode

[candle]

I'm thinking of starting a discord channel and getting a bunch of people to help beta test every episode

You're worried that some third party had edited the BBCT game files, right? Well, I believe this is actually BBCT in its original final state. After all, all major bugs only affect optional areas or there are simple workarounds, respectively - I suppose people just didn't bother to report them, or maybe the designers never fixed the bugs.

Anyway, I've played this episode to the end now. The way I see it, we just need to fix the missing warp in world #2 and provide workarounds for the crash bug (game crashing if error message regarding missing music not confirmed in time) and the major bug in world #8 (vital NPCs sometimes not spawning at first in "Magmatic Escalade").
@Cedur, how about this: You fix the missing warp, I make a list of all known issues and workarounds? That way, even if nobody feels like fixing the remaining bugs, then at least players will know how to enjoy the game anyway (if they don't care about sudden peaks and rise in difficulty and have a high frustration tolerance...).

[candle]

Here comes a list of all known issues and workarounds in BBCT that Cedur and I have found. Feel free to edit as you see fit. In particular, I'm not sure how to categorize bugs that force you to repeat a level but can be avoided reliably. The second major bug I defined as major because some players might think the level was just unbeatable because something was missing.

Spoiler: show

___Known issues and workarounds___

compiled by candle and Cedur (in alphabetical order)

Crash bug

* The game may eventually crash when you receive an error message about a music file not loading properly. Simply confirm the error message quickly to avoid this.

Major bugs

* 2-2: The secret exit is unreachable because of a missing warp.
* 8-1: Important enemies (Birdo etc.) sometimes will not spawn at first or may disappear when off-screen, especially if you use the Green Stop Watch. You must backtrack and then return in order to make them spawn at last or reappear, respectively.

Minor bugs

* The music will not play in a couple of levels and sections. May cause a crash, see above!
* The music stops playing after you enter certain warps on the world map. Just enter any level and it will start again.
* 2-1: There is a pit from which the only escape would have been a vertical pipe to the right - only you cannnot enter it and so must jump into the bottomless pit instead. Nor is there an invisible block that you could use to escape.
* 3-!: Landing on the elevator or running against a wall or up a slope whilst standing on the elevator can sometimes kill you. There seems to be a pattern behind this, so you should eventually be able to avoid this.
* 5-!: You can get hurt by the fireballs of the "friendly" volcano lotus.
* 8-1: The Kamikaze Koopa Shell in the switch puzzle will disappear if you stop time, hit the ?-block and then try to pick it up. It can also disappear if you use it to activate the switches, apparently when ricochetting as you try to hit the switches at random. Try to hit only one switch at a time.
* 8-2: In the submerged section, hitting the switch blocks twice in quick succession can cause the Goombas to disappear into the walls, making the puzzle unsolvable.
* Using the warp back to 8-3 forces you to repeat the level.

Trivial bugs

* The game seems to treat all black ?-blocks as switch blocks. No negative effect apart from possible confusion.
* 4-3: Entering one of the pipes makes you emerge from a non-existent pipe.
* 4-!: In the underwater section you can walk on the ceiling, but there is no secret to be found.

Spoiler bug

* 8-2: The path that appears on the world map after solving the puzzle just leads to a dead end. It may have been supposed to connect to the warp pipe - or it is supposed to be a trap, considering how you are being shown the way to that "secret" exit...

[Cedur]

Kudos for having all the patience going through this scanty piece of an episode.

[Knux]

Thank you, I'll get round to fixing this soon.

[candle]

Can I help by playtesting something? You know, I appreciate your endeavours in archiving and documenting seemingly lost episodes

[Cedur]

Any potential new volumes at some time?

[Eri7]

Any potential new volumes at some time?

Don't you see Knux is too busy with becoming the new smbx president with his smbx politics topic?


Jk
Yeah Knux how is it going on, did you run out of classic episodes to upload?