Topic: 2009 April Fools' Project brainstorming

[JonLeung]

Okay, people.  Any ideas?



Note that I will not necessarily lead such a project, despite doing so for past years' projects.  (Perhaps I'm still burnt out from the last one, but in any case I don't want this to be just my thing.)  Seeing as how an April Fools' joke reflects on this site, I still have to like the idea enough and approve it.  

[marioman]

Metroid Dread:



The supposedly canceled game for the DS has finally been leaked.  The game was mostly finished, but Nintendo had to cancel it because <insert reason here>.  The game takes place after Metroid Fusion, and one of the screens in Metroid Prime 3 hints about a "Project Dread" that is being worked on by the Space Pirates.  Maybe the revival of the Queen Metroid?



I would say that this would be a fairly good April Fools project.  Every Metroid fan wants this game to come out.  There wouldn't be all kinds of dungeons or overworlds like OoH.  Just a thought...

[Revned]

I think that would be too hard. To be convincing, the graphics would have to be close to the quality of the Castlevania games, and I don't think many of us here have the artistic skills to do it.

[RT 55J]

How a about a game starring a professional sports player but isn't a sports game? Some (real) examples include Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City (platform), Shaq Fu (fighting), or Barkley Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (RPG). I think that a curling RTS would definitely surprise some people.

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"its a good day to do what has to be done by me and help my brother to defeat the enemys" - John Freeman

[marioman]

In defense of the Metriod Dread idea, maybe we could simplify it by making it a canned GBA game that was supposed to be ported to the DS?

[RT 55J]

I think designing a convincing Metroid game would be far too time consuming. Even ignoring pixel art, we'd still have to think of abilities, bosses, areas, and setting. There's also the fact that we'd need to design the whole layout of the map before we even consider actually mapping (unless we split it into loosely connected areas like Fusion, Hunters, or Corruption, but that'd be lame). Another consideration is that the game would probably be several times larger than Oracle of Hours.



And personally, I prefer the idea of Metroidvania starring Samus Belmondo.



Also, the more I think about it the more appealing the prospect of a curling game becomes. I've even come up with a good title: Wayne Middaugh's Chip & Lie.

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"its a good day to do what has to be done by me and help my brother to defeat the enemys" - John Freeman

[JonLeung]

Cool, marioman!



I like the idea of Metroid Dread...following in the vein of The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of ____, that is, being a canned Nintendo portable game of a major franchise that at least some gamers know about.  Being for the DS gives it a more "current" status and hence one that would be more popular than for a fake GBC game.  And we wouldn't have to come up with a title!  



Now, I said I liked the idea.  I don't know how feasible it is.  The thing is, I know how much work was involved in Oracle of Hours.  And that was with Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons fully mapped, plus, the idea was that it would link with those, so it was easy to get away with using resources from those games.



Metroid Dread would probably require more unique tiles, and even if it could look good as a chopshop mishmash of Metroid: Zero Mission, Super Metroid, and Metroid Fusion, the scary thing is that we don't have fully ripped maps from any of those games!  >_<  Not that it would be hard to get where you needed to go and take a screen capture, but it sure would be handy if we had everything readily available already.



While not impossible, it would have to require a team of dedicated mappers.  So would any project, I suppose, but Metroid always has this level of quality that I think it could easily not look that great.  I'm sure I would love Metroid Dread as another set of fake maps, but only if it's done well.  But if done well, it could be greater than Oracle of Hours!



However, looking at how people weren't 100% keen on Oracle of Ages the first year we tried it, that it just ended up being my own thing, I hope we have enough enthusiasm and dedication to see this through as a team effort, whatever it will be.



Oh, and RT 55J, curling, what?  Maps?  For a rink?  >_<



Don't let my disinterest in sports games discourage more ideas, though, people...

[RT 55J]

JonLeung Said:

Cool, marioman!



I like the idea of Metroid Dread...following in the vein of The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of ____, that is, being a canned Nintendo portable game of a major franchise that at least some gamers know about.  Being for the DS gives it a more "current" status and hence one that would be more popular than for a fake GBC game.  And we wouldn't have to come up with a title!  



Now, I said I liked the idea.  I don't know how feasible it is.  The thing is, I know how much work was involved in Oracle of Hours.  And that was with Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons fully mapped, plus, the idea was that it would link with those, so it was easy to get away with using resources from those games.



Metroid Dread would probably require more unique tiles, and even if it could look good as a chopshop mishmash of Metroid: Zero Mission, Super Metroid, and Metroid Fusion, the scary thing is that we don't have fully ripped maps from any of those games!  >_<  Not that it would be hard to get where you needed to go and take a screen capture, but it sure would be handy if we had everything readily available already.



While not impossible, it would have to require a team of dedicated mappers.  So would any project, I suppose, but Metroid always has this level of quality that I think it could easily not look that great.  I'm sure I would love Metroid Dread as another set of fake maps, but only if it's done well.  But if done well, it could be greater than Oracle of Hours!



However, looking at how people weren't 100% keen on Oracle of Ages the first year we tried it, that it just ended up being my own thing, I hope we have enough enthusiasm and dedication to see this through as a team effort, whatever it will be.



Oh, and RT 55J, curling, what?  Maps?  For a rink?  >_<



Don't let my disinterest in sports games discourage more ideas, though, people...

I was thinking of something more along the lines of a real time (or turn-based) strategy game that has little little do do with curling other than the fact that it stars a curler. You know, sort of like the other games I listed.

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"its a good day to do what has to be done by me and help my brother to defeat the enemys" - John Freeman

[Revned]

I just had a thought. Instead of making up a new game altogether, why not make something for a game that exists? We could claim that we uncovered extra levels while ROM hacking, or found a prototype cartridge. That would seem more believable to me, though it wouldn't have quite the flare of previous April Fools' maps.

[Will]

Up to now I have only shared my own idea with Jon and kept it secret for next year, but here is what I want, though I am reluctant it may turn up not next year but any following year to come.

[Will]

Sorry I forgot to attach a picture of the title for my intended April Fools maps. If you chose this game what system/s would you put it on. I would suggest this:



IBM PC Windows XP, Vista

Apple Macintosh

Nintendo DS

Nintendo Wii



I do look forward to hearing more.

[marioman]

the scary thing is that we don't have fully ripped maps from any of those games! >_< Not that it would be hard to get where you needed to go and take a screen capture, but it sure would be handy if we had everything readily available already.

There is a utility called Zero Fission that will allow you to edit maps and dump tiles for both GBA Metroid games.  I am sure that there is a similar utility for Super Metroid.

[Revned]

marioman Said:

JonLeung Said:

...the scary thing is that we don't have fully ripped maps from any of those games! >_< Not that it would be hard to get where you needed to go and take a screen capture, but it sure would be handy if we had everything readily available already.

There is a utility called Zero Fission that will allow you to edit maps and dump tiles for both GBA Metroid games.  I am sure that there is a similar utility for Super Metroid.

Don't be so sure. Level editors that display everything are nontrivial.

[RT 55J]

marioman Said:

JonLeung Said:

...the scary thing is that we don't have fully ripped maps from any of those games! >_< Not that it would be hard to get where you needed to go and take a screen capture, but it sure would be handy if we had everything readily available already.

There is a utility called Zero Fission that will allow you to edit maps and dump tiles for both GBA Metroid games.  I am sure that there is a similar utility for Super Metroid.

It's called SMILE.

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"its a good day to do what has to be done by me and help my brother to defeat the enemys" - John Freeman

[marioman]

Revned Said:

Don't be so sure. Level editors that display everything are nontrivial.

I made that statement based on the age and popularity of the game.  If things really got bad, the entire game has been mapped by Wilee.  However, that SMILE app that RT-55J found would probably do the trick.