Description

Welcome to RMN's collaborative Zelda game made in SMBX! The purpose of this event is to organize a collaborative effort to make a game in SMBX where Link is the playable character. We are going to have PLOT, PROGRESSION and a FINAL BATTLE! If this sounds like fun to you, please join!



This is an overview on how this collaborative game will work.

1. The game will be FOCUSED and have CLEAR PROGRESSION and a PLOT
The game will be a collaborative effort of a team, and not a hodge-podge of levels in a level pack. That means working together to plan out levels, areas, temples and story!

2. The game is limited by what SMBX can do
It's not like traditional Zelda games where you can get items permanently to unlock new areas or abilities or whatever. With SMBX there is no real permanence between levels (beyond your own character's powerups, which are lost once you get hit). The only thing that can really mark progress is a WORLD MAP and TRIFORCE PIECES (aka Stars).

3. The game is limited to Link (and potentially Shiek (as Toad) if we get a resprite)
No Mario, Luigi, or Peach. This game is about playing as Link (with 2P defaulting to Shiek, if available)

4. Levels have to be designed with Link in mind
Mario levels can have a lot of tight jumps and precision platforming, but that doesn't work as well for Link. Link is more about stabbing things with his sword, or collecting keys and bombs. Levels should reflect his strengths.

5. We all have to use a consistent aesthetic (a.k.a. the same graphics pack)
No Mario tiles or enemies in a Link game. Everything used has to be resprited or be graphically consistent for this. We need to try to be consistent with sound effect usage! Solving something should give you the little Zelda flourish! We need to take the extra time and effort to make sure little details like this are consistent.

Remember that we're making a platformer, and therefore, make a platformer! I suggest against trying to make "equipment" in the traditional sense. Everything Link can get is all temporary and easily lost, so play up his natural sword moves and other features rather than trying to supplement or require items for stuff. Except for maybe temples. Don't make the platforming super-hard. Make it easy enough that a 5 year old could beat it. Because Link is NOT platforming-intensive character. All the levels (especially PROGRESSION ones) should be on the short side. Mario 3 sized. Long levels with Link strike me as a particularly bad idea. Even temples should be relatively short, so that you can use the midpoints for boss fights. Or even make the temples a series of short levels! I'd say each "Temple" should revolve around a different ability or item for Link to make use of, sort of like a real Zelda game. Since it's Zelda, there can be more emphasis on puzzle/problem solving. Killing all enemies in a room could be a viable puzzle solution.


Here is a Zelda II style graphic pack for SMBX:
http://rpgmaker.net/users/kentona/locker/Zelda_rmn_graphics.zip
If you use graphics other than these, please keep a separate folder of them in your submission (in addition to your level folder). In the final game, I hope to save space and include this graphics pack in the root folder of the project. Thus if you use graphics other than these I need an easy way to put them in your level folder, and the easiest way for that to happen is if you keep a copy those extra graphics in a separate folder. Got it?

For palaces, there is also this collection of graphics. I will NOT be placing these in the root folder, so if you use them, be sure to keep a copy of what you use in a separate folder as instructed above!
http://rpgmaker.net/users/kentona/locker/LoZ2AoL_the_palaces.zip





TO BE DISCUSSED

Once there once was a great and wise King of Hyrule that governed the land with the strength of the united Triforce as his command. However, the King was not immortal and, anticipating his death, he hoped to find someone with the innate qualities that were fitting of a worthy possessor of the Triforce, for if it were to fall in the wrong hands, evil would befall Hyrule. Unfortunately, he was unable to find any such person before his death, and thus shattered the Triforce and hid its pieces in the kingdom.

Ages have past, and a mystery entity rises to threaten Hyrule. A young elf by the name of Link has been chosen by destiny to collect the scattered triforce pieces, reunite them, and defeat this mysterious dark entity!



TO BE DISCUSSED

I feel that the game should be fairly non-linear. Link would start out in the Central hub (Hyrule Castle/Hyrule Field) and be able to progress to a selection of areas (ie- Lost Woods, Lake Hylia, Zora's River, Graveyard) and defeating their temples and collecting Triforce pieces, unlocking a new set of areas (ie Death Mountain, Gerudo Desert, Skyloft, Snowpeak), then eventually the Dark World where Link must face Ganon. This is all to be discussed and hammered out by the participants before levels are started!

As an example:




TO BE DISCUSSED
I think that 5-7 areas + hub area + dark world will be sufficient for this game.

Easiest

Lost Woods/Forest Temple Green Bots, Moblins, Deelers,

Gerudo Valley/ Spirit Temple Leevers, Octoroks, Geldarms

Lake Hylia/ Water Temple Blue Tektites, Blue Bots, Bago Bagos, Zoras (Reskinned Firetrap plants, perhaps?

Graveyard/ Shadow Temple: Moa (reskinned boos), Magu, Boes (Black Bots), any ideas for a reskinned Poe?

Death Mountain /Fire Temple: Red Tektites, Dairas, Red Aches, Boulders, Firebirds

Skyloft/Sky Temple: Birdknights, what else?

Dark World/ Ganon: Nasty things

Hardest

These lists shouldn't be considered hard fast "adhere or die" but it gives a general idea we can follow to avoid all areas being really homogenous in terms of enemies.


  • You must use SMBX v1.3 (the download link is in the Engines page if you don't have it already)
  • There is no limit to the number of levels you can submit. (But only the levels that conform to the gameplan will make it to the final game)
  • Levels that don't meet a minimum level of quality will be rejected.
  • Levels must be complete and level endings must be possible to acquire.
  • Levels can't cause SMBX to reach a volatile or glitchy state nor can they cause level/section wide slowdown in SMBX.


When starting work on a new level submission, be sure to note what area it will belong to, and what kind of level it will be:

1. PROGRESSION level
This is a short level that Link must progress through. It will contain no triforce pieces and will be largely linear (though could be used for "branching paths" and "secret exits!"). Link will exit these stages by simply walking offscreen.

2. MINIBOSS level
This is a very short level wherein Link will face a boss or miniboss fight. The level exit would be unlocked after winning.

3. TEMPLE level
This is a level (or collection of short levels) where Link must progress through to retrieve a piece of Triforce. These levels will mark the end of an area, and only one temple level(s) will be allowed per area. The level ends after retrieving the Triforce.

4. TRIFORCE level (maybe)
This is a longer or more complex or difficult level, where Link can find a piece of Triforce at the end. I AM NOT 100% SET ON THIS IDEA YET THOUGH - it depends on how many "temples" we settle on. The level ends after retrieving the Triforce.

5. BONUS level
An incredibly small level where Link can find some heart pieces or fairies to restore his health, or perhaps a powerup like a Fire Sword. The level can be exited by walking offscreen.

6. ???? level
Any other ideas for level types?



1. The event starts now. The event will END once the plot is finalized and all the levels are submitted.
2. Discussion period: where we hammer out the game's details.
3. Level creation period: where we make the levels.
4. Compilation and Refinement period: where we refine the levels and make them work together as a game.
5. Testing period: where we test the final draft.
6. Release: where we create a gameprofile and release the game.



Remember, this is going to be a collaborative game! We have to work together on this. Don't just go off willy-nilly making levels and submitting them, because if they don't fit in our gameplan, they aren't getting accepted. Ready? BREAK!

This is going to be fun, guys!

Details

Registration

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Posts

LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
To fix the "can walk off the wrong side of the stage" bug, you just need to put a wall of blocks right outside the visible edge of the map. Open up Death Mountain Ascent and look at the left side of the map for an example, if you don't understand.

Otherwise I got no problems with this level except it needs a better name.
Isrieri
"My father told me this would happen."
6155
Hey I made actual levels. That you might be able to beat.

I noticed we were missing two very important things. A 1-1 type stage. And a bridge. So I made those.
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
Easy to forget the basics.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
I tried to put SMBX on my Windows 8 computer. SERIOUS MISTAKE

Isreiri Bridge
- I can't even stab this grass, what did you do to it? Weird. Steal the grass from one of the other stages and it should work fine, we're using tall green grass for stabbable grass.
- Buzzard graphic seems to be the wrong resolution. You have 3x3 pixels instead of 2x2 pixels.
- Buzzard hitbox seems possibly too big?
- Yeah, checked the files, its hitbox is too big. If your monster graphic doesn't go all the way to the edge of the image file, make sure its "width" is appropriately smaller than its "gfxwidth". Like if each frame of the monster's graphic is 60x75, but there's empty space around the edge of the monster and it's only taking up 48x52, make sure you set the width and heigh to 48x52 but set the gfxwidth and gfxheight to 60x75. If that doesn't make sense, feel free to ask for help.
- What is this music from? I don't recognize it.
- There aren't many enemies but it's still kind of hard because these buzzards are pinballing all over the place. Which I think would be fine if their hitbox were correct. Right now they can hurt you before they actually touch you, so they end up harder than they should be.
- This level is short, but fine. Glad we have a second Lake Hylia level now.

Isreiri Forest
- The first hedgehog just jumps straight into the hole. Lolz.
- Actually a couple of the others might also!
- Oh man that heart container just rolls across the ground. Can you set it as stationary?
- Actually having a heart container in a spot you literally can't miss is a little awkward, actually. Wonder if it could be up on a ledge with an extra enemy or two.
- I don't recognize this music either.
- Again, short, but fine. Not every level needs to be massive.
- This makes three forest levels! Yay! Three progression levels per zone is the bare minimum we need, but feel free to keep making more!

Isreiri Meadow
- Okay seriously, is all of this music from Oracle of Seasons/Ages and Spirit Tracks, or are you just using non-Zelda songs? If it's non-Zelda songs I think we'll need to replace them with Zelda songs.
- There have got to be better roof tiles for houses, right?
- Nope, there totally isn't, dammit
- Well, at least make the roof rectangular like most of the Zelda 2 towns, instead of trying to create a diagonal roof but ending up with zigzags.

- Perfect difficulty and size for a Hyrule Field stage, A+
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
Isreiri Meadows
- I actually love the DQ2 music here. I don't think the music HAS to be from the franchise, so long as it at least fits.

- As LockeZ mentioned, you might want to model your house after Zelda 2.

- Aren't light-blue bots harder to deal with compared to red/blue? I wish there was a guide detailing the behaviors of each NPC.

Isreiri Forest
- You were in a DQ mood in general, weren't you?

- On a serious note, at least in my level the Megmats were used in challenging ways! Most of them just commit suicide in a hole. Maybe you could do that only once, but then create a sense of pacing by putting that enemy in places where they are capable of jumping over the pits. I just feel like the level isn't challenging enough. Yeah, it's supposed to be easy, but that doesn't mean you should keep the entire difficulty curve of the level the same!

Isreiri Bridge
- I'm with LockeZ on those plants. You can't even down-stab them like the default bush. It may have something to do with a gfxoffset override in the main pack, but I'd just stick with the tall bushes for the sake of consistency.

- Those buzzard graphics are bad, bro. Isn't their a Zelda 2 enemy you could use instead? I can devamp a Kargarok if you would like.

- While the graphics are bad, I like the challenge they add to the stage by breaking those bubbles!

- I feel like you should place that "BEWARE OF BUZZARDS" sign at the beginning of the level, because the player already encounters a "buzzard" before it, and the sign feels worthless and redundant as a result.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
author=Ratty
- Aren't light-blue bots harder to deal with compared to red/blue? I wish there was a guide detailing the behaviors of each NPC.
They were different in Zelda 2 but as far as I can tell they're all identical in SMBX. There might be some kind of subtle difference in how likely they are to jump vs. hop but it's imperceptible to me.
Isrieri
"My father told me this would happen."
6155
I knew the buzzard sprites were bad. I'm not an artist, that's for sure. I'd really like to use them though because they're the ninja gaiden birds and that's the joke. If there's any way to fix the resolution I'm up for learning how. I have no idea why you can't stab the grass. I'll look into it later.

author=Ratty
- I feel like you should place that "BEWARE OF BUZZARDS" sign at the beginning of the level, because the player already encounters a "buzzard" before it, and the sign feels worthless and redundant as a result.

It is though. I thought it was funny. Its like people will hop on the bridge and expect flying fish but nope...ninja gaiden birds.

On a serious note, at least in my level the Megmats were used in challenging ways! Most of them just commit suicide in a hole. Maybe you could do that only once, but then create a sense of pacing by putting that enemy in places where they are capable of jumping over the pits.

When I made it, I envisioned this going very early in the game somewhere. The reason I have them just barrel into the holes was because I expected people to just instinctively hop over the holes, and so I put the megmats in front of them in order to encourage more reflexive down stabbing and to get players used to being careful with their jumps. Admittedly I could have done it better.

I'll try to make better houses once I find the right pieces to put them together. Dragon Quest music is just what I had on hand and it felt right for a game like this, so that's what I used. Feel free to replace any of my music with more appropriate tracks because I'll continue to be lazy and pull more DQ stuff if I make more levels.
I just made a new level, it is fairly short(REALLY Short) and easy, it is the equivalent of the invasion's warp pipe levels. it is a tunnel that connects the desert to Hyrule field, Hyrule side entrance is warp "1" And dessert side is Number "6" , Map exit warps still need added, but i need to know where they will be on the map first. it will basically work like this:

say hyrule-side is located at X=100 Y=-292, so, in warps and doors, on the edge of the screen, place a left moving warp with "Level exit" Checked and "Warp to map location set to X=100 Y=-292, And dessert set to it's proper level location as well.(Off-screen exit needs to be off too )


If needed, i can add a demo world to show how it works, but only if my instructions are too confusing.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
author=Isrieri
When I made it, I envisioned this going very early in the game somewhere. The reason I have them just barrel into the holes was because I expected people to just instinctively hop over the holes, and so I put the megmats in front of them in order to encourage more reflexive down stabbing and to get players used to being careful with their jumps. Admittedly I could have done it better.

The beginning of the game will be Hyrule Fields. The forest is later in the game, and it's fine if some of the stages are easier than others, but this is probably too easy as is, mostly because the badgers just plop into the holes. Especially since one of the other forest levels is already really easy. The first forest level can be easier than the later ones, but only one of the forest levels can be the first forest level, you know?

Also, instinctively, when I see an enemy running at me, I stop and prepare to attack it. But then it just dies before I have a chance :(

author=Isrieri
I'd really like to use them though because they're the ninja gaiden birds and that's the joke. If there's any way to fix the resolution I'm up for learning how.
Oh, man, they're not even Zelda birds? I figured they were from Link's Awakening or something. We had decided to only use Zelda graphics so let's stick to that please.

Here, use this one instead. It's the Link to the Past buzzard, which had a sorta-similar attack pattern of circling around you and then diving in. I even reduced the color depth to 8-bit so it'll match the Zelda 2 graphics.



Use these settings in its txt file:
height=30
width=48
gfxheight=30
gfxwidth=64
frames=3
noblockcollision=1
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
For clarification, you can't stab the grass because it's hitbox is placed WAY below it, so you need to go to the edge of the cliff and stab it from there in order to get the item.

I was only going to try Isreiri's levels for now, but I decided "what the heck."

Seiromem
Gerudo
- Definitely one of the best levels I've played so far. I liked the collapsing platform gimmick, but I think the speed at which they fall could be sped up a little, because for the most part you are doing nothing but waiting for those things to clear your path.

- I recommend against hiding the P-bad in a bush. I think SMBX causes them to move when you stab them from a bush, which makes obtaining the item needlessly cumbersome. I don't think there is anything wrong with having it visible, since you already need to go through a platforming challenge to get it anyway.

TangledLion
Tutorial
- Spell check your stuff, brah. There are numerous grammatical and spelling errors in this level and your town level.

- As a whole, I find this to be too long, mainly because you have screens filled with straight, empty paths and you really don't need that to get your point across. Try not to go more than... I dunno, 10 tiles for each lesson (depending on what you are teaching)? It just felt way too long for a tutorial level, and the people who already know how to control Link might get sick of having to go through this whole thing.

- Why not cover dash jumping? You know, how you can cover more distance in your jumps by getting a running start?

- The section where you have to climb those diagonal stairs is too long, pointless, and doesn't really teach you anything worthwile about the game. I'd scrap that section altogether.

- PLEASE make the sections where you have to cross water and quicksand shorter. Pressing the jump button repeatedly to get across isn't fun when you have to do it for long stretches. Again, the issue with this level is that nothing is concise.

- Why would you talk about the down-stabbing technique in an area where it is impractical to do so? The player is better off stabbing those moldorms from the ground, because he can't really jump high enough to pull it off on them. When introducing things to the player, you need to SHOW how it works by putting it into practice in your level. Why does the player need to collect bombs, for instance? Because there is an enemy or obstacle that can only be destroyed by bombs, as food for thought.

- Overall I just felt like you could have pulled this off better. The whole thing just boring and lengthy.

Karikaro Village
- Iron Knuckles are kind of universally recognized as enemies, plus there are actual human soldier graphics from Zelda 2, so maybe you can use those instead. It also looks odd how that first soldier hops about.

- Again with the spelling/grammatical errors...

- Your interiors are needlessly large. Hell, the interiors of the original Zelda 2 was rarely over one screen in size! They also feel too open, maybe you can add a ceiling of some sort to make these homes feel like actual homes.

- I liked the hidden house of monsters, though with what I have to do to get there, I kind of want a better reward than just rupees. Maybe a P-bag or a power-up? The "it's a secret to everyone" joke will still hold.

- That freakin' "arrow to the knee" joke... If you want to keep it, I recommend making it a bit more subtle? Maybe you could have that npc say this instead: "Before my knee injury, I fought hordes and hordes of Moblins in the forest. Their arrows are quite potent!"
Lol dumb example, but that meme in general is getting kind of cliche, and a more subtle approach to it would make it a bit more funny.

- Speaking of NPCs, this level kind of does a sin with a lot of RPGs that a vast majority of NPCs don't say anything useful. I think having a few dumb ones are fine, like the bush person, but having so many with nothing pertinent to say kind of decreases their value in the game. Treat it like a mini tutorial, giving the player tips and tricks without telling him directly. An example of this could be an NPC that mentions this: "Those stones shot by Octoroks can be a real pain. If only I had a shield to block their attacks." This would teach the player that they can block shots with their shield, but at the same time the NPC isn't breaking the fourth wall.

- You can exit the level both by using that door in the far right building and by leaving the screen. Was this intentional?

LockeZ
Zora River
- The way you block in the tiles look weird. Maybe round stuff off with the diagonal hill tiles?

- This level has a lot of crap falling on top of you from above, yet because you are swimming, you can't do anything about it (Link can only forward-stab when swimming). The whole level is pretty cluttered with enemies in general, and it needs a clean-up.

- Not really a fan of water levels where the only obstacle you face are enemies. How to address that? I don't know. >_>

- There is a spot that is missing the water box close to the end:

It's pretty inconsistent how Link can just walk normally here.

Shadow Temple (LockeZ version)
- It's way better by comparison, though there are still plenty of things that lean more towards the side of cheap rather than challenging. The black keese, for instance...

- I would only do the shadow link boss fights over a pool of water ONCE. The way it screws up your controls isn't very fun, and I think the pacing would be better if the first fight against shadow link took place on dry land.

- In that section that comes right after the checkpoint. It's possible for the player to get trapped by the poes trying to get the key. The bombs will explode in the player's face immediately due to the low ceiling, so unless you have more than one heart, or even have more than one bomb at that point, you will die a cheap death, to which you have to complete that whole P-switch puzzle all over again. Needless to say, I was getting frustrated with this level.

- That section where you have to break the wall of blocks and not get hit by the poe is just... UGH! If that poe positions itself right inside you, consider yourself dead, even with full health.

- Better than the first version, but still leans towards being frustrating more than hard.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
I was trying to get the wall of breakable blocks in the shadow temple to be gameplay instead of just pointlessness. I suppose I'll delete it instead.

Which Tektites fall on you in the river level? I didn't think any of them did. A couple of them can get in the water, but they shouldn't do so from above you, they should do so next to you.

Wish I could make the tektites land on the water's surface.
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
Sorry for not being specific. When I said "falling on top of you from above" I meant how those tektites hop from a higher platform while you are underwater.
Guys i have an idea to spread the word! I frequent a Zelda site Called Zelda Dungeon i was thinking that we should contact them, and see if they will do an article about our game, I was gonna send it in right now, but i figured i should see if anyone thought it was a bad idea first.

Waddaya' think?
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
I vote we wait until it's done first...
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
Yes, patience is of the essence.
Or something like that.

Wait till we're finished and we're happy with our game.
author=Isrieri
I'd really like to use them though because they're the ninja gaiden birds and that's the joke.


This is no place for jokes. You should take this more seriously.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
FUNNY IS FORBIDDEN

it needs to be something totally serious like Tingle with wings
author=seiromem
Yes, patience is of the essence.
Or something like that.

Wait till we're finished and we're happy with our game.


Ok, it's just my idea was to do it to attract more people, but we can wait till it is done too...
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
Submitted my third level: Lake Hylia, intended to go in... Lake Hylia!

I actually decided to conform to you bastards in terms of graphic style this time around.
Decky
I'm a dog pirate
19645
I submitted Tarm Ruins draft!

Feedback is welcome, 'specially since it's my first-ever Zelda level >_>