45 replies to this topic

[Epsalon ZX]

Space Jump works better...but can still be improved I think. Its still very difficult to use. Seems like in most cases, it won't work unless back down to a really low height. I managed to get to where I needed to be, but that's also thanks to the Hyper grip. That said...I'm not blocked from the final boss by a Missile Barrier. There is one section I still haven't explored, but its blocked by white, cracked blocks. Nothing I have breaks them. Am I missing a item somewhere. Looks like there is a fifth misc spot...and I heard something about the Spazer. I have 80 items.

[ywkls]

Space Jump works better...but can still be improved I think. Its still very difficult to use. Seems like in most cases, it won't work unless back down to a really low height. I managed to get to where I needed to be, but that's also thanks to the Hyper grip. That said...I'm not blocked from the final boss by a Missile Barrier. There is one section I still haven't explored, but its blocked by white, cracked blocks. Nothing I have breaks them. Am I missing a item somewhere. Looks like there is a fifth misc spot...and I heard something about the Spazer. I have 80 items.

 

When you obtain the Spazer, those cracked blocks will mysteriously vanish. (I'm working on some LWeapon improvements which may make it where you can actually destroy them instead, but that may be a while in development.)

 

Using the Space Jump, Hyper Grip and Screw Attack; it's possible to get to an area or the lower right side of the middle section. There's an elevator there that leads to the boss who guards the Spazer. If you don't have the Screw Attack yet, there's a section of vines on the lower left side of the middle area that will be destroyed once you have the 3rd metroid upgrade.

 

There's also some super secret stuff in two spots that lie between the 3 main areas. One spot holds a Reserve Tank and an Energy Tank. The other holds the best suit(ring) and an item that will constantly regenerate your energy. Both are guarded by unmarked power bomb holes. You may need to X-Ray visor to locate them.

[Epsalon ZX]

8 Hours, 45 minutes. 89 items. Quest is complete. 

The last armor...I'm confused by what you mean by 'in between'. All areas are mapped out except one room. Two rooms below the Hyper Missile...there is a wall indicated as a Power Bomb wall with the xray scope right outside the save room here...but nothing actually triggers to make the wall disappear. A oversight here? 

 

All in all, decent. But there are things frustrating about it...Especially jumps and the space jump. The Hyper grip...though I like the concept...its extremely annoying trying to get around when I'm constantly sticking to everything I touch.I admit that I rolled into a ball to navigate as much as I could just to avoid sticking. I think the bomb jump may be a bit overpowered in this, especially in addition to the spring ball. I also feel that the overall challenge became too easy once I got the gravity suit. I barely took any damage from anything. I even capped fps for at least half my play. Bosses are kind on the easy side too...and the scripts for them seem kinda messy. Especially the Spider, Serris, and Mother Brain.

[Cukeman]

...However, you can continue from outside the save room and go back to an area where there are enemies who drop missiles...

I did get them to drop one missile after many tries, but I think the enemies always return flag is unchecked on that screen.

[ywkls]

I did get them to drop one missile after many tries, but I think the enemies always return flag is unchecked on that screen.

 

Actually, there aren't any areas where that flag is checked. I haven't really messed around with the enemy settings too much recently to be honest.

 

8 Hours, 45 minutes. 89 items. Quest is complete. 

The last armor...I'm confused by what you mean by 'in between'. 

 

 

Good job! As for the in-between areas... you might recall that there are elevator passages from one region to another, right? Well, there are some accessible rooms that technically fall in those areas. (Not accessible from the elevator passages, though.)

 

One is in the top area, near where you're first required to have the Power Grip and climb the walls past the Metroids in order to obtain the Atomic Disintegrator.

 

As for the other, look at the floor on the path to the elevator that leads down to the Spazer. With the power bombs and Hyper Missiles; you can open a path to the Energy Capsule and the Hyper Suit.

 

 

All areas are mapped out except one room. Two rooms below the Hyper Missile...there is a wall indicated as a Power Bomb wall with the xray scope right outside the save room here...but nothing actually triggers to make the wall disappear. A oversight here? 

 

That walls reads as though it can be power bombed? If I'm understanding you right, it shouldn't do that. There's a save two screens below the Hyper Missiles (like you reported) and a narrow wall there which can be passed through with the Phase Modulator. Perhaps a screenshot would help if this isn't what you're talking about?

 

 

 

All in all, decent. But there are things frustrating about it...Especially jumps and the space jump. The Hyper grip...though I like the concept...its extremely annoying trying to get around when I'm constantly sticking to everything I touch.I admit that I rolled into a ball to navigate as much as I could just to avoid sticking.

 

I may have to rework the Hyper Grip slightly so that it doesn't function automatically and get you stuck whenever you don't want to be. (I got stuck in vertical doors before I reworked the code slightly.) Perhaps, where you have to press a button or in the direction of whatever wall you want to stick to in order to activate it? I've had the same experience with it myself, to be honest.

 

 

 

I think the bomb jump may be a bit overpowered in this, especially in addition to the spring ball. 

 

Making the bomb jump just right is kind of tricky for two reasons. First, I want to be able to jump three times in a row; just like in normal Metroid games. And second, the current height is almost set at the lowest number it can be; due to the way that

Link->Jump is handled.

 

 

 

I also feel that the overall challenge became too easy once I got the gravity suit. I barely took any damage from anything. I even capped fps for at least half my play. 

 

Balancing ease versus difficulty is hard for me to judge; since I don't always play as well as others. Though I do agree that the further you get in the game; the easier it becomes. (Which should be happening anyways.)

 

 

 

Bosses are kind on the easy side too...and the scripts for them seem kinda messy. Especially the Spider, Serris, and Mother Brain.

 

The only bosses who ever game me any trouble were the Gravity Nightmare and Ridley. I'm still working on refinements on the various scripts; though how long that will take is anyone's guess.

 

I'm also working on some other stuff which I hope to include in the next full beta; possibly by the end of the month.

[Epsalon ZX]

Serris was exceptionally bad. It kinda just randomly warped in various locations around the room. Hitting it was the biggest challenge of the game. Lol
Mother Brain was exceptionally easy to one strategy, which you may want to change if possible. Simply hypergripping to the right wall and spamming the Plasma Beam. 

 

Found the secret locations...and that one wall, yes you can phase through. I forgot about that power. But if memory serves...other phase walls don't glow with the xray scope. This one definitely does. 94 items now. 

[ywkls]

Serris was exceptionally bad. It kinda just randomly warped in various locations around the room. Hitting it was the biggest challenge of the game. Lol

I was trying to emulate the behavior of another boss that I'd seen in an LP rather than the actual way that this enemy behaves due to the complexity of the original's movement and my lack of tiles for him. I may scrap him and replace him with something else later.

 

 

Mother Brain was exceptionally easy to one strategy, which you may want to change if possible. Simply hypergripping to the right wall and spamming the Plasma Beam. 

 

The only way I think I could avoid the Plasma Beam weakness is to make it either invulnerable to beams or where it is shielded except from below. There's also the possibility of boosting its HP or adding more attacks.

 

 

 

Found the secret locations...and that one wall, yes you can phase through. I forgot about that power. But if memory serves...other phase walls don't glow with the xray scope. This one definitely does. 94 items now. 

 

That may be due to the combo type or something else. I'll have to look at the code and the screen at the same time to figure it out.

 

There are a total of 50 super missiles, 50 power bombs, 16 energy tanks, 4 reserve tanks and 150 missiles you can get. I'm not entirely sure which ones you're missing, though.

[ywkls]

Slight update, in advance of the next beta; I've gotten the diffusion missiles working. Like the charge beam, you must hold down the button to use them and create a missile that will explode after a few seconds of flight.

 

Also added: Charge Beam where you hold down the button for a more powerful attack, Wave Beam that moves in a wave. Homing Missiles that target and follow enemies. Improved Hyper Grip where you have to press towards the wall to stick to it. I may add a 30 frame timer to the activation of the Hyper Grip since it still seems almost too sensitive.

 

I've redesigned the room with Zazabi to include places you can hide and I'll be rewriting the script with that area in mind. I'm also going to be taking a look at some of the other Metroid bosses I haven't yet done and see if I can come up with an improvement over Serris.

 

Hopefully, I'll have all of this done so I can release a new beta next week.

Edited by ywkls, 15 July 2016 - 11:47 PM.

[Epsalon ZX]

I like the idea of Mother Brain being vulnerable from underneath. Maybe also make her immune to beams and only vulnerable to Hyper Missiles. Super Missiles...I noticed one near the first elevator to the lower region. Its surrounded by blocks on all sides. Nothing transparent, except the wall covering it. The xray scope reveals nothing else. Looks like something that needs to be shinesparked into, but I don't see enough room to speed up. The screen north of it is that missile from before with the overly narrow ledge hidden in the wall to the right (though by some miracle I somehow managed to get that one)

Looking forward to the updated release.

[ywkls]

I think I see what the problem was with that item... and if I'm right, there's another one like it which is currently inaccessible in the latest beta. You're supposed to be able to just shoot the block below that item with the beam to destroy the ceiling, but because of the way that the scripted beams and combo flags interact; that may not activate the screen's secrets to allow access to the item.

 

If shooting it does work, there's another one like it hidden in the area where you're first required to use the speed boost on the way to Crocomire.

 

I should probably add support for beam targets to the X-Ray Visor. (Though, to be honest; the X-Ray Visor did not turn out as well as I'd hoped.)

Edited by ywkls, 16 July 2016 - 08:55 AM.

[Epsalon ZX]

I think I see what the problem was with that item... and if I'm right, there's another one like it which is currently inaccessible in the latest beta. You're supposed to be able to just shoot the block below that item with the beam to destroy the ceiling, but because of the way that the scripted beams and combo flags interact; that may not activate the screen's secrets to allow access to the item.

 

If shooting it does work, there's another one like it hidden in the area where you're first required to use the speed boost on the way to Crocomire.

 

I should probably add support for beam targets to the X-Ray Visor. (Though, to be honest; the X-Ray Visor did not turn out as well as I'd hoped.)

I know what item you're talking about...and I gave up on it, because I assumed I needed to Shine Spark it, and couldn't control it well enough. Beams are supposed to work? I haven't tried that, but given what you just said, it seems unlikely to work. 

(PS...I just deleted the save file. I'll play another run when the next beta is complete.)

[ywkls]

I know what item you're talking about...and I gave up on it, because I assumed I needed to Shine Spark it, and couldn't control it well enough. Beams are supposed to work? I haven't tried that, but given what you just said, it seems unlikely to work. 

(PS...I just deleted the save file. I'll play another run when the next beta is complete.)

 

Fair enough. Right now, the only thing I'm waiting on is a fancy bit of code that ZoriaRPG offered me a while back that I've yet to actually see in action. Here's the changes for the next beta; in case you're interested.

 

Done

 

Fixed firing while morphed.

Fixed charge beam appearance and behavior.

Fixed missiles not draining missile counter.

Fixed hot room knockback.

Fixed where you can items hidden in the ceiling.

Made Metroids stunned by beams.

Added cooldown timer for beam firing.

Added wave beam that moves in a wave.

Added piercing Plasma beam.

Added where you must press L once to activate the Hyper Grip to prevent getting stuck on walls when you don't want to be.

Changed ice missiles to diffusion missiles that explode after a few seconds once they're charged.

Changed hyper missile to homing missiles that home in on an enemy.

Reworked Zazazi room and boss behavior to make it easier.

Reworked Spore Spawn to create a safe point, though not where there's normally one.

Reduced speed of Serris boss.

 

To Do

 

Reduce overall enemy health of most enemies.

Install fancy save/warp system.

Add X-Ray Visor detection of beam targets.

Change Mother Brain vulnerabilities.

 

The enemy HP issue is the hardest to judge without going through and playing it again. Hopefully, it'll be up by the weekend.

Edited by ywkls, 19 July 2016 - 12:32 PM.

[ywkls]

The next beta has been uploaded and there have been a lot of changes. Hopefully, we can get it tested to see what else is left to do!

 

The biggest change is the addition of a scripted system that lets Save points double as warp points, allowing you to easily travel around to various locations.

 

There are also some other features that have been added which are more of an esthetic nature and don't alter the gameplay.

 

At this point, I'm sort of leaning towards the desire to change up the games music as well; though I'm not certain what I'd use instead. If there are any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Edited by ywkls, 31 July 2016 - 03:27 PM.

[ywkls]

I should note that anyone who switched to Full Beta 5 should update as soon as the replacement for that becomes available later today because I found a few game-breaking bugs in my own playthrough and the fixes allow progress where otherwise you'd be stalled before getting to the Varia Suit.

 

Sorry about the inconvenience, but that's what I get for scripting absolutely everything and then testing none of it thoroughly.

[ywkls]

I'm advising those involved with the project either via PM, the development topic of the quest project update that I'm officially calling an end to further testing on this within the next week or two.

 

The primary reason for this is simply a lack of feedback. It has been 5 months since this opened for testing and I've received a very sparse amount of support for chasing down problems and bugs.

 

I'm currently conducting my own run-through of the latest beta to check and make sure I didn't miss anything before I release this to the database. If there are still problems then, I'll correct them as they arise.

But I'm ready to move on to my next project and put this behind me. I feel that I've given it enough work and that if anything else needs to be fixed, it can be found by the community once it is released.

 

Thanks to all those who have tested up to this point. Your contributions will be duly noted in the credits.