The New SMBX Community Forums

In SMBX there were a few design flaws that should be addressed in this version:

-Large levels and checkpoint limits
-Hub world based episodes and checkpoint issues.
-Level chaining (smb1 styled games)
-Global Events

Second post:
-Layers
-Zoom

Third post:
-Autoscroll

Later:
-NPC codes Boss HP, Bgo gfx codes, Standaized backgrounds and possible codes, Scenery gfx codes, level gfx codes, World Map Layers and events organization.
-Custom World Map Music

Newly added:
-saving and testing bugs addressed.

Large levels and checkpoint limits design issue:

In the case of large levels of near 10K + blocks and using 8 or more of the 21 sections that were available, you had an issue of how complex and large you wanted your level as you were only allowed one checkpoint.

You either had to downsize your level greatly or sacrifice difficulty to avoid having to make difficult decisions on where to place that one and only checkpoint. I propose you allow unlimited checkpoints in a level much like SMW hacks.


Hub worlds and Checkpoints

Hub worlds they all seemed like a great idea at the time, (TCGA lol) but when you start connecting individual levels to them, you suddenly realize your checkpoints in those connected levels are moot.

As soon as you enter a new level, your old position is no longer saved. So if you touch a checkpoint in your level then die and return to your hub, you find you have to start all over as you basically changed levels.

To fix this add a position logging feature in the background programming or implement a new type of level file called <level name>.hub. So when a player dies and returns to the hub level, it acts like a world map thus saving your checkpoints until you choose a new level.


Level Chaining

This is similar to a hub world, but you have no world map or hub level. This is like Super Mario Bros, SML, SMB2 or Lost Levels. You just go from level to level, beating one after another. If you were to implement a checkpoint like this (I tried), it will fail and you'll have to start all the levels over from level 1.

I tried this from an initial level on a world map and stringing two together for a large 2 part level. I had to separate them on my world map instead.

Solution: Implement the same feature as in the hub issue, but make a checkbox that goes with last level on death and SMB1 style progression option box. The game will have to check for both.


Global Events

Gone are the days of switch blocks that miserably mimic Switch palace switches. Why don't we have an global event system with variables and switches (if statements/forks)? Seriously you guys should take a look at RPGmaker 2k3,xp,etc. and Game Maker. With global events, you can address character unlocking, item shops, Switch palaces, and story driven game play.



AND THIS IS HOW YOU DO A SUGGESTION!!!

Nice suggestions! I might take them into notice. I was thinking of doing Global Events. Thanks for the suggestions!

Wow, now thats good ideas. I really think that the multiple checkpoint should be implented.

No problem. I have other great ideas that address some of the old problems in the original.

Layering issue

In smbx, you had two types of layer systems: the one you make yourself and the broken everything on top of everything, background objects went first and had two to three layers: way back, middle, and foreground. Your blocks went in front of those and water went in between. warps fell on top of the water. You essentially had a layer cake. When it came to deleting blocks you had to be especially careful as you could delete everything in one click. You can essentially ruin you're whole level in one click. Unless you want to make 40+ layers for every single object (which can slow down your level considerably); there has to be a better way.

My solution to this beings me back to my RPGMaker 2003 days.



In rpgmaker, you have 3 groups/layers: Lower, upper, and events indicated by the colored boxes in the buttons on the toolbar.

Lower (green) would be what you could walk on or interact with directly. Upper (blue) would be environment and extra terrain. Event (tan) is the far most right square in the layer toggles these are npcs and other things you interact with by an action button (or can be unassigned objects for an extra third layer).

I propose something similar for Nsmbx. Backgrounds, water tiles; water, gravity, and npc pathing boundaries; warps, blocks, and NPCs which can be further compartmentalized by the original custom layer feature in SMBX. This way you can't accidentally delete certain stuff on the same layer. So layer 1 will be separated as so and layer 2 and so on. Hitting a grouping's toggle layer button (the square check box) will make all water or all warps disappear on a layer by layer basis, or individually by object type within each layer.

Possible Menu for new layer system:

Layers +-+-+-+-+-+- [-­][□][x]
-[] Default Layer
--[] water
--[] boundaries
--[] warps
--[] bgos
--[] npcs
--[] blocks
[] Refresh Destroyable blocks (might be a button on toolbar instead)
-[]N/A
[] Refresh NPCs (might be a button on toolbar instead)
-[] New Layer
--[] water
--[] Boundaries
--[] warps
--[] bgos
--[] blocks
--[] npcs
+[] New layer 2

Zoom feature
Useful on a world map mode only (see screen of rpgmaker 2003) 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 are the zoom buttons. 100%, 50%, 25% and 12.5% basically, the smaller the fraction clicked, the farther out you zoom. I think in Nsmbx we should have a much better zoom than only 4 settings. Maybe a slider akin to Office programs?

Are you going to talk about the auto-scroll?

Because it is an obvious problem in SMBX

Yes that will be next...

Auto Scroll problems addressed

In SMBx, you were only allowed to have one auto scroll per level and it was only the first section. This was mainly because it was done wrong. The issue was we had no stop position we could set and no time durations to set either. The basic premise is that auto scroll must be treated like a global moving layer.

In SMB3, the auto scroll would stop (Play world 1-3 I believe) when a certain point in the level was reached either by a trigger or Mario's position was logged by the game as you progressed through.

In the case of being unable to have a checkpoint, you would have a special position logging feature for checkpoints where if you used one in a auto scroll level, you'd start there and auto scroll would resume when you start there. This should all be done by the program and not be done by the player except when setting the initial start and stop variables. Also time should be taken into account for scrolling so a more precise start and stop can be implemented much like moving layers.

All this when done will also allow you to make auto scrolling for all levels and sections.


Covered below:

-NPC codes Boss HP, Bgo gfx codes, Standardized backgrounds and possible codes, Scenery gfx codes, level gfx codes, World Map Layers and events organization.
-Custom World Map Music

NPC Codes and Boss/Enemy HP

In addition to the usual codes, you would have newer codes; such as, no hammer (didn't work in SMBx) no tail (makes enemies immune to tail swipes), and new codes to provide immunity to new power-ups. Also an issue is enemy hp. There should be an option to mess with the amount of damage an enemy can take.

Most of the time I had to replace SMB3 Bowser to make hard boss battles as he has the most health in SMBx. The other option was layers for a work around and to make a layer driven custom boss which was glitchy and hard to implement.

BGO GFX Codes

This an annoying issue. You basically have to replace a BGO with a smaller or equal size object and also make its mask to match. With codes, you can fix this problem and have any size object work for that bgo slot.

Also with background level codes (fore back middle) you can prevent ugly overlapping (grass/bushes meshing with block style bgos) if the layer solution I suggested doesn't fix it first.

Standardized backgrounds and possible codes

Backgrounds, you either hate or love them. They have a certain size and if you extend your level boundaries too far you get a glitch. I propose you make a standard for background sizes. That way you can set codes like npcs and other objects to change the size and thus your level boundary limits. Right now, you have to replace it with something smaller or equal like BGOs.

Scenery gfx codes/level gfx codes/path gfx codes

This made me hit a wall recently. I can't replace certain things because they have strange sizes and resizing my customs will make them look ugly and non 2x2. Codes on gfx height and width, and frames will greatly help with graphics in world maps.

World Map Layers and events organization

Much like layering in levels, the system will be similiar where you don't make a mistake of deleting the level and things under it with one click. Music will be its own layer and be able to be hidden and each other item will have its so layer and so on.

Custom world map music

This will be great as we are very limited to what musics fit with our maps. There isn't much more I can say about its functionality.

crap, i was gonna suggest the layer thing... anyways, i think that with the second layer, it can affect sizables. so broken down, i think that there should be a layer, and when blocks are placed in that layer, they have the same properties as sizables

Well I do know my stuff. Haha. Yeah there should be a sizable toggle for the layer system I proposed.

Another problem with SMBX was the moving layers speed.

I mean, I shouldn't be the only person tired of speed with 5 decimals in it.

Why not making a friendly blocks/seconds speed, huh?

EDIT: What do you think of the sections/boundaries idea for World maps I had, Exiled Bowser?

Oh yeah that. It was based on pixels not blocks/objects. It should be defined as:

Moving Layers Redone:
speed = objects (blocks w/e) moving a certain distance/time