Hey folks!
I've been rummaging around the kaizo twitch community for almost a year now, thought it'd be appropriate to finally make my introductions here on the forums! Heya, I'm Tomato, I love SMW and I love game design!! I'm currently working on my first hack, a little thing where I'm just getting some Lunar Magic learnin' in while trying to make a hack that bridges the gap between standard and kaizo for newcomers like myself (though I'm sure I'm not the first to think of that idea). Hope it turns out well!
<3
Posts by TomatoPhalanges
TomatoPhalanges's Profile → Posts
I'd add to the list that thing called Homestuck. There's a lotta music, and a lot of it is very much the sorta thing folks could put in hacks.
To be fair, there are two ports from Homestuck so far! (I adore the Moonsetter port) But with such a MASSIVE library of potential tracks to port, and a fair few of said tracks being written by the beloved Toby Fox, it feels like a sorely missed opportunity!
To be fair, there are two ports from Homestuck so far! (I adore the Moonsetter port) But with such a MASSIVE library of potential tracks to port, and a fair few of said tracks being written by the beloved Toby Fox, it feels like a sorely missed opportunity!
Hey, everyone! So this is the first I've really posted about it on this forum, but I'd like to showcase just a little of what I've been working on as my first tiny step into hacking!
The hack's currently untitled, but I'm working with the working title 'Fleetfall' based on an earlier concept. The base idea of the hack is a main route with standard platforming levels, with an alternate/optional route unlockable in the game that leads to some entry-level Kaizo:Light levels. I wanted to make a hack that branches the interests of my friends from the Kaizo community with the interests of my friends from broader gaming, and perhaps even draw them into the hack scene with it as a breadcrumb.
So far I've completed 13 exits. Most levels are in a fairly traditional style so far, with a couple optional levels attempting to strike a balance between standard and kaizo philosophies and difficulties. I've been holding off on doing any of the full kaizo level design until I'm done with the standard, so I can properly switch fully into that style of design when I reach it.
Unfortunately, that means I can only show you screenshots from traditional levels. Sorry to the kaizo fans out there! You'll have to wait just a little longer- but I've got some real fun ideas for you to play with.
Anyways, here's some of the aesthetics and concepts I've got established so far (screenshots taken in Lunar Magic to give a little larger perspective in places):
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When it comes down to my own philosophy with the hack, all I want to do is make sure the game is fun to play from start to end. I don't care about making something hard, punishing, something people can 'prove themselves' with (though I'd be fine with it if the final Kaizo level has some level of that, so long as it's real fun to play). As such, I'm going to be going through some fairly rigorous playtesting before even coming close to submission - I don't want to fall into the same mistakes as a lot of first-time hack makers.
I'm hoping you all pick it up and have fun with it when it comes out! I certainly intend to do more after this hack, probably leaning further genre-wise into whichever route is more strongly received. I've got no release date sadly, but the main route is nearing completion!
Have a lovely day and thank you for reading this far. <3
EDIT: Fixed an inconsistency in my description!
The hack's currently untitled, but I'm working with the working title 'Fleetfall' based on an earlier concept. The base idea of the hack is a main route with standard platforming levels, with an alternate/optional route unlockable in the game that leads to some entry-level Kaizo:Light levels. I wanted to make a hack that branches the interests of my friends from the Kaizo community with the interests of my friends from broader gaming, and perhaps even draw them into the hack scene with it as a breadcrumb.
So far I've completed 13 exits. Most levels are in a fairly traditional style so far, with a couple optional levels attempting to strike a balance between standard and kaizo philosophies and difficulties. I've been holding off on doing any of the full kaizo level design until I'm done with the standard, so I can properly switch fully into that style of design when I reach it.
Unfortunately, that means I can only show you screenshots from traditional levels. Sorry to the kaizo fans out there! You'll have to wait just a little longer- but I've got some real fun ideas for you to play with.
Anyways, here's some of the aesthetics and concepts I've got established so far (screenshots taken in Lunar Magic to give a little larger perspective in places):
---
---
When it comes down to my own philosophy with the hack, all I want to do is make sure the game is fun to play from start to end. I don't care about making something hard, punishing, something people can 'prove themselves' with (though I'd be fine with it if the final Kaizo level has some level of that, so long as it's real fun to play). As such, I'm going to be going through some fairly rigorous playtesting before even coming close to submission - I don't want to fall into the same mistakes as a lot of first-time hack makers.
I'm hoping you all pick it up and have fun with it when it comes out! I certainly intend to do more after this hack, probably leaning further genre-wise into whichever route is more strongly received. I've got no release date sadly, but the main route is nearing completion!
Have a lovely day and thank you for reading this far. <3
EDIT: Fixed an inconsistency in my description!
Good lord, there's SO much going on in this trailer o.o
I'm definitely intrigued to see how folks take the final hack over on Twitch, not gonna lie!
I'm definitely intrigued to see how folks take the final hack over on Twitch, not gonna lie!
Thanks so much! Yeah, I'm making an active effort to do my best at dodging all the usual first-hack misteps that I see in a lot of stuff that comes through the moderator streams. Only time will tell if I actually succeed at that, but hey, points for trying, right? 
Oh, I LOVE that Amusement Park rip. Soooo cool!
I adore the aesthetics in this hack! Can't wait to see some folks play it.
These are games! 
WOAH loving that one smear in the Alarune sprite frame set- and the animations in general from those gifs displayed- love me some spIN
I also really love that incredible overworld, it's honestly mind-blowing.
I also really love that incredible overworld, it's honestly mind-blowing.
Prefacing that I've been told this one isn't super easy, and that I would be perfectly happy with a significantly reduced/simplified version of this (perhaps removing the slower intro, for example, if deemed necessary) if that's what it takes to make it a good-sounding port.
Track Name: Black - Homestuck (By Toby Fox)
Sampled?: Porter's call! Whatever is easiest to make work
Audio Reference: Youtube
Note Data Reference:
MIDI (Download in Video Description)
Track Name: Black - Homestuck (By Toby Fox)
Sampled?: Porter's call! Whatever is easiest to make work
Audio Reference: Youtube
Note Data Reference:
MIDI (Download in Video Description)
Part 15: Close-up of Wario looking less-than-pleased about a hadoken to the booty
Originally posted by Samantha
This looks pretty cool for a first step into SMW hacking! One thing I will say though is that some of the palettes have very high contrast colors next to one another (levels that use the underground tiles tend to suffer from this) and the ExGFX might stick out like a sore thumb when compared to the mostly vanilla levels its surrounded by. But you're still learning so by all means keep experimenting and having fun with this hack!
Is this referencing the cityscape level particularly? That's a fair point- I spent a lotta time trying to figure out how to make the cityscape exGFX as seamless with the vanilla GFX as I could, but it feels like SMW's vanilla graphics have such a specific style. Would you suggest working on the city's palette as a solution?
Bypass FG3 to be 18 in level 105!
EDIT: Clarified level
EDIT: Clarified level
I want to also lend my 2 cents and say that I like the idea of 2 seperate difficulties to represent difficulty curve for standard hacks. However, when it comes to Kaizo, I also agree with what some have said about the partial subjectivity of its difficulty.
To that point, I'd suggest naming the current Kaizo: Hard category Kaizo: Tool. I'd then tackle Kaizo: Light with a 4-point scale for Kaizo: Easy (Anything beginner-friendly, easy to approach - the Quickies and Robfathers and Baby Kaizo Worlds), Intermediate (Most hacks would be here, everything from Akogare to Invictus), Hard (The GPW2s and Storks and Search for Salmons) and a fourth, special category.
The fourth category would be for hacks like tjb's Midair Mastery, ArisenDead's Kaizo Dark/Kaizo Consistency and other hacks that would fall under 'Kaizo: Hard' in current rules but are and still 'RTA viable'. In other words, levels that include midair shell jumps and other super-high-level technical maneuvers of that sort.
I'm not sure what I'd personally name that fourth difficulty (perhaps just Super Hard?), but I believe it has a need to exist, as currently those hacks are probably going to go mostly ignored by anyone who doesn't know of them through word of mouth, simply because they're in the 'Kaizo: Hard' category.
To that point, I'd suggest naming the current Kaizo: Hard category Kaizo: Tool. I'd then tackle Kaizo: Light with a 4-point scale for Kaizo: Easy (Anything beginner-friendly, easy to approach - the Quickies and Robfathers and Baby Kaizo Worlds), Intermediate (Most hacks would be here, everything from Akogare to Invictus), Hard (The GPW2s and Storks and Search for Salmons) and a fourth, special category.
The fourth category would be for hacks like tjb's Midair Mastery, ArisenDead's Kaizo Dark/Kaizo Consistency and other hacks that would fall under 'Kaizo: Hard' in current rules but are and still 'RTA viable'. In other words, levels that include midair shell jumps and other super-high-level technical maneuvers of that sort.
I'm not sure what I'd personally name that fourth difficulty (perhaps just Super Hard?), but I believe it has a need to exist, as currently those hacks are probably going to go mostly ignored by anyone who doesn't know of them through word of mouth, simply because they're in the 'Kaizo: Hard' category.
It sounds pretty great to me, though I feel like the treble part could be higher volume?
Oh wow, this looks amazing! I'm such a fan of the bridges tbh
Would you do a 32x32 sprite of my OC, Skiddi? She has multiple variants, a gnome (WoW style) and a couple different human versions of her- take your pick of what version you'd like to do! Pose-wise she'd just be in a simple idle pose, looking happy
References!
References!
Balloooon 🎈
Lotta REALLY interesting sections in that trailer, real excited to see what you come out with! Good luck with the rest of development