Super Mario Hot World - Works in Progress

Well, I started making a SMW hack since a few weeks, and I completed one world from now on. This is... errr... like... my first hack and I needed your opinion about it. Here's some screenshots showing the levels I made so far.

Intro

A puzzle in the first level

The first cave in the game

After the first cave

A puzzle at the end of the first level. Can you figure out what to do?

Yea, there's alot to say about this... erm... place. Especially one particular block...

Creating/Eating Block race. One... level... that I kinda need to work on.

It's a bad idea to leave the switch here and to step on it...

This is mostly the beginning of the third level.

How the hell did I got here?!?
(No worries, I fixed this.)

This Hammer Bros. is correctly placed, just to let you know.
Oh, and it's a tricky one, BTW.

The fourth level of the world.

In case you miss that puzzle, there's always some pipes that take you to the beginning...

More of the first castle.

I finished the castle, but the next screen will remain secret for the moment.

Well, that's pretty much what I have for now. I putted some custom music and the respective owners will be credited.

Oh yea, some more credits to shdwdrgnix for testing all my levels.

a good title would be Super Mario World: Burin' Down The House!
*Starts humming song*

Who knows what post number this is?

This... actually looks good! You did a pretty good job with the plalletes, as they are not eye burning (the forest BG needs some work though.) and props on the cave BG. I highly recomment adiing a little orange and yellow to your plalletes.
The only problem i see (plallete-wise) is the castle. It looks very bad. the bright red just dosen't do it. The grey lava looks really bad, too. I recommend re-doing/re-vamping the entire plallete.

Level design wise, it looks nice, but fairly ...erm... unpolished. Everything just kinda seems placed there, and theres alot of empty space. The cave looks the best out of all of the screenies. The bridge in the 4th pic annoys me. As i said, too much empty space!!

As for the plot, it's definetly interesting. Does bowser have some kind of diabolical machine that raises the temperature all over the mushroom kingdom? ;P This could be a great hack, and be very plot-heavy, just keep doin what you think you should. I'd like a demo.

<TLMB> I use YY-CHR to edit DNA

Originally posted by Vaporeon

This... actually looks good! You did a pretty good job with the plalletes, as they are not eye burning (the forest BG needs some work though.) and props on the cave BG. I highly recomment adiing a little orange and yellow to your plalletes.
The only problem i see (plallete-wise) is the castle. It looks very bad. the bright red just dosen't do it. The grey lava looks really bad, too. I recommend re-doing/re-vamping the entire plallete.

Level design wise, it looks nice, but fairly ...erm... unpolished. Everything just kinda seems placed there, and theres alot of empty space. The cave looks the best out of all of the screenies. The bridge in the 4th pic annoys me. As i said, too much empty space!!

As for the plot, it's definetly interesting. Does bowser have some kind of diabolical machine that raises the temperature all over the mushroom kingdom? ;P This could be a great hack, and be very plot-heavy, just keep doin what you think you should. I'd like a demo.

A demo? Nice. I was actually thinking about it. I would just need to fix a few things and it would be okay.

-Grey lava. I knew that thing would have been pointed. And I've already fixed it.
-Empty space. It's not like I can fill out every space. And sometimes I just don't know what to put.
-More orange and yellow to the palettes. I'll see what I can try to do with this.
-Castle palette. Now that you say it, I think it looks kinda weird, too.

About the plot, I... didn't really thought alot about the plot. I just thought about that part in the beginning. I don't know how to explain what Bowser uses to raise the temperature, but this is giving me some ideas right now.

Thanks for the helpful comment, Vaporeon. I'll try to do what I can to improve what I have. Then I'll work on more levels.

I guess I will hear the cool music you put in world 2 more often.

What I meant about empty space is:
I pointed out the bridge right? Instead of having just that one bridge, you could have several bridges branching off to other areas or ? blocks and such.
That's what i meant.

<TLMB> I use YY-CHR to edit DNA

Oh right.
The bridge isn't long, but I guess there may be something to put here... I'll take a look at this. And I may as well put some more things where I think it's empty. Thanks again, Vaporeon.

(To shdwdrgnix: We'll see about that music if it's good enough.)

"raises the weather heavily"

May I suggest saying "heavily raising the temperature" instead?

Originally posted by afrivan

"raises the weather heavily"

May I suggest saying "heavily raising the temperature" instead?

I already tried, and it doesn't match. And since I have no idea how to do longer texts or some things like that... I tried the shortest text possible to summarize the story.

This hack doesn't look bad so far and I'm fond of the FG palette you used in this screenshot:

However, you may want to make the main "red" color for the BG a little darker and more brown-gray, so it matches the edges a bit more.

Some of the browns and grays you're using for the back area colors seem a bit odd, but if it's supposed to be a smoky sky to go along with the "hot" theme, it would make sense.

Be careful when it comes to cement blocks. It seems you're using quite a few of them and cement blocks everywhere/mazes can be more frustrating than fun at times. Good to hear you were able to insert custom music though.

Wow, I've never seen a hack from a newbie I actually wanted to play. The palettes look good on the eyes and some levels look pretty fun. My only two complaints on what you have provided are from the following screens:

In the first one, I didn't even know there was a Layer 2 spike. I'd suggest altering the BG Palette and the spike palette so it all doesn't look like one big mesh. The FG Palette looks good in my opinion.

In the second one, you suddenly go with these cool colors, make them autumn-colored for a better effect.

Other than those two things, everything looks really good so far.
----------

Interested in MushROMs? View its progress, source code, and make contributions here.

Originally posted by Supertails

This hack doesn't look bad so far and I'm fond of the FG palette you used in this screenshot:

However, you may want to make the main "red" color for the BG a little darker and more brown-gray, so it matches the edges a bit more.

Some of the browns and grays you're using for the back area colors seem a bit odd, but if it's supposed to be a smoky sky to go along with the "hot" theme, it would make sense.

Be careful when it comes to cement blocks. It seems you're using quite a few of them and cement blocks everywhere/mazes can be more frustrating than fun at times. Good to hear you were able to insert custom music though.

Thanks for commenting on my screenshots, Supertails. I think the caves are actually what people like the most in my hack, for some reason...

It's true that I should make that "Red" slightly darker, now that I see it.

For the fourth level, where you saw the grey background, it IS supposed to be a smoky sky. I just had to do with what I had. And anyway, it just changes a bit from the other ones.

I know I sometimes abuse of the cements blocks, but there's nothing really to replace them, for now. If I could replace most of them, I would.

And yea, I wasn't going to leave the original (and somewhat boring) music after all. I did my best to find as many hot/volcano-themed musics as I could, or at least, something that would give the feeling of hot or volcanic.

Originally posted by SWR

Wow, I've never seen a hack from a newbie I actually wanted to play. The palettes look good on the eyes and some levels look pretty fun. My only two complaints on what you have provided are from the following screens:

In the first one, I didn't even know there was a Layer 2 spike. I'd suggest altering the BG Palette and the spike palette so it all doesn't look like one big mesh. The FG Palette looks good in my opinion.
In the second one, you suddenly go with these cool colors, make them autumn-colored for a better effect.
Other than those two things, everything looks really good so far.

Thanks for commenting as well, SWR.

A layer 2 spike? No. ^^
That's actually a layer 1 spike. A simple unmoving giant spike that is nothing but an obstacle. Because actually, so far, I never was able to work with Layer 2.
The Switch Palace. I knew someone was going to point this out. I'm thinking of something. I'm not sure if it will work, but I'm still gonna try that and see what will happen.

Anyway, I always keep backups of this, just in case.

Azentiger? That sounds somewhat familiar...

It's probably just me. Anyway. I really like the palletes. Not too bright, not too light, and the levels look fun.

Originally posted by Blaze.128

Azentiger? That sounds somewhat familiar...

*Insert the image that he posted*

It's probably just me. Anyway. I really like the palletes. Not too bright, not too light, and the levels look fun.

Thanks for the comment, Blaze.

And no, it's not just you. I AM Azentiger. Are you a fan?

Here's a few more screenshots showing some edits I made.

Back in the first cave, editing the background a bit.
(Sheesh... I would like an enemy like that... A grey Koopa.)

Because I edited the palette of the Switch Palace, this happened to all mid points and goal points. No problem, I fixed the other side, too.

This is the edition of the Switch Palace. Does it looks too bright or it's alright?
Well, I also changed the shells kicked by the Koopas to yellow after this...

This is lava editing of the castle, so it's not grey anymore.
Still, I think I need to work on the palette in this level...

And this is the message you get when you defeat the first boss.
Obviously, it's Iggy since I have no idea how to make custom bosses.
But something is wrong with this pic. The mountain palette sucks. I'm sure people will agree on that.

I like this... Looks interesting ^~^ If you want, I'm working on a cave/lava FG/BG/S graphics and I think this hack looks like the perfect fit for them... I would upload them, but I don't upload my GFX to the site (no offense smwcentral, but to many people would use them, and I don't like that ^^)... I could PM you the url for a download if you want... when their 100% working, that is...

Follow me on Hermitscape for random bits of game design talk and pixel art, or even request something for me to draw.
Latest Post: Wayra Devpost #2: "A Little New"

Originally posted by Dimentio

I like this... Looks interesting ^~^ If you want, I'm working on a cave/lava FG/BG/S graphics and I think this hack looks like the perfect fit for them... I would upload them, but I don't upload my GFX to the site (no offense smwcentral, but to many people would use them, and I don't like that ^^)... I could PM you the url for a download if you want... when their 100% working, that is...

Hmmm... That sounds like a great idea. And that would definitely help me out. Thanks.

I posted my SMHW Demo 1 on SMWC. Check it out. It's in the Moderated Hacks section.

''the overworld is unchanged for now. I just suck at it.''

I can help you make one. It's not that hard when you figure out what to do.

No worries about the OW. Azen can easily make one and I can point out the stuff that doesn't work. The think that he can't do is the events and mario paths.

Originally posted by shdwdrgnix

No worries about the OW. Azen can easily make one and I can point out the stuff that doesn't work. The think that he can't do is the events and mario paths.

You better be right when you say that, dude.

Well, Azen here, posting a few more screenshots.
These screenshots are all coming from the first level of the second world, which I finished today. Well, I mean... kind of finished... if I don't have anything to edit.
Anyway, please take a look and give your opinion about it.

Here's how the level starts. I just moved Mario a bit...

One of the obstacles just a little further from the beginning.

Two Volcano Lotus to avoid.

The Key to the Secret, and an arrow pointing the next direction you'll have to take. But... there's a part of the arrow missing...

Somehow after the arrow. You can notice more spinning tiles at the right. Where does it lead? You'll have to find it out yourself.

A picture starring three Bullet Bill Shooter. And Mario at the top of the screen.

This little pipe covered by munchers is the way to the exit. But how to go through?

With that, of course! But how to reach it? Hint: Check the spinning tiles right here...

That's pretty much what I have for now, and these screenshots are surely not the best ones so far. Somehow, this level seems colder than usual. Probably because the sky is dark blue... I don't know. So, what do you think about it?