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Hack 3 Leftovers

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A few months ago I decided to start work on Hack 3 Part 2. The main reason for starting this hack was to continue the story introduced in Hack 3.

I began creating the levels and got two done. After that, I had some writer's block and took a hiatus for a couple months. I resumed work on it and finished the six main levels. After that, it was time to create the final level and story portion of the hack. While I was pretty satisfied with the story, I felt that it was becoming too abundant in the hack. The Hack hacks have always primarily focused on levels with unique gimmicks, so I didn't want to detract from that. Plus, I was finding it very difficult to create a final level and really effective cutscenes to convey the story that I lost interest.

So for this reason I decided not to release Hack 3 Part 2. However, I won't let the created levels go to waste, so I'm releasing them now as "Hack 3 Leftovers".

This is a pretty unofficial hack release, and outside of the levels it's pretty barebones, especially when it comes to the overworld and title screen.

Included are the six main levels originally created for Hack 3 Part 2. Each level has five Black Stars hidden in them. There is no save feature in the hack as nothing is unlocked when beating all the levels or collecting all the Black Stars (obviously something would've if Hack 3 Part 2 had been released).

Some visuals:







Video: On Fleek

Video: Woottastic

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If I may ask, why were you finding it difficult to make cutscenes? Is it the way sprites were set up or something like "you didn't know how to properly convey your story"? VWF Font Tool is very easy to use, and building cutscenes is relatively quick. Do you even use VWF Font Tool??? I would think so considering you used it in Essence Star.
Well not that the actual programming of the cutscenes was difficult, it's just that I found SMW too limited to convey a really emotional story. It's really hard to come up with very lively cinematics in a game such as this.
Sorry about the back and fourth here... (That misspelling is intentional), but I beg to differ about that. You can actually make an emotional cut scene, as I have done so in TD4C#3: The Crater. (Others can vouch for this) It's dependent on how you build the characters and their relationships with one another. You can very well convey an emotional cut scene if you build up to it correctly. This might require you to build the story a bit more, and while those that hate story are very... loud... about it, you should not let the masses deter you from telling a story.

I don't care if it's Mario or not, it all depends on how you build the character. Mario can be built to be a very caring, honorable individual who is quick to be friends with new characters, yet not gullible enough to know who's an enemy and who's a friend.

I normally don't like to point people in the direction of my own works come a thread of their own, but if you need inspiration* on how to build cut scenes or something, I suggest you check out The Crater and play it through its entirety.

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SMW is a very expandable medium, you can properly convey an emotional story, even with Mario. A lot of people will say this or that, though I'd say they're ignorant and refuse to believe a mute character, even one as simple as Mario, can have "deep character".



Sorry about ranting, but I felt I needed to voice that.


* I bolded the "need inspiration" as I'm not telling you how to write, but more so saying if you need something to get inspired from.
Well, another reason is that I just wasn't enjoying putting together the story portions of the hack. Just felt more like a chore than fun. Yea it may seem lazy but at the end of the day this is a hobby for me so I just wanna have fun. Thus I felt my lack of interest would be reflected in the final product. At this point with the Hack hacks, I've become more interested in the main focal point of gimmick levels.
Hmm, the back and forth is strong here. Er hem. sorry

Anyways, at least you released what most people care about, and that's the levels. A lot of people enjoy your works, and that's what's important. Here's to hoping your next SMW Hack is another success. I do want this to be my last post in this thread though, as I feel like I'm PM'ing you at this point.

Story isn't something everybody has fun with, for me, it makes a work of art something more. I generally can't play a hack unless it has some sort of story to persuade me to the end of it. A lot of other people say story doesn't matter in a SMW hack, but those that do appreciate a well developed story are pretty silent.

Regardless, it is a hobby in the end, and having fun is what it's about. Glad you do so when building levels/hacks.
I don't think an emotional story is going to truly be necessary in a mario romhack, especially when it is just called Hack 3!

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