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Project OPENPLATFORMER - SMW Redrawn On Steroids

This is an idea that I *think* has been bouncing around for a while, but has never really went anywhere.

We try to do what we do relatively legally (although this means we probably should avoid using BRR samples from other games as well as ExGFX rips...), and I found something interesting regarding the legality of game modding a while back.

The Harvard Law Review is the most heavily cited journal of law in the world. The people who get their articles published in it do not mess around, and some of them, apparently, like video game mods.

This article argues that there is a very strong case for total conversion mods - all original assets, but the same code as before - to be either classified as nonderivative works or to be protected under fair use laws. As a result, I propose the following project.

OPENPLATFORMER is a theoretical patch that overwrites every Super Mario World asset with new ones. This would mean the following things, at the very least:

1: Entirely new graphics
2: A new player character + enemies, etc*
3: New instrument samples**
4: Everything the Super Scratch ROM patch does (no original levels, of course)

And possibly some other things that I would have to look into.

I've been worried about this for years and figured that now would be a good time to speak up about it. I suspect that I'm not the only one who's wondering when the hammer will fall, so hopefully this generates some interest.

If people are interested, I can create a Discord server for this where we can discuss more details of the project.

Cheers,
-Darkbloom

*I have someone who would likely be interested in doing this, and who is very good at pixel art.
**I'm enough of a masochist to give this a shot. Single cycle waveforms are pretty easy, and I would be able to create custom percussion samples as well.
I like the concept of the idea. Count me in.... half-way I guess?
I've iterated through MANY samples doing *#3 on the list though I never QUITE finished overhauling the sound effects. Most of the samples never get past OpenMPT; it means making SPC's and at the time graphics were more important.

You already said you have someone interested in #2 but this is basically where I'm at with my nevertobereleased hack. Finding a palpable art-style and fitting it in a 32x32 box. (Ladida patch, EXE Boss)

Whatever you want I'm ears though don't PM for now 'cuz I just occasionally lurk instead of logging.

EDIT:
I could make a soundfont with the set for implementer purposes. Mixed with a little "old" and new. BRRs take too much time and you can't "plug 'n play" them into a song to see if it's satisfactory.
I like the idea of making open-source graphics that can be useful for people to make their own original games without having to deal with the messy shit that is copyright law, but my issue with the graphics ive seen out of sites like opengameart is that the graphics are to be as generic as possible for the widest possible usecases but it sacrifices any form of personalization to the graphics or care about different tones of environments gamedevs would want to pursue but have not much money to hire artists.
Modern Redrawn Mario Bros. 1.5 (last update - February 14, 2023, some new bonus frames, tons of minor touchups to various poses)

On Pixel Art Requests: Depends on what it is and if I have the time for it. If its complex and I don't have the time, don't expect me to accept it.

Projects I support:


Originally posted by StrikeForcer
but my issue with the graphics ive seen is that the graphics are to be as generic as possible for the widest possible usecases.


Supposedly, with enough artists, we could cover a broad spectrum right? RPG Maker is probably a good/bad example of that. The tileset of RPG Maker XP is actually good BUT its become ubiquitous with games using the program so it has been severely devalued. So if a lot of people used default OPENPLATFORMER assets a lot the value/originality would be lost.
To say the least I reread the OP to figure things out....

#2 The good/bad thing is more WIP hacks people are using custom graphics/characters. That aside I assume this bullet coincides with #1 and would be akin to SMW Redrawn unless by new enemies you mean sprites/ASM behavior. Whether it's necessary is my question.

*#3 Actually isn't useful now looking at it. The only people that'd probably use the samples are music porters who want "new" kinds of custom instruments. There isn't even a guarantee their songs will be made for implementation of any hack. From my limited observation the instruments won't mean much without anybody making music for it. On top of that without original sound effects it wouldn't be a true evolution.

The scope is incredibly broad... with a rather niche audience. At least the way I feel about this is the same as an **AMK General Midi compatibility kit. Without a tech demo that has people going "where can I got those graphics?" "sounds better than the n64 lel" "is this a mario hack?" it's not going to gain much ground.

#TLDR
Perhaps you foresee something more grand but I think (not to ruin your idea) a basic-focused demo/hack and bloating it to an open source project would be a better attract mode.
*
Nobody1089's SMW Remastered wanted to add it as it's like an incomplete audio version of SMW Redrawn.

**
I kind of want to make a GM-kit but the aforementioned says otherwise. People or myself would have to make music for it and if it only ends up being me then it's no different than having your own hack.