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Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
It still would've been a simple fix, though.
What'd you say?
We shouldn't pander to the lowest common denominator, that's just going to further dumb down the "average gamer".
Edit history:
Kitsune_Phoenix: 2013-05-19 06:15:26 pm
Kitsune_Phoenix: 2013-05-19 06:12:41 pm
Kitsune_Phoenix: 2013-05-19 06:12:06 pm
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
Doesn't matter. If you didn't have the Super Metroid manual back in the day it was still considered new, and you were playing a Metroid game for the first time and just got the morphball...

You probably wouldn't know what the picture meant either.

-----

EDIT: Sorry for being rude there for a minute.
What'd you say?
Yea, I didn't have a clue what any of it meant. The first time I played this game is when I was two years old... Took a few years until I was capable of beating it but not due to a lack of testing possibilities. I was just not skilled enough to kill the bosses at such a young age. Ever since then, I've taken the route of exploring every possibility that I can possibly think of before asking for assistance, at least when it comes to games. Newer gamers don't do this because newer games cater to the lowest common denominator. They've essentially been trained to not think for themselves but to have their hand held instead. It's sad really.
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
But in the case of something as vital as the morphball... at least tell the young pups/hatchlings/puny-baby-men how to activate the damn thing!
What'd you say?
Two year old me had no problem, I don't understand how teenagers can struggle so much...
Again ^
there are only 12 buttons. it doesn't take too long to press every one or to try out simple combinations.
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
Maybe if in the prologue, they showed Samus entering a crouching position before rolling underneath a passageway in morphball form (doesn't matter in which scene, maybe right before the Metroid Larva scene), newbish pups would be less likely to get stuck in the most embarrassing of places.
Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!
If they really can't figure out how to morph, they can always wall-jump back out the way they came... winky
i just don't know how it's possible to not at least stumble across morph ball mode by accident within the first few minutes of the game...
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
You know, I recently had an idea for a sort of "ROM-Port" of Super Metroid, from an SNES ROM to an N64 ROM. While the N64's controller may not have been suited to a 3D Metroid game, and the N64's 3D capabilities were quite limited, the opposite is true if you think about it's potential 2D capabilities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N64#Graphics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N64#Hardware
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System#32-bit_era_and_beyond (read further for SNES hardware specs)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64_controller

With some slight modifications to the control scheme, Super Metroid would actually be playable with an N64 controller, and if you took advantage of the N64's hardware, you could have better graphics (and possibly even sound) than the SNES version. Imagine if the entire game was running with a full 32-bit color palette at all times, complete with an 8-bit Alpha Channel (no more 30Hz flickering, yay!) Now I don't know what resolution Super Metroid natively runs at, but you could certainly take advantage of a higher resolution image (the more you can see, the better, even if the tilesize were bumped up from 16 x 16 to 24 x 24, the N64 max resolution is about twice as much as the last Super Metroid screenshot I've seen in recent memory)

Now back to the control scheme; Because of the N64 Controller's [SCREW ATTACK]ed up ergonomics, I imagine the control scheme to be a cross between that of Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime. Example Below...
> D-Pad/Control Stick: Movement (the D-Pad would start you off with a quick jog before automatically activating and deactivating the "run" function through scripts, resulting in a quick/short charge. Pressing lightly on the analogue stick will also result in a job, while pressing hard on the analogue stick will go to full-on running.)
> B: Jump (it is easier to hold down A and quickly press B at the same time than the other way around on the N64 controller)
> A: Fire/Charge beam
> L/Z: Aim Diagonally
> R: Arm Secondary Weapon
> C-Buttons: Switch between secondary weapons ala Metroid Prime's beam system
> Start: Pause/Bring up the map screen

Do the the limitations of the N64 controller, it forces the controls to be streamlined, which in some cases could actually be a good thing, especially in the case of the Secondary Weapons. Do you know how much of a pain-in-the-tailhole it is to tap select repeatedly to switch from Power Bombs back to Super Missiles when you have all of the items? And if you have to quickly switch back to your beam to freeze a swarm of Metroids before you can switch back to Super Missiles? This streamlined control scheme (forced on us by the terrible controller) might just end up being more efficient than the original control scheme. Someone needs to experiment with this.
Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!
Well, firstly, I don't know many players that haven't moved item select off the Select button, since it's a pain in the arse.  Secondly, there's also an item cancel button, so to get from bombs to Supers, it's one press of item cancel, and two quick presses of item select to get back to Supers.  I can't see that it's any more difficult than something like Mario, where you run, jump, fire some fireballs, run again, etc.
What'd you say?
Quote from Quietus:
Well, firstly, I don't know many players that haven't moved item select off the Select button, since it's a pain in the arse.

Surprisingly, I'm one of those players. >.>
I don't think I do either now that you mention it. For me it's A for shoot, B for jump, Y for run, with everything else being normal if I remember correctly.

Actually, I wonder how many of these newer players even realize you can change the control scheme at all if they're running into problems this early into the game. Not that it would help them too much other than telling them there's a run button.
Edit history:
Behemoth: 2013-05-20 12:45:03 pm
I like your ideas Kitsune !

Definitely d-pad use for a 2d game, control stick just doesn't cut for me personally and really hinders precision.

for original game I changed item select to the L button on the snes/classic controller, and while i'm completely comfortable using it to select and Y to cancel, i rather like the idea of C buttons being assigned to each of those items. Though at least one item would have to be assigned to something else. X ray or grapple to the Z button (L button relegated to aim diagonally). Though I don't feel the need to have R button arm the weapon, I'd have it as cancel. For example: Up C to arm the missiles, A button to fire, and R button to cancel it. Something like that.

The only downside to all this is a hindrance to speed within switching. Even though it's one button press, there's too much left and right movement involved with your right thumb to go from C button to A button. If you wanted to fire missiles quickly followed by supers for example. A way around this would be to actually have the C buttons fire those items and immediately cancel when you let go of them. R button could be jump so that it is always easily accessible for the complicated maneuvers involving jumping and switching/shooting in mid air. Then I'd have a dash button (yes i know but we need short charge) assigned to the A button, while standard shot could be B button. Aim diagonally will be L button. I'm Holding a N64 pad in my hands now and this is the best I could come up with with speedy, but user friendly gaming in mind.
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
Quote from Behemoth:
for original game I changed item select to the L button on the snes/classic controller, and while i'm completely comfortable using it to select and Y to cancel, i rather like the idea of C buttons being assigned to each of those items. Though at least one item would have to be assigned to something else. X ray or grapple to the Z button (L button relegated to aim diagonally). Though I don't feel the need to have R button arm the weapon, I'd have it as cancel. For example: Up C to arm the missiles, A button to fire, and R button to cancel it. Something like that.


You can reach Z and L at the same time? WHAT?!
Anyway, I actually crash-tested this idea in my head, but my idea for arming weapons with R is based on Fusion/Zero Mission, and the swapped functions of A and B (as well as the C-Button switching) is based on Prime.
I decided on letting people use either the control stick or the D-Pad because some people might be more comfortable with one over the other. And the reason that Z and L are mapped to the same thing is because from what I heard, you can't reach the L + D-Pad and the Control Stick + Z at the same time.

As for the X-Ray scope, I honestly have no idea what should become of it. And dashing, since it is automatically controlled through scripts, you shouldn't have to worry about trying to pull off the Short Charge without the game secretly helping.

But the control scheme isn't the only important thing to consider when porting the game. For example, "how can I make this game take advantage of N64 hardware while still being 2D?" Once again, I think of:
- Higher Resolution (a must)
- 32-bit Color (it is and always shall be prettier than 16-bit)
- EAX (I noticed that OoT also had EAX in some areas, so I'm sure it shouldn't be too hard to implement in a 2D game.)
- Higher Quality instrument samples and Sound Effects (I'm sure N64 carts have more ROM space than SNES carts)
- Additional (and subtle) visual and auditory cues, which will also make the game look more awesome. For example, equipping missiles/super missiles causes red doors to pulse a soft Red-Orange glow from within, and each shot from a missile will create cracks through which light will escape until the door shatters after receiving three missiles (a compromise between 1 like in ZM/Prime and 5 like in every other game)
- Etc

Gameplay-wise, I think it would be a good idea to expand on the concept of wordless tutorials. Examples:
- When you get your first missiles, the door behind you will be red, but you will receive 10 missiles instead of 5 (each subsequent expansion would give you 7 on Easy, 5 on Normal, and 2 on Hard)
- Shooting bomb-blocks with anything besides something that can break them will automatically reveal that it is a bomb-block.
    - When you get to the bomb room, there will be a platform you stand on and can use to jump over a tall pillar. However, once over the pillar, you can't get out of the room without bombs. At the bottom of the pillar, however, are pre-revealed bomb blocks, which you can destroy to get out.
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
Okay, quick little tidbit: I think the X-Ray scope, do to a lack of usefulness if you've played the game as many times as... well, as many times as any of us have... maybe it should be replaced with something else. Something... semi-passive perhaps? Like a Power Grip-esque item?
My second paragraph took precedence over that paragraph really. I can't particularly reach z button comfortably while holding L but it's not difficult with the middle finger reaching it underneath. Just put x ray scope to z button as it's not used much, and have grapple on one of the C buttons. I stand by my 'improved' idea about auto arm/instant shot of the C buttons too. I only say this because i can foresee a rather irritating amount of effort on the right thumb for this kinda game. it worked for fusion because missiles and stuff stacked but they didn't in Super, and so you'll end up overcomplicating things by having to arm the weapon with R after selecting different items with C.
Edit history:
Kitsune_Phoenix: 2013-05-20 06:03:23 pm
Kitsune_Phoenix: 2013-05-20 06:03:03 pm
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
But the thing is, it is just like selecting beams in Metroid Prime. Only, you know, with not-beams. If you want, then whoever I find that can help me develop this project (meaning somebody who can actually code), we could test different control scheme ideas, and possibly even include an options menu for different control styles.

I do think that they X-Ray Scope could use an upgrade so that it is at least useful for something besides telling you where-that-one-bomb-block-is-that-everyone-else-already-knows-about (oh, and glitchy sequence breaking)
Example: Maybe activating it would allow you to target up to x number of enemies, and then when you fire certain weapons (or use powerbomb combos) the projectiles will home in on them.

Also, an idea so that you can have all five of these items binded to the C-Buttons:
Missiles are selected by default (Power Bombs in Morphball)
Tapping "C-Up" from Missiles will go to Super Missiles. Tapping "C-Down" from Missiles will go to Power Bombs. Tapping "C-Down" from Power Bombs will select Super Missiles and vice versa with Super Missiles and "C-Up".
"C-Left" and "C-Right" would be the Grapple Beam and the X-Ray Visor respectively. As for R, it will have the option to switch from "Hold" to "Toggle", which means that you won't have to hold R to arm your missiles and release to disarm, you just tap it once to arm and tap it again to disarm.

But like I said above, there is always room for more control styles (until the ROM exceeds the size budget, that is)
Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!
For the X-ray scope, you could just have the ability to toggle it on and off, without having to stand and look around.  Effectively, once you've acquired it (and it's enabled), it'd then display all block types in the rooms at all times, to save you scanning, and you could still move and play as normal.
As fun as selecting beams was in Prime, it works for that kinda game because the pacing of the game is completely different. I just can't see it translating well to a 2d game, you need simplicity with movement at that speed. But that's just how I feel anyway. I'd love to see a revamped Super one day. As long as the core elements remain the same.

And Quietus, that is good idea, though it might take the experience away from first time players having all destroyable blocks and passable walls exposed. Think
Ta'kaya as "Teyla the Demiphoenix"
Oh, I noticed something in Metroid: Zero Mission
In-game, she is two tiles tall, while SM Samus is three tiles tall. However, Samus' actual height remains the same.

I noticed that in Zero Mission, when you used a Save Room, Samus resumed a 3-tile stance, but when she was on the move, she was always in a combat-ready stance. I guess she was expecting to get ambushed by Zebesians as soon as she set foot on Crateria. Should she take a slightly-shorter, combat-ready stance in the N64 revamp? And if so, should we shrink the morphball so that it is slightly less than one tile in diameter? Since the N64 could theoretically push Super Metroid to 640 x 480 resolutions, then even if you increased each tile from 16^2 to 24^2 pixels, you would still be able to see a lot more.

Another thing: If you pick up speed or are moving in a particular direction for more than x amount of time, the camera should slowly shift ahead of you in that direction so that you can see just exactly where you're going.

@Quietus That is a good idea, but it would get kinda overpowered. Maybe it would only work in a 75 degree arc in the direction of which Samus is looking, and things revealed by the visor would be visually faded in with whatever is hiding them (so you would still need to scan the area normally to get precise info.) The perfect name: IXS (Infrared/X-Ray Scanner) Visor, which combines Samus' trusty scan visor with X-Ray, Thermal and Nightvision optics.
What'd you say?
You could have the X-ray toggleable and when activated, you move it with the joystick. I couldn't really see many people using the joystick over the D-pad for a 2-D Metroid game anyway. This way the X-ray has a purpose but isn't completely over powered. If you need it to have an additional use, you could have items within the X-ray beam move toward you.

Also, personally, I absolutely hate the beam/visor selecting in Prime.