Of containers and coins., Dicussing alternate methods.

Well now that the 0.31 release is out and I've passed on master source control for a while and am looking for something practical to contribute that is a bit more leisurely.

One idea that was proposed to make some of the stages feel a little more outside of the Mario box is the addition of new container types and other sources of powerups/coins/money. These would replace the traditional Mario style ? blocks and coin collection methods in some of the non-Mario themed stages.

Feel free to suggest your own ideas.

NEW CONTAINERS IDEAS:

For the most part the traditional Mario ? blocks are still very reliable, and with proper skin effects still work well in most worlds. However a few other methods to extract powerups would be nice also.

Currently me, Judgespear, and Lars have already touched based with new container ideas. My Sonic Blocks, Judgespear's Metal Slug POWs, and Lars Pibble Plateau lids to name a few. Making more NPCs that give powerups would also be helpful.

However I have 3 new container types to propose I believe with skinning can be used in an indefinite range of stages of all themes:

- "Crate" type 1: This is a box like container that can also be stood on. They can be opened through attacks. They could also be picked up smb2 or smb3 style, depending on which fits the skin. Throwing them into a solid object or enemy causes them to bust open and release their contents. Throwing them while holding down would cause the player to smash them open directly in front of them.

Crate containers would come in 16x16 and 32x32 sizes.

Skin ideas: boxes/crates/barrels of any theme or time era. Megaman 3 also had prize containers that could be adapted to this style.

- "Crate" type 2: Similar to the first type, but can't be thrown or stood on. Instead jumping on top of them opens them. Very similar to the presents seen in Lars's Funkitron stage.

Skin ideas: same as Crate type 1. Also this container type could be used for larger chests in world 6. NO Body drew some nice chest sprites that include mimic forms to punish the greedy.

- Castlevania Candles These could be used to create any non-solid type container. Opened by weapon hits or from being struck from below.

Skin ideas: any light source type object (candles, oil lamps, street lights, hi tech lamps, etc), Ninja Gaiden style containers, etc

ALTERNATE COIN METHODS:

For the most part the traditional coin collection methods are so tried and true they have become a standard in platformer games, so no need to expand on the idea too much. However there are a few games that offered similar features that could be used to spice things up. A good example is the nibbley pibbleys seen in Lars's Pibble Plateau stage.

Keep in mind alternate coin collection methods may be worth more than one coin per pickup.

- Enemy based coin drops: In some places the enemies could be the provider of coins. World 3 comes to mind. In Megaman 1 enemies dropped little orbs that would add to your bonus score at the stage's end. These orbs could be used to replace traditional coin collection in world 3. Stronger enemies would produce multiple orbs on drop.

- Limited large value "coins": In the GnG series bonus pickups came in the form of sparsely scattered money bags instead of mass clumps of coins. This method might be a good change of pace for world 4, especially in stages of strong GnG theme. Then mix that in with a healthy supply of CV Candles and maybe a scattered chest or 2.

- Coin shower containers: Some of the larger containers might produce a burst of coins, similar to the enemy coin drops that appear when Wario is being played.

This post has been edited by Obreck2 on Nov 7 2009, 02:58 AM

I've gotten a few suggestions:

1- First and the most basic, just bricks, I have been wondering why there aren't any bricks with power ups hidden like in most of the SMB games.

2- Megaman random blocks, remember those from Megaman3? The ones that when you shoot them give you a random power up. And more Eddie!

3- Parachute crates that a plane being piloted by a Metal Slug character lets fall on you.

4- Red enemies (could be Contra soldiers, a red dressed rebel soldier, a red plane), once you kill them they drop a power up. These would be harder to beat too, triple hit points and faster than normal, they are like captains.

5- In stages with guns, rows of enemies that once you kill them all they drop an item, like the ones in Gradius.

6- Doom barrels, not all the character would be able to destroy them all the time, only the fire weapons, they would explode hard and have an item inside.

7- SonSon - for World 8, remember that monkey guy from Marvel vs Capcom 2? He appeared in Street Fighter (Gem fighters), flying on a golden cloud, if you hit or stomp him he drops an item. He could appear in places that are hard to get in there and stomp him quick before he runs away.

I'd mention more NPC's but I don't want to drop that bomb yet. Those are my suggestions for now.

This post has been edited by Del on Nov 7 2009, 03:27 AM

Ah yes, bigger variation to containers and coins, I have to agree with that, especially with such good ideas.

Here are some that immediately come to mind:
-I remember in Jazz Jackrabbit 2, especially in the Treasure Hunt mode, where there were these huge floating crystals; if you shoot them, the crystal would explode, releasing dozens of color-coded crystals. I think we could adapt this to rupees, or perhaps even for coins (shooting gold nuggets, anyone?)
-You can glance at these in mine sections. Crystals are stuck in some of the rock formations; attacking them (melee or otherwise) would release smaller crystals one by one until the crystal formation disappears. Again, gold nuggets would fit perfectly as a coin variation.
-The point trader: ever felt all those million points you gained were just for show? Well step right up, trade in your millions for some extra rupees, coins or even some nice goodies!
-Treasure vaults: these vaults were sealed a long time ago, and are rumored to contain incredible treasures. Of course, there's a small problem: the door blocking it is incredibly sturdy, and it's key was split in several pieces. Gather all the pieces, bring them to the door and rejoice! Quite possibly the biggest and richest container you'll expect to find. Keys are collected, not grabbed (they stay in your posession for the duration of the level or until used).
-Treasure chests: an alternate, much smaller version of the above. Get all the key pieces to open it. These chests would spurt all kinds of goodies when opened, similar to Wario's death.

And that's about all I can think of.

Really nice idea. It would bring change in a vast game.
I approve.

Hmm, I was actually attempting to work on an idea fairly similar to crate 2 for just regular sized treasure chests that would be jumped on, give a bit of a spring like the sonic containers, but have the item emerge like from a ?-block... didn't like how the treasure chest skin for ?-blocks just had them hanging in the air, and thought that would be a little more... uhh... I guess "realistic" isn't the right word, but it just seemed to work for me...

Didn't get too far, mind you, but that's just my own overall inexperience at this whole coding thing and having a bunch of other things I'm working on.

Civilian hostages from Metal Slug 5... I had an idea about cloning the POWs with these guys.

If there are any Crash Bandicoot levels, the crates could be the containers. I remember reading a suggestion for a Crash Bandicoot sub-quest awhile ago. I think Finlander suggested it.

And don't forget DKC barrels, crates, and kegs for the DKC levels!

For Mobuis, animals and regular civillans could give power ups.

Inspired by the "No Animal" sign bonuses from DKC: An object that is indestructible by normal means, but carry it to a certain point and it bursts open! The harder it is to get to that point, the greater the reward.

Ah, this would be excellent for city-based stages in World 2, great idea!

World 7 already has the Sonic monitors. And animals never gave you items in the Sonic games.

What about item boxes set in the background? walk in front of it, press up and the item pops out {like a treasure chest, mail box, crates, anything that might be in the background on the floor} you of course can't stand on it or anything, but be an interesting idea

I heavily support this idea.

It was great in DKC2, I think it'd be great here.

Thinking about the concept of "No Animal" signs, maybe for some levels, the prizes from these puzzles could be a key to a secret area, somewhat like in some stage of DKC, you get a bonus barrel as a prize. I feel that some of the secret keys should be more ingeniously hidden in a stage, and what better way than through solving a puzzle? In fact, building on this concept, why not make the objects you carry past the sign potentially breakable beforehand, so that if the object is destroyed before passing the sign, the prize inside is lost? That would definitely add some difficulty to the challenge.

Eh? It's locked!
If you had the big key, you might be able to open it.

Locked Chests: they can only be opened by bringing a key to it.

along wiith locked chests. i feel LoZ LttP objects.

Bushes
small trees
rocks
black rocks
Big rocks
big black rocks
and so on.
gems and crystals for caves.
oh and pots.

i might be able to sprite a couple of these.

as for megaman stages. maybe have some mettaur hats laying about near actual mettaurs. pull the hat up and a item pops. and now you got a weapon to thro at a enemy. same with skull/bone pile for doom stages. i could go on for days but i shall stop now

Edit: thanks to my sig pic. capsules eggs party ball. SSB item containers. and thanks to super sprite smash flash game we can find the sprites

This post has been edited by ZeroFollower0 on Nov 7 2009, 08:39 PM

barrels
but not unmarked
cuz theres gonna be at least one DKC level, barrels with a special symbol on them (dunno if is should be present, mushroom, or what) could give you an item when they bust open.
also heres the chests/ chest mimics NO Body made oh so long ago


This post has been edited by MONEYMAN on Nov 8 2009, 04:54 PM

For the Megaman World:

Those big pink party balls that appeared in Megaman8 and in Megaman&Bass, remember? They had lots of gifts inside.

Well here's the first addition: the MM1 orb enemy drops instead of coins for world 3:



MM enemies drop those little orbs frequently, each one being worth 3 coins. Normal coins would only appear in ? containers or from P-Switches normally in world 3 now.

Like in the 8bit MM1 the orbs color varies from stage to stage:



This post has been edited by Obreck2 on Nov 8 2009, 08:41 PM

Inspired by, of all things, Perfect Dark. No, not stomping an enemy and watching 50 guns pop out (if only), but by the Hacker Central mode. Maybe you can find these computers or other such things in the background, holding shoot in front of them causes you to turn towards the [object] and a bar appears over your head. When full, coins, powerups, etc. come out. This could be expanded on so that rather than just hacking computers you could be looting storefronts, activating magic runes, searching tall grass, fishing, searching shadowy nooks, pulling away curtains, etc.

On a similar note, those crank handle things from Metal Slug would be pretty cool.

Also, if breakable pots and whatnot are to be included, why not those pots from La-Mulana? Or thrown objects that break once they hit an enemy?

cool
although

it was reshaded and edited in WW

I like that, so, there will be no more floating blue orbs? and these orbs will dorp again and again in the areas where the enemies respawn?


Now... something i read around here comes to my mind, if the world 6 aleatory field battles makes concrete you can take money from that, other thing i thought that will put several RPG influence itno that wolrd 6 is that there can ve colectable items in the levels as jewlery or magical stuff that you can sell in a shop once the level is completed, so avery time you die you lose the colected items you had... what about it?

Suggestion for World 4: make the enemies drop brown skulls with red eyes, like the ones that gave you Armor in DOOM.

The Red Souls from DMC4 would be awesome, as would Death Coins from Maximo.

For coin idea, how about every time you destroy an enemy with a fireball, he drops a coin? Like in oldschool mario!