Project MD: Official Thread

[old man]

I understand what your saying, but I think your being a little too negative on your work also (pretty typical of artists actually ) Project MD may not do much, but what it does do, it does pretty well. That's more than can be said for a lot of professional games released BITD.

[ReBirFh]

I don't know what you were thinking when you started to make this game, maybe you set your expectations to high or created a wishlist instead of a game project. That's the only reason I can think for your dislike of your game that IMO, is far from being crap.

To me it was a really nice surprise, the youtube videos make it look much easier than it really is. You really should be proud of the sound engine and Stephanie's controls really well, walking speed and jumping, the most important gameplay aspects in a platformer, are flawless.

Now to some nitpicking...

*The side view of Stephanie makes her hair looks like a Mohawk and when jumping, her arms should be raised when descending and neutral/lowered when jumping (right now it's the opposite).
*The "rebound" seems a bit off, I can't explain exactly what's the problem, I can't really feel or think that I control it. (Sonic and Castle of Illusion are nice examples of this mechanic)
*The "Power of Love" should be separated from the life refill, it sucks to lose a power-up whenever you try to recover your health. Maybe make it works like Zelda's long range sword attack (Full health = Power of Love).
*Related to the above problem, maybe make Stephanie stock the power ups she gets and only lose the currently equipped when she gets hurt.
*Audio cue to know when the invincibility power up is going to end.
*The ground effect of the first stage is really nice, is it too intensive? some of the stages would benefit from a better sense of depth even if this meant taking away the reflection.
*Frozen Memories was harder to me than any of the 3 stages after it (Pixelated World, Bright Darkness, Crazy Shapes).
*I don't think the name Pixelated World fits it. Some suggestions: RF World, Bad Connection, White Noise or Composite Output.
*The Boss fight will be a good one, it took me some time until I got the timing of the jump right (and notice I couldn't hurt her...).
*Ether Network and Waterlava are awesome but those "energy platforms" in Ether Network are too unforgiving, I simply can't reliably time my jump...

I was going to do a rundown of each stage but I will stop here before my grammar damage your brains.

Keep working on it and don't judge it too hard, it's already ages better than most homebrews for dead systems and can compete with some commercially available games of the time.

[Sik]

*The "rebound" seems a bit off, I can't explain exactly what's the problem, I can't really feel or think that I control it. (Sonic and Castle of Illusion are nice examples of this mechanic)

This is actually more complex than it seems. The variable "jump" mechanics actually don't apply just when jumping, but whenever Stephany is going up, so holding up the jump button (and for how long you do it) actually affects the rebound. This is extremely important in Crazy Shapes since it also affects the bumpers and not being able to control it can render the level unbeatable.

*The "Power of Love" should be separated from the life refill, it sucks to lose a power-up whenever you try to recover your health. Maybe make it works like Zelda's long range sword attack (Full health = Power of Love).

Actually... it's a damn weird trade-off. If you have no power-up, it's a reward. If you had a power-up and you don't have full energy, you recover health at the expense of your power-up (like a punishment for not being more careful). If you get it with a power-up and full health... you're an idiot =P Unless you're trying to racket up points (since you always get 500 points).

So it's all a matter of what situation you're in. The heart power-up is actually useful in some levels (mainly those where there are several enemies lined up horizontally or near horizontally), since the heart attack can go through multiple enemies.

*Audio cue to know when the invincibility power up is going to end.

Actually the invincibility is meant to have its own music playing in the background. It's just that Oerg didn't make it yet.

*The ground effect of the first stage is really nice, is it too intensive? some of the stages would benefit from a better sense of depth even if this meant taking away the reflection.

The reflection abuses the specific set up of that level. Actually it's all pretty much set up for it - the 3D ground, the sprite and tilemap priorities, etc. It wasn't an intensive effect, but it really can't be done in other levels, not in the way it's done there.

Unless you talk about the 3D ground instead of the reflection. It isn't really very intensive... but it eats up lots of VRAM (it takes up about 8KB, and it's for something simple like that grid, if it was a more complex pattern it could end up requiring more).

Also, honestly the 3D ground per-se doesn't look 3D. Sure, nice parallax, but it doesn't feel 3D. This feeling also happens in other games that do the same FX. What really makes it feel 3D in Project MD is the reflection, since suddenly you get a feeling of the depth of the objects. It plays the same role as shadows in 3D games, actually. In fact, I'm even considering doing something like this on a real 3D game because of how well it works at conveying a 3D feeling.

*Frozen Memories was harder to me than any of the 3 stages after it (Pixelated World, Bright Darkness, Crazy Shapes).

No, it isn't (Crazy Shapes and Pixelated World require very good reflexes and very well timed jumps, moreso than Frozen Memories), though the difficulty curve isn't linear (this is done on purpose). After every three levels the difficulty steps down a bit. This is because that's where the bosses are meant to be.

*The Boss fight will be a good one, it took me some time until I got the timing of the jump right (and notice I couldn't hurt her...).

Yeah, it's incomplete. But yeah... Don't expect it to be easy. Every time she hits the floor there will be a shock wave, and in the move where she flies at the top she will drop lots of bombs... Dark Stephany is merciless.

*Ether Network and Waterlava are awesome but those "energy platforms" in Ether Network are too unforgiving, I simply can't reliably time my jump...

It's easier than you think, you just need to learn the timing. In fact, those situations with two pulses in a row are actually timed so you fall perfectly when you switch between them. And no, I won't make them slower - that actually makes it harder to land on them. I'm not kidding, I have tried it before.

And Ether Network is one of the latest levels, so honestly, do you expect it to be easy?

EDIT: also wait, are you jumping on them? Yeah no, bad move, you're meant to directly fall on them.

EDIT 2: also any ideas for the background for Pixelated World? I removed the spinning lights because they were too annoying, but just the static looks too plain.

[Anonymouse]

In other words, make a whole new game from scratch?

Also fuck it all, I'm tired of all this bullshit:
https://github.com/sikthehedgehog/projectmd

That's right, releasing the game as-is. Will make all development open from now on. You'll be able to snatch new updates as I make them. Will add a link to this to the site as soon as I can (ack, stupid translation to Japanese x_x).

And no, there won't be a single cartridge release, if this wasn't made clear enough. The only way you'll be even getting a cartridge is through a repro or if some Chinese bootlegger decides to make copies on his own. Honestly I think that asking anyone to pay for this piece of crap is outright insulting to the players and treating them like complete morons. There is absolutely no reason why anybody should pay for such an abomination.

And maybe somebody should unpin this thread. I'd be nice to know what's the real interest users have on this game.

Sik someone really needs to say this to you: please shut up! You are like a crying baby all the time. All you seem to do is down cry your work and get pissed of at people who say its good. Yet when you receive enough praise and people telling you that you are wrong you perk up abit and start work on it some more. Then the cycle continues all over again.

I have followed your game for a while and really like it. I have even shown it to my friends over seas when i visit them. But I am really starting to get tired of all this and it has actually put me off your work. I know this sounds harsh but its about time someone told you.

I will probably get flamed for this but it needed to be said. Needless to say I still regard you as one of top homebrew coders for the Mega Drive.

[Sik]

All you seem to do is down cry your work and get pissed of at people who say its good.

Probably because the game is a complete piece of shit. I have done much better stuff before - both on the Mega Drive and on other platforms - and I can tell you, there is absolutely no excuse for the complete piece of crap this game is. I seriously can't believe people seem to like what's essentially SMB1 without all the good stuff, especially when there are much better games on the platform, and especially when other homebrew releases have raised the bar very high.

You're all happy just because it's completely new homebrew and it isn't a RPG. Honestly that isn't a good reason to be happy. You all should look at it like a generic game and completely ignore the situation surrounding it. That's the only way you'll appreciate the game for what it is: an extremely boring generic platformer. Its only redeeming point is that the physics don't feel like a Chinese pirate game.

Yet when you receive enough praise and people telling you that you are wrong you perk up abit and start work on it some more.

I'm only working on it again because I lost a bet against Oerg, nothing else. Otherwise the game would have been as stalled as usual. Oh, and by the way, me uploading the videos and starting the site? It wasn't for you, actually. It's me testing something else. You all know enough about Project MD already.

I have followed your game for a while and really like it.

Stop viewing it through homebrew-tinted glasses.

But I am really starting to get tired of all this and it has actually put me off your work.

Then stop being an idiot. Recommend people against playing the game. That's what I have been trying to do and nobody gets it. But I guess I'm just being a massive troll and should be banned from Sega-16. I was banned from SpritesMind for being a complete asshole against Shiru after all, and here the only thing I do is argue against all other users as well.

Needless to say I still regard you as one of top homebrew coders for the Mega Drive.

That's the biggest lie I have ever heard. I can't do shit properly, I have never finished anything in my life, and every single thing I make turns out to be a giant turd. Also how the fuck am I meant to be one of the top homebrew coders when all other homebrew coders seem to have all done at least one thing that's much more awesome than anything in Project MD?

[TrekkiesUnite118]

I wouldn't really use Pier Solar as a means to measure your work Sik. That was a game that was in the works for years and had a team of people working on. Your project is something that just you have been working on. So it's a bit expected that it's not quite up to par with homebrew releases like Pier Solar. One person can't be expected to be perfect in everything.

However I will say this about what I've seen of your game. It has promise and could be something great if you let it become that. Right now it does have some issues and limitations like you have mentioned, but at the same time it has interesting level design, rather impressive graphical effects, and great animation.

[Sik]

I wouldn't really use Pier Solar as a means to measure your work Sik. That was a game that was in the works for years and had a team of people working on. Your project is something that just you have been working on. So it's a bit expected that it's not quite up to par with homebrew releases like Pier Solar. One person can't be expected to be perfect in everything.

RPGs also require much more resources than a platformer, not to mention Project MD also has been in development since 2010 (actually late since the last days of 2009). And even then, that isn't a good excuse. There's nothing preventing me from teaming up with other people to work on the game if I want and render that point moot. Heck, it isn't the first time I'm asked to get more people on board to redo stuff they don't like.

Also, if we don't aim at the top, then we'll always get stuck with mediocre games. I'd always prefer to measure games against everything out there and completely forget its target platform, because that's something that shouldn't matter.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

So you've been working on this by yourself for 2 years where as Pier Solar was a group effort that took about 6 years to complete. That's a pretty big contrast. No one is perfect you know.

[Oerg866]

I'll just state my personal opinion: I sort of thought this would have happened at one point. Judging from all the rage posts and comments I got through YIM and stuff like that I think Sik just had a nervous breakdown. I'm not sure if anyone will excatly care about working on the game in open source state either (other than Sik).

BTW: thanks for the nice comments about the music.

Me? I feel a bit screwed but i can't really blame him either because i've been observing his psychical condition for a while now... :/

[Anonymouse]

Then stop being an idiot. Recommend people against playing the game. That's what I have been trying to do and nobody gets it. But I guess I'm just being a massive troll and should be banned from Sega-16. I was banned from SpritesMind for being a complete asshole against Shiru after all, and here the only thing I do is argue against all other users as well.

Sik are you not reading the words I write? The problem isn't the game, the problem is you. You have ruined it for yourself.

Anyways im done with this, I cant handle someone moaning all the time. no wonder you were banned, you drag everyone else down with you.

[Sik]

OK, can admins please ban me from here too now? =D

[Baloo]

Request Granted.

Gonna unsticky this now too. I'm not really sure what that guy's problem is/was.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

Was it really necessary to ban him? He gave some pretty good info regarding programming on the Genesis.

[Anonymouse]

Was it really necessary to ban him? He gave some pretty good info regarding programming on the Genesis.

Yes i think it was. He belittled anyone who complimented his game, basically saying that they no nothing about gaming and homebrew. he ruined the whole atmosphere of this place.

[StarMist]

Request Granted.

Gonna unsticky this now too. I'm not really sure what that guy's problem is/was.

I'm hoping this is temporary but if not at least he demanded it.
I don't see any problem in his behaviour other than freely releasing that other chap's music along with his own contributions. Many games are garbage, homebrew or commercial, and the majority of everything else created on the planet besides; it's agreeable to actually find someone not publishing his own inventions when he thinks them failures or even mediocre. What precisely his standards are doesn't matter. And it's very hard to discover a reason so many here would be praising his game outside its nature as a new game for the Genesis developed by somebody on a site they frequent--unless one were willing to chalk it up to all the crappy commercial Genesis games they like, which games he also presumably wanted to best, and which attitude he never struck me as enough of a jerk to pronounce. So he put the blame on himself where it ought to be. Perhaps he demanded the banning as an ironclad way of preventing himself from logging in and subjecting himself to more flattery.