I have now added two other custom weapons:
1. The Scorpio Sting is pretty much identical to Metriod's Wave Beam.
2. The Aries Saber is essentially a three-tile-long sword slash. It's a bit overpowered right now, because it can score multiple hits in one slash. (Crissagream?) It tears the hell out of bosses.
The three custom weapons (Aquarius Bubble, Scorpio Sting, and Aries Saber) are attached to the Wooden, White, and Master swords until I overcome the problem preventing me from letting the player use custom sword items of level 5 and above.
As always, the quest is unlocked and you can go get these scripts for yourself. (You'll have to do a bit of studying to figure out how I'm doing it, though. This isn't as simple as most scripts.)
Here's the linky (b429):
http://users.sephiroth.ws/C-Dawg/zodiac.zip
Did you use an item that starts with Z to make the level 5 sword? If so, then I think there is a bug which does not allow the player to use those, so maybe you can try using a magic ring for the level 5 sword?
New update. Uses Beta 434 now. No password, as always. Im going to stop specifying all of the new scripts in each update; there's getting to be too many. This one has rapid fire enemy guns, wall clinging ability, spread gun, pursue link on a radius, set between ffcs, vertical chaser and uh.... several more.
http://users.sephiroth.ws/C-Dawg/Zodiac.Zip
This version lets you explore Virgo. (Access it beyond the Flying Cactus room in Scorpio, using the Ice Rod.)
The big new scripts for Virgo are chain scripts. Remember old NES style "snakes" or "chains" made up of a series of different sprites? Yea.
And you can recover the Wall Cling Boots in Virgo. (The quest file starts you out with them). When you have the boots, press against a wall to cling to it ala Ninja Gaiden (except that you can actually climb the wall by hopping along it). I've also used a trick with link offset properties to let your graphics change while clinging. Problematically, the gravity script refuses to let me display the player's normal left or right graphics while off the ground, so I've got to use the splayed-leg symmetrical look while the player isn't firing.
Oh yea, that's the spread gun. It will stop working if you die outside of Aquarius, though. To get it working again, revisit Aquarius. (I gotta fix that)
STILL LOOKING FOR SUBSCREEN HELP, FELLAS.
can i give this a try it looks interesting.tried the dl link but i just got the best 404 screen ive ever seen.if not i understand.thanks
edit:nvm i didnt see the new link.sorry
Good update! If you want, I'd be happy to help with the subscreen.😊
I'd be glad for your help. The subscreen editor is a complete mystery to me. I've tinkered with it, and usually just create something unusable or crash the program.
What I want is a subscreen organized similar to Super Metroid; a large picture of the player character with the items and equipment placed in boxes connected to the body part to which they correspond. I would also like three or four "hidden" items that are saved as nonselectable equipment but are invisible in the subscreen. (Used for changing the characters' graphics).
I can do the graphics, that's not a problem. The arrangement of the items should be as follows:
Linked to Helmet: (Selectable Items) Lens of Truth, Ghost Blink, Energy Conserver (not yet implemented), Potions.
Linked to Boots: (Equipment - non-selectable) High Jump, Dash Jet (upgrades to Rocket Jet) Double Jump, Wall Cling
Linked to Chest: (Equipment - non-selectable) Rings, Screw Attack (not yet implemented), Hazard Sheild (not yet implemented), Energy Charger (not yet implemented), Wealth Medals, Health Rings.
Linked to Arms: (Items - selectable) Arrows, Boomerangs, Hammers, Wands, Hookshot, Swords, Bombs (upgrades to Missiles), Super Bombs
Where can I get the 2b354 beta so I can download this quest to try?? Thanks for any info.
im pretty sure its up to beat 434 now but at any rate ya can find all the betas at www.shardstorm.com. its also listed in the betas thread in the forum for future reference if ya forget or somethin.good luck.
this quest is quite good cdawg i like it.im a metroid freak as well as zelda so thisll be nice considering theres no other 2d new quests out there for metroid.At least not that i know of.Should be a zelda classic, metroid classic and a kid icarus classic hahahaha.no matter though just makes me appreacite what they do for ZC even more.
The newest builds are actually found at http://www.shardstorm.dreamhosters.com/ nowadays
eh either or...both go to same page.no matter.least theyre still somewhere thats good enough for me.
Oh yeah. When I saw _L_'s post to say it'd moved, I must've opened it between a change in builds; I thought it was only the new URL being updated.
Hey C- i'm getting 404'd when I try to download an earlier version of Zodiac. I'm trying to compare the scripts between the versions to get an understanding of how the hell it all works together. I had 'em on my computer before I reinstalled Windows, but now they are gone :shakeno: Did you take them down?
EDIT: Nevermind found one.
Also I would also like to inform you that the enemy spawner script is the most awesome script ever btw.
How about this for an idea with it: Set one to create a limited number of CreateNPC's for use in custom boss battles. Basically giving the boss more "multiple forms" and/or the old enemy->secret bit. Just a thought.
And Zodiac now runs at 58 fps in fullscreen for me. 😊 Sweet-
EDIT 2: Oops, Well it seems you can already do that with the spawner. Just set A.delay to x. where x = number of enemies(D2). Neat-o.
And it's very rare, but you can move along the ceiling with the wall grappler! Maybe some mid-late game sequence breaking for those who know the lv layouts.
Gleeok: Unlikely. The wall clinging item is found in late game, after you've got the Ice Beam with which you can technically go anywhere you want, height-wise.
Okay, new update. Tons of new scripts. Oodles of em. Several new items, five or six new bosses, yadda yadda. Version 509 this time.
http://users.sephiroth.ws/C-Dawg/Zodiac.zip
This is the master of the Aries Zone. He fires missiles at you, blocking your attacks with his sword. Then he'll advance, slashing at you if you're too close, dash to the other side of the room, and repeat.
This is Magnet Man. You know how he works. His weapon has been modified from MM3. Instead of the silly magnet missile, he shoot stationary orbs that he'll suck you into with his magnet pull.
These are moving platforms, fully functional courtesy of scripting.
This is the master of the Scorpio Zone. Chases you around, stabbing at you with his big ol scorpion tail.
I've worked with the subscreen editor before, its not too hard to figure out, but you'll definitely need graphics set up before hand before tinkering with it.
holy crap, another quest to wait for 😞 damn you quest authors ! i want some rest!
No way. Your Fing kidding me?! Magnet man...that's just crazy talk. I gotta check this out.
...Just how many invisible conveyers were harmed in the making of this game?
None. His magnet pull is scripted, so it works no matter where you are. If you hop up on the wall to avoid his attack, the pull willl yank you back down. You can resist it with your Dash Jets, but as you know, your Dash has limited duration.
I'm developing all sorts of different fun ways to use Combo Animation, FFCs, and Scripting to create custom bosses. In the case of magnet man, one FFC script runs an invisible "mover" FFC that stays in the center of the boss. That script grabs 4 FFCs to act as Magnet Man's body, and 4 to act as his projectiles. Then it's just a matter of (1) moving those FFCs around the screen into proper position and (2) changing their combos depending on what the boss is doing. Pretty simple, conceptually. Gets really, really challanging with larger bosses using more FFCs, like the Aries one, because you have alot more information to keep track of. Go check out the boss scripts, you'll see they all follow a fairly basic formula.
DFW, I can come up with the graphics this weekend. Are you free to help me put stuff into it?
Maybe you cannot get your subscreens to work because the subscreen editor is still buggy? Or is the subscreen editor supposed to be working perfectly at last? I really have no clue, I better get back to testing ZC before I get too far behind...
Anyhoo, I created the custom subscreen you see in Lost Isle so I know the editor well and if you need someone to make the subscreen for you, I would be more than glad to help you, C.
Cool. Look for a private message from me sometime this weekend.
I would normally be glad to help and I have also learned how to work with the subscreen editor well enough to make something like you see in Origin. (thanks to Exate for graphics), But the fact remains: my training is killing my free time. Otherwise, I'd be delighted to help out. This project is worth helping out for. Keep it up.
How can I get beta 2b354 or later?:shakeno:
Nameless wrote:How can I get beta 2b354 or later?:shakeno:
Go to the Beta Discussion forum. One of the top threads has a link to the most recent Beta downloads.
Did you get your subscreen working, C? 😊
More or less. I'm hung up on a few issues:
(1) Super bombs just won't appear in the subscreen. In the editor, they won't display graphics. Just refuses to do so. Player has the super bomb item, and Game->Counter[6] is positive. No idea what the problem is.
(2) I can't figure out how to make the passive subscreen transparent. There is no "rectangle" item that I can see, and everything is set to be "overlay," but it just won't be transparent.
(3) It would be nice to be able to change the tiles my tileblock displays, not just their palette, based on what Ring the player has. Not super necessary, I guess.
Other than that, peachy keen. The subscreen style gives you a hint of what I'm going when I go back and add plot to this quest. That is, I'm spending more time producing higher quality low-res art, challanging though it is in MS Paint. I've developed a few new tricks since Sabotage Dragoon that help, like working with a ZQuest screenshot in paint so that the palette is already availible and there is no recoloring. Also makes sizing a snap.
I'll keep releasing this quest unpassworded until 95% of the playable mechanics are done, then stop doing that while I finish the plot portion. That way, players will have some motivation to play without cheating.
3) Do you mean you want to change the sprites for Link after you get the ring as well as to change the palette? Because you do that via Link Tile Modifiers. Not sure how it's done in newer betas, although I'm quite sure it's still by the same method as I've used. Probably in the item editor nowadays.
Joe123 wrote:3) Do you mean you want to change the sprites for Link after you get the ring as well as to change the palette? Because you do that via Link Tile Modifiers. Not sure how it's done in newer betas, although I'm quite sure it's still by the same method as I've used. Probably in the item editor nowadays.
No, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm already using Link Tile modifiers to change the player's apperance when the Black Hole Armor or Super Nova Armor are picked up. But the large (like 5x12) image of the player on the subscreen still looks like the original player without modification. That's why I asked about changing the "tileblock."
The download link is in need of updating, it seems.
_L_ wrote:The download link is in need of updating, it seems.
What? No, you just have to get the latest link in the thread. Right now it is:
http://users.sephiroth.ws/C-Dawg/Zodiac.zip
I should probably put that on the front post, huh.
Update. This version still uses Beta 509 because the more recent betas run like ass.
No screenshots this time. Check it out yourself. Load up the quest and proceed through the door to the left. And try not to shit yourself.
http://users.sephiroth.ws/C-Dawg/zodiac.zip
This is the re-occurring opponent in the game. He's got five levels of difficulty. The one you're playing here is level 2. Where else does he occur?
Level 1 - Scorpio (immediately after you enter)
Level 2 - Cancer (before the switch leading to the disentigrator beam)
Level 3 - Gemini (top of the level, before the switch leading to Taurus)
Level 4 - Taurus (In front of the reactor core)
Level 5 - Capricorn (but not there yet)
I've added a new Zone and started making fully scripted normal enemies now. Visit Scorpio, Capricorn, and Gemini to see them.
And, yes, the subscreen is screwed up. I have no idea what's wrong with it. Still tinkering.