Metroid - Rogue Dawn: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Project start date: 7/27/2014 Version 1.00 completion date: 1/14/2017 Version 1.20 completion date: 3/19/2017 Version 1.21 completion date: 3/20/2017 Version 1.21 - Change Log: Corrected a bug that caused the morphball to cause damage to all enemies on screen. Modified projectile graphics. Alternate patches added to the download (No corner map and Zero suit only patches) Version 1.20 - Change Log: (Contains spoilers for first time players) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Level Design/Graphics: Modified bug hive puzzle to reduce/eliminate confusion (players were attempting to enter back in through the exit) Modified Final area to eliminate drop shafts. Eliminated several one way passageways Eliminated several "perma-stuck" locations Added back door route to all bosses (for speed runners) Expanded pause and corner map to properly cover science ship Added additional path to science ship boss (no warping required) Modified secret area to allow "easy exit" and "hard exit" Modified several jumping obstacles to allow greater maneuverability Modified several tight areas to allow greater maneuverability Added one unique purpose to all secret "Metroid art" rooms (each room now has an additional secret use worked into their design) Added three new Easter egg rooms Added secret "cheater" routes that require the use of game exploits (should be considered cheating but I accommodated them because it's an alternate approach to playing, adds replay value) Added multiple shortcuts / alternate paths to all areas (By "multiple" I mean a lot) Added the ability to sequence break the item acquisition Reviewed and adjusted some enemy placements (Removed "cheap shots" where identified) General cosmetic adjustments throughout areas Modified game ending shuttle flame graphic Added new "reverse Justin Bailey" Dawn pirate power suit sprite for 2nd play through Added new enemy sprites by RealRed for second play through Corrected 2 text grammatical errors Eliminated "lava scroll" puzzle in bone yard area Modified ending escape path, cleaned up walkways and slowed down Metroids Corrected water area pause map Added wall jump item marker to map Modified boss rooms to extend walkable platform Corrected one E-Tank placement that wasn't being tracked (you lost it after saving) Redesigned some of the platforms on the planet surface Added environmental suit sprite in multiple areas Removed block in water area that was required to be shot to proceed (confused some since they didn't have bombs) Removed slopes in a few locations where they interfered with jumping Removed a looping section of the secret area (added a degree of frustration) Changed 10 missile hit doors to 5 missile hit doors throughout game Programming: Starting health set to 99 Corrected several bugs related to the ending sequence Fixed the incorrectly spawning boss in the bone yard area (spawned in other rooms). Added missile recharge to all chargers Modified the drop tables for the final area to allow greater health and missile pick ups Added 2nd play through sprite cycling Fixed starting equipment in newgame+ (2nd play) Music/Sound: 4 consecutive beeps occur after the player reaches low health. They will repeat after about 20-30 seconds-ish Music transitions added to all exits from the secret area. Music transitions added for boss shortcuts Music transition glitch following Forest Area boss defeat changed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Version 1.10 - Change Log: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Removed incorrectly placed redundant missile pickup - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Development Team: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Grimlock - Graphics, Level Design, Project Concept Snarfblam - ASM Programing, Game Editor Development Optomon - Custom Sound Engine Modifications, Sound Effects, and Track Development Additional Programming: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Optomon Parasyte Kenta Kurodani Additional Graphics: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Demick XII - A few enemy sprites. His "Justin Bailey" player sprite from "Roid'Z" was used as a foundation for the Dawn sprite. Snarfblam - Mission failed screen, easter egg graphics Shadow Brain - “Future Robotic” Font M-Tee - Hive Easter egg character graphics RealRed - 2nd play through sprite set (animation by RealRed and Grimlock) Beta Testers: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Trax Mrrichard999 Mikh Infinitys_end Metroidmst Mayo Marvin Wimbush Molly Anderson Jacob Maxner Link Sacred Hooves Advanced Pillow John Enigma Seanph Samplerinfo Laputan Machine Jony Marcondes Rickard Siira Omar Yakovlev W7N J^P Koh1fds Qwaser Tresa Mega Man Model T 101 RT-55j El_Seyf Tahazzar Hengki Kusuma Adi Ziko Shinespark1983 Auroraxphilic Giovani-Cospefogo Tokyobatman Rabbitbones Satoshi Matrix Special thanks: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Snowbro Dirty McDingus MetroidMST (aka Shyguy) - Teaser Video #1: Shaktool Gunpei Yokoi Contact information: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Contact email: metroid_rogue_dawn@rocketship.com Email address periodically monitored by Grimlock, Snarfblam, and Optomon. Please allow some time for a response. (Please post general game questions or comments in the forums listed directly below before emailing us, thanks) Development threads: (Post questions or comments here) Metroid Construction: Development thread: http://forum.metroidconstruction.com/index.php/topic,3192.0.html Release thread: http://forum.metroidconstruction.com/index.php/topic,4221.0.html Rom Hacking Dot Net: http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,18620.0.html Rogue Dawn Story: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Disclaimer: The Rogue Dawn story is a deviation from the “official” established Metroid gaming series & graphic novels. In this game you take on the role of Dawn Aran. The first and only know human member of Ridley’s faction. Raised by Ridley from before she can remember he has molded and manipulated her into his ultimate dark operative. Primed yet untested she is sent out on her “zero” mission to retrieve a newly discovered biological specimen in the possession of a Federation research crew orbiting planet SR388. This game is intended as a prequel and takes place just before the original Metroid. Additional information about the Rogue Dawn/Dawn Aran concept: (Taken from a post I did at “RomHackingDotNet” - reply #541 9/27/2016 in response to vivify93) Regarding the story I only took Metroid 1, 2, and Super Metroid into consideration. The story in the Metroid 1 manual was adhered to closely to ensure the prequel would work seamlessly with it including the theft of the capsule and the bit mentioning the beta rays. I only have limited experience with the Metroid manga and zero experience with the 3D additions in the Metroid series. The concept behind this hack is of this mysterious character Dawn Aran, somehow related to Samus who's until now remained completely anonymous in Metroid history and lore. Neither Samus nor Dawn knowing the other exists or existed. Even after the incident on SR388 where Ridley acquired the Metroid specimen Dawns fate ensures the two never cross paths on Zebes where Samus confronts Ridley and Mother Brain. The destruction of Mother brains facility takes with it the evidence of Dawns conspiring with them as well as her origins and fate keeping it from the Federation and Samus. So I may not know the full Manga story but it's not too far of a stretch to insert a pocket into the Metroid storyline that includes a dark individual, an oversight by the Federation and Samus in the beginning of the series. Something they missed that in the end could have been their greatest mistake. Think about it, all this time Samus and the Federation have been chasing Ridley and the pirates... what ever happened to this shady dark character? Rogue Dawn plants a seed at the beginning of the Metroid series that if Nintendo where to take up this concept could create a whole new branch to the Metroid series. It appears that as is the Metroid series is pretty much complete, according to one of the founder's (I'll have to look up that quote later). But imagine after all of Samus's efforts, thinking they've ridden the known galaxy of the Metroid threat only to have a deep space science vessel charting new systems come across the vast empire headed by a dark figure from the past, the very individual responsible for Ridley’s original acquisition of the Metroid, a task he was incapable of completing himself. Only this new threat is quite capable, as dark and vicious as Samus is decent and honorable, the ultimate opposite of Samus. And with her decades of unfettered control, research and experimentation with the Metroid species. All this time Samus was distracted by Ridley, the real threat was brewing, expanding, and growing more far more powerful than she could have ever imagined... I would love to be a part of a project like that that injected some real life back into the Metroid series. I think the Rogue Dawn concept is the perfect way to revitalise the series, introducing (creating a path for) a villain 10 times worse that Ridley ever was while offering a huge opportunity for creative freedom to work with the Metroid concept and threat as it would come from a quite developed and formidable force headed up by what would be Samus's ultimate nemesis. Anyway, one can dream right... * See FAQ for additional information. How to apply/use this patch: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1. Download an IPS Patcher such as Lunar IPS 2. Acquire a clean unmodified US Metroid ROM file (Will not work with the Japanese version, typical file naming: Metroid.NES). 3. Place the “Metroid.NES” ROM, the “Rogue_Dawn_V1.0.IPS patch and “Lunar IPS.exe” into the same folder for simplicity (make a backup copy of your Metroid.NES file before proceeding to the next step). 4. Double click on Lunar IPS.exe, click "Apply Patch". 5. Select the “Rogue_Dawn.IPS” file. 6. Next it will have you select a ROM file to apply the patch to, select “Metroid.NES”. The patch will then be applied to the “Metroid.NES” file. 7. Rename the Metroid.NES file to “Metroid_Rogue_Dawn_V1.0.NES” 8. Download an emulator, I would recommend FCEUX version 2.2.2 9. Find your emulator after installing, and double click it (the .exe file). 10. Go under "File", then "Open ROM", and look for the ROM. If you applied it correctly, the game should load. Stats/info: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Unique screens: 726 (The original Metroid had 188) Unique structures: 1144 16x16 Combos: 1270 Completely original soundtrack with 18 songs. In Game Extras: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 Hidden Metroid art screens - 1 located in each main area 4 Unique Easter Eggs 1 Secret area New to 1.20: 3 new Easter eggs Hints and tips: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Be on the lookout for multiple shortcuts integrated into the level design. When obtaining an item or beating a boss, look for alternate return paths to save time. Many items are hidden, look for clues and oddities in the level design to uncover passageways. Healing stations are strategically placed throughout the game, a few are hidden. Many secret passageways and secret rooms are located outside the map. Some back tracking is required to obtain a few of the items. The pause map contains additional (main item & boss) markers not displayed on the corner map. Tips regarding 1.20: Item sequence breaking: Your ball form will bounce if you fall from a platform and impact the ground. Think about this as you play before aquiring your first power up. There are secret passagways hidden in plain sight, that is, you can see them but they may be over looked if you don't seek them out. You can get any of the following as a first item (with the right skills): Wall Jump, Bombs, (High Jump) Items you can get through some "cheatyness": Wave beam, Screw Attack, Bombs, Ice Beam, Spring Ball Items with redundent pickups: Wave Beam, Bombs, Spring Ball Utilities used during the creation of Metroid Rogue Dawn: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Game Editor: Editroid Version 4.0 Beta Graphics Editing: Tile Layer Pro - version 1.1 Tile Molester - version 0.18 YY-CHR - version 0.98 NES Screen Tool 2.03 Adobe Photoshop CS1 NES Emulator: FCEUX 2.2.2 FAQ: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Disclaimer: The Rogue Dawn story is a deviation from the “official” established Metroid gaming series & graphic novels. Q: Why do you start out with the morph ball and long range? A: Starting out with these simple upgrades allowed us to make room in the memory for new items. Q: When does the game take place in relation to the Metroid series A: This is intended as a prequel and takes place just before Metroid 1. In the Metroid 1 manual the storyline talks about a capsule that was taken from the federation by the pirates, this story is about how the pirates got the capsule with the Metroid specimen. Q: Why does Dawn use Chozo tech just like Samus? A: Dawn has been subjected to years of torturous experimentation conducted by Ridley to fuse her with various technologies including Chozo. Being his only human subject he has gone to great lengths to mold her into his ultimate dark operative. Q: How are Dawn and Samus related? A: The exact relation is unknown but she was taken from the colony world Samus’s family was killed on when the colony was destroyed by Ridley. Ridley originally intended to experiment on the young child but decided to keep her and develop her into a weapon. Q: In your deviation from the “official” storeline does Samus or Dawn know about each other? A: No, the two are unaware of each other’s existence. Q: Why didn’t you do X, Y, or Z with the game? A: It’s important to remember that this is a modification of the original Metroid developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System 30 years ago. We adhered to the limitations of the original system to ensure that it would work on original hardware. This includes the limited grid size with which the Rogue Dawn world is build on. Please direct any additional questions to the contact sources listed previously.