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The Official Tip of the Day Thread

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All right, time to bring back another thread that still hasn't been redone yet. I'll start.

1) Don't be afraid to completely redo a level if you're not satisfied with it.
2) Make the player work a little bit to get the Yoshi Coins.
3) If Mario enters a secondary exit on a vertical level from a screen lower than 19, the game will freeze.
4) Try not to rush through a level. Take the time to add details.
5) Try not to make levels rely too heavily on custom blocks.
Scientific genius!I'm adding my old tip:
6) Don't press a blue pow block in the title screen, it glitches the music.
I am the Eggman! My current Egglayout is to support Sonic Robo Blast 2. I'll change it sometime in the future.
Listen to the SRB2 Soundtrack! It's awesome! AWESOME I SAY! Also, PM me if you ever wanna do SRB2 with me.
7:Ahem....
Originally posted by Marche102,On the old thread,with a few addiotions

When you show your hack in The SMW Hacking Discusion,And they critizize it,Don't go:
"OMG u r mean,it teh best hack EVAR!IT PWNS ALL jOOR HACKS!LOL!U R JUST JELLAUS!"Or some varition of that.
k'?
8) When adding custom sprites to levels, try to involve them in the level's design instead of just throwing them in.

Edit: Beaten twice. ;_; *Changes 6 to 8*
9) Read the tips at the top of the pages of this site.
Scientific genius!10) (not a tip but still) Read all the tips here
I am the Eggman! My current Egglayout is to support Sonic Robo Blast 2. I'll change it sometime in the future.
Listen to the SRB2 Soundtrack! It's awesome! AWESOME I SAY! Also, PM me if you ever wanna do SRB2 with me.
I thinks this should be stickied, probably were going to, just saying.

11) Stay away from linear anything, straight levels and OWs are boring.
Don't make remake levels in your hack, except maybe one. One is OK.
13. Be sure your palettes don't make other people's eyes bleed.
14. Be sure to test your levels and the OW as much as you can.
15) Inform the Beta-testers of all known errors so that they don't waste time telling you, and so that they can avoid them.
16) Don't criticize people by some of their screen shots. Play it first,because it might have a good level design.
Originally posted by Aiyo
16) Don't criticize people by some of their screen shots. Play it first,because it might have a good level design.


If people have good level design, it'll show in their screenshots.


17) Use real ledges and ground objects. Don't make levels from nothing but friggin' cement blocks!
NNID: JoshButton (Nickname: Buttons)
SMM Bookmark Account: Click here. Many fun levels to play! :)
18) If the current graphical state of your hack is terrible, it might not be a good idea to post screenshots unless you want to get flamed.
19) Don't post a screenshot of the original overworld, enough said.
Your layout has been removed.
20) NEVER use garbled graphics.
21) Level design is very important.
burgh, this is my domain >:(

stickied for the lulz.
Many tips for creativity(my favorite kinds of hacks are the creative ones, with different graphics, custom everything, ASM, after a while you want to feel like you are playing an unofficial sequel to the original SMW and not a spin-off like SMWII: YI or a SMBII JP.)



22. Do not release a demo of your hack until everything in that demo is done. Releasing a buggy glitched demo, will remind everyone that the person just wants to put something in, and not take extra pressure to make sure that the demo is fully playable up to a point.

23. When explaining a new hack that you are working on, as soon as you can release screenshots, a Youtube video would also help but try to do a combination. It is always great to see a game in action but they cannot be criticized properly on graphical horrors and things that you can pick up on in a photo but not in a movie.

24. Try to avoid redundancies. Not just keeping the OW the way it is, but using the same island shots, similar level lay-outs do not go for creativity. Remember the featured hacks got that way by daring to be brave. Putting in a few rexes in a spot just to give Mario an added flavor doesn't work.

25. Also when you make a hack different, don't always try to go for the hardest hack. Usually these hard hacks add a few spikes here or there but don't do much to entertain or challenge the player. Sometimes the player wants to relax and play a game, not stress out about how the author added in 5 bullet bill generators and how hard it is to get from them. Also no cheap tricks.

26. Much like no.24 use original material. It is kind of neat to see SMW Redrawn in so many hacks but it becomes almost a crutch. Don't let the welfare bug get into your hacks, try to be inventive and create your own designs, and work. Remember, anything is possible. Just because Carol created what is probably a great hack, Carol isn't just a magician. Anyone, even the smallest person, can one-up Carol with the proper inventiveness, tools and training much like SNN.

27. How many times must we hear SMW: _______? For me, I am sort of sick of it, create a new storyline, create a new title. I am sure that we know that Mario is in the game, but do we need to hear that repeated in every single gaming title? Sheesh, at least try to name a game something like Gigantic Illuminator. It is your creation, not a slide-show on how you would've done SMW if you were in charge. And Bowser and the Princess. I know that it isn't easy just to create a new game on your own and such but something original would be nice. Edit all message boxes, and other messages throughout the game. Completely wipe out any remains of the original. As I've heard, Control and Delete(I think it is that combo) adds originality to a game.

28. Download every helpful tool on this site. Do not pass them by and just create a hunk of flesh. Part of hacking is what is known as coding, to be able to go in and manipulate a program to your needs. Making Mario's hat red might seem like real hackery but to me it is a script kiddie device. Go ahead and turn Mario into a goomba just for a slight graphical hack, I dare ya.

29. However, turning Mario into something else isn't a bad thing, in fact it might be very very fun. My problem are those slightly modified hacks, those hacks that believe that the most important thing is who you play as. If you do turn Mario into an enemy be very careful on sprite lay-outs, hit detection and everything else that comes with changing a main character.

30. Don't acquire a bad reputation before or during hack work. Nobody is going to want to work with you or for you. There will also be a hostile community against your projects. Be very careful what you say, nothing could be worse than asking someone to help you on a hack, and their reply is that you treat them like dirt.

31. Also important, as has been flashed everywhere in the site, no jokers working in little Youtube hacks and then leaving. If you are working on a project, finish what you start, and if the project is horrible redo.


I know that many of these things have been fixed and have been worked on, but there might be someone who defies all of these and thinks that it is great to make a hack called Super Mario's World(ooh I added an "s") with a few spikes in an underground area. Oh, and this guy turns Mario into a mushroom but the mushroom gets hit at a place where you can't see anything. The hack is also extremely glitchy with everything almost unoriginal.

This guy will also hand out a demo when nobody is looking, and continue work to a full game. This full game will involve Mario saving the Princess and a message box(in the middle of the water) talking about throwing a koopa shell when there is none(I remember playing a hack like that). It will also involve a few pallate swaps, to show off some of the author's creativity and will include two more charging chucks to each level. Of course the author will get a horrible rating and not figure out the reasons why. I wonder? No actually I don't.

I also know that this would make me a few enemies but I can handle that. There are exceptions to all of these rules on my post. I have played and heard, and seen good SMW Hacks which don't follow these rules that I list, and nostalgia can be a fun thing. I just believe that giving up, lowering creativity and anything else is horrible and stagnant. Thankfully most of the hacks coming out nowadays follow at least by many of the rules on this post and thread. Thank you masters.

I am not a hacker by trade, I am an observer and I can be very observant. I tend to lurk around here to prolong the good experience of playing the original SMW. Whatever can add onto it is something that I will definitely do when I am bored which is often. And I will rarely post and give praise when needed to the hacks that may make me interested to relive memories.

My worst enemy in Mario isn't Bowser but my controller that keeps on getting disconnected from the inside. Might be my memory count.
32. Don't say bad stuff on hacks, you just bring them down. Say something nicer to help them work harder.
Just back here to browse a bit.

33. If you're not that great in the graphics department, change the palettes for a different feel.

34. Don't show off your hack until you absolutely Believe that it is good enough for our standards. (Absolutely)


AS IF I KNOW WHAT TO PUT HERE.

Hack Status: Cat Adventure Deluxe
-100% Undone
Derp.
Since 2006


Photobucket
35. Ask someone who is advertising that they will test hacks, to test your hack before you release it to the public.

If you disagree with this, let me know.
Originally posted by Joshua
Originally posted by Aiyo
16) Don't criticize people by some of their screen shots. Play it first,because it might have a good level design.


If people have good level design, it'll show in their screenshots.


17) Use real ledges and ground objects. Don't make levels from nothing but friggin' cement blocks!

no all the time...

35) Having sex and making a hack don't work at the same time

36) Try to use as much detail as possible to hide blank spots

37) Always have something new in every castle( ideas, blocks, gfx)
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