Public Service Announcement

GameMakr24 wrote:Hi SePH!

Yeah, I guess we haven't actually emailed before, though I also know you as well. Sorry for not responding sooner -- I've been really sick. I look forward to jumping into the new community you've set up. I will return to this game someday; thanks for being patient! Let everyone know I'm still alive, lol!

Puzzledude wrote:Maybe GameMakr24 could use some help or something. Since I know he's working 5 days a week and is spending time with his family on weekends, so practicaly no time for game modding. I also know he made some amazing custom gfx and that someone made a lot of new sprite gfx (also bosses) for him.

He also made a complete list of all the overworld blocks and a program to determine what fits together, and a custom excel based editor for overworlds. But he clearly stated, that all the custom gfx and custom programs are "his toy".

So it is a strange feeling that those programs and gfx are standing somewhere and can't be used by others and yet the author himself doesn't "use" them, because of the lack of time. 10 years and more in the developement is a logical result.

I still hope he will finish it someday, or at least find a worthy successor(s) to entrust his work to him and let him finish/continue the project.

SePH wrote:.. and it's not like we can do anything about it, peer pressure is about the last thing he needs to get it done.

SePH wrote:Well in that case, I don't see any reason for him not to join up. There's always a way to fix a problem/issue in that game. Sometimes multiple heads are better then one to solve all kind of problems. I don't think anyone on this very Earth could manage an whole hack of Zelda 3 on there own.

We all wish he gets it done eventually. The fact that his hack is mostly all planned out and only needs to be done in HM is somewhat good. I know for a fact he's done more monologue in that game then I'll ever do in mine.

Not only that but what I'm mostly impressed is that he took the time to actually build new structures from scratch (from paper sketchs to actually graphics he made up himself). That castle and bridge for exemple are really well though/made. His town with hookshot-able houses reminds me of Ocarina of Time.. it'd be a shame really to let all these ideas go...along with your ideas of course

I wrote:
Congrats on being a father to your family! Hope all is good.

I see that you updated your questforcalatia site and I see that you were quite sick there. What the heck did you get infected with???

Anyways... so I see that the Quest for Calatia project, one that I've been following and contributed to has come to basically a complete halt. 

I know that hacking a game this BIG is crazy for one person, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to help in the first place. In fact doing that entire hack is literally crazy!

I also know that you have been working on this project for like 10 years or more. That's a long time considering that an average persons life time is less than 100 years and its not even done yet.

So if I may ask... will the hack be done in another 10 years? 20 years?? 30??? .... NEVER!!?!?!?!

Anyway I'm afraid that this period of no progression on Quest for Calatia has to come to an end if you ever wish to get this hack finished.

My suggestion is to simply TEAM UP with the current Zelda 3 hacking community an order to progress back on track.

http://zeldix.forumotion.com/

That link above is a private Zelda 3 hacking forum.

My advice is to go onto that message board and simply post your progress and what is stumping you on the hack.

There are plenty of very knowledgeable people on that board and I'm sure that they are more than willing to help you out on whatever you are working on.

All I know is that working TOGETHER is better in this situation than working ALONE.

Also I wouldn't be e-mailing you suggesting this if you were making regular progress on the hack, but its been like 2 years with almost no progress!!!??? And because of that I'm saying that you are going to have to do SOMETHING or I'm afraid that Quest for Calatia will NEVER be completed until you probably RETIRE from your JOB when your like 60 or 70 years old and then all of the people who grew up playing this game that would appreciate a Zelda 3 hack will be DEAD and your hack will fade off into non existence. 

COME ON ZACK I KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Erockbeox wrote:Now, as far as Zeldix goes, all you need really is a few minutes of free time to check out the message boards. In other words, by the time you finished reading this e-mail that I'm writing that's enough time to go on there and at least make a post saying Hi as well as just looking the various topics that exist.

Now, this is a PRIVATE Zelda 3 hacking forum, which means that only the members of that forum can see the posts so it's not available for the public to see. Almost all of the greatest and knowledgeable Zelda 3 hackers are there. For example, we just got a pretty new member named Conn and he was the one who worked on getting the Zelda 3 Ancient Stone Tablets that you played a while back. Conn is a ASM wizard! and he is just providing his help to anyone who needs help with their hack.

Some of the ASM hacks that have been made that are on there are outstanding! Which include:

Smashing pots with a sword

Ice Rod freezing shallow water that is walkable on

Pushable bricks that can be moved an infinite amount of times

No annoying beeping when your heats are low

Plus tons more!

Basically, if you're not on there you are OUT OF DATE and LIVING IN THE PAST. I'm also at the point to where I've almost lost my patients to the point where I just can't design for a game that is not currently being worked on anymore. There are other Zelda 3 hacks that are currently being worked on which I could easily be designing for. Do you really want me to have to go design for another hack? If not, then I please urge you to post some updates on there. I want to see this game one day come to a completion and also remember that I've been following and working this hack for like 5 years and we are supposed to be friends right? So please, do it for me, do it for everyone following this hack, do it for all of the people who will be playing your hack in the future and most importantly do it for yourself!

One last thing, it was agreed on Zeldix that a single person doing a complete Zelda 3 rom hack on their own is just down right crazy and too much for one person to handle. The only way Quest for Calatia will be completed is if we do this as a team and this team exists on Zeldix. Seph, Euclid, Puzzledude, Conn, Potentialing, Mathonnapkins and pretty much everyone else there are absolute experts on this game and have invaluable knowledge which will help Quest for Calatia succeed.

Teaming up on Zeldix will clearly be beneficial to Quest for Calatia and is the most logic choice here. In fact it would be stupid to not join. Why would anyone turn down the most valuable assistance you could ever wish for?

So what are you waiting for? The decision is clear. Don't waist anymore time fumbling around with Hyrule Magic and the rom by yourself.

All you have to do is click the link below and type in your user name and password! If you do not have a user name or password then e-mail Seph or I notify Seph him for you!

http://zeldix.forumotion.com/login

It will be the BEST decision you have ever made!

Erock & Gamemakr wrote:"Now, as far as Zeldix goes, all you need really is a few minutes of free time to check out the message boards. In other words, by the time you finished reading this e-mail that I'm writing that's enough time to go on there and at least make a post saying Hi as well as just looking the various topics that exist."

I have created a Zeldix account now; I'm just waiting for a moderator to approve it.  

"Now, this is a PRIVATE Zelda 3 hacking forum, which means that only the members of that forum can see the posts so it's not available for the public to see. Almost all of the greatest and knowledgeable Zelda 3 hackers are there."

I'll play it by ear, regarding how much I'm willing to reveal in there.

"For example, we just got a pretty new member named Conn and he was the one who worked on getting the Zelda 3 Ancient Stone Tablets that you played a while back. Conn is a ASM wizard! and he is just providing his help to anyone who needs help with their hack."

I actually never played AST -- it was only BSZelda that I played, and that was just the first four dungeons.  Thanks for reminding me about this gem!

"Some of the ASM hacks that have been made that are on there are outstanding! Which include:"

Smashing pots with a sword -- Every modern Zelda game has this, and it's so much more convenient then the two-step lift/throw process.  

Ice Rod freezing shallow water that is walkable on -- That's a neat effect.  I can't think of any practical purpose, other than allowing pushable blocks and water-fearing enemies to cross.

Pushable bricks that can be moved an infinite amount of times -- That's awesome!!

No annoying beeping when your heats are low -- I would like to have just a few warning beeps when you initially get that low...

Plus tons more!

Most of these are icing on the cake, which won't be my priority until I can actually get the cake baked.  As I've said, I always work on the hardest & most critical stuff first, since the other stuff is pointless unless I can make the main hack work.  Sadly, this also has the effect of discouraging me, especially when time is so limited, so sometimes it's good to look at the icing for motivation.

"Basically, if you're not on there you are OUT OF DATE and LIVING IN THE PAST. I'm also at the point to where I've almost lost my patients to the point where I just can't design for a game that is not currently being worked on anymore. There are other Zelda 3 hacks that are currently being worked on which I could easily be designing for. Do you really want me to have to go design for another hack? If not, then I please urge you to post some updates on there. I want to see this game one day come to a completion and also remember that I've been following and working this hack for like 5 years and we are supposed to be friends right? So please, do it for me, do it for everyone following this hack, do it for all of the people who will be playing your hack in the future and most importantly do it for yourself!"

My life has been such that there was NO WAY I could work on Zelda3C, for a while.  There were huge things happening that made spare time impossible.  I lost sight of the game because there was no seeing it, for a while.  However, a lot has changed and I've started finding time to myself again lately.  Thanks for all your endless patience -- I'll make sure it pays off!

"One last thing, it was agreed on Zeldix that a single person doing a complete Zelda 3 rom hack on their own is just down right crazy and too much for one person to handle. The only way Quest for Calatia will be completed is if we do this as a team and this team exists on Zeldix. Seph, Euclid, Puzzledude, Conn, Potentialing, Mathonnapkins and pretty much everyone else there are absolute experts on this game and have invaluable knowledge which will help Quest for Calatia succeed. "

It's very good to hear that so many people have forged an alliance.  I know that Zelda3C can't be completed alone -- however, I still stand on my premise that those things are graphics, music, and ASM hacking -- all things that I can't do on my own.  (Actually, I'm not too bad at pixel art, but I shouldn't be putting my time into that.)  The actual adventure, including story, overworld and dungeons, are still mine to create; if I can't do those on my own, there's no point in my creating the game.  I'm open to ideas and puzzle concepts, of course, but their final implementation is for me to decide.

"Teaming up on Zeldix will clearly be beneficial to Quest for Calatia and is the most logic choice here. In fact it would be stupid to not join. Why would anyone turn down the most valuable assistance you could ever wish for?"

"So what are you waiting for? The decision is clear. Don't waist anymore time fumbling around with Hyrule Magic and the rom by yourself."

I was already planning to join Zeldix when Seph and others invited me earlier.  Please don't think I'm 'stupid'.

"All you have to do is click the link below and type in your user name and password! If you do not have a user name or password then e-mail Seph or I notify Seph him for you!"

Yes, I'm registered now as GameMakr24.  Thanks for giving me that final push!

It will be the BEST decision you have ever made!

Woohoo!  Maybe they can help me with the story-based ASM issues I was having when last I worked on it!

GameMakr24 wrote:LOL, I get the same reactions from my brother!  "Why are you so obsessed with pixels??"  It's nice to know I'm not the only one catching this kind of flak.

SePH wrote:I don't think anyone on this very Earth could manage an whole hack of Zelda 3 on there own.

GameMakr24 wrote:I totally agree.  While I'm selfishly possessive of the intertwined overworld and dungeon areas that adhere to a specific vision and itinerary, I know I'll need to share the ROM with people who are creating / testing custom ASM hacks and new music for it.

GameMakr24 wrote:Regarding simplifying the hack, there are indeed parts I may have to trim back on.  Reshaper and I dreamed up lots of incredible ideas, but I haven't heard from him in a long time.  I'll need to reach out to him once the project is in motion again, and then decide what's actually in scope.

GameMakr24 wrote:SePH, you've definitely created a lot of overworld content through the years!  I love the Gates of Time screenshot with its double-decker house and cliffside with side-facing stairway.  (Does Link have to be moved up/right/up/right as he climbs?  Also, that cabin with the raised porch is spectactular -- it must've taken a long time to perfect.

GameMakr24 wrote:Oh, and what's with Parallel Universes, LOL?  Can that still be Zelda 3??

GameMakr24 wrote:In closing, I definitely need to be part of the Zeldix community.  Not only can I get help from others who also know Zelda 3, I'll be motivated to keep moving forward and to not forget the dream.  Thanks for having me!!

While I'm selfishly possessive of the intertwined overworld and dungeon areas that adhere to a specific vision and itinerary, I know I'll need to share the ROM with people who are creating / testing custom ASM hacks and new music for it.

Puzzledude wrote:Regarding the overworld and dungeons. I can understand you want to do both on your own, however this is also very difficult to achieve. Example: PW= overworlds by SePH, dungeons by Euclid. GoW= overworlds by SePH, dungeons by me and Dudeman. GoT= overworlds by SePH, dungeons by me (in developement).

This seems to be the method that is working. But there are special cases, like PoC where Spene is doing both. In this case the process is longer, since there are 295 HM rooms and 128 small areas in the game.

Erockbrox wrote:Plus, there is the story and tons of other stuff. Every quality Zelda 3 hack really needs to have a TEAM!

From my own experience, the biggest hurdle in Zelda3 hacking has got to be overworld editing. This is a result of the way hyrule magic does tiles of course. It makes one of the most basic and iconic things about any zelda game very difficult to do in a decent time frame. I end up having to take notes on what tile is what just so I don't use it again and mess something else up as a result. This is probably why getting back into quest for calatia has been difficult for gamemakr.