The Gamma Blog

Just a typical blog from a 37-year-old gamer, ROM hacker, robot fan, and Transformer collector

[gammaprimesmw]

It's been a long time.

So long, in fact, that I've forgotten my Tumblr password. I've just been active on several other social media platforms lately. Last September, I finally created a TikTok account, and I spent the next 3 months posting a lot of content over there. Here's a link if you wanna check it out.

My TikTok

Yeah, I have plenty of videos of me "dancing" to some of my favorite songs, doing random things, and playing with the various effects. I've also used the platform to post several videos that involve deep fake technology in some way or another, whether it's making random people/characters lipsync to songs I like or playing with deep fake text-to-speech. Speaking of which...

My FakeYou Profile

FakeYou, previously known as Vo.Codes, is a community focusing on the creation of deep fake voices using an AI system called Tacotron2. Back in mid-September of last year, I started playing around with the tech and, with the help of a similar community called Uberduck.ai, learned to create my own Tacotron2 voices. Being the huge Transformers nerd that I am, my first voice was none other than Optimus Prime, with Megatron following shortly afterward. Optimus has since gone through the most iterations as I continuously refined his dataset and re-trained his voice. He can still be a bit monotone, but that's a limitation of the Tacotron2 system.

Tacotron2 has a few other limitations too. For starters, it needs a lot of audio data to train on before it can accurately mimic a voice. For characters like Prime and Megatron, who get plenty of speaking lines and are frequently portrayed by the same actors across multiple incarnations, finding enough data isn't too hard. For less prominent characters, it's a bit harder. Just cutting out all the clips where a character speaks isn't good enough though. You need to filter out any music, background noise, and/or sound effects in the clips, which isn't always possible if the clips are extremely noisy, like in the middle of a fight scene.

That's the frustrating part about making these voices. They need at least 5 minutes of clean audio to even work, and even more than that to sound decent. For Optimus and Megatron, the limitations of the speech isolation tools I work with aren't as concerning since I can pull from more audio sources than just an animated series from the mid 80s. For other characters, like the original Ironhide, I only have the original cartoon. Ironhide gets a fairly decent amount of dialogue and screen time in the first two seasons of the show, but he's an action-oriented character, so much of that dialogue is marred by the sounds of laser fire and explosions. His thick Texan accent might even complicate things further. Either way, I only have that G1 Ironhide voice available on Uberduck, and it's not very good. I tried to update it when I found archives of unused dialogue from G1 that included some lines for him, but I could never get a good voice out of that.

Grimlock is in a similar situation. It took a lot of dataset pruning and adjustments to the algorithm's training rate to make his voice even coherent. The voice still has a limited vocabulary though. After all, Grimlock no like big words.

[overlordraax]

First of my metallic marker Ko-fi Commissions, and also my first time drawing something TFA. Heeeeere’s Blitzwing!

Ko-fi commissions here

[gammaprimesmw]

KCAWS Character Questionnaire - Skybolt

1. Full Name

"This unit's full designation is Project Skybolt Anti-NBE Combat Prototype. Skybolt is a preferable form of address."

2. Zodiac Sign

"Skybolt is vaguely familiar with both Chinese and Greek Zodiacs. They are associated with date of birth. This would equate to time of activation. Skybolt is a Taurus Pig according to date of activation."

3. 3 Fears

"This question requires further processing to properly answer. At this moment, Skybolt can definitively list the fear of program alteration."

4. 3 Things I Love

"This question is likewise difficult to accurately answer. Emotions are a novel experience, and they are difficult to process and express at this time."

5. 4 Turn-Ons

"The location of my activation controls is classified."

6. 4 Turn-Offs

"Skybolt will repeat. The location of my activation controls is classified."

7. My Best Friend

"It is possible to answer this question with an acceptable degree of accuracy. At the moment, my "best friends" are my chief creator and programmer, Andrea Morales, and my Autobot mentor, Dashlane. An indescribable bond is also forming with a former Deep Space Colonization Surveyor designated 'Starshot.'"

8. Sexual Orientation

"Skybolt is incapable of sexual intercourse. No answer to this question can be provided."

9. My Best First Date

"Mentor Dashlane has equated circumnavigation of Earth with Starshot to a 'first date.' This is the only 'first date' Skybolt has experienced. It was...enjoyable."

10. How Tall Am I?

"In my robotic form, my height is 21.75 feet."

11. What Do I Miss?

"This question cannot be answered at this time."

12. What Time Was I Born?

"Ah! That question can be accurately answered. Skybolt was initially activated on May 15, 2019 at 1500 hours."

13. Favorite Color

"Skybolt has not given sufficient thought to color to determine a favorite."

14. Do I Have a Crush?

"Mentor Dashlane believes that Skybolt harbors a crush on Starshot. This thought causes erratic fluctuations in core temperature. Physical manifestations include a faint emission of bluish-green light from below my optic lenses."

15. Favorite Quote

"LIfe manifests in many forms, and its Spark is not always tangible."

16. Favorite Place

"The most accurate answer to that question would be Autobot Headquarters, also known as the crash site of the Ark."

17. Favorite Food

"Skybolt is unable to consume food."

18. Do I Use Sarcasm?

"Skybolt does not utilize sarcasm."

19. What Am I Listening To Right Now?

"Skybolt is listening to the ambient sounds of the Autobot Command Center. These include multiple simultaneous conversations, the operation of Teletraan 1's cooling systems, and the sounds associated with a battle between Ryu and Chun-Li in a game of Street Fighter II being played by human companion Emmett Jackson and Autobot Bumblebee. Skybolt does not have sufficient data to determine a probable winner."

20. First Thing I Notice In a New Person

"Skybolt is aware of height, weight, internal temperature, classification, and factional alignment."

21. Shoe Size

"Skybolt does not wear shoes. Many of these questions appear to assume that Skybolt is human or otherwise biological."

22. Eye Color

"My optical lenses are colored green."

23. Hair Color

"Skybolt does not possess hair."

24. Favorite Style of Clothing

"Skybolt does not wear clothing. No thought has been given to stylistic preference."

25. Ever Done A Prank Call?

"Skybolt has not engaged in this activity. It would be counter-productive to utilize the communications systems for such frivolous actions."

26. What Color Of Underwear I'm Wearing Now?

"Please refrain from further questions that assume Skybolt is human. They will no longer be answered."

27. Meaning Behind My URL

"Skybolt does not possess a personal web page."

28. Favorite Movie

"Skybolt has not yet watched any movies. Interest has been non-existent."

29. Favorite Song

"Skybolt has been exposed to multiple musical genres, but cannot determine a favorite at this time."

30. Favorite Band

"Skybolt must first determine favorite musical genre to answer this question."

31. How I Feel Right Now

"My current emotional status cannot be accurately determined."

32. Someone I Love

"Processing this question is resulting in a 3.5% increase in core temperature. Multiple data points relating to Starshot are being recalled. Perhaps...Mentor Dashlane and Bumblebee's assumptions are correct regarding my feelings toward her. Should....Should Sky....I confess?"

33. My Current Relationship Status

"The correct answer would be....that I am...in a relationship...with Starshot."

34. My Relationship With My Parents

"As a non-biological synthetic construct, I do not have parents in the same way that a biological being would. However, I consider Andrea Morales analogous to a mother, and Optimus Prime to a father. My relationship to both is quite optimal."

35. Favorite Holiday

"Such a preference has not yet been considered. Historical data indicates a decrease in Decepticon activity on dates designated as major holidays. The reason for this cannot bet determined."

36. Tattoos And Piercings I Have

"Perhaps the Autobrand on my chest is analogous to a tattoo."

37. Tattoos And Piercings I Want

"I have no desire for any further bodily markings. My current appearance is acceptable."

38. The Reason I Joined Tumblr

"I do not possess a personal Tumblr account at this time."

39. Last Book I Read

"It is not a book in the sense of the physical object, but I have been scanning Teletraan 1's Cybertronian history archives."

40. Do I Ever Receive 'Good Morning' Or 'Good Night' Texts?

"I do not. I do not utilize a standard cellular phone. There is a high probability that I would crush one, as they are not properly scaled to my hands."

41. Have I Ever Kissed The Last Person I Texted?

"I do not utilize text messaging, nor have I kissed...anyone."

42. When Did I Last Hold Hands?

"When Starshot and I completed our trip around the planet, we grasped each other's hands in a gesture of bonding. I cannot accurately describe the sensations I experienced in that moment."

43. How Long Does It Take Me To Get Ready In The Morning?

"Preparation for impending missions takes approximately 30 minutes. It consists of a thorough system diagnostic and fuel level optimization. Delays can occur if system anomalies are detected or if fuel levels are insufficient."

44. Have I Shaved My Legs In The Past 3 Days?

"I will not answer this question."

45. Where Am I Right Now?

"I am currently in the Autobot Command Center."

46. If I Were Drunk & Can't Stand, Who's Taking Care Of Me?

"As a synthetic construct, I do not have the capacity for intoxication. However, were I incapacitated, Ratchet would be my designated caretaker. It would not be a task he would enjoy, as he views me as little more than a drone."

47. Do I Like My Music Loud Or At A Reasonable Volume?

"Excessive music volume may interfere with the ability to monitor for Decepticon activity. Jazz is advised to turn down his 90s Hip-Hop Mix."

[gammaprimesmw]

SUPER MARIO WORLD: BOWSER'S KAIZO CONSPIRACY - PART 2

Here's what's behind that door. Right now, these shelves look pretty barren, with the exception of one Transformer figure standing next to Mario. In reality, I wouldn't let a chubby Italian plumber walk across my Transformer shelves, but this is a video game. Those shelves can become more populated as you play this hack though. That's because the Transformers are a new collectible item in the game. There are 16 of them hidden throughout, with 2 per World. This took quite a bit of ASM work, and help from a long-time friend on SMWC, to implement. I was tempted to give up and scrap this, but my Transformer obsession just wouldn't let me. If I learn more ASM, maybe there'll be a boss fight in the future against something that transforms. Time will tell!

The collected figures on the shelves are interactive. Pressing UP in front of one will bring up a bio screen like this. I already have nearly half of these done.

1-3 Earthy Caverns

This is your typical World 1 underground level, so it's not too tough. Getting the Yellow Switch beforehand actually makes it even easier. This is one of the first levels where you can find a Transformer. I won't say where though. Don't wanna spoil it. Levels with hidden Transformers will be marked on the Overworld by an Autobot Symbol like the one on the Transformer room door and in the HUD. Yeah, there's a counter in the HUD for these things. Some ASM hacks I applied to the end-of-level sequences pretty much nuked the Bonus Stars, so I decided to repurpose that counter. It was a fairly simple ASM hack.

1-4 Goom-Bounce Garden

This level introduces those wall springboards, or Pea Bouncers, first seen in Vanilla Dome 4 in the original game. They're supplemented by block versions to avoid slowdown from too many sprites on screen at once. The block versions allow for even more flexibility than just having more bouncy surfaces for Goombas to bounce on. There's a variant that only sprites, like the Goombas, can bounce on. For Mario, they just act like a normal ledge.

1-F Giga-Goomba's Fort

Of course a fortress owned by a giant Goomba is gonna be full of Goombas.

1-5 Donut Walk Away

Here's the first proper athletic level of the game.

1-C Iggy's Castle

It's a little like the original first castle. It has Iggy as the boss and centers around those climbing fences.

That's it for World 1.

[gammaprimesmw]

SUPER MARIO WORLD: BOWSER'S KAIZO CONSPIRACY

Here I go again, creating yet another Super Mario World ROM hack. Don't be fooled by the presence of the word "Kaizo" in the title though. This hack will still be a normal difficulty hack, comparable to real Mario games.

If it's not Kaizo, why is "Kaizo" in the title?

That has to do with the hack's plot. Bowser has stolen the wands of the Guardians, a group of 7 beings tasked with maintaining the "normalcy" of the Mushroom Kingdom. With said wands, he intends to turn the Mushroom Kingdom into a Kaizo world. Basically, the objective of the hack is to stop Kaizo from happening. This plot was largely inspired by the cultural shift of SMWCentral.net, which seems to gravitate towards Kaizo these days. Many of the users who were active a decade ago have either moved on completely or are far less active today. I'm a bit of an exception to that. The 7 Guardians are based on some of these SMWC veterans, such as Jimmy(52905), S.N.N., and Kieran Menor. With the exception of one, I haven't designed these guys yet, but their designs will be based on their avatars and what I know about them. For example, the Guardian based on Kieran will be named Blueberry Danish and will be a Friendship is Magic-style My Little Pony, as Kieran was quite the Brony before he left. He's also Danish and once had an avatar of a blue-haired monster boy IIRC.

OVERWORLD

My Tumblr followers, as well as anyone else who stumbles across this post while surfing the web, will be the first to really see this Overworld, at least in the context of this hack. That's because this Overworld was designed at least a month before work on the hack began, as it's an entry for a contest being held on SMWC. I actually came up with the plot idea for this hack around the time I was finishing this up, as I intended to use this map for a hack eventually. I put a lot of work into it. Why should it just fade into obscurity after the contest is all said and done? I have a habit of integrating levels made for contests into hacks, so why not an Overworld? The level names here aren't necessarily final, and some have already been changed.

1-1 Here We Go Again!

I don't care how overused the New Super Mario Bros. Main Theme is. It fits, so I'm using it.

1-2 Into the Wild Green Yonder

I still need to actually make this level name change, but first, I need to apply an ASM patch that allows for longer level names on the Overworld. This is the first level in the game with a Secret Exit, and also the first point from which you can access this game's version of a Toad House.

1-S Yellow Switch

As with previous hacks, such as Kola Kingdom Quest and Bowser's Cataclysmic Trap, the Switch Palaces are at the end of otherwise normal levels. These could even have somewhat different themes than the Worlds they're found in. Of course, said different themes won't be so different as to be unfitting, like the forest theme of this level, which is set on a green, grassy part of the map.

GEMMA T'S PITSTOP

I mentioned earlier that I had designed one of the 7 guardians already. Gemma T is said Guardian. She's my author avatar, so she may even pop up in other hacks in the future.

I drew this months ago, long before even the Overworld Contest was a thing. Here's Gemma T unencumbered by the limitations of SNES sprites.

Just like me, Gemma T's a huge Transformers nerd. That little ? Block lamp is even based on the real lamp I have at my desk. Hitting the actual ? Block in the middle of the room will put an item (Fire Flower in this case) into your Reserve Box. What's behind the door with the Autobot Symbol on it? You'll find out in the next post because Tumblr only allows 10 images per post.

[gammaprimesmw]

SENTIENT TELETRAAN

This is something that has interested me for a long time, and I don't really remember if it's just due to my general fascination with AI or perhaps overanalyzing one scene from one episode of the G1 cartoon. It could be a combination of both, and it's something I think about whenever the Autobots' (or Maximals') base computer behaves in a way that even remotely hints at it being more than a hollow machine. This exchange, from the end of the Beast Wars episode "A Better Moustrap," seemed to hint that Sentinel had something of a sense of humor, or at least understood the concept.

A Better Mousetrap said:

Cheetor: Rattrap!

Rhinox: How did you...

Rattrap: Avoid getting scrapped? Hehe...Well, it was no oil bath, but let's face it! Ain't a defense system made that I can't get around! Right, Sentinel?

Sentinel: Acknowledged.

In that scene, Sentinel's delivery of the reply was somewhat more "human" than the more monotone delivery used in the rest of the episode. Either Ian Corlett was still trying to find his voice for the AI, or that line was intentionally meant to convey a bit of emotion to add to the lighthearted tone of the moment. This was probably the most personality Sentinel showed in the series, but it would've been interesting to see more. I even imagined Sentinel gaining a Maximal body back then. Now that I'm bringing it up, I'm starting to wonder how that would play out.

In the G1 episode "Attack of the Autobots," Teletraan 1 showed signs of personality and, depending on how you read into Casey Kasem's delivery of some of its/his dialog, some degree of emotions. When Megatron brags about the Personality Destabilizer he placed in the Ark's recharging chambers, it was Teletraan who made the obligatory comeback.

Teletraan 1 - Attack of the Autobots said:

Autobots are noble! Your plan can never succeed!

When I hear this quote play back in my mind, I feel as though Teletraan is actively trying to imitate Optimus Prime, as if the Autobot Leader were someone he looked up to or regarded as a mentor. He sounds a bit panicked when Prime, under Megatron's command, proceeds to slam his fist into his main console. This unusually "human" behavior for Teletraan doesn't stop here. It continues a little later in the episode, after Sparkplug brings him back online.

Teletraan 1 said:

Teletraan: Autobot behavior...altered by Personality Destabilizer...put into recharging chambers by Megatron.

This line wasn't delivered in Teletraan's usual steady monotone. He speaks more slowly, and his voice is a little shaky. This could've been done to show that Sparkplug didn't get him quite up to 100%, but, to me, it sounds like the Ark's AI is trying to hold back tears. The next time we see any "personality" from Teletraan, it's when he's being fried by Kremzeek and spouting off nonsense that includes 1984 references. It does beg the question of what sort of knowledge bases this nonsense was coming from and why he had them. Did he have some interest in Earth literature that lead to him scanning 1984?

In some versions of Transformers, the Teletraan analogue is shown to overtly have a personality, such as T-AI in Robots in Disguise 2001 and Teletraan X in Cyberverse. It's never explicitly stated whether these personalities were deliberately programmed in or developed over time. X's may have been programmed, but T-AI might be a little more ambiguous. We don't know how long she had been operating before she's introduced, as that series is one where the Autobots have already established themselves on Earth at the start.

More examples emerge when delving into the Japan-exclusive series, like the NAVIs in Beast Wars II and Neo. It might be something the Japanese writers like to put in, in addition to coding the AIs as female. T-AI is a continuation of that trend that made it across the Pacific when Car Robots was dubbed as Robots in Disguise 01. She and the NAVIs may have inspired Teletraan X to some degree.

What would be interesting in a future series would be to have Teletraan (or his/her Expy) grow from a typical computer AI into a more "human" character over the course of said series. How would the Autobots react to this? Was it something Teletraan is intended to do "in-universe?" It could bring up some "What Measure is a Non-Cybertronian" debates. Sparkless sentience as a whole could be explored. In fact, my aborted fan-continuity did explore this, even giving a name to these beings: Synth. One aspect of pre-War Cybertron was a growing civil rights movement for them, which Megatron hijacks during his rise to power. Prime would've supported this movement, even as Orion Pax. In an RP, I referenced a time when Megatron organized a rally that was being used as a front to round up a number of Synths for a mass-wipe. Optimus refers to this as an act of mass murder and one of Megatron's many atrocities.

[gammaprimesmw]

STARSHOT - SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE

This is set in the universe of the G1 cartoon shortly after certain events in Five Faces of Darkness.

"Autobot volcano....smashed!" the massive reptilian robot cried out triumphantly while standing atop a heap of rubble that was once Mt. St. Hilary and the crashed Ark that served as Autobot Headquarters.

Cosmos, who watched the scene from his post in high Earth orbit, let out a quiet "Oh no" as Trypticon seemed to revel in the destruction he had just caused. He simply stared at the ruins below, silently hoping and praying that nobody was inside until the pained scream of a feminine vocalizer pierced his audio receptors.

"Teletraan!" the voice cried out. "No...."

Cosmos zoomed over to the source of the voice, a scaled-down space shuttle that had been accompanying him in orbit for at least a decade. "What's wrong, Starshot?"

"Teletraan....Teletraan couldn't escape. Teletraan...is dead"

"Yeah, I guess he is. It's easy to forget about him."

"What do you mean? H-How can you say that?"

"I guess I never really got used to thinking of him as anything more than a computer. His sentience is kind of a new development....relatively speaking. None of us knew until he revealed it to Prime about a year and a half ago."

"I knew," Starshot corrected. "I knew when he stabilized my neural net. He didn't just repair code. He spoke to me. He actively tried to comfort me. He understood why my neural net was destabilizing as if he were an actual bot. He saved my life. If he were just a computer, I don't think he could've done what he did for me."

"I never really thought to talk to him, even after he revealed his sentience," Cosmos admitted. "I never got to know Teletraan the person. What was he like?"

"He was...." She began to whimper as memories of everything she'd seen the Decepticons do flooded her mind. Even after recovering from her own torturous encounter with the 'Cons with Teletraan's help, witnessing the increasingly heinous things they did could easily bring her to the verge of another breakdown. Teletraan would always comfort her during these times, reassuring her that the Autobots would stop whatever the Decepticons were doing. Now he was gone. There was no way he could've survived Trypticon's rampage. It hurt. It felt like Hook was gleefully ripping her open again to rip something much more valuable than a Cyberforming Module out of her. She screamed again.

"Easy, Starshot," Cosmos chided. "I...I wish there was something I could do, but...."

"Teletraan!"

"Yeah, I know I'm not Teletraan. I doubt I could really help you the way he did."

"Teletraan...."

"I...I know how hard it can be to say goodbye. I still haven't really gotten over losing Optimus...or Ironhide...or really anyone that died during that attack on Autobot City. I was hoping that, after Rodimus defeated Galvatron and destroyed Unicron, no other Autobots would die. For a while, it seemed like I wouldn't lose any more friends. I'm sure you felt the same way."

Starshot just whimpered softly.

"I'm sorry, Starshot. I don't wanna see you break down again. You're so kind and sensitive...and surprisingly brave. You've stuck around all this time regardless of how you feel about the war. I guess you figure that this is better than just drifting through space...alone. It can get lonely out here. Before you came along, I really didn't have anyone else to talk to out here. Omega Supreme's not really much of a conversationalist."

Starshot fell silent for a bit before letting out a small giggle.

Cosmos smiled inwardly, glad to finally be making some progress in cheering Starshot up. He figured it'd be best to not tell her how Omega became so withdrawn, for fear of hurting her more. He thought for a bit about Teletraan 2, who had recently been brought online at the Autobots' new Cybertronian base. This new computer had similar specifications to its late predecessor, and had been fed whatever data could be transferred from the older computer before the Ark was destroyed. Whatever made Teletraan 1 sentient probably couldn't be copied. It's something that developed over more than two decades of continuous operation. It was never actively stimulated though. Most of the Autobots never talked to Teletraan 1 as if he were one of them. How much faster could 2 evolve if someone regularly interacted with him as if he were more than a machine. He took a deep breath, bracing himself in case he accidentally twisted the proverbial knife.

"Hey, Starshot...Have you ever thought to talk to Teletraan 2?"

"I....I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"He might be able to evolve the way Teletraan 1 did. You talking to him might even speed the process up."

"He won't be the same, but...maybe..."

"He doesn't have to be the same. He can still be a good friend either way. You just gotta give him a chance. Rodimus Prime isn't Optimus, but I think he'll grow to be just as good a leader. He already has stopping the end of our world on his resume."

Starshot let out another giggle. "That he does. As for Teletraan 2...I'm now a bit curious as to what he'll be like."

[gammaprimesmw]

TRANSFORMERS IN SMW COLORS

Not sure what else to really call this. It's something I started yesterday as a bit of an experiment. I've been on a huge SMW custom graphic creation spree for the past several weeks, and many of the sets I made are designed to work with the game's default color palettes. Naturally, I've been seeing those palettes a lot, and I got to wondering if I could pixel some Transformers in them.

GENERATION 1 MEGATRON This is the piece that started it all. It uses the foreground palette seen in many of Super Mario World's castles and fortresses.

WINDBLADE

This piece uses the first pipe palette row from the foreground palette first seen in Yoshi's Island 3.

PRIME ARCEE

This uses the fourth global foreground palette row, which is used by things like the goal posts and arrow signs in Super Mario World.

[gammaprimesmw]

SKYBOLT AND STARSHOT - STARGAZING

Neither of them were truly "alive" according to the traditions of the beings after which they were modeled. Whatever semblance of consciousness they possessed was derived from their advanced artificial intelligence systems, rather than the semi-mystical Sparks of their peers. One of these constructs was Project Starshot Deep-Space Colonization Surveyor 0984, a rather antiquated probe modeled after the Cybertronians that constructed her at least six million years prior. This synthetic femme simply stood outside the remains of a crashed Vanguard Class Deep-Space Interceptor that had become lodged in the side of a dormant volcano, staring up at the night sky. Not long ago, she was being held on a massive warship captained by a being who presented himself as the ruler of her homeworld of Cybertron. "You will pardon the commotion outside. Much has changed since you were last dispatched from Cybertron," spoke the voice of a rather imposing silver and black mech with red accents. "Your assistance is appreciated, Cybertronian," she replied. The mech chuckled softly, trying to maintain an air of friendliness as he continued to speak. "I am Megatron, ruler of Cybertron. Our homeworld has been devastated by eons of civil war and is no longer able to support life. Therefore, I have selected this planet as our new home. As such, I hereby grant authorization to initiate Cyberforming Protocol." "This construct cannot comply. Data indicates that this planet is inhabited." "The indigenous life of this planet is primitive and barely sapient," Megatron argued. "What does it matter if it is eradicated in the Cyberforming process?" She thought back to her brief encounter with the human archaeologists who inadvertently activated her. They were speaking intelligently among themselves and using tools that, while primitive by Cybertronian standards, were far too complex to be used by mere animals. "Your statement is incorrect. The indigenous life-forms are capable of speech and complex tool use." "Disregard the native life! That is a direct command. You must obey." Megatron's words were punctuated by a flash of his piercing red optics. "This construct cannot comply," Starshot repeated. "Quite stubborn for a drone, isn't she?" commented a primarily red mech who stood behind Megatron. "Indeed, Knockout," Megatron replied. "Fortunately, we need not rely on persuasion alone." Megatron's crimson cohort smiled as he approached the helpless drone and replaced his right hand with a rotary sawblade. "Danger....Danger," Starshot whined as Knockout brought the blade down onto her chest and began to cut into her plating. Starshot whimpered softly as she remembered her ordeal at the hands of Megatron and Knockout. It was the first time she felt fear, an emotion so overwhelming that the resulting breakdown threatened to overload her neural net had she not been rescued when she was. She quickly shifted her focus to the faint reflection of a neighboring planet. Just then, she heard footsteps approaching from behind and tensed up until she heard another familiar voice. "Your gaze appears to be fixated on the reflection of Venus," the voice observed. "Does observation of celestial bodies...induce comfort?" She turned to face the silver and maize-colored mech who now accompanied her. "I do not entirely understand why, but yes." "Many natives of this planet enjoy this activity. They refer to it as...'stargazing.'" "Stargazing..." Starshot repeated. "The celestial bodies...the stars...evoke many desirable emotions. Many humans regard them as...beautiful." "I have seen an incalculable number of celestial bodies while traveling through space, but, at the time, they did not evoke any emotion. Now, they represent...peace...tranquility...and familiarity." She turned her gaze to her companion. His was the first remotely Cybertronian face she saw after reactivating. Starshot lay motionless and half-buried in the desert sand. The humans who had begun to unearth her had left. She reasoned that they were likely afraid of her. They were comparatively

small creatures after all, and probably didn't know she wasn't hostile. It didn't matter either way. All that mattered to her was that the planet was clearly inhabited. Therefore, it was unsuitable for colonization. Were she not immobilized due to disrepair, she would simply leave and move on to the next prospective planet as per her programming. It was at that moment that she saw what looked to be a Cybertronian approaching from the sky above. "Cybertronian, your assistance is required." The airborne observer descended carefully, shifting from the form of what was likely a native craft into that of a mech. "Cybertronian, your assistance is required," she repeated. "Motor relays are non-functional. Propulsion system is non-functional." "Skybolt does not possess sufficient skill to affect repair. However, Skybolt will transport you to safety." "Your assistance is appreciated...Skybolt." Skybolt effortlessly, yet gently, pulled the feminine-looking construct out of the sand. "What is your designation?" "I am Project Starshot Deep-Space Colonization Surveyor Unit 0984." "Is 'Starshot' an acceptable form of address?" "Affirmative, Skybolt." "I apologize for my inability to provide safe transport as promised." "That was your intention. That is...what matters." "My failure could have resulted in your destruction...or the Cyberforming of this planet. Either outcome would have been undesirable." "I am...not truly alive. I am only a Deep-Space Colonization Surveyor." "I am only...an anti-NBE combat prototype," Skybolt replied, his lips curving into a small smile. "At the moment, that is irrelevant." Starshot tilted her head to one side, a bit confused, but also...comforted. She didn't fully understand why. Emotions were still fairly new to both of them. Still, they could feel a bond forming between them.

[gammaprimesmw]

TRANSFORMERS AU x CHALLENGE OF THE GOBOTS - SEPARATION PT 4

Raid-R drove alone down the increasingly decrepit roads that led to Old Gobotron. All of the most recent intel on the Renegades suggested that they were operating from an outpost hidden somewhere in this no-bot's land. So far, everything was quiet, but it was the kind of quiet that would unnerve even the steeliest of Guardians. Raid-R, being a New-Gen of fairly recent manufacture, didn't yet understand such emotions. Still, he kept his sensors on full alert.

"He will be the perfect test platform for my experimental Stealth Field Penetrator."

The words of Professor Von Joy played back in his mind like a high-fidelity audio recording. It was one of the two things that justified his current actions. The other was his promise to Dashlane that he would find Skybolt.

"What's your malfunction, Raid-R?" shouted a frustrated Humm-R as he pulled up beside his partner.

"I must locate the current Renegade base of operation in order to rescue Construct Skybolt. My Stealth Field Penetrator will facilitate location."

"Yeah, it could...if it works."

"It....must function....to complete mission." Humm-R was right to be concerned about whether or not the device would work. It was still untested. "Your concern is justified, but immediate action is required. Reports indicate that Construct Skybolt has been detected with Renegade Stallion. Renegade Stallion was last detected traveling in this direction."

"Conclusion: Renegade HQ is within this vicinity, right?" Humm-R sighed. "You New-Gens and your logic...."

"Logic alone does not dictate current actions," Raid-R admitted. "I made...a promise...to Ally Dashlane. A Guardian is true to his words."

"What are you hoping to accomplish out here, besides pinpointing the Renegades' hideout? You have no field combat experience. Do you really think the Renegades would just let you in without a fight?"

"Probability of combat...was not calculated."

"That's...not like you. You must really be concerned about Skybolt."

"You are correct. I have yet to fully determine the reason."

"From what I understand, he's a lot like you." Humm-R would smile at this sign of emotional growth in his partner were he not currently in vehicle mode. "Dash seems to really care about him. He got himself and Turbo pretty badly trashed by the Renegades for trying to pull this same stunt, and they have a lot more combat experience than you."

"I am aware of Turbo and Dashlane's condition. It was a determining factor in my current course of action. I...made a promise to Dashlane. I stated that I would locate Skybolt."

"You can't do this alone. I won't let you. I've just relayed our current position to Leader 1 and the others."

"There may be insufficient time to await their arrival. Second-Generation Boomer Prototype 'Rumble' was accessed and reprogrammed within 3 Gobotron Solar Cycles of capture."

"Don't remind me."

"How much longer, Dr. Go?" CyKill asked impatiently. "I want my new warrior online before the Guardians show up."

"I'm working as fast as I can, CyKill," the Renegade scientist replied. "This neural circuitry is a bit more advanced than that of the previous New-Gen, and its data is protected by a completely different encryption algorithm that I've yet to fully crack.

"You'd better crack it before I decide to crack you." The Renegade leader gave the mad doctor a menacing glare before turning his attention to the large bank of monitors, one of which displayed a security camera feed. CyKill's frustration quickly turned to anger as soon as he laid eyes on the security monitor, which showed Humm-R and Raid-R approaching the outer perimeter of the base. He slammed his fist down on the console while activating his comm. "Cop-Tur, Crasher, Screw Head! Stall those Guardians for as long as you can!"

"Finally," Crasher replied, barely containing her maniacal cackle. "I was starting to get bored."

"Me too, Crasher." Cop-Tur chimed in.

Humm-R and Raid-R, meanwhile, continued to make their way down the crumbling streets of Old Gobotron.

"Got a fix on the Renegade base yet?"

"We are approaching the outer perimeter of the current Renegade base," Raid-R replied. "I am detecting a Blast patrol 300 meters due--"

Both Guardians swerved to the right as a large spherical projectile came hurtling in their direction. This projectile soon slammed into the road in front of them, exploding with enough force to cause both their vehicular modes to roll over sideways before landing on their roofs. Humm-R was the first to transform and launch himself into the air just as another of the Boomers' explosive rounds came flying in their direction. The gruff Guardian warrior wasted no time in blasting the missile before it could make contact with the ground, causing it to detonate in mid-flight.

"Raid-R, are you alright?" he called out.

"I have sustained minor collision damage," Raid-R replied. "I will attempt to disable the Boomers."

"Let's just hope that's still a possibility. The last thing we need right now is a Boomer with some actual brains."

A loud, maniacal cackle soon alerted both Guardians to the approach of Crasher.

"Would you consider the presence of Crasher, Cop-Tur and Screw Head...needed?"

Humm-R simply facepalmed at his companion's attempt at a witty retort before jumping on top of the crazed Renegade and slamming his fist into her cockpit. Raid-R, meanwhile, activated his jets and took to the sky mere moments before Screw Head emerged from the ground beneath him.

The drill tank Renegade growled in frustration before transforming into robot mode and firing a shot at the young New-Gen, who dodged to the left, causing the shot to strike Cop-Tur's rotor assembly, sending the thuggish flyer spiraling out of control toward the ground.

"Thank you for your assistance, Screw Head," Raid-R taunted before firing a shot of his own, which struck the Renegade in the midsection just as he prepared to tunnel underground again.

Humm-R, meanwhile, leapt off of Crasher as she began to spin out of control before falling into a massive roadside ditch. "Not bad, kid."

"I have studied 700 Gobotron Cycles of archived combat footage to analyze Renegade combat techniques. These Renegades are predictable," Raid-R stated. "87.934% probability this was a stall tactic."

"Yeah. He's not exactly siccing a Zod on us."

"If reprogramming of Skybolt is successful, I believe CyKill will deploy him against us as a field test."

"Yeah. CyKill never wastes time showing off whatever new toy he's gotten his hands on."

"Do you consider an emergent construct...a toy?"

"Oh...uhh...no offense," Humm-R let out a nervous chuckle as Raid-R transformed into vehicle mode and headed northward toward the now-inert Boomers. Humm-R quickly followed suit, assuming his own alternate form and tailing his New-Gen partner.

Suddenly, one of the Boomers transformed, but assumed a much more humanoid form than its contemporaries. This non-standard Boomer simply turned its head to face Raid-R as the other Boomers reactivated and encircled him. "You are within range to establish remote interface with the Renegade computer network. You wish to interrupt or otherwise interfere with the recruitment process of the foreign construct."

Another Boomer sped toward Humm-R, blocking his path as he attempted to ram this new type of Boomer-like robot. More Boomers moved in to surround the rugged Guardian, who tried in vain to transform.

"Your companion's transformation capability has been nullified. He is surrounded and defenseless. If you do not wish to see him destroyed, you will utilize your remote interface to accelerate the recruitment process."

Raid-R froze.

"As anticipated, you are unable to determine the correct course of action. You are determined to complete your initial objective, but do not wish to witness the termination of your companion."

"Don't worry about me, kid. Just jack in and stop that 'recruitment' process."

"His concern for your well being prevents him from accepting your command, Guardian Humm-R."

"Wait...Rumble?"

"That designation has been renounced. I have self-assigned the new designation of Shockblast."

"Well, 'Shockblast,' he's not gonna help CyKill 'recruit' Skybolt."

"Correction: His inaction will permit sufficient time for Dr. Go to bypass Skybolt's data encryption."

Raid-R spun around quickly and fired on Shockblast. Unfortunately, the blast left only a small scratch on the Boomer commander's armor. "I...made...a promise." He fired again, only to meet with similarly disappointing results.

"Your firepower is insufficient."

Raid-R didn't listen and continued to fire at the same spot on Shockblast's chest. "I made a promise," he repeated, establishing an interface while continuing to fire away.

"It is a promise you were unable to keep," Shockblast icily taunted as the sound of a jet engine approached.

[gammaprimesmw]

Super Mario Bros: Vanilla Islands - HUGE updates

First off, after a very long wait, the demo for this hack has passed moderation. It almost didn't though, mostly because of slowdown in several levels.

While I waited for the demo to be moderated, I continued working on levels until completing them all.

World 6

6-1 - Bills, Bills, Bills! Bullet Bills, that is! At first, coming up with a song title to reference for this level's name was a little challenging. I don't have or know too many songs that have the word "Bullet" in them. The best I could probably think of is "21 Guns." I didn't count how many Bill Blasters are in this level though. "Bullet" is only half of the prominent enemy's name though. I do know of, like, and have a song with "Bills" in its title. Thus, the level became "Bills, Bills, Bills!"

6-2 - You're Always on My Mine

I don't think I can do a mine-themed level without having a miner pun in mine. At least, I don't want to, especially if I can reference an SWV song.

6-3 - You Rock My World

Yeah, the level was 6-1 when I made the video, but I moved it back to 6-3 when I realized that it was harder than 6-2. The difficulty was toned down a bit further since this was taken as I tweaked the speed values for the bouncing rocks that spawn from the horizontal pipes.

6-4 - Larry Koopa's Castle

Time to dodge even more bullets. Is it just me, or are Bullet Bills overlooked as good castle enemies/hazards in official games?

World 7

It's a Slippy Slidey Ice World, so much of the challenge comes from the ice physics. There are also some enemy projectiles that can freeze Mario in place in addition to hurting him. Brrrr....

7-1 - Snow (Hey Oh!)

Snowman Pokeys and Snowball-Pitchin' Chucks are nothing new for my ice worlds. They're easy sprite graphic swaps after all. Christmas-y elements in snow world decorations are also nothing new. They just fit, much like Middle-Eastern-sounding music in desert levels. I don't really care how cliche it is.

7-2 - Ice, Ice, Baby!

Here's where we get into enemies that can freeze Mario with their attacks. The Venus Frost Traps were somewhat difficult to set up because they use a projectile that was lost in one of SMWC's sprite section remoderations. They're based around a custom plant coded by imamelia that, by default, spits Bob-Ombs at the player in an arc. By changing what palettes the stem and head portions used, as well as what sprite they spawned, I was able to turn them into iceball-spitting Venus Frost Traps. This is the same method I used to create Venus Frost Traps in my entry for the 2018 Chocolate Level Design Contest on SMWC. BTW, don't ask where all those Christmas lights are plugged in.

7-3 - The Bumpty Dance

There's more icy shenanigans and more referencing hip-hop songs from the early 1990s here. I could've called this Bump, Bump, Bump, but I like "Bumpty Dance" better as a name. It's a little more indicative of just what will do the bumping here. I also could've called it "Bumpty Bump," but Golden Yoshi already used that name in SMW2+3: The Essence Star. Besides, the song being referenced is called "The Humpty Dance," not "Humpty Hump." I probably would've made the same assumption back in 1990.

6-4 - Lemmy Koopa's Castle

It's a Slippy Slidey Ice Castle! The Bowser Statues spit ice instead of fire. The darker iceballs simply freeze Mario, but the lighter ones that appear later in the level hurt. Lemmy himself shoots these same projectiles, along with one that can both freeze and hurt.

WORLD 8

This is it! This is the final world!

8-1 - Make it Hot

Yeah, you may want to warm yourself up after traveling through an ice world, but not like this!

8-2 - Hot in Herre

I did make a level called "Hot Out Herre" for Kola Kingdom Quest. Here, though, I can more directly reference the Nelly song that must've been the summer anthem for 2002.

7-3 - Fire in the Sky

Originally, I had this level's name set to "Soaring Over Gloomy Skies," referencing a custom composition I made in 2012 and originally used for the level. After finishing it, though, I felt like the name "Fire in the Sky" would be more appropriate, given the fiery hazards that abound on this airship. The song being referenced isn't one I'm a huge fan of, being more into 90s rock than 70s rock. There's still some Author Appeal behind the name though. It's not only the name of a song, but also the name of an episode of G1 Transformers, which happens to be one of my favorites from that series.

8-4 - BOWSER'S CASTLE

Here's the final level of the game! Prepare to face a gauntlet of fire-spitting statues, Fire Bros, Dry Bones, and things trying to either burn or crush you to death! Mama Mia! Yes, the Status Bar has changed in this hack. This was pretty much the only way to eliminate the slowdown that almost got the demo rejected. The original Status Bar was a sprite, and slowdown in Super Mario World (or practically any SNES game) is the result of too many sprites being on the screen at one time. One way to work around this is to use the SA-1 chip, but that requires converting every custom asset in my ROM that uses ASM. That can be another tedious process stacked on top of the already-tedious process of having to port everything to a new ROM. I had to do the latter anyway to safely change Status Bars, and I had to do it twice. The first alternate Status Bar I tried had glitches, so I had to switch Status Bars a second time. I finally settled on Ladida's Minimalist Status Bar, which I previously used in Super Luigi Land. I did have to remap some of the icons due to the significant edits made to the vanilla Layer 3 graphics files used by the HUD. There was still a glitch to be worked around though. The darkness effect for 4-3 wasn't quite compatible with the new Status Bar, and the level ended up looking like this.

It may look kinda cool and trippy, but it's not the desired effect. Furthermore, pressing the P-Switch had no effect on it, as was intended. The effect is supposed to use the SNES's color math functions to darken the screen (color subtraction, specifically). The second half of 4-4 also uses color subtraction to achieve a spotlight effect. Said effect was still functional after the Status Bar switch. I took a look at that code and learned that color subtraction was very easy to engage, only involving a couple lines of code run during level initialization. I basically copied the init code from the spotlight effect UberASM into another UberASM file. I then inserted that and made Layer 2 just a solid gray image, with the gray being palette animated in Lunar Magic to turn black when the P-Switch is active. Color Subtraction would cause this to make the "lights" in the level come on when the P-Switch was triggered, saving the level's gimmick.

This necessitated changes to the level's appearance. I made a simple Layer 3 background and darkened the overall foreground/background palette. I think I like this look better than the old one.

This is a beta version of the completed hack. You will need a Super Mario World ROM, a SNES emulator (I recommend snes9x 1.60), and Floating IPS to apply the BPS patch to the ROM. I can't tell you where to find the ROM.

[gammaprimesmw]

TRANSFORMERS/GOBOTS FANFIC - SEPARATION PT. 3

Somewhere in the skies of Gobotron, a GoBot in the form of a fuscia-colored jet-like vehicle with vermillion accents flew erratically over one of the less-traveled roads on the planet. So neglected was this highway that its metallic surface was covered in rust, some of which had eaten away at the surface, creating massive potholes. Many of the lights that once illuminated this stretch of road had either failed or were nearing the end of their life, flickering on and off in a desperate attempt to stay lit. The only thing this flyer could really do to occupy himself was fly about as if putting on a stunt show. He desperately wanted to do more though. His proverbial trigger finger was itching, and he was tempted to just start shooting at the flickering street lights. "Why I must patrol this sector, I ask," he said out loud, his voice giving off as much of an air of insanity as his odd speech pattern. "Here is nothing! Nothing! Guardians? Travel this road does no one!"

One of the failing street lights finally flickered to darkness as he flew overhead.

"Nyah!" the strange Renegade shouted before firing a powerful energy blast at the pole supporting the now-darkened fixture, sending its top half flying over the edge of the overpass.

Just below this overpass, on an even more decrepit stretch of road, Dashlane and Turbo heard the explosive sound of the deranged flyer's blast striking the lamp post, quickly swerving out of the way as the severed section of the street light came crashing into the road in front of them. Scooter, who was tagging along nervously behind them, let out a terrified "Yi-eee!" as he quickly leapt into his robot mode. "Why do I get the feeling that light didn't just break by itself?"

"Nya-hah! Found something I have!" called out the voice of the lunatic who had blasted the light post out of boredom. "Guardians! Now for fun time it is!"

"Oh no, not Odd Ball," Scooter whined.

"Were ya expectin' someone more stable, Scoot?" Turbo snarkily asked before transforming into his robot mode and firing on the insane Renegade.

"Is any Renegade really stable?" the somewhat cowardly engineer replied before barely dodging a blast from behind.

"What brings you Guardians out this way?" asked Scooter's assailant, a beige mech with orange highlights and a brown blade assembly mounted on each forearm. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for someone, would you?" He pointed an outstretehed arm at the Guardians and their Autobot companion, but instead of firing an energy blast, he caused one of his blade assemblies to spin up before launching it at Turbo, who jumped over the projectile, causing it to cut into the guard rail of the overpass before coming back around and striking him in the lower back, sending sparks flying as it tore into his armor and sending him crashing back down to the ground. Dashlane growled as he transformed into his robot mode and fired on the malevolent mech. "Yeah, we are looking for someone, and we don't have time to mess around with a couple loose screws!"

"Who's to say you're not already too late? For all you know, CyKill may already be doing as he pleases with your friend."

Dashlane charged at the Renegade, growling in pure rage as he did so. Before he could reach his target, though, he felt a powerful blast strike him from behind.

"Hmm....Help do you need, Breez?"

"Perhaps," Breez replied before spinning up his other rotor assembly, aiming for Dashlane's neck with a look of twisted excitement on his face.

Scooter, who could barely watch as the sadistic Breez prepared to decapitate his Autobot friend, quickly sent a distress signal to every Guardian within range as he took cover outside a run-down and seemingly abandoned warehouse. It was one of the few things he could do since he had no real strength or firepower to contribute to the fight.

"I'm sure CyKill would love it if I brought him your head," Breez hissed as he brought his spinning blade down onto the teal Autobot's upper chest. "However, it might be more entertaining for me to simply incapacitate you for now...."

The blade began to cut into Dashlane's armor, causing the Autobot to grimace in pain as he aimed his blaster at the Renegade GoBot.

"...So that you can witness the fate of your friend first-hand. You're gonna love it."

Dashlane fired a shot into Breez's midsection, knocking the psychopathic warrior off of him. "If CyKill does anything to Skybolt, I'll send him straight to the Pit!"

"Who's to say you'll even get that chance? I understand that Skybolt has potential to be a great Renegade enforcer. You might have to go through him before you can take on CyKill. I don't think you have the bearings for that."

Dashlane screamed and charged at Breez, eventually pinning him against the wall of another one of the abandoned buildings that lined the street.

Breez responded with a smirk before spinning up his still-attached rotor and launching it at Dashlane's abdomen with such force as to knock the teal Autobot away while cutting into his armor. Eventually, the projectile had lodged itself into a vital Energon line, causing the potent blue liquid to drip out of the open wound.

Turbo, meanwhile, still had the other rotor lodged in his lower back. He too was leaking fluids as he lay face-down on the road. The blade had cut into a vital motor relay, leaving the Guardian brawler paralyzed. Odd Ball simply flew in circles overhead. "The real show...Begin it will soon!" he cackled.

Breez? Odd Ball? Why didn't I use characters like Cop-Tur and Crasher? Well, I like working with obscure, overlooked characters, and GoBots has a lot of those, given how the show worked. If a GoBot wasn't one of the Big Three on either side, or a major supporting character, like Fitor and Small Foot, they were relegated to generic roles, crowd-filler scenes, or simply never appeared in the show. I have a lot of free reign over their personalities. Breez and Odd Ball, along with the other Wendy's-Exclusive GoBots, were never on the show. They did have short bios that gave very basic descriptions of their personalities. Breez is described as a "dirty fighter" and "a Renegade in every sense of the word," so he gets to be a sadistic psychopath. His rotor blade attack is inspired by the fact that his toy's rotors detach. Odd Ball's bio paints him as being, well, an odd ball, so I made him an unhinged lunatic with a warped speech pattern. Spy Eye, who appeared in the last part of this fic, has no bio, but I based his personality (and origin) a bit on his design. He's a fully robotic GoBot, or New-Gen, and he's still fairly "young," so his emotions haven't developed yet.

[gammaprimesmw]

SMB: Vanilla Islands - Welcome to the Jungle

Sure enough, my demo is still in the moderation queue on SMWCentral, but at least someone has claimed it. I'm pretty optimistic about it being approved. Unless there's something I overlooked, the only thing that may get it rejected is instances of slowdown. At this point, it would be pretty tedious to port this whole thing over to SA-1. There's also the slight chance of alienating players who still use ZSNES. Yes, I've seen, or rather, heard, the telltale signs of ZSNES use in some SMW hack videos. Why do people still use it? Who knows? This post really isn't about ZSNES.

Since I didn't want to just sit and do nothing with the hack while the demo awaits moderation, I decided to go ahead and work on World 5.

Here's the World 5 map as it looks in-game. It took me a little time to find a fitting music track, as I initially wanted to stick to music from Mario, Wario, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong games, along with any custom compositions that sound suitably Mario-esque. The only song I could really see fitting from that pool was Submap Shuffle from Donkey Kong Country 3, and I've used that for two other jungle worlds in previous hacks. The only jungle world map I made to not use the DKC3 song was the one in Mario is Missing Done Right, which used a custom composition inspired by the 65,000,000 BC map theme from Chrono Trigger. Recently, though, KevinM submitted a port of that exact song. I decided to go ahead and use that, even though it's fully sampled. The sample usage doesn't make it feel too out of place though.

World 5-1 I Wanna Rex You Up

When planning names for the non-boss levels in this hack, this level gave me a bit of trouble. I wanted to go with a reference to a song I like, but couldn't think of any that made references to the jungle. Then I remembered a conversation I had on Discord with (now-former) SMWC user Counterfeit involving the topic of naming levels after 90s songs. She jokingly brought up the idea of naming a castle "I Wanna Sex You Up" after the classic Color Me Badd song. I dismissed the idea at first, but it resurfaced when I was thinking of a name for this level and remembered my plan to use the custom chasing Rex sprite I originally downloaded for 1-3. Given that I wasn't against making puns on the names of songs, I decided to call this level "I Wanna Rex You Up."

World 5-2 Urchin-ly in Love

"Urchin-ly in Love" is a name carried over from a level in World 3 of Super Mario Outbreak, but I figured I might as well reuse it here. Besides, Outbreak was canceled before anyone would've gotten the chance to play that level

World 5-3 Grrrol With It

This was was originally going to be called "Stone Temple Riot," but designing the level/gimmick around that name caused a bit of Designer's Block. Rather than try to push my way through that block by sticking to the same theme, inevitably burning myself out in the process, I decided to rename the level and focus on a different gimmick. This hack is already far from vanilla, so I figured I might as well use Tsutarja's Grrrol sprite again. Lots of songs have "Roll" in their title, including a Backstreet Boys song that never made it to the US. (They have way too many of those.) You've got to Grrrol with it! Grrrol With it! Grrrol With it! Now that song is stuck in my head. It really should've come to the US.

World 5-4 Roy Koopa's Castle

The "Maverick Thwomps" (Thwomps that Thwomp in directions other than downward) were originally planned for 5-3, and they'd carry over into 5-4. While their inclusion in the former level was scrapped, I decided to stick to the plan of having them in the first room of this castle. They're joined by Thwimps and fire-spitting Munchers, which are actually reskinned and tweaked versions of imamelia's SMB2 Panser sprite. The second room does away with the Thwimps and Thwomps, opting for crushing traps that are a bit more lethal.

Before I close out this post, I might as well show off the latest iteration of the Title Screen, which now uses the same checkerboard border as the Overworld.

[gammaprimesmw]

TRANSFORMERS FANFIC - SEPARATION Pt. 2

Since part 1 of this story was linked to a crossover roleplay, I figured I'd involve some sort of crossover in Part 2. Having watched a bit of Challenge of the GoBots not too long ago, I figured it'd be the perfect universe for Skybolt and Dashlane to find themselves in.

After traveling through an unstable SpaceBridge portal, Autobot warrior Dashlane found himself tossed onto a metallic surface as the portal closed rather violently behind him. He slowly pulled himself up onto his feet, all the while trying to shake off the disorientation he was experiencing. As soon as his head cleared, he began to study his surroundings. Something about them was vaguely familiar, triggering memories of Pre-War Cybertron. He shook his head. He had more important things to do than reminisce about the past. There didn't appear to be any sign of Skybolt in this strange place. He activated his comm. "Skybolt, where are you?"

There was no response, only static.

"Scrap," he cursed. "Looks like my comm's not gonna work here. Guess I'll have to just search this place until I find..."

His monologue was interrupted by the sound of approaching ground vehicle engines. He turned to face the direction of these incoming vehicles, activating his weapons and preparing to fire if they would turn out to be hostile.

As Dashlane prepared for a potential battle, a pair of vehicles resembling a maize-yellow Hummer H2 and a maroon and slate-gray radar truck made their way to the displaced Autobot's location.

"We are approaching the location of the reported anomaly," spoke a somewhat monotone voice from the radar truck. "Are you picking up anything, Raid-R?" the Hummer asked.

"Affirmative," Raid-R replied. "Residual anomalous energy has been detected. Detailed energy profile has been recorded and transmitted to Headquarters for further analysis."

"Any sign of Renegade activity?"

"An unidentified robotic construct has been detected in the vicinity of the anomaly. I am unable to classify this construct."

"Unable to classify, huh?" the Hummer responded before shifting into a more humanoid form. "I'd personally classify a bot pointing weapons at me as hostile!"

Raid-R followed suit, shifting into a somewhat less humanoid form, with the windshield region of his vehicular form forming his head. Rather than engage Dashlane, though, the drone-like mech simply stood still, using the large radar dish mounted on his right forearm to more thoroughly analyze him.

The Hummer-bot face-palmed with a heavy sigh. "Darn New-Gens..."

"Pre-emptive engagement is not advised, Humm-R. Data regarding this construct is insufficient to determine intention."

"For the love of Gobotron, that constuct is pointing blasters at us!" Humm-R shouted in frustration, raising a glowing fist at Dashlane.

"Construct's actions determined to be defensive."

Humm-R didn't listen, instead firing an energy blast from his fist at the teal Autobot, who leapt out of the way before returning fire with his own blasters and managing to hit the attacking bot on the right side of his abdomen.

"Seems your buddy has a bit more sense than you do," Dashlane remarked. "He kinda reminds me of someone I know."

Humm-R prepared to fire another shot before Raid-R gently nudged his raised fist downward. "Your active weapons and posture are consistent with defensive positioning," Raid-R explained. "Humm-R is acting on suspicion of Renegade alignment." "Renegade?" the Autobot repeated, scratching his head. "Is that something like a Decepticon?"

"Decepti-what?"

Dashlane deactivated his weapons. "Decepticons are what my friends and I call the bunch of tyrants and thugs running my homeworld of Cybertron." "Tyrants and thugs, huh? Sounds like the Renegades to me. Can't say I've ever heard of a planet called Cybertron though." Humm-R turned to face his rather stoic companion. "You're a walking computer terminal, Raid-R. Do you know anything about a planet called Cybertron?"

"Accessing Planetary Data-net," Raid-R replied. "No data available on Planet Cybertron."

"Well, this obviously isn't Cybertron, so what is this planet?"

"This is Gobotron," Humm-R replied.

"Well, Gobotron is about as familiar to me as Cybertron appears to be to you guys."

"Whatever brought you here is causing a stir back at HQ," Humm-R explained, "and it looks to have done a number on our Command Center docking bay. That's why we suspected Renegade activity."

"Sorry about that. I didn't exactly come here by choice. I was sucked into an unstable SpaceBridge portal, along with my friend, Skybolt."

"No other...Cybertron...constructs have been detected in this vicinity," Raid-R stated.

"Scrap," Dashlane muttered under his breath. "Can't find him here, and I can't raise him on comm."

"Vocal pattern indicates concern."

"Yeah, I am concerned. Skybolt's still young, and he's not a naturally-forged bot like me. He's a Synth, so his whole identity is linked to his memories and AI. If that gets wiped...."

"The construct 'Skybolt' will cease to exist. Is that correct?" "Yeah." "The same thing could happen to Raid-R if the Renegades get a hold of him. He's a New-Gen. Unlike normal GoBots, like myself, he's entirely robotic. Most of us are only about 90% robot," Humm-R explained while tapping his head. "Our brains are organic."

"Leader 1 to Humm-R," came the voice of the two GoBots' commander over Humm-R's comm.

"Humm-R here." "Have you and Raid-R discovered anything about that energy anomaly?" "Yeah. It's apparently the result of an unstable portal, and it transported a bot here from a planet called Cybertron." "Is it hostile?"

"Construct is not hostile, but was initially defensive. Humm-R assumed hostility and launched pre-emptive attack," Raid-R reported, receiving a solid thump on the head for doing so. "TMI, you basic motherboard!"

Leader 1's exasperated sigh could be heard over Humm-R's comm. "Just...bring him back to HQ. Leader 1 out."

"We will assist in locating Construct Skybolt," Raid-R promised, his monotone softening in an attempt to sound more reassuring. "Do not worry."

"Thanks, guys," Dashlane replied with a small smile. "Sorry we got off on the wrong foot earlier."

"I hate to admit it, but Raid-R's right about that being my fault," Humm-R admitted. "I should probably be the one to apologize." "Well, at least we're not trying to slag each other anymore. By the way, my name's Dashlane. I'm an Autobot. That's what my friends back home call themselves."

"Well, Raid-R and I are members of Gobotron's Guardian Corps. We're at war ourselves."

"Against those Renegades, right?" Dashlane guessed before transforming into his altenate mode.

"Yep. It's been that way for a long time. It's kinda how we got to be organic brains in robot bodies....and why our planet looks the way it does now."

Elsewhere on this strange-yet-strangely-familiar world, Skybolt found himself scanning a far more decrepit region which was still beset by the ravages of an ancient war. Several of the buildings appeared to have never been rebuilt after being torn apart in bombing raids, and what must have once been a major roadway was now covered in blast craters and cracks. The scene was familiar enough for the young drone to compare it to similar images in his visual database. There were several close matches, but nothing matched up completely. His sensors revealed that this place was at a much lower elevation than any of Cybertron's major city-states. Stranger still was the abnormally high concentration of carbon compounds detected by his chemical analyzers. His thoughts were interrupted, though, when he felt himself being rather aggressively nudged by an unfamilar mech cast in orange, black, and blue.

"What're ya starin' at, scrap-brain?"

"Skybolt is attempting to determine location."

The orange and blue bot laughed. "You must be some newly-activated New-Gen. Guess you haven't been online long enough to know your way around. Otherwise, you wouldn't o' wound up here in Old Gobotron."

"New-Gen...Old Gobotron...These terms are unfamiliar."

"So you're even more of an outsider than I thought," the mech growled before tackling the confused Autobot to the ground. "Mind tellin' me how ya got here?"

"Seems you still haven't learned how to properly greet visitors, Fly Trap," spoke a somewhat condescending voice from behind the brutish mech. "If I'm not mistaken, this newcomer has been deposited here by the anomaly the base scanners picked up." The source of the voice, an aqua-blue and gray mech with a V-shaped chest emblem flanked by yellow triangles and elements of a sports car, sighed while shaking his head. "Of course, I shouldn't expect a simple-minded brute like you to understand anything I just said."

Fly Trap stood up and turned hsi attention to the new arrival. "What'd ya say, pretty-bot?"

"I'm trying to explain that this new arrival is not our enemy," the blue-hued bot replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'd strongly advise against reducing a potential ally to a grimy, dented up wreck. After all, you should be saving your pent-up aggression..and filth...for the Guardians." "The Guardian Corps is the planetary law enforcement agency of Pre-War Cybertron," Skybolt recalled out loud. "The Guardian Corps was dissolved in the Decepticon Uprising. All surviving members have joined the Autobot resistance."

"Ehh...What're ya talkin' about?"

"Isn't it obvious, Fly Trap? Wherever this...Cybertron...is, the term 'Guardian' means something different there than it does here. Our guest is no doubt confused."

"Your assumption is correct, unidentified construct," Skybolt replied. "Skybolt is unable to determine current location. Conclusion: Skybolt is no longer on Cybertron."

"My name is Stallion," the less-brutish mech replied. "This is Gobotron. Here, Guardians are not nearly as noble as their name may imply...or as the Guardians of your Cybertron may have been. Here, the Guardians are the enforcers of a tyrannical regime lead by the despotic Leader 1. He and his Guardians have conquered much of this planet, leaving us only this filthy hovel for refuge. Naturally, many of us are quite wary of outsiders. I, however, see you as a potential ally against our foes.."

Fly Trap snorted. "Do you really think this walkin' computer could fight the Guardians?"

"With the proper combat training, I'm sure of it. Even now, I imagine his fighting style is much more refined than your mindless barbarism."

"Current mentor is Autobot Dashlane. Current locaon: Unknown."

"Perhaps another anomaly like the one that brought you here occurred on the surface. If that's the case, then your friend is likely to be in Guardian custody now. If he's still alive, he's no doubt undergoing torturous interrogation. If Leader 1 learns of your homeworld, he may attempt to conquer it or even forge an alliance with the ones you call the Decepticons."

"Skybolt must rescue Mentor Dashlane."

"You mustn't go alone, Skybolt. I'm afraid the Guardians would blast you to pieces. Besides, how will you know where to start looking?"

"Your statement is...valid, Stallion. Internal scanner range may be...insufficient."

Stallion put a hand on Skybolt's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll help you look for your friend, but first, we need to report to the leader of our movement." "Skybolt understands. Will follow ally Stallion to base."

Stallion chuckled as he shifted into the form of a sports car and started his engine. Skybolt soon followed suit, assuming his drone jet form and taking off behind the charismatic GoBot. Neither mechanoid noticed the spy jet following them from high above, quietly observing with particular interest in Skybolt.

Back at Guardian Headquarters, Dashlane stood in front of a large computer monitor, flanked by a pair of primarily red mechs.

"Guardian Command, please respond," came a voice that was slightly monotone, but still gave off an air of relative youth. The taller of the two red mechs pressed a button on the console in front of him to answer the communique.

"Turbo here," the gruff-sounding mech greeted. "What's up?" "I am following a construct bearing an energy profile similar to our new acquaintance. The construct in question is currently traveling with the Renegade Stallion." "Can you give us a visual, Spy Eye?"

"Affirmative," the flyer replied, bringing up an image of Skybolt and Stallion on the monitor.

"That's Skybolt," Dashlane observed.

"At least we now know where he is," remarked the shorter of the two Guardians.

"Yeah, and that means we gotta catch up to him before he ends up scrapped...or worse..." The smaller mech gulped in fear, having a pretty good idea of what Dashlane considered to a worse fate for Skybolt than destruction.

"Stallion's no doubt stringin' the kid along until they both get to CyKill," added Turbo. "I'm with Dashlane. We gotta get goin'."

"Oh boy," the smaller bot snarked. "We're all gonna die."

"Aww, mute it, Scooter," Turbo barked as he shifted into his vehicular mode. "It's time to go!"

"It is advisable to notify Leader 1 before undertaking this operation," Spy Eye suggested.

Neither mech stopped to listen to the aerial scout's advice, the roars of their engines being the only sound to come through the comm link. Scooter sighed before transforming and joining them. "Someone has to be the voice of reason," he grumbled to himself. "Why does it always have to be me?"

What will become of Skybolt? Will Dashlane and the Guardians be able to catch up to him before he's taken to CyKill? Find out next time!

[gammaprimesmw]

TRANSFORMERS FANFIC - SEPARATION Pt. 1

I started this sometime in 2019 as a sort of backstory for a pair of Transformers characters I brought into a mass-crossover roleplay server on Discord. It's loosely based on the continuity of my ill-fated Transformers Genesis fic, but it exists within its own micro-continuity. Any future fics I write will likely either be set in a micro-continuity of my own making or tentatively set in an official one.

For at least two million years, a brutal civil war had been raging on the distant planet of Cybertron.  What began as a coup d'état launched by what was once a mere terrorist organization has since escalated into a planet-wide battle between the planet's new, dictatorial regime and a dwindling band of freedom fighters led by the bearer of what was once seen as the symbol of office for the planet's true leader.  This small band of rebels would come to call themselves the Autobots, and the oppressive regime they sought to topple would become known as the Decepticons.

"How exactly are we gonna get off this planet, Prime?" asked a warrior in the form of a teal ground vehicle resembling a classic sports car.  "Even a single space-capable scout couldn't make it past that Decepticon blockade."

"Dash's got a point, boss-bot," added a white and blue vehicle driving alongside the Autobot convoy.  "That blockade's coverin' the planet like an Insecticon swarm on an Energon crystal."

"During the Age of Colonization, eons before this war began, Cybertronian engineers developed technology that would allow us to travel across the stars without need of spacecraft," replied the heavy red, silver, and blue vehicle leading the group.  "The only terminal of this 'SpaceBridge' has, thus far, survived the ravages of war."

"Even if such a thing works, are you really plannin' to just flee the planet?" asked a sturdy-looking red vehicle with maize-colored accents.  "This is our home, Prime!  We can't just give up on it!"

"Ironhide, I have no desire to simply surrender this planet," the one called Prime replied.  "Though I do intend for us to relocate, I do not intend to surrender.  We will fight on, but our prospects for victory are grim should we remain here.  We will establish an off-world base from which to retake Cybertron.  In so doing, perhaps we will re-establish contact with the lost Cybertronian Colonies."

"With all due respect, Optimus, can we really be sure that the SpaceBridge will work as intended?" asked a white and red medical vehicle.  "It hasn't been used in four million years."

"Ancient Cybertronian technology is astonishingly resilient, Ratchet.  Were I uncertain of the SpaceBridge's functionality, I would not have informed Prime of its existence, nor would I have provided the coordinates of its location."

While the Autobots continued their trek to the ancient SpaceBridge Terminal, Megatron, leader of the Decepticons, watched them from his throne room in the city of Kaon, smirking as he did so.  "So...the Autobots are still trying to escape the inevitable," he said to himself before turning to face a powerful dark blue and white robot who was manning the nearby computer terminal.  "Has their destination been calculated, Soundwave?"

"Affirmative, Lord Megatron," the faceless technician droned.

"Excellent.  Deploy the nearest Eradicon squad," the powerful Decepticon leader commanded as he rose from his throne.  "I shall join them.  In the meantime, Shockwave is in command of this fortress."

"Fear not, Lord Megatron," a purple, cycloptic robot replied with a salute.  "Kaon shall remain as you leave it."

"I have the utmost faith that it will, Shockwave.  You seldom disappoint," Megatron commented before transforming into a vehicle resembling a dual-rotor helicopter with a large cannon mounted on its underside before flying off toward the Autobots' location.

“Autobots, alert,” announced a flyer in the form of a gray and maize UAV-like vehicle.  “Skybolt is detecting incoming Eradicon units.”

The word ‘Eradicon’ immediately brought about an uneasy feeling among all the Autobots.  It wasn’t because they feared these Decepticon shock troopers though.  It was because of what they were: former Autobots and Cybertron civilians that had been subjected to Spark extraction and, when necessary, modifications to make them more combat-capable.  Each one was governed by a Teletraan-Class Artificial Intelligence that was completely subservient to Megatron.  Because these drones were once friends, it was particularly hard for the Autobots to fight against them.  Even the steely Optimus Prime would falter somewhat when being confronted with them.

One Eradicon in the form of a bulldozer-type vehicle transformed and fired on Dashlane and Jazz, who responded by transforming themselves and drawing their weapons.  The cool-headed white and blue warrior fired a couple shots at the Eradicon, who blocked them with the half of its shovel that was attached to its right forearm.  Dashlane, meanwhile, was a bit more hesitant to fire, recognizing this now mindless drone as his former mentor Landmine.  He briefly flashed back to his last moments with the elder Autobot as he was being dragged away by Shockwave’s minions before shaking the memory away and firing.  He, like the others, had to remember that these things were no longer their friends.

Skybolt, meanwhile, had not been sentient long enough to truly understand the emotional connections his comrades had with the Sparks that once occupied the Eradicons’ shells.  He scanned the Landmine Eradicon for a weakness, eventually pinpointing one on his lower back and firing a missile into it, sending the drone falling forward as Dashlane and Jazz backed away.  “You’re lucky, kid,” Dashlane commented before taking a deep breath and shooting the Landmine Eradicon in the back of the head.  “Fighting these things doesn’t take the kinda toll on you that it does on us.”

“Skybolt is unfamiliar with Eradicon Units’ previous identities,” the flyer replied, his voice largely monotone.

“Like I said, you’re lucky.  You have the good fortune of not knowing these guys as your friends,” the teal warrior said with a sigh before aiming in the direction of more approaching Eradicons.  One of these took the form of a black and red moped that looked as though it had additional weapons and parts grafted onto it that were never originally intended to be there.  This moped transformed into an equally patched-together robot, which scanned the Autobots in front of it before locking onto Skybolt.  “Vulnerability detected,” it announced before being tackled by Dashlane.  “Not that you’re gonna get the chance to exploit it, buddy,” the warrior growled before shooting the drone in the face.  “I’m not about to let the ‘Cons turn him into another science project like you.”  He fired again, aiming for the Eradicon’s chest this time and blasting a hole through the original armor that was not covered by the grafts.  “Hate to do this to something that was once somebody’s friend.” he sighed before picking the drone up and hurling him at his fellow Eradicon, who simply blasted him away before aiming its weapon at Ironhide and Ratchet and charging up for another blast.  Optimus, who was directly in front of them, transformed into his robot mode, performing a backflip over his companions as he did so.  He then proceeded to hold his Energon Axe in front of his chest to shield himself from the brunt of the blast.

“Wheeljack!  Perceptor!  Proceed to the SpaceBridge and activate it.  Jazz, Ironhide, Skybolt, and Dashlane will cover you.” the Prime ordered before jumping into the air and bringing his weapon down on the Eradicon, slicing it in half before returning it to his Subspace Storage Pocket and staring down at the remains of what was once an innocent civilian.  “I derive no pleasure in having to desecrate your now Sparkless husk.” he remarked sadly before looking up.  “This war must be ended...before other innocents are subjected to the same fate,” he continued, his optics narrowing as he heard a familiar pair of helicopter rotors.  “Megatron must be stopped…”

While Optimus prepared to face his approaching nemesis, Wheeljack, Perceptor, and those assigned to cover them continued to make their way to the SpaceBridge, remaining in robot mode with weapons drawn as they did so.  Soon enough, they would hear the screech of approaching jet engines as a group of Seekers swooped down and opened fire.  Ironhide, having the toughest armor of the group, positioned himself to take any shots being aimed at the two scientists he had been asked to cover.  “You two git to the control panel an’ try to git that SpaceBridge online!  The rest o’ us’ll deal with these Decepti-Creeps!” the red warrior barked before firing on the gray and red Seeker leading the group.  The other Seekers would break away from the formation to attack the other Autobots.

Dashlane backed out of the way as one of the Seekers, who was decked out in a black, red, and silver color scheme, attempted to dive-bomb him.  The Seeker transformed into his robot mode before crashing into the ground and glared at the teal Autobot before drawing an Energon Sword.

"Nightshade,  It's been a while.  I guess your boss finally decided to hide behind bots who aren't just mindless drones."

"Heh...I see we are in agreement regarding Starscream's cowardice and seeming inability to learn from past mistakes," Nightshade responded.  "Of course, this does not equate to a potential alliance, Autobot."

The Seeker charged forward, using his blade to block Dashlane's plasma blasts before leaping upward for an aerial slash attack.

Dashlane slid out of the way before the enemy's blade could make contact with its intended target, avoiding being completely bisected but still losing his right shoulder pad.  He gritted his teeth, inwardly thanking Primus that his whole arm wasn't severed as he took aim and rapid-fired several plasma bursts into the junction between the Decepticon's torso and right shoulder.  While not doing as much damage as a charged shot, these bursts did push Nightshade backwards as they hit, eventually pushing him into a nearby light post.  Dashlane would follow this up by charging at the Seeker swordsman while charging up for another shot, which he would fire point blank while punching him in the same junction he had weakened with his previous shots.

"You're braver than Starscream.  That's for sure," the Autobot smirked.  "He'd turn tail-rudder and fly by now."

"Indeed, and that is precisely why I am more deserving of the position of Seeker Commander.  That, and I am far more loyal to Lord GAH!"

The boastful Seeker's comment was interrupted by a sharp pain as a missile struck him from behind, blowing off his left wing upon detonation.  Nightshade growled before turning to face his new assailant.  "Skybolt, I presume?"

"Affirmative, Decepticon Warrior Nightshade."

"I did not anticipate such underhanded tactics from a glorified Teletraan Backup Module.  You would make an excellent Decepticon.  I will be sure to inform Lord Megatron of your accomplishment.  He could use more competent--"

This time, Dashlane interrupted Nightshade's long-winded speech by delivering a powerful punch to the Decepticon's face.

"Mute it, motormouth!  Sky's not about to become a 'Con!" Dashlane countered before delivering another punch that knocked his opponent down.

Skybolt, meanwhile, picked up Nightshade's discarded sword and studied it for a bit before activating it to block a barrage of laser fire from a cackling Seeker in navy and white with gold accents.

"Decepticon Warrior Triggerhappy, why are you still permitted to engage in combat?" Skybolt asked, making a perhaps feeble attempt to taunt the crazed Decepticon the way his mentor would.

"Uhh....'Cause I can blast you into spare parts!" Triggerhappy replied before cackling and unleashing another wild hailstorm of blasts, doing more damage to the surrounding environment than any of his targets.

"Maybe you could if you paid more attention to your targets than the sound of your weapons," Dashlane smirked before transforming into vehicle mode and driving toward a trio of incoming Seeker Drones, causing Triggerhappy to fire on them while attempting to blast him.

"Alert!  Ally fire," one of the drones announced in the usual monotone before one of the stray shots hit its wing and caused it to crash.  Dashlane swerved out of the way as the downed drone crashed into the road, destroying the guard rails as the impact caused it to explode.

Triggerhappy growled in annoyance.  "Stupid Autobot!  You made me blast one of our drones!"

While the warriors continued to battle the Seekers, both Sparked and drone, Perceptor and Wheeljack worked together to get the SpaceBridge terminal online.

"SpaceBridge control system interface successful," came the pleasant, but fairly monotonous, voice of Teletraan 1 through a speaker on the control panel.  "Diagnostic commencing."

Both scientists waited patiently while their base computer AI scanned the SpaceBridge's systems, their expressions turning from excited to concerned as a maniacal cackle sounded in the distance and was followed by an approaching jet engine.

"Oh scrap....Triggerhappy," Wheeljack groaned.

"Your concern is indeed warranted, Wheeljack," Perceptor spoke in agreement.  "While his targeting skills may be questionable, his propensity for collateral damage is not."

"I think I know what you mean, Percy," Dashlane replied after returning to his robot mode and firing a charged shot on Triggerhappy's left wing.  Skybolt, meanwhile, watched for a bit while accessing his memories regarding Nightshade's swordplay techniques.  It didn't take too long for him to settle on one that seemed like it would be effective:  The Aerial Slash.  All the while, though, Triggerhappy continued to spray ammunition everywhere, with one of his stray shots hitting Skybolt before he could perform the technique.

Another stray shot, meanwhile, struck the SpaceBridge control panel just as a portal was opening.  This stray blast managed to strike vital control systems on impact, causing Perceptor's optics to widen with a sense of worry that bordered on a mild panic.  Teletraan's words only heightened the scientist's anxiety.

"Alert!  Destination control failure.  Wormhole magnitude extending beyond acceptable limits."

Dashlane and Skybolt, who were closest to the terminal, soon felt themselves being pulled toward the open portal.

"Skybolt!  Dashlane!  You must make a concerted effort to escape the vortex before its yield increases...if possible," Perceptor instructed.

Dashlane and Skybolt both attempted to transform, figuring they'd have a better change with the increased speed of their alternate modes.

"Skybolt is...unable to...transform....Maximum speed....is limited."

"You and me both....kid."

"Perceptor, any idea where those two are gonna end up?" Wheeljack asked as he watched his friends' futile attempts to escape the increasingly powerful pull of the destabilizing wormhole.

"The SpaceBridge portal has grown dangerously unstable.  In its current state, its endpoint is impossible to determine.  Given the exponentially increasing level of subspace distortion, there is a probability of interdimensional transport that further complicates their current situation."

"Gah....Can't that bot explain things in a way that the less scientifically-inclined can understand?" Dashlane asked out loud before being pulled through the vortex, disappearing to parts unknown.

"Oh no!  Dashlane!  Perceptor, we gotta shut this thing down!"

"Agreed, Wheeljack.  If it is allowed to remain open, it will further destabilize," the red-hued scientist said while trying to remain upright as the ground beneath him began to shake.  "It's already adversely affecting the structural integrity of this facility."

"Critical alert!  Energon conduit overload detected," Teletraan announced as Skybolt was pulled into the portal.  "Detonation imminent."

"Scrap!  We gotta roll," Wheeljack called out as he transformed into his white, red, and green racer mode and revved his engine.  Perceptor soon followed suit, assuming the form of a halftrack scientific research vehicle.  Both quickly accelerated to top speed and drove away as the building housing the terminal collapsed further.

"I don't think the other bots are gonna like this," Wheeljack said with a heavy sigh.  "The SpaceBridge is scrap, and Dashlane and Skybolt are missing."

"Indeed.  It will be imperative that we concentrate all efforts on their retrieval, as well as securing an alternative means of relocation.  For the moment, the latter objective seems far more viable."

"If I can get that Vanguard Class Deep Space Transport we found up and running...and retrofitted for combat, we might be able to at least start looking for our future offworld base."

"Given your history of assigning simple, yet intuitive designations for your scientific endeavors, it would not be illogical to assume you have done so for this project."

Wheeljack chuckled, allowing Perceptor's words to distract him from his worries about Dashlane and Skybolt.  "You know me all too well, Percy.  I call it 'The Ark.'"

"Again...Simple, yet appropriate.  Perhaps if...fate...is in our favor, we will locate our friends....and they will be online and well.  Yes, I am well aware of how patently unscientific my previous statement was, but...I want to hope."

"Yeah.  It's a good thing you didn't delete your emotions the way Shockwave did."

"If taking such an action would result in a similar abandonment of scientific ethic on my part, it is not one I'd ever be willing to take."

TO BE CONTINUED...

[gammaprimesmw]

Return to SMWCentral

After having my hack run into a standstill due to a lack of necessary resources, I decided to just go ahead and return to SMWCentral. I figured that I shouldn't just leave a community with which I have so much history just because one friend had a bad experience in DMs with one user there. I haven't yet been attacked for being a white straight cisgender Mormon. Heck, there are still people there who appreciate my hacking style. Maybe they stand out a little more amidst the endless sea of Kaizo hacks. BTW, I still say Kaizo is for Decepticons.

Of course, more progress has been made on Super Mario Bros: Vanilla Islands. World 4 is now complete, meaning that the hack as a whole is roughly 50% done.

World 4-2 6ft. Underground

An unholy purple glow has reanimated the corpses buried in this underground crypt. Maybe it's Dark Energon? Well, that did inspire the glow effect.

World 4-3 When the Lights Go Out

This stage was at a standstill for several days due to one of my original plans for the overall gimmick. The screen brightness effect in this level is linked to the P-Switch, which "turns the lights on," when pressed. The lights fade out as the Switch's timer ticks down, and the room becomes dark again when the P wears off. When the lights go out, something should happen, right? Well, things do happen. Previously inaccessible areas become accessible, allowing the player to progress through the level. I used a similar, but less refined version of this gimmick in Big Boo's Pyramid from Kola Kingdom Quest. I wanted to expand on it for this level though. I wanted the "lights going out" to not only effect the environment, but the enemies as well. Originally, I wanted to have some enemies change into others based on the status of the Switch. Unfortunately, there were no available sprites that allowed for such a thing. The closest thing available was a conditional sprite spawner, which could be set to use P-Switch status to determine what to spawn. That wasn't good enough though. Once it did its work and spawned the designated sprite, that sprite was left to its own devices. After losing patience with my request, I started thinking about Phanto. I'm far from an expert in 65c816 Assembly, but I did get far enough in learning to learn about conditional branching. Maybe I could edit the Phanto to simply check the P-Switch status instead of whether or not Mario was holding a key. After my initial attempts crashed the game, I studied the code a bit more thoroughly and discovered that an entire subroutine could be axed and replaced with only two lines of code to perform the required check. It was an experiment that paid off. I now had a Phanto that chased Mario It when the P-Switch was inactive. In other words, when the lights go out, Phanto gives chase. It's kinda reminiscent of those ghosts from Sandopolis Act 2 in Sonic 3 & Knuckles, but this level isn't nearly as annoying as that one.

Originally, the flashlight effect seen in the last screenshot was going to be my gimmick for the previous level. That changed when I went looking through SMWC's UberASM database and found the Fading Lights effect I ended up using. The flashlight effect was just too fitting for the World theme to just waste though, so I used it here. I also did another small tweak to the Dry Bones. I applied an ASM hackt

Originally, the flashlight effect seen in the last screenshot was going to be my gimmick for the previous level. That changed when I went looking through SMWC's UberASM database and found the Fading Lights effect I ended up using. The flashlight effect was just too fitting for the World theme to just waste though, so I used it here. I also did another small tweak to the Dry Bones. I applied an ASM hack that allowed their palettes to be modified with a tool called Tweaker. This, along with some color remapping in the graphics themselves, allowed me to give the two different types of Dry Bones different shoe colors. The ones who throw bones have green shoes, while the ones who stay on ledges have red ones.

Yep, I submitted a demo on SMWCentral.net. It's still awaiting moderation at the time of this writing. It might stay in the queue for a while considering how many other hacks are there.

[gammaprimesmw]

SMB: Vanilla Islands - Maps and a Level

World 5

This will be a jungle/ruins world. Do the Muncher statues hint at the use of Munchers? Probably. Will they float? NO!

World 6

Here's the obligatory mountain/sky world. While designing this map, the world map theme from Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest kept playing in my head. While I originally planned to use only ports from Mario games, I may end up changing my mind and putting that Mystic Quest map port in here.

World 7

Now we have the equally obligatory Slippy Slidey Ice World. Now I'm considering using the Cloudy Park map theme from Kirby's Dream Land 3 for this. I always felt like that music best fit an icy area.

World 8

I decided to pay homage to the ill-fated Super Mario Outbreak with the design of this map, particularly in the walls surrounding the castle.

That does it for the Overworld. Now it's time to look at....

4-1 Nothing Compares 2 Boo (I'm So Into Boo) Yeah, I might change the name of this to make an SWV reference.

There are plenty of Boos here, many of which hide among the stone blocks.

You don't want to stick around in one place for too long in this part of the haunted woods.