The NetHack sidescroller production project.

I was playing a random obscure Japanese freeware game, and this just popped into my head: Wouldn't it be just awesome, if there was a Metroid Vania Net Hack game? Using a recent version like Slash'em might be a bit complex, but how about the original?

Let's see:

• All characters would have to be able to jump, so the spell, skill, or boots would make you jump farther.
• Objects would appear on the ground similar to castlevania.
• The rooms themselves will need to be pretty innovative to look nice and retain the secret passages, and vaults.
  • Randomly generating everything will be necessary to keep the feel of the original.
• A feature to pause the game and survey the situation with the mouse would be nice.
• Engravings, altars, thrones, items, and other intractable things, could be marked by an arrow or something.
• Pets might follow you around, but still be subject to your attacks.
• The controls would have to be either simple or fun
  • A system for macros would help, specifically for the #keys.
  • Wands, thrown weapons, and other projectiles could be assigned to a sub-weapon key, and would be controlled like in super metroid.
  • In addition to the ability to completely remap the keyboard, it would nifty if there was a way to map stuff to combinations typically found in fighting games.
• Boulders, secret passages, pit traps, and the like may have to be changed, decreased, or removed entirely. (It doesn't need to be the same all the way).
• Anything involving boxes or clicking some where would pause the game and bring up a cursor.
• The speed modifier (fast, very fast) would affect how fast a creature runs, attacks with a weapon ect....
• A box at the top of screen will notify the player of most events like normal.
• I imagined the overall style, controls, and game-play to reflect Castlevania Symphony Of The Night; however other styles are possible I'm sure.
• Most importantly, It should still be hard

Any thoughts? Can it be done? Is this a fantasy never to be realized? Or will someone with experience start a website and make it so?!

UPDATE: Now has a project page: Side Hack

edited 23rd Jul '10 9:18:39 PM by TheMightyAnonym

I'd like something a little more playable than Spelunky, so i'm with you on this.

Randomly generating the map and the rooms themselves, yes?

Of, course. Ideally, it would incorporate everything from Net Hack.

That's a lot of stuff.

I did say ideally.

How do you do Sokoban?

Minigame maybe? We could just leave it out.

Alright, after a good night's sleep and some fantasizing, I have decided. I'm gonna go for it. Now do so hear my pleas.

• I need a website (a wiki perhaps?) to host the project. It must be free.
• I need to recruit some talent, as my experience is nil.
• What should be used in it's programming?
  • Not Game Maker. Anything but that. No. Just... No. (If you suffer from the "unexpected error" on regular basis, then you should be with me on this.)
• The word of this project must be spread! (Message boards, sig lines, ect.)

Can anyone out there help me on this?

I would recommend writing a design document before you start doing much of anything. If you don't make your goals explicit, you probably won't reach them.

^Could you elaborate? This is going to be new for me...

edited 22nd Jul '10 2:08:58 PM by TheMightyAnonym

This sounds interesting.

You may want to take a look at this thread on TIGSource, as it is somewhat similar to your idea. Not completely, as it's much simpler than Nethack, but it still might be worth checking out.

A good way to make a free website is Weebly.

^^Thanks for the link; that's definitely in the same vein, and proves inspiring.

^That could serve me well, I'll gather some time and go for it.

I'm thinking about starting a page here on TV Tropes to gain some speed; Net Hack meets Castlevania sounds much to awesome to me to just pass up. Given enough attention, my experience lacking self should gain adequate momentum to make this a reality.

Now, what should I call it? Sidehack? Flathack? Castlehack? Gaidenhack? Side Hack!

edited 23rd Jul '10 9:17:27 PM by TheMightyAnonym

Unless you're planning on making it Nintendo Hard, I'd stay away from calling it Gaidenhack. Sidehack sounds good, though.

I'd rather see an isometric platformer version of Nethack, but in realtime rather than turn-based.

^^Sidehack seems logical, although this is Net Hack. We could make a Spin-Off plotline, and then call it gaidenhack.

^Isometric and Zelda style top down Would certainly be easier, but such games are far more common, whilst side scrolling would be unique and have style.

edited 23rd Jul '10 3:34:21 PM by TheMightyAnonym

Mmk, so here we go.

• I have created a page here on TV Tropes: Side Hack, which I will be developing to give a project overview as recommended by Tzetze.
• I am contemplating the use of source forge; any ideas here?
• Lastly what should I use in it's programming? As mentioned before, Game Maker is out of the question due to the "unexpected error" so is there another program that would be nice? Or should it be made from scratch? And if so, what programming language?

edited 23rd Jul '10 9:31:36 PM by TheMightyAnonym

I don't think that Sourceforge is a good idea, at least not in the beginning. Try to get something playable before you throw it to the winds of open-source.

As for languages... I dunno, plenty of things could work. What languages do you know?

Okay, then I'll leave that out for now. As for languages, I know only a little bit of ruby and nothing else; which is why a lot of help will be necessary for my humble self. I'm no Marty Stu, unfortunately. My main efforts will be focusing on organizing the project and recruiting programmers.

My game creation skill is... lacking. Completely.

edited 23rd Jul '10 9:39:56 PM by TheMightyAnonym

I'd love either a Metroid Vania format, or a Top Down Zelda format.

Better yet, a Classicvania.

Anything top-down/isometric/etc realtime would inevitably feel too Diablo-like, sidescrolling sounds like more fallow ground in my opinion.

I may as well get this question out of the way. Is this game going to work on more than just Windows? Will it work on Mac OS X or Linux/Unix as well?

edited 24th Jul '10 5:09:36 AM by Wolfman2000

Do you know what kind of graphics you want to use. If so tell me then I can give you a language rec. I will not be able to help since I have other commentments sadly.