[flamewing]

Edit (already): new revision $D9 which fixes input issue in real hardware. Grab it here.

The surprise hack that took last year's contest by storm and almost won the Big Trophy because everyone thought it was the trophy for having Big on a hack, Big's Fishing Derby is finally here. And with some hefty changes from the contest.

Grab revision $D8 here.


(amazing box cover art by themisterfalcon; see below for links for high res versions)

Changes from hacking contest version:

• Amazing new title screen art by E-122-Psi (Big's new sprite still not done);
  
• Results screens for 1p mode (completion times, for time attack) and 2p mode (who won which stage, who won overall, how many wins each player has);
  
• Reworked introduction cutscene;
  
• Brand new ending cutscene in 1p mode;
  
• Destroying badniks now free imprisoned animals;
  
• Improved sound driver capable of 6 FM tracks in addition of 5 FM + 1 DAC track;
  
• Ported over SADX's Sega PCM with Big (with compliments to MainMemory);
  
• Correctly aligned credits, and fixed MainMemory's;
  
• Added an entropy pool that collects entropy from several sources and uses it to seed the RNG;
  
• Gameplay demos if you leave the game on long enough;
  
• "Press start button" flashes a few times then becomes invisible in 1p mode; p2 can still join at any moment, and will trigger boss music;
  
• Fixed several bugs in relations to powerups, including the infamous mine crash;
  
• Mines used for offense now cause the other player to lose rings, work even if he has nothing hooked (being a setback) and fails if the attacked opponent has active invincibility;
  
• Fixed TM symbol on Japanese MDs;
  
• Fixed several graphical oddities.

You can grab the box and cartridge art here:

High res JP cartridge art
High res JP box cover art

(US versions being done)

Proud winner of the following 2014 Sonic Hacking Contest trophies:

Polygon Jim Trophy: Most unique hack submitted
Robotnik's Revenge Trophy: Best fresh concept using existing concepts as the backbone in a hack submitted
Froggy Trophy: Best implementation of Big the Cat in a hack submitted
Polygon Jim Community Trophy: Voted most unique hack submitted

Are you having fun with Big's Fishing Derby? Do you wish there were more levels?

Well, you can help! Here is what a level needs:

• Background art for the above-water portion; this uses two palette lines at most, and needs a deformation routine, palette cycles, and maybe even dynamic art reloading;
  
• art for the platforms; these must use the third palette line (the first of the level's palette lines) and are limited to 16 tiles by 5 tiles;
  
• either background water for the underwater portion or a mention that the "default" underwater background should be used (needs at least one underwater palette line for the platforms, if they extend far down enough, and maybe one more underwater palette line if it has an unique underwater background);
  
• underwater ripple data or a specification of a default one (LZ, CPZ, ARZ);
  
• a preferably unique badnik design, possibly including a "charging" animation, with its own palette line (make sure the badnik fits the level in some sense);
  
• two music tracks for the level, a "primary" and an "alternate" track;
  
• water surface graphics and wave pattern, or specify a default one (LZ, CPZ, ARZ, TTZ);
  
• an emerald design (S1, S2, S3, SCD, or a brand new one) and base colors (the flashing I can generate automatically).

I prefer to add an even number of levels each time, so that the total number of levels is an odd number; this guarantees that competition mode can never end in a draw. So if you have suggested a cool new level I haven't added after some time, it is because I am still looking for another level to make a pair. Also, make note of how I edited several backgrounds (ICZ and QQZ are good examples) to change the parallax so a more complete background would be in view; don't just rip a background and discard most of it trying to fit the waterline, be creative.

For added fun, set up a TeamPlayer and try monkeying around with the 3rd controller you set up. Make it a 6-button controller and try pressing mode. By the way, the first part worked on the hacking contest version too, but the second part is only on the new version.

This post has been edited by flamewing: 16 February 2015 - 10:00 AM

[.Luke]

I loved this hack when it first released on the contest! No other Sonic hack so completely re-purposes the Classics into a unique mini-game. (I'm forgetting Robotnik's Creature Capture, I think. Also fun.) Big's fishing gimmick is actually fun here, and I still have yet to convince a cousin to play this with me. Totally downloading the newest revision and box art.

[flamewing]

Update already: new revision $D9 which fixes input issue in real hardware. Grab it here.

[MotorRoach]

Nice to see this brought back and updated. Are there any plans to add E-122-Psi's Big sprites some time?

[flamewing]

MotorRoach, on 16 February 2015 - 12:20 PM, said:

Nice to see this brought back and updated. Are there any plans to add E-122-Psi's Big sprites some time?

As soon as he has time to finish them, they will be added.

[REPO Man]

Would love to see a 1P vs CPU feature.

[Donnie Paradox]

This hack was amazing to play and stream during last year's Sonic Hacking Contest. It stood out so much and made fishing actually fun! I like the power ups you can get too, it keeps things interesting. I'm definitely looking forward to any further updates!

[NeoFusionBox]

How about putting a time limit on it? This could make a more challenging game, I just do not know if the time should be in arcade mode (reversed time) and damn, this hack is incredible!

REPO Man, on 16 February 2015 - 03:28 PM, said:

Would love to see a 1P vs CPU feature.

I like this idea!

[flamewing]

Depending on how exactly the CPU is coded, it could either be very annoying or very easy to play against it; but I kind of like the idea.

Hm. Maybe an arcade mode with boss fights every now and then? Would need to think what else would have to differentiate it enough, though.

[E-122-Psi]

flamewing, on 16 February 2015 - 01:22 PM, said:

MotorRoach, on 16 February 2015 - 12:20 PM, said:

Nice to see this brought back and updated. Are there any plans to add E-122-Psi's Big sprites some time?

As soon as he has time to finish them, they will be added.

I better get a move on then. It's just the catching and victory animations left, right?

Looking good by the way, flame wing.

flamewing, on 16 February 2015 - 08:54 PM, said:

Depending on how exactly the CPU is coded, it could either be very annoying or very easy to play against it; but I kind of like the idea.

Hm. Maybe an arcade mode with boss fights every now and then? Would need to think what else would have to differentiate it enough, though.

Perhaps instead of bosses in the form of fishers, make special FISH to add variety similar to Adventure. Like big 'boss' fish that are much bigger challenge to avoid or can cost Big the match.

[flamewing]

E-122-Psi, on 16 February 2015 - 10:06 PM, said:

Perhaps instead of bosses in the form of fishers, make special FISH to add variety similar to Adventure. Like big 'boss' fish that are much bigger challenge to avoid or can cost Big the match.

Hm, I like that idea; perhaps the big fish captures Froggy and you need to blast it to pieces using mines before you can catch Froggy? And have Eggman up there controlling the big fish using something like this:

Hm. Now that I think of it, instead of a fishing pole, it would suit Eggman better to fish using a contraption like this:

Edit: Or maybe this:

Edit 2: MainMemory suggested this for the boss fish:

I think it could work; anyone willing to sprite this for me? maybe with a side window where Froggy can be seen, but that would be optional.

This post has been edited by flamewing: 18 February 2015 - 10:22 PM

[Shalpp]

Great hack, only thing I have to say about it is the frequency of the noise channel is lower than it should sound in all of the tracks.

[flamewing]

Shalpp, on 17 February 2015 - 03:36 PM, said:

Great hack, only thing I have to say about it is the frequency of the noise channel is lower than it should sound in all of the tracks.

Can you tell me if this build fixes this? You can force a track to be played by holding A or B when changing to a different level. I think I know what caused what you described, but as far as listening goes, I have no idea what I am looking for to see if it was fixed or not. This should also fix some issues with S1 and S2 songs which happened because I grabbed the SCH versions instead of the raw SMPS2ASM versions.

[E-122-Psi]

flamewing, on 17 February 2015 - 11:41 AM, said:

E-122-Psi, on 16 February 2015 - 10:06 PM, said:

Perhaps instead of bosses in the form of fishers, make special FISH to add variety similar to Adventure. Like big 'boss' fish that are much bigger challenge to avoid or can cost Big the match.

Hm, I like that idea; perhaps the big fish captures Froggy and you need to blast it to pieces using mines before you can catch Froggy? And have Eggman up there controlling the big fish using something like this:

Hm. Now that I think of it, instead of a fishing pole, it would suit Eggman better to fish using a contraption like this:

Edit: Or maybe this:

Edit 2: MainMemory suggested this for the boss fish:

I think it could work; anyone willing to sprite this for me? maybe with a side window where Froggy can be seen, but that would be optional.

Actually a cool idea concerning Eggman. Kinda like the third one, since it best resembles a mechanical fishing pole.

[flamewing]

The hack has been featured on the Sonic Hack Showcase:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=6YaG0NnwU7M
MegaGWolf's reaction at the end was priceless

Anyway, the new Eggman fishing devide has been implemented; I am just waiting confirmation from Shalpp (or anyone else) if the build I linked above fixes the issue with the music before posting a new one.

This post has been edited by flamewing: 19 February 2015 - 11:15 PM