Ruby hack: [First HotQ 2012] Pokémon Snakewood Version

[Cutlerine]

POKéMON SNAKEWOOD VERSION

Introduction
OK, so firstly, Snakewood is my first hack. Constructive criticism is welcome, just as long as you don't kill me or anything. I don't claim to be the best scripter, or the best spriter, or the best mapper. It's based, predictably enough given the setting, on Ruby, and catalogues the adventures of the main character (Wraith/Jericho) as they fight their way through a bizarre, slightly insane version of Hoenn that has been invaded by the living dead. Essentially, I've made it because every single mainstream Pokémon game is identical: a shallow plot based around thwarting a somewhat bumbling evil Team, a series of 8 gyms and the league, and then more or less nothing. This one has more plot, more twists, more far-fetched nonsense and a great deal more presence for the player character. It's also, in my own humble opinion, funnier.

Also, given that this was my first hack, I apologise for the way the scripts/sprites/everything is so bad at the beginning. It does get better as you go through and as I learned, I can assure you. Maybe.

What I will not apologise for, however, is the Ruby tiles. I realise that basically everyone on the planet despises them with all their heart - but I don't care at all. I use them to make a point, and the point is that it isn't necessary for a game to be pretty. It just needs to have a good story. Now, I'm going to shut up about this before I start writing an essay on the nature of 'story'.

Story

You awake in what used to be Littleroot town, having no memory of how you got there or even who you really are. It soon becomes apparent however that something very big has happened while you were out: Hoenn has been invaded by an army of zombies.

Working with Prof. Birch, you set off to find your brother Landon and Birch's daughter May, who have both gone missing in an attempt to find the source of the undead plague. At the same time, you try to uncover your past. On the way you face zombies, witches, demons and the enigmatic Taoist, Gleis, as well as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the Hoenn Internal Affairs Army, and, eventually, the architect of all this misery himself: Senex.

However, it isn't nearly as dark as all that: there are also the cheerfully insane (and improbably numerous) Deadly Seven, the unruffled and cynical Army Recruiters Tina and Bruce, and a psychic dragon's egg. Not to mention a special appearance from the Denjuu universe.

Features and New Stuff

• New scripts, new overworlds, new sprites - the usual
• Exciting new areas, such as the hidden Meathouse, the maddening Island of Calm and the unexpected Hoenn University of Film
• Several zombie versions of normal Pokémon, two of which are capturable
• 6 Denjuu
• An indeterminate number of Fakemon (somewhere between 40 and 50), including a good number of hidden evolutions to existing Pokémon
• New legendaries, some of which are very, very evil
• 7(?) Sinnoh Pokémon
• 5(?) Isshu (or Unova, depending on how much you care) Pokémon
• Most Gyms have now been destroyed by zombies, and hence Badges are come by in somewhat unusual ways
• A few type changes for Pokémon here and there.
• A surprising pet shop run by a certain Count
• A host of deceitful characters who will do anything to lie to you
• An unusual and somewhat wandering storyline
• An enormous number of references to books, films, manga, other hacks and other such things
• A somewhat darker plot than usual
• A slightly increased difficulty level

The type changes mentioned above are as follows:

Luxio => Electric/Dark
Luxray => Electric/Dark
Meowth => Normal/Dark
Persian => Normal/Dark
Seviper => Poison/Dark
Banette => Ghost/Fighting
Milotic => Water/Psychic
Hariyama => Fighting/Normal

There might be one or two more that I've forgotten about... I'll post them if they exist and I remember.

The Generation Four and Five Pokémon, for those who are impatient/overly curious, are:

Spoiler:

Shinx, Luxio, Luxray; Emolga; Bouffalant; Spiritomb; Blitzle, Zebstrika; Weavile; Basculin; Drilbur, Excadrill

The hidden evolutions are:

Spoiler:

Mightyena => Zoroark (currently named Gigawolf and with ridiculous stats; I could explain why but it'd take too long. I'll change it eventually.)
Solrock/Lunatone => Galactimon
Luvdisc => Basculin
Snorlax => Skylax
Vigoroth => Slaking/Vigourlan
Linoone => Dragoone
Zangoose => Zangol
Seviper => Sevicious
Calfby => Tauros/Miltank/Ramshaker

Screenshots

Of course, no hack thread would be complete without screenshots. Literally. I mean, the Powers that Be wouldn't allow it.

Spoiler:

Bugs

No one likes to admit they're there, but they always are:

• Some tile glitches in various locations around Hoenn
• Occasionally, having your emulator on super-speed will cause certain scripts to malfunction
• There is a part of the introduction that says 'And you are?', which appears to be unremovable.

Completion Status

The game is about 98.2% done. Some secret areas/side areas haven't been made yet, and not everything has a sprite - though hopefully everyone that you'll see in-game does.

Credits
Scripting - Me
Mapping - Me
Spriting - 80% Me, 20% the Rkyeet.
OWs - Me
Bugfixing - 1158
And, of course, credit goes to anyone who created a tool or a tutorial that I used; there are probably so many of them I can't count, and every one of them has made this hack significantly easier. Mostly.

Help

EVERYONE, PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU DO NOT NEED ALL EIGHT BADGES TO CHALLENGE HOENN'S ELITE FOUR IN THIS GAME.

ALSO, PLEASE STOP TRYING TO FIX THE ELEVATOR THE FIRST TIME YOU GO IN THE SUBMARINE. YOU FIX IT THE SECOND TIME AROUND.

For those stuck on the Boardroom maze:

Spoiler:

For those stuck on the S.S. Cangrejo:

Spoiler:

Bring a Magnemite to the elevator and a Ditto to the warp. But please please PLEASE understand this: the first time you enter the submarine, Usher asks you to fix the engine, not the elevator. So don't bother trying to fix the elevator, because it won't work.

For those stuck on the Pacifidlog Gym Puzzle:

Spoiler:

Obtain a Chikuwa, either from the little girl in Pacifidlog or from Don Pachi's Christmas Shop on Mt. Chimney, then take this to Chef Maximilian in Lilycove to unlock his shop. Buy the correct chromatic food from him (a clue to which one is found in Genesis 25), take it to the mirror, and work out what to say (again, this is based on Genesis 25).

For those stuck on the Super Trick Maze in the Necropolis:

Spoiler:

For those trying to get to Gym Island:

Spoiler:

Go to Dewford and go under the dock; there you'll find a rock. But it isn't a rock, it's a ROCK. LOB. STER. Make sure to catch it, or use Thief/Covet to get its item off it. Take this item, the Hard Disk Solo, to the easternmost rock on Route 103, the one that talks about hidden energy when spoken to. Talk to the rock and get the Gym Tickets. Take the Gym Tickets to Gabriella on Route 119; she will sail west and inland, and you will end up in the middle of the sea to the southeast. On Gym Island.

For those who can't get past the crate in the Lilycove Museum:

Spoiler:

Use Explosion on it. It will break.

Award

I really wanted to call this section 'Awards', but we only have one.



Support Bars

[URL="http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=235371"][IMG]http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3929/assorted.png[/IMG][/URL]

[URL="http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=235371"][IMG]http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6084/filmstudent.png[/IMG][/URL]

[URL="http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=235371"][IMG]http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6410/taoist.png[/IMG][/URL]

[URL="http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=235371"][IMG]http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/4320/pokmonsnakewoodversiond.png[/IMG][/URL]

This one was kindly donated by PEDRO12, and depicts... something. I'm really not sure what. But still, it's good!

[URL="http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=235371"][IMG]http://www.pokecommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6460&pictureid=53668[/IMG][/URL]

Download below

Thanks be to 1158, without whom this bug fix wouldn't be possible.

Also contains a special interview with the Snakewood cast and crew, and a list of achievements to check your completion status against. Red text indicates an achievement that it is not currently possible to get.

[chrunch]

Well, an interesting story, but I don't really like the ruby tiles. D: 80% complete, though, congratulations for an almost complete hack! :3

[Ash493]

80% completion? Well that's very nice. I can feel that hack is almost done =D
I'll be sure to try completed version =)

[Pokemonatoms]

Very good, although i think the name is ... strange...
anyway do you need help with this hack or not?

[Cutlerine]

Originally Posted by Pokemonatoms

Very good, although i think the name is ... strange...
anyway do you need help with this hack or not?

No, I don't need any help. And as for the name, well, I just like organic materials. Like snakewood.

[PhanpyBidoof]

I think this game is excellent. I have a Paras! Please can you tell me what the egg is?

[Cutlerine]

Originally Posted by PhanpyBidoof

I think this game is excellent. I have a Paras! Please can you tell me what the egg is?

I'm glad someone is deriving some measure of pleasure from my efforts. But if you want to find out what the egg is, I'm afraid you'll have to hatch it. Don't worry, it won't take that long - by the time you get to the first Gym, in Dewford, I think it'll have hatched.

[xoax]

I think this game is excellent. I have a Paras! Please can you tell me what the egg is?

The egg hatches into...
SPOILERS!

Spoiler:

a Mystery Egg! xD It knows Harden and Leech Life. Sadly,it isn't very tough...

Spoiler:

Cutlerine- How to get to Dewford? I am searching everywhere and didn't find anything at all...

[TheRkyeet]

I've been awaiting this moment for so long... It's finally up on pokecommunity!
should I start a Let's play?

[Olli97]

I think that paras may be a little underpowered

[nerevarine]

Nice hack! It seems I'm stuck though

Spoiler:

I need to restore the power to the lift, but cannot figure out how to do it - am I missing something obvious?

Also, I have a question about the egg

Spoiler:

When I got it to lvl 30 it evolved and went down to level 25. Also, is the Hyperegg meant to have only 1hp and the Shell Armor ability (I can understand it working with Wonder Guard, but in this way...) and does it have a further evolution?

[Anselection]

Originally Posted by nerevarine

Nice hack! It seems I'm stuck though

Spoiler:

I need to restore the power to the lift, but cannot figure out how to do it - am I missing something obvious?

Also, I have a question about the egg

Spoiler:

When I got it to lvl 30 it evolved and went down to level 25. Also, is the Hyperegg meant to have only 1hp and the Shell Armor ability (I can understand it working with Wonder Guard, but in this way...) and does it have a further evolution?

Give it a water, thunder, or firestone. ;]

Anyway, great game, however, I ran into a problem.
I beat the monstrous Norman, then the text glitched and sent me back to my previous save. Made me sooooooooo sad. :[

Also, to get to Dewford, you need Surf.

Spoiler:

Which is north of Rustborro, you loot the magikarp and beat the gym leader that's there.

However, Norman was an EPIC battle.

[nerevarine]

Originally Posted by Anselection

Give it a water, thunder, or firestone. ;].

Noticed it in the meantime - a moonstone or a leaf stone (yes, I cheated to test it) will also work

[Cutlerine]

Yes, Mysteryegg's evolution, Hyperegg, will indeed hatch when exposed to any elemental stone. For a list, see this spoiler:

Spoiler:

Fire Stone - Entei; Water Stone - Suicune; Thunder Stone - Raikou; Leaf Stone - Celebi; Moon Stone - Unown. For the secret of Unown, open this spoiler:

Spoiler:

It has been massively powered up, rendering it the most powerful Pokémon in the game by several hundred base stat points.

I beat the monstrous Norman, then the text glitched and sent me back to my previous save. Made me sooooooooo sad. :[

Thanks for telling me about that. Right now, I have a desperate need for sleep, but rest assured that I will be fixing Norman first thing tomorrow.

Also, is the Hyperegg meant to have only 1hp

Hyperegg does not have only 1 HP. I will fix this first thing tomorrow. Even before Norman.

Paras, Baltoy, Koffing and their respective evolutions have all had their stats modified to make them more or less equal - though, of course, picking Paras makes the game significantly harder, because it's a Paras. For easiest results, play using Baltoy.

Thanks to everyone who's reported a bug or glitch; I'll be fixing them tomorrow morning and I'll have a new IPS patch up at some point with everything fixed (hopefully). If you find any more, please don't hesitate to tell me!


For those of you stuck on the submarine's little puzzles:

Spoiler:

To restore power to the lift, bring a Pokémon that knows ThunderShock. To get the key to the warp, bring a Pokémon that knows Transform.

I think that's all for now... Thank you for your continued support.

[Cutlerine]

Originally Posted by TheRkyeet

I've been awaiting this moment for so long... It's finally up on pokecommunity!
should I start a Let's play?

If you like, Rkyeet - you always said you would. There's certainly enough of it to do that with. Perhaps I can offer certain pieces of artwork to add to this? Such as the epic Turmur picture?

[AceDragonite]

so is this hack complete?, and if you don't mind me asking, do Altaria and Manectric get evos?

[TheRkyeet]

OK!! This will be fun! I start tomorrow!

[Quilava's Master]

Oh God this hack is SO infuriating! Got wiped by the stupid flying lady, 7x. I like this hack though. I really like the sprites as they did resemble zombies. The story is really good. On the glitch side of things, if you open the menu in the forest, you lose control of the player. Also there's an infinite Potion giveaway in Rustboro. This one I didn't mind much since I couldnt afford any potions after getting destroyed by the flying lady so many times.

[Cutlerine]

Originally Posted by AceDragonite

so is this hack complete?, and if you don't mind me asking, do Altaria and Manectric get evos?

This hack is playable up to the Elite Four, but it is not yet complete. There are sidequest areas that I haven't yet built, and there is a chunk of storyline that comes after the Elite Four that isn't yet done. Altaria and Manectric don't have hidden evolutions (in fact, I think you'll find Manectric's line has been done away with to make room for the Luxray line).

On the glitch side of things, if you open the menu in the forest, you lose control of the player.

I know about this one and have been trying to fix it for about six months.

Also there's an infinite Potion giveaway in Rustboro. This one I didn't mind much since I couldnt afford any potions after getting destroyed by the flying lady so many times.

Yeah, you've pretty much just said why there's an infinite Potion giveaway. Seriously, you need the Potions and you don't have the money to buy them from Larry the Looter. And I don't think you can get too rich just from Potion-selling. Even if you do, money isn't really an object in Snakewood, as anyone who won either of the two drinking contests will know.

Finally, new IPS! You can find it back at the first post. This one has a fixed version of the Norman sidequest and a Hyperegg that does not have only 1HP. If you previously had a Hyperegg, please evolve it again (I'm sorry about that). As for those of you who are losing levels due to evolution... well, that happens with all the Pokémon I've edited for some reason. No idea why.

Also, new screenshots. See first post for details.

[xoax]

Finally, new IPS! You can find it back at the first post. This one has a fixed version of the Norman sidequest and a Hyperegg that does not have only 1HP. If you previously had a Hyperegg, please evolve it again (I'm sorry about that). As for those of you who are losing levels due to evolution... well, that happens with all the Pokémon I've edited for some reason. No idea why.

Open up YAPE and put the same exp. getting rate for the eggs. =)
How to get that stupid cut? >_<

[Cutlerine]

Originally Posted by xoax

Open up YAPE and put the same exp. getting rate for the eggs. =)
How to get that stupid cut? >_<

Ah... In my ignorance I defer to your wisdom. I have no excuse to make save that I am a fool. To quote the dictionary-maker, I have done this out of 'pure ignorance.'

...5 minutes pass...

I have fixed the problem! I am adding a new IPS right now.

[dark_ho-oh]

Originally Posted by Cutlerine

Spoiler:

To restore power to the lift, bring a Pokémon that knows ThunderShock. To get the key to the warp, bring a Pokémon that knows Transform.

Nice hack! There are a bugs in it, though.

Where can you find a pokemon that know thundershock and a pokemon that know transform?

[DanishDahl]

Huge bug, once you beat the scientist and get back that taoist dude's pokénav (or something) You go out of the cave and your trapped?! The entrance you get out of is blocked and the tile next to the other cave entrance is unpassable, please fix it fast so i can get on with this awesome hack!!!

[nerevarine]

Thanks for the tip Cutlerine! And for a great hack too

Originally Posted by dark_ho-oh

Where can you find a pokemon that know thundershock and a pokemon that know transform?

Surf around on the sub's lowest level for a magnemite (they're common). In a corridor accessible after using the lift, you'll find dittos.

Originally Posted by DanishDahl

Huge bug, once you beat the scientist and get back that taoist dude's pokénav (or something) You go out of the cave and your trapped?! The entrance you get out of is blocked and the tile next to the other cave entrance is unpassable, please fix it fast so i can get on with this awesome hack!!!

D'oh, how could I forget about reporting that one

Also, I noticed a graphic bug on one of the routes

[Cutlerine]

Huge bug, once you beat the scientist and get back that taoist dude's pokénav (or something) You go out of the cave and your trapped?! The entrance you get out of is blocked and the tile next to the other cave entrance is unpassable, please fix it fast so i can get on with this awesome hack!!!
Today 01:32 PM

Thank you all for feedback. I'll fix that impassable thing right now.

As for the graphic glitch... yeah, don't know why that happens. I've tried to fix it already, but...

EDIT: Fixed the cave entrance glitch. New IPS to be found on the first post!

EDIT: For a sneak preview of what comes after the part where the hack currently ends, click the spoiler... Or do you prefer to wait and see?

Spoiler: