Retirement

Good evening,

After some thinking I finally decided that the time is up for me. There's been some changes, since I got my own apartment now and am pushing way over 30s. Real life and other projects have taken priority and I have no direct interest to push the romhacking hobby further (romhacking pays no bills). Thus I decided to retire.

The plan was to still finish small projects: my personal Master Quest and the short Kaizo game, however these two projects were canceled, due to being nothing new, since masterquests already exist and Christos already made the Kaizo.

The next idea was to finish Goddess of Wisdom Remodel, however after a bad experience with Parallel Worlds Remodel (heavy dissing and hatered by some) I lost interest, since the game would be practically the same as GoW, only slightly easier, and Jammer already made a variant of Goddess of Wisdom with those very difficult rooms changed to normal and an updated story/monologues.

The next idea was Parallel Legacy, the Parallel Worlds with Hyrule Legacy dungeons or at least GoW style where 8 new dungeons would be inserted into both worlds of PW. But this proved to be incompatible since HL dungeons don't just fit into PW and the project became more or less to make 8 new dungeon from scratch. Having yet another version of PW seemed redundant.


The final idea which still remained was Gates of Time. I was determined to finish this one only before retireing, but the project was too massive, since it included 3 roms/games. Overworlds were great and mostly finished, so was the game progression strategy. But 3 games would mean around three times the dungeons of original. Even if reduced, this can not be in one rom due to light/dark world incompatibility. And finally even with only light world it would still mean the same amount of rooms as the original game has, so again a lot of work and testing.

There was also a problem of publishing: if I release it locked, it would be trouble, if unlocked, such a great game will surely be carted etc.
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Main decision to retire was also connected with the fact that after submitting the Cube hack to Romhacking.net, my temporary account with a different user-name was again banned by Math on Napkins (or other moderator) for no reason. All together no less than 4 of my accounts (3 temporary ones) were banned on Romhacking. I litteraly ran out of proxy servers to hide my actual IP to be able to view the site, and this is the same site I'm supplying with hacks, while at the same time they opened a Patreon page to gain money. Speaking about this will get you banned as well.

So even if Gates of Time would be finished, I would have no intention to publish it there, and we all know if the hack is not on Romhacking.net, it's pretty much invisible.

I also don't like the direction which this site is taking, since the "old team" (I, SePH, Euclid) is mostly gone/inactive. Only Conn remains active almost every day, while the new people taking over the site, are mostly MSU-1 oriented.

Unlike GameMakr, who still thinks Quest for Calatia is alive, when it is obvious that it is dead, I know when it's time to step down and let the younger generation take over.

Edit:
I have to say, that I've put Gates of Time ALTTP hack back on my to-do list, since when I reviewed the game it is just too good already to not be finished. However all my other ALTTP modding projects are canceled or simply moved into/merged with Gates of Time. While I will surely not open any new projects further.
It will most likely be Exlorom though and not published at Romhacking.

I fully retrace your reasons of retiring and hope you have more luck with retirement than me. With you we however loose a master in HM editing

I hope you see "MSU taking over" not the fault of the msu itself. There are simply not many posts nowadays in the zelda related site sections, and without msu, this forum might be more or less dead. As you know, there are not many people trying (or even succeed) with a Zelda3 hack.

Thank you for everything you contributed to this forum over the years and may the force be with you

Thank you. There is still an option for me to play hacks which other people might do someday, specially if new editing programs are finished. So it should be easier then.

That's really too bad man, your work was what got me interested in ROM hacking in the first place. Playing Parallel Worlds years ago absolutely blew my fucking mind, I still replay it every so often, and dabbling in Z3 hacking myself now makes me fully appreciate how much work a polished hack really is. I'm kind of hoping the randomizer's popularity might reignite interest in Z3 hacking. It's difficult but seeing what is possible (PW and Goddess of Wisdom especially) keeps me grinding away even when HM destroys my ROM for the 20th time or I'm losing my mind digging through pages of RAM addresses. So, thank you for that.

As for the people who hate or cause bullshit drama..I understand not wanting to deal with it, but frankly, fuck em. I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, enjoy your retirement, focus on other things. I do hope you'll come by every so often when you're less burned out. But if not, thank you for everything you've done for the Z3 community and hacking community in general.

Hello,

Puzzledude days of hard work are finally over and now his time for relaxation has come. Now I'll have to do all the hard work alone. Your retirement better be worth it! just kidding D-:

You are one of the hardest working, dedicated romhacker I know. You deserve a true romhacking retirement. You've helped me and countless others over the years so much. Your thoughts and remarks were always well thought out and to the point. Thus begins a new era after another one has ended. While you haven't fulfilled all your rom hacking ambitions, it's the best time to focus on your personal life and quit the habit of being a zeldaholic now or never!

Happy retirement! :-)

Sincerely,

~SePH

Thank god you helped me with my conker version before you retired. I actually learned many new things about Hyrule Magic from you that I never knew before. And you were one of the main people helping me out when I needed help.

I have also had similar experiences with romhacking.net. I once posted a project in the projects section in their forum and they moved it to the idea section.

I repeatedly posted my project back into the projects section again and again because it was a real project but they kept deleting it. Then they gave me some forum restriction so that if I make a new thread it must be approved by a moderator  before it becomes public.

This pisses me off more than anything. All it is, is an abuse of power. I dislike this "internet mentality". You can't delete my thread because you think my rom hacking project isn't any good.

As far as hacking doesn't pay the bills. There is an NES editor in the works called NESmaker. With this editor you can create a NES zelda like game and when you are done with it you have the full rights of owning it and selling it. 100% legal!

http://www.thenew8bitheroes.com/

You can always try it out and see if you like it. I purchased it and would be interested if anyone else here would like to collab in making a game.

I do have 1 request for you puzzledude. I want you to write up all of the detailed information and expert hacking techniques that you know about zelda 3 and post them here to be archived. Like a PDF document or something.

You know, neat tricks and skills that you have or developed that could help any other hacker. For example you have talked about a "hex gluing" technique. I don't know how to do that.

After I finish my version of Conker I am also likely to retire, but again we can still make games with other game engines if we want to. Also sometimes we just need a break. You might take 5 years off and then get excited to do another project or something.

Who knows, maybe Zelda 3 hacking is dead right now, but then someone out of the blue finishes a new editor or starts a cool new project. Since our community is so small and since we finished Conker there is really nothing too interesting going on currently.

Puzz, thanks for going out of your way to help me with several hex addresses despite finding my posts very overwhelming at times. I really hope the Z3 hacking community will continue to live and one day expand.  This site will not be the same without you.

Also, isn't Zarby working on editor?

I do have 1 request for you puzzledude. I want you to write up all of the detailed information and expert hacking techniques that you know about zelda 3 and post them here to be archived. Like a PDF document or something.

You know, neat tricks and skills that you have or developed that could help any other hacker. For example you have talked about a "hex gluing" technique. I don't know how to do that.

I don't think this is going to happen, since everything is pretty much in the Compendium and in the TXT files which are already published in the documents section.

The hex gluing method will become obsolete when Zarby finishes his editor. Also this method was meant for Gates of Time, which would be Exlorom glued together from Loroms (so useless for anyone else to use), and we all know how people feel about Exloroms. The same for the main dungeon pointer ASM, again meant for GoT and Parallel Legacy to allow multiple grids of all dungeon rooms in one rom. But the problem here was the game could not handle saving, thus the SRM issue on rooms if multiple grids used.

So both methods are really not something people could actually use in their projects.

I mean, such things are useful if kept for posterity, if nothing else. But mainly man, enjoy your retirement, you've done some fantastic work, and I salute you.

I have to say, that I've put Gates of Time ALTTP hack back on my to-do list, since when I reviewed the game it is just too good already to not be finished. However all my other ALTTP modding projects are canceled or simply moved into/merged with Gates of Time. While I will surely not open any new projects further.
It will most likely be Exlorom though and not published at Romhacking.

This additional choice was made mainly due to the project already being quite far in the making and a lot of dungeons can/will be ported over, specially from Hylian Legacy which is lacking an overworld, while GoT lacks dungeons. Might also look at Secrets of the Past dungeons, some Cube rooms or Goddess Remodel dungeons to fit all into one final project, so not starting from scratch at all.

Aww, Puzzledude, it'll be a huge shame to see you go.
I'm more someone who plays hacks than someone who makes them, and, your own works, as well as those of your colleagues you mentioned, are quite impressive!
As for romhacking.net, if they're being a pain, there should be other definitive places to put it. Perhaps this makes me ignorant, but the other SNES game I see romhacks of has its own site the hacks and resources get uploaded to. Perhaps an extension of this site would help? I'm no expert, so I may have missed a good point or two on why this hasn't already happened.

I do hope that, vain thought that this is, even after retirement, we would be able to see something or another from you on occasion. Don't let a label like retirement keep you from making something new if you feel like it! Point being that, you'll be missed.
Best of wishes toward your future!

Puzzledude,

I just want to say a big thank you for all your hacks and efforts over the years. I've thoroughly enjoyed many hacks and I know you've had a big hand in a lot of them, either directly as an author or indirectly by supporting others. You're a very talented hacker and I respect you for your commitment and hard work.

With that said stepping away from something you've been involved with for so long is always a difficult decision but I'm glad you feel like you've reached that point and can look back at your many successes.

Enjoy your retirement from hacking - you deserve it!

P.S. As to some other comments I saw, yes Zarby is still actively working on the editor, last I spoke with him. I believe one reason that may have contributed to the activity of this forum declining is the rise of Discord, and in particular the romhacking activity that take place on the ALTTP speedrunning and ALTTP randomizer servers. If anyone is interested in getting involved with either community, the links are shared below.

All the best Puzzledude,

- Christos

ALTTP speedrunning: https://discord.gg/CgQER9G
ALTTP randomizer: https://discord.gg/alttprandomizer

Actually Puzzledude you can't retire yet because you haven't played my version of the Conker hack.

Actually Puzzledude you can't retire yet because you haven't played my version of the Conker hack.

Retirement from romhacking doesn't necessarily mean retirement from playing. I'll surely play all so called "complete" Zelda3 hacks, if anyone makes them.

I just want to say a big thank you for all your hacks and efforts over the years. I've thoroughly enjoyed many hacks and I know you've had a big hand in a lot of them, either directly as an author or indirectly by supporting others. You're a very talented hacker and I respect you for your commitment and hard work.

With that said stepping away from something you've been involved with for so long is always a difficult decision but I'm glad you feel like you've reached that point and can look back at your many successes.

Enjoy your retirement from hacking - you deserve it!

Thank you, but like said in one of my upper posts, Gates of Time hack will still be finished after all. This is my goal. After that it is certain that no further hacking projects will be opened.

Aww, Puzzledude, it'll be a huge shame to see you go.
I'm more someone who plays hacks than someone who makes them, and, your own works, as well as those of your colleagues you mentioned, are quite impressive!
As for romhacking.net, if they're being a pain, there should be other definitive places to put it. Perhaps this makes me ignorant, but the other SNES game I see romhacks of has its own site the hacks and resources get uploaded to. Perhaps an extension of this site would help? I'm no expert, so I may have missed a good point or two on why this hasn't already happened.

I do hope that, vain thought that this is, even after retirement, we would be able to see something or another from you on occasion. Don't let a label like retirement keep you from making something new if you feel like it! Point being that, you'll be missed.
Best of wishes toward your future!

Thank you also. And like said above it is still my goal to finish the Zelda3 Gates of Time hack. It is planned to be a massive quest with 3 roms (overworlds mostly done, specially light world) and with some ported dungeons from Hylian legacy, Cube, Goddess Remodel and some new dungeons. After that it is certain that no further hacking projects will be opened by me.

Regarding after retirement from romhacking, I still wanted to open my own Discord channel/site for romhacking, to host some of the most famous ALTTP, Super Metroid and Super Mario hacks. Thus mannage the site and offer advice rather than hack.

Still looking forward Gates of Time again then!

My first Zelda 3 hack started nearly fifteen years ago in November 2003. Time flies.

Hopefully we'll get to play a finished version eventually

Best luck!

Ouch.

Just ouch.

I came here as soon as an e-mail notified me of this thread. Really, it sucks that you are going away, but well, I hope you get a better treatment out there than what RHDN gives you (and any member outside their top circlejerk for that matter).

Best of luck to ya.

Such a shame that the Zelda community is losing one of its greatest hackers, but all in all, I do hope you all the best wishes and best of luck in your upcoming personal projects!

Regarding the Romhacking.net bans, what keeps getting you banned is the fact that you are using Proxies to hide the IP.
I also got banned a while back (like two months ago), and got in contact directly with MathOnNapkins on Discord regarding this issue.

Turns out the bans are being issued if a user is being detected accessing from several different IPs to avoid spambots, site attacks and other related stuff.
I do understand them, as I also am an admin in a couple forums and I see this everyday, and it's good that they are trying to keep Romhacking.net somewhat clean of this, but some users are/were affected sadly (myself included).

So perhaps if you get in contact with Math and clarify the situation, you should be unbanned and also whitelisted as a possible bot or attacker to the site.

To close it off, thank you for all the help and suggestions throughout the years, and best of wishes!

i wish you all the best for your future projects !

Enjoy your life every second !
We have only one life (sadly, not like in the video games ...)

You are a hero to many Mr. Puzz. You are one of my fav people in the scene because of your magnetic personality.

So perhaps if you get in contact with Math and clarify the situation, you should be unbanned and also whitelisted as a possible bot or attacker to the site.

No, I'm fine. No need. I have zero interest for Romhacking.net or to upload anything further to that site. Specially now that I found out that Discord supports direct uploading and file hosting. So I can just upload anything I need there and even come up with a small romhacking database with ALTTP, main Super Metroid and main Super Mario hacks as an alternative in my own "Channel" as they call it.

i wish you all the best for your future projects !

Nice, like said Gates of Time hack is on. Since I definitely crossed this one out too early. Parallel Legacy, Goddess Remodel, my Kaizo and my Master quest are ultimately canceled though.

You are one of my fav people in the scene because of your magnetic personality.

If you say so. I'll also probably put the GoT hack out in Exlorom format to troll the haters.

I know I'm not active in the online community, but I am a big fan of LttP hacks, and I certainly recognize your name as one of the greatest participants of the community. Your quest style is somewhat unique and not always to my taste, since it tends to be much more intricate and tedious than the original LttP dungeon style (which is really cool in small doses, just not for many rooms in a row), but I greatly admire your dedication to churning out so many projects, and the innovations you've made to developing challenging puzzles and rooms. You will be missed.

Puzzledude wrote:and Jammer already made a variant of Goddess of Wisdom with those very difficult rooms changed to normal and an updated story/monologues.[/i]

Can you elaborate on this variant and where it can be found? Goddess of Wisdom might be my favorite of what I consider to be the three great complete LttP hacks (Parallel Worlds, Goddess of Wisdom, Hylian Legacy...if anyone really, really thinks that list is missing a title, let me know), but I think I prefer version 2.0 because the 3.0 additions are all in the super-tedious-statue-puzzle style and feel very different from the rest of the game. I'd be interested to see this variant if it's available, but I tried a Google search for the title and that name and didn't come up with anything.

Discord is nice and all, but I don't really think I'd have access to wherever you post it on there?

Curious, did you have a favorite project?
ATM, I can't see any LttP hack surpassing PW. I think at this point, I'm more familiar with that overworld than I am vanilla ALttP itself. Parallel Legacy sounds like it'd have been interesting, though it really wouldn't be so good as just another version of PW...

Can you elaborate on this variant and where it can be found? Goddess of Wisdom might be my favorite of what I consider to be the three great complete LttP hacks (Parallel Worlds, Goddess of Wisdom, Hylian Legacy...if anyone really, really thinks that list is missing a title, let me know), but I think I prefer version 2.0 because the 3.0 additions are all in the super-tedious-statue-puzzle style and feel very different from the rest of the game.

Goddess of Wisdom Remake by jammer:
https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/3449/

Basically what jammer did is rewrite the story and change some complex rooms, like statue pushing in ice dungeon and wall jumping etc.

Curious, did you have a favorite project?
ATM, I can't see any LttP hack surpassing PW. I think at this point, I'm more familiar with that overworld than I am vanilla ALttP itself. Parallel Legacy sounds like it'd have been interesting, though it really wouldn't be so good as just another version of PW...

I'd say Gates of Time should be my favourite project as the game looks incredible already and fully utilizes the overworld capacity with new gfx (unlike Goddess of Wisdom which doesn't utilize all space - clearly seen in dark world).

The plan for Parallel Legacy was to have Parallel Worlds overworlds and more or less the same dungeons as Hylian Legacy, but this was dropped. The only thing I actually finished for this project was the title screen and the new adopted menu screen.

Discord is nice and all, but I don't really think I'd have access to wherever you post it on there?

Yes you would. You basically need to make a Discord account - similar process as "registering" at forums, you just need an email. Once you are in the Discord, you need a so called invite shortcut, which the channel-owner can automatically generate. Do note: there are a lot of channels on Discord for various things - all acceable with the same account you make.

Do note, I already opened the channel, but don't have time at the moment to fix up all the setting (there's a lot of them). Once this is done, I'll just post an invite here. I also need to get some main hacks of main SNES games and do all the uploads for the small data base. So it will take a while
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