Creation of a world for Super Mario Bros 3

Quentin
Debard
1BGDA
2014 / 2015
Creation of a world for
Super Mario Bros 3
I
Context and intentions
For this assignment, we have been told to create a new world for the vide-game Super Mario Bros 3 on
occasion of a porting on the Wii U game console. We were not asked to use the technology inherent of this
material, but to stick to the original theme as to be as coherent as possible with its original version. In order
to preserve the homogeneity with the game, we had to create a new suit for Mario, new enemy and a new
final boss.
The main intention of the concept is to offer the player a longer game experience with this secret world but
with novelty. Moreover, the goal is to entertain players that haven’t played the original game as the players
who did with a world making references to it.
This new world is the Time World, dedicated as its name mentions it, to the time, such as the new suit
does.by turning Mario into TimeMario.
II
Table of contents
Context and intentions ................................................................................................................................... II
Super Mario Bros 3 analysis .......................................................................................................................... IV
Data sheet .................................................................................................................................................. IV
A little revolution ....................................................................................................................................... IV
Pitch ........................................................................................................................................................... IV
Content ....................................................................................................................................................... V
Concept – The Time World ............................................................................................................................ VI
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... VI
Access to the world .................................................................................................................................... VI
Choice of the universe ............................................................................................................................... VI
World’s description .................................................................................................................................. VII
Metrics .......................................................................................................................................................... VII
New suit – Time Mario ................................................................................................................................... IX
Mechanics – Dash – Time stops ................................................................................................................. IX
Consequences ........................................................................................................................................ IX
Feedback ................................................................................................................................................ IX
Bestiary ........................................................................................................................................................... X
Recurring enemies ...................................................................................................................................... X
Enemies in the new world....................................................................................................................... X
New enemy –TickTock Bird ......................................................................................................................... X
Mécaniques ............................................................................................................................................ XI
Response to the new suit ...................................................................................................................... XII
Boss ............................................................................................................................................................... XII
Bowser ...................................................................................................................................................... XII
Basic behavior in SMB3 ......................................................................................................................... XII
Behavior in the Time World ................................................................................................................. XIII
Level Design intentions ............................................................................................................................. XV
Examples ................................................................................................................................................... XV
Example 1 .............................................................................................................................................. XV
Example 2 .............................................................................................................................................. XV
Example 3 ............................................................................................................................................. XVI
III
Super Mario Bros 3 analysis
Data sheet
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Title: Super Mario Bros 3
Type: 2D side scrolling platformer
Release: 1988 in Japan, 1991 in Europe
Developer – Publisher: Nintendo
A little revolution
A numerous novelties have risen with Super Mario Bros 3 such as completely different worlds: the player
can find the hills world, or other taking place in the desert, in the air, under the water, on boats, etc.
The game is considered as one of the best video-game of all time owing to its perfect measure of difficulty
and has been a huge commercial success (18 million copies sold across the world).Four of the ten best suits
are found in Super Mario Bros 3: the Frog suit, Boot Suit, Tanooki suit, and Raccoon suit.
The game establish itself in a decade that has seen new powerful game consoles. Concerning the graphics,
SMB3 develops Mario in the line of SMB2 by proposing a rounder and more detailed character, such as the
different worlds with shadow effects in the background.
Pitch
The Koopalings (Bowser’s children) seized the 7 thrones of the 7 kingdoms that composed the Mushroom
Kingdom. Mario will have to fight them in order to bring back peace in the worlds.
The goal of the game is to beat the Koopalings, Bowser and save the Princess Peach
IV
Content
Mario have several bonuses already employed in the three precedent games such as mushrooms, stars,
lava flowers that give him special powers or additional lives that give him special powers or additional lives.
The player also get some newness:
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new suits (offering new possibilities and gameplay mechanics)
a map that shows the levels, where Mario is and gives to the game a less linear aspect than the
precedent games
To move forward in the game, the player has to complete a whole level (that ends up by beating a
Koopaling) to open a new one, and so forth until the final castle where Mario encounters Bowser. It is the
first Mario game that shows the progression on a map representing a world, and which reflects a singular
one. This is also the first time Mario can collect objects at the end of levels and use them later on.
Final level bosses (Koopalings) have similar behavior patterns. The player has to defeat them the same way:
by stomping on them 3 times.
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World 1 : Larry Koopa, throws magical projectiles while moving
World 2 : Morton Koopa Junior, throws magical projectiles while moving faster than Larry
World 3 : Wendy O. Koopa, throws candy circles on Mario while jumping
World 4 : Iggy Koopa, throws magical projectiles with a scepter, jumps and move quickly
World 5 : Roy Koopa, charge at Mario while creating shockwaves
World 6 : Lemmy Koopa, throws balls at Mario, moves quickly on a ball
World 7 : Ludwig Von Koopa, throws magical projectiles at Mario, moves toward him
To conclude, this license opus develops considerably the series by integrating new gameplay mechanics
(swim, fly and glide), new possibilities, enhanced graphics, a harder difficulty and a real cooperative mode
reflecting the first Super Mario Bros video-games.
V
Concept – The Time World
Introduction
The deal here is to create a ninth world entirely based on the Time theme.
This world is visible and reachable once the game is finished. Furthermore, a
new suit, new enemies and a ninth boss (reuse of Bowser) will also be present
inside this world. We want to explore a universe that the Nintendo didn’t use
a lot in the precedent games. This theme finds echo in two games of the
license: Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 3D World where it is essentially
represented by precision and timing.
In order to be as coherent as possible with the original game, we did not want
to reuse the Koopaligns or invent another one as they all have been defeated
before Bowser.
Access to the world
When the player finishes the 8 worlds, a curtain falls on the scenery and goes back up to show the gathering
of Peach and Mario. Another curtain goes down, the credits are displayed on the screen. In our version, this
second curtain stops while falling, goes up and the player sees:
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Reuse of Bowser as the final boss
Bowser faces a huge clock
He jumps in front of it
The clock hands go in their opposite direction faster and faster
Bowser disappears of the screen, the hands stop
A new artefact appears in Mario ‘s inventory
o Necessary use to access the new world
o Can be use anywhere in the 8 worlds
Choice of the universe
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Coherence with the original game
Theme already approached in the license (Super Mario 64 and New Super Mario 3D World)
Allows future adaptations for the license
Bonus world: possibility to take some liberty from the universe
Matches with the endless Bowser’s will to change/modify the world
VI
World’s description
7 levels are combined in the Time World
 Difficulty is progressive
o So the player have time to get familiar with the new suit
 This new world is a nod to the levels that can be found in the Clock Tower (Super Mario 64) and
the rhythmic ones in Super Mario 3D World
o Mainly made of platforms
 Moving or not moving platforms
 Jump, timing and precision
 Manage the speed and the timing
o All the levels make a to the original levels
 In terms of graphics
 In terms of platforms
 In terms of items to collect
 A new enemy appears
 The world is made of levels alternating automatic side scrolling and non-automatic side-scrolling
o Make the player feel the importance of timing and time in general
o Make him face stressful and calm situations
o Stay coherent with the time theme and original levels of SMB3
 A world reference music will be declined in the different levels
o Rhythmic theme
 Mark the step to rhythm to follow in some level
 Reminder of the Time theme
 Get the player to stay in an alert and progressive state
 The player will have to interact with the universe
o In relation to the platforms
o In relation to the enemies location
Metrics
The screen is divided into 16 by 16 pixels squares. For this document, we define the metrics like this: 1
square corresponds to 1m x 1m.
 Mario moves approximately at a speed of 5 meters/second
 Mario can jump
o Minimum 1m50
o Approximately 3 meters when the jump button is hold before the jump
16 x 16 pixels
That is to say 1m x 1m
VII
Plateforms references
Super Mario Bros 3 World 1-6
Super Mario Bros 3 World 3-2
Super Mario Bros 3 World 6-4
Super Mario Bros 3 World 6-2
Super Mario Bros 3 World 3-6
Graphic references
Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario 64 – Tick Tock Clock
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New suit –Time Mario
Reminder of the Tanooki suit with the statue which falls on enemies
The suit is gained in « Interrogation Boxes » like the other suits
Mechanics –Dash –Time stops
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Requires an adequate distance between Mario and the ground: 5meters
o After a jump: jump button + dash button
o After a fall: dash button during the fall
o Duration of dash : 0.5 seconds
Suit’s necessity
o Requires the suit to finish some levels
o Stops the time in order to pass quick platforms
If Mario jumps on an enemy: kills the enemy but doesn’t stops the time
Consequences
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Cessation of time during 4 seconds
o Freezes moving platforms
o Freezes enemies where they stand
 Get back to their behavior when the time comes back to normal
The suit does not prevent Mario from losing a life if he falls in a gap
If Mario is touched by an enemy, he loses the suit
Feedback
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Music slows down
o Indicate the remaining time
o Comes progressively back to normal
o Music is faded, a « tick-tock » can be heard and
speeds up to inform the player the power is getting
to an end
The camera shakes on the impact
Dust cloud under Mario on the impact
Distance required
for the vertical dash
IX
Bestiary
Recurring enemies
Enemies encountered in each world are also present in the Time World
 Basic enemies stick to the same pattern in the new world
o In terms of moves, attacks and defenses
o Found in the same places
Enemies in the new world
Goomba
Basic enemy, moves forward in any direction. Killed by a stomp
Paragoomba
Winged version of the Goomba. Loses his wings after a stomp. Red Paragoomba
follows Mario, Brown Paragoomba flies while dropping Microgoombas
One stomp makes him go inside his shell. That one can be used to kill enemies or
break blocks
Winged version of the Koopa Troopa. Loses his wings after a stomp
Koopa Troopa
Koopa
Paratroopa
Lakitu
Spiny
Piranha Plant
Venus Fire Trap
Bullet Bill
Spike
Launches spike balls. Moves in the airs
Spikes protect himself from stomps, killed by jumping on the blocks under him
Found in tubes, hides when Mario is close to it
Spits fireballs toward Mario, found in tubes or moving sand
Bullet launched by cannons, moves horizontally
Spits spike balls and throws them to Mario
New enemy –TickTock Bird
Behaviour mainly based on the Koopa Paratroopa and Crowber (New Super Mario Bros. Wii) ones
 Can be found in the first level
 More frequent as the player goes along the world
 Represent a clock bird
 The bird does not follow Mario moves
X
Mécaniques
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The bird moves : 2m by second
o The bird has a detection zone of 13 meters
o 6 meters in front and behind him
Detection zone
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If the bird sees Mario in his detection zone:
o Chirps (feedback)
o Triggers a sprint toward the player
o Travels 4 meters in 1 second
The bird moves quickly (4 meters in
front of him) and gets back to its
normal flight
XI
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Detection zone only active in front of him
If he encounters an obstacle, goes into the opposite direction
When the players stomps on it, it falls on the ground and moves only on the ground
o Is killed when hit two times: same behavior as Paragoomba
 One hit in the air
 One hit on the ground
Response to the new suit
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Freezes in the air, no matter what
When the time comes back  starts again his action :
o Sprints
o Flies
o Walks
Boss
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Reuse of Mario’s Nemesis
Blink of an eye to bowser’s eternal will all along the Mario games
Bowser
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Different confrontation
Presence of platforms
No suit required to defeat him
Scenery: a huge clock, the one the player saw at the end of the game
Basic behavior in SMB3
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Bowser spits fireballs the player has to avoid
Jumps in the air and lands where Mario was right before the jump
When he lands, he breaks a blocks raw behind him
Bowser repeats the same pattern until he is defeated
The goal is to make him land in the center of the map so he falls in the hole
Bowser
Blocks that can be destroyed by
Bowser
The player has to make Bowser
land in the center so he will fall
after breaking the last row
XII
Behavior in the Time World
Fight in two phases following this pattern: 1 + 2 / 1+ 2 / 1+ 2
1et phase
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Bowser stay static
Spits 3 fireballs
The projectiles aim Mario where he last stood
2ne phase
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Bowser jumps onto Mario where he last stood
o Breaks platforms if he falls on them
The player has to avoid him in order to make him violently land on the ground
o The clock trembles
If Bowser touches Mario, nothing tremble
End
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When Bowser jumps for the last time and lands on the ground
The clock trembles and breaks
The clock hands that were running stop
A fade makes the clock and Bowser disappear
The door opens
Phase 1 behavior
Bowser spits three fireballs
First fireball
Second fireball
XIII
Third fireball
Phase 2 behavior
Bowser jumps where Mario stands
Bowser jumps on Mario
The platform will break
during the Bowser’s fall
The player goes to the right
Bowser lands on the ground
The huge clock trembles in
a loud crash
The
platform
disappeared
has
Bowser spits again fireballs
from his location
XIV
Level Design intentions
We want to offer the player a real challenge by playing with the difficulty progression of the original
game. The player will have to use reflexion in order to complete the new world, however the levels are
built to keep an optimal gameflow and a smooth progression.
Timing will be the key feature of this world dedicated to Time. Some other suits will be found in the levels.
Examples
Example 1
Here, the platforms are moving vertically, and quickly
The player has to stop the time when the first one is reachable, freezing the other in an optimal
configuration allowing him to cross the screen from on point to another.
The enemy will get in the way. Stopping the time will allow the player to cut its progression for 4 seconds.
Example 2
The platforms are spinning round (Mario goes from the foreground to the background and so from the left
to the right if he stays static).
The player can decide not to use the suit and has to calculate the perfect timing to avoid the plant and land
on the other platform when it has reach the good position.
The player can also decide to use the suit by stopping the time at the right moment allowing him to pass
the platforms without danger.
XV
Platforms animation
Example 3
The player can cross over these platforms without using the suit, it will require more precision and timing.
With the suit, he will be able to freeze the enemies and jump on them to get to the right part of the screen.
If he fails, another wave of enemies will come to him.
XVI