A little FanGame that I'm making on for the Splatoon Amino.
You can download the latest release here!
Hey, what happened to this game?
I started this project back in 2016-17 as I started to gain a lot of interest in Splatoon. After a month of work on a theme for OpenITG, I transitioned over to NotITG to develop this into something bigger. Using the foundations I've made for MZero, another abandoned NITG-based game, it started to include new features and content not usually seen in OITG themes (Keep in mind, this was still just pure hex editing as I have no access to the NITG source).
After the release of version 0.3.3.0, which was developed on NotITG, I decided to get even more involved with the engine itself, so I cloned an SM5 instance, and started work from there. That's how I started learning about the insides of SM as a whole, by just messing around in here, adding new features while learning history along the way about this project.
Given the experience gathered with this development, the theme (now a game you could say) has gotten its own identity, and it showed, just look at these screenshots. A couple of features from the previous version were removed like the coin system, given I didn't find an actual use for these back in NITG. While SM5 has an unlock system that can fit this enviroment, unlocking songs or content via currency? Nah.
I'd still like to thank everyone who expressed interest on playing and even contributing to the game, but let's be honest, I wasn't really good at managing this much interest, or even managing a team.
This project got so popular in the Splatoon Amino, that I constantly had messages with questions about the game (most of them were about possible mobile ports); It was something I've never experienced before.
I want to take this part of the blog to showcase the Illustrations that were made for the game by several artists on the Splatoon Amino.
There were a lot of people interested, I wasn't that great at managing all of the requests, and neither when requesting art for the game with the selected individuals. I was pretty vague when it came to requests, and led to the artist's own interpretation, which was almost definetly of confusion, because, as I learned, not of a lot of people know what Dance Dance Revolution even is. Below you will find all of the artists who requested/contributed to SplatMania, even the ones who didn't make it in.
But after 2018, two mayor things happened: MacOS Mojave was released, which would be the last 32 bit supported macOS for apps, which prevented me from working on the game, given my knowledge at the time; but also at the end of the year, I joined Team Rizu, where we now develop Project OutFox, and kept developing that full time instead. This also coincided with my obession to work on these kinds of projects that led me to start messing up in university, so I took an extended break on those when I could during 2018-2019.
The best I can do now is thank everyone for giving this game a try. Will I do another one, and this time actually finish it? At this point, I don't think I will unless I am seriously invested.
The following section is just the entire changelog for the project.
# SplatMania Development ChangeLog
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## Version 0.5.1.2 (Never Released)
### Party mode
This new mode allows for 4 players to play simultaneously during Gameplay. Each one can have their own profile, modifiers, noteskins and scores.
### New Color Palette
Futuristic: this one is meant to represent a new vibe of colors (But also it's to reflect on the Splatoon 3 fan projects that appeared recently).
### Code Renewal
The theme has recieved a rework of code from the previous version. This improves loading times and provides a more accurate load of scripts.
### Audio Fading (small)
This is a tiny addition to the theme, but Splatoon actually does this as well before transfering you to a stage.
the TL:DR version is that the audio will fade in Music Selection once the game is ready to send you to the next screen. During this transition, your input is now locked until the next screen is loaded.
I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone who wanted to contribute with illustrations to SplatMania.
There were a lot of people interested, I wasn't that great that managing all of the requests, and neither when requesting art for the game with the selected individuals. I was pretty vague when it came to requests, and led to the artist's own interpretation, which was almost definetly of confusion, because, as I learned, not of a lot of people know what Dance Dance Revolution even is.
Below you will find all of the artists who requested/contributed to SplatMania, even the ones who didn't make it in.
emo kid = Amino
KawaiiMaryDraws = Amino
Xenomorph = Amino
Dreamerkitty = Amino
Pho = Amino
3.14 Silas = Amino
mellow = Amino
yerrgat = Amino
SparkyWoomy = Amino
Arycat = Amino
Yuki = Amino
Sheriff-Putter = Amino
Flingzilla = Amino
Colour = Amino
wildface1010 = Amino
Tye = Amino
mother mochi = Amino
яσѕєтєα (mellow) = Amino
Tye = Amino
wildface1010 = Amino
Yuki = Amino
SLS☆*Serena* = Amino
[PV] illusion!Ink = Amino
Smol = Amino
DOGGIT = Amino
(lop) D a n k = Amino
Sheriff-Putter = Amino
Woomyz = Amino
ツ ᴋɪʟʟᴜᴜᴜ ツ = Amino
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## Version 0.5.0.0
### Engine Overhaul / Migration
SplatMania has changed engine, from OpenITG, to SM5. Allowing for a more open world of customization and posibilities.
Doing this, allows SplatMania to also be ported to more than just Windows. Now making Linux and Mac versions feasible thanks to CMake.
Currently, the plan is to make Windows and Mac versions. Since I assume that here on the Splatoon Amino, the mayority uses Windows, some Mac (including myself), and not that many Linux users. But if there's quite a few, please let me know!
### Illustrations!
SplatMania has been filled with illustrations, made from over 13 artists, all from this Amino!
We really thank the artists who are helping with the illustrations, and we hope we can still
work on future versions.
(Credits with all the illustrators can be found on the credits section of this post, and in the game itself!)
### Controller Support
So, I've never mentioned this before, but ever since 0.3.3.0's release, Xbox controllers were supported in the game.
0.5.0.0 now includes support for more controllers, such as PlayStation 4 controllers and the JoyCons themselves.
(You need to sync the JoyCons to your computer via Bluetooth! This is because it's their only of connecting, asside from the Switch's Side-connector sliders.)
As far as we know, Mac users are able to connect their JoyCons natively, but Windows users might have to use a external program to link them if their OS is not Windows 10, running with the March 2018 updates and beyond.
### Custom Songs
The game now supports a dedicated folder for Custom Songs/Stepfiles.
They run in the same way you would normally run stepfiles in StepMania. Song packs include Song folders inside.
### Visual Redesign (again, sort of)
Yep. I've been studying all the feedback I've gotten on update 0.3.3.0, and listened. Many textures had to be remade from scratch, but the end result ended up quite cool and better.
### Massive Code Improvement
Massive thanks to Jousway, FMS_Cat and dbk2 for giving me a lot of tips on how to improve SplatMania's code.
The game really runs way faster than the last version thanks to them!
### NoteSkin Overhaul
The NoteSkin for the game recieved a complete upgrade.
Thanks to R.O.B-Bot (https://steamcommunity.com/id/MechMaelstrom) for making the 3D version!
### Online Connectivity
Yeah, the game now supports it! It runs the same way StepMania handles its online connectivity, allowing you to connect to whatever server of your choosing, by just specifying the adress.
EDIT BUG: The game crashes if there's no profile created before accesing the login screen! Please ensure you have created a profile before proceeding. This is being looked into.
### Profiles
Now profiles can be created, so you can save your individual scores to your own profile. Right now, it's not that used. But i'm planning to change that in the future. Also it is somewhat broken at the moment. ^^;
### Background Options
You can now change the color of the background, to a preset! Just go to "SplatMania Options" and choose!
More Colors can be suggested via the SplatMania Discord, or the UKSRT Discord.
### Title Display
This Title Display rates your perfomance during the session. Giving you a Title as you go along. You can choose which one you want to use; either the SplatFest, ITG, or Freshness titles.
You people can suggest more by putting them in the comments if you want to.
### Remade Option Frame
Yeah, now it's more unique to the style of the game.
### FOLLOW THE ARTISTS! (Support their work!)
(A little notice to the artists listed here: If you've noticed that I never asked you for artwork, It's because I only asked a couple of them if they could do the style art, I forgot... I'm super sorry about that, I got distracted working on the engine >.<)
mother mochi = Amino
яσѕєтєα (mellow) = Amino
Tye = Amino
wildface1010 = Amino
Yuki = Amino
SLS☆*Serena* = Amino
[PV] illusion!Ink = Amino
Smol = Amino
DOGGIT = Amino
(lop) D a n k = Amino
Sheriff-Putter = Amino
Woomyz = Amino
ツ ᴋɪʟʟᴜᴜᴜ ツ = Amino
And to finish it all off, I left a special thing in the options... I'll leave it to you to check it out.
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## Version 0.3.3.0
### - Visual Upgrades
Option menu screens have received a mayor visual change.
Some little small things are now more alive than ever.
### - New Evaluation Screen
### - Ink Bombs introduced
### - Noteskin: SplatNote
### - New Font System
Yeah. This might seem unnecesary, but... It had to be done.
Fonts in Splatmania aren't font files. They're bitmaps. So, SplatMania takes those bitmaps and separates them into a grid, which assigns the graphic to the ASCII character.
You might be thinking, then what is the issue?
Simple: Spacing.
The fonts were too squished togheter, so I had to remake it again so they wouldn't be that way.
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## Version 0.2.7.0
### - COMPLETE VISUAL REDESIGN
I went into full graphic/coding work for the past week and made a huge shift into a Splatoon 2 vibe.
It ended up looking quite nice, and it doesn't affect too much on perfomance unlike the last one. (thank god)
### - Cleared and Song Transitions
This was a little hard to do, because initially, this was made as a practice, to test out some movement features i added to the engine that allow for tiling and also RageTexture mapping.
But later on, thanks to Squibble and GreenJelly's suggestions, I ended up making it similar to the usual "Game!" animation you see on Splatoon when you finish a Turf War. The current system for this animation allows for random colors each time you finish the song, so every time you see the animation, it'll have a different color each time.
And yes, I did made the background ribbons follow the same texture map.
As for the Song Transition, it is quite similar to the "Cleared!" animation I mentioned eariler, but it displays more info before you start the song. It includes the following:
- Song Name
- Song Subtitle (If available)
- Song Artist
- Player Difficulty
- Player Side
I'm definetly open for suggestions on this one! There might more important stuff that I could include here but haven't done.
### - Credit system
Yep, you heard that right. The game now includes a credit system.
Right now, there's no thing to buy with the credits, but eventually we'll think about it when we can. You can also suggest things to include for the credits system on our discord!
The credits system has a monetary value that you earn by playing songs. When finishing a song, you'll be presented with the evaluation screen, which now features a new Player Card.
In here, you'll notice some things. First, is the percentage score and grade. They're self exaplanatory. ( On the engine image, the number in the grade is currently a placeholder function number, so it just outputs the rank number of the score you got. I still need to make the Ranking art!)
After that, you have the Step Score, which is a list of how many notes you hit on a specific judgment.
Later on, you'll see the Number Scoring, for anyone who wants to see their score on regular DDR's 9 digit score system. And after, you'll see the ammount of Coins you've earned which depends on a Judgment Stepping formula.
At the time of writing this, again, I've also added a second menu in the Score card, that lets you see additional information. Just can switch the menus by just pressing the left or right key you've assigned.
### - New Title Screen
Including with this work, I've also changed the old boring, pure darkness title screen with a new colorful one!
### - Player Options revisions
So, I've started working on this particular screen, and it's definetly not done, NOT EVEN CLOSE.
There's gonna a lot of things to do for this screen. Currently, it's quite a simple interface, which is the same that has been there since the beginning of SplatMania.
### - Hold Jugdement graphics
Yep, these are there too now.
### - Stats Display
I've also included a stats display into the game that can be accessed from the Main menu. Currently it only has one option, which is the General tab, but I'll add more when we go further in development.
And well, that's the end of this update log! The new version will be uploaded in a few hours, as I need to sleep ( and also get my military card ) so please hang tight for now. In the meantime, please give your Feedback about the new version and the characters, we'll really appreciate it.
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## Version 0.1.7.3
### - Visual Upgrades
This is a mayor thing. I've been practicing making Splatoon 2 Like art for days on end, and I believe I finally made some good looking art. And now there are new menus that use this new art.
I even posted some of this art to my twitter because why not.
Including that, there's now new judgments for it as well! The Spanish variant is also already into the new version of the build.
### - Battle Mode
As you may have noticed as well, there's a new battle mode that is still in the works, because right now, the only thing I finished is the CPU actually responding. I still need to add some attack features and attack bars as well.
### - Font work
I made Japanese fonts work inside in the game, just that, its just a little broken, but it renders okay.
There's also the addition of a SP2 font now in there that took me forever to make because grids exist.
And also, I launched a discord for this project now!
The reason for this, is that I'm able to send faster updates, and also quicker news and screenshots. I'm still going to be using the development chat in this Amino to post updates. And also in main posts once there's enough info to talk about.
And well, that's the current update for ya! A build of it will be available tomorrow, when I package everything up and I upload it to the server. Updates will now become less frequent, now that I'm returning to school, so please bear with me!
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Pre-SplatMania - Version 2
### - Changes in the Song Select Screen.
This screen got a major change.
The original featured a barebones item selection with a basic wheel.
The newer version is now closer to what actually appears in the game, including some animations.
The screen also has a Step Information Tab, but I made that later in the day, so I didn't record that in action... But here are the names of the difficulties!
### - Created a dedicated Dialog System
YEP. YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT.
This system is called Jose's Dialog System
( what a creative name )
The whole point of this system is to make Dialog creation and handling in StepMania easier to handle for anyone to understand, even if you don't have theming experience!
And it's super simple to add! Just add two layers and put two globals which will represent the name of the dialog and the starting text!
### - The... Countdown...
Ok, I'm actually skeptical of this one.
So I added the countdown to the theme, and it counts down from 10 to 1, ( still need to do the "game!" Animation ) but it has proven to be quite annoying, specially for high-end techincal Stepcharts... So I'm thinking of hiding this features unless needed on something, like a mission.
### - Current ideas
So, after adding the new features to the theme, I've been thinking of new ideas to also go with the theme, but I want your opinions, guys, because I want to know if it could be good or not.
### - Versions of splatfests
I've been thinking of adding splatfest events to this theme. It may sound impossible to do, but I was thinking of a workaround.
"Putting it simple, here's an idea:
Team [1] Or Team [2]
The player choose its team of choice and becomes locked to it, and after that, needs to rankup points to make the team's score higher. They'll have to send screenshots to confirm their scores."
And I say screenshots because of a technical limitation of NotITG. You see, it HAS online functionality, but it's only for local multiplayer, and that is also broken too. So, I thought of that workaround.
### - A whole mission mode
Yes. It may sound too much, but a LOT of people on some discords I am, always want me to make a story for a theme because I'm able to create it in the engine. ( Example was a long faded project called MZero. )
But for that, I may need more than just me, because it could be handy having some writers and animators... And graphic creators...
### - Opening up a chat for the theme Development
You know the drill. Open a chat to make more frequent updates of the theme, for those who are interested. ( Which I know is no one )
And so, that concludes this "little" update to the theme, I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and stuff, and I now have to go, because I need to finish more features for this theme.