Metroid - Rogue Dawn: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Project start date: 7/27/2014
Version 1.0 completion date: 1/17/2017

Development Team: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Grimlock - Graphics, Level Design, Project Concept
Snarfblam - ASM Programing, Game Editor Development
Optomon - Custom Sound Engine Modifications, Sound Effects, and Track Development

Additional Programming: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Optomon
Parasyte
Kenta Kurodani

Additional Graphics: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Demick XII
Snarfblam
Shadow Brain - Future Robotic Font
M-Tee - Hive Easter egg characters


Beta Testers: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Trax
Mrrichard999
Mikh
Infinitys_end
Metroidmst
Mayo
Marvin Wimbush
Molly Anderson
Jacob Maxner
Link
Sacred Hooves
Advanced Pillow
John Enigma
Seanph
Samplerinfo
Laputan Machine
Jony Marcondes
Rickard Siira
Omar Yakovlev
W7N
J^P
Koh1fds
Qwaser Tresa
Mega Man Model T 101
RT-55j
El_Seyf
Tahazzar
Hengki Kusuma Adi
Ziko
Shinespark1983
Auroraxphilic
Giovani-Cospefogo
Tokyobatman
Rabbitbones
Satoshi Matrix


Special thanks: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Snowbro
Dirty McDingus
MetroidMST (aka Shyguy) - Teaser Video #1:
Shaktool
Gunpei Yokoi

Contact information: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Contact email:  metroid_rogue_dawn@rocketship.com  
Email address periodically monitored by Grimlock, Snarfblam, and Optomon.  Please allow some time for a response.
(Please post general game questions or comments in the forums listed directly below before emailing us, thanks)

Development threads: (Post questions or comments here)

Metroid Construction:
Development thread:  http://forum.metroidconstruction.com/index.php/topic,3192.0.html
Release thread:  http://forum.metroidconstruction.com/index.php/topic,4221.0.html

Rom Hacking Dot Net:
http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,18620.0.html

Rogue Dawn Story: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Disclaimer: The Rogue Dawn story is a deviation from the official established Metroid gaming series & graphic novels. 

In this game you take on the role of Dawn Aran.  The first and only know human member of Ridleys faction.  Raised by Ridley from before she can remember he has molded and manipulated her into his ultimate dark operative.  Primed yet untested she is sent out on her zero mission to retrieve a newly discovered biological specimen in the possession of a Federation research crew orbiting planet SR388.  This game is intended as a prequel and takes place just before the original Metroid.

Additional information about the Rogue Dawn/Dawn Aran concept:  (Taken from a post I did at RomHackingDotNet - reply #541  9/27/2016 in response to vivify93)

Regarding the story I only took Metroid 1, 2, and Super Metroid into consideration.   The story in the Metroid 1 manual was adhered to closely to ensure the prequel would work seamlessly with it including the theft of the capsule and the bit mentioning the beta rays.  I only have limited experience with the Metroid manga and zero experience with the 3D additions in the Metroid series.  The concept behind this hack is of this mysterious character Dawn Aran, somehow related to Samus who's until now remained completely anonymous in Metroid history and lore.  Neither Samus nor Dawn knowing the other exists or existed.  Even after the incident on SR388  where Ridley acquired the Metroid specimen Dawns fate ensures the two never cross paths on Zebes where Samus confronts Ridley and Mother Brain.  The destruction of Mother brains facility takes with it the evidence of Dawns conspiring with them as well as her origins and fate keeping it from the Federation and Samus.  So I may not know the full Manga story but it's not too far of a stretch to insert a pocket into the Metroid storyline that includes a dark individual, an oversight by the Federation and Samus in the beginning of the series.  Something they missed that in the end could have been their greatest mistake.  Think about it, all this time Samus and the Federation have been chasing Ridley and the pirates... what ever happened to this shady dark character?   Rogue Dawn plants a seed at the beginning of the Metroid series that if Nintendo where to take up this concept could create a whole new branch to the Metroid series.  It appears that as is the Metroid series is pretty much complete, according to one of the founder's (I'll have to look up that quote later).  But imagine after all of Samus's efforts, thinking they've ridden the known galaxy of the Metroid threat only to have a deep space science vessel charting new systems come across the vast empire headed by a dark figure from the past, the very individual responsible for Ridleys original acquisition of the Metroid, a task he was incapable of completing himself.  Only this new threat is quite capable, as dark and vicious as Samus is decent and honorable, the ultimate opposite of Samus.  And with her decades of unfettered control, research and experimentation with the Metroid species.  All this time Samus was distracted by Ridley, the real threat was brewing, expanding, and growing more far more powerful than she could have ever imagined...

I would love to be a part of a project like that that injected some real life back into the Metroid series.  I think the Rogue Dawn concept is the perfect way to revitalise the series, introducing (creating a path for) a villain 10 times worse that Ridley ever was while offering a huge opportunity for creative freedom to work with the Metroid concept and threat as it would come from a quite developed and formidable force headed up by what would be Samus's ultimate nemesis.

Anyway, one can dream right...

* See FAQ for additional information.

How to apply/use this patch: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

1. Download an IPS Patcher such as Lunar IPS 

2. Acquire a clean unmodified US Metroid ROM file (Will not work with the Japanese version, typical file naming: Metroid.NES).

3. Place the Metroid.NES ROM, the Rogue_Dawn_V1.0.IPS patch and Lunar IPS.exe into the same folder for simplicity (make a backup copy of your Metroid.NES file before proceeding to the next step).

4. Double click on Lunar IPS.exe, click "Apply Patch".

5. Select the Rogue_Dawn.IPS file. 

6. Next it will have you select a ROM file to apply the patch to, select Metroid.NES.  The patch will then be applied to the Metroid.NES file.

7. Rename the Metroid.NES file to Metroid_Rogue_Dawn_V1.0.NES

8. Download an emulator, I would recommend FCEUX version 2.2.2

9. Find your emulator after installing, and double click it (the .exe file).

10. Go under "File", then "Open ROM", and look for the ROM. If you applied it correctly, the game should load.



Stats/info:  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Unique screens: 726 (The original Metroid had 188)
Unique structures: 1144
16x16 Combos: 1270
Completely original soundtrack with 18 songs.


In Game Extras: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

6 Hidden Metroid art screens - 1 located in each main area
4 Unique Easter Eggs
1 Secret area



Hints and tips: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Be on the lookout for multiple shortcuts integrated into the level design.
When obtaining an item or beating a boss, look for alternate return paths to save time.
Many items are hidden, look for clues and oddities in the level design to uncover passageways.
Healing stations are strategically placed throughout the game, a few are hidden.
Many secret passageways and secret rooms are located outside the map.
Some back tracking is required to obtain a few of the items.
The pause map contains additional (main item & boss) markers not displayed on the corner map.

Utilities used during the creation of Metroid Rogue Dawn: : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Game Editor:
Editroid Version 4.0 Beta

Graphics Editing:
Tile Layer Pro - version 1.1
Tile Molester - version 0.18
YY-CHR - version 0.98
NES Screen Tool 2.03
Adobe Photoshop CS1

NES Emulator:
FCEUX 2.2.2

FAQ:  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Disclaimer: The Rogue Dawn story is a deviation from the official established Metroid gaming series & graphic novels.

Q: Why do you start out with the morph ball and long range?
A: Starting out with these simple upgrades allowed us to make room in the memory for new items.

Q: When does the game take place in relation to the Metroid series
A: This is intended as a prequel and takes place just before Metroid 1.  In the Metroid 1 manual the storyline talks about a capsule that was taken from the federation by the pirates, this story is about how the pirates got the capsule with the Metroid specimen. 

Q: Why does Dawn use Chozo tech just like Samus?
A: Dawn has been subjected to years of torturous experimentation conducted by Ridley to fuse her with various technologies including Chozo.  Being his only human subject he has gone to great lengths to mold her into his ultimate dark operative.

Q: How are Dawn and Samus related?
A: The exact relation is unknown but she was taken from the colony world Samuss family was killed on when the colony was destroyed by Ridley.  Ridley originally intended to experiment on the young child but decided to keep her and develop her into a weapon.

Q: In your deviation from the official storeline does Samus or Dawn know about each other?
A: No, the two are unaware of each others existence.

Q: Why didnt you do X, Y, or Z with the game?
A: Its important to remember that this is a modification of the original Metroid developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System 30 years ago.  We adhered to the limitations of the original system to ensure that it would work on original hardware. 

Please direct any additional questions to the contact sources listed previously.

