Gravity Swap 64

Extra Files:

README.txt

Thank you for downloading Gravity Swap 64! This hack is the culmination of
many hours of work to create a functional gravity system in SM64. The hack has
two modes: Normal Mode, where you try to play through the vanilla game's 120 stars
while gravity switches every 30 seconds, and Challenge Mode, where you can play
through a selection of 100 custom challenges, with a ranking system and a wide
variety of difficulties!

(I strongly encourage anyone playing this hack to try out Challenge Mode, as it
is one of the most fun parts of the hack.)



  ================= NORMAL MODE ==================

* In Normal Mode, you will be able to attempt to play through the game while
  Mario's gravity will switch to a random direction every 30 seconds! You'll
  need to have a good plan of where to go to be in a safe location when the
  gravity changes.

* In the bottom left corner, you will be able to keep track of how long is left
  until the gravity changes, and which direction it will swap to. To be able to
  better visualise the new gravity direction, an orange arrow will hover next to
  Mario, pointing in the direction gravity is about to shift to.

* While you are waiting for the gravity to shift, you can speed up the 30 second
  timer by crouching while still with Z. This allows you to skip waiting for
  gravity to shift when you can't progress, and only works if you're standing
  still in a safe spot.

* Note that the gravity timer will sometimes freeze, mostly during cutscenes
  where Mario cannot move, and also while dialog is onscreen. This is to make
  the game more fair, and prevents the gravity switching while the player is not
  in control.

FREEPLAY MODE:

* You can activate Freeplay Mode by pressing L while on the pause
  screen in any level. While Freeplay Mode is active, you will have full control
  over the switching of gravity, allowing you to mess around with the mechanic freely.
  Press L again while in the pause screen to toggle it off.

* Pressing L ingame will pause the 30 second timer, preventing gravity from switching
  on its own. Pressing L again will unpause it. The D-Pad can be used to switch
  gravity manually. Down will set the gravity downwards, Up will set it up, and Left
  and Right will scroll between North, East, South and West gravity.



  ================= CHALLENGE MODE ==================

* Challenge Mode provides a total of 100 challenges for you to complete in
  addition to playing through the regular game! Each challenge revolves around
  a level in a fixed orientation, and you must find a way to get to and collect
  the challenge's star.

* Each challenge is assigned to one of three different difficulties, and
  challenges are sorted by difficulty. Some of the challenges get VERY difficult
  towards the end, so don't expect to be able to beat them all without savestates!

* To access the Challenge Mode menu, press the R button from the pause screen
  in any level. You will return to the castle lobby after exiting a challenge.
  You can scroll through challenges with up and down on the joystick, or
  scroll through the three difficulty modes with left and right. You can press
  R or Start to exit the menu.

* When you complete a challenge, your time will be saved and you will be given a
  rank based on how fast the challenge was completed. Your best time and rank in
  every challenge will be saved, letting you improve your rank as much as you can.
  Aim for S rank! Make sure you focus on finding a good route in order to improve
  your rank, as your routing is far more important than your execution.

* The cutoff times for each rank can be viewed in the pause screen during the
  challenge. When playing through a challenge, you can press L at any point
  to quickly restart the challenge. 

* Best times are not saved per-file, but rather only once for the entire game.
  To reset your best times, go to the ERASE menu in the File Select and click on
  the "Erase Times" option at the bottom of the screen. Completion of each challenge
  is per-file and will be reset when the file is deleted as normal.



  ================ NOTES ==================

* This hack will sadly not run on console. The maths behind the gravity system is
  far too intensive for the N64's processor to handle. Luckily, it should work
  without issue on pretty much any emulator.

* Certain level collision will not function well when gravity is upwards, and some parts
  will be intangible. This is not an issue with the hack, but rather a result
  of the fact that these platforms do not have tangible undersides in the vanilla game,
  and so there is no floor to stand on when gravity is reversed. This is most notable
  in Bowser in the Dark World, Bowser in the Sky, and Rainbow Ride, so be cautious
  when in these levels.

* A lot of objects will only function well or be able to be interacted with properly
  when gravity is downwards, such as King Bob-omb, talkable NPCs and poles. Also, the
  whirlpool in DDD and the tornados in SSL are buggy in different gravities.



  ================== CREDITS ===================

Shoutouts to Simply for commissioning this hack! It would not exist in its current
form without him.

Thanks to Wiseguy for helping out with improving a small bit of the mathematics
behind the gravity system a while ago.

Shoutouts to the betatesters:
* thecozies
* someone2639
* Quills
* MrComit
* Rovert
* AshleyApple
* Nyako
* Adri
* Reonu
* CowQuack
* Thodds