NiGHTS Mode
NiGHTS Mode is a supplementary gametype in SRB2 which emulates the gameplay of NiGHTS into Dreams, one of Sonic Team's most popular games. In NiGHTS Mode, the player flies along a pseudo-2D track as Super Sonic, collecting Rings and Wing Logos and flying through Hoops in order to destroy one or several Ideya Captures and cumulate points.
NiGHTS mode is enabled for a map by adding 64 to the TypeOfLevel parameter of its level header. It is typically used together with Single Player, although it can be also used with Race mode. In that case, instead of destroying an Ideya Capture, players will race against each other on the NiGHTS track. In future versions of SRB2, NiGHTS Mode will be used for the special stages, with an emerald being rewarded for successfully completing each stage.
Contents |
3D Free Roam
NiGHTS levels begin typically begin with a normal 3D view in which the player is free to explore the level. The player's jump height is increased to 600 fracunits, and both damage and drowning are disabled. Some maps have hidden items such as emblems or Chaos Emeralds hidden around the level; a secret may be unlocked if the player finds them. The player can destroy the Ideya Capture in this mode, though the necessary Ring amount usually can be collected much faster as NiGHTS Super Sonic. To transform into NiGHTS Super Sonic, the player must touch the Ideya Drone.
Not all maps can be explored in 3D view. In that case, the player spawns directly on the Ideya Drone and immediately transforms into NiGHTS Super Sonic. The Ambush flag is then checked on the Ideya Drone to make sure that the player dies and respawns once the timer runs out. If it is not checked, the player returns to 3D view and spills all their Rings. The player is then free to re-touch the Ideya Drone to transform once more and try again.
2D Track
When the player touches the Ideya Drone, they will transform into NiGHTS Super Sonic. Flying on a 2D track, NiGHTS Super Sonic has a limited amount of time to collect enough Rings to destroy the Ideya Capture and then touch the spawn point of the Ideya Drone. Afterward, NiGHTS Super Sonic will transfer to the next "mare", or round, of the level. Once the last mare has been completed, the level will finish. Many NiGHTS maps have only one mare and therefore end after the first Ideya Capture is destroyed and the player touches the Ideya Drone again.
Besides collecting Rings to destroy the Ideya Capsule, the player may also try to cumulate points by collecting as many as possible of the three types of NiGHTS items: Rings, Wing Logos and Hoops. Each of these awards the player with 10 points, although through collecting items consecutively, this number can be raised (see Link section below. Additionally, between destroying an Ideya Capture and touching the Ideya Drone, the player is in "Bonus Time" in which items give the player twice the amount of points that they normally do.
If NiGHTS Super Sonic runs out of time, the player will revert to 3D view unless the Ideya Drone has the Ambush flag set, in which case they will die instead. Taking damage as NiGHTS Super Sonic reduces the timer by five seconds instead of making the player spill Rings or die.
Techniques
- Paraloop: If NiGHTS Super Sonic makes a complete loop with the star trail that follows him, any item inside the loop will be gathered and collected, while any enemy or boss will be damaged. In NiGHTS races, players caught in someone else's paraloop also get hurt.
- Drill Dash: Holding the Jump button will cause NiGHTS Super Sonic to speed up and rotate like a drill. This can damage enemies, but does not hurt other players in a NiGHTS race. The meter in the bottom left corner of the screen determines how long NiGHTS Super Sonic can sustain the Drill Dash, it will cancel out when the meter is empty. Collecting items refills the meter.
- Immediate Stop: NiGHTS Super Sonic will immediately stop when the Spin button is pressed, or when pressing Rotate Camera L and Rotate Camera R simultaneously.
Link
Links are a score buildup in NiGHTS Mode which is based on how many consecutive Wing Logos, Rings, and Hoops (collectively) the player has grabbed. If the time break between Things is too long, the Link number will reset. The Link number is expressed as the number of collective NiGHTS Things – 1. If the player went through three consecutive hoops, that would be 2 Link. If the player collected five Rings, a Wing Logo, and a Hoop, and then four more Rings, that would be 10 Link.
As the Link number increases, so does the number of points that each NiGHTS Thing awards. Note that the score value for each Link number is applied to the Thing that caused the new Link number. For example, getting the object that displayed 1 Link would be worth 20 points.
| Link Number | Points per Thing | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 0 Link | 10 | 10 |
| 1 Link | 20 | 30 |
| 2 Link | 30 | 60 |
| 3 Link | 40 | 100 |
| 4 Link | 50 | 150 |
| 5 Link | 60 | 210 |
| 6 Link | 70 | 280 |
| 7 Link | 80 | 360 |
| 8 Link | 90 | 450 |
| 9 Link and above | 100 | 550 + 100×(n – 9) |
Items
- Axis, Axis Transfer and Axis Transfer Line: These define the layout of NiGHTS Super Sonic's 2D track.
- Ideya Drone: The transformation point into NiGHTS Super Sonic. Touching this makes the player enter 2D mode or, if all Ideya Capsules are destroyed, ends the level.
- NiGHTS Bumper: A bumper that bounces the player into a certain direction upon contact.
- Ideya Capture: This is the item that must be destroyed to end the level. Touching it will unload all of the player's Rings into it, and if the Ring requirement is met, it will be destroyed.
Collectibles
- Ring: The same Ring that is also used for all other gametypes. Gives the player points upon collecting it and adds 1 to the Ring count.
- Hoop: A hoop that gives the player points upon passing through it.
- Wing Logo: A wing logo with the same sprites as emblems that gives the player points upon collecting it.
- Circle of Rings and Circle of Rings (Big): Readymade circles of 8 or 16 Rings.
- Circle of Wing Logos and Circle of Wing Logos (Big): Readymade circles of 8 or 16 Wing Logos.
- Circle of Rings and Wings and Circle of Rings and Wings (Big): Readymade circles of 4 Rings and 4 Wing Logos or 8 Rings and 8 Wing Logos.
Power-Ups
These appear in the middle of predetermined circles of Rings and/or Wing Logos upon paralooping around them.
- Super Loop: Doubles the size of a paraloop.
- Drill Refill: Refills the Drill Dash meter.
- NiGHTS Helper: Increases the item attraction radius.
Bugs and Limitations
NiGHTS Mode has some bugs and limitations that should be kept in mind when creating a NiGHTS level.
- If NiGHTS Super Sonic gets hurt on an Axis Loop, the track may be erroneously altered for the player. Because of this, Axis Loops should not be used in NiGHTS races.
- Axis Transfer Lines cannot bring the track to a close. However, using a second Axis on top of the first one, having NiGHTS Super Sonic go onto the second Axis, then completing the track can overcome this problem, provided that the Axis Transfer Line and Axis Transfer are not too close together.
- The Ideya Drone cannot be placed on an Axis Transfer or Axis Transfer Line.
- NiGHTS Super Sonic cannot break Shatter Blocks.
