Since I founded TheXTech, it keeps the itemset to follow SMBX64 standard*, however, it introduces lots of additional functional extensions (such as an on-enter event at warps, cannon pipes, some NPC-specific setup, native support for custom music at the world map, etc.).
* (everything that vanilla SMBX 1.3 has)
There is a long-time question against adding new item sets in the future. Right now there are two major extended standards that exist: X2 was provided by the SMBX2 extension mod and 38A that was provided by the SMBX-38A game. Both standards add lots of new in-game objects (such as new blocks, BGO, NPCs, terrain tiles, sceneries, level enters, etc.), however, both standards were incompatible and made a major challenge to port episodes and levels between these engines if they using any non-SMBX64 in-game objects. Additionally, they were causing confusion of users who weren't know about engines differences who try to play episodes from one engine on another: as a result, they get errors and glitches in an attempt to play incompatible stuff.
On another side, the branches of SMBX get chosen by level and episode creators depending on the convenience of the development environment and available functionality required to implement the idea. And they were selected by players depending on downloaded levels or episodes to play them properly as intended by their creators. And then, chosen items standard shouldn't matter as I think myself.
The SMBX64 standard is heavily archaic and there are more and more cases where it isn't suitable to implement ideas of some. Additionally, several people ask me to add new in-game items as the current SMBX64 set lacks a lot of possibilities.
So, I do have the next choices of the future paths: follow one of two existing standards (X2 or 38A), or start my own path.
Follow existing standard (X2 or 38A)
- + Ability of easier port of episodes from X2 or 38A (depending on standard chosen)
- - Limitation: I will be not able to add brand-new items are wasn't exist at the selected standard until the item will appear at standard officially
Own independent standard
- + Full freedom of the progress planning: I will add only items that were most needed for now, and I will don't add lots of useless ballast. I will be able to add brand-new items at any time with no care about other standards.
- - Users will need much more effort to backport episodes from X2 or 38A standards into TheXTech
So, what do you think about this?
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