Register | Login
Views: 19364387
Main | Memberlist | Active users | ACS | Commons | Calendar | Online users
Ranks | FAQ | Color Chart | Photo album | IRC Chat
11-02-05 12:59 PM
1 user currently in Rom Hacking: hukka | 2 guests
Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Rom Hacking - FF Hacking FAQ/Running Q&A | |
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Add to favorites | "RSS" Feed | Next newer thread | Next older thread
User Post
Kefka
Indefinitely Unbanned
Level: 81

Posts: 439/3392
EXP: 4826208
For next: 166641

Since: 03-15-04
From: Pomona, CALIFORNIA BABY!

Since last post: 4 hours
Last activity: 4 hours
Posted on 04-01-04 04:43 AM Link | Quote
Well, here's the reason I'm making this topic: I have actually been PMed a bunch (not as much here, but at the old board... A LOT) with questions about hacking Final Fantasy. Well, from some newbies, anyway. It's as if they thought I knew something about hacking the game. I usually had to refer them to Disch or Dark Lord Steak, but being newbies, they didn't listen to me, and usually left their problems unsolved. Well, that, combined with the fact that paradox is making a new FF-hacking related topic every week, has pushed me to the point of making this topic. Oh yeah, that and boredom, too.

If you have questions about hacking Final Fantasy that aren't answered in this topic thus far, then you should probably ask your question in this topic. That way, we don't clutter up the forum with a bunch of questions that have been answered 9 million times before (and believe me, it's happened. I believe paradox just last week asked 3 questions that I asked when I first came). So, ask away!

...But first, here are the most frequently asked questions that I have witnessed in recent history:

---------------------------------

QUESTION: How do I edit the intro screen?
ANSWER: The text for the intro screen starts at $37F30. So, using a hex editor and a DTE table, jump to that address, and then start editing the text. It should be noted that when you type \n into the text, it becomes a line break. It should also be noted that changing the 00 byte at the end of the text probably wouldn't be wise... I don't know why. But this is what I have been told. I haven't really looked into it. Also, if you want to change the color of the background on the intro screen, go to $3A12C. The value is currently set at $01, which is blue. (I think you can change it to black, gray, or white. The values for those are $0F, $30, and $00, respectively) And the fade-in text color is at $3A2E3... I think that's all there is to say here.

QUESTION: How do I change the speed of the fade-in on the intro screen?
ANSWER: Go to $3A2C8. The speed is currently set at $0F. By changing the value to something closer to 00, you make it faster, and by making it closer to FF, you make it slower.

QUESTION: Will someone please give me character names/town names/story ideas/etc.?
ANSWER: Well, I believe I asked one question of this sort when I was new. Most of the time, it is best to come up with these things yourself instead of relying on others.By doing so, you also get to make your credits shorter.

QUESTION [from paradox]: for final fantasy 1 (for the hack i made) i made the first town all desert (cause thats were you start out)....whenever i enter the town i start some where else instead of where the area is located...alittle help please
ANSWER[from Disch]: If you moved where the character is supposed to enter the town, you also have to change the game so it actually puts the character there when you enter it.

You can do this in Hackster by the following:

- On the overworld map, right click on the tile that teleports your player to the town
- Click the "View Coords" button
- Adjust the X and Y coordinates so that they point to the new entry position. (You can also change which map you teleport to, as well).

QUESTION:NASIR IS GIVING ME PROBLEMS!!! MY ROM SCREWS UP WHEN I CHANGE HIS NAME!
ANSWER[by Vagla]: That's because there's a checksum on NASIR. NASIR apparently didn't like people getting his name out of the game... yet this game was made way before rom hacking started, so...

In Vagla's words, how to bypass the NASIR checksum:

Do either one of these:

3CFEF- A900
-or-
3CFEF- 2900

There's really no difference. Both feed it 00, which is what the hack requires (one does it by loading the current value as 00, and the other ANDing the current value to 00).

QUESTION: How do I change the color of the menus?
ANSWER: Look through these documents. Those are where most of these answers are coming from anyway

QUESTION: How do I make default names for my party and change the party selection screen?
ANSWER: Read this.

QUESTION: How do I change enemy palettes, enemy names, standard maps, overworld maps, and almost every other bit of data in FF?
ANSWER: Yes, I made that question up right now. But, anyway, the answer is FFHackster. Get FFHackster. It is incredibly user-friendly, and it lets you edit a LOT of stuff, like classes, maps, enemies, text, items, battles, weapons/armor, etc.

QUESTION: How do I edit the game selection screen?
ANSWER: This is actually quit simple. Firstly, to edit the New Game/Continue/Respond Rate text, go to $3A263 with a DTE table and edit away! To change the Copyright (for Square and Nintendo) text, go to $384B8 with the table and edit that. I forget exactly where the palette for the background here is, but I'm sure it's in one of the big docs.

QUESTION: How do I edit the bridge text?
ANSWER: Go to $36843 with a DTE table, and it's all there. Immediately after that, the ending text is there, at $368F3. The NINTENDO on the bridge screen is at $2FF72.

QUESTION: How the hell do you know all this stuff?
ANSWER: I don't really KNOW it... I borrowed most of this info from these documents. If you are ever in doubt and have a legitimate question about hacking Final Fantasy, first read those documents. If the question is not answered there, and you can't seem to fix the problem in FFHackster, THEN you should come and post in this topic. Someone is bound to help ya out. (I'll try, and I am willing to bet that Dark Lord Steak and Disch will probably be better at answering stuff than me. )
paradox

Spike
Level: 41

Posts: 241/703
EXP: 455239
For next: 24906

Since: 03-16-04
From: usa

Since last post: 40 days
Last activity: 25 days
Posted on 04-01-04 06:54 AM Link | Quote
thanks, i might use this thread alot....btw can you add how to add new music?
Imajin

Buster Beetle
Level: 34

Posts: 185/452
EXP: 234863
For next: 18788

Since: 03-15-04
From: Kingdom of Zeal

Since last post: 39 days
Last activity: 53 days
Posted on 04-01-04 06:56 AM Link | Quote
http://www.vgsites.com/rom_hacking/Final_Fantasy_1/FFBytes_Docs/Music_bytes.txt

And he even links to all those documents
Elric

Chasupa


Currently Playing:
You Like A Lute.
Level: 40

Posts: 38/687
EXP: 440016
For next: 1293

Since: 03-15-04
From: Melniboné

Since last post: 6 hours
Last activity: 6 hours
Posted on 04-01-04 08:16 AM Link | Quote
Another handy tool is Paulygon's FF Hackster Companion. I'm not certain that it's available for download anywhere at this moment, so I've uploaded it to my site.

Right now, you can download FFBytes, a collection of TONS of useful info for hacking FF1, and FF Hackster Companion. Note that the files containted in FFBytes are the same ones you can view at Mighty Kefka's site, excluding the ones that come with FFHackster.

Finally, I have a page on my site dedicated to Final Fantasy Hackster Tile Sets. All of the tiles and tilesets on the page are free for you to use, as long as you give credit where credit is due.
Dish

Spiny
Level: 38

Posts: 24/596
EXP: 355646
For next: 14801

Since: 03-15-04
From: Disch

Since last post: 18 days
Last activity: 18 days
Posted on 04-01-04 08:30 AM Link | Quote
Just for reference, Paulygon has Hackster Companion available on his site.
Lenophis

Super Koopa
Level: 44

Posts: 22/830
EXP: 584360
For next: 26925

Since: 03-15-04
From: Duluth, MN

Since last post: 4 hours
Last activity: 3 hours
Posted on 04-01-04 09:33 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by Disch
Just for reference, Paulygon has Hackster Companion available on his site.


He also updated Companion to v 0.61 on 2/25/2004, here's the info:
* Added Alex Jackson's fix for the bug in determining the success of an attempt to run from battle.
Elric

Chasupa


Currently Playing:
You Like A Lute.
Level: 40

Posts: 40/687
EXP: 440016
For next: 1293

Since: 03-15-04
From: Melniboné

Since last post: 6 hours
Last activity: 6 hours
Posted on 04-01-04 09:37 AM Link | Quote
Ah, thanks Disch! I lost the link to his page.

Turns out that my version is about 2 versions old. Therefore, anyone who downloaded from me, I suggest you do it again, as the newest version is now up.
Geiger

Buster Beetle
Level: 34

Posts: 43/460
EXP: 241080
For next: 12571

Since: 03-15-04
From: Indianapolis, IN, USA

Since last post: 6 hours
Last activity: 6 hours
Posted on 04-01-04 11:47 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by Mighty Kefka
It should be noted that when you type \n into the text, it becomes a line break. It should also be noted that changing the 00 byte at the end of the text probably wouldn't be wise... I don't know why.


This sounds like ASCII text.

For strings, \n is the standard new line character.

00 is null which is used to denote where a string ends. You probably should not make the opening text any longer, but if you want to make it shorter, you should be able to fill the remainder of the string with 00.

\t is the only other special character that might be of interest. It is the character for tab. I would imagine Final Fantasy would not know what to do with it though.

---Evil Peer
Kefka
Indefinitely Unbanned
Level: 81

Posts: 441/3392
EXP: 4826208
For next: 166641

Since: 03-15-04
From: Pomona, CALIFORNIA BABY!

Since last post: 4 hours
Last activity: 4 hours
Posted on 04-01-04 05:44 PM Link | Quote
Originally posted by paradox
thanks, i might use this thread alot....btw can you add how to add new music?


Well, if you want to put your OWN music in there, Sliver-X has written a nice little doc on that,

And... the music data is in that doc that Imajin gave ya. Combine the knowledge you get from the two and I am pretty sure that you will be able to fully edit the music in the game.

Um, but if you just want to rip music from somewhere else, then... I don't exactly have a doc on me for that, but at least you have the doc with the music bytes... so... learn how to rip and insert music, and then use that data.

Originally posted by Imajin
And he even links to all those documents


That's because I'm not always on the same computer when I'm working on this. So, instead of having to redownload the docs every time, I just have them right there.

EDIT: whoa, this got stickied!


(edited by Mighty Kefka on 04-01-04 07:45 AM)
Dish

Spiny
Level: 38

Posts: 25/596
EXP: 355646
For next: 14801

Since: 03-15-04
From: Disch

Since last post: 18 days
Last activity: 18 days
Posted on 04-01-04 09:05 PM Link | Quote
One I just remembered that's pretty common:



Q: Whenever you enter a shop or go in the main menu, the game flashes different colors on the screen for about a minute. It didn't do this before, why did it start now... and how do you fix it?


A: This happens when you change the background color on maps. Anything but standard black ($0F) or maybe a few other darker colors cause this side-effect to occur. To fix, you can either revert all the background colors to normal, or you can apply this hack which removes the palette cycling effect completely:

- Change $3D96B from $C0 to $A0
- Change $3D972 from $20 $18 $D9 to $EA $EA $EA
paradox

Spike
Level: 41

Posts: 259/703
EXP: 455239
For next: 24906

Since: 03-16-04
From: usa

Since last post: 40 days
Last activity: 25 days
Posted on 04-02-04 01:59 AM Link | Quote
thanks guys....but do i use midi files only?
Dish

Spiny
Level: 38

Posts: 27/596
EXP: 355646
For next: 14801

Since: 03-15-04
From: Disch

Since last post: 18 days
Last activity: 18 days
Posted on 04-02-04 04:03 AM Link | Quote
No. MIDI is a complete different system than NES music. Unless you develope your own program, you'll have to do all your work by hand (as in via a hex editor).
Kefka
Indefinitely Unbanned
Level: 81

Posts: 464/3392
EXP: 4826208
For next: 166641

Since: 03-15-04
From: Pomona, CALIFORNIA BABY!

Since last post: 4 hours
Last activity: 4 hours
Posted on 04-02-04 10:23 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by paradox
thanks guys....but do i use midi files only?


1) The NES type of music is called "nsf", and midis don't work
2) There's no program that lets you implant nsf's into the game. So... you can (or rather, have to) edit the notes with the info that is in those docs
XcomGS

Red Paragoomba
Level: 14

Posts: 1/60
EXP: 11183
For next: 1888

Since: 04-02-04

Since last post: 11 days
Last activity: 10 days
Posted on 04-02-04 02:24 PM Link | Quote
how do i edit the credits?
paradox

Spike
Level: 41

Posts: 297/703
EXP: 455239
For next: 24906

Since: 03-16-04
From: usa

Since last post: 40 days
Last activity: 25 days
Posted on 04-03-04 01:50 AM Link | Quote
im really not good with a hex editor...i dont know which one to use...how to use it...i found one..but i dont see any #s with $s next to them...any docs out there telling me how to use it?
Kefka
Indefinitely Unbanned
Level: 81

Posts: 467/3392
EXP: 4826208
For next: 166641

Since: 03-15-04
From: Pomona, CALIFORNIA BABY!

Since last post: 4 hours
Last activity: 4 hours
Posted on 04-03-04 02:24 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by XcomGS
how do i edit the credits?


Not sure about the whereabouts of any credits data... but the ending text location is listed somewhere in the answers in my first post. And the bridge text is there, too... and there's some "credits", if you will, in that.

Originally posted by paradox
im really not good with a hex editor...i dont know which one to use...how to use it...i found one..but i dont see any #s with $s next to them...any docs out there telling me how to use it?


Um, wow. We have a long way to go with you, bud. $ is simply what you use when you are addressing hex numbers. And I have gone over in topics about how to count hex too, so... find one of those topics.

There are plenty of good hex editors. I use Hexecute, but some other good ones are Hexposure and that new Sniper Hex, among many others. My suggestion: use Google (yes, that great site that some higher being gave to us so we could independtly find answers to our own questions) and search for tutorials on hexadecimal... you should probably know what it is and how it's used before you go trying to edit stuff with it. But, in short, if you use the "Jump to Address" option in a hex editor and type in the address you want to go to, it will take you there. But there won't be a "$" there.


EDIT: as a side note, if you are totally editor dependent, than you can do extra things by having both FFHackster and Hackster Companion. Great combo, that is. Sprite dialogue editor's cool! But hex editor is still necessary for a super-duper all-out changing-everything hack.

EDIT 2: paradox, also check out Vagla's Art of ROM Hacking doc


(edited by Mighty Kefka on 04-02-04 04:29 PM)
(edited by Mighty Kefka on 04-02-04 04:30 PM)
drjayphd

Beamos
What's that spell?




pimp!
Level: 56

Posts: 92/1477
EXP: 1387410
For next: 10766

Since: 03-15-04
From: CT

Since last post: 2 hours
Last activity: 2 hours
Posted on 04-03-04 02:39 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by Disch
One I just remembered that's pretty common:



Q: Whenever you enter a shop or go in the main menu, the game flashes different colors on the screen for about a minute. It didn't do this before, why did it start now... and how do you fix it?


A: This happens when you change the background color on maps. Anything but standard black ($0F) or maybe a few other darker colors cause this side-effect to occur. To fix, you can either revert all the background colors to normal, or you can apply this hack which removes the palette cycling effect completely:

- Change $3D96B from $C0 to $A0
- Change $3D972 from $20 $18 $D9 to $EA $EA $EA


Oooh, that certainly sounds nice... but how'd you find that? I think it might be nice if I could change the colors in the cycling effect and, if possible, have the game not actually give a shit what background color's used....
Dish

Spiny
Level: 38

Posts: 28/596
EXP: 355646
For next: 14801

Since: 03-15-04
From: Disch

Since last post: 18 days
Last activity: 18 days
Posted on 04-03-04 04:52 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by drjayphd

Oooh, that certainly sounds nice... but how'd you find that? I think it might be nice if I could change the colors in the cycling effect and, if possible, have the game not actually give a shit what background color's used....


Found it a while ago, actually. Just with FCEUd and some snooping. Took all of 5 minutes

The routine itself is located at $3D963 in the ROM... if you want to take a gander. The first change I mentioned prevents the loop from continuing (by changing a CPY command to a LDY command). Normally, Y is either counted up or down every frame until it hits zero.... at which time the loop stops, but with the LDY replacement, the loop stops immediately.

The second change NOPs a JSR call to a routine which loads the palette stored in RAM (at $03F0) to the actual on screen palette. So the palette changes are never actually visible on screen.

I haven't figured out exactly how the game picks its palettes, but it does appear to read the BG color and compare it to $0F (the routine which does this check is at $3D9FF). At first glance it looks like a big ugly series of "if this color then pick this color next" mess... so changing which colors are picked might be more of a hassle than it's worth. Although I haven't really looked into it in detail, so don't take my word for it.
Kefka
Indefinitely Unbanned
Level: 81

Posts: 493/3392
EXP: 4826208
For next: 166641

Since: 03-15-04
From: Pomona, CALIFORNIA BABY!

Since last post: 4 hours
Last activity: 4 hours
Posted on 04-03-04 11:40 AM Link | Quote
That's a nice little hack there, Disch. I am pretty sure that I know at least one hack I'll be using sometime soon on my rom [however, not because of the problem stated in the question]
Elric

Chasupa


Currently Playing:
You Like A Lute.
Level: 40

Posts: 49/687
EXP: 440016
For next: 1293

Since: 03-15-04
From: Melniboné

Since last post: 6 hours
Last activity: 6 hours
Posted on 04-03-04 01:58 PM Link | Quote
Here's some more useful info, discovered by zero soul: FF1 Starting Items

You can also find his Final Fantasy Mini-Hackster on his C Programs and stuff page.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Add to favorites | "RSS" Feed | Next newer thread | Next older thread
Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Rom Hacking - FF Hacking FAQ/Running Q&A | |


ABII


AcmlmBoard vl.ol (11-01-05)
© 2000-2005 Acmlm, Emuz, et al



Page rendered in 0.020 seconds.