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11-02-05 12:59 PM
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Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Super Mario World hacking - Questions and Answers for newbies! | |
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Surlent
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From: Tower of Lezard Valeth

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Posted on 10-31-04 01:59 PM Link | Quote
Since the old board archive is up again, I'd like to contribute my old "Lunar Magic Beginner's FAQ', which got enhanced by questions and answers added by other users too.
Since there is already a general Q&A thread here I'll simply post it as a regular post.

Please notice, that the FAQ was not updated in ages, due to the crash of the old board. The mentioned links, like if you want to download Bouche's DemoWorld 3 for inserting SMAS music into your ROM (see question 15 for a detailed description how to do that) still work, just tested
----------------
Another minor update on 10-24-03, added a link to Bouche's DemoWorld3.ips. Thanks to Legalos who hosted it, check answer 15 to get that patch (edited by Gandalf)

To avoid repetitive basic questions and threads about Lunar Magic, I thought a general FAQ might be useful. Although the integrated help file answers these questions very comprehensively, not everyone reads it .

This FAQ will help on two ways:

First, new people with basic questions will get help relatively fast, without waiting too long for replies on their threads. Second, this will reduce the amount of threads which are answered too often.

A moderator or administrator then can feel free to add or remove addition questions and answers here, so this (currently) small FAQ could enlarge more and more to a quite comprehensive and easy FAQ .
Index:
1.) Where can I download Lunar Magic?
2.) Do I need a specific version of the Super Mario World ROM?
3.) How can I access the title screen and edit its text, like in many other hacks?
4.) Why do some tilesets and objects show up like garbage in some levels. Is there a way to display them?
5.) I want to edit the graphics in SMW, which tools do I need for it?
6.) What to I need to do first for editing them?
7.) How do I add custom backgrounds?
8.) What are those ExGFX in general?
9.) I inserted some ExGFX into my ROM. But they do not show up, or I don't find them in the object or sprite editor! What do I need to do now?
10.) How can I use these smashable bricks or other blocks, which were not implemented in SMW standardly?
11.) The palettes from my custom tiles/backgrounds are garbled totally! How can I fix this?
12.) When I use Lunar Magic's implemented tile editor, it does not want to save the changes!
13.) What do I need to do to distribute my hack?
14.) Is there a way to change Mario's movements in the demo level, which is shown in SMW's intro?
15.) Some people use the cool Super Mario Bros 3 music from Mario Allstars in their hack. Is there a way to use this music, too?
16.) I want to make a water level. But is there another way than to place water tiles everywhere (!!!)?
17.) A level slow downs when I'm playing it. How do I fix it?
18.) Some sprites don't appear while I'm playing the game. What's the reason?
19.) I don't want people to look at my hack with Lunar Magic and see what I've done. How do I prevent this?
20.) How do I do a pipe or a door?
21.) In this water level I have a few fish, but whenever I play it, the fish act as if there was no water! What is going on?

Answers:

Where can I download Lunar Magic?

You can download the latest version from Lunar Magic from FuSoYa's homepage: http://fusoya.cg-games.net/

Do I need a specific version of the Super Mario World ROM?

You need either the Japanese or American ROM of Super Mario World, Version 1.00. Lunar Magic also supports the SMW part from the SMAS + World.


How can I access the title screen and edit its text, like in many other hacks?

The title screen is still a secret feature in Lunar Magic. Although many of those "secrets" are well known, I post here the code how to activate it:

Go into the level editor window, you don't need to open a menu or anything else.
Now type

Chelsea

in case-sensitive letters and the bottom line will show the text "Chelsea is *really* cute!" , and go into overworld editor now. Now press F11 to load the title screen. Opening a 8x8 tile editor there will enable you to select the title screen graphic tiles and texts.

After you are done, press F12 to insert the new title screen into the ROM. If you don't do this, it will not save the changes and you'll need to edit it again, so ensure you do this.

Why do some tilesets and objects show up like garbage in some levels. Is there a way to display them?

Many tilesets use the same locations in the ROM for showing different graphics. So the standard ledges are on the same position every time; but depending on the graphics index setting in the "Level", "Change index of Graphics in Header", their appearance varies from clouds, ropes, grass ledges to castle ledges. Even some of the objects available are tileset specific, plus some of the Map16 data loaded can vary depending on the tileset setting.

There is a way to bypass the actual graphics loaded without changing the tileset specific objects available or Map16 data by using the Bypass List option.

I want to edit the graphics in SMW, which tools do I need for it ?

You need a tile editor. A common tile editor is Tile Layer Pro 1.0. You can get it at Zophar's Domain or from Acmlm's main page.

Direct link: http://acmlm.overclocked.org/download/hackutil/TLayerPro.zip

Don't be afraid, if the graphics show up like garbage when you attempt to open the .bin files from SMW. You first need to change the settings to SNES in TLP (if you get an error that says "scrollbar out of range", reduce the window size before switching to SNES mode).
If you open the SMW ROM instead, it will show ALL data, not only the GFX. But since a tile editor cannot display essential ASM data, it simply shows garbled graphics in the parts which are not GFX in the game. It's the same, like when you open an image file in an text editor.


What to I need to do first for editing them?

Make sure you EXTRACT them first ! In Lunar Magic, simply go into the "File" menu, then "Graphics" -> "Extract GFX from ROM".
This will dump all standard graphics in many small .bin files, or in one big chunk, if you enabled "Use Joined GFX files" in the "Options" menu.

These .bin files can be opened in any tile editor.


How do I add custom backgrounds?

This a little harder than editing the "normal" GFX files. You will need to know how to use ExGFX.

First off, you need one existing small .bin file, so extract the GFX in many chunks first. Resize these files to the smallest size as possible, then simply copy the tiles in there.

Later insert them by "Insert ExGFX to ROM". Then you will need to set up the tiles in the 8x8 and 16x16 tile editor too. This is easy to learn, but this would require far too much description, so I will not cover it in this small FAQ. Read LM's help file for more detailed information about this.


What are those ExGFX in general ?

ExGFX are extra graphics which are not present in a fresh SMW ROM. That means, you can add more stuff by yourself than SMW usually was supposed to have . Also LM automatically expands the ROM in size for the level data when you save a level every time.

I inserted some ExGFX into my ROM. But they do not show up, or I don't find them in the object or sprite editor! What do I need to do now?

First of all, check the name of your ExGFX file. If it was ExGFX82.bin for example, it will have the same number. You will need to use the Bypass List option in the "Level" menu to load the graphics. Which one you use depends on if you want to replace sprites, objects or backgrounds. Then you select your ExGFX either from FG1, FG1, FG3 or the BG dropdown list. It should appear when you hit ok, if you inserted your ExGFX file properly. Don't forget to set up the tiles in the 8x8 and 16x16 editors beforehand.

How can I use these smashable bricks or other blocks, which were not implemented in SMW standardly?

This cannot be done that simply in LM. You will need to use jomwil's Blocktool
There you have a selection of nice blocks, like different time blocks, smashable (ice) bricks like in SMB3. You will need to specify a certain tile number in Blocktool and Lunar Magic's 16x16 editor window; this is covered in a readme in the Blocktool distribution more in detail.

The palettes from my custom tiles/backgrounds are garbled totally! How can I fix this?

Well, this is a little more complicated. If the palettes do not show up correctly, like a green ? block instead of a yellow question block from another Mario game, you will either need to switch the palette in the 16x16 editor, or, if this does not help, to redraw all colors manually. Either use LM's integrated "Remap Color" feature or do this by hand in TLP.
This can ba a tedious process, especially when you work with backgrounds, so I hope you have some patience working with larger amounts of ExGFX.


When I use Lunar Magic's implemented tile editor, it does not want to save the changes!

Before you close one of those editors, you first need to
SAVE the changes AND (!) then to reinsert all graphics to the ROM by "Insert GFX into ROM".
For saving the GFX in the editor press F9, then reinsert them.


What do I need to do to distribute my hack?

First of all, DON'T distribute the plain ROM!
ROM linking is forbidden here, for a good reason. You will need to create a patch from your ROM, which can be applied on a fresh SMW ROM.

Get an IPS patcher which creates an .ips file(International Patch Standard). This one only contains the differences between the original and your game; so it is no own game at all; you may use it and link to your IPS patch here. If you host does not allow to upload these, then simply put it into a ZIP archive (do this anyway, if you patch is a bigger one)

From the main page you can get SNESTool for DOS, it's great for working with ROMs, it also can patch ROMs easily:

http://acmlm.overclocked.org/download/hackutil/SnesTool.zip

There's also Lunar IPS (LIPS) for Windows on FuSoYa's site, at http://fusoya.idz.net/lips/

Is there a way to change Mario's movements in the demo level,
which is shown in SMW's intro?


For the movement paths in the intro scene FuSoYa maybe forgot it to explain in the help file
You simply start a game, preferably entering the same level as used in the intro scene; then play it normally. After you are done with it (or whenever you want to finish it), make a save state and then import it using the overworld editor.

Go into the overworld bonus menu (don't ask me about the Chelsea trick, it was explained far more than once again lately) or press CTRL + P to access the menu item more quickly, select your previously recorded save state and insert it.


Some people use the cool Super Mario Bros 3 music from Mario Allstars in their hack. Is there a way to use this music, too?

Their hacks are based on Bouche's SMW hack Demo World 3. He implemented the SMB3 music there. Get Bouches DW3.ips from Legalos, he hosted it on his homepage:
Demo World 3 IPS, zipped (opens in a new window)
Then you simply can follow these steps to insert the music into your hack. You will also need Demo World from FuSoYa, its link is on his homepage too.

Originally posted by FuSoYa:
1) Apply DW3's IPS to a fresh copy of SMW.
2) Apply DW's IPS to a second fresh copy of SMW.
3) Examine the size of your hack's ROM. If the ROM is less than 2 MB, use Lunar Expand to expand it to 2 megs. If it's already more than 3 megs, you have a problem...
4) Use Lunar IPS or SNES Tool to create an IPS patch using DW as the "unmodified" ROM and your hack's ROM as the "modified" ROM.
5) Apply the patch you just created to the DW3 ROM. This ROM will now be your hack, which will have DW3's music.

I want to make a water level. But is there another way than to place water tiles everywhere (!!!)?

D'oh, you don't need to replace water tiles everywhere . Simply open the "Modify Main and Midway Entrance" menu, then place a check in the proper box below. So you can create a slippery level too.

A level slow downs when I'm playing it. How do I fix it?

Remove a few sprites from the place where it slows down. Most of the times, that will fix the problem. If it doesn't, then there is probably something incompatible in the level. Try modifying the Sprite Memory settings to match that of a similar normal SMW level. Mess around with Sprite Buoyancy: if you have a layer 2, try the "Enable Buoyancy, but disallow all other interaction with Layer 2" or similar setting.

Some sprites don't appear while I'm playing the game. What's the reason?
a) You have way too many sprites. Sometimes this makes them disappear. If you have a lot, then reduce the number a little.
b) Your sprite memory isn't done well. Try using another number... but don't ask me for those specific numbers. This is VERY probably the case if you're missing only certain graphics of some sprites, and they keep appearing and disappearing.
c) Your sprite graphics might not be well defined. Make sure all sprites you are using are compatible with the level settings by checking the SP3 and SP4 values from the sprites, in the Add Sprites window, with the ones in the level settings. You can bypass them if you want... and if you're using similar sprites. This is very unlikely to happen, though...

I don't want people to look at my hack with Lunar Magic and see what I've done. How do I prevent this?

First out, make a backup of your hack. (That means, COPY the file and PASTE it somewhere else, before changing anything)
Once you've done that, open LM, open the ROM you want to lock, open the overworld editor, then type the keys "C" (yes, capital C) "h" "i" "b" "i" "M" "o" "o" "n", like that. You won't see the text anywhere, but it should say "ChibiMoon is cute!" if you enter it right. If you make a mistake, re-open LM. Then, go back to the level editor and press CTRL + E, enter a name in the input field and your hack is locked ! After closing you won't be more able to access it in LM.

How do I do a pipe or a door?

You'll want to start by simply making the pipe or the door you want to be enterable.
After doing so, press F1. You'll see that the level becomes divided into different screens (00, 01...). Write down the screen number where the door or pipe is.
Now go into "Screen Exits", that means, the first button in the toolbar with the shape of a door. Look in the box for the value of the screen you wrote down, then type in the box below it the level number or the secondary entrance you want it to link to. (I'll cover secondary entrances later, or you could search for something) If it's a secondary entrance, then check the box below, it's pretty self explanatory. Now press OK. The pipe or door will now link you to that place!

In this water level I have a few fish, but whenever I play it, the fish act as if there was no water! What is going on?

This can have a few possible causes:
a) Have you set Sprite Buoyancy? I'm pretty sure the second alternative setting will not work in this case. Enable it fully.
b) Have you made it a water level? You can do this in the Secondary Entrances and Main and Midway entrances dialog. See A16.
c) Last, but not least, I recall seeing that the second checkbox on exits is somewhat related to water levels. Make sure it's checked, if you're linking it like that.


To be continued.



(edited by Surlent on 10-31-04 04:59 AM)
JoshuaJSlone
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Posted on 11-16-04 02:02 AM Link | Quote
I've taken the first level of the game (Yoshi's Island 1) and basically removed all the objects and sprites other than the ground and started adding things from there. However, I see that when I place pipes, the color changes depending on which screen it's part of. If I put a pipe on a border, it will be half of one color and half of another. I see that Lunar Magic has options for changing palettes, but I haven't been able to figure out how to do this per screen.

Also, are there any other objects which act similarly that I should look out for?
Alastor the Stylish
Hey! I made a cool game! It's called "I poisoned half the food, so if you eat you might die!" Have a taco.


Level: 114

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Posted on 11-16-04 02:44 AM Link | Quote
The pipe is the only thing that changes palettes every screen.
Smallhacker

Green Birdo

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Posted on 11-16-04 10:05 PM Link | Quote
If you want to make sure that a pipe is a certain color, make a copy of them with the wanted palette in the MAP16 editor.
Magikoopa Myster

Lakitu
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From: I'm a Magikoopa! Watch it!

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Posted on 12-15-04 05:32 AM Link | Quote
The Chelsea code won't work for me! Help!
Oh, on Tile Layer Pro, all I see is speckles. I can't tell them apart!


(edited by Koopa_Myster99 on 12-14-04 08:33 PM)
Karadur

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Posted on 12-15-04 06:47 AM Link | Quote
For the Chelsea code: Open your ROM in LM, but don't touch / click / press anything after you open it. Type in 'Chelsea' (case sensitive), and the status bar at the bottom of the screen should say 'Chelsea is cute!' or something. Open the Overworld Editor, click 'File', and notice the 'Chelsea's Bonus Menu' thing.

For TLP: Open your ROM in LM and extract the GFX (Red Mushroom button). Open TileLayerPro, and navigate to the graphics folder (the folder your ROM's in -> Graphics). Select 'All Files' from the drop down list, and open the .bin file (AllGFX.bin if you extracted the GFX as one single file). Click 'View'->'Format'->'SNES'

Hope that helps
Magikoopa Myster

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Posted on 12-16-04 01:55 AM Link | Quote
I can't tell them apart though. Which one is Mario and which one is koopa troopa? I have an idea and i need to make mario into Kooper (PM)
teh1337g0d

Goomba
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Posted on 12-16-04 02:46 AM Link | Quote
Hey i just joined and i need to get some advice. Im looking to try hacking SMW and i need help. Lunar magic will not open my rom because it "doesnt have a 0x200 byte header" I have no idea what this means. does anyone know where i can get a rom fitting this description?
Alastor the Stylish
Hey! I made a cool game! It's called "I poisoned half the food, so if you eat you might die!" Have a taco.


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Posted on 12-16-04 05:13 AM Link | Quote
I do, but, linking to one or telling you the name of one from here is against the rules.I suggest using Google to look for a different ROM site.
Smallhacker

Green Birdo

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Posted on 12-16-04 10:18 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by teh1337g0d
Hey i just joined and i need to get some advice. Im looking to try hacking SMW and i need help. Lunar magic will not open my rom because it "doesnt have a 0x200 byte header" I have no idea what this means. does anyone know where i can get a rom fitting this description?

Make sure that the extension of the ROM isn't .ZIP or .RAR or something.
If that's not the problem, then I have to point to Davis's post. It is against the board rules to link to roms or rom sites.
Xenon Odyssey

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Posted on 01-01-05 02:47 AM Link | Quote
Alrighty, I've got a couple of questions regarding the overworld.

1. How do you make the Switch Palaces and castles collapse when you clear them? I've tried everything I could think of, but I can't get it to work.

2. Is there are possible way to edit the colors of the level tiles? (Haven't tried to do this yet, but I might as well ask before I try to do it on my own and screw something up.)

Karadur

Fire Snake



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Posted on 01-01-05 02:51 AM Link | Quote
1) In the overworld editor, select the level you want to collapse in Layer 1 16x16 Editor Mode, and click the broken castle button (15th from the left), and choose the event to destroy the tile on. I assume you know how to set up events and such, so hopefully that makes sense

2) I think you'd have to use the palette editor, if you're talking about changing the colors of the level dots
Smallhacker

Green Birdo

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Posted on 01-01-05 02:51 AM Link | Quote
1: Use the Destroy Tile Settings window.

2: In the normal 8x8 layer 2 editor mode, you can edit the layer 1 tiles at the bottom of the overworld editor.

Edit: Crap! Karadur beat me to it!


(edited by Smallhacker on 12-31-04 05:52 PM)
Xenon Odyssey

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Posted on 01-01-05 09:01 AM Link | Quote
Thanks, guys. Now I've got my first overworld done. Once I create some levels and find some web space, I'll post it in a thread and you can play yet another crappy hack by a n00b.
Chris

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Posted on 01-01-05 09:13 AM Link | Quote
Im sure that your hack won't be that bad. Anyway, wish ya good luck.
Dark Ludwig

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Posted on 01-14-05 07:12 PM Link | Quote
Well at least i restrained from making a new thread....

What happened to sprite paint? I couldn't download it! I got a 404.... I just wanna change which palette the key uses. Thanx in advance!
Smallhacker

Green Birdo

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Posted on 01-15-05 12:36 AM Link | Quote
My account (among tons of others) on my host got deleted without any warning. To my knowledge, there's no mirror of it... It wasn't that great, by the way... With some use of MikeyK's original sprite editing document, it's possible to edit the palettes in HH's editor anyway.
Xenon Odyssey

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Posted on 01-24-05 06:38 AM Link | Quote
Alrighty, more questions!

-How do you change the colors of the individual Switch Blocks? I'm working with YY-CHR, and I'm changing the colors of three blocks (Yellow, Green, and Blue) at once, and it's really not helping me.

...Oh yeah. What is the GFX.bin that holds the Switch Palace? (I don't have all of the GFX in one .bin file.) I know there is a list somewhere, so if you don't know off the top of your head, don't worry. I'll find the thread somewhere.
Alastor the Stylish
Hey! I made a cool game! It's called "I poisoned half the food, so if you eat you might die!" Have a taco.


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Posted on 01-24-05 11:32 AM Link | Quote
Hmm. I still have Sprite Paint, but... I don't have anywhere stable to upload it to...

Anyway, to answer your question, Xenon...


1. You'd have to edit the palettes for the levels they're in, and on the overworld, too.
2. This is the thread you were looking for.
Xenon Odyssey

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Posted on 03-06-05 09:55 AM Link | Quote
Man, I really am a n00b at this stuff. Eh, but you live & learn, I suppose.

-How do you edit backgrounds? I know a lot of people do this, and I'm not the most literate with everything hacking (more of the music person), so I'd like to know how this is possible.

-...Crap. I forgot what I was going to ask. I guess I have to sit here until I figure out what it was. (27 minutes go by)...I guess I don't remember what it was. But there is no doubt in my mind that I will think of it as soon as somebody gives me an answer to my question.
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