Originally posted by Smallhacker at the archive

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Note: This assumes that you know how to use ExGFX and Extended Animation

Okay. I was bored and wanted to find a use for the undocumented feature FuSoYa revealed that allows modifying the VRAM through extended animations. I decided to try to make Layer 3 rain. Before I tell you how to do it, there's a few limitations that you should know about.

1) Since the status bar uses Layer 3 as well, the rain starts below it. Therefore, you have to put a cloud or something on Layer 1 or 2.
2) Stuff that uses Layer 3 is not recommended. That includes:
Layer 3 things, like tides, fog and stuff
Item boxes
Goals
Yoshi blocks (if the level is on Yoshi's Island)
3) This will make a few tiles in the first foreground file screw up. This will only happen in Lunar Magic, not in the emulator.
4) The rain will use the following tiles in GFX2B.bin: $30, $40, $50 and $60

Okay. First, you need the ExGFX file that can be found here. (Yes, it is supposed to look like crap in a tile editor.) Import it to the ROM. Set the extended animated tile area to use this file. Now, open the extended animation window.

Note that by default, The first row of rain have got layer priority disabled so that it can go behind a cloud on Layer 1. If you wouldn't like it that way, give entry 00 the same frames as the others and delete the 3rd and 4th row in the ExGFX file.

Entry 00 should be "Normal, Seven 8x8s: line". The destination should be 15800. Enter 5A0, 5A7, 5AE and 5B5 as the four first frames and click on "4 Frame Copy".

Entry 01-06 should also be "Normal, Seven 8x8s: line" and have the following frames: 580, 587, 58E and 595 (then press "4 Frame Copy"). Here's the entries' destinations:
01: 15870
02: 158E0
03: 15950
04: 159C0
05: 15A30
06: 15A50

Save the level and draw the rain animations in GFX2B.bin. (Tiles $30, $40, $50 and $60)
Insert the graphics and test the level.

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In order to make the rain be above everything else, go to the level header and check the box at the bottom of the window.

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Originally posted by spel werdz rite

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Originally posted by Smallhacker at the archive

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Okay. First, you need the ExGFX file that can be found here. (Yes, it is supposed to look like crap in a tile editor.)

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Originally posted by ibz10g

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er, nevermind

i figured it out myself

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Originally posted by Kailieann

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Actually, from what I saw in the one game that actually uses it*, Layer 4 is pretty much the same as Layer 3.
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*Final Fantasy 5 on the inventory screen

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Originally posted by asdf

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Originally posted by Kailieann

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Actually, from what I saw in the one game that actually uses it*, Layer 4 is pretty much the same as Layer 3.
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*Final Fantasy 5 on the inventory screen

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I see you're forgetting Super Mario Kart. It uses Layer 4 as part of the background. However, I somehow doubt it's the same as Layer 3, and I even think not every game is capable of using it (and even if, coding it would be very hard work)

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