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| Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - SMW Hacking - ASM: Why does everybody understand it but you? |
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Glyphodon                 Since: 11-18-05 Last post: 6369 days Last view: 6349 days |
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Originally posted by Peter_ac The answer is a resounding no. The story of ASM is a long and pointless one. Back in the days long before C, there were numbers. There were lots and lots of hexadecimal numbers. Computers computed them: They were and still are simply very impressive calculators. Man saw this, and was not happy. Thus, assembly coding was invented. Man could now use slightly easier to remember three letter pnumonics to write assembly code, which was then assembled into the numbers computers require. All was well for a time. Now, in the age of C and Java and Object-oriented programming, assembly is forgotten. What better example of this than the misuse of the term around us even now? Assembly is the form of code before the hexadecimal format used by game cartridges and later game ROM images. Why do internet boards take this absurd abbreviation for assembly and bring it back from the depths of obsolete computing? Let's take a look. Hex, yet another absurd three letter abbreviation for another computer term, is short for hexidecimal. The process of editing a computer file's hexadecimal numbers is known as hex editing. That is what many of us do to copies of video game cartridges. We edit the same simple numbers that the original designers did to create new behavior when the copy is run in a console emulator. This is often confused with assembly today because everything involving inner computing is written off with a buzzword and deemed too complicated to understand. In this case, the buzzword is 'ASM'. True assembly would require an assembler, and written code for assembling into a computer readable format. Editing the computer readable code itself is not assembly, but it would seem that many don't realize that. The term resurfaced because hackers wanted a distinction between editing numbers that the game reads as numbers, and numbers that tell the emulator or console what operation it's supposed to do next. These operation codes, or opcodes, require a still different way of thinking than simple numbering. Some hackers aren't capable of doing simple hexadecimal number hacking and some are, but not capable of understanding opcodes. To summarize the vast archive of opcodes, assembly, and anything above simple numbering a single term surfaced. That term is 'ASM'. Part of this is a natural want to refer to complicated operations for easy communication. Part of this want is for the more advanced hackers to write off the misguided tasks of less advanced hackers as a task that would require 'ASM' to complete. In becoming this all-encompassing term, it has lost its meaning. It is rarely used to refer to assembly. It is a simple exercise in dumbing down complexity into a convenient, inaccurate, byte-sized package. It doesn't belong in the rom hacking lexicon, and there should be a better term. (edited by Glyph Phoenix on 06-29-06 12:20 AM) (edited by Glyph Phoenix on 06-29-06 12:21 AM) |
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Omega Mole    Since: 04-27-06 From: Los Angeles,CA Last post: 6331 days Last view: 6328 days |
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| And this is in the SMW forum why? | |||
DahrkDaiz Nipper Plant U wan hax Mario?!  Since: 11-17-05 Last post: 6329 days Last view: 6328 days |
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| Would "machine code" hacking be a better term? ASM refers to writing code in assembly, but ASM instructions translate directly, a 1 to 1 change from English to binary/hexadecimal. Either way you put it, you are still editing the programming. Dissassemble a rom, edit and reassemble it, that would be your technical term for ASM hacking, but does it not just modify machine code? Using a hex editor to modify machine code is just as valid as ASM hacking through dissassembling and reassembling methods, so I say the term sticks. | |||
asdf Link's Awakening ಠ_ಠ  Since: 11-18-05 Last post: 6329 days Last view: 6328 days |
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Didn't we argue on about ROM Hacking being not properly named a while ago?  Seriously, who cares what it's called? I sure don't. Whether it's called ASM, machine code, editing the programming or cock rocking, it's still the same thing. It would just have a different name. It may or may not be more appealing, but at any rate, it's too late to change it now.  |
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HyperHacker Star Mario Finally being paid to code in VB! If only I still enjoyed that. <_< Wii #7182 6487 4198 1828 Since: 11-18-05 From: Canada, w00t! My computer's specs, if anyone gives a damn. STOP TRUNCATING THIS >8^( Last post: 6328 days Last view: 6328 days |
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I think the point he's trying to make is that people refer to things as being ASM when they're actually not; that is, data is mis-labelled as code. It's a common newbie mistake (even I did it once  ) to generalize any data you don't understand as being ASM code. Yes, this is wrong, but what does it matter? Anyone who actually knows ASM and goes to look at this so-called code will find out fairly quickly that it's not code at all. It's hardly any different than people calling hex "hexidecimal" or saying 9S instead of 95; it should be clear enough what they meant.
Originally posted by Glyph Phoenix This isn't exactly true. In ROM hacking you're generally editing the raw machine code in hex, or a disassembly of this code. It is the same instructions as originally used (assuming the game was coded purely in assembly), but not in the same format. The original program code would generally have comments, labels and in some cases macros to make the job easier. Labels provide that signifigant difference between having to hook into the code, jump to some empty space, move things around etc and just being able to add a few instructions right into the program as-is, since without them, you'd need to manually update all the addresses afterward. |
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James Mcguire Red Goomba  Since: 06-03-06 From: England Last post: 6499 days Last view: 6499 days |
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| I know this is been asked before, and that it isn't meant to be in this thread, but has anybody got the link to the Assembly tutorial. I didn't think it worth making another useless thread that would just be closed after 20 minutes.
And yes I did check smw central, but the link wouldn't work for some reason so... If anybody has it, please give it to me 
Just the basic one though, I'm just starting on assembly... Thanks in advance. Laters |
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Ailure Mr. Shine I just want peace...  Since: 11-17-05 From: Sweden Last post: 6328 days Last view: 6328 days |
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86 0A C6 05 3D FD C0 10 20 FE One is assembly, the other is machine code. And I wouldn't be surprised if some did prefer to manually input the machine code directly in simple ASM hacks instead of using a assembler. (processor is 68HC11)
So what now? You want us to call it machine code hacking? Let's also start calling Roms for "ROM images". (And WTH do people say that assembly is hard? I went to a course in it, and I became quite good at it in eight weeks. And i'm very lazy too, but thought it was one of the easiest languages I learnt. )(edited by Ailure on 06-30-06 08:55 AM) (edited by Ailure on 06-30-06 08:58 AM) (edited by Ailure on 06-30-06 08:58 AM) |
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S.N.N. wtf Since: 11-17-05 From: Ontario, Canada Last post: 6333 days Last view: 6328 days |
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After working on a ....super secret project which no one knows about yet that will change the future of ROM hacking.....I have pretty much learned basic ASM (didn't really have a choice) And to be honest, it's hard, but it's nothing compared to some other languages...
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| Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - SMW Hacking - ASM: Why does everybody understand it but you? |
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Do you even know what ASM is?