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04-19-24 02:50 PM |
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| Main - ROM Hacking - Red Falcon, Contra editor (Formerly "Contra hacks...") | New thread | New reply |
| Trax |
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 Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 821/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
Okay guys, at last some development, indoor levels enemy cycles edition is on the way. For those interested, some informations about the inner mechanics of enemy cycles. Here, "enemy cycles" refer to the green guys that run in front of you. In bank 0, there's a table of two pointer entries, one for level 2 (Base I) and one for level 4 (Base II) that points to yet another pointer table, from where you can find the actual data. This table could possibly be extended, which mean we could have more than 2 indoor levels...
Enemy cycles can be any length you want. The last byte must have bit 7 set to mark the end of the loop. From there, the cycle starts over, up to a maximum of 7 times, after which green guys stop and any remaining core starts shooting bullets... Each enemy takes two bytes. Byte 1 defines the type of guy and the attributes, if applicable. Byte 2 defines the delay (in frames) before the guy appears. Jumping guys can be set to turn red at the second cycle and give any weapon item. Running guys can shoot bullets or throw grenades. Groups of 4 have no attributes. Seeking guys can be set to throw 1, 2 or 3 grenades in a row... Here's a screenshot of what the enemy cycle editor looks like... For now... 
When everything will be working properly, you can expect another demo with the 2 first levels... |
| shadowtails2 |
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 Goomba Level: 13 Posts: 17/25 EXP: 9252 Next: 1015 Since: 04-19-09 Last post: 3646 days Last view: 3570 days |
Posted by Trax And when the new beta will be done please send me it into my mail that you have :-) |
| shadowtails2 |
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Goomba Level: 13 Posts: 18/25 EXP: 9252 Next: 1015 Since: 04-19-09 Last post: 3646 days Last view: 3570 days |
For WIndows users here one person preparing editor called "blue Falcon"
http://images49.fotosik.pl/132/126932fa8c8044f7.png |
| KDE User X |
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 Koopa Level: 25 Posts: 50/104 EXP: 79316 Next: 10304 Since: 12-26-08 From: Finland Last post: 5191 days Last view: 5190 days |
Posted by shadowtails2 What about Linux users?  ____________________ 
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| Raccoon Sam |
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 Cobrat Level: 56 Posts: 632/672 EXP: 1379274 Next: 18902 Since: 02-19-07 From: Hi Last post: 3461 days Last view: 2692 days |
I guess they'll have to wait for Green Falcon, heh.
Regardless, both of the editors look absolutely amazing! Keep on codin', Trax. Your work is getting better every day.  ____________________ |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 822/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
Hmmm, that's funny because I intended to call the Evil in my future hack Blue Falcon...
From what I can see from the Windows editor screenshot, the enemy placement tool looks promising, if it's what I think. Being able to place and move enemies by point and click would be quite nice. However, enemies have attributes, and the order of the enemies is also very important... |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 861/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
Okay, it's a big bump, but it's relevant...
I finally documented enough data to display and modify the two Bases levels Boss rooms correctly. Enemy data is in the same table as the other rooms, but they have their own set of level data, tile mappings and palette codes, located somewhere else in the ROM. I added a button to flip between normal graphics and "alternate" graphics, so that boss rooms are displayed correctly. Since I work using a memory buffer similar to the PPU buffer (0x2000 bytes), it would be complicated to try to display both normal and boss rooms at the same time in the editor matrix. It's not a big deal whatsoever... Screenshot of the editor in "normal graphics" mode, showing level 2: 
And the same level in "alternate graphics" mode: 
I'm still looking for data regarding boss load in outdoor levels. In this case, graphics data is the thing to be looking for. The game seems to gradually replace some of the PPU graphics with those for the boss, 1 or 2 sections before the actual boss appears on screen. You can see the process in action if you increase the "Load Boss" byte by 1. This byte is in the level's headers, offset 0x08. In other words, for level 1 boss, go to 0xB321 (add 0x10) in the ROM, and replace 0B by 0C... As usual, if you can find any useful information, let us know here... |
| shadowtails2 |
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Goomba Level: 13 Posts: 19/25 EXP: 9252 Next: 1015 Since: 04-19-09 Last post: 3646 days Last view: 3570 days |
Wiil you trax released a new beta? |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 865/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
When level 2 will save correctly, yes. |
| finisher |
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 Red Goomba Level: 18 Posts: 21/48 EXP: 25310 Next: 4587 Since: 06-09-08 Last post: 3949 days Last view: 2490 days |
Don't mean to go OT, but Trax, did you receive my PM? What you think of my attempt at hacking Super C? |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 877/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
Yeah, I got it, and right after I got the ROM and played the game, because I remember playing it only many years ago. So I wanted to play it to see what it does look like before trying the hack. I'll be back with some comments eventually...
As for the editor, indoor levels are a pain. The level data structure is the same, but there's 2 sets of enemy structures : the wall objects (core, cannon, rollers, etc.) and the guys cycles. And rooms with enemies only happen every 4 rooms, because there's nothing to do inbetween except walking towards the next action room. And there's the alternate graphics, which were a pain to find out as well... Anyway, the next demo is in sight, at the very least. The last big chunk of coding resides in saving all the indoor data correctly... |
| finisher |
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Red Goomba Level: 18 Posts: 22/48 EXP: 25310 Next: 4587 Since: 06-09-08 Last post: 3949 days Last view: 2490 days |
Don't forget to apply the patch to the (KC) version of the ROM, not (U) or (J) or whatever. |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 891/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
Again, I stumbled upon another obstacle. The save function works correctly now, but there's a detail I can't get my hand on. The first base boss (the big blue Eye) is programmed to load and appear upon destruction of the 4 plates in the last screen. The problem is, if I add a section, a garbled version of the boss appears prematurely at the top of the screen just as the added section's wall explodes...
This means the boss loads after a specific number of rooms have been cleared, and changing the level's headers does not solve the problem. So the byte (or piece of code) is hidden somewhere else in the ROM. Until I can find how to push back the boss's appearance, I'm stuck and the level can't be extended... Ah, and there's also the byte that determines the number of plates to destroy in each of the indoor levels that remains unidentified. If you can help me find it, that would be great... |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 910/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
For those who are eagerly awaiting for news on the progress of the editor, I'm not letting you down, although the challenges are getting more difficult, if not annoying. I'm currently trying to uncover enough data to make a total level conversion. Every level in Contra have their share of differences, and this makes level swapping very difficult, unless you are satisfied with glitchy details...
I managed to convert level 2 into another level 1, minus these: - Random running men are not generated. - Boss Bomb Turrets don't turn to their "destroyed" tile counterpart when they are destroyed. - The boss palettes used for color cycling are not modified correctly. I'm sure these are all correctable. But that's just for level 2. Every other levels have hard-coded (thus hard to customize) code and variables. The good news is that I finally mastered and coded the alternate graphics for ALL levels, not just the indoor ones. Of course, the data is located somewhere, else it would be too easy. So the boss screens can be edited at ease now that the graphics make sense either way: 
Now only the palettes need some adjustements for levels other than 1, 2 and 4... |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 918/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
Alright, after quite some time, the second level of Contra hacked using Red Falcon. Sorry for the wait, guys...
Although I couldn't find a way to avoid the Boss Glitch that prevents additional rooms to be added, I decided to create an insane level. And frankly, it's just too hard. This is anything but fair... You still start with 8 lives, first extra life at 10,000. The following extra lives are earned after 30,000 points, as usual. The 20-lives code is the same. The intro screen and the ending credits were altered... The difficulty level is ridiculous. You need patience and quick reflexes to pass through it. And you're truly a champion if you can manage to finish the Outpost (new name for Base 1) while keeping any special weapon, which implies you don't lose any lives... The editor still has a few imperfections, but is functional for Outdoor and Indoor levels. An official version will see the day eventually... I made two IPS patches for this version of the hack. One has only the second level hacked (2), the first left unchanged. This is so you can try the second level without having to go through the first one. But if you want to play the real deal, another patch is available (12), which is the cumulative work... Download: Contra Two-Level Demo ROM used to create patch: Contra (U) [!].nes Comments and questions are welcome! |
| smkdan |
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 Ninji Level: 36 Posts: 221/238 EXP: 288489 Next: 19621 Since: 05-26-07 Last post: 4056 days Last view: 4005 days |
I don't know if I just don' t play enough NES contra but I got absolutely ruined in the in door stage. Too many bullets flying and I can't really stand up without instantly getting killed in the later stages of it..buuut if the author says it's 'unfair' then that's my excuse for sucking at it.
I regularly beat contra III on hard without losing lives, that's my favourite side scrolling shooter outside of metal slug series. Here it feels like you just have to kill stuff in invincibility time in some sort of suicide rush attack. |
| KDE User X |
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Koopa Level: 25 Posts: 80/104 EXP: 79316 Next: 10304 Since: 12-26-08 From: Finland Last post: 5191 days Last view: 5190 days |
Posted by smkdan Protip: you can shoot high while ducking. Hold Up on Controller 2 while Controller 1 is ducking. ____________________
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| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 920/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
No, it's really hard, and I admit it's just too much, even for me...
I'll see what's more annoying and release another version, more balanced... And maybe a video of it to show that it's at least possible to reach the boss... |
| messiaen |
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 Cheep-cheep Level: 32 Posts: 149/193 EXP: 204331 Next: 2111 Since: 05-26-08 From: Porto Alegre, Brazil Last post: 4436 days Last view: 4764 days |
I managed to reach the boss of the second level, however it required tons and tons of precise savestates. You really should balance it a bit more, the first level was hard but way more fun.
Still it's nice to see you made progress on the editor, looking forward for more levels  . |
| Trax |
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Yellow Stalfos Level: 71 Posts: 926/1145 EXP: 3034105 Next: 133009 Since: 07-06-07 From: Québec Last post: 3620 days Last view: 2872 days |
Alright, even I was quickly getting annoyed by my own level, so here it is...
Second release of the two-level demo, with less cruelty and more fun... Download: Contra Two-Level Demo ROM used to create patch: Contra (U) [!].nes Let me know what you think of it... |
| Main - ROM Hacking - Red Falcon, Contra editor (Formerly "Contra hacks...") | New thread | New reply |
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