Basic Questions and Answers Thread

Is the sonic 2 clone driver essentially just an optimized S1 driver with the necessary S2 music files added through megaPCM, or is it more complicated then that?

 

Being optimised has no part in it. Neither does MegaPCM, it doesn't interface with the music directly; it just handles what SMPS feeds it (the DAC track). The original Clone Driver used JMan's PCM driver for DAC, while v2 uses MegaPCM.

At its core, both Clone Drivers are just S1's driver, with S2's music ported to it.

 

MegaPCM can use any DACs. I once had Sonic & Crackers DAC Samples added to it. Now I have S1 & S3K Samples to mine. I think Sonic 2's & Sonic 1's DACs are the same. The Majority of Sonic 2's Music I have In my Sonic 1 hack sounds as if it's Sonic 2's.

Question regarding Sonic 1's Level Select.

First off...


Character equ $FFFFF601
PlaylistEntry = $FFFFF603
OptionSSFix = $FFFFF612

Code:

LevelSelect:
		move.b	#1,(OptionSSFix)
		move.b	#4,($FFFFF62A).w
		bsr.w	DelayProgram
		bsr.w	LevSelControls
		bsr.w	RunPLC_RAM
		tst.l	($FFFFF680).w
		bne.s	LevelSelect
		andi.b	#$F0,($FFFFF605).w ; is	A, B, C, or Start pressed?
		beq.s	LevelSelect	; if not, branch
		
		;move.b	#1,(OptionSSFix).w
		move.w	($FFFFFF82).w,d0
		cmpi.w	#$03,d0		; have you selected item $03 (sound test)?
		bne.w	LevSel_Level_SS;LevSelLevSel_Level_SS	; if not, go to	Level/SS subroutine
		
		move.w	($FFFFFF84).w,d0
		addi.w	#$80,d0
		
			
LevSel_NoCheat:	Move.b	#1,(OptionSSfix)
		cmpi.w	#$A0,d0		; is sound $80-$94 being played?
		bcs.s	LevSel_PlaySnd	; if yes, branch
		cmpi.w	#$A0,d0		; is sound $95-$A0 being played?
		bcs.w	LevelSelect	; if yes, branch

LevSel_PlaySnd:
		cmpi.b	#$A0,d0
		blt	LevSel_NoSFX
		subi.b	#$A0,d0
...

Code:

LevSelControls:			; XREF: LevelSelect
		move.b	(v_jpadpress1).w,d1
		andi.b	#btnUp+btnDn,d1		; is up/down pressed and held?
		bne.s	LevSel_UpDown		; if yes, branch
		subq.w	#1,(v_levseldelay).w	; subtract 1 from time to next move
		bpl.w	LevSel_CHKsNDTEST	; if time remains, branch

LevSel_UpDown:
		move.w	#$B,(v_levseldelay).w	; reset time delay
		move.b	(v_jpadhold1).w,d1
		andi.b	#btnUp+btnDn,d1		; is up/down pressed?
		beq.w	LevSel_ChkSndTest	; if not, branch
		move.w	(v_levselitem).w,d0
		btst	#bitUp,d1		; is up	pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_Down		; if not, branch
		subq.w	#1,d0			; move up 1 selection
		bhs.s	LevSel_Down
		moveq	#$03,d0			; if selection moves below 0, jump to selection	$15

LevSel_Down:
		btst	#bitDn,d1		; is down pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_Refresh		; if not, branch
		addq.w	#1,d0			; move down 1 selection
		cmpi.w	#$04,d0
		blo.s	LevSel_Refresh
		moveq	#0,d0			; if selection moves above $15,	jump to	selection 0

LevSel_Refresh:	
		move.w	d0,(v_levselitem).w ; set new selection
		bsr.w	LevSelTextLoad	; refresh text
		move.l	#SoundCD,d0 ; selection blip sound
		jsr	PlaySound
		rts
; ===========================================================================

LevSel_ChkSndTest: move.b	#1,(OptionSSFix).w	
		tst.w	(v_levselitem).w	; is item $15 selected?
		 	; if not, branch

		bne.s	LevSel_Tracks; if not, branch
		move.b	(v_jpadpress1).w,d1
		andi.b	#btnR+btnL,d1		; is left/right	pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_NoMove		; if not, branch
		move.w	(v_levselChar).w,d0
		;move.w	(Character).w,d2
			
		btst	#bitL,d1		; is left pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_Right
				; if not, branch
		subq.w	#1,d0 	; subtract 1 from sound
		bhs.s	LevSel_Right
		moveq	#$02,d0
		subq.b	#1,(Character).w; is suppose to subtract 1 from character	
		tst.b	(character).w
		bhs.s	LevSel_Right
		
		move.b	#2,(Character).w
LevSel_Right:	
		btst	#bitR,d1		; is right pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_Refresh2		; if not, branch
		addq.w	#1,d0; add 1	to sound test
		addq.b	#1,(Character).w	; is suppose to add 1 to character (sonic, Richter,Nebula)
		cmpi.w	#$03,d0
		blo.s	LevSel_Refresh2
		moveq	#0,d0
		cmpi.b	#$03,(Character).w
		blo.s	LevSel_Refresh2
		st.b	(Character).w
		;moveq	#0,D2
				; if sound test	moves below 0, set to $4F
					; if sound test	moves above $4F, set to	0
LevSel_Refresh2:
		move.w	d0,(v_levselChar).w
		;move.b	d2,(Character).w	; set sound test number
		bsr.w	LevSelTextLoad
		
		move.l	#SoundCD,d0 ; selection blip sound
		jsr	playsound
LevSel_NoMove:

		rts
; ===========================================================================


; End of function LevSelControls

Levsel_Tracks:	move.b	#1,(OptionSSFix).w
		cmpi.w	#$01,(v_levselitem).w	; is item $15 selected?
		bne.s	LevSel_gOlEVEL	; if not, branch
		move.b	(v_jpadpress1).w,d1
		andi.b	#btnR+btnL,d1		; is left/right	pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_Tracks_NoMove		; if not, branch
		move.w	(v_levselPlist).w,d0
		
			
		btst	#bitL,d1		; is left pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_Tracks_Right
				; if not, branch
		subq.w	#1,d0 	; subtract 1 from sound
		bhs.s	LevSel_Tracks_Right
		subq.b	#1,(PlaylistEntry).w; is suppose to subtract 1 from character	
		
		bhs.s	LevSel_Tracks_Right
		moveq	#$02,d0
		;moveq	#$01,d2
LevSel_Tracks_Right:	;sf.b 	d2	
		btst	#bitR,d1		; is right pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_Refresh2		; if not, branch
		addq.w	#1,d0; add 1	to sound test
		addq.b	#1,(PlaylistEntry).w	; is suppose to add 1 to character (sonic, Richter,Nebula)
		cmpi.w	#$03,d0
		blo.s	LevSel_Tracks_Refresh2
		cmpi.b	#$01,(PlaylistEntry).w
		blo.s	LevSel_Tracks_Refresh2
		moveq	#0,d0
		;moveq	#0,D2
				; if sound test	moves below 0, set to $4F
					; if sound test	moves above $4F, set to	0
LevSel_Tracks_Refresh2:
		move.w	d0,(v_levselPlist).w
		;move.b	d2,(Character).w	; set sound test number
		bsr.w	LevSelTextLoad
		
		move.l	#SoundCD,d0 ; selection blip sound
		jsr	playsound
LevSel_Tracks_NoMove:

		rts
Levsel_GoLevel:	move.b	#1,(OptionSSFix).w
		cmpi.w	#$02,(v_levselitem).w	;Is this the first choice?
		bne.s	LevSel_CheckSoundTest 	; if not, branch
		move.b	(v_jpadpress1).w,d1
		andi.b	#joystart,d1		; is left/right	pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_NoMove_Level
		;MOVE.B	#1,(Final)	; if not, branch
	jmp	Level_Select_Menu	
LevSel_NoMove_Level:
		rts
; End of function LevSelControls
LevSel_CheckSoundTest: move.b	#1,(OptionSSFix).w				; XREF: LevSelControls
		cmpi.w	#$03,($FFFFFF82).w ; is	item $14 selected?
		bne.s	LevSel_HPZ	; if not, branch
	
		move.b	($FFFFF605).w,d1
		andi.b	#$C,d1		; is left/right	pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_chkNoMove	; if not, branch
		move.w	($FFFFFF84).w,d0
		btst	#2,d1		; is left pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_chkRight	; if not, branch
		subq.w	#1,d0		; subtract 1 from sound	test
		bcc.s	LevSel_chkRight
		moveq	#$4F,d0		; if sound test	moves below 0, set to $4F

LevSel_chkRight:
		btst	#3,d1		; is right pressed?
		beq.s	LevSel_chkRefresh2	; if not, branch
		addq.w	#1,d0		; add 1	to sound test
		cmpi.w	#$50,d0
		bcs.s	LevSel_chkRefresh2
		moveq	#0,d0		; if sound test	moves above $4F, set to	0

LevSel_chkRefresh2:
		move.w	d0,($FFFFFF84).w ; set sound test number
		bsr.w	LevSelTextLoad	; refresh text

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0v-XUzIUPE

Going to sound test, playing sound & Music, then going to S2 Level Select, in this level select you can select a level to play, whereas in S1's Level Select, Now an Options Menu, you can select character (it goes forward and not back, how to go back a character? 00 is Sonic, 01 is Richter, 02 is Nebula Sonic), Music Playlist (Switch Between Original & custom, odd thing is, press right once, original, twice, custom, three times, original & can't go back. Just need 00 as Original & 01 as custom), Play music & sound test, go to level select, choose a level & it goes right back to option menu. Also after selecting Level Select, once in, GHZ3 is highlighted and i tried


clr.b (OptionSSFix).w
clr.b (v_levselitem).w

at the begnning of Level_Select_Menu: in s2_menu.asm and nothing. what can i do to fix all this cause i tried everything and still at a loss.

(all that time with no internet, 2 weeks, now back up & still at a loss with this... bummerr)

 

Not exactly, Sonic 2 has additional samples, such as clapping, tom, record scratch...

 

I would have thought the S2 clone driver would have been made to run a little faster to avoid lagging like straight S1 driver ports, but maybe there's something else there I don't know of. So anyway, does this mean that guides that require MegaPCM will work with the Clone driver (V.2)?

 

Sonic 1's driver runs on the 68000. Sonic 2's driver runs on the z80. The 68000 is a lot easier to work with, so Sonic 2 clone driver is Sonic 2's driver on the 68000. This puts a little more stress on the 68000, and may cause more slowdown in your game, but at least it's miles easier to create/port music.

So technically, no, it doesn't avoid lagging, in fact, it causes more lag... ish...

 

Umm, how to port Sonic 2 Clone Driver to Sonic 1? I saw that Lone Devil did it, but I'm wondering how he put it in.

 

'Basic Questions'? I'm not making a topic for this, you know?


I can't optimise the driver to the levels of S2's driver, as that doesn't run on the 68k at all! Also, for christ's sake, the lag isn't game-breaking! You know Sonic 1 is the Lord of Lag because the game lacked optimisation, right? That tech demo of v2 running in S3K should've been evidence enough. And what guides require MegaPCM? The most I've seen any guide interact with MegaPCM is adding samples to it, and you can do that with almost any DAC driver. What MegaPCM has is expanded boundaries; more samples, more playback options. It's comparable to my v2 driver: what you can do to S1's driver, you can do to v2.


Porting the driver... Way easier with the original Clone Driver. The v2 is AS assembler-specific, so, unless you're using an AS disasm, or are willing to retool the driver to suit asm68k, it's not gonna happen. You also have to restore the Special SFX system, which was removed from the v2. I've done this plenty of times before, but could never simplify it in a way that doesn't require an entirely separate version of the driver. I want to keep things like the Xeno patch; just a compatibility layer and separate guide.


EDIT: Let me just straighten it out. The original Clone Driver is just S1's driver with a custom DAC driver to handle the greater number of samples. The ported music and SFXs are just that, ported. That's all the Clone Driver is.

 

I use Project 128, so you can think I'm using AS. So, I need to optimize it for a whiiile... :|

 

Project Sonic 1: Two-Eight uses AS? Wish I'd known that when I made the Git version...


To add to the list of 'v2 to S1' hurdles, you have to convert PlaySound to the v2 equivalent, along with SoundDriverLoad. You also have to worry about equate incompatibilities. Another added joy is the tacked-on MZ 'block push' sound and associated coordination flag, which you could convert to an S3K-style Continuous SFX for the sake of simplicity, but you'd really need to know what you're doing.

 

There are 2 versions of Two-Eight: first one uses ASM68K, next uses AS. But I'm using kram1024 mod, which is already using AS. Anyway, I'll think about it. I know at least that I need to change equates to RAM addresses. =P (or write the RAM locations to beginning of ASM file)


EDIT: And let's continue this discussion in IRC, because there would be tons of usefulless posts. Also, I'm writing this from tablet, not laptop... Wonder if I had Sonic hacking tools for Android.

 

I stand corrected. But to be fair, I always stay away from music porting and sound driver and all that shit; I just leave ValleyBell to do that as he is a genius with it all. I just stay in the area I am comfortable with.

 

There's a guide somewhere in the SSRG tutorials section for properly implementing S3K music into Sonic 1, which naturally requires MegaPCM. I was making sure that the guide would work for the s2 Clone driver. As for the lag, that's a bit of an issue for me. Even if it isn't gamebreaking, it's still lag in a sonic game. So much for blast processing

 

I know the one...

http://sonicresearch.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4107

this one here

http://sonicresearch.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3662

this one for DACs (you can also add sonic 1- sonic & crackers DACs in it too)

then there's the megapcm guide

http://sonicresearch.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3158

I done all this & only was able to sucessfully port S3K invincibility music. you'd have to guess each S3K Music Offset (i think esraels sound importer may be able to help somewhat)

 

Fine then. If placebo-lag is too much, then don't bother. I've already made my point about what little it does. Actually, let me go over it again, because I swear you're acting like it'd make the entire game run at 50hz. It has the same problem as the priority manager: every frame, another bunch of calculations, so when things on-screen get to be too much, things start chugging. Otherwise, as long as you're careful with your optimisations, object placement and design choices, things will work as always. Just look at Sonic 2 Recreation; 68k driver, just about lag-less in every area, even underwater with screen deformation. Compensate for the added cycles and you'll be fine. Or just, you know, use a Z80 driver and experience slightly less slowdown in those problem areas. They both do the same thing anyway, which was the whole point of the driver.

Speaking of which, just what Clone Driver are you talking about? v2 already has that level of S3K-compatability. In fact, some of the code in that guide was from my driver; and my driver's compatibility has since improved beyond what the guide does. Unless you're working with the original Clone Driver (why), there's no point. You'll just break the other features.

No point. You've already got all the help I'll give on that subject.

So, erm, question answered, I guess. The Clone Driver is a modified version of Sonic 1's 68k SMPS sound driver; and you can't really port v2 back to Sonic 1, not without a fair bit of knowledge in that area.

 

^_^

Spoiler

Just so you know, I did some clever optimisations with the deformation with water ripples. Only act 2 during the crumble runaway, do you experience very little and very short lag, and even that's not noticeable as such. I always did want the sound driver on the z80 to rid that tiny slowdown, but it was hardly worth the porting just for that. ValleyBell said the 68k will do (means more effects too), and after seeing your comment, he was right.

 

Sometimes it scares me to be right...

 

I have two questions for those that can help. 1 I have added Tails to my hack and everything loads correctly(signpost, monitors ect) but whatever I do I always loads an orange Sonic for his ending, any ideas? 2 I searched around for this so I apologize if this was answered before but how to I make the "got through" text like Sonic 3? That is the Blue with yellow outlining wording. Thank you for your replies.

 

Both require editing the art work. The ending and title card text have their own art files and mappings that you'd need to load in an editor (i'd recommend SonmapEd). The only issue with this is that the got through and title card text use the same art; changing it would result in all the large text art being altered along with it.

 

Wait, what?

According to the information under section 8 of the 68k user manual, the cycle count is:


jsr table(pc,d0.w) 22(2/2)
bra.w label 10(2/0)
32(4/2)

movea.l table(pc,d0.w),a0 18(4/0)
jsr (a0) 16(2/2)
34(6/2)

I haven't been using this thing wrong the entire time, have I?