How to put a custom background in S1's Level Select

Like this...





Well, Hi again, here's another guide from me.


You'll need:

1. ImaGenesis
   
2. IrfanView
   
3. The Sega Data Compressor
   

Instructions:


1. Find a picture, any pic you want (I recommend one which doesn't use much colors, and closest to fit on screen), I'm gonna use this one for example:


http://i.imgur.com/JEbkh.jpg


2. Run IrfanView


Open the picture


Click on "Image" -> "Resize/Resample"


Set Width to: 320 and Height to: 224 (don't forget to uncheck: "Peserver aspect ratio")


Now click "Image" -> "Decrease color Depth..."


Set to "16 Colors (4BPP)" [And leave "Use Floyd-Steinberg dithering" checked, for better results]


See if it looks good, then Save the pic, it should look like this:





3. Run ImaGenesis

• Open the optimized pic
  
• Click on "Mode" -> "15 color [...] 8x8 tiles, Optimized" (Second option)
  
• Click on "Actions" -> "Quantize Now" (or press F5) [Remember, the Genesis has limited colors]
  
• Click on "Actions" again, and save the respective files (Tile data, Pallette data and Tile map)
  

I'm gonna put them in a folder called LS_BG (more organized, but you can do it in your style)


This is what you should have now in "LS_BG":


GFX_u.bin


Map_u.bin


Pal.bin


The Art and Mappings will be compressed to save space in ROM


4. Run The Sega Data Compressor


Click on "Nemesis" set the input file ("GFX_u.bin") and set the output file ("GFX.bin"), click on "Compress"


Click on "Enigma", do the same thing as the GFX but this time for the Mappings ("Map_u.bin" to "Map.bin", and click "Compress")


5. Open sonic1.asm


Replace:

Code:

		moveq	#2,d0

		bsr.w	PalLoad2	; load level select pallet

		lea	($FFFFCC00).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$DF,d1

 

Title_ClrScroll:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,Title_ClrScroll ; fill scroll data with 0

 

		move.l	d0,($FFFFF616).w

		move	#$2700,sr

		lea	($C00000).l,a6

		move.l	#$60000003,($C00004).l

		move.w	#$3FF,d1

 

Title_ClrVram:

		move.l	d0,(a6)

		dbf	d1,Title_ClrVram ; fill	VRAM with 0

 

		bsr.w	LevSelTextLoad

With:

Code:

	    jsr	Pal_FadeFrom		;Fade-out is necesarry now

 

		moveq	#2,d0

		bsr.w	PalLoad1

 

		lea	($FFFF0000).l,a1

		lea	(Eni_LevSel).l,a0

		move.w	#1,d0

		jsr	EniDec

			lea	($FFFF0000).l,a1

		move.l	#$40000003,d0

		moveq	#39,d1

		moveq	#29,d2

		jsr	ShowVDPGraphics

 

		move.l	#$40200000,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_LevSel).l,a0

		jsr	NemDec

 

		lea	($FFFFCC00).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$DF,d1

 

@ClrScroll:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,@ClrScroll

 

		lea	($FFFFD000).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$7FF,d1

 

@ClrObjRam:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,@ClrObjRam

 

		lea	($FFFFF628).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$15,d1

 

@ClrVars:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,@ClrVars

 

		lea	($FFFFF700).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$3F,d1

 

@ClrVars2:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,@ClrVars2

 

		lea	($FFFFFE60).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$47,d1

@ClrVars3:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,@ClrVars3

 

		lea	($FFFFF800).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$7F,d1

@ClrSprTable:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,@ClrSprTable

 

		move.l	#0,($FFFFF616).w	;Clean VScroll

 

		move	#$2700,sr

	

			lea	($C00000).l,a6

		move.l	#$60000003,($C00004).l

		move.w	#$3FF,d1

@ClearBG:

		move.l	d0,(a6)

		dbf	d1,@ClearBG

 

		bsr.w	LevSelTextLoad

 

		jsr	Pal_FadeTo

Next:



add these before "EndOfRom":



(again, in your style)

Code:

Nem_LevSel:		incbin	"LS_BG/GFX.bin"

			even

Eni_LevSel		incbin	"LS_BG/Map.bin"

			even

Don't forget the pallet, too.



Find:

Code:

Pal_LevelSel:	incbin	pallet\levelsel.bin

Replace with:

Code:

Pal_LevelSel:	incbin	"LS_BG\Pal.bin"

			even

THE RESULT:





NOTE: results may vary (ex. if takes a lot to show the BG, too much GFX in VRAM and random colors in the font)


Don't forget to give credit to me for this guide


...And the other people who made the tools

 

well this looks interesting. though some of the sample pics do look nice, do they all use a 16 color limit or did you find a way to extend it somehow?


edit: never mind I see that it uses 15 colors.

 

Nice guide, is it possible to do this in Sonic 2? I know it's different because it's streched or something in S2.

 

Yes. (and it's not streched btw)





Do the same steps exept the last one, here's for Sonic 2:


Find the label: "MenuScreen_LevelSelect" and add this:

Code:

   	 lea	($FFFF0000).l,a1

		lea	(Eni_LevSel).l,a0

		move.w	#$2140,d0

		jsr	EniDec

		lea	($FFFF0000).l,a1

		move.l	#$60000003,d0

		moveq	#39,d1

		moveq	#29,d2

		jsr	ShowVDPGraphics

 

		move.l	#$68000000,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_LevSel).l,a0

		jsr	NemDec

Next, find:

Code:

	moveq	#$26,d0

	bsr.w	PalLoad1

Add this after "PalLoad1":

Code:

			    lea	(Pal_LevSel).l,a0

				lea	(Second_palette_Line2).l,a1

		move.w	#$F,d0

MenuScreen_PalLoop:

		move.w	(a0)+,(a1)+

		dbf	d0,MenuScreen_PalLoop

Then binclude the files, put these before the comment "; end of 'ROM' "



Nem_LevSel: binclude "LS_BG/GFX.bin"
even


Eni_LevSel: binclude "LS_BG/Map.bin"


even


Pal_LevSel: binclude "LS_BG/Pal.bin"


even

 

That's wierd, I tried this, and in ImaGenesis, when tried saving tiles, I got this:

I downloaded the missing dll file and stuck it in the System32 folder (and the ImaGenesis folder just in case) and I still get the same error.


Windows 7 problem maybe?


EDIT: Got it to work, tried Windows XP mode and didn't get the error. Although this didn't work. I loaded my hack and after the SEGA screen, it just sits there at a black screen. Did I follow this right?

Code:

MenuScreen_LevelSelect:

lea (Metablock_Table).l,a1

lea (MapEng_LevSel).l,a0

move.w #0,d0

jsr EniDec ;was bsr.w

lea (Metablock_Table).l,a1

move.l #$40000003,d0

moveq #$27,d1

moveq #$1B,d2

bsr.w JmpTo_ShowVDPGraphics

moveq #0,d3

bsr.w loc_965A

lea ($FFFF08C0).l,a1

lea (MapEng_LevSelIcon).l,a0

move.w #$90,d0

jsr EniDec ;was bsr.w

bsr.w loc_9688

clr.w (Player_mode).w

clr.w (Results_Screen_2P).w

clr.b (Level_started_flag).w

clr.w ($FFFFF7F0).w

lea (word_87C6).l,a2

bsr.w JmpTo2_Dynamic_Normal

moveq #$26,d0

bsr.w PalLoad1

lea (Normal_palette_line3).w,a1

lea (Second_palette_line3).w,a2

moveq #7,d1

;

;===========GenesisFan64's instructions==============

;

	lea ($FFFF0000).l,a1

  lea (Eni_LevSel).l,a0

  move.w #$2140,d0

  jsr EniDec

  lea ($FFFF0000).l,a1

  move.l #$60000003,d0

  moveq #39,d1

  moveq #29,d2

  jsr ShowVDPGraphics

 

  move.l #$68000000,($C00004).l

  lea (Nem_LevSel).l,a0

  jsr NemDec

;

;===========GenesisFan64's instructions==============

;

loc_9366:

And:

Code:

PalLoad1:

;

;===========GenesisFan64's instructions==============

;

	lea (Pal_LevSel).l,a0

	lea (Second_palette_Line2).l,a1

  move.w #$F,d0

MenuScreen_PalLoop:

  move.w (a0)+,(a1)+

  dbf d0,MenuScreen_PalLoop

;

;===========GenesisFan64's instructions==============

;

lea (PalPointers).l,a1

lsl.w #3,d0

adda.w d0,a1

movea.l (a1)+,a2

movea.w (a1)+,a3

adda.w #$80,a3

move.w (a1)+,d7

- move.l (a2)+,(a3)+

dbf d7,-

rts

; End of function PalLoad1

You also said to look for


moveq #$26,d0


bsr.w PalLoad1


But you didn't say what to do. Plus there are several of these in my ASM.

 

This:

Code:

; loc_92F6:

MenuScreen_LevelSelect:

	lea	($FFFF0000).l,a1

	lea	(Eni_LevSel).l,a0

	move.w	#$2140,d0

	jsr	EniDec

	lea	($FFFF0000).l,a1

	move.l	#$60000003,d0

	moveq	#39,d1

	moveq	#29,d2

	jsr	ShowVDPGraphics

 

	move.l	#$68000000,($C00004).l

	lea	(Nem_LevSel).l,a0

	jsr	NemDec

 

	lea	(Metablock_Table).l,a1

	lea	(MapEng_LevSel).l,a0

	move.w	#0,d0

	bsr.w	EniDec

	lea	(Metablock_Table).l,a1

	move.l	#$40000003,d0

	moveq	#$27,d1

	moveq	#$1B,d2

	bsr.w	JmpTo_ShowVDPGraphics

 

	moveq	#0,d3

	bsr.w	loc_965A

	lea	($FFFF08C0).l,a1

	lea	(MapEng_LevSelIcon).l,a0

	move.w	#$90,d0

	bsr.w	EniDec

	bsr.w	loc_9688

	clr.w	(Player_mode).w

	clr.w	(Results_Screen_2P).w

	clr.b	(Level_started_flag).w

	clr.w	($FFFFF7F0).w

	lea	(word_87C6).l,a2

	bsr.w	JmpTo2_Dynamic_Normal

	moveq	#$26,d0

	bsr.w	PalLoad1

 

	lea	(Pal_LevSel).l,a0

	lea	(Second_palette_Line2).l,a1

	move.w	#$F,d0

MenuScreen_PalLoop:

	move.w	(a0)+,(a1)+

	dbf	d0,MenuScreen_PalLoop

  

	;...

(also, lol for the "code" tag, i was using "ASM")

 

Nope, still getting the exact same thing. After the SEGA screen, it goes blank and stays that way.


I'll have another look tomorrow, I'm off to bed =P


EDIT: Got it done. The problem was when saving the data in imagens, I had it in BASIC, and not Binary. When you said:

I literally did, I never thought to change the format bit! You might want to add that bit in =P


Anyway, thanks for the guide!

 

Sorry about the bump but would this be possible for the Sonic 2 level select in Sonic 1? I tried but was not to sure about what I was doing.

 

It's possible because Psy has done it. But this is for more like adding background to the level select, not porting level selects to a different game.

 

I mean putting the background in for this. Would it be similar to the above posts?

 

Well, Psy followed this guide to put a background in his level select. His level select is Sonic 2 in Sonic 1. IIRC, he just followed the Sonic 2 steps.

 

Oh now ImaGenesis is playing up the same way yours did. And I tried all the stuff that you tried with no luck.

 

I would like to thank you for this tutorial. It worked perfectly

 

It'd be pretty awesome if the forums had a 'post without bumping' feature.

 

I'm curious about this too. I'm using the code of Esrael's... and there's nothing in there that seems to match the code in this tutorial.

 

Esrael used a very old disassembly to port this. It may be worthwhile for somebody to port the screen code from at least the 2007 Sonic 2 disassembly to try and keep some sort of consistency. However, that challenge alone is up to someone to do it if they want to.

 

Damn... That puts me out of luck. I haven't had any experience with the S2 disasms.

 

I can port a bg for you if you want.

 

I think he needs the code to use this guide with the Sonic 2 level select in Sonic 1 like I do.

 

That's right. I already have the tiles, maps and palettes... I just need the code.