Sonic 1 Nixed Edition (needs improvement)

Yes, I'm sick and tired of of the beginners, too. And, I, too am a beginner, but I wanted to release a simple Sonic 1 Hack for you to critique. I'm trying to get better, but I want to first go over some problems I'm having in my hack:


1. The "Static Buzz" noise of the Sega screen plays twice. I don't know why it does that, but that is a cosmetic fix, I'll try to fix it as I transition towards professionality.


2. The Title Screen Foreground came out with an undesired and unappealing look:





It was supposed to say "NIXED EDITION" below the foreground, and "SMN 2010" below the original copyright. That, again, is a cosmetic fix, but more important than problem one. So I need your help with this.


These are the problems. Other than that, gameplay is identical with some extras:


1. S2 Spindash Implemented with nearly all bugs fixed. Examples include: "camera reset" fix, "Boundary_Bottom" fix, and I think the "charging attack" fix. You'll have to test the last one to see if I overlooked that detail.


2. Miniscule object and Plane A rearrangement on GHZ, MZ, and SYZ.


COMING SOON:


Object and Plane A rearrangement on LZ, SLZ, and SBZ.


Minor palette swap on GHZ.


I want to upload my rom, but I'm not permitted to do so. Please, critique my work. I wish to learn at the feet of the masters.


UPDATE:


Spindash Implementation: Part 2 covered!


Sega "Static Buzz" Fixed!


UPDATE 2:


My first beta release. Who would have thought it needed to be in a zip folder first? Anyway here it is:


(This has been replaced by the next update)


UPDATE 3:


More screenshots! One was done in SonED2.





Another cliff added at the beginning of GHZ Act 1.





Using SonED2's screen capture function I was able to show a secret near the end of Marble Zone Act 3. A room that can only be accessed by the red spring.


UPDATE 4:


New upload, new version, new abilities:


After-image (thanks, Selbi)


"Nixed" Speedcap (thanks to the people who made it possible)


Jump-dash (thanks again, Selbi)


S1NE_v0.2.zip


Problems, comments, accolades? Leave a post.

 

http://info.sonicretro.org/SCHG_How-to:Fix_the_SEGA_Sound

 

Fixed! Props to Puto and Lightning (they will be featured in the credits). Now, how do I fix the the text tiles in the Title Screen Foreground? What .asm file, and what lines of assembly do I need to rewrite?

 

Make sure you have enough VRAM...

 

I had the VRAM expansion implemented with the Spindash_Dust bit.

 

I'm confused now, text tiles? The copyright text? clear the VRAM and then load the text, also make sure that you aren't using too many tiles as that can bork things up as well.

 

Clear the VRAM? How? Delete the subroutine? That's going to screw up my game. Know any alternatives? I think gave the titlefor.bin file too much padding. That must be the problem, because I used my old 16KB padding file that I used to implement the spindash in the game. I tried replacing the letters with the menu text, as of this post. However, it looks worse than before. It looks like its using the Title Screen Sonic Tiles. As if the assembly is overwriting something. Can you figure it out?

 

Clear the VRAM? How? Delete the subroutine? That's going to screw up my game. Know any alternatives? I think gave the titlefor.bin file too much padding. That must be the problem, because I used my old 16KB padding file that I used to implement the spindash in the game. I tried replacing the letters with the menu text, as of this post. However, it looks worse than before. It looks like its using the Title Screen Sonic Tiles. As if the assembly is overwriting something. Can you figure it out?


No not delete the sub routine... he means exactly what he says clear the VRAM so it has plenty of room to load the art that makes your text.

 

A little tip about programming; "find the quickest way possible"


It would be better to simply move the data you want to VRam without clearing, the new data you write will overwrite the data that was previously there, rendering the idea of clearing it first, useless. It wastes time not only programming it, but processing it too. It's like having 42 in d0, and you wanna put 89 into it, why move 00 to it first before moving 89, if 89 will replace 42 anyway?


OK so, enough lecture (Gee I'm such a bastard sometimes =P), there is plenty of VRam space after the location of Sonic's emblem/title sprite art that you can use, though I'm guessing you might lack the understanding of how to control where the art is dumped to, which is no problem, take a look here insted, this should explain it all.

 

Is this the Subroutine you're asking about:

Code:

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

; Title	screen

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------



TitleScreen:&#59; XREF: GameModeArray

		move.b	#$E4,d0

		bsr.w	PlaySound_Special; stop music

		bsr.w	ClearPLC

		bsr.w	Pal_FadeFrom

		move	#$2700,sr

		bsr.w	SoundDriverLoad

		lea	($C00004).l,a6

		move.w	#$8004,(a6)

		move.w	#$8230,(a6)

		move.w	#$8407,(a6)

		move.w	#$9001,(a6)

		move.w	#$9200,(a6)

		move.w	#$8B03,(a6)

		move.w	#$8720,(a6)

		clr.b	($FFFFF64E).w

		bsr.w	ClearScreen

		lea	($FFFFD000).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$7FF,d1



Title_ClrObjRam:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,Title_ClrObjRam; fill object RAM ($D000-$EFFF) with	$0



		move.l	#$40000000,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_JapNames).l,a0; load Japanese credits

		bsr.w	NemDec

		move.l	#$54C00000,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_CreditText).l,a0;	load alphabet

		bsr.w	NemDec

		lea	($FF0000).l,a1

		lea	(Eni_JapNames).l,a0; load mappings for	Japanese credits

		move.w	#0,d0

		bsr.w	EniDec

		lea	($FF0000).l,a1

		move.l	#$40000003,d0

		moveq	#$27,d1

		moveq	#$1B,d2

		bsr.w	ShowVDPGraphics

		lea	($FFFFFB80).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#$1F,d1



Title_ClrPallet:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,Title_ClrPallet; fill pallet with 0	(black)



		moveq	#3,d0; load Sonic's pallet

		bsr.w	PalLoad1

		move.b	#$8A,($FFFFD080).w; load "SONIC TEAM PRESENTS"	object

		jsr	ObjectsLoad

		jsr	BuildSprites

		bsr.w	Pal_FadeTo

		move	#$2700,sr

		move.l	#$40000001,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_TitleFg).l,a0; load title	screen patterns

		bsr.w	NemDec

		move.l	#$60000001,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_TitleSonic).l,a0;	load Sonic title screen	patterns

		bsr.w	NemDec

		move.l	#$62000002,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_TitleTM).l,a0; load "TM" patterns

		bsr.w	NemDec

		lea	($C00000).l,a6

		move.l	#$50000003,4(a6)

		lea	(Art_Text).l,a5

		move.w	#$28F,d1



Title_LoadText:

		move.w	(a5)+,(a6)

		dbf	d1,Title_LoadText; load uncompressed text patterns



		move.b	#0,($FFFFFE30).w; clear lamppost counter

		move.w	#0,($FFFFFE08).w; disable debug item placement	mode

		move.w	#0,($FFFFFFF0).w; disable debug mode

		move.w	#0,($FFFFFFEA).w

		move.w	#0,($FFFFFE10).w; set level to	GHZ (00)

		move.w	#0,($FFFFF634).w; disable pallet cycling

		bsr.w	LevelSizeLoad

		bsr.w	DeformBgLayer

		lea	($FFFFB000).w,a1

		lea	(Blk16_GHZ).l,a0; load	GHZ 16x16 mappings

		move.w	#0,d0

		bsr.w	EniDec

		lea	(Blk256_GHZ).l,a0; load GHZ 256x256 mappings

		lea	($FF0000).l,a1

		bsr.w	KosDec

		bsr.w	LevelLayoutLoad

		bsr.w	Pal_FadeFrom

		move	#$2700,sr

		bsr.w	ClearScreen

		lea	($C00004).l,a5

		lea	($C00000).l,a6

		lea	($FFFFF708).w,a3

		lea	($FFFFA440).w,a4

		move.w	#$6000,d2

		bsr.w	LoadTilesFromStart2

		lea	($FF0000).l,a1

		lea	(Eni_Title).l,a0; load	title screen mappings

		move.w	#0,d0

		bsr.w	EniDec

		lea	($FF0000).l,a1

		move.l	#$42060003,d0

		moveq	#$21,d1

		moveq	#$15,d2

		bsr.w	ShowVDPGraphics

		move.l	#$40000000,($C00004).l

		lea	(Nem_GHZ_1st).l,a0; load GHZ patterns

		bsr.w	NemDec

		moveq	#1,d0; load title screen pallet

		bsr.w	PalLoad1

		move.b	#$8A,d0; play title screen music

		bsr.w	PlaySound_Special

		move.b	#0,($FFFFFFFA).w; disable debug mode

		move.w	#$178,($FFFFF614).w; run title	screen for $178	frames

		lea	($FFFFD080).w,a1

		moveq	#0,d0

		move.w	#7,d1



Title_ClrObjRam2:

		move.l	d0,(a1)+

		dbf	d1,Title_ClrObjRam2



		move.b	#$E,($FFFFD040).w; load big Sonic object

		move.b	#$F,($FFFFD080).w; load "PRESS	START BUTTON" object

		move.b	#$F,($FFFFD0C0).w; load "TM" object

		move.b	#3,($FFFFD0DA).w

		move.b	#$F,($FFFFD100).w

		move.b	#2,($FFFFD11A).w

		jsr	ObjectsLoad

		bsr.w	DeformBgLayer

		jsr	BuildSprites

		moveq	#0,d0

		bsr.w	LoadPLC2

		move.w	#0,($FFFFFFE4).w

		move.w	#0,($FFFFFFE6).w

		move.w	($FFFFF60C).w,d0

		ori.b	#$40,d0

		move.w	d0,($C00004).l

		bsr.w	Pal_FadeTo



loc_317C:

		move.b	#4,($FFFFF62A).w

		bsr.w	DelayProgram

		jsr	ObjectsLoad

		bsr.w	DeformBgLayer

		jsr	BuildSprites

		bsr.w	PalCycle_Title

		bsr.w	RunPLC_RAM

		move.w	($FFFFD008).w,d0

		addq.w	#2,d0

		move.w	d0,($FFFFD008).w; move	Sonic to the right

		cmpi.w	#$1C00,d0; has Sonic object passed x-position $1C00?

		bcs.s	Title_ChkRegion; if not, branch

		move.b	#0,($FFFFF600).w; go to Sega screen

		rts	

; ===========================================================================



Title_ChkRegion:

		tst.b	($FFFFFFF8).w; check	if the machine is US or	Japanese

		bpl.s	Title_RegionJ; if Japanese, branch

		lea	(LevelSelectCode_US).l,a0; load US code

		bra.s	Title_EnterCheat

; ===========================================================================



Title_RegionJ:&#59; XREF: Title_ChkRegion

		lea	(LevelSelectCode_J).l,a0; load	J code



Title_EnterCheat:; XREF: Title_ChkRegion

		move.w	($FFFFFFE4).w,d0

		adda.w	d0,a0

		move.b	($FFFFF605).w,d0; get button press

		andi.b	#$F,d0; read only up/down/left/right buttons

		cmp.b	(a0),d0; does button press match the cheat code?

		bne.s	loc_3210; if not, branch

		addq.w	#1,($FFFFFFE4).w; next	button press

		tst.b	d0

		bne.s	Title_CountC

		lea	($FFFFFFE0).w,a0

		move.w	($FFFFFFE6).w,d1

		lsr.w	#1,d1

		andi.w	#3,d1

		beq.s	Title_PlayRing

		tst.b	($FFFFFFF8).w

		bpl.s	Title_PlayRing

		moveq	#1,d1

		move.b	d1,1(a0,d1.w)



Title_PlayRing:

		move.b	#1,(a0,d1.w); activate cheat

		move.b	#$B5,d0; play ring sound when code is entered

		bsr.w	PlaySound_Special

		bra.s	Title_CountC

; ===========================================================================



loc_3210:&#59; XREF: Title_EnterCheat

		tst.b	d0

		beq.s	Title_CountC

		cmpi.w	#9,($FFFFFFE4).w

		beq.s	Title_CountC

		move.w	#0,($FFFFFFE4).w



Title_CountC:

		move.b	($FFFFF605).w,d0

		andi.b	#$20,d0; is C button pressed?

		beq.s	loc_3230; if not, branch

		addq.w	#1,($FFFFFFE6).w; increment C button counter



loc_3230:

		tst.w	($FFFFF614).w

		beq.w	Demo

		andi.b	#$80,($FFFFF605).w; check if Start is pressed

		beq.w	loc_317C; if not, branch



Title_ChkLevSel:

		tst.b	($FFFFFFE0).w; check	if level select	code is	on

		beq.w	PlayLevel; if not, play level

		btst	#6,($FFFFF604).w; check if A is pressed

		beq.w	PlayLevel; if not, play level

		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

I tried porting some tiles from "Standard font.bin" in the Sonic 2 Xenowhirl Disassembly to the uncompressed "titlefor.bin" tileset, compressed it in the Nemesis format, used PlaneED to edit the Enigma mapping, and built the ROM. Had the same result! Now, I have some visual resources:





The molestered title screen





The ported tiles from Sonic 2 Final that were meant to be used in the title screen. The question is, how do you expand the cache to use the other tiles?

 

Sorry about the double-post, but I come with good news. Did you know that the TM mapping on the title screen had more free VRAM than the Title Screen foreground? So this is what I did to solve the problem:


1) create 384 bytes of padding


2) merge padding_s.bin and titletm_old.bin into titletm.bin


3) used tile molester to port the tiles I want to use


4) used SonMapEd to modify the TM sprite mapping


5) fix the "out of range" errors.


This was the outcome:

 

This is good to know.


A little hint when you want to increase the size of a graphic file, rather than using a padding file and merging it, you can duplicate tiles in sonmaped (edit>tiles>duplicate selected tiles). Sonmaped will increase the size of the file accordingly, then select the new tiles and in the options, choose edit>tiles>clear pixels of selected tiles. Just make sure to select tiles up to the last one, because the newly created tiles will be right after your selection.


The padding method is better if you know exactly how much room you want to add though.

 

Here's some footage of my hack. Introduced as my 100 Subs Special.

">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344">​

Like what you see so far? I'm going to update my previous version. I scrapped some parts of the layout made in the alpha, but I will pick up.

 

That seems pretty good for a beginner hack, the NIXED EDITION words look brilliant.


Good work, dude!

 

Its looks like an ok hack, got long ways to go though. The palatte on ghz I would recommend changing to somthing better. Its nice having after images, though because its not created by you theres nothing more to say on it. Same with the jump dash, all done by selbi so again nothing to say. The nixed edtion is ok, but maybe you could improve the text on it to really make it stand out. Sorry if I sound rude or harsh, I'll accept this is only a beginners hack. But I hope you improve and well, see what your imagination takes you really and have fun.

 

SamplingMastersNix's next step should be changing music and adding custom tracks to the game.

 

Let me guess, Camp Lazlo in Sonic 1 Title Theme? (Note my SSRG Genesis Music Thread Post)

 

You can use any track you want for title screen, the levels and the ending. It's up to you to choose a track you want.