Sonic 1 - Text Code Generator

Sonic 1 - Text Code Generator

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The Sonic 1 - Text Code Generator is a simple tool to generate any kind of Text into sprite mappings, which are used in Sonic 1, to give you the chance to add Title cards and anything by yourself. Version 2.5 supports Zone Title Cards, Credits Title Cards (Beta), an optimized tool to generate Sonic Team presents screens and Level Select text (Intermediate solution). I'm currently working on Level Select Text tool that saves the text right into the menutext.bin, but because it uses hex instead of sprite mappings, it's not that easy to program.


Ordos submission system:


Tool Name: Sonic 1 - Text Code Generator


Current build: v2.5 (Beta 3) [third public release]


OS: Only Windows with .NET Framework v3.0 or better (because it was written in Visual Basic 2008 / VB 9.0)


Author: Me (Selbi), Armada (even though he hasn't done anything yet )


Description:


Above.


Download


Sorry for the adversiment... if you can't read german, click on "schliessen". (I want to know how many people actually downloaded this program )


Mirrors (Note, some of them are probably broken or outdated):

• Sonic Sanctuary
  
• Retro Hack
  
• Sonic Retro
  

Some pictures:


This is the Zone Title Card generating window:





This is a with this tool generated Title Card (the palette has been only changed for this example):





And this is a with the Team name generating tool generated text (the name is just an example, I don't have a team name like this ):





Known issues and bugs:


- The program crashes here and there, sometimes for senseless reasons (unfixable bug).


- The program creates a settings file which either contains a 0 or 1. It does nothing but taking space on your hard drive (not really a bug, but something which is still in development).


I hope, you'll like it!


Please report any bugs, ideas etc.!!!

 

This is pretty awesome. Very useful!


It needs to be congratulated, because it will turn easy the work mainly for the people that doesn't have patience with this character format used in the title card. It will be essential for me. Great work!

 

Well, well, well!


I'm actually surprised; all I did was use SonMapED and that was VERY time consuming. :downs: With this I can see title card managment easier, so congratulations!

 

Thank you! I hope I will also get the Level Select Generating function to work, but for now, I will try to fix the bugs on the Credits Title Cards (like the "Under $80"-bug (read my Full Tutorial in the programm to know more))!

 

Hmm... It looks nice, but I wont use that, because I want to learn, how to hex myself. :downs:

 

No problem, I am not forcing anyone to use my program!


EDIT: But you should clean up your Title Cards for Sonic 1 SSRG with it, because you can learn it also later!


Double EDIT: Added a "not" to my text! (lol, I've forgotten it! xD)

 

A very usefull tool you've made there Selbi, I'll be using this when the time comes.

 

I've been getting a weird branch error when I use the code. The weirdest thing is....it's not a branch command nor is it an address from a branch command.


Here's the code your program generated for me:



byte_C9FE: dc.b $B ; GREEN HILL | SUMMER HILL
dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $3E, $A4 ;S


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $46, $B4 ;U


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $2A, $C4 ;M


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $2A, $D4 ;M


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $10, $E4 ;E


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $3A, $F4 ;R


dc.b $F8, 0, 0, $56, $4 ;Space


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $1C, $14 ;H


dc.b $F8, 1, 0, $20, $24 ;I


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $26, $2C ;L


dc.b $F8, 5, 0, $26, $3C ;L



This is the error:

Code:

Error 06052 : Branch Offset (-32776)out of range address

and here is line 32776:



tst.b 1(a0)



which has to do with object 75, or Eggman's ship. It builds fine before I copy the code though. It seems like I'm having no luck with anything to-day

 

This isn't related to the tool per se, namely the fact something is being inserted into the assembly and breaking a branch command. This guide might be useful for you.

 

Found this very useful, good job and thanks.

 

When are you releasing a new version selbi??? this utility is super useful!

 

As soon as possible of course. However, I'm not sure if I release it during the next month. I still have problems with some things...

 

I might be able to assist you with the level select text Selbi, PM me.

 

This is great! It generates the title cards very well, and saves a lot of time when doing it from scratch, the tedious and trial-and-error way. Looking forward to next releases!

 

Now over 6 month are gone since I released the program. Actually I was going to release a new version shortly after the old one. And what happened? A piece of SHIT! Story: I've been working on the program for nearly 3 month, then I had a big problem which seems like "IM A BUG AND IM BETER TAN YOU SKILS, N00B!!!1". This annoyed me so much, so the project got discontinued. However, about 2 weeks ago I started on it again and obviosly I fixed the bug (it wasn't hard at all...). And finally it's done:


Version 2.0 is here!


Grab it here:


http://selbi.se.funpic.de/s1tcg/


(If there is anyone who can create nice HTML pages, say it here)


Basically it's v1.5 with a few new features and bug fixes. But because I'm having now more than 1 Form for this version, I can't create an image based readme again (therefore I will do a Video or something). I hope you can live without pictures.


So, have fun and report bugs.

Spoiler

(AND CREDIT ME BITCHES!)

PS: First post here will be updated soon.

 

I can design nice CSS webpages, send me a PM if you really need examples, if you have a design idea then that helps too.


Also what's new in this version?

 

Oh I almost forgot:


It has 3 new basic features:

1. Now you have 4 different types (Level Title Cards, Credits Title Cards, Sonic Team Presents screen (which is basically credits) and Level Select Text)
   
2. Now you can pick these types in the first Window instead of having all of them in one single form
   
3. Couple of help dialogs have been added
   

And many, many bug fixes.


@Ollie: Can you also work with HTML? Of cousre I have no problem with your idea, but I only understand HTML - never done anything in CSS. This would make it easier for me to do small changes you know.

 

Trust me, it's much more beneficial, I don't know of any sites that are sure HTML these days. It's like an include file that contains all the colours/style of the website. You'll be able to add text/links/pictures/etc using HTML tags.

 

Oh really? Well then, you may do it. But please, pure programming, no pictures.

 

Sure, I'll keep it as light weigh as possible then, do you have any design ideas? Colour Scheme, Layout, etc? Might speed up the process a bit, I'm on Holiday tomorrow for a week so it'll have to be after that.