Super Metroid/SMILE Help Thread

2009-08-01 02:22:03 pm

I suggest you patch it to an unedited ROM, then patch your repointed stuff over it. For some reason, that patch contains the original data for a few rooms such as the landing site, so by applying it and then your stuff over it, you'd avoid any problems that could arise from rooms being reset.

SleepingSeaweed

2009-08-01 02:31:58 pm

No worries, I'm starting from scratch. But that's some good info to have in the same place as the patch.

Arva

2009-08-01 06:29:29 pm

QI[9]IQ

This is a nice idea.

Arva

2009-08-01 10:53:11 pm

QI[9]IQ

Quote from Acheron86:

You can always change room dimensions without changing the level data used. However, I wouldn't necessarily trust the counter for that room. SMILE determines how much space is left based on a text file in the files folder (level_entries.txt). It's not always right, because that's a user-compiled list. If you have a stupid amount of free space showing up, it's probably not safe to use more than the room already uses. Far wiser to just repoint the level data to free space, such as an expanded bank.

A quick look at that room shows that there is data stored immediately after the original $9B bytes the room uses. I don't know what that stuff is for or if it's important, but if you edit it, be aware that you're changing unknown stuff.

I see. That room is fine 1x1 anyways so I'll just leave it like that. But if i ought to expand a room by repointing it to, say a new created bank at the end of the file, how do I determine the size of the room and how big can it be? Could I make it for example 9x8/16384 in size?

[quote="Acheron86"]
You can always change room dimensions without changing the level data used. However, I wouldn't necessarily trust the counter for that room. SMILE determines how much space is left based on a text file in the files folder (level_entries.txt). It's not always right, because that's a user-compiled list. If you have a stupid amount of free space showing up, it's probably not safe to use more than the room already uses. Far wiser to just repoint the level data to free space, such as an expanded bank.

A quick look at that room shows that there is data stored immediately after the original $9B bytes the room uses. I don't know what that stuff is for or if it's important, but if you edit it, be aware that you're changing unknown stuff.
[/quote]

I see. That room is fine 1x1 anyways so I'll just leave it like that. But if i ought to expand a room by repointing it to, say a new created bank at the end of the file, how do I determine the size of the room and how big can it be? Could I make it for example 9x8/16384 in size?

Acheron

2009-08-02 01:20:59 am

Acclaimed Threshold

Constant Sorrows

Rooms cannot be more than 51 screens large, and you can't have more than 15 screens per dimension. So 9x8 wouldn't work because that'd be 72 screens.

As for how much you'd have it take up, the sky's the limit, I think. There might be a hardcoded limit of something like 8000-ish bytes in a room? Maybe? Just be sure to add the location you pointed the room to into Smile's level_entries.txt file (located in the files folder). If you repoint a room to start at $E08000 (300000 in hex) you would need to add 300000 to the list. Also note that the last room in the list will not show a correct number of tiles available--this shouldn't be a problem if you add every new repointed room to the list, unless you put non-level data into the rom near your repointed level data.

Some of that is probably not going to make sense. Just be sure to use backups and mess around; it will be easier to understand with practice.

Kejardon

2009-08-02 04:05:36 am

Embarrasing Fact: Power suit made by lowest bidder

I'm sure you mean 50 screens, not 51.
There is no hardcoded limit on room tile data size, actually. Nor is there an issue with bank boundaries. The decompression routine works 1 byte at a time and properly adjusts by 8000 when it overflows reading into a new bank. You can have it span 3 banks and it will load fine.
Not that there is any good reason to have a room that spans 3 banks.

Quietus

2009-08-02 09:14:03 am

Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!

Possibly an entire hack in a single room. Yay for no transitions! Razz

Acheron

2009-08-02 12:19:56 pm

Acclaimed Threshold

Constant Sorrows

Quote from Kejardon:

I'm sure you mean 50 screens, not 51.

Technically, I've been told the engine can handle 51, there's just no way to actually have 51 screens in a room. So, yeah, effectively it's 50 either way.

I actually thought you were the one who said 51, but it must've been someone else. Hmm.

Kejardon

2009-08-02 05:00:29 pm

Embarrasing Fact: Power suit made by lowest bidder

50 rooms is the max the engine can handle, due to RAM constraints.

Cardweaver

2009-08-02 06:43:51 pm

While we're on the subject, is there a height/length limit? Could I have a 50 x 1 or 1 x 50 room?

MoogleEmperor

2009-08-02 06:49:46 pm

Quote from Acheron86:

...and you can't have more than 15 screens per dimension.

Deep_Space_Observer

2009-08-02 07:08:59 pm

Top nybble gets chopped off, so while it's possible to set the room dimensions in a hex editor (I made a functioning 1x25 room with nothing but air blocks), the room tilemap will always mess up past 15 screens. Fixing the game coding that does this would not solve the problem, as then you'd have to get Jathys to make SMILE compatible with it as well.

54747908563

2009-08-03 07:58:49 am

Is there any way to hack samus' sprites (hack other character) with smile?

Quietus

2009-08-03 08:37:05 am

Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!

Most of them, including Samus's different gaming poses / movements can be found if you open the ROM in Tile Layer Pro.

Editing the enemies isn't so bad, but editing Samus is a big task, so good luck if you start that! aiwebs_011

Acheron

2009-08-03 08:45:26 pm

Acclaimed Threshold

Constant Sorrows

Quote from Deep_Space_Observer:

Top nybble gets chopped off, so while it's possible to set the room dimensions in a hex editor (I made a functioning 1x25 room with nothing but air blocks), the room tilemap will always mess up past 15 screens. Fixing the game coding that does this would not solve the problem, as then you'd have to get Jathys to make SMILE compatible with it as well.

Technically, you could probably use some sort of teleporting PLMs to create the effective of a room larger than it is. :)

Ebithio

2009-08-06 03:52:22 pm

How would I edit the Item messages? Is it possible in SMILE or would I have to use tlp (or hex Shocked

)

Quietus

2009-08-06 07:40:14 pm

Super Secret Area - Dead Ahead!

You can see how you get on with this.

Any further questions, AFTER reading that guide, then you could try PMing Grime, as he's recently been working on it.

Cardweaver

Edit history:

Cardweaver: 2009-08-07 03:52:56 pm

2009-08-07 02:51:14 am

These should be useful:
Enemy Projectile Header Locations for Unheadered Roms

Thanks to DSO for helping me get started and to Kejardon and his doc for helping me understand what I was looking at.

(If the name I normally use wasn't self-explanatory I used SMILE's names)

Saboten
-x35AFE (cactus spike attack)

Polyp
-x33D5A (volcanic rocks)

Dragon
-x335CB (spit attack)

Metal Skree
-x30BFA (All 4 are the individual rocks when it dives into the ground)
-x30C08
-x30C16
-x30C24

Skree
-x30BC2 (All 4 are the individual rocks when it dives into the ground)
-x30BD0
-x30BDE
-x30BEC

Crocomire
-x30F8F (spit attack)
-x310C1 (pieces of the spike wall when he breaks it)

Draygon
-x30E50 (gunk that sticks to you)
-x30E5E (green spark that fires from walls)

MiniKraid
-x31DBE (belly spikes)
-x31DB0 (rocks he spits at you)

Kraid
-x31C61 (big rocks from earthquake)
-x31C6F (little rocks from earthquake)
-x31C45 (big rocks that he spits at you)
-x31C53 (big rocks from crumbling ceiling)

Phantoon
-x31C37 (fireballs in the beginning)
-x31C29 (fireballs during the fight)

Fune
-x35FCA (fireballs)

Nami
-x35FBC (fireballs)

Kago
-x3502E (bugs)

Lavaman
-x360E0 (lava throw)

Puu
-x35298 (explosion of spines after killed)

Robo
-x352C2 (both are for beam attack)
-x352DE

Ndra
-x31E90 (spit attack)

Sparks
-x37498 (falling sparks)

Hachi1/Hachi2
-x34F18 (both are for spit attack and both enemies)
-x34F26

Bomb Torizo
-x32D5E (orb attack)
-x32EA8 (wave attack)

Golden Torizo
-x32D7A (orb attack)
-x32EB6 (wave attack)

Botwoon
-x36C48 (green spit attack)

Norfair Ninja Pirates
-x32189 (metal throw attack)

These should be useful: 
Enemy Projectile Header Locations for Unheadered Roms

Thanks to DSO for helping me get started and to Kejardon and [url=http://jathys.zophar.net/supermetroid/kejardon/ERProjectiles.txt]his doc[/url] for helping me understand what I was looking at.

(If the name I normally use wasn't self-explanatory I used SMILE's names)

[spoiler]
Saboten 
-x35AFE (cactus spike attack)

Polyp 
-x33D5A (volcanic rocks)

Dragon 
-x335CB (spit attack)

Metal Skree 
-x30BFA (All 4 are the individual rocks when it dives into the ground)
-x30C08
-x30C16
-x30C24

Skree 
-x30BC2 (All 4 are the individual rocks when it dives into the ground)
-x30BD0
-x30BDE
-x30BEC

Crocomire 
-x30F8F (spit attack)
-x310C1 (pieces of the spike wall when he breaks it)

Draygon 
-x30E50 (gunk that sticks to you)
-x30E5E (green spark that fires from walls)

MiniKraid 
-x31DBE (belly spikes)
-x31DB0 (rocks he spits at you)

Kraid 
-x31C61 (big rocks from earthquake)
-x31C6F (little rocks from earthquake)
-x31C45 (big rocks that he spits at you)
-x31C53 (big rocks from crumbling ceiling)

Phantoon 
-x31C37 (fireballs in the beginning)
-x31C29 (fireballs during the fight)

Fune 
-x35FCA (fireballs)

Nami 
-x35FBC (fireballs)

Kago 
-x3502E (bugs)

Lavaman 
-x360E0 (lava throw)

Puu 
-x35298 (explosion of spines after killed)

Robo 
-x352C2 (both are for beam attack)
-x352DE

Ndra 
-x31E90 (spit attack)

Sparks
-x37498 (falling sparks)

Hachi1/Hachi2 
-x34F18 (both are for spit attack and both enemies)
-x34F26

Bomb Torizo 
-x32D5E (orb attack)
-x32EA8 (wave attack)

Golden Torizo 
-x32D7A (orb attack)
-x32EB6 (wave attack)

Botwoon
-x36C48 (green spit attack)

Norfair Ninja Pirates
-x32189 (metal throw attack)[/spoiler]

Arva

2009-08-07 11:58:31 am

QI[9]IQ

I think I'm pretty stuck with trying to change the spy cameras activation to be connecterd with something else than morph ball. Is this possible and if so, how?

CaptainCrunk

2009-08-07 02:40:23 pm

Rick Roll'd Metroid2002

Quote from Arva:

I think I'm pretty stuck with trying to change the spy cameras activation to be connecterd with something else than morph ball. Is this possible and if so, how?

That's probably ASM related.

My problem was, after applying some common IPS patches and expanding the ROM, SMILE says I have a negative cap when repointing the level data. Confused

should I just ignore that and just pay attention where I'm pointing data to in a hex editor?

JAM

Edit history:

JAM: 2009-08-07 03:52:25 pm

2009-08-07 03:05:25 pm

I want to replace blackness with transparency in weapon panel at the top of the screen (where energy tanks, missiles etc.) in Super Metroid to make visible two upper lines of the screen. What should I do?

Quote from Quietus:

You can see how you get on with this.

I've also read this guide, but there are only pointers for message boxes, not for weapon panel. I think, they are in same bank (85) because it uses the same graphic tiles.

And second question. Is it possible to force eye enemy harm you? I've set damage in SMILE, and change some enemy AI's, but it has no effect.

Deep_Space_Observer

2009-08-07 04:49:58 pm

Quote from JAM:

I want to replace blackness with transparency in weapon panel at the top of the screen (where energy tanks, missiles etc.) in Super Metroid to make visible two upper lines of the screen. What should I do?

Quote from Quietus:

You can see how you get on with this.

I've also read this guide, but there are only pointers for message boxes, not for weapon panel. I think, they are in same bank (85) because it uses the same graphic tiles.

And second question. Is it possible to force eye enemy harm you? I've set damage in SMILE, and change some enemy AI's, but it has no effect.

Not a good idea, the top line of tiles behind the HUD is not updated, so it repeats the tiles that are on the bottom of the screen until they are fully onscreen. Here's an example pic where I stuck layer3 under the other layers.

As for the second question, you'd probably have to rewrite or add something to the AI of the enemy.

[quote="JAM"]
I want to replace blackness with transparency in weapon panel at the top of the screen (where energy tanks, missiles etc.) in Super Metroid to make visible two upper lines of the screen. What should I do?

[quote="Quietus"]
You can see how you get on with [url=http://metroidconstruction.com/MessageBoxGuide.txt]this[/url].
[/quote]
I've also read this guide, but there are only pointers for message boxes, not for weapon panel. I think, they are in same bank (85) because it uses the same graphic tiles.

And second question. Is it possible to force eye enemy harm you? I've set damage in SMILE, and change some enemy AI's, but it has no effect. 
[/quote]

Not a good idea, the top line of tiles behind the HUD is not updated, so it repeats the tiles that are on the bottom of the screen until they are fully onscreen. Here's an example pic where I stuck layer3 under the other layers.

[img]http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii113/Deep_Space_Observer/Event000.png[/img]

As for the second question, you'd probably have to rewrite or add something to the AI of the enemy.

JAM

2009-08-08 07:37:52 pm

Quote from CaptainCrunk:

My problem was, after applying some common IPS patches and expanding the ROM, SMILE says I have a negative cap when repointing the level data. Confused

should I just ignore that and just pay attention where I'm pointing data to in a hex editor?

You better should use hex editor. If there are only free space (FF's to the end of file), it's ok.

And second, are you sure that you pointing to the right place? If you want to point to 300000, then you should write E08000 in the "Level Data", not 300000. Just in case, if you don't know.

Quote from Deep_Space_Observer:

the top line of tiles behind the HUD is not updated, so it repeats the tiles that are on the bottom of the screen until they are fully onscreen.

You're right. I've used Game Genie code 108F-40DD to remove Layer 3 and got the same effect

radicaldreamer121

(user is banned)

2009-08-09 03:46:30 pm

Hello Metroid fans!. I've been designing a super metroid hack for about 2/3 weeks but I'm still in the early stages of mastering SMILE. I'm trying to increase the memory capacity of more than one room; I can expand the capacity of say the landing site (LS) room, but when I try to do it for the next room left of LS and save, it becomes all messed up and I can't reverse it. Any advice would be welcoming, thanks.

Thane

2009-08-09 04:49:22 pm

^/_\^

I recently got a new computer and I am using my 32-inch TV as my monitor.
For some reason because of this smile doesn't give me any other options other then loading the rom.
My resolution is 1024/768 because that is the only format supported by my TV.

Is there any way to fix this?

attachment:

smile error.png