[RHDNBot]

Update By: SnarfBlam

With all due respect to the impressive and long-time defacto standard, Metedit, a new Metroid (NES) editor is well under development and will probably be released some time in September.

This new editor, titled “Editroid”, supports editing screens, as well as editing the structures that screens are made out of, and the combos that structures are made out of. Editroid supports palette editing as well (including secondary palettes for the levels that have them). The text at the title screen can be edited for a custom by-line. There is also a feature to preview the “physics” of a screen. Editroid also supports some features to simplify creating a world, including the option to append map data to the ROM file, view a map of the world, a section of the world, or a specific level, and even create back-ups.

For die-hard hackers, there is a pointer conversion utility and the “Pointer Explorer,” which allows you to find the offsets of game data. And for DotNet developers Editroid doubles as a DotNet library that can be used to dissect the ROM.

Unfortunately, Editroid does not support item editing and has some compatability issues with Metedit that can be worked around.

Those interested in testing can e-mail snarfblam@gmail.com with relevant hacking/programming/testing experience. Those who would like to be notified by e-mail of the release of Editroid, or who just have a question or comment, can also e-mail snarfblam@gmail.com.

Relevant Link: (http://ilab.ahemm.org/editroid/preview/)

[Dragonsbrethren]

This sounds like it'll be awesome, MetEdit's biggest flaw is its lack of being able to add/remove objects from a screen. No mention if it'll be able to handle the items though, for those who've never worked with the game, Metroid stores every item on a row of an area as a single byte which makes it a pain to rearrange them. Of course, all of that can be overcome with a bit of hex editing, but it's always better if you can do everything you want in the editor.

[snarfblam]

Editroid currently can't add/remove objects from rooms. Adding new objects would require expanding the ROM and fixing a whole lot of pointers. A more likely implementation in the future might be the ability to add and remove items from rooms without exceeding the original total data size for each level (meaning you would not be able to add more than you have previously removed), but such a feature won't be present in the first release (maybe 1.1). To reiterate the news post, Editroid does not support item editing. If you are familiar with the format for item data and would like to see item editing in future versions (and you name in the credits), by all means, email me (snarfblam@gmail.com) with the info. I've deciphered 90% of the item data, but without the last 10% it is useless.

A quick comparison of Metedit/Editroid features:
Enemy editing:
    Metedit (can't change if enemies respawn)
    Editroid
Password encoder/decoder:
    Metedit
Item editing:
    Metedit (partial support)
Palette editing:
    Metedit (partial support)
    Editroid (all level palettes)
Structure/combo editing, map creator, physics preview, title text editor:
    Editroid

[Videodrone]

YES

I've been waiting for a new Metroid editor for so long now.

I'm no rom hacker so I hope this program will evolve into something more user friendly for us people who just want to edit Metroid with more freedom than MetEdit allowed on its own (which was almost nothing really).

[snarfblam]

Most aspects of the editor will be pretty straightforward, but you need some level of understanding as far as the game's map system is involved. Also, you will probably encounter some seemingly inexplicable limitations due to the format of data in the Metroid ROM, and editing items and password data (these features have been added to Editroid since the original post) will probably require a slightly deeper understanding of the game's internals. Perhaps I will write a guide at some point.

Also, as a result of a handful of new features being added, the first release is more likely going to be in October, rather than September.

[Panzer88]

but say a Metedit veteran would have no problem picking it up. (not saying they are the same, just that you would have the required knowlege of the game structure)

[snarfblam]

I think a Metedit veteran would have a very easy time picking it up. The main window of Editroid is basically Metedit's main window and map editor tacked together. There are some differences in the details. The biggest difference is in how the special editors (palette/item/others) work. If you've tried to use Metedit's item editor, though, you will probably appreciate Editroid's. It's more complicated but can do alot more.

[Panzer88]

more features is always better, it allows for more diversity and creativity in hacks.

[Googie]

This is pretty cool, I've always wanted to hack Metroid since 2004 back in the Tek Hacks days. Thanks for the heads up. 

[Panzer88]

"back" in 2004? wow, I feel old. and I'm not even old!

[Dude Man]

SnarfBlam, if this editor is anything as good as you say, I will implant a slew of female organs and have your babies. You have no idea how hard is was making metgen with metedits limitations. It was like sticking my face on a hot stove, or drinking out of the toilet. I'll be sure to shoot you an email.

[snarfblam]

SnarfBlam, if this editor is anything as good as you say, I will implant a slew of female organs and have your babies.

So, um, yeah. Do remember, though, that we are editing a ROM and it comes with certain built in limitations, and these can be magnified when you are working with a GUI instead of a hex editor. This will become most apparent in the Item Editor and the Structure Editor (though I do expect to have a second release with improvements later down the road), so don't throw your hex editor out just yet. I'm not saying Editroid is full of fail and aids, but don't think it is the Jesus Christ of level editors.