Author Topic: Back from the Dead, looking for spare time project (Read 6680 times)

Disch · « **on:** March 10, 2014, 10:46:35 pm »

Hey everyone. I've been gone from the scene for maybe 5-6 years now (or longer?) I don't know how many remember me, or how many people I knew are even still around. But it's good to see the scene is still alive and well! Or maybe lots of you don't even have a clue who I am/was. That's fine.

Anyway, I left the scene because of work. It's been kicking my ass. But now I'm trying to come back for the same reason. I come home from work and I'm tired of my usual projects. So I figure I'd look for something not overly difficult to do... yet still fun and puzzle-solving-ish.

Basically I want to make a level editor for a game. Preferably an NES game. Preferably one which doesn't already have its level format documented. I'm open to any and all suggestions as long as the game doesn't totally suck.

SNES is a possibility... but I probably won't have the required stick-to-it-iveness to work on a SNES game. NES should be no problem since I know the system inside and out.

So please give your suggestions in this thread. I'll entertain any NES/FC/FDS game that doesn't suck and doesn't already have an editor (or one that only has really crappy outdated editors).

Pennywise · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2014, 11:07:27 pm »

It's kind of hard to forget you when I'm always using you mapper docs as a reference. Welcome back.

Anyhow, Vice Project Doom has the reputation of being a really cool and awesome action game. Perhaps even worthy enough of a level editor.

There's also Conquest of the Crystal Palace which I think is a really underrated game.

Gideon Zhi · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2014, 11:18:35 pm »

Quote from: Disch on March 10, 2014, 10:46:35 pm

Basically I want to make a level editor for a game. Preferably an NES game. Preferably one which doesn't already have its level format documented. I'm open to any and all suggestions as long as the game doesn't totally suck.

Arkista's Ring is the one I've always suggested to people looking to get (back) into the swing of things. It's a really simple (note: not "easy", just simple) action game for the NES, vaguely Zelda-reminiscent but more action/arcadey. The game's always had a weird charm for me. I don't think I'd do anything with a level editor if one was made, but the game's cute and simple enough that the formats would hopefully not pose too much difficulty.

Also,

Quote

<Pennywise> Disch is back
<qeed> why isnt he on irc

Piotyr · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2014, 11:36:55 pm »

I remember your avatar does that count?

BRPXQZME · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2014, 12:50:48 am »

He is risen.

Disch · « **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2014, 01:52:32 am »

Good suggestions so far.

Also I just thought that maybe it wouldn't even have to be a level editor. What about a music editor? You don't see a lot of those.

@ the IRC thing. I forgot all about IRC. I might pop in later, but that's kind of a distraction. =P

EDIT: actually... yeah... the more I think about it the more I like a music editor idea. Are there any that exist?

EDIT 2: SNES is on the table for music editing. I know the SPC system really well, and it'd be easy to decipher music data when it's already isolated from the rest of the ROM.

JCE3000GT · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2014, 02:34:31 am »

Welcome back Disch! Hope life treated you well enough the past few years.

Vanya · « **Reply #7 on:** March 11, 2014, 06:40:15 am »

Better level editors for CV1 & CV3 would be great though they are half way out of your criteria.
Sure there is Stake and ReVamp, but neither lets you change the room order or scrolling data or whatever those games use.
Being able to really change how levels are arranged in those two games would allow for some much better hacks.
There is only so much you can do with TSA editing alone.

Grond · « **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2014, 11:16:08 am »

Yo Disch! Good to see you show up on the RH scene again (though I've hardly ever been part of it myself, always sort of lurking at the edge).

You want to make an editor, eh... my first instinct is to suggest that you add a music editor to FF Hackster, but you'd probably find it boring and tedious revisiting that game, whereas I can't keep away from it (even though I'm not working with it at the moment; rather I'm doing a FF Tactics hack).

Hmm... I'm trying to think of decent NES games that don't seem to have editors yet. How about Dragon Warrior III or IV, Battletoads, TMNT II, DuckTales, Little Nemo, Willow, Ninja Gaiden II, Clash at Demonhead, Wizards & Warriors I or II?

If you decide to go SNES, what about one of the Castlevanias? I don't think they have any editors. It would be cool if that 'Dracula X' game could be made into something closer to Rondo of Blood. Super CV IV is more deserving of an editor, though, and would probably inspire better hacks.

Well, whatever you decide to do, just try to have fun with it and don't stress over it

Disch · « **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2014, 01:54:22 pm »

Thanks, thanks. Getting stressed over a hobby project is not likely with me. =P I have enough stress with work and stuff.. the hobby project is to reduce stress!

That said... Clash at Demonhead is probably my fav of the suggestions so far as far as level editors go. But that game was kind of weird.

I'm really leaning more towards just making a music editor for a game. That'd be something simpler to start with, and it's something I don't really see a lot of.

So let me rephrase my question:

- What is a popular (for hacking) NES/SNES game that doesn't have a music editor?

I've been gone so long I don't know what games are hip with the kids these days. Last I can remember everyone and their sister was making Megaman 2&3 hacks.

Griever · « **Reply #10 on:** March 11, 2014, 02:00:30 pm »

Kirby's Adventure - LZ/RLE combined scheme with a few variations algo

Disch · « **Reply #11 on:** March 11, 2014, 02:06:01 pm »

I distinctly remember writing a de/re-compressor for Kirby. I think MathOnNapkins was also using it for his Link to the Past editor. I forget the name.... 'Compresch'?

I guess putting that in a level editor for Kirby is do-able.

Celice · « **Reply #12 on:** March 11, 2014, 06:39:42 pm »

make FF3Hackster edit levels and events :p

For real though, it's just cool to see you pop up again. Whatever you end up doing, I'll be interested in!

Disch · « **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2014, 07:13:10 pm »

Thanks Celice.

I wonder how difficult it would be to make some kind of generic music editor for SNES games that uses something like xml (or json, or some other external text file) for the game-specific details.

Maybe that's a little ambitious... but I guess it depends on how many similarities I can find between different games. I'll have to start with 1 or 2 and see.

So what are some SNES games everyone cares about? Is SMW still huge? Maybe that + FF6?

Gideon Zhi · « **Reply #14 on:** March 11, 2014, 10:23:57 pm »

Quote from: Celice on March 11, 2014, 06:39:42 pm

For real though, it's just cool to see you pop up again. Whatever you end up doing, I'll be interested in!

This. Totally this.

In the meantime, any chance you'd offer to get NotsoFatso integrated into XBMC and open the door for more emulated sound formats (spc, psf) in the process?

JCE3000GT · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2014, 10:48:10 pm »

Quote from: Disch on March 11, 2014, 07:13:10 pm

Thanks Celice.

I wonder how difficult it would be to make some kind of generic music editor for SNES games that uses something like xml (or json, or some other external text file) for the game-specific details.

Maybe that's a little ambitious... but I guess it depends on how many similarities I can find between different games. I'll have to start with 1 or 2 and see.

So what are some SNES games everyone cares about? Is SMW still huge? Maybe that + FF6?

Super Mario World and Final Fantasy 6 are still huge, however both of which now have utilities that can pretty much do anything including import/convert music using the MML (music macro language) format. Though, if you wanted to improve upon the music editing scene for these games it would be greatly appreciated by both communities for sure. I can only speak for myself, but, importing songs the old fashioned way (hex editor FTW!) in FF6 is time consuming and the MML option isn't perfect (having to alter and convert MIDIs to MML).

If you're looking for an SNES game to do that would be good to do, Final Fantasy V is needing some love at the moment. I've got some information for that version of the Square SPC core which shares with Seiken Densetsu 2 and Mystic Quest but it isn't complete by and means and it is the last SNES Final Fantasy that isn't well documented with various tools/utilities present.

At any rate I'm super excited to see you back in the scene, I only we could of finished FFTribute.

Disch · « **Reply #16 on:** March 12, 2014, 12:27:52 am »

JCE:

Thanks. It sounds like those would be poor ones to start with then.

FF5 & SoM are a good place to start. I'll probably do that then. I certainly welcome any info you have on the music format.

@ Gideon:

The odds of me ever making another player plugin are slim to none. =( Sorry.

bailli · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2014, 06:43:37 am »

For SoM have a look at this: http://somedit.blogspot.de/2013/07/music-stuff.html

Disch · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2014, 05:59:20 pm »

It seems like there's more tools than I thought for editing in-game music. Though they all seem to be midi/mml/etc importers, rather than interactive editors.

I wonder how well an interactive editor would go over?

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I have what I need to continue with this.

JCE3000GT · « **Reply #19 on:** March 12, 2014, 07:34:44 pm »

Quote from: Disch on March 12, 2014, 05:59:20 pm

It seems like there's more tools than I thought for editing in-game music. Though they all seem to be midi/mml/etc importers, rather than interactive editors.

I wonder how well an interactive editor would go over?

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I have what I need to continue with this.

So were you thinking more of an SPC "tracker" similar to mod/it tracker? If so would you still incorporate an import feature? Not just import midi/mod/it/s3m/etc but other SPC raw sequences as well?