For the Frog the Bell Tolls DX (WIP)

[toruzz]

Out of curiosity, any idea how much larger than the original the colorized ROM would be?

Oops, sorry, I forgot to answer this question. I expanded the ROM to 1MB (the original was 512KB).

^ This, to everyone suggesting two different patches. No$ also has an option to simulate real GBC colors, and a lot of other emulators at least have options to change brightness/gamma.

Although, as someone else mentioned, there were a few games that did adjust the brightness of the palette if you were playing on a GBA. The Zelda Oracle games and Shantae did.

Yep, that was what I concluded. I suppose I could make two palettes and select the correct one depending on the system, but it's a huge task and I don't really think it's worth the time.

This is how it looks with BGB's standard colors vs BGB's emulated colors:


And this is how it looks on the actual unmodded GBC screen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5CrPSQywr4

I spent a lot of time on this topic and I think everything looks just as it is supposed to now, so I'm not going to call my color choices into question until the beta testing. Speaking of which, this is more or less how I want the overworld map to look (finished parts in blue):


As you can see there are four main areas: Brown Sugar Island, Meringue Glacier, Mt. Pudding and a few places at the bottom. I wanted Éclair Castle to be all shiny and palatial and quite the oposite with Mt. Bavarian. This makes sense because of the game graphics and because of the original artwork. So in short I'm trying to reflect the differences between areas with the palettes, I hope you all like this 

[subeng]

Holy Molly Shake!!? 

Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru DX !????

l had multiple light orgasms while reading through this topic so had to constantly changing pants. 

[jink640]

l had multiple light orgasms while reading through this topic so had to constantly changing pants. 

My first time at this forum in weeks and this is what I come back to...

[Asaki]

I suppose I could make two palettes and select the correct one depending on the system, but it's a huge task and I don't really think it's worth the time.

I agree.

I assume that the official games just automatically apply a brightness setting to every color, but still, probably not worth the time.

I think most GBC games look fine emulated without LCD colors. Also, they look the same way on an AGS-101.

[toruzz]

This is getting stupidly laborious!



Here is another update video: https://youtu.be/YDQPOaCMCl4

[Scapetti]

This is getting stupidly laborious!



Here is another update video: https://youtu.be/YDQPOaCMCl4

Progress is looking great! Do make sure that the characters colours are accurate to the instruction manual etc. though. Mandola for example I believe is meant to have black hair. She looks a little odd with the blonde you have there

Edit: Noticed you're calling it For the Frog the Bell Tolls DX which is the name of the fan translation... might I suggest calling it The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls DX as it is now translated by Nintendo officially (source: https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAABnUYoByIR5hQ ) and to better parody the title of the novel by Ernest Hemingway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Whom_the_Bell_Tolls

[toruzz]

Progress is looking great! Do make sure that the characters colours are accurate to the instruction manual etc. though. Mandola for example I believe is meant to have black hair. She looks a little odd with the blonde you have there

Edit: Noticed you're calling it For the Frog the Bell Tolls DX which is the name of the fan translation... might I suggest calling it The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls DX as it is now translated by Nintendo officially (source: https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAABnUYoByIR5hQ ) and to better parody the title of the novel by Ernest Hemingway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Whom_the_Bell_Tolls

Thank you! Rest assured, I'm using the Instruction Manual as a source and Mandola is blonde.

Regarding the title, I was using the japanese one at first, but started using FtFtBTDX as that's what everyone was calling it. I don't know what I'm going to do regarding the English version yet, but for the time being I'll just use what people recognise the most.

By the way, I uploaded an update video a couple of days ago (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSX6SzLrXD0) and another comparison video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNaSz-vWmDQ).

Oh, and this is how the previous picture looks by now:

[ArkthePieKing]

This is just...amazing. Really, standing ovation (even though I'm still sitting in my chair). If I may give my personal preference, for the middle, young girl I think I prefer the previous backround you had there, with the white hearts. I thought it was a better artistic direction and it makes them sort of 'pop' more. Just my two cents!

Either way this is one of the coolest hacks I've seen to date.

[ShadowOne333]

Just saw the recently posted videos.
Damn, toruzz, you really have something special in there.

It really is amazing how the hack is turning out, and it seems like you are almost there!
can't wait to play it!

[TheCardiganKing]

toruzz, just want to say that there are a lot of people anticipating this project for sure. I remember seeing the original color mock ups that you did and I was completely stoked!  Thank you for all of your hard work so far. We're looking forward to the finished product!

[Scapetti]

Thank you! Rest assured, I'm using the Instruction Manual as a source and Mandola is blonde.

Oh is that hair? My bad, and I just checked the original black and white version too, definitely not black. Hmm... it does still look a little odd though... but I can't put my finger on it, maybe she would look better with a paler skin tone, for the contrast. This is the thing I guess, they knew it would be black and white so they didn't have to think about things like that, I think they even changed the princess' hair colour in the game compared with the cover art? You may have to take some creative liberties here, also to work with the story

[Midna]

Yeah, Tiramisu is blonde on the box art. I'm not sure why they changed that in-game.

[toruzz]

Thank you guys, I really appreciate your kind words 

Oh is that hair? My bad, and I just checked the original black and white version too, definitely not black. Hmm... it does still look a little odd though... but I can't put my finger on it, maybe she would look better with a paler skin tone, for the contrast. This is the thing I guess, they knew it would be black and white so they didn't have to think about things like that, I think they even changed the princess' hair colour in the game compared with the cover art? You may have to take some creative liberties here, also to work with the story

Keep in mind that there are a lot of color limitations. I used the same color for the skin shadow and the hair, and the skin can't be very different or it would look weird.

Yeah, Tiramisu is blonde on the box art. I'm not sure why they changed that in-game.

It is weird to have a brunette Tiramisu and a blonde Madeline and the opposite on the manual, but I have to be coherent with the game. It almost looks like they swapped the graphics by mistake...

On a different note, the overworld is almost done! I'll show it to you guys soon enough

EDIT: By the way, I'm looking for an artist to help me with a couple of drawings for the splash screen and the "not compatible" screen.
I made one that I really liked based on this artwork, but unfortunately the author didn't answer me when I contacted him to ask for permission. It looked like this:



I'd also need help with the SGB border, ideally a drawing of the island in the same fashion as Link's Awakening. Worst case scenario I can use the one I made:

[Midna]

Hmm... the grammar on that splash screen is technically right (mostly) but it's still bugging me. Doesn't feel right. Maybe something more like:

"This is a fan-made ROM hack. It is neither endorsed nor affiliated by Nintendo, and it should not be sold. Please support this game and other Nintendo series!"

(I understand space is an issue...)

[MegaManJuno]

Something more like this maybe..?

"This fan-made, free hack is not affiliated with nor endorsed by Nintendo."

[toruzz]

Actually it sounded a bit weird to me too 

Thanks guys, I'll change it.

[njosro]

I just noticed this thread now. This is amazing work! Can't wait!

[releasethedogs]

I'd also need help with the SGB border, ideally a drawing of the island in the same fashion as Link's Awakening. Worst case scenario I can use the one I made:

What! I asked about this in the general hacking forum and was told adding a SGB border is not possible.
I don't mean to hijack this thread but how is that possible?

[Asaki]

Edit: Noticed you're calling it For the Frog the Bell Tolls DX which is the name of the fan translation... might I suggest calling it The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls DX as it is now translated by Nintendo officially (source: https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAABnUYoByIR5hQ ) and to better parody the title of the novel by Ernest Hemingway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Whom_the_Bell_Tolls

IMO, the title is already wordy enough without adding one more word.

Has anyone heard the title "For the Frog the Bell Tolls" and not realized the literary connection? Seems pretty obvious to me without the "Whom".

[toruzz]

What! I asked about this in the general hacking forum and was told adding a SGB border is not possible.
I don't mean to hijack this thread but how is that possible?

Of course it's possible, but you can only take advantage of that feature with an emulator. Here is all the info you may need:
http://bgb.bircd.org/pandocs.htm#sgbborderandobjcommands

Just make sure the header has the correct values and inject the code shortly after the game boots up. I haven't done it yet for this hack, but I'd try first to read all the packets of a random game with BGB and try to replicate them.