Zelda II Redux

[pleasejust]

Nice job darthvaderx however, I noticed soemthing odd. Did you remove features from Redux? I could have sworn it allowed you to upgrade your stats whenever you wanted to. I think you just press select on the start screen. In the DX version I just tried, you can only upgrade stats on level up.

[nesrocks]

Hey I just started replaying Zelda II (my favorite zelda game), and as with all my NES sessions nowadays I noticed something really annoying so I went back to the PC and hacked the game.

I found this thread today and read the top post entirely, and to my surprise I did not find this modification there. Is it intentional?
The modification is: every text in the game appears rapidly now. It wasn't a particularly difficult hack to make, so maybe it is intentional, but if you want to add the feature, here it is:
0xF625 time for text to start displaying. set value to 02. less than this causes letters to be skipped at the start of textboxes sometimes.
0xF66D time for word. set to 01.
0xF75E time for letter. set to 01.
0xF757 sfx for letters. set to 00. <- make it play no sound on each letter.

I tried setting those 01s to 00s and it does make the text faster, especially the time for letter one, but it still caused the occasional text with no first letter (when that happens closing and talking to the NPC again shows the complete message). It's probably easy to fix that though from here, knowing where there's free space in the ROM to add an initializer routine somewhere for the text vars.
Or you can be satisfied with the already fast 01 value as it already makes the game a much better experience.

[darthvaderx]

Nice job darthvaderx however, I noticed soemthing odd. Did you remove features from Redux? I could have sworn it allowed you to upgrade your stats whenever you wanted to. I think you just press select on the start screen. In the DX version I just tried, you can only upgrade stats on level up.

This is an optional Redux patch and you can apply it to DX, I left it the traditional way.

[nesrocks]

Hummm... DX? I don't know what that is, can't it be described on the top post? Also, that text option is not in the original post's optional patch list.

[ultimaweapon]

I mixed the three hacks (Redux, Rev Edition and Link New Sprite) and made some edits both to make them work perfectly as well as to add things like smoke coming out of cities and swamps with movements (and I'm glad that the latter was officially adopted in Redux), Try it out:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pSt8BzNjMs9x9FNDqdQLUKNW2Ptp61KU/view?usp=sharing

Hey darthvaderx. I tried your dx version since I had some free time. Your save function does not work. Can you check it out?

[darthvaderx]

OK, I will test everything here and if necessary I will do an update.
June 19, 2020, 07:15:33 AM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Please excuse me, I was using an old Redux version so the save function was not working but now everything is updated, the only optional feature that I included was 'KeepExpAtGameOver', the rest can be included at the user's taste. If you find any more bugs please let me know, thanks.

Zelda II Redux DX v2.ips:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aJ63pX97SuN5_R_GbP1ccqvfIWVvfslQ/view?usp=sharing

[ShadowOne333]

Sorry guys, I kinda lose track on this thread at times

Now to answer some questions:

Hey ShadowOne. Any update on Dark Samus progress?

DarkSamus is currently taking a break, he will return later on to finish this (I hope) and other projects he has in store.

Hey I just started replaying Zelda II (my favorite zelda game), and as with all my NES sessions nowadays I noticed something really annoying so I went back to the PC and hacked the game.

I found this thread today and read the top post entirely, and to my surprise I did not find this modification there. Is it intentional?
The modification is: every text in the game appears rapidly now. It wasn't a particularly difficult hack to make, so maybe it is intentional, but if you want to add the feature, here it is:
0xF625 time for text to start displaying. set value to 02. less than this causes letters to be skipped at the start of textboxes sometimes.
0xF66D time for word. set to 01.
0xF75E time for letter. set to 01.
0xF757 sfx for letters. set to 00. <- make it play no sound on each letter.

I tried setting those 01s to 00s and it does make the text faster, especially the time for letter one, but it still caused the occasional text with no first letter (when that happens closing and talking to the NPC again shows the complete message). It's probably easy to fix that though from here, knowing where there's free space in the ROM to add an initializer routine somewhere for the text vars.
Or you can be satisfied with the already fast 01 value as it already makes the game a much better experience.

Thanks for dropping by, nesrocks!
Huge fan of your work

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Redux already have a higher text speed than the original Zelda 2?
I recall this being one of the features it had before we started screwing around with the text boxes sizes to get more text lines.

Am I misremembering? Please, let me know if that's the case.

OK, I will test everything here and if necessary I will do an update.
June 19, 2020, 07:15:33 AM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Please excuse me, I was using an old Redux version so the save function was not working but now everything is updated, the only optional feature that I included was 'KeepExpAtGameOver', the rest can be included at the user's taste. If you find any more bugs please let me know, thanks.

Zelda II Redux DX v2.ips:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aJ63pX97SuN5_R_GbP1ccqvfIWVvfslQ/view?usp=sharing

May I ask, what changes have you done precisely to Redux for yours?
If many people so desire, I could go ahead and make an optional patch for the stuff you offer, but I want to make sure what is it you changed exactly before doing so.

Let me know if you are interested in the optional patch as well!

[darthvaderx]

May I ask, what changes have you done precisely to Redux for yours?
If many people so desire, I could go ahead and make an optional patch for the stuff you offer, but I want to make sure what is it you changed exactly before doing so.
Let me know if you are interested in the optional patch as well!

Do you remember that from the beginning I proposed to join the three hacks? You even made a fixed version for me and from it I continued my hack, today it is totally based on your version but I joined the 'Revitality Edition' graphics (before you bid as an optional) and the title screen and the character design from the 'Link New Sprite' hack, In addition to making some extra edits such as cities icons coming out of smoke and swamps with movements:

http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=26001.msg363231#msg363231

http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=26001.msg363308#msg363308

Then I make a list with the differences between the hacks, it is very little and only in the graphic style. (Of course, I would love for you to make an optional patch. )

[TRIFORCE89]

Is there a repo available for this like there is for Zelda 1 Redux? Hoping to replay this soon and would like to try a Vanilla Plus or very light spin on Redux incorporating some but not all of the changes mentioned on the front page. But being on a Mac, I can't even run njosro's tools.

[ifightdragons]

If this wonderful hack is going to get finished, it's important to let the author focus. There are a lot of requests to join with other hacks and such. And while those are potentially neat ideas, I think it's smart to let ShadowOne finish his work, before we start asking for extra features.

[ShadowOne333]

Do you remember that from the beginning I proposed to join the three hacks? You even made a fixed version for me and from it I continued my hack, today it is totally based on your version but I joined the 'Revitality Edition' graphics (before you bid as an optional) and the title screen and the character design from the 'Link New Sprite' hack, In addition to making some extra edits such as cities icons coming out of smoke and swamps with movements:

http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=26001.msg363231#msg363231

http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=26001.msg363308#msg363308

Then I make a list with the differences between the hacks, it is very little and only in the graphic style. (Of course, I would love for you to make an optional patch. )

Excellent!

If it's not too much to ask, would you share a clean IPS with just your graphical changes? I mean without any other optional patches, simply clean Redux with your changes applied over, so I can implement the IPS and source code properly for this optional patch.

Thanks in advance!

Is there a repo available for this like there is for Zelda 1 Redux? Hoping to replay this soon and would like to try a Vanilla Plus or very light spin on Redux incorporating some but not all of the changes mentioned on the front page. But being on a Mac, I can't even run njosro's tools.

There is... Kind of.
I have a Github repository made for it, but it has nothing outside of the optional patches, so I made it private at the moment. The rest (and main Redux part) of the source code lies in DarkSamus993's hands.

If this wonderful hack is going to get finished, it's important to let the author focus. There are a lot of requests to join with other hacks and such. And while those are potentially neat ideas, I think it's smart to let ShadowOne finish his work, before we start asking for extra features.

Thanks!
I really want to make this a proper release, as this is one of the lengthiest and longest projects I've been a part of. Can't wait for it to be finished

[darthvaderx]

If it's not too much to ask, would you share a clean IPS with just your graphical changes? I mean without any other optional patches, simply clean Redux with your changes applied over, so I can implement the IPS and source code properly for this optional patch.

Opps, here is the patch, but in the last update I didn't notice that there was a small imperfection in the sword, now it's fixed.

Zelda II Redux DX v3.ips:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a1Rk55aqDlVM595e6J36FNe4QY-ugCEf/view?usp=sharing

[Trax]

Wait, there's an actual end to this project? I thought it was eternal...

[ShadowOne333]

Wait, there's an actual end to this project? I thought it was eternal...

There is an end, but its legacy will be eternal

Opps, here is the patch, but in the last update I didn't notice that there was a small imperfection in the sword, now it's fixed.

Zelda II Redux DX v3.ips:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a1Rk55aqDlVM595e6J36FNe4QY-ugCEf/view?usp=sharing

Got that patch.
However, after doing a little inspection on it, it seems to be changing other things in the ROM besides just the graphics (which I believe start all at 0x20000)
Are you sure you didn't implement any other optional patches over it?

[darthvaderx]

However, after doing a little inspection on it, it seems to be changing other things in the ROM besides just the graphics (which I believe start all at 0x20000)
Are you sure you didn't implement any other optional patches over it?

The only optional patch I used was precisely its Revitality Edition Sprites, because that was the only way I managed to implement mine (with a few edits later). But remember that my hack is also directly derived from the original Rev Edition 1.6, so anything that it may have implemented besides the graphics can be in the DX too. So if you can tell me after the extra things you think may be in the hack.

[ShadowOne333]

The only optional patch I used was precisely its Revitality Edition Sprites, because that was the only way I managed to implement mine (with a few edits later). But remember that my hack is also directly derived from the original Rev Edition 1.6, so anything that it may have implemented besides the graphics can be in the DX too. So if you can tell me after the extra things you think may be in the hack.

Oh wait, my bad.
Most of the changes included in your patch seem to be palette changes, which I assume were done so that the sprites could look better, and also some overworld palette changes so the new sprite palettes aren't the same colour as the overworld tiles. It didn't occur to me that Rev or the New Link hacks modified the palettes, so those are justified.

However, I DID find one optional patch you added into the IPS you posted.
You included the "Keep Exp At Game Over" optional patch.
I was quick to notice it due to the opcodes in Hex, instead of usual palette values.
No biggie tho, I simply removed that portion out of the IPS and everything should be working properly.

With that said, I have successfully reverse engineered your IPS, so I have now added the optional ASM for it in my WIP source code for Zelda 2 Redux, and I have also added the IPS to the list of optional patches.

[darthvaderx]

Oh wait, my bad.
Most of the changes included in your patch seem to be palette changes, which I assume were done so that the sprites could look better, and also some overworld palette changes so the new sprite palettes aren't the same colour as the overworld tiles. It didn't occur to me that Rev or the New Link hacks modified the palettes, so those are justified.

However, I DID find one optional patch you added into the IPS you posted.
You included the "Keep Exp At Game Over" optional patch.
I was quick to notice it due to the opcodes in Hex, instead of usual palette values.
No biggie tho, I simply removed that portion out of the IPS and everything should be working properly.

With that said, I have successfully reverse engineered your IPS, so I have now added the optional ASM for it in my WIP source code for Zelda 2 Redux, and I have also added the IPS to the list of optional patches.

Ok, but first try this new version that I had made to post here, there is no 'Keep Exp At Game Over' optional patch, the procedures I did were these:

01-Zelda II Redux.ips
02-Revility Edition Sprites.ips
03-Link New Sprites.ips
04-My Redux DX Edits.ips
05-Post Redux DX Edits fixes

Zelda II Redux DX v2 (Alt).ips

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RtvLtHCEZdBffQSzym9q8shX3XRVF1yU/view?usp=sharing

[ShadowOne333]

Ok, but first try this new version that I had made to post here, there is no 'Keep Exp At Game Over' optional patch, the procedures I did were these:

01-Zelda II Redux.ips
02-Revility Edition Sprites.ips
03-Link New Sprites.ips
04-My Redux DX Edits.ips
05-Post Redux DX Edits fixes

Zelda II Redux DX v2 (Alt).ips

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RtvLtHCEZdBffQSzym9q8shX3XRVF1yU/view?usp=sharing

Oh I already removed the Keep Exp code from your patch myself and made a new IPS with that.
I also accustomed the source code for that new optional patch with that in mind, so the .asm file I did and the IPS patch I uploaded should be good.

I double checked just to be sure, and indeed, my changes match this new IPS you posted, so we are in the clear I believe
The new IPS should be good to go.

[ifightdragons]

Oh I already removed the Keep Exp code from your patch myself and made a new IPS with that.
I also accustomed the source code for that new optional patch with that in mind, so the .asm file I did and the IPS patch I uploaded should be good.

I double checked just to be sure, and indeed, my changes match this new IPS you posted, so we are in the clear I believe
The new IPS should be good to go.

What is the status on both of the Zelda Redux games as of now?
It would be neat to hear what you are specifically working on right now on each game.
And maybe a projection of when both will be released?

Getting psyched just thinking about it

[ShadowOne333]

What is the status on both of the Zelda Redux games as of now?
It would be neat to hear what you are specifically working on right now on each game.
And maybe a projection of when both will be released?

Getting psyched just thinking about it

Zelda 2 is pretty much just awaiting for DarkSamus' File Selection menu hack to be completely finished.
Zelda 1 I'm currently seeing how to go about the animated tiles for water and other stuff, it might involve some MMC conversion of sorts. After that I'm not sure tbh.