So, yeah. I’m one of the chosen ones that got the Faceball ROM early. Just to prevent misunderstandings: I got the ROM early because I’m a nice guy. I don’t do this for money or to get a free copy. I will buy both, the normal and the collectors edition. The original version is a really great game. I played through it multiple times and I think it is easily worth 100$.

I spent the last 4 or 5 days hacking around in the ROM and have already discovered allot of things. It is my first ROM hacking project, so I needed some time to figure everything out. I focus on changing the gameplay and don’t try to fix the typos. Special thanks go to Greg Stevens and HorvatM who pointed me at the right tools. The Sacred Tech Scroll from Guy Perfect made things allot easier for me. He also took the time to explain me how to write asm statements and get them into a ROM (even though he didn’t know what he was helping me with).

That said. manipulating the ROM is fairly easy. After 2 days I could already do things I would have thought are not possible. I can’t wait for what guys like HovratM or Greg Stevens can pull of. So here is what is possible so far.

There are 14 mazes in the ROM which I can freely modify. Meaning I know how to:

– change wall positions
– change wall types (I was hoping to find a mirror wall-type as there are some hints in the game that this was planned but it seems like they didn’t make it into the code.)
– change enemy start position
– change enemy strength
– change enemy drop item
– change enemy attack behavior
– change enemy movement behavior
– change enemy escape behavior
– how to attach a shield to an enemy
– some other stuff I can’t remember right now
– oh yeah, there is a Facball enemy I can use

I also think I know where the items that simply lie around in the levels are stored, but I didn’t play around with that yet.

On top of that I figured out how the mazes are loaded. This allows me to create completely new ones, put them somewhere in the ROM and load them instead of the existing ones.

As I said before, there are only 14 mazes. This means if I manipulate maze 1 it changes for all 4 stages. However, I figured out where the selected stage is stored. After that I wrote some code that is executed instead the original maze-loading code. This allows me to load what ever maze I want and yeah, this means I can have 56 different mazes in the game.
However, I only tested this in a very simple way.

OK, that it for now. Ask questions if you want to. I will keep the updates coming.

And here comes (hopefully) the final change. As I said before, I looked into how the game loads BGMaps and Chars. Even though I didn’t fully reverse engineered the formats in the ROM I was able to replace the start-logo with something I created myself.

Basically, I created a CharSet and BGMap using Vide and copied the result into the ROM. After the game is done with loading all of the BGMaps I load what I stored in the ROM. It actually wasn’t that simple, but I think you get the point. After adding the BGMaps I tweaked the Window-Attributes a little bit to have all of the letters in the perfect position.

The letters don’t look perfectly clean if you have a close look. However, this is caused by the game (maybe scaling?) as everything looks fine on the BGMaps and Worlds.

I attached a screenshot. You can find an video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R9HyeI465E

I’m now done with all changes I planned for the game. The only thing left is doing the actual levels. Therefore I have to do some fixes/additions to the level-editor. However, I won’t be able to work on this for a week or so.

Attachments:

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   startscreen-2.jpg
   

thunderstruck wrote:
I looked into how the game handles the GamePad inputs. It took some time but I figured the basics out. This allowed me to change how the games handles strafing. Usually you had to press left or right on both d-pads at the same time to strafe. I changed it that way that the right d-pad turns the player while the left d-pad allows him to strafe. This is much more convenient.

Is there a way to make it so that the player can swap the controls if he or she desires, so that the left pad turns the player and the right pad lets the player strafe?

Benjamin Stevens wrote:

thunderstruck wrote:
I looked into how the game handles the GamePad inputs. It took some time but I figured the basics out. This allowed me to change how the games handles strafing. Usually you had to press left or right on both d-pads at the same time to strafe. I changed it that way that the right d-pad turns the player while the left d-pad allows him to strafe. This is much more convenient.

Is there a way to make it so that the player can swap the controls if he or she desires, so that the left pad turns the player and the right pad lets the player strafe?

I can’t think of any good way right now. I played through some levels with the new controls and it works for me.

Every time I ask thunderstruck if he can do something he tells me

‘ahh, I don’t know..that’s going to be really hard’

Then two days later..it’s done 😛

-Eric

bigmak wrote:
Every time I ask thunderstruck if he can do something he tells me

‘ahh, I don’t know..that’s going to be really hard’

Then two days later..it’s done 😛

-Eric

I’m using the Scotty approach.

Great work as always thunderstruck!

I already did this on Thursday but forgot to post: I fixed one bug in the level editor causing the overview map in the game to screw up. I also added some functions so that the gui now shows what has been stored previously. Due to how I designed the editor this does not work for the enemies. Maybe I will find a work around for this… or I just leave ot as it is.

I also wanted to add a feature that allows the user to edit the credits.

thunderstruck wrote:
I looked into how the game handles the GamePad inputs. It took some time but I figured the basics out. This allowed me to change how the games handles strafing. Usually you had to press left or right on both d-pads at the same time to strafe. I changed it that way that the right d-pad turns the player while the left d-pad allows him to strafe. This is much more convenient.

It would be amazing if you were able to implement a way for us to map controls how we would want them. I have to agree with the comments above, I would much prefer that the controls were reversed, or even better, that the strafing was mapped to the trigger buttons. Movement with the right d-pad will be a bit awkward for myself. It’s not unlike trying to play two things with both hands on a piano, I find it difficult to coordinate both hands in a way I have never done before. My brain fights my muscles with each attempt, and I resort to recording the two parts separately. With gaming, I am simply more accustomed to moving with the left d-pad.

Thank you for all of your hard work. We are all looking forward to using your completed editor!

Lester Knight wrote:
I have to agree with the comments above, I would much prefer that the controls were reversed, or even better, that the strafing was mapped to the trigger buttons. Movement with the right d-pad will be a bit awkward for myself. It’s not unlike trying to play two things with both hands on a piano, I find it difficult to coordinate both hands in a way I have never done before. My brain fights my muscles with each attempt, and I resort to recording the two parts separately. With gaming, I am simply more accustomed to moving with the left d-pad.

I think it is odd to complain about the controls even though you never had a chance to try them out. If it is such a big deal for you guys I will change it. Making the controls map-able in the editor is possible but tedious. If you want to I can explain you where you find the code in the rom and how to hack it. You can then change the controls yourself by writing asm commands with a hex editor into the rom.

what i posted was not a complaint, it was constructive criticism. i thought that i had worded it as such, but evidently it seems that you read it quite differently. if you end up choosing to view my suggestions as complaints, then we aren’t going to be able to have a control-scheme discussion of any kind.

strafing is a gaming element that aids the play-ability of 1st person shooters (1st person perspective) games. it isn’t a required control scheme, and one that some will choose to embrace while others completely ignore it. for more than 10 years, the main control elements were on the only (left) d-pad (until the ps dual shock we never had dual d-pads/analog sticks), this is what a great majority of gamers are used to. as such, we have played countless hours of console and handheld first person shooters using shoulder buttons for strafing. i am only asking for you to keep this in mind.

you have quoted only my post, so i will only comment on my behalf… i am making suggestions in an attempt to better the project as a whole. my position is for the end result to be user friendly. providing a control scheme for which gamers are already equipped to pick-up-and-play seems to make a lot of sense to me. i felt that locking users into only 1 control scheme would put some minor limitations on the end result. please know that when i am passionate about a project, i will attempt to make a few good suggestions. if you choose to implement my idea, then great, if you don’t, then so be it. i am going to be appreciative of your work and enjoy the editor either way.

Lester Knight wrote:
what i posted was not a complaint, it was constructive criticism. i thought that i had worded it as such, but evidently it seems that you read it quite differently. if you end up choosing to view my suggestions as complaints, then we aren’t going to be able to have a control-scheme discussion of any kind.

strafing is a gaming element that aids the play-ability of 1st person shooters (1st person perspective) games. it isn’t a required control scheme, and one that some will choose to embrace while others completely ignore it. for more than 10 years, the main control elements were on the only (left) d-pad (until the ps dual shock we never had dual d-pads/analog sticks), this is what a great majority of gamers are used to. as such, we have played countless hours of console and handheld first person shooters using shoulder buttons for strafing. i am only asking for you to keep this in mind.

you have quoted only my post, so i will only comment on my behalf… i am making suggestions in an attempt to better the project as a whole. my position is for the end result to be user friendly. providing a control scheme for which gamers are already equipped to pick-up-and-play seems to make a lot of sense to me. i felt that locking users into only 1 control scheme would put some minor limitations on the end result. please know that when i am passionate about a project, i will attempt to make a few good suggestions. if you choose to implement my idea, then great, if you don’t, then so be it. i am going to be appreciative of your work and enjoy the editor either way.

Sorry, I didn’t wanted to sound rude. It was just a long day. You are right, the controls on both d-pads should be switched.

I understand what Lester Knight is saying, but some of us don’t play FPS. Is there anyway the alternate control scheme could be a preset so thoes of us that are familer w faceball could retain it’s original controls?

Lester Knight wrote:
strafing is a gaming element that aids the play-ability of 1st person shooters (1st person perspective) games. it isn’t a required control scheme, and one that some will choose to embrace while others completely ignore it. for more than 10 years, the main control elements were on the only (left) d-pad (until the ps dual shock we never had dual d-pads/analog sticks), this is what a great majority of gamers are used to. as such, we have played countless hours of console and handheld first person shooters using shoulder buttons for strafing. i am only asking for you to keep this in mind.

Benjamin Stevens wrote:
Is there a way to make it so that the player can swap the controls if he or she desires, so that the left pad turns the player and the right pad lets the player strafe?

morintari wrote:
I understand what Lester Knight is saying, but some of us don’t play FPS. Is there anyway the alternate control scheme could be a preset so thoes of us that are familer w faceball could retain it’s original controls?

OK, I will loose some more words on this topic. I choose to have strafing on the left d-pad as it is the way I use to play FPS on a PC. You strafe/move using your left hand (WSAD) and turn with your right hand (mouse). For me who played countless games this way these controls make perfect sense and I find the game very comfortable to play. I also played countless Shooter using my XBox360/PS3. Usually I find the same control scheme most convenient there. Walking and strafing using the left analog stick while moving the camera with the right one.

It seems like there are concerns using this control scheme though. I understand that you guys only want the best possible final result. I can switch the controls on both D-Pads with little effort. I can also add an option to the level editor to allow the user to patch a certain control-scheme to the ROM.

However, making the controls configurable in the game is more effort then you guys might imagine. Right now I simply overwrite a jump-command that happens when the left d-pad is pressed and jump to strafing code instead. Configurable controls would mean I would have to jump out of the original code, check which configuration has been chosen and and then jump back to the respective code of the new control. On top of that I would have to add an extra menu (or whatever) so the control-scheme can be chosen. All of this is of course possible but it is a really big chunk of work and I will not waste my time on this as the controls are pretty smooth the way they are.

Please also remember that I’m not talking about writing c-code but writing assembler commands in binary format, convert them to HEX and then write them with a Hex-Editor directly into the ROM. Even a simple piece of code takes a long time if I write it this way.

The best thing I can offer is that I publish two Demo-ROMs in some days. One with the strafing on the left d-pad and one with strafing on the right d-pad. You can tell me then what works best for you.

I understand what you are saying and where you are coming from. I would like to test both control schemes and cast my vote on which works best for me.

I wanted to ask one additional question, would it be possible to add a drop down to the editor that patched in 1 of the 3 existing options?

1. default faceball control scheme
2. left d-pad strafing control scheme
3. right d-pad strafing control scheme

It would seem that you already have these working, although I’ve no idea the amount of difficulty it would take to add something like that to the editor. This would possibly be the solution for left and right handed users, while also maintaining the original control scheme for purists.

I am assuming that users would accept that they could choose to use only 1 of 3 schemes. This way there would be no need for an additional options screen. It would seem to me that these 3 control schemes are pick-up-and-play friendly. Even if a readme was not included with the custom build of the game, it would only take a moment to understand how to control the action.

When we make the physical copy of the game..there will only be 1 control scheme ..I don’t see us making 3 different cart with different control schemes. Some people just aren’t going to like the one we pick…

If this game is going to get a physical cart release with one control scheme, then keeping the default control scheme created by the developers at Bullet Proof Software makes the most sense. The BPS-default control scheme appeals to the largest variety of players, and this is strong evidence of the fact that the original developers at Bullet Proof Software put a lot of time and effort into coming up with the best all-around control scheme and already had it finalized by the time they made the version of NikoChan Battle (aka Faceball) that we got our hands on. Here are my explanations to support this:

1. What if you want to move and turn your Faceball character with the left control pad (exactly like what was already established in Faceball 2000 for the Game Boy and the Super Nintendo)? The BPS-default control scheme in NikoChan Battle lets you do that.
2. What if, instead of controlling the game as you would on both the Game Boy and Super Nintendo, you want to move and turn your character with the right control pad? The BPS-default control scheme lets you do that, too.

(Note: With these two things already in place, all gamers should already feel comfortable with the standard controls that already existed in Faceball 2000 for the Game Boy and Super Nintendo, and I should probably also add the Game Gear version, since both possible dominant hands have already been accommodated. Now, I must touch on the newer controls that were intended by the BPS developers to set the Virtual Boy version apart from its precursors.)

3. In NikoChan Battle, you will need to move quickly, since each maze has a very small time limit. Since the aforementioned two control mechanisms are already locked in as what should appeal to all gamers, what would make the most sense to press to make your character move forward at twice the speed? If pressing up on one d-pad already makes you move forward, then it makes the most sense that up on both pads should make you move forward faster, since you are putting double the effort into that direction, and this, of course, also applies to moving backwards at twice the speed, with the pressing of down on both d-pads at the same time.
4. Now, since you already need to use both pads to get your character running at a faster speed, what would make the most sense to press to turn your character to the right quickly? Picture it as you have two strings attached to the sides of yourself (since you are looking out of the eyes of your character in the game already), one string on your left side and one string on your right. How would you “pull your own strings” to get yourself to turn to the right quickly. Would you not pull the left one forward (up) and the right one backward (down)? Nothing else would logically make sense. This is precisely how you get your own character to turn to the right quickly in NikoChan Battle using the BPS-default control scheme, and the vice versa applies to getting your character to turn to the left quickly.

(Note: I imagine that everyone already agrees with me on the above points, since no control schemes have been suggested yet to alter these control mechanisms found in VB Faceball.)

5. Now, with all of that already in place as the one and only control scheme that makes the most sense and that appeals to the largest variety of gamers, since it doesn’t matter whether you are dominant with your right or left hand while using the control scheme, what makes the most sense to press to strafe to the left or right, since the game also allows strafing? You already must get used to using both pads at the same time to get your player moving quickly, so just as pushing both pads in the same direction makes the most logical sense to get your player moving faster in the forward and backward direction, so also does pushing both pads in the same direction make the most sense to get your player moving in either of the sideways directions.

Now, there is an important note that must be made: No matter how the current BPS-default control scheme gets reassigned, the player will never be able to move forward or backward while strafing, and also the player will never be able to turn while strafing at the same time. The developers at BPS obviously did not want this to be a possibility, so the game would have to be super-hacked and drastically altered if the player is ever to be able to turn and strafe at the same time or move forward or backward and strafe at the same time. The reason why I say this is to point out that there is no advantage to pressing up or down on one d-pad and trying to strafe with the other. It won’t work. Either way, if you want to strafe, you will have to come to a complete stop and choose your direction that you want to strafe. So the current BPS-default control scheme does not create any disadvantage in that area, and any new control scheme will not create any advantage in that area (unless the controls get drastically altered from how the developers at BPS wanted their NikoChan Battle game to be controlled.)

That is my support for keeping the BPS-default control scheme as the dominant one, which appeals to the largest amount of players while, at the same time, allowing the player to perform all of the necessary moves in the game in the most logical way. Not only that, but this game is still going to have “Faceball” in the title, and the original developers at BPS will still deserve a lot of credit for the making of this game, so keeping their well-thought-out control scheme would also be highly respectful to them. Also, keeping the original developers in mind, they did not want any more than one control scheme to exist for Faceball 2000 for the Game Boy and Super Nintendo, which is why there are no options to change the control scheme in either of those 100% finished games. It stands to reason, then, that they did not want the one control scheme to be changed for NikoChan Battle, and that there would not have been an option to change the control scheme in NikoChan Battle for the Virtual Boy, had it been 100% finished by them.

As a suggestion, perhaps if other control schemes would like to be added to the game by certain players, then IPS patches could be made for each control scheme, and then the player could simply apply the IPS patch of choice and play the game on the Virtual Boy with his or her control style using the FlashBoy Plus, much like what is currently done if one wants to use DogP’s alternate control style that he made for Mario Clash.

Anyone here play the original Turok on N64 or Turok 2 and remember how crazy the default controls were? That’s how I feel playing Faceball. Just like Turok, the controls take some getting used to (maybe a lot of getting used to), but once you master them, you can’t stop playing.

With that said, I’m with Ben on this one. I think the default controls were well thought out and intentionally made this way. I think it’s a natural transition to have the same controls with an option to patch the ROM according to personal needs via FB/FB+ as Ben previously stated….but that’s just my two cents. I’ll still be happy either way.

Dor-Si wrote:
Anyone here play the original Turok on N64 or Turok 2 and remember how crazy the default controls were?

Oh yes, I played Turok: Dinosaur Hunter on the Nintendo 64, but I actually found Turok’s controls to make perfect sense. In fact, the controls were so intuitive to me that I always had to alter GoldenEye 007’s default control scheme to the control scheme that matched Turok’s one and only control scheme any time I would ever play GoldenEye.

This actually brings up a very good point: If a game only has one control scheme, then the entire game is defined by its control scheme. The Turok control scheme is so famous (or “infamous,” depending on how one wants to look at it) that people still make reference to it when trying to describe certain possible control schemes that can be used in other games (primarily console games that must be controlled without using a mouse, of course). Turok only had that one control scheme, which had to be used throughout the whole game, so for every instant that you were playing the game and seeing what all the game had to offer, that control scheme was with you the whole time, and it was adding to or taking away from every single experience that you had throughout the whole game. But regardless of what one may have thought about the control scheme, that’s Turok. If you would change the one and only control scheme of Turok to a control scheme of some other first person shooting game, then the game would no longer be Turok; it would be the other game with a Turok skin on it, essentially. Of course, so that developers’ games no longer become defined by a control scheme, as was the case with Turok, many developers choose to create fully customizable controls for their games. In such cases, the controls can no longer be defining factors of the game, and thus, the controls can no longer make or break the whole game for a player, since the player can make the controls whatever he or she feels are most comfortable. Despite this, some developers still choose to implement one control scheme for the whole game, so those developers want their game to be defined by that control scheme, and if one later changes the control scheme of that game, then the game is essentially turned into a completely new game with the original game’s skin on it.

So you guys actually like the original controls? I could never get across the “use both d-pads at the same time to strafe” thing. For me strafing is a key element of the controls as you need it to dodge enemy balls and take cover. Also defeating Shieldman is much easier if you strafe. However, I never get the strafing working right when I need it. Sometimes I fail to hit both Pads at the same time resulting in the player to turn and getting a direct hit. Other times I strafe but think it doesn’t work resulting in a half strafe/turn thing.

With the changed controls though I can easily navigate through the levels and, dodge incoming fire and take cover behind walls. It feels so much smoother and intuitive to use. And yes, the new controls make the game easier but on the other side the new level will be harder. Maybe I’m missing something but I also don’t see the point in having the turn-feature on both D-Pads.

I understand the some people prefer having controls that established within the series or that they know from other games. However, this is a remastered edition so I will go with whatever I feel works best.

thunderstruck wrote:
So you guys actually like the original controls?

No, I actually despised the controls when I first played the game. However, it was a challenge that I eventually overcame to the best of my capability. It induced memorable N64 flashbacks from my college days.

I understand the some people prefer having controls that established within the series or that they know from other games. However, this is a remastered edition so I will go with whatever I feel works best.

Your last sentence makes sense and proves a good point: This is all about “Faceball: Remastered,” not “Faceball II.” I see your perspective and understand your goal to hone in on the most intuitive and adaptive controls. Just as the original controls defined Faceball, your configuration will help to define your adaptation and give it a unique feel.

Besides, you are the “Master” guiding the destiny of “Faceball: Remastered.” 🙂