Thanks for the start dasi!

BTW, I updated the map mask tool, as well as created a map diff tool. In the mask tool, you can now specify what the fill byte is (nice for looking at disassemblies of masked code). You can also output “all except code” and “all except data”, which masks off data specified as code or data, rather than masking the entire ROM except those.

The diff tool takes the difference between two maps. This is basically to allow you to get a map of the same part of the game, except do two different things (select different character, jump instead of run, etc), and see what the difference in the code and data is. Hopefully this would pinpoint the specific differences.

They’re attached to this post.

DogP

Attachments:

1. map_diff.zip
2. map_mask.zip

BTW, the hack to allow all levels to be selected in Mario Clash was already done, though just as a cheat for Red Dragon… attached is an IPS patch to use with the ROM. And I haven’t tried it, but you should be able to use both this and the controller patch together without any problems.

DogP

Attachments:

1. mc_all_levels.ips

Oh… I don’t think it’s actually 1.8V… that was leftover from some notes I made a LONG time ago where I just did a simple check w/ a multimeter and noted values. I replaced the others as I figured out what they were, and I guess I never bothered with those (it’s probably just a bypass cap, though I don’t have a display next to me to look at again).

DogP

Hedge: Download Smart IPS: http://www.megagames.com/gba/files/dx-ips11.zip (or search on google if it doesn’t allow direct linking). Then make a copy of Mario Clash, open Smart IPS, select your copy as the original file, select the patch as the IPS, then click apply. This will use the patch to modify the ROM with the changes.

Brian: Those are some good ideas. But why would you want fixed item locations in Insmouse, and I guess I didn’t realize the monsters respawned 😛 . Attached are the level maps from Insmouse that I nicely rastered up a little while ago… I think the colors in the maps are possible item locations (I don’t remember this one for sure), as well as doors, and exit. Also, notice the extra level… that’s DEMO, though there’s no exit. I did swap that with one of the other levels and played it, but meh.

DogP

Attachments:

1. 

   insmouse_levels.jpg
   

Has anyone hacked their controller to swap A and B buttons yet? 😉 Heh, RunnerPack and I were in IRC tonight and we started discussing fixing the controls in Mario Clash… so tonight (well, this morning), we got it working, and we got some good use out of the new tools 🙂 . Attached is the IPS patch to make A jump, B throw, and both triggers run.

Let me know if there’s any problems w/ it… either disliking the new control scheme (wanting something different), or any actual bugs. The patch was created w/ Smart IPS.

DogP

Attachments:

1. mc_ctrl_fix.ips

I don’t think I’ll ever add support for Parallel port… only one or two of my computers have a parallel port, there’s probably quite a few people that don’t even have one… the code was very picky about timing, and I don’t even know where my cable is anymore. Not to mention that I don’t really have any desire to link RB to a VB. Once I made the USB one, I pretty much gave up on the Parallel Port one (the USB one is much nicer to work with, as well as being “modern”).

It is probably the cheapest way though… I’ll see if I can dig up some stuff I wrote up on it though (pinouts and stuff).

DogP

Oh… yeah, if I haven’t already posted it, here’s directly from my notes:

1-1.8V – connected to VCC across a cap
2-/RESET
3-GND
4-D0
5-D1
6-D4
7-D5
8-D8
9-D9
10-D12
11-D13
12-VCC
13-VCC
14-VCC
15-DCLK
16-LCLK
17-CLKC
18-CLKB
19-CLKA
20-GND
21-GND
22-D15
23-D14
24-D11
25-D10
26-D7
27-D6
28-D3
29-D2
30-1.8V – connected to VCC across a cap

Of course let me know if you’ve got any ?’s about it.

DogP

Are you sure? It looks fine to me, though of course brightness is very dependent on monitor settings… try pressing 2 to turn RBs brightness up and check if you can see it. Of course I don’t know that RBs relative brightness settings are correct, but the color is there.

DogP

Oh… no, it’s not set up like that at all. It’s clocked, draws 8 pixels at a time, 2bpp, and the brightness levels are sent as a pulse width on their own dedicated lines.

DogP

e5: I’ve never looked at it, so I’d just be guessing… but those things aren’t really meant to be found, so it wouldn’t be surprizing if it was removed (or #ifdef DEBUG’d or something), but Red Alarm had its accessible from the regular game, so who knows.

RP: What’s the difference between what you’re talking about and just searching a disassembly?

DogP

e5frog wrote:
If Hedgetrimmer want to change it in the game and can’t handle the menu after doing so there’s also the option of adding a switch/es to swap between the two setups. I’m guessing it would be a quicker fix than to edit the game itself.

Quicker for some, but not for all… if everyone who disliked the control scheme had to buy another controller, wait for it to arrive in the mail, hack it, then play, compared to downloading a ROM that someone else hacked… 😉 .

DogP

I’ve built a PC<->VB cable using the parallal port, as well as a USB one using an FTDI chip (this one I believe: http://www.dlpdesign.com/usb/2232m.shtml ).

DogP

What do you mean? Of course it’s not just LEDs on the board, since there’s 224 LEDs and only 30 pins, though there’s no ICs besides the display IC, which includes the LEDs. But inside the display IC, there’s some simple logic.

DogP

Ah… yeah, you should be able to use the key and get in and out easily (though I think the VB doesn’t stay in as well as the larger one)… but if your key doesn’t work, I’d guess it’s the wrong one, or it is kinda hard to turn when there’s force on it, like when the VB is resting against it. I’d try wiggling the VB, wiggling the key, but if none of that helps, it’s probably just not the right one.

You can completely replace the lock with a standard lock (from Home Depot, Lowes, etc), or IIRC all of the display keys are the same (I sent a copy of mine to someone many years ago, though I can’t say I remember for sure that it did work). I could probably send you one, though it probably wouldn’t be for a week or so.

DogP

That’s a good idea… I never really had too much of a problem with it, but lots of people have complained about it… I’ll bet it wouldn’t be too tough to fix.

DogP

Dan,

Can you explain the problem from the previous obj bug(s) that you noticed? I’m looking into the obj stuff, and I think I’m up to speed on how they work and what RB is doing with them, but I couldn’t find what values you said caused it to work wrong.

DogP

Which one do you have? Like this one: http://www.vr32.de/modules/hardware/?type=displays&model=dphase&sub=counter_version ? I don’t typically use mine for playing, but a friend of mine does (actually, he’s got the full stand-up, but the VB cartridge slot area is the same), and he just tilts the VB forward, opens the back w/ the key, and swaps cartridges. There’s really no need to remove the VB from the stand to do it though.

DogP

If the brightness flickers, yeah… that should do it… if it’s just always dim, it could be the problem (I’ve never seen any other display problems other than the cables, except the few I’ve destroyed from abuse over the years of doing random “science projects” on them 😉 ).

DogP

I know there’s a lot of interesting stuff in Vertical Force… you can get to the debug menu by adding a cheat in Red Dragon. But most games have some text in them, I’m mostly interested in finding the ones that weren’t supposed to be found 😉 .

DogP

Ah… yeah, I’ve seen that before… when I was working on my Mario game, I used a bunch of objects, and they’d reappear further in the level on HW, but never reappear in RB.

BTW, I think you posted about several object bugs in the past… did they ever get fixed? Not that I’m saying I’ll fix this or any of them, but if I’m gonna look at one, I might as well look at them all.

Heh, and that looks cool… I dunno if you were planning on starting a game like that, but it looks like a good start for a Tecmo Bowl type game 😉 .

DogP