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Would this be useful?
http://www.dynamic-designs.us/d-dforum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=155
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Author:  midic [ Sat May 15, 2010 6:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Would this be useful?

A while back I discovered ZSNES's search function. Since then I seem to have acquired a habit of trying to map out the flags and whatever other parts of RAM that I can. It's sort of like getting 2 games in 1. I get an RPG, and I also get something like a puzzle game. Except that it's fun.

Here's an example of a few bytes of my notes for Lennus II :

Quote:
7E24BA 1:signed guy's T-shirt 2:was greeted in Gwan(also set if get egg) 4:rested at gwan inn(after party) 8:Doughren defeated | 1:played prologue sequence 2:was greeted by chief caretaker(now in control) 4:talked to guy guarding stair at start. 8:talked to guys guarding treasure room
7E24BB 1:met mayor,kids went missing 2:passed through gwanji depot(Du Ter) 4:beat Kaiclone/Z 8:blue flame speech | 1:saw Petro red sleep speech 2:took red sleep 4:flew to Du Terran 8:Kai unlocked bookshelf
default: GA(Gondo Ata) dark, minions @3rd house
7E24BC 1:got gold spirit 2:GA light, 3shopkeeper@shop 4:GA dark, 1 extra grave, minions@2nd house 8:GA light, 1 extra grave 2shopkeepers@shop | 1:took blue flame 2:Shopkeepers have left their houses(presumably should always be set if light...?)(does this mean "forga dead"?) 4:took black light 8:got white shadow(also has chest flag...?)
7E24BD 1:Forga taunted 3rd house(?) 2:Forga taunted 2nd house(?) 4:Forga taunted 4th house? 8:Forga taunted 1st House | 1: GA dark, 2 extra graves, minions@4th house 2:GA light, 2 extra graves, (1 shopkeeper?) 4:GA dark, 3 extra graves minions@1st house 8:GA light, 3 extra graves, (no shopkeepers?)
7E24BE 1:head 2:heart 4:got both? 8:giant together |1, 2, 4: mira key door opened 8: talked to priest(1st time)
7E24BF* 1:(returned with 4 treasures/got 4?) 4:placed red sleep 8:placed blue flame| 02: beat 4th boss 04:Petro green rage speech 08:got green rage


That is most of the Andel flags (there are others scattered about here and there). I of course have mapped most of the flags for the rest of the game, not to mention treasure chest/hidden item flags and character data.

I guess that this information would be essential for actual game modification, but not so sure about its utility for translating the game and inserting scripts/fonts/etc.

But, if it would help with the hacking, you don't have it done already, and it wouldn't be stealing a fun puzzle game from you, I might be persuaded to do this for some of your current projects, like, for example, Aretha II. I could even format it to be sort of readable or something like that.

Actually, I might do it for Aretha II even if you don't want me to, because I find the fact that I can't put more than 10 crystals into a manufactured item very vexing. Since I can't read Japanese, my only chance to locate a 15+ crystal shop might be to take apart the game. Or maybe I should just wait for the translation ;).

Author:  Wildbill [ Sun May 16, 2010 3:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would this be useful?

midic wrote:
A while back I discovered ZSNES's search function. Since then I seem to have acquired a habit of trying to map out the flags and whatever other parts of RAM that I can. It's sort of like getting 2 games in 1. I get an RPG, and I also get something like a puzzle game. Except that it's fun.

Here's an example of a few bytes of my notes for Lennus II :

Quote:
7E24BA 1:signed guy's T-shirt 2:was greeted in Gwan(also set if get egg) 4:rested at gwan inn(after party) 8:Doughren defeated | 1:played prologue sequence 2:was greeted by chief caretaker(now in control) 4:talked to guy guarding stair at start. 8:talked to guys guarding treasure room
7E24BB 1:met mayor,kids went missing 2:passed through gwanji depot(Du Ter) 4:beat Kaiclone/Z 8:blue flame speech | 1:saw Petro red sleep speech 2:took red sleep 4:flew to Du Terran 8:Kai unlocked bookshelf
default: GA(Gondo Ata) dark, minions @3rd house
7E24BC 1:got gold spirit 2:GA light, 3shopkeeper@shop 4:GA dark, 1 extra grave, minions@2nd house 8:GA light, 1 extra grave 2shopkeepers@shop | 1:took blue flame 2:Shopkeepers have left their houses(presumably should always be set if light...?)(does this mean "forga dead"?) 4:took black light 8:got white shadow(also has chest flag...?)
7E24BD 1:Forga taunted 3rd house(?) 2:Forga taunted 2nd house(?) 4:Forga taunted 4th house? 8:Forga taunted 1st House | 1: GA dark, 2 extra graves, minions@4th house 2:GA light, 2 extra graves, (1 shopkeeper?) 4:GA dark, 3 extra graves minions@1st house 8:GA light, 3 extra graves, (no shopkeepers?)
7E24BE 1:head 2:heart 4:got both? 8:giant together |1, 2, 4: mira key door opened 8: talked to priest(1st time)
7E24BF* 1:(returned with 4 treasures/got 4?) 4:placed red sleep 8:placed blue flame| 02: beat 4th boss 04:Petro green rage speech 08:got green rage


That is most of the Andel flags (there are others scattered about here and there). I of course have mapped most of the flags for the rest of the game, not to mention treasure chest/hidden item flags and character data.

I guess that this information would be essential for actual game modification, but not so sure about its utility for translating the game and inserting scripts/fonts/etc.

But, if it would help with the hacking, you don't have it done already, and it wouldn't be stealing a fun puzzle game from you, I might be persuaded to do this for some of your current projects, like, for example, Aretha II. I could even format it to be sort of readable or something like that.

Actually, I might do it for Aretha II even if you don't want me to, because I find the fact that I can't put more than 10 crystals into a manufactured item very vexing. Since I can't read Japanese, my only chance to locate a 15+ crystal shop might be to take apart the game. Or maybe I should just wait for the translation ;).
All of this sounds intriguing. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Really, we do this for fun, and your approach adds its own wrinkle to that fun. How you go about it is your call.

One thing I wish you could do for us if you are adept at reverse-engineering coding: Get us good dumps of the Albert Odyssey games that cracks all of their compression schemes, especially what appears to be a unique version of a sub-string system. We have table files already built for those games. And I believe we still have a translator lined up - I hope!

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