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Jul - NO! GO TO STAR! - FlatWorld Battlefield (New flat empty level template to start from!!) New poll - New thread - Thread closed
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VL-Tone
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Posted on 01-20-08 03:13:15 AM (last edited by VL-Tone at 01-22-08 04:28 AM) Link
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This is the first step towards creating entire levels from scratch, including the importation of new geometry.

FlatWorld BattleField is a big flat square that replaces Bob-Omb Battlefield. In itself, it can be quite boring, as the level is empty.



Hopefully, despite the boring aspect of the level, some people will realize that it has a lot of potential, as it can be used as a template to create brand new levels. There are over 150 object slots available. They're all 0x24 objects, which is a good thing, as 0x42 and 0x43 objects are only limited versions of 0x24 objects. The only objects that are enabled by default are the Mario Start warp, and the original BBB warps. The other objects are invisible because their "acts" stars are all off. To activate an object, just chose which act it should appear in, and then select an object combo. I also added a few 0x26 commands slots so you can create more warps than in the original level.

The available object combos are from BBB, but eventually it will be possible to select object banks from other levels.

This new level was created through a lot of manual hex hacking, and with the help of my development version of TT64. So for now it can't be easily replicated using other levels as a basis. Still I now have a very good idea of what is needed to create a new plain level automatically.

The polygon and collision data combined only take 108 bytes, so it's a good basic template to envision more complicated polygon models, and importation of external models. Keep in mind that between creating a flat square level, and importing complex polygon models, there's a lot work involved.

I documented and commented the changes and the whole level and polygon data in these documents:

http://homepage.mac.com/qubedstudios/FlatWorldBattleFieldHexData.txt
http://homepage.mac.com/qubedstudios/FlatWorldBattleFieldHexUncommented.txt

The uncommitted version can be used as a template for editing the data "by hand", much like I did when creating the level.

You might also want to read this, which has other important info:

http://homepage.mac.com/qubedstudios/READ_ME_FlatWorld_BattleField.txt

Flatworld Battlefield is available as a .PPF patch: http://homepage.mac.com/qubedstudios/FlatWorldBattleFieldPatch.zip

Editing the patched ROM requires a new version of TT64, which I'm releasing now: version 0.5.97b (sorry it wasn't worthy of being called 0.6b).

Download the new "interim" version of TT64 at http://homepage.mac.com/qubedstudios/ToadsTool64.htm

Note that the .PPF patch is not really needed, since TT64 0.5.97b can patch the ROM by itself. Just go to Preferences... and click on "Enable FlatWorld".

Important: Version 0.5.97b fixes an important bug that prevented FlatWorld enabled ROMs from loading on Windows version.



My next step is to create an "height terrain map" level, which will be generated from a 33x33 greyscale image, and a 32x32 bitmap that determines the texture used by each triangle. I'm currently working on it, but at the same time I'm really busy because of my work.


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Teconmoon
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Posted on 01-20-08 07:07:09 PM (last edited by teconmoon at 01-20-08 04:43 PM) Link
Ooh. Looks yummy. I gotta try that.

Edit: Script is still out of range.
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Posted on 01-20-08 11:06:12 PM Link
Bravo VL! I take it this probably the second big thing of TT64 (first being released)

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Posted on 01-21-08 01:31:40 AM Link




I used the ppf patch on a test ROM, and Bob-Omb's Battlefield is a big square, but it has no texture and when I try to open it with TT, it gives that out-of-range error. :/

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VL-Tone
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Posted on 01-21-08 03:51:03 AM (last edited by VL-Tone at 01-21-08 01:37 AM) Link
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Ok... Sorry guys I just got back from work.

I'm gonna investigate the problem, but I need more specific bug reports. Note that I tested the latest version on both Mac and Windows XP about 20 times, and I can't reproduce this bug

Please understand that "index out of range" is a very generic error, and I need more information, such as "what was happening when this error appeared". Ideally, can anyone give me a screenshot of the whole TT64 window with the error message? (And not just the error dialog, the whole TT64 window)


Edit: added an emphasis on "the whole window".

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Posted on 01-21-08 03:51:42 AM (last edited by Mega Mario XD at 01-21-08 12:53 AM) Link
Well, this looks good. However, my backup DVD went corrupto on me, and I lost my Peachy64 Hack. Great.

If it's going to cause errors, I'll have to pass on this. I'll wait until a "Add new object" button is put in.

I'll install the new version of TT64; but that's it. I don't feel like editing objects right now.

EDIT: No Hills or holes?
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Posted on 01-21-08 04:28:37 AM (last edited by Apache Thunder at 01-21-08 01:31 AM) Link
I still get the following error when attempting to enable Flatworld. (it occurs right after I click the "Enable Flatworld" Button in the Preferences dialog)



Even after clicking No and closing TT64, the resulting rom will cause the same error upon an attempt to load it again. Once again I had to restore a backup. (no I didn't click save, it still screwed it up anyway)

My System:

Windows XP on 32bit system (2GB of ram installed)
3.2Ghz with Hyperthreading.

Please note I never had problems with the last version of TT64, so my current configuration isn't causing it.

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VL-Tone
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Posted on 01-21-08 04:31:38 AM (last edited by VL-Tone at 01-21-08 01:35 AM) Link
Time: Now - Date: Today - Weather: What can be seen outside. - Mood: How it feels. Answer to the universe: 42
Originally posted by Mega Mario XD
Well, this looks good. However, my backup DVD went corrupto on me, and I lost my Peachy64 Hack. Great.

If it's going to cause errors, I'll have to pass on this. I'll wait until a "Add new object" button is put in.

I'll install the new version of TT64; but that's it. I don't feel like editing objects right now.

EDIT: No Hills or holes?


I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your DVD...

The only errors happening are internal script errors, they won't corrupt your HDD or Windows installation. It's possible that these errors might corrupt a ROM, but just work on a backup ROM, as you should always do. It's not hard, just duplicate the ROM file and work on the copy.

As for an "Add new object" button, it would be nice, but in FlatWorld Battlefield, you get 150 empty objects, so you're essentially adding objects when you activate them. The difference is that instead of clicking on an "Add new object" button, you click on a little star... Aside from the warps, all the original objects are gone, so it's more about adding than "editing".

Fortunately, other people are willing to test the program and help me fix it. If nobody did, TT64 would be getting nowhere.

As for the "No Hills or holes?" comment. I knew somebody would make a comment like this, I didn't expect it to be from you. Others seem more aware of the implications and potential of this first step instead of nit-picking.

Edit:

Apache Thunder:

Well I wanted a screenshot of the whole TT64 window... Unfortunately the script errors are much less descriptive when coming from the run-time application than when I'm developing.


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Posted on 01-21-08 06:28:39 PM Link
WHOA!!! This is amazing! An actual hack with terrain! It may be glitchy, but it's one step closer to creating amazing mods! In fact, this could probably used to make a big level! Something like Tick Tock Clock or a Bowser Battle level. It's SWEET!

Also, Sorry about the corruped ROM Mega Mario. But, Why didn't you run the rom off your Hard Drive, And why do you have a backup of the Peachy hack, without having a copy on your PC?
VL-Tone
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Posted on 01-22-08 04:27:27 AM (last edited by VL-Tone at 01-22-08 04:51 PM) Link
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Originally posted by Ratchetfan19
I think I have an idea as to what's happening. Before the error occurs, TT64 patches the ROM. Even if the error comes up, Flatworld Battlefield loads with no errors in PJ64.

Like I said, usually when I get an "index out of range" script error, it's because another application has a handle on the file. For example, If I open an extended ROM in Text Wrangler, then attempt to open the same file in TT64, I get this error. Maybe TT64 still has the old handle from when it edited the geometry, and you forgot to include a script to break that handle before the editor reads it.

Just a thought, but it doesn't explain why it still doesn't load the ROM correctly after the handle has been broken by a restart.


That's a good theory, and that was my first one, but as you said if it still happens after you quit and restart TT64, it's not a "file is open" related error.

So, it seems that the patching mechanism works, and the problem happens when TT64 tries to reload the patched ROM. What I don't understand is why does it happen on your systems and not mine (may I reiterate, I tested TT64 several times on my Windows XP installation, under Parallels VM).

What are your preference settings? Is Auto-save on? What if you reset the prefs by holding alt when clicking on the splashscreen?

Note that a patched ROM will generate a script error if you try to open it with previous versions of TT64, I had to modify the program to make it possible to open ROMs with extra custom data banks. Only use version 0.5.96 and up to open the patched ROM.


Edit:

I managed to find the cause and fix that freaking bug!! (Thanks BooUrns for your Beta testing abilities!)

Download version 0.5.97b now! It's 99% guaranteed to work.

http://homepage.mac.com/qubedstudios/ToadsTool64.htm



Here's why it didn't work, and why I couldn't reproduce the bug...

I just realized that the Windows version of the ROM extender produces a different output than the Mac version. The Mac version fills the empty spaces after the first 8MB with "FF"s (as planned). The Windows version, for some obscure reason, is padding with "01"s instead... (Are you reading this Cellar Dweller?)

The level script loading routine in TT64 normally stops loading a level script when it encounters a command that has a length of "00". In all original levels, the level script is followed by the geometry layout data for this level. In between the two, there is always "00 00", which is some sort of padding which is not actually read/used by the game. TT64 expects these zeros, and use them to stop loading the script. (Why doesn't it stop using the 0x02 command as a way to end the script loading? It's too long to explain, but it's not simply sloppy programming.)

In FlatWorld, the level script is after the geometry layout, and at the end of the level script, there's empty space. On the Mac, it's filled with "FF"s, so I also used that fact to stop the loading at that point. On Windows, it encountered "01"s, so it tried to continue loading the level, resulting in an error. This is now fixed.

The thing is, while I was (also) testing on Windows, my ROMs were extended with the Mac version of the ROM extender, so I didn't get the bug...

Anyhow, I hope you have fun with FlatWorld Battlefield!!





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Apache Thunder
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Posted on 01-22-08 03:23:49 PM Link
Let me be the first to report that it works now! Thanks for all the hard work VL-Tone.

This wonderful program wouldn't be as awesome as it is now without you and your Beta Testers!

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Posted on 01-22-08 06:40:13 PM (last edited by NintendoMasters at 01-22-08 04:43 PM) Link
Nice work on this VL-Tone! Im gonna start seeing what i can come with for this right now!
EDIT: Ok, i may be wrong but i think ive found a bug.
When you select the "acts" for an object to appear in, all the other objects you've added become invisible again (except the warp one's already in the level) and you have to select them and click their object combo to bring them back. This even affects stacking things (like pushable metal boxes). If a lower box is invisible and you want to place one on top of it the drop to ground button will position it as if the lower box wasnt even there until you make it appear again.

(If that description confuses you tell me, and ill try to re-phrase it)

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VL-Tone
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Posted on 01-22-08 07:51:26 PM (last edited by VL-Tone at 01-22-08 04:52 PM) Link
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Originally posted by NintendoMasters
Nice work on this VL-Tone! Im gonna start seeing what i can come with for this right now!
EDIT: Ok, i may be wrong but i think ive found a bug.
When you select the "acts" for an object to appear in, all the other objects you've added become invisible again (except the warp one's already in the level) and you have to select them and click their object combo to bring them back. This even affects stacking things (like pushable metal boxes). If a lower box is invisible and you want to place one on top of it the drop to ground button will position it as if the lower box wasnt even there until you make it appear again.

(If that description confuses you tell me, and ill try to re-phrase it)


Ehmm, there are two act selectors:

The big one, in the upper-right corner of the TT64, only affects what acts are displayed on the screen. If you want to see all acts at once, click on the "All" button at the right.

The second act selector, is the little selector that's part of the parameter bar for a given object, at the bottom of the window. This is the one you should modify when you want to activate an object in certain acts, but not in others.

So, which one were you talking about?

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Posted on 01-22-08 08:09:00 PM Link
Glad to know the bug's fixed! Oh, and might I suggest stickying this thread? After all, it is the most significant advancement in Super Mario 64 hacking.
VL-Tone
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Posted on 01-22-08 10:32:42 PM (last edited by VL-Tone at 01-22-08 07:33 PM) Link
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Originally posted by Ratchetfan19
Glad to know the bug's fixed! Oh, and might I suggest stickying this thread? After all, it is the most significant advancement in Super Mario 64 hacking.


Yeah, stickying the thread would be a good idea even though there is a lot of stickies already. But I'm thinking of deleting most if not all of the posts in the first page of this thread that deals with the bug. Not because I want to hide the fact that there was a bug, but because it's pretty useless since the bug is fixed, and it might confuse or scare some people reading the thread for the first time.

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Posted on 01-23-08 12:56:55 AM Link
I get that bug too. When setting what act for an object to appear in on that level, all objects that I have modified before it will disappear. The only way to get them back is to go to each of the objects and change them to something else and then back again. This will make them reappear. (but will be a pain if theres alot of objects)

Right now the best way to deal with it is to simply reload the level after completing some objects so that they will become visiable during the next editing session.

My recommendation is to have at least half or all of the objects set to appear in all acts by default so to avoid the bug. Or perhaps just fix the bug. Either way should work.

This bug hasn't really been seen before since all the objects in all the levels already had a act number assigned to them. For this new level, all the objects except the preadded warps and mario start objects have no act number assigned, which as a result turns up a new bug when changing what act that object will appear in.

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VL-Tone
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Posted on 01-23-08 02:30:39 PM (last edited by VL-Tone at 01-25-08 12:21 AM) Link
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Ok, so I'm gonna try to fix that other bug tonight (unfortunately I have to go to work now). At least, unlike that other bug, I should be able to reproduce it on my machine.

So until then, the work-around is to first activate a number of objects, then click on refresh to reload the level.



Edit :

The disappearing object bug is now fixed. Hidden objects will now appear as expected when you click on the act stars selector. (Remember that you can select multiple objects at the same time using the shift key).

Download version 0.5.98b at the usual address: http://homepage.mac.com/qubedstudios/ToadsTool64.htm





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Posted on 01-25-08 09:05:39 PM Link
wow nice work vl-tone!! I knew if i had stayed away from this place for a while and come back a good thing would show up.

A couple questions though: The documents that you posted (which I haven't read yet) explain how to do this or they just show you the data?

Also, does this mean you actually geometry hacked BoB? Funny thing is in Rstewarts collision editor he had an extra level? Why I don't know but it is just like your Flatworld... Wonder if they are related.

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Posted on 01-25-08 09:12:00 PM Link

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Metal_Man88
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Originally posted by mortalkenshi2
I knew if i had stayed away from this place for a while and come back a good thing would show up.


The wrong attitude to have; if you had stayed here perhaps it would have come out faster. The more people contribute to this forum, the faster things can gel. If you just leave and come back to parasitize the latest discoveries of someone else, then you may find yourself waiting longer and longer for those discoveries.

Additionally, I'd think that editor thing would be a coincidence, since the average person would think "Hm, we need a blank pallette level to give people some REAL chances to change things up." etc.

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