Chicken Bones
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Hi guys,
I have been doing a lot of MvsL hacking. DOWNLOAD PLAY.
And i have finally realised why download play freezes at the nintendo logo.
Anyone who has a modchip may have noticed that the icon on a severely hacked game is messed up. The reason is that when you make a file bigger (add view,block,sprite.etc) the file is too big to fit at it's original location, as all the files are compiled one after the other. So Treeki's NSMBe moves the file by writing its data to a new location in the rom and changing the file allocation table. The problem is that it puts the file at the offset straight after the FAT. BUT only 460 bytes after the fat is THE ICON AND NAME OF THE GAME. now you say big whoop i don't care about a messed up icon.
BUT soon (i'm not sure how much) after the icon and game name is the data needed for DS download play to work. I have been able to make massive DS download play levels and have them work by manually changing the FAT and inserting the files with a Hex Editor. So may I suggest to Treeki/Dirbaio that in the next release before you fix that "Multiplayer NARC Patch" button you make files only be placed in the rom at:
A) Offsets over 0x1400000 there is 12MB of free space, over 1/3 of the game's size avaliable and you could fit the biggest level you could make into this space like 500 times.
B) If say file 23 size 400bytes is placed at 0x1400000 and you have another file 43 size 350 bytes that doesn't fit in it's original location could be moved to file 23's location.
But in the meantime you will either have to find the documents on the internet of how the ds filesystem works or if you would like Treeki or I could make a post about how to do it in the meantime.
P.S one more thing. I have tested it out with both DS Lite and DS Phat and there is absolutely no difference. No firmwares, no nothing. IT WORKS
Happy DS Download play |
Chicken Bones
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Sorry, As you can see I'm new.
My firmware is pink on the ds lite.
What do you mean about without a modchip or passme. I used a modchip (CycloDS) and ds download play on the other. i tried swapping the downloading ds and there was NO difference between Phat and Lite. |
Chicken Bones
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Sorry I've been away for a while
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My big post about hex editing the levels into the ROM is mean't to be in this thread. If you hex in the level yourself as per my tutorial you have the follwing advantages 100% of the time:
A. Adding and Deleting Blocks, Sprites, Entrances, Paths (anything that changes the size of the level). WORK PERFECTLY
B. You can do the EXACT SAME THING on DS download play as you can with two flashcarts.
This was how to do the same thing as treeki's Nitro Explorer/Built in NSMB file replacer but choose your own offset. Until the new version of NSMB is released you will have freezing download lay levels and messed up icons when using Treeki's tools.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On my pink firmware DS Lite and pink firmware DS Phat linked
A List of what works and doesn't work in Mario vs. Luigi Multiplayer Levels. DOWNLOAD PLAY
=== WORKS ===
OBJECTS: Adding, deleting, resizing, moving, changing type
SPRITES: Adding, deleting, changing data, moving, changing type
VIEWS: Resizing, moving
PROGRESS PATHS: Moving, resizing
REGULAR PATHS (Connected Pipes): Adding, deleting, resizing, moving,
ENTRANCES: Adding, Deleting, Changing data
STARS: Adding, deleting, changing sprite data (Make sure all the stars have consecutive star ID's eg: if you had 3 stars the star ID's would be 0, 1, 2)
Invisible Blocks
All spikes and ice from castle tileset
=== DOESNT HAVE ANIMATIONS FOR (These will work perfectly but look kinda weird) ===
Slopes
Rope
Vines
Doors
=== DOESNT HAVE PICTURE DATA FOR (These will work perfectly but look like white rectangles) ===
Mini pipes.
Square metal pipe connectors
=== DOESNT WORK ===
Changing sprite sets, backgrounds, tilesets.
Adding views.
=== TO BE INVESTIGATED (It's possible but its not clear how) ===
Entrances to other levels. |
Chicken Bones
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Celux PLEASE DON'T GO BUYING A DSLITE JUST FOR THIS look at my post above and the one on page 5. The reason your DS download play freezes is that when you add something to a level (sprite, object, entrance, path, whatever) the file size increases. Because the narcs are rather big compared to the individual level filles the place NSMB put's them overwrites DS download play data. You need to hex in the levels yourself as per my tut on page 5. If you don't ou can't add anything to any level. It will freeze.
Cataclysm same as Celux above. Hex in the levels and it will work. everything I posted in my list works perfectly if you hex the levels yourself. Until a new version of NSMBe is released we are going to have to use hex editors to fix our problem with this. |
Chicken Bones
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Sure Thing.
______________________________________________
You will need:
A Hexeditor that can copy and paste. I use HxD (free)
A NSMB rom U or E. (I use U so maybe there is a problem with E)
NSMBe 5.1a or newer
Narc Explorer 2b
Knowledge of how to use the above programs. (If you don't know search this thread and google HEX EDITOR.) _____________________________________________
Step 1:
Make a 2 copies of your rom. Call one copy Edit or whatever and the other Download or whatever (just make sure you know which is which)
Step 2:
Open the rom called Edit in NSMBe.
Edit the level(s) you want. (If you wan't to be sure the level will work follow the guidelines set by the latest "What Works and What Doesn't" post)
Step 3:
Go to the File Browser Tab of NSMBe.
Go to files/course. And extract the following files depending on which level you are editing.
-----------------
Grass
J01_1.bin
J01_1_bgdat.bin
Underground
J02_1.bin
J02_1_bgdat.bin
Ice
J03_1.bin
J03_1_bgdat.bin
Pipes
J04_1.bin
J04_1_bgdat.bin
Castle
J05_1.bin
J05_1_bgdat.bin
-----------------
Go to files/ARCHIVE. And extract the following files.
-----------------
Grass
Dat_Field.narc
Underground
Dat_Basement.narc
Ice
Dat_Ice.narc
Pipes
Dat_Pipe.narc
Castle
Dat_Fort.narc
-----------------
Step 4:
Open Narc Explorer and replace the files you extracted into the narcs eg.
Ice
Open Dat_Ice.narc in Narc Explorer.
Go to Dat\Ice and select J03_1.bin.
Reinsert.
Select J03_1_bgdat.bin.
Reinsert.
Close Narc Explorer.
Step 5: (Now for the new stuff)
Open both the level narc (Dat_Ice.narc) and the OTHER rom you named Download in your hex editor.
Create a new blank file in the hex editor.
Step 6:
In your rom goto offset 0x2310F4. (This is the start of the File Allocation Table)
Copy at least 4000 bytes from the offset above (2310F4 to 232094) and paste it in the new blank file you created
Step 7:
Go back to your rom and go to an offset with blank space (I use 0x1400000, 0x1410000, 0x1420000, 0x1430000 and 0x1440000 as offsets for the 5 levels)
Remember the offset you chose as offset 1
Step 8:
Copy all of the data from the narc file (Dat_Ice.narc).
PASTE WRITE the data you copied at offset 1 in the rom. (make sure you paste write not paste insert. When you paste write you overwrite data but when you insert you shift all the data below you foward and your rom becomes bigger. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE)
Step 9A:
Your cursor should be at the end of you pasted data. Get the offset your cursor is located at. Remember this as offset 2
(If your hex editor doesn't show you the offset your cursor is at and you can't be bothered downloading HxD, Goto step 9B)
Step 9B:
Alternative method (If you completed step 9A successfully you can skip this)
Open windows calculator and switch to programmer mode (View\Programmer)
Click Hex.
Type in offset 1.
Click Decimal.
Right click on your narc file and click properties
Add the size of your narc file (in bytes) to the value in the calculator.
Click Hex.
Remember this as offset 2
Step 10:
Go to the new file you created in step 6.
Go to the following offset in the file
-----------------
Grass
0x470
Underground
0x460
Ice
0x480
Pipes
0x490
Castle
0x478
-----------------
Reverse offset 1 in blocks of 2 eg.
-----------------
If I chose 0x1400000
01 40 00 00
then it would become
00 00 40 01
-----------------
Overwrite this at the offset for your level.
Then overwrite offset 2 reversed.
So i I chose the Ice level and had 0x1400000 as my offset 1 and my offset 2 was 0x140CCC4
-----------------
I would go to 0x480 and write
00 00 40 01 C4 CC 40 01
Step 10:
Copy your entire File Allocation Table (where we edited in step 9).
Go to offset 0x2310F4 in your rom.
PASTE WRITE your new File Allocation Table.
Save your Rom.
Step 11:
Copy the rom called Download.nds to your flashcart and enjoy your DS Download Play. |
Chicken Bones
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(Cataclysm and everyone else) Here is a PPF patch for you to test. Use a (U) rom.
The Grass, Undergound and Castle levels were made before I discovered the fix.
The Pipes level was created using my method. It is an almost perfect remke of world 7-A and a great example of what you can do with my tut.
The Ice level is still experimental but playable, just don't choose infinite lives on it. (Some glitches and no Stars)
Castle level is awesome, Bricks is a fun digging level (Especially with the fact that if you use a blue shell you can create a hole all the way to the bottom and bounce up when you break the bottom brick then wall jump outta there)
Use PPF-O-Matic
Hope this clears up any confusion. (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CWU8ZSHU) |
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Wow thanks. I'm just confused on how to find offset 0x2310F4.Could you could help?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Use Ctrl-G or Search/Goto (If your hex editor doesn't have this then download HxD)
____________________________________________________________________________________
The .ppf file patch doesn't work. It seems a little small in size to me(177 kb?) I patched with it and nothing changed.
____________________________________________________________________________________
1. Are you using a (U) rom.
2. Are you using PPF-O-MATIC
I opened both the file I patched and my original edited one in HxD and did compare (Ctrl-K). It said they were identical so the patch is fine. |
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Of course nothing shows up in the editor. The edited files are in the narcs. To find out if it patched sucessfully Do this:
1. Open the patched rom in editor.
2. Go to file browser
3. Go to filesystem/files/ARCHIVE
4. Click on Dat_Pipe.narc
5. Down the bottom in the middle near the extract button you should see Offset:1400000
If it says 1400000 then it patched correctly.
The custom levels are inside narcs. They are not in the level editing files as I did them on a different copy of the rom. If I edited the levels on the same copy of the rom then if I made a big level DS download play would stop working as NSMB would be moving the files to a new spot.
If you got offset 1400000 then you are good to go. Try it out. |
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| Maybe it's a firmware issue. I was using a pink firm DS Lite and pink firm DS Phat. |
Chicken Bones
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Originally posted by NsmB_PrO
Originally posted by dirbaio
You CAN'T ADD SPRITES. NEVER. Even on multicart 
And the hex editing stuff... If I were you, i wouldn't even try it. I have never understood why it is supposed to work from that guy's explanations
but in one post of one of that "crazy guys" is mentioned that i can add sprites...
one guy says you can add sprites another says you can't...
in what guy i should belive 
and may i edit block 2 (hex editor) in multiplayer?
It is supposed to work (and does) because you are not overwriting valuable Download Play information when you replace the narcs using the editor. (When the narcs are bigger than the originals the editor places them just after the FAT and overwrites some important data (I don't know what though). By doing it yourself you can put the narcs in a location where they don't overwite this data.
I can add as many sprites, blocks, paths, entrances as I want. I can't add views. I can't change sprite sets or tilesets.
BOTH IN MULTICART AND IN DOWNLOAD PLAY USING MY METHOD. (I am only learning C++ so I can't make an editor and therefore use HxD)
My flashcart was broken by my sister and I am ordering another in a few days. When it arrives I will post a youtube vid of IT WORKING! (Apparently youtube proves everything.)
So please stop bagging on me. If you told me what you are doing and your firmware version then I might be able to help you! |
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Thakyou very much Boris. I really appreciate someone's saying they foun my method useful. I'm sorry abot the P-switches though I tried all 3 types but nonework. I agree it would be awesome if more sprites were included in the download narcs. I tried to add a sprite to the narcs once and epic failed (Probably didn't help that I used dry bones and he is a huge file. Or I stuffed something up!) I will try again and maybe be able to replace sprites!
Also the spineys work in multiplayer!
NSMB_Pro All nsmb roms are 32MB and offset 2310F4 = 2298100 bytes = 229KB through the rom. Are you using Ctrl+G? Make sure the little dot next to Hex is pressed? Also make sure you are searching rom the beginning of the rom not the current position. Are you sure you had a rom open?
To all I am rapidly learning C programing and should almost be the level to make an application for all you sorry ones who can't understand or get my tutorial to work. |
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I have fixed the editor and are about to upload my source changes to SVN. In the meantime here's some proof!
<object width="480" height="385"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yyugY-DNKLg&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
I opened a clean rom with my changes to Treeki's NSMBe5.2. Then I extracted the mushroom tileset and replaced it in the snow one. Then opened the ice level. Made a level and pressed the 2 multiplayer Narc patch buttons.
NO HEX EDITING AT ALL. Only NSMBe5.2 was used. |
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Anything that yeilds a black screen when you choose the level will still not work. All I'm saying is that if it works on multicart it works on Ds Download Play now.
Chicken Bones. |
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r116 is the fixed multiplayer version. Get it from SVN. It works on my flashcart with editing the level in the same rom and everything. I can do what ever I want even custom tilesets and press the buttons and boom it works. Just look at my video for proof.
Why isn't r116 working for you? |
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| For all those having problems with Ds Download play it is probably your type of flashcart. R4's are not much good when it comes to flashcarts. It works on Cyclods. it might work on Acekard and probably on supercard. |
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http://www.mediafire.com/?i3wp8amo8no2ytw for the level
http://www.mediafire.com/?7272j6itfnunaxu for the tileset
what I have been able to get to work with just the editor. No hex editing. Yes it does lag in some parts and there is a glitch in one place (from being soo huge).
But it works.
Try importing it with the editor and pressing both the NARC buttons. |
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| What's wrong with r116? I used it to make the level. nothing but patch buttons. |
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Originally posted by Cataclysm
Originally posted by Chicken Bones
What's wrong with r116? I used it to make the level. nothing but patch buttons.
It just doesn't seem to work for me. Whenever I push the two multiplayer patch buttons the rom usually freezes when the level starts to load.
can you post a level that you have so I can have a look. By the way are you using a U or E rom? |
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Originally posted by Boris417
well which rev is easier to use? remember, im asking about download play, not multicard..
I use r116 just press the buttons and no hassels at all. |
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Originally posted by Cataclysm
Here's a download link for my Ice level of "FSMB"
http://www.mediafire.com/?es7fjm9xns76x1e
Haven't had time to test it yet but have you been able to get it to work on other revs or with my hex method. |
