Quick Modding/Hacking Answers Thread

Okay, I was starting up Cave Editor, and that worked fine.
I opened up "First Cave," went to Properties and changed the width to 100 (an increase). When I press okay, it gives me an error message reading "The parameter is incorrect."
The cave story copy is not read only, it reads .bmps (which all the images are), the copyright is removed. All of these files are encrypted, so the file names are green (I guess Mac does it automatically, so when I transferred the files they were encrypted). I never had this problem until I switched to booting Windows natively. Anyone know the issue?

 

Ooh, while we're asking stuff, I have a question as well. In my misery story mod, whenever I kill the orangebells (which should set a flag that keeps them dead), save and reset, they come back. They're set to disappear when flag is set and all that jazz. It also happens with talking to a certain mimiga that sets a flag. Take a look at misery story to see what I mean.
Does anyone know what's wrong? I'm pretty sure it should be working.
Oh, and hey mr. raichu.

 

@Cult: I can't say I've ever experienced anything like that before, and a quick search of the CE Source doesn't return any results for the string "parameter is incorrect". I tried at least D:
Can you make your files un-encrypted? Maybe that would help.

@sunspirit: Flags are tricky things. You need to always know exactly what is going on with every single flag at all times. Keeping a list in a .txt file sometimes helps. Other nuances: Giving an entity a flag ID and then shooting it to death may set the flag. Maybe it would unset it too! I don't know. I don't like that so I removed that functionality from my own.

 

@sunspirit: Flags are tricky things. You need to always know exactly what is going on with every single flag at all times. Keeping a list in a .txt file sometimes helps. Other nuances: Giving an entity a flag ID and then shooting it to death may set the flag. Maybe it would unset it too! I don't know. I don't like that so I removed that functionality from my own.

Sunspirit, that's a good one nox. And I've done everything there.

Spoiler

Flag | Use | Map
------------------------------
9999 | Orangebell1 | Plantation
9998 | Orangebell2 | Plantation
9997 | Orangebell3 | Plantation
9996 | Orangebell4 | Plantation
9995 | Mimiga talk | Plantation
9994 | Fish Get | Plantation
9993 | Mashou talk | Plantation
9992 | Harvest cycle | Plantation
9991 | Harvest cycle | Plantation
9990 | Harvest cycle | Plantation
9989 | Harvest cycle | Plantation
9988 | Jenka talk | Plantation
9987 | Quake | Plantation
-----------------------

(Doesn't look too pleasant in a post, but whatever.)

And I did set it so the flag is set when they die.
And what do you mean you deleted it from yours? You mean you took it out from my 5-minute demo? Or are you talking about something completely different?

 

I meant my own version of the game

Anyway flags over 7999 don't save so that is kind of a thing you might want to keep in mind.

 

Aww, CRAP! I forgot the most basic thing about flags!
Well phew, thanks a load nox. That saved the plantation, mimigas are eternally in your debt.
Although orangebells might be after ya.

 

How many ticks are in a second? Or, what is the relationship between a tick and a second?
I also have an Idea that I'd need help with.

I'm kinda coming up with a somewhat RPGish script, but it only has the 2 options- Yes an No. Howwould I hack the ASM or TSC or whatever- I don't what what either of those are by the way- so there would be say, 3 options? I'd also need someway to edit the graphics.
I think it could be like,

<ECJ0001:WWWW:0002:XXXX:0003:YYYY

Extra choice jump...
0001- Choice 1.
WWWW- Event to jump to if choice 1 is chosen.
0002- Choice 2.
XXXX- Event to jump to if choice 2 is chosen.
0003- Choice 3.
YYYY- Event to jump to if choice 3 is chosen.

Kinda scetchy. Oh well. Do you kinda get the point?

 

How many ticks are in a second? Or, what is the relationship between a tick and a second?
I also have an Idea that I'd need help with.

I'm kinda coming up with a somewhat RPGish script, but it only has the 2 options- Yes an No. Howwould I hack the ASM or TSC or whatever- I don't what what either of those are by the way- so there would be say, 3 options? I'd also need someway to edit the graphics.
I think it could be like,

<ECJ0001:WWWW:0002:XXXX:0003:YYYY

Extra choice jump...
0001- Choice 1.
WWWW- Event to jump to if choice 1 is chosen.
0002- Choice 2.
XXXX- Event to jump to if choice 2 is chosen.
0003- Choice 3.
YYYY- Event to jump to if choice 3 is chosen.

Kinda scetchy. Oh well. Do you kinda get the point?

You won't need 0001:, 0002:, and 0003:. All you need is <ECJXXXX:YYYY:ZZZZ.

Also, another question. Where can I find the energy crystal NPC code in Cave Story's ASM? I wanna make a duplicate of it, for a sort-of currency.

 

You won't need 0001:, 0002:, and 0003:. All you need is <ECJXXXX:YYYY:ZZZZ.

Oh, thanks.
Anyway, where would I be able to hack that into the commands?

 

The game runs at 50 FPS so there are 50 ticks in a second
That hack is possible, but you'd need a bit of skill to pull it off. Not really a beginner's project.

If you're looking for a function use the list: http://tile44.org/~noxid/FunctionlistNox.txt
If it's not in that list then nobody knows what it does. The one you are looking for is in the list.

 

Funny, I just researched that.
Download Carrotlord's ASM guide, and search for the "TSC hacking" page. It shows the location of the TSC parser. It checks the characters in the TSC script. It first checks for "<"(CMP something,0C), and keeps checking. It's hard to explain, so look at what carrotlord wrote. You go down to the correct part of the parser, and look for where the function for that TSC event is called. Goto that offset, and make your function. I can probably help ya if I find a computer.

EDIT: Anyone know how the YNJ function tracks whether you pick yes or no? Is there a ram offset thing for it or something?

 

That hack is possible, but you'd need a bit of skill to pull it off. Not really a beginner's project.

If you're looking for a function use the list: http://tile44.org/~noxid/FunctionlistNox.txt
If it's not in that list then nobody knows what it does. The one you are looking for is in the list.

...Being a newbie, I don't really understand what those say. Can you kind of explain?

 

...Being a newbie, I don't really understand what those say. Can you kind of explain?

I don't think the massive function list can be explained in a few sentences, especially if you're new to assembly.

Hacking in those commands is going to be difficult. If you still want to learn, try my assembly guide?

 

I wanted to ask how to edit the music for the main menu screen in cave story with the new game and load buttons. I know that the TSC code for the menu song is: 0024 which is used with <CMUXXXX. But, I can't find the location to edit it, meaning which map file/number relates to the menu screen so I can edit the TSC code in Sue's Worshop. I already know it's not the map 72 with plays BEFORE the menu.

Thanks for your help!

 

The title screen music is hard-coded and you need hacks to change it

http://www.cavestory.org/forums/threads/871/

 

A way to make it slightly more user friendly in the future is that is you jut replace the code nox linked to with nops (90 in hex) then the music isn't changed from what it was during the intro movie i.e. you'd be able to cmu thar and not have to worry about it.

 

When is it a good idea to JMP SHORT?

 

when you want to jmp to another piece of code.
and the endpoint is ff or less bytes away.

 

when you want to jmp to another piece of code.
and the endpoint is ff or less bytes away.

You mean 7F (or is it 80) bytes away.

 

oh yes, I do. Silly me.
It's 7F.