Quick Modding/Hacking Answers Thread

Programming isn't very hard. IIRC, to make a new NPC you have to replace an existing one (easy if you don't use something).

Uh no
Replacing an NPC doesn't magically make it do something that wasn't programmed into the game originally
Also bump @ my last post

 

@Doors
I meant replacing the NPC code with your own
I know how NPC making works

 

The way I see it (pardon me if I'm redundant) is that for the boss, I need to create a new NPC, put it in the Data file, have a program within the game to pull that sprite and those certain sprites for certain animations. I need to give the exact spaces so the game knows what coordinates in the file to grab, from where to where.

I have only one frame of sprite for the boss I plan to use. All I did was take Quote with the Mimiga mask, change the ears a bit, enlarge the minimal sprite by a few pixels manually, and added Pikachu features. Then I made it look demonic.

Are there any artists I could potentially "exploit" to give it a more sprites?

 

To make a new NPC, you should have:
-OllyDbg
-your executable
-the sprite file
-some free space in the code (delete an existing NPC)
-Noxid's tutorials, list of defines etc.

You have to put the code in the executable (needs some work). Have you ever tried ASM hacking? If you haven't, then:
1) learn ASM
or
2) find a hacker who'll do the work for you
or
3) abandon the idea.

 

4) Don't use NPCs and make the code 80% NOP

 

Ollydbg...Olly Debug? I'm guessing I need to download that from somewhere?

I'd have to learn how to use executables...and what executables are. To the tutorial again!...nothing on executables.

By "sprite file," you mean a list of sprites to be used as animations while scripting out the character?

What is NOP? If I end up using that method, I'd like to at least understand what you mean by it.

 

An executable is the little clicky-icon thing you press to make the computer machine do stuff.

No offense but please don't try to assembly unless you're like already really familiar with a fair bit of computer science concepts, it's not easy and it's not for everybody and more likely than not if you are persistent enough to figure it out you'll spend so much time learning how to assembly that the actual mod part will fall completely to the wayside.

 

Also @NOP method that was kind of a joke don't actually do that you'll wreck everything

 

Well, maybe before I start with the crazy stuff like executables that will send me in over my head, I'll focus on the smaller things, one thing at a time. First, I'm going to make a new map, based off of the Sand Zone tiles. I'd like to know what the best method for copying them into a new file would be, since the option to copy them seems constantly greyed out.

Would any of you have any advice? I can't seem to find the correct file, .tsc or otherwise.

 

To copy a tileset, go to your mod directory\data\Stage, and locate the two files "Sand.pxa" and "PrtSand.pbm" (or .bmp if you've changed it). Copy those two files, and Rename "Sand.pxa" to what ever you want while keeping the ".pxa" on the end, and give that same name to your copy of "PrtSand.pbm" while having the "Prt" right before it. After that, you should now have your own extra tileset to edit.

The .pxa file stores the attributes of the tileset you have that determines which tiles are solid, background, sloped, water, and everything in between. And the .bmp file is the image file of your tileset that can be edited with your preferred image editor.

 

I’m using the Cave Story editor, Sue’s Workshop, and can’t figure out how to edit the tile sprites…
Can someone help me out here please?

 

I’m using the Cave Story editor, Sue’s Workshop, and can’t figure out how to edit the tile sprites…

Sue's Workshop has been discontinued due to many compatibility issues and just not being as useful as the other editors, it is best to stick to Cave Editor and Booster's Lab as they are both very good and are designed to be compatible.

Can someone help me out here please?

If you are talking about editing the actual images on the tilesets I would suggest using a normal image editing software such as;
-MS Paint
-Paint.NET
-GIMP
-Photoshop
or whatever software works for you.

If, however, you are talking about changing what types of tile they are then what you have to do for Cave Editor is click the tileset you want to edit, this will open up a new window which should show the tileset on one side and the tile types on the other side. Mouse over the tile you want to change and then right-click this will open up a list of all the tile types, select the one you want and you will see on the tile type grid that the box has changed showing the tile type you just selected. Then save and use the tileset.

 

To copy a tileset, go to your mod directory\data\Stage, and locate the two files "Sand.pxa" and "PrtSand.pbm" (or .bmp if you've changed it). Copy those two files, and Rename "Sand.pxa" to what ever you want while keeping the ".pxa" on the end, and give that same name to your copy of "PrtSand.pbm" while having the "Prt" right before it. After that, you should now have your own extra tileset to edit.

The .pxa file stores the attributes of the tileset you have that determines which tiles are solid, background, sloped, water, and everything in between. And the .bmp file is the image file of your tileset that can be edited with your preferred image editor.

Thank you so very much. I think this will make things a lot easier for me.

I'll let you know when I have more trouble with other things I wish to do.

 

I probably screwed up somewhere, but Life Capsules are mysteriously missing from the mod :/
I don't think it's because of two Life Capsules using the same entity ID, because I did it before in Shane's Cave Story 1 and it worked, but now it doesn't work in Hope of Shané for some reason.

Entity ID: 220
Event #: 0305
Flags: 6000 (PC presses down to run script; disappears once FlagID is set)

#0305
<PRI<DNP0305<FL+0220<SOU0022<CMU0016
<MSG<GIT1006Got a =Life Capsule=!<WAI0160<NOD<RMU<ML+0005
Max health increased by 5!<NOD<END

Locations:
- Mystery Mines {Weed}
- Starry Skies [Delta] {e_Sky}

Notes:
- The reason the Life Capsule uses both flags is so that if one is taken, the other automatically disappears, to prevent the player from having 34 max HP instead of the intended max HP of 29 - if the second one in the Starry Skies [Delta] area wasn't there, the Life Capsule would become a "lost forever" item.
- The flag was originally used by the Life Capsule in Grasstown. Currently, it is used only in the two locations mentioned above.
- Only the Mystery Mines/Starry Skies Life Capsule is affected.
- Both Life Capsules use the same event #. (That's probably useless information, but one can never be too sure, right?)

 

Try using another flag, 220 may or may not be reserved

 

I'm having trouble with the sisters boss.
they show up before the boss fight is supposed to begin and they aren't at the location I want them to be even when I try to use a <MNP.
I suck at this Cave editor stuff. It makes so much less sense than real programing.

Thanks in advance

 

1. The Sisters are always on the map, just outside of the screen boundary (in the original).
2. Special bosses always spawn in one spot on the map, and this can only be changed using assembly.

 

Damn it! I was planning on putting off learning assembly until the last minute.
how would I get into the sisters code?

Damn it! I was planning on putting off learning assembly until the last minute.
how would I get into the sisters code?

 

...
Boss 5 (Ironhead): 0x007A8A0
Boss 6 (Dragon Sisters): 0x007D170
Boss 7 (Undead Core): 0x00753D0
...

 

I've run into a slight problem.

I've created an icy version of the Sand Zone sprites, and I hit Add Map to make a map using it and a custom snowy background I pallete-swapped from bkFog. So far so good. When I make the map, Minimus Ice, some of the tiles don't show up. I'll list them by x/y coordinates; maybe this happens to a lot of people.

2,7
3,7
5,7
6,7
7,7
6,3
12,3
16,5

Anyone able to help? Maybe I screwed up something in the previous instructions.