Quick Modding/Hacking Answers Thread

Well, for one, you need either Cave Editor or Sue's workshop, both of which can be found on either the tribute site or on the forums.

And much of what goes on here is going to be a bit above you, if you've never modded CS before.

Just go and get one of those two programs and test one out. DO NOT under any circumstance try and use both, for that will corrupt the exe.

http://www.cavestory.org/forums/threads/792/ <this may prove useful down the line.

Feel free to ask any questions, but, please, be specific.

Oh, and try actually modding one and seeing what you can do. If you ever get stuck, come here and we will help you.

 

Ok guys its going pretty good. so far on my first map i added spikes and i modded a script for the life capsule now it says "Health incrased by 20" then it gives you 20 but i have a question..

in sues workshop. how do i know the numbers for the monsters and stuff. like say i want to add balrogs whats the sprite number and the event number and flag number and stuff like that?

 

in sues workshop. how do i know the numbers for the monsters and stuff. like say i want to add balrogs whats the sprite number and the event number and flag number and stuff like that?

Not sure if this is exactly what your looking for, but a lot of it helps a ton.
http://spgardebiter.sp.funpic.de/CaveStory/FAQ/

 

@brandonk

http://www.mediafire.com/?mrwjtnimq0e

My collection of various txt and modding files that I have found useful, feel free to download it.

The file labeled TSC command sheet may be the most useful.

I can't remember what exactly is where, but that should be more than enough to help you.

 

On an almost completely unrelated topic, I'm back to ask more totally retarded questions... >_>

So I've been happily working on my mod now, but I've run into a problem with my first boss battle. Yay.

first off, I wanted it to start at a certain point on the map that is triggered by sprite #46 - horizontal/vertical trigger. So far I've only used it horizontally, so I'm not sure how to adapt it to a vertical mode (probably using a specific event number like the spikes do.)

Now once that happens, I'd love to trigger a boss fight with the 'hover' balrog, sprite #36. (Which I have redone the sprites to, of course! )

That's pretty much it. Sorry I'm such crap at this, and sorry you have to deal with it

 

I'm just glad I'm dumb enough not to know anything about, nor answer any of your questions.

 

first off, I wanted it to start at a certain point on the map that is triggered by sprite #46 - horizontal/vertical trigger. So far I've only used it horizontally, so I'm not sure how to adapt it to a vertical mode (probably using a specific event number like the spikes do.)

I answered this question for you before

Use NPC 46 with flags 1000 (detects you vertically). and event XXXX (You chose it based on what your map has already)

#XXXX
<KEY<MM0
[INSERT CUTSCENE HERE]
<END

Now once that happens, I'd love to trigger a boss fight with the 'hover' balrog, sprite #36. (Which I have redone the sprites to, of course! )

I don't know if you need to use an ANP command to get him to move (Look at the hover balrog fight code from a fresh copy of cave story) but you'll have to do somethiing like the code I've given already.

#XXXX
<BSLYYYY
<END

Where XXXX is the event number of your now vertical trigger, and YYYY is the event number of "Balrog"

 

Do we have a specific thread for Assembly questions or do they just go in here?

I would like to know what this is doing:

00455501 |> 8B55 08
MOV EDX,DWORD PTR SS:[EBP+8]
00455504 |. 0FB682 9C00000>
MOVZX EAX,BYTE PTR DS:[EDX+9C]
0045550B |. 85C0
TEST EAX,EAX
0045550D |. 74 1E
JE SHORT Doukutsu.0045552D

From the red hopping critter's npc script. The second line makes no sense to me, and then the third line tests EAX with itself, and shouldn't that always return equal? I am confused

EDIT: Also, doesn't this:

004555A7 |> 8B4D 08
MOV ECX,DWORD PTR SS:[EBP+8]
004555AA |. 8B51 78
MOV EDX,DWORD PTR DS:[ECX+78]
004555AD |. 83C2 01
ADD EDX,1
004555B0 |. 8B45 08
MOV EAX,DWORD PTR SS:[EBP+8]
004555B3 |. 8950 78
MOV DWORD PTR DS:[EAX+78],EDX

do the same thing as this:

MOV EAX, DWORD PTR DS:[EBP+8]
ADD DWORD PTR DS:[EAX+78], 1

 

Do we have a specific thread for Assembly questions or do they just go in here?

I would like to know what this is doing:

00455501 |> 8B55 08
MOV EDX,DWORD PTR SS:[EBP+8]
00455504 |. 0FB682 9C00000>
MOVZX EAX,BYTE PTR DS:[EDX+9C]
0045550B |. 85C0
TEST EAX,EAX
0045550D |. 74 1E
JE SHORT Doukutsu.0045552D

From the red hopping critter's npc script. The second line makes no sense to me, and then the third line tests EAX with itself, and shouldn't that always return equal? I am confused

EDIT: Also, doesn't this:

004555A7 |> 8B4D 08
MOV ECX,DWORD PTR SS:[EBP+8]
004555AA |. 8B51 78
MOV EDX,DWORD PTR DS:[ECX+78]
004555AD |. 83C2 01
ADD EDX,1
004555B0 |. 8B45 08
MOV EAX,DWORD PTR SS:[EBP+8]
004555B3 |. 8950 78
MOV DWORD PTR DS:[EAX+78],EDX

do the same thing as this:

MOV EAX, DWORD PTR DS:[EBP+8]
ADD DWORD PTR DS:[EAX+78], 1

TEST EAX,EAX is basically equivalent to CMP EAX,0 but it runs a bit faster and I think takes a little less space.

For the second part you are correct, but for some reason the compiler doesn't like adding in RAM, it prefers to move the data to a register, add to it, and move it back. Possibly its faster, I don't know.

 

I know editing a mod with CE and then with SW makes the exe die. But does editing it with SW first and then CE also make the exe die?

 

no it dain't.
ce messes w/ data placement, sw leaves same.

edit: damn, 10 moar posts and death arrives.
count is restarted. you win bet cheese, howsabout 2 weeks afore I post again?

 

Ummm... I think it might. I started my mod with sue's way back in the day, and then switched to CE after a while. However, when I started trying to change backgrounds, it wouldn't work until I got a fresh .exe

Unless there was something else wrong with it, I dunno.

 

Yeah... this is probably a really stupid question, but I've been dabbling with CaveEditor, and whenever I save any changes to a map or script I get "Error saving map data!" or "Error writing to file!"

Anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

 

Yeah... this is probably a really stupid question, but I've been dabbling with CaveEditor, and whenever I save any changes to a map or script I get "Error saving map data!" or "Error writing to file!"

Anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

I think this has been an issue for many people before. The most common reason is because all of CS's files are originally "Read-only". The most common fix is....

Right-click "data" folder" (found in the folder with cave story)
Go to properties.
Uncheck read-only.
It should prompt you if you want this for just the folder, or all the files. When it does, make sure that you're applying the change to all the files in the folder.

Another thing that might help is, in CaveEditor click the options menu in the main screen. Then there make sure the "Remove Read Only Status From Files" is checked.

That should work, otherwise I don't know.

 

It could also mean the game is still running. (Or open in some other program like a hex editor.)

 

It could also mean the game is still running. (Or open in some other program like a hex editor.)

No it can't. He was talking about maps and scripts in specific, and those still save properly while the game is running.

 

I usually play on the mac but I'm doing this on a separate PC (of course) so I had to download a copy of Cave Story. I downloaded the Deluxe version off the fanpage and opened the "Doukutsu" file in C:/Program Files/Cave Story Deluxe/CaveStory/Doukutsu. That right?

 

I usually play on the mac but I'm doing this on a separate PC (of course) so I had to download a copy of Cave Story. I downloaded the Deluxe version off the fanpage and opened the "Doukutsu" file in C:/Program Files/Cave Story Deluxe/CaveStory/Doukutsu. That right?

Yeah, but I'm pretty sure the issue is the "Read only" attribute on the data folder that's causing the problem, so i'd check that out.

 

Yeah, but I'm pretty sure the issue is the "Read only" attribute on the data folder that's causing the problem, so i'd check that out.

Gah, that was the problem. I'm pretty much a dunce when it comes to Windows so I never would have thought of that.

 

Is it possible to manipulate the hitpoints structure so that life upgrades give you another bar of health, like in "Metroid"?

it Is possible to manipulate the hitpoints structure so that life upgrades give you another bar of health, like in "Metroid"