SunGodPortal's Hyrule Magic hack

Well, I'm done.


I know it's typical for humans to resist change, but I encourage all of you to try this.



*See Below*

Notes:
-Much more organized: Boss, NPC, Soldier (So-)

-Overworld versions of StalfosDrop, BlobDrop, CannonBalls and Wallmaster* appropriately labelled (OW-)

*Stick this somewhere on the overworld and when the player comes near it a Wallmaster will drop down from the sky and if caught, the player will be warped back to the last entrance they came out of.

-All 6 variations of FloorDrop appropriately labelled.

-Sprites such as Roller and FireBlade now have directions indicated

-Junk that is mostly useless placed at the end of the list. If it is in this section and isn't labelled there's a good chance that it crashes the game or isn't really usable (usually being an incomplete part of another sprite that can't be used for anything). I'm pretty sure I tested everything from this section indoors and outdoors.

-Stuff that was previously mislabeled such as Green Rupee listed as Heart, Pikit listed as LikeLike (when it isn't even in this version of the game!), Hyu listed as Poe was fixed. Also, mislabeled "SandCrab" now listed as "SandGrabberBlue" and "SandGrabberRed", while the actual SandCrab is now labelled correctly.

-Boss-HelmaBomb is the explosive that the HelmasaurKing spits out. I figured this could actually be used. It blows up as soon as you enter a room.
-Boss-MiniVitero is one of those little eyeballs from the Viterous battle. Put them somewhere in a dungeon.

It looks much cleaner now.

Update: 3:30PM
Fixed:
-proper version of Wallmaster and useless version being swapped
-Spark directions fixed
-1/2MagicGuy (MadBatter) fixed
-HeartContainer and NPC-WitchAssist swapped
-Smoke added to Bunny Beam

Moved into the projects section because I'm going to continue to refine it.

May be the last update (unless I get some suggestions or find any mistakes). Added a thing or two and changed the directions of certain items to Cw (clock-wise) and Cc (counter-clock-wise) at the suggestion of Assassin.

Hex numbers restored to useless junk.

I finished testing all of the "useless" sprites and here are is a description of all the entries in that section:

zz02-incomplete stafos
zz03-crash
zz05-pull switch up, redundant, broken gfx
zz0C-unknown, explodes when touched, hurts
zz10-stationary enemy arrow, hurts
zz1B-nothing
zz1D-nothing
zz2D-Sahasrahla text about Moon Pearl with broken gfx
zz50-lone stationary cannon ball, hurts
zz6C-nothing
zz77-anti-fairy with broken gfx
zz7B-agahnim magic ball, can still be launched with sword
zz87-incomplete ganon flame
zz89-unknown, hurts
zz90-incomplete wallmaster
zz94-appears to be a duplicate of pirogusu-rt
zzAB-incomplete crystal maiden
zzB8-dialogue tester
zzBF-incomplete agahnim lightning
zzC2-appears to be a rock fragment from the lanmolas battle, stationary, hurts
zzD7-ganon intro text and pitchfork attack but no ganon, music or sfx
zzE6-incomplete item sprite (?), gives no money, bombs, arrows, health, magic
zzEC-pot/sign shattering animation
zzED-crash
zzEF-crash
zzF0-crash
zzF1-crash
zzF7-crash
zzF8-crash
zzF9-crash
zzFC-overworld floor drop, does not work
zzFD-overworld floor drop, does not work
zzFE-overworld floor drop, does not work
zzFF-crash
zz100-nothing
zz101-nothing
zz11B-crash

Some of them may be useful if you are creative, but most are just incomplete versions of certain things in the game.

I found a more sensible approach to all of this. I looked at the CFG file in a hex editor and it turns out that it stores the custom sprite names almost exactly the same way as it does within Hyrule Magic itself. All I had to do was expand the CFG file, copy/paste the hex data from my hacked version of the list over its list, reset the two bytes at the beginning of the CFG file that specify how long the custom list is and then trim off the extra bytes at the end of the file.

If you want to use this, just copy the CFG file into the same folder as HM.

Hyrule Magic SGP Sprite Names

Nice remodel SGP (specially with the CFG approach). I've also heard you actually have problems releasing this on RHDN due to "copyright" issues, since you remodeled a program done by someone else.

Let me just say that this is nonsense. Sephiroth3 vanished from the interwebs years ago and his only wish was to not make a sourcecode public. Such a hex edit is more then welcome (and has nothing to do with sourcecode), so is that adopted HM which can move headers (this was also done by someone else).

But of course the diabolical tone of RHDN is "forking" you, that this is not allowed etc etc, which is to be expected from that chauvinistical community.

On this board such program upgrades are more then welcome, and if Sephiroth3 was around, he would definitely approve it, since you only changed the sprite names. By the way, Hyrule Magic is by Nintendo's definition a "pirated" program, so it is more than obvious, that no one can ever claim copyrights for such a program, or the hack for that matter.

PS
If you wish to make your Bruce Campbel an Exlorom or even Exhirom format (which I'm sure you don't wish to do), it is acceptable on this site, but on RHDN you will probably be accused for spreading viruses or get flagged for non compliant (probably by all of those who in their fury wouldn't be able to make a a cart to be soled).

Good thing you are not releasing the exe, since that's what HM essentially is (of course on this site you can, just zip it first).

Nice remodel SGP (specially with the CFG approach).

Thanks. I started this only a few days ago, but I put a lot of time and effort into it. There was a lot testing involved but it was worth it. It will be so much better to read things like "FloorDrop-Rt" instead of something like "FE" or whatever. A lot of things were mislabeled too and it didn't make any sense to have things like the Pipe sprites scattered across the list.

Had I not totally forgotten about the naming option in the "preferences" I probably would have gone that route but I'm actually glad I didn't. It turns out that it was better to do it with hex because surprisingly, it ended up being less of a hassle once I had a good process established.

I tried to come up with names that made more sense and wouldn't be too confusing to users who were accustomed to the status quo. I went into it thinking that people would possibly resist it (being used to the old names which the compendium is set up for), so I just focused on how I would want things.

Good thing you are not releasing the exe, since that's what HM essentially is (of course on this site you can, just zip it first).

Yeah I guess there's a number of reasons the CFG is better. Size, possible false positives from anti-virus programs. I eventually had no choice but to overwrite some of the data related to the file icon too since the new list was so much bigger. Now HM can have a nice sprite menu and still have the Triforce icon.

If you wish to make your Bruce Campbel an Exlorom or even Exhirom format (which I'm sure you don't wish to do), it is acceptable on this site, but on RHDN you will probably be accused for spreading viruses or get flagged for non compliant (probably by all of those who in their fury wouldn't be able to make a a cart to be soled).

I'll probably release it in a more conventional format. I hate the idea of greedy people overcharging others for my work but the way I see it, this sort of approach is a lost cause. Someone will eventually crack it and then all that will have been accomplished is having to hear people whine about the format.

Keep on this great work! It's really a pity that sephiroth3 didn't continue but with you there's light here.
How can you edit this program? As far I know the only person who saw the source code is MoN...

pikits were called likelikes in japan and wallmaster was actually fallmaster.

I actually didn't need the source code for this. I assumed that since it was a program rather than a ROM (dedicated to a very specific hardware setup) that I might be able to just open the thing up in a hex editor and look for the text. The list of sprite/item names was located at DCF70. Bytes 2 and 3 there specify how long the list is, but it appears that HM only uses that when you input custom names using the preference menu. As far as I know this number is ignored until it is written into the CFG file upon making changes. I never had to reset it until I switched over to hacking it.

Here's the first few lines in HM:


It starts at the byte that I have highlighted. In front of every entry there is a period, but if you look to the left it is actually a number: the amount of characters in the entry that directly follows it. To change Raven to "Crow" and not have the menu be completely broken I had to then change that number to a 4. ALL of these numbers had to be either the exact amount or higher, otherwise the menu wouldn't work. It sounds tedious to do that for this many entries:

Code:

.Raven
.Vulture
.02
.BigCanon
.PullSwitch
.DnSwitch
.TrapSwitch
.?FloorMove?
.Octorok
.Mouldrum
.4WayOctorok
.Chicken
.?HoveringRock?
.Cucumber
.SnapDragon
.OctoBlimp
.10
.Hinox
.PigSpearMan
.MiniHelmasaur
.GargoyleGrate
.Bubble
.Mutant
.BushCrab
.Moldorm
.Poe/Ghini
.BlackSmith(Frog
.AnArrow?
.Statue
.UselessSprite
.PegSwitch
.SickBoy
.BombSlug
.PushSwitch
.HoppingBulbPlan
.RedMiri
.BlueMiri
.LiveTree
.BlueOrb
.Squirrel
.Person?Rm270
.Thief
.?DustGirl?
.TentMan
.Lumberjacks
.2D
.FluteBoy
.Person?
.Person?
.FortuneTeller
.AngryBrother
.PullForRupees
.ScaredGirl2
.HedgeMan
.Witch
.Waterfall
.ArrowTarget
.GuyByTheSign
.Person?11,227
.DashItem
.FarmBoy
.ScaredGirl1
.RockCrab
.PalaceGuard
.ElectricBarrier
.BlueSoldier
.GreenSoldier
.RedSpearSoldier
.Warrior
.HogSpearMan
.BlueArcher
.GreenGrassArche
.RedSpearKnight
.RedGrassSpearSo
.RedBombKnight
.Knight
.Geldman
.Bunny
.Tentacle2
.Tentacle
.GlassSquirrel
.Armos
.ZoraKing
.ArmosKnight
.Lanmolas
.FireBallZora
.WalkingZora
.HyliaObstacle
.Crab
.Animal?
.Animal?
.WallBubble(L-R)
.WallBubble(R-L)
.Roller 1
.Roller 2
.Roller 3
.Roller 4
.Beamos
.MasterSwd
.SandCrab1
.SandCrab2
.ArcherGame
.Cannon(Right)
.Cannon(Left)
.Cannon(Down)
.Cannon(Up)
.MorningStar
.CannonSoldier
.Teleport?
.Rat
.Rope
.Keese
.70
.Leever
.Pond
.Priest/Uncle
.Runner
.BottleMan
.Zelda
.WierdBuble?
.OldWoman
.Bee
.Agahnim
.OneShotMagicBal
.StalfosHead
.BigSpikeBlock
.FireBlade
.FireBlade2
.Lanmola
.WaterBug
.4Bubbles
.GreenRocklops
.RedRocklops
.BigSpikeBlock
.Triceritops
.FireKeese?
.Mothula
.89
.SpikeBlock
.Gibdo
.Arrghus
.ArrghusFuzz
.Shell
.Blob
.WallMaster
.StalfosKnight
.Helmasaur
.RedOrb
.94
.EyeLaser(Right)
.EyeLaser(Left)
.EyeLaser(Down)
.EyeLaser(Up)
.Penguin
.Splash
.Wizzrobe
.9C
.VRat
.Ostrich
.Rabbit
.Uglybird
.IceMan
.KholdStare
.A3
.A4
.GreenLizard
.RedLizard
.Stalfos
.GreenAirBomber
.BlueAirBomber
.LikeLike
.AB
.Apples
.OldMan
.DownPipe
.UpPipe
.RightPipe
.LeftPipe
.Good-Bee
.Inscription
.BlueChest
.BombShop
.Kiki
.BlindMan
.B8???
.Bully&Whimp(DW)
.Whirlpool
.ShopMan
.OldMan2
.Viterous
.???
.Lighting
.Item
.AgahTalk
.RockChip
.Half-Bubble
.Bully
.Shooter
.4WayShooter
.FuzzyStack
.BigFairy
.Tektite
.Chomp
.TriNexx1
.TriNexx2
.TriNexx3
.Blind
.SwampSnake
.Lynel
.Transform/Smoke
.Fish
.AliveRock
.GroundBomb
.DiggingGameGuy
.Ganon
.D7
.Heart
.Heart
.BlueRupee
.InTree?Rocks?
.Bomb
.4 bombs
.8 bombs
.Magic
.BigMagic
.Arrow
.E2
.Fairy
.Key
.E5
.E6
.Mushroom
.FakeSword
.ShopMan2
.WitchAssistant
.HeartPie
.PickedObj
.ED
.Mantle
.EF
.F0
.F1
.MedallianTablet
.Person'sDoor
.FallingRocks
.F5
.F6
.F7
.F8
.F9
.FA
.FB
.FC
.FD
.FE
.FF
.CannonRoom
.01
.CannonRoom
.CannonBalls
.RopeDrp(Snake)
.StalfosDrop
.BombDrop
.MovingFloor
.Transformer
.WallMaster
.FloorDrop(Sqr)
.FloorDrop(Vert)
.0C
.0D
.0E
.0F
.RightEvil
.LeftEvil
.DownEvil
.UpEvil
.FloorTiles
.WizzrobeSpawn
.MiniBats
.PotTrap
.StalfosAppear
.?ArmosKnights?
.BombDrop
.11B

...but I actually loved it. It was fun. LOL I would have hated to do that much using HM. It was much nicer having it all laid out in front of me, even if I did have to reset all of the character counts manually (I just highlighted them and it told me how many letters there were).

If none of you have every opened HM up in a hex editor I would def recommend it. It was very revealing.

pikits were called likelikes in japan and wallmaster was actually fallmaster.

Interesting.

of course the gba version added real likelikes, but fallmasters and floormasters have replaced the wallmasters from Zelda 1. never have they appeared in any other title except for the BS remake.

If none of you have every opened HM up in a hex editor I would def recommend it. It was very revealing.

I did actually. I also opened IPS patches in hex, exe of emulators, even certain dlls and cfgs etc.

I was actually searching for the byte/bytes/code, which tells the game where to store indoor data. And I wanted to change this the way RT stores it. But it didn't work.

In front of every entry there is a period, but if you look to the left it is actually a number

Well of course it is.

Try this. Open a blank txt, write something and open it in hex. This is how one of the first files ever was created. Each letter you type will become a byte value. This is how digital text is encoded. And when you copy paste digital text, you actually copy these byte values.

PS
Try to open IPS in hex. Uppon initial bytes (header etc), you will see a sequence, address to write in the rom, length of changed data block, byte values to overwite old code... and like so for every block. Uppon large section of 00, a special "compression" method is used to tell how much 00 bytes is written etc.

Which is basically why hex editors are considered unwelcome by companies, since you can just open a certain dll or exe of a certain program and put the trial blocades or similar to "NOP".

Hex edit can also be used for "locking" mechanisms. Say you want to lock any file easily. Open in hex, choose a random address and rendom block. Copy paste to txt file with address. Replace the block with random bytes in original - voila. File is completely "broken" and "bugged". Without initial txt on where to change what, the file is useless. (But you fix it with ease. Copy paste from the txt, go to written address and press ctrl+B= paste overwrite - file "unlocked"/"debugged").

Well of course it is.

I mentioned it because at first I was only looking at the text and soon ran into complications because I didn't think to look at the hex values between the names. They were only "periods" to me. Once I did, it became pretty apparent why I was unable to expand and shorten entries without destroying the menu.

They were only "periods" to me.

Its not that simple. Certain byte is regular period. But other values are (as much as I can see), the length of the name. 05 Raven (ie 5 letters). 07 Vulture (ie 7 letters). It basically tells the program how many bytes to read before it should stop reading.

Its not that simple. Certain byte is regular period. But other values are (as much as I can see), the length of the name. 05 Raven (ie 5 letters). 07 Vulture (ie 7 letters). It basically tells the program how many bytes to read before it should stop reading.

Well, I know that now. Had I not figured that out this never would have been finished. There's no way I was going to make that many changes using that clunky preference menu in HM. It's kind of ironic that it was actually easier to accomplish with a hex editor instead of the built in options that were made specifically for this task.

I finally got back to working on Bruce today. It was my first experience editing since making these changes. Hyrule Magic is about 1000 times better with the sprite names fixed.

so with this HM update, is it only the enemy names hat have been changed? if so then is there an way to debug the program?

so with this HM update, is it only the enemy names hat have been changed?

Yeah. I began hacking the item and sprite names in HM directly, then I discovered that I could accomplish the same thing without having to alter HM itself if I made a custom CFG file in a hex editor. All you have to do is download the CFG file and place it in the same file as HM (replacing the existing CFG file) and the sprite names will be vastly improved. If you decide that you would rather have the existing butchered menu, just delete my CFG and the program will revert to its normal, sad state.

if so then is there an way to debug the program?

There is, but that is beyond my skill level. The rest of Hyrule Magic's problems are here to stay.

Rock n roll.

After a few days of trying to figure out what the proper course of action was, I finally decided how to submit my changes to Romhacking.net and it was approved. Now, when someone searches for Hyrule Magic or Z3 tools they will see an entry for "Hyrule Magic - Unofficial Update" alongside the rest.

Though I was able to contain my improvements to the CFG file I decided to submit it as an archive along with a copy of Hyrule Magic for future purposes. Just as I was submitting it I got an idea for a few other things I may want to try with Hyrule Magic itself. Now, if I make further changes I can just update the file on the RHDN page rather than having to go through the annoying process of creating another submission entry.

SunGodPortal wrote:Well, I'm done.
I know it's typical for humans to resist change, but I encourage all of you to try this.

I'm sure any sane person would switch to this over the vanilla version turd.

You're doing God's work you Sun of God. Keep up the good work!

I find it really weird how certain individuals wanted the source code private. The only reason I can think of is bad code but it seems to be more of an ego thing.

Puzzledude wrote:
Hex edit can also be used for "locking" mechanisms. Say you want to lock any file easily. Open in hex, choose a random address and rendom block. Copy paste to txt file with address. Replace the block with random bytes in original - voila. File is completely "broken" and "bugged". Without initial txt on where to change what, the file is useless. (But you fix it with ease. Copy paste from the txt, go to written address and press ctrl+B= paste overwrite - file "unlocked"/"debugged").

Interesting... but encryption is a better solution for securing files considering your method just corrupts data slightly by removal, not hide it fully.

how come no one has managed to debug the program? is it too difficult to do or is sephiroth3's big ego preventing anyone from making big changes?

Why not both? Situations like these are a huge reason why I am a major advocate for open source software. The stuff is free, you can make any changes you want to your needs, and you can call the coder out on their crappy code.

We really need a HM sucks thread.

By the way, though my experience for making applications is limited for GUI, I could take a whack on creating a new application if I am provided enough documentation. It might make for an interesting learining experience. Obviously it will be open source and on github.

We really need a HM sucks thread.

Sometimes I wonder just how many "hackers" HM has destroyed. Every so often I get the urge to try and compile a list of all of the people who started ALttP hacks but never finished them.

i really hate HM but unfortunately it is all we have that is efficient for hacking Zelda 3. it is like final fantasy 6 level editor and that got an updated version which is supposed to be much less buggy. unlike HM, it will usually not destroy the entire rom, but damage parts of it.

By the way, though my experience for making applications is limited for GUI, I could take a whack on creating a new application if I am provided enough documentation. It might make for an interesting learining experience.

Oh really, then are you familiar with RT (room transfer) and RHE (room header expander) coded by XaserLe.

Basically he took my indoor data studies and used them to make a dos based program, which organizes the indoor data in an optimal possible way. Such a structure will make use of maximal room for all data blocks, so the game can never run out of space, and thus never bug (no more sprite limitation, maximal header possible for all rooms etc etc). The data gets organized into space between 1st and 2nd megabyte, with every room written out before the code. If we could just tell HM to read and write data like this, it would be a major brake through.

My wish was thus for him to merge this with the HM's indoor editor code to come up with the new (ultimate) indoor editor. But the idea eventually failed due to too much coding required.

so if this were possible then that means the bugs in HM would be much less common?