Map Patch RELEASED, 110-114 extra map tiles and more + Add-ons

[-DC-]

-- MAP PATCH FINISHED. Check the this post!--

Now with add-on patches!
First is an animated FX1 expansion patch that allows up to 32 tiles for each FX1.
Next up: Add-on to have Grime's transparent message boxes while using this patch.

EDIT: The patches and update patches have been fixed. Check this link to get the FIX, and read the info at the top of the post.

===================================

I'm making this topic to use as my question topic as I work on my first big hacking project, making all layer 3 FX, and message box tiles swap out to a certain place at the end of the layer 3 tileset in vram, all to the same place only when they are needed.

The code for this is already in use in the game, as rain, acid, lava, firefly effects, and a bunch of other tiles already get swapped out to tiles 50-54 when they are needed. Also, dialog boxes make the FX tiles vanish during the time they are on screen, so it wouldn't even be noticeable.

With this, and a little arrangement of the status screen tiles, I could open 98+ more map tiles on both the minimap and full map for use in your hacks. I plan to make tiles for every possible door combination for both item and regular tiles, aside from slopes, make morph ball tunnels, tubes, and a few more elevators, and a few more tiles along with those.

I plan to ask for help in this thread, and post anything I figure out, and will make this all public, including a patch to rearrange the tiles and either open up all the free tiles and replacing them with an "ok", so you know what's available, or a few with my own custom tiles for you to use.

So far, one of the first things I've had to do was figuring out what tiles correspond to others between the minimap and full map tileset.  the minimap is at (in hex) D3200 in gameboy mode, and the regular map in snes mode is at 1B0000.The palette for the status screen is at 1B7000-1B7200, but for the file select screen map, it uses palettes located with the file select screen stuff, which has its tiles at 70000 and palettes at 76400-76600.

After some testing, I've figured out that these tiles covered in solid green can readily be used on both maps, overwriting some redundant unused tiles. (see image)

However, there are a few that COULD be used, but it isn't entirely certain what might happen:

-The tile marked with a circle is used as a transparent tile on layer 3 for the message boxes, all around the boxes, but these tiles are all hidden behind layers 1 and 2 with their priority bit... you never see them unless you turn off layer 2... although, there may be rooms that don't have a layer 2 covering. You could still get away with using this tile, though.

-The tile marked with a square is so far OK. It seems like a redundant tile in the regular map screen tiles, as I've never seen it used in any of those screens or anywhere.

-the ones marked with ? are tiles in layer 3 that get swapped out by rain, lava, acid, and many other small FX (check the FX1 editor in last smile version if not fixed yet, or newest if it is and look in the FX layer editor at each one to see which ones are loaded there).  These tiles do show on the map just fine, but if you enter a room with one of those effects, you'll see your map tile turn into that tile and animate along with the FX layer, but in minimap colors.
  One could get away with using these in rooms that have no FX like those, or just water or fog, but I'm not sure yet if it'll mess up that tile if you happen to have been in a room with one of those other FX, as it probably doesn't reload the old tile when you leave the room. I may be wrong, though.

Anyway... here's the image showing what's Ok to use right now:



Also, the next thing I have messed with that I needed to do was moving the message box tiles, so I had to edit the message box tile tables, and learned a lot about them while doing it. I made a very organized guide so anyone can edit these message boxes to whatever they want, too, like I did for shits n giggles:



Thank you, Grime, for posting this to your guides n stuff! ^_^

[begrimed]

Very cool.

I've added it to the Documents page, and I'll probably be making use of this info at some point in this minihack. Keep on keepin' on.

[personitis]

Wow, that's some nice info you got there DC. Good job and keep it up. I'm bound to use this sometime.

[-DC-]

Patch 1 is here, no asm changes yet.
Obsolete, patch is complete, check this post. If you applied the patch from this post right here, this old map patch for 65 tiles, then apply the patch labeled "Map Patch 1 UPDATE (JU) [unheadered].ips". That patch will update this old one.

Here you guys go, the first patch for creating more map tiles! These patches are for the JU version rom, UNHEADERED.

Make sure you create a backup file before applying changes in case you have tiles that may be overwritten by this patch! Read below for all changes!

What it does:

Patch 1: Going for near maximum free tiles, creates 65 more tiles for use on the map / minimap.

Patch 2: Leaves the text punctuation in and frees up 61 more map tiles.

**NOTE: This patch moves the elevator tile and flips a slope tile (probably unused, but it was the matching tile for another in the minimap that also needed flipped), which I did not fix. Since you're getting this patch, you're editing the map, and you can fix this easily enough.**

**NOTE 2: This also edits the area name tables and the position of the letters. To fix your area names, first, go to your backup copy, then copy and paste the tile tables for the area names back over the names in your newly patched rom (1166F-11716). Then, go through and change all the tiles in row 3 to row E and row 4 to row F. For example, if you had 2 tiles in your table that read like 35 28 41 28 (ignore the 28 color/flip/priority byte), change the 3_ to an E_ and the 4_ to an F_... like E5 28 F1 28.

-> On a related note, this renders the SMILE area name editor somewhat useless, but not entirely. It would still be faster to make your names in SMILE, then change the letter positions. If you use the area name editor in the text editor within SMILE, use my Pause Screen Guide (coming within the next day) to go back and do the above, change 3_ and 4_ to E_ and F_. This is not necessary for numbers. Some punctuation is also moved to line it up with the layer 3 tiles.**

These patches also align the letters so you can use letters and have them show up in both the minimap and regular map correctly. When using letters, I've set it up so tile #4E (blank tile to the right of the 'S' MAP tile for the save points) is the space between letters. Both patches let you use all the letters, as well as the arrow used in the save dialog box if you want to, but Patch 2 leaves in all the punctuation from the minimap and creates the extra punctuation in the main map set.

What it changes:

-> NOTE: Make sure to have a backup file so you can replace your tiles in this set after applying the patch, as it changes the positions of tons of tiles in the map, status, and minimap, and moves some others to a new spot of free space. It also changes many tile tables. See below.

* Moves and changes many tiles in the minimap tileset at D3200 (Gameboy mode)

* Moves and changes a ton of tiles in the status screen tileset at 1B0000

* Moves the sprite tiles for the file select and game over screens to free space at 1C6000-1C7FFF

* Modifies all the tile tables for:
-> pause screen
-> status screen
-> area names
-> reserve tank stuff and items in the status screen (located elsewhere)
-> tiles for the buttons under the map in the file select screen
-> large message boxes, the '-' in HI-JUMP box, and the save dialog arrow =>
-> one button tile used in message boxes for 'SEL' (Grime, take note, you'll have to re-blank this, as well as tiles in message boxes for your game)

* Modifies the position in the ROM in which the sprite tiles are loaded for all the file select screen sprites to be 1C6000

* Moves the elevator tile from tile #CE to #12, and flips a slope tile in both map sets at tile #2F
-> I didn't fix these in any maps, but you can do that easily while editing them. Make sure you get ALL maps!

*makes some edits to other slope tiles in the minimap set in order to fix the grid a bit for them

I think that's it.

Tiles available to use that coincide in both the minimap and the main map are marked with a small circle ( o ). There's 65 new o tiles you can use for the map in patch 1 and 61 in patch 2.

Tiles available for anything else individually in either layer 3/minimap/message boxes OR the status screen/main map are marked with an X. There's a ton of those, especially in the status screen, and I haven't even marked quite all of the redundant tiles.

Anyway, I'll release a gfx file soon with all my custom door map tiles tomorrow or Monday, and others. Also, I'll try to get a headered patch for them up soon, too.

Now I've gotta create the master patch. My final patch that edits the asm to free up to 98 tiles will overwrite my changes in these patches, but it's nothing very big to fix, so enjoy these for now! ^o^

Oh yeah, and I've been compiling a full status screen guide which I'll put up soon.

-> Please give credit to ' DC ' if you use this, as it took a very long time for me to move and rewrite all those tiles and tables. Thanks! n.n;

(Personal note, ignore: Patch 1, 4 times; Patch 2, 6 times)

[DSO]

This is awesome, thanks so much! Now, if only I could think how to fill up 60 odd tiles... maps should start looking a lot better though.

[personitis]

Hacking is getting mad awsome around here. Good work DC. Now all we need next is something that can apply multiple patches at once. ^-^;

[squishy_ichigo]

Yay! I finished my map tiles! 114 tiles out of a possible 115! :P




35 elevator tiles FTW! XD

edit: well aparently I can't count, there's 105 tiles to use not 115. :/
So a scraped the downward duplicates of my elevator tiles, I'll just flip them ;_;

[attachment deleted by admin]

[-DC-]

Actually, Squishy, I was already making those before I released the patch. I just had to finish creating all 4 door variations, a few other custom tiles, my tubes, and make gameboy mode versions of all of them.

Anyway, this .gfx contains:
* wall tiles for normal, item, and major item tiles, and universal up/down elevators
* 4 door tile variations for normal, item, and major item tiles
* 2 types of tunnels/morph ball tubes
* 2 types of room corners (round and angle)
* 2 types of elevator style tubes
* universal up/down elevator tiles for all door variations
* GAMEBOY mode variations of all

I have SNES and GAMEBOY mode versions of all those tiles, and all correspond to eachother. They all work fine except for the angle tiles I made, which don't have a minimap grid for all directions, so they won't appear exactly right in the minimap, but I kept them in case you don't care.

Also, before you say that you could just flip some of these tiles, no, you can't, and they exist in all 4 directions because in the minimap, the grid can only be 1 direction. You need to have all 4 variations of a tile that shows the grid in order for it to appear correct.

Anyway, below is a zip containing a gfx file and the pause screen palette as a .zst file (can be loaded into TLP).  If that doesn't work for you, the pause screen's palettes are at 1B7000-1B7100 (sprites are 1B7100-1B7200).

The gfx file is not meant to be loaded up into your rom directly. It's for you to C&P whatever tiles you would like from it.

I have no idea how many tiles are there, but keep in mind the number of free tiles you have in your rom. If you used my patch, you have a maximum of 65 tiles. choosing to include all normal and item door tiles takes 54 tiles. You can get away with strategically placing item tiles and use less than all variations pretty easily, so you'd only have a small number of item type door tiles. You can also forgo showing any items and just have the plain doors, which would take up only 27 tiles.

Another tip to use to save tiles... you can use just 1 door tile to show there is, in fact, a door there, with the next room just using a plain wall. This can be used to cut your elevator tiles down to just the basic wall tiles and use the bordering rooms to show where the doors enter that room at.

Also, other tips for door tile use would be to use a door tile in 1 room for a door you enter, and a wall in the next room to make it a 1 way door.

-> Please give credit to ' DC ' if you use these as it took a long time to make all these. Thanks! n.n;



EDIT: Oops, I forgot to erase the 2 duplicate elevator tiles in the 3rd to last row of that image... done now. Those are redundant and can be erased, whoever got the file already. They are in the second to last row with all the rest of the elevator tiles for that door set.

[personitis]

DC, you've gone and made my life very easy. Thank you. d(^_^d)

[-DC-]

No problem!

I forgot to add, some of those door types don't look too good, especially with major item tiles. I made them anyway in case someone still wants some of them, but I suggest you use the plain door tiles for major items.

Here's a couple images I had made last week, playing around in the tile arranger:

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1117/doors.png

[-DC-]

*double posting to bump, and different subject than last post... so sorry.

To everyone that applied my map patch already:
Obsolete, see this post. If you had applied the first gen patch before I corrected the errors, ask me for this fix. I think only 3 people got my very first patch when it was released, though.

Those who haven't applied it yet, read EDIT 1.
Those who have already applied this map fix patch before now, read EDIT 2.

I forgot to check the area names on the file select screen... it just occurred to me awhile ago. Also, I missed 1 tile for the Hi-jump boots in the item select tables.

Below is a patch that fixes those. It won't affect anything you've done with the map, this patch just re-adds the missing area name tiles from the sprite tiles I moved to 1C6000, and rearranges some number and punctuation tiles for large lettering IN those tiles, and changes an 08 to an 0A for the blank tile after Hi-Jump boots, and nothing else.

All these tiles at 1C6000 belong to sprites displayed on the file select screen and on the map in the file select.

Apply the patch below, it's safe as long as you haven't messed with those file select screen sprite tiles.

NOW, my first patch is complete. P:

If you find anything else wrong, let me know. Thanks!

--------

EDIT: Also, those of you that decide to download the main patch from now on do not have to download this fix. I fixed my 2 patches above and re-uploaded them, so you're good to go.

EDIT 2: Also, if you downloaded this patch, please get it and apply it once more, I had to add one more change I missed with the Hi-Jump Boots in the status screen. Applying this patch again will do nothing but change an 08 to 0A at 13FE3 for you.

(personal note, ignore: DL 3 times)

[GF_Kennon]

Sadface



Your patch did this to my area names

[attachment deleted by admin]

[-DC-]

Did you get that fixed via my instructions yet, GF?

If any of you have made custom area names, go back to the Map Patch post and read how to fix it. It's pretty easy.

EDIT:

Message box guide updated. Get it from the first post or documents page. Only thing missing is the ASM, which I'll be translating after animation ASM is translated, and the exact palette locations, though only 1 set of 4 colors is a real mystery so far.

[-DC-]

Posting to bump...

I'm uploading my Map and Equipment Screen guide (or Status Screen guide). It's almost entirely complete, aside from things that are dealing with ASM.

Can this be posted in the docs section, please?

[Zhs2]

I've done it, but I'd prefer you leave the asking for docs posting to IRC or this topic... otherwise, it may very well be missed!  :icon_sad:

http://www.metroidconstruction.com/docs/DChronosStatusScreenGuide.txt

[-DC-]

EDIT:
To all that applied the latest map patch / update:
If you already used the latest patch from this post, download and apply the patch labeled "Map Patch Load Game FIX". This will fix the failure of water or fog loading during the demo scenes and when loading from a save point.

It will also replace 3 tiles accidentally removed from the layer 3 'surface' of the hexagon world map in the file select. These tiles are only in the layer 3 part of the file select tileset. This fix patch will not touch any of your edited tilemaps or tilesets aside from those 3 tiles.

To all others:
The map patches and update patches fixed, checked, double checked, etc. Everything works flawlessly and the patch is now truly 100% completed.

Check out the new FULL demo of my map patch that edits all maps, from Ceres to Tourian. I added short explanations in each map and a special thanks at Tourian! I also took the liberty of hiding a few more areas in the original since doors help you navigate a lot easier. Check it out!

Please check the spoilers below for what you'll get, they show all this gives you, as well as the tile and tilemap editing info, and info about what's changed in the rom.

====================================================================

After shitloads of research and learning a bunch of stuff for the map, layer 3 and FX, how tile animations are all done (I can make new animations with a single number and manipulate any of the others' places in the tilesets, how many tiles, etc.... will finish documenting later), message boxes, and learning assembly enough to do stuff, I've created the central piece of the patch, the assembly, and my patch is finally done.

Lots more good things than just making map tiles. Check out my FULL demo patch to see just 1 possibility! (apply demo to unheadered original JU rom, NOT your own rom, edits maps n stuff)
If you decide to use this, please give credit, it took forever to edit, change, and test all I had to.

And if you need some ideas or something to fill, check out my door/tube/angle tile .gfx file here.

NOTE:
For first time users, use the IPS patch labeled "Map Patch [1 or 2]"
If you applied my old map patch, use the IPS patch labeled "Map Patch [1 or 2] UPDATE"

NOTE 2:
Read this post to understand what this note is for.

Seriously, guys, this info is only important if you're editing the FX1 layer in SMILE (not just changing the room FX, but editing the FX1 tilemap), or if you've changed your area names or you're going to use the text editor in SMILE to change your area names. Editing your area names in a hex editor is very easy, too.

The patch runs fine. You do not have to do anything to make it work right.

This patch kinda renders the text editor for area names in SMILE half unusable, since the letters had to be moved. The high nybble will be off. You can still use it, then go change the first nybble to the right row number for each letter in a hex editor. It's very very easy.

Second, this patch screws up the FX1 editor in SMILE as well, but you can do something easy to show the tiles right. Simply go into TLP, move the message box's 32 tiles located at D4000 to D4600 (so you have a backup copy of them to move back to D4000 when you're done), then copy whatever FX1's tiles for the tile table you're going to edit to D4000. Then you'll see the FX1 properly in SMILE. My patch swaps these all, so that's why they're not showing right.

For the rain, spores, lava, and acid, you have to do the same thing with these as well. SMILE loads them incorrectly to another spot, so don't use them from there. The graphics for those animated FX are located below, in GAMEBOY mode. Copy only the amount of tiles stated, as each FX varies in the number it loads, and there are multiple [frames of animation].

3A564: Lava, 4 tiles [5 frames]
3A6A4: Acid, 4 tiles [5 frames]
3A7E4: Spores, 3 tiles [3 frames] (I say flower petals, just think Japan, you'll get it)
3A874: Rain, 5 tiles [5 frames]

I provided the frame numbers in case you want to edit the animated FX tiles. Use CRE palette.

----------------------
Editing Info:
For most stuff...

[spoiler]GFX Locations
D3200: Layer 3 tileset for minimap, HUD, message boxes, and fog/water FX (view in gameboy mode)
70000: File select / game over screen tileset
1B0000: Status screen tileset, and the main map tiles
1C6000: File select / game over screen sprite tileset

o = tile can be used for the map, or just for the stuff the tileset is used for.
Add your duplicate tiles in both the status screen and layer 3 tilesets in the same location in the sets as the map works by having 2 tilesets (minimap and pause screen) with 1 tilemap!

X = tile can be used just for the screen the tileset is used for.

Tile Tables
188B: HUD plain tiles (not icons, numbers, or e-tanks, those are immediately after)
1DBF: Values for HUD numbers, 0-9
3437: I think these are the tile tables for the game's warning screens... uses file select tileset
See SMILE for each one's location: Layer 3 FX for rain, lava, acid, spores, fog, water
28000: Message boxes... see my guide for editing them
75C00-763FF: File select background planet, I think
1B6000: Status screens, file select map... see my guide for editing most tiles

Palettes
Depends on first 2 rows of the gfx palette: HUD, minimap, layer 3 FX
76400: File select screen (and sprites?)
1B7000: Status screen and sprites[/spoiler]

Here's what you get:

[spoiler]* Patch 1: 114 extra map tiles
- Patch 2: 110 Extra map tiles, 4 extra punctuation

* Can use letters, numbers, and all punctuation on the map and it will show correct on the minimap

* Fixes a few minor pixel errors in minimap tiles and fixes a map tile

* 21 extra tiles for fog FX (marked with X in fog tile in layer 3 tileset)
- Separately, the possibility to use up to 32 tiles for all animated FX (lava, acid, rain, spores)

* 194 spare tiles for the status screens (map borders/equipment)
- 117 of those 194 tiles can be used for sprites on the status screens

* Fixes a missing tile for  Varia Suit legs in the equip screen
- Also created a new tile to make them look correct. Very minor, but still nice.

*Changes tiles for items not acquired from transparent to black, as it should be, according to how the border tiles are set up (which are transparent on the outside and black on the inside)

* 125 spare SNES mode tiles in the file select tileset (best for the background)
- And 84 spare Gameboy mode tiles, used for the 'surface' of the hexagon world map

* 20 tiles for sprites on the file select screens (this includes map, if you create map sprites, you'll have to add them here, too)
- This also gives you a shitload more sprite lettering to use for the hexagon world map. In addition, you can take advantage of this and have a different font on this map, since it won't affect the letters for the options.

* Fixes a few minor pixel errors on lettering in the file select's regular and sprite tilesets[/spoiler]

What it changes:

[spoiler]* Clears as many duplicate and unused tiles as possible for all tilesets above, only the file select screens have duplicate tiles for letters and duplicates for map sprites. See above for plus on lettering. Another plus of this is you could have different sprite set for the file select map.

* Tile tables for FX1, Message boxes, Status screen, file select screen map, HUD, various random tile table values used for the HUD numbers, and layer 3 overlay in-game and in the status screen.

* Moves $2000 bytes of tiles for the file select screen sprites to 1C6000, clearing a lot of room in the status screen tileset in the process

* Adds a $64 byte subroutine at 29650 for swapping graphics for message boxes and layer 3 FX before and after message box appears

* Adds a $32 byte subroutine at 4AF00 for loading fog and water FX during room transition

* Modifies the vram address, source address, and number of bytes to load for layer 3 when you go into the status screen so it doesn't overwrite the current room's FX... in the process, it also removes 32768 master cycles from this particular DMA transfer

* FIXED: Alters 2 DMA routines at 229C, combining them into a single routine, adds a short routine at 22ED to load fog/water tiles during demo scenes and game load, alters a JSR, a part of the door transition DMA routine at 1632, and 2 other instructions to fix my fix
- And after all that, still comes out $0C bytes LESS than original routines :D[/spoiler]
----------------------

Here's what the 2 subroutines look like: http://pastebin.com/m6c1060d
You don't have to do anything with that, I'm only showing it off. It's already in the patch.

Below is an image of the new layer 3 tileset. The o's are the tiles you can use for the map that have their corresponding tiles open in the main map tileset. Below are water and fog, swapped in when needed. Fog's set only uses 10 of those tiles: the 1st, 3rd, and 7th tiles are only used twice, the 4th tile is only used once, and the 6th tile isn't used at all. You can now use all those X's for fog tiles, it's already set up for this, too. These 4 punctuation tiles can also be used, and are already changed in patch 1: , ' ' !

(click to view full) . . . . . . . . Sample map you could create:
. . . . . . . .

Anyway, sorry for this super long post, but it's filled with info to edit a lot of new things, so save it for later! Thanks for using my patch if you do, have fun, and please give credit!

Ignore this, saving download info...
[spoiler]* Map patch demo.ips (65.63 KB - downloaded 5 times.)
* Map patch full demo.ips (135.39 KB - downloaded 20 times.)
* Map Patch 1 (JU) [unheadered].ips (51.97 KB - downloaded 7 times.)
* Map Patch 2 (JU) [unheadered].ips (51.97 KB - downloaded 5 times.)
* Map Patch 1 UPDATE (JU) [unheadered].ips (33.66 KB - downloaded 4 times.)
* Map Patch 2 UPDATE (JU) [unheadered].ips (33.7 KB - downloaded 6 times.)[/spoiler]


To those about to download a patch, if you didn't make sure to read what the differences between patch 1 and 2 are, and what the differences between the plain and update patches are, go back and read it. Update is not the full patch.

Also, load game fix is not needed if you are getting the patch now. I fixed it already, and that fix is for an old version... you'll know if you have that version as loading from a save point doesn't load gfx, and demos don't either.

[squishy_ichigo]

Anyway, sorry for this super long post, but iut's filled with info to edit a lot of new things, so save it for later! Thanks for using my patch if you do, have fun, and please give credit!

Thats what spoiler tags are for! ;D

Code Select Expand

[spoiler=insert title here]insert content here[/spoiler]

Yeah... I'm a member of the National Socialist American Workers Party. (NSAWP)
;D

[personitis]

Some of this seems like it's more work than needed. Can't you have the patch/ASM make all these repoints for us?

[-DC-]

Some of this seems like it's more work than needed. Can't you have the patch/ASM make all these repoints for us?

NOTE 2:
Seriously, guys, this info is only important if you're editing the FX1 layer in SMILE (not just changing the room FX, but editing the FX1 tilemap), or if you've changed your area names or you're going to use the text editor in SMILE to change your area names. Editing your area names in a hex editor is very easy, too.

The patch runs fine. You do not have to do anything to make it work right.

You don't have to do ANYTHING to use this patch. There is no repointing! That info is ONLY needed if you are going to go into SMILE in the FX1 LAYER 3 TYPE EDITOR, the thing that shows the graphics of the FX1, OR if you ALREADY changed your area names or message boxes to something custom.

For FX1, here... look at this image for a quick explanation.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6007/fx1tileinfo.png

If you ARE going to use the Layer 3 Type Editor in SMILE, use this giude. it is VERY EASY. Just copying, pasting, and saving the right FX tiles to the right spot, just so you can see them properly.
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/7825/editingfx1.png
*I have a correction in this image about the fog tiles...
The 1st, 3rd, and 7th tiles are only used twice,
The 4th tile is only used once,
The 6th tile isn't used at all.


The only other thing is the area names. Those are EASY to edit in a hex editor. If you haven't changed your area names already, you do not have to do ANYTHING, I already made the patch edit the default area names to the right tile numbers.

If you already changed your area names, or plan to, editing them is easy. The second image above shows how to get the tile numbers in Step 1. Just use that to get the tile numbers for each letter, and use my status screen guide to find the area names and change the letters.

If Jathys' text editor in SMILE really is compatible with the new graphics position, then you can just use that. If not, I plan to make an area name (and other stuff) editor plugin for SMILE sometime. But really, doing it manually is easy, you can probably do it in 5 minutes.

It's very unlikely you have changed your message boxes to something custom. My patch changes those already so they work correctly by default. You ONLY have to worry about this if you had made custom message boxes, or used Grime's message box patch. You'll have to change your message boxes back with the new tile locations ONLY if you made something custom.

If you used Grime's transparent message box patch, I'm going to be making a map patch add-on that makes the message boxes this way while using my patch. That's if he doesn't decide to make one himself before I get to it.

If you haven't already changed stuff that's listed in "What it changes", above, then EVERYTHING is already set up. There is only 1 single thing that isn't, and that is the elevator tiles in all the maps. I moved that tile, so your elevator tiles will show up as Os in your maps. Since you are most likely going to be editing the map anyway, you only need to change the elevator tiles back into elevator tiles.

I did not change the maps themselves, because otherwise those changed elevator tile table values would overwrite your new maps with the default elevator tile positions from the original maps.

[-DC-]

Alright, the first add-on patches have been finished.

These patches are animated FX1 expansion patches. This will change some graphics pointers and bytes loaded, and moves the tiles for the animated FX in bank 87 to allow you to have 8, 16, 24, or 32 tiles for each FX.

I created 4 variants so you can decide how many tiles you want. If you change your mind, that's alright, because each patch overwrites the others, no matter what. You can apply any patch over any other and have the new tile counts without any leftover data or tiles.

NOTE: Before you apply this, I suggest you read the text file first. Also, apply these ONLY if you've applied my map patch. My map patch creates the extra space that allows these to be expanded.

This text file contains the basic editing info so you can add tiles to your newly expanded FX, and tells where to go to find the tiles and stuff. It also contains shitloads of useful information for advanced hackers for changing and relocating this data yourselves, as well as information on how to ADD MORE FRAMES to your animations, and lots more.

The file also contains some extra info about the patch.

Anyway, here you guys go.

8 Tiles patch makes 8 tiles maximum for all frames of all FX, 16 makes 16 tiles, etc.

READ THE TEXT FILE!

Next up is creating an add-on for Grime's transparent message boxes.

[Silver Skree]

[spoiler=For anyone who hasn't experienced the amazing TEXT WATER][/spoiler]

[-DC-]

[spoiler=For anyone who hasn't experienced the amazing TEXT WATER][/spoiler]

This final problem has been fixed. Check this post and read the info at the top for details, and get the patch labeled "Map Patch Load Game FIX" from there as well.

Something something MAP PATCH something COMPLEEEETEEED.

[-DC-]

Finally posting these, just got so tired of working on these with the last few week's I've had.

Transparent message boxes. These 3 patches will create one of 3 different types of transparent message boxes while using my Map Patch. Oh, and I created these so you can apply at will, they will overwrite eachother in case you change your mind and want to try another one instead.

What it changes: It completely overwrites all tile table values for the message boxes, as well as all letters and small type text in the layer 3 tileset.

If you're planning to use letters on your map, you will see an oddity on the transparent pixels of the tile in your minimap when you use the X-Ray Scope if you decide to use transparent letters. You can, however, just create new map tile letters yourself if you don't want that to happen. Just make sure their background is black. The Grime styled one doesn't need this... read below for more info.

Grime TPM:
Creates Grime's style of transparent message boxes, but without the few changes he made to the icons or a couple messages (X-Ray Scope is not X-Ray Visor, for example). I didn't make those changes so you can choose what you want and change your messages to what you wish. Use my Message Box Guide to see how if you're new to this. This patch has no small type text ("Select [super missiles] and press the X button." stuff).

With this patch, it adds the transparent letters at rows E0 and F0 and keeps the original black background letters intact for use on maps, and creates one more map tile (SEL tile unused now). Additionally, if you aren't planning on using letters on your map, or only a few, this transparent message box patch will give you 32 new tiles to use as FX1, HUD, or message box tiles if you overwrite the plain original letters.



TMB1:
This creates plain transparent messages with everything but the black background, including the original small type text. I created a bunch of various shadowed variant font stuff (in the TMB Fonts gfx file) you can choose to use in this variant, or you can create your own stuff.



TMB2:
This variant modifies all the small type text so it can have a black outline around it all to make it very visible in any color background, light or dark. The messages for the small type text are the same as the original, but in order to cram all original stuff in with a few outline pieces, the text has become 1 tile longer on both sides of the button letter (one tile longer on the left and right sides). The result does space the text out more evenly, but it's spaced quite a bit (nearly a tile for each word).

However, it looks pretty decent. I also added in an outlined font I created to go with these. There are shadowed variants and lots of other characters for each in the TMB Fonts gfx file, as well as shadowed variants of the TMB2 small type text.

Oh, there's also another style of the M and W letters with them that have both sides wide. As you can see in the image, one side of the M is narrow, and that's due to trying to fit a complete border around a wide character in a narrow space. You either get a clear middle part of the character or both sides wide.




Most of the stuff in the TMB Fonts gfx file is ready for C&P right in place of the current graphics for whatever patch you used as far as the small type text goes. There are a couple tiles you'll need to fix in the tile table, though, since everything doesn't quite fit in the exact same places when going from, say, the outlined font with extra outline pieces to one with shadows that needs a couple different extra shadow pieces.

Anyway, enjoy!

[Black Falcon]

Ok the problem wasn't DC's patch, but DSO's area palette patch.
DON'T USE THE MAPETILEPATCH AND DSO's PATCH AT THE SAME TIME!!
or it will cause problems!

[thelicker]

Problem solved. I just applied the updated patch.