Metroid Advance Game Editor (MAGE) Thread

[LaughingMan008]

It is indeed a bug, thanks for finding it and pointing it out.

No problem. Thanks for making such an awesome program. I really like it. In lieu of your Freedom mod, which I'm still hoping to play one day, I figured maybe I could at least rip out the story myself, or make it go quicker. Heh.

Speaking of, is there a way to do that, that doesn't involve just sort of haphazardly changing the text boxes to make them go by quicker? I mean, there's that patch option to remove the intro cutscene, so I assume there's some way to disable other story sections.

[biospark]

It would probably be easiest to write some code that increments the event counter upon entering certain rooms (like navigation rooms). That should effectively skip all of the computer conversations.

[LaughingMan008]

It would probably be easiest to write some code that increments the event counter upon entering certain rooms (like navigation rooms). That should effectively skip all of the computer conversations.

I would LOVE to know how to do that. The best I can do now is make it so every conversation and cutscene just immediately ends. I assume you are doing something like what you mention with your hack?

[biospark]

No, my hack will remove all of the story. I already converted the navigation rooms to map rooms. My plan is to have a non-linear event system like Zero Mission, because there still has to be triggers for things like beating the game.

[passarbye]

Excellent work! This always bothered me while playing the gba games. Are you planning on doing one for Fusion too?

I probably will, but it may be a few weeks or so down the line. Thanks for the support!

[biospark]

Huge update!

Download
0.8.0 - Oct 10 2016
  - Reimplemented main window GUI
  - Renamed "Map" to "Room"
  - Moved Clipdata Shortcuts to "Tools"
  - Added clipboard viewer to "View"
  - Added tooltip to tileset viewer (displays block number)
  - Added zoom function for room viewer
  - Added option to always use selected clipdata (under "Edit")
  - Fixed bug when undoing a selected clipdata change
  - Fixed bug when undoing a paste over empty blocks
  - Reimplemented Minimap Editor and modified layout
  - Added button to Minimap Editor to change tile selector's background color
  - Added patches for each game to allow more minimap tiles
  - Removed limit on number of event based connections (incompatible with previous versions)
  - BG3 is always drawn
  - Reimplemented import ending and removed "Reduce blockiness" option
  - Added keyboard shortcuts 'W', 'A', 'S', 'D' to resize doors
  - Fixed bug when redoing a room object removal
  - Added Zero Mission patch that disables Chozo statue hints
  - Added view option for screen outlines
  - Fixed Text Editor bug where the delay command wouldn't parse
  - Added Tile Table Editor


If you have added event connections to a hack that you plan to finish, PM me. This version of MAGE will break your event connections otherwise.

Due to my current circumstances, I probably won't be able to develop MAGE for two or three months. Therefore, I wanted to get this update out, even though I haven't been able to test it. I would appreciate it if everyone could read all of the changes and try them out, because there are probably some bugs I missed. I will still fix any bugs that come up, so please report them here.

[Luce Seyfarth]

What... And I see this only now -.-

Manipulating events will be so useful! You have no idea how long I searched for things like to check in Ridleys AI that binds his appearance to having collected Gravity Suit.

Can't wait to finally try this editor out myself, great work! :)

[interdpth]

Still wish for the quick ROM reload for ASM patching. Good update none the less. I noticed if you open up the tile editor, then switch to tab that has no data the entire window messes up. Also got an issue with one of my rooms but i don't know if it's from MAGE or not. Will do a bug report if I can repro

[Lojemiru]

I absolutely love the potential of this editor! That being said, I can't figure out how to make grey doors unlock only when all enemies in a room are killed. Looking through some of the rooms in the game that have that feature by default, I'm seeing some kind of connection between those and event data, but I can't figure out how to manipulate it to work for me. Any ideas?

EDIT: First, I should clarify that I'm hacking MZM, not MF. Secondly, I checked another room with a grey door event and found no relationship to the event variable. I'll dig a bit more.

[biospark]

I noticed if you open up the tile editor, then switch to tab that has no data the entire window messes up.

Can you be more specific than "messes up"? If you switch to a tab that doesn't have tile table data, the other panels should just become blank. If something else happens, can you tell me how to reproduce it?

That being said, I can't figure out how to make grey doors unlock only when all enemies in a room are killed.

Hm, the only rooms I can think of with that behavior are rooms with bosses or mini bosses (including Metroids). The door locking/unlocking is handled by the boss's AI (i.e. code, which MAGE cannot edit). The only solution I could think of would be to make a new invisible sprite with custom AI that checks the enemies within the room. In any case, MAGE won't help you here, sorry.

[Lojemiru]

Hmm, alright. There's one room in Brinstar right after you get bombs where you have to kill a bunch of those spider things for the doors to unlock, but I couldn't find anything showing a relationship between the sprites and the door. I'll just have to find another way to do it. Thanks!

[biospark]

There's one room in Brinstar right after you get bombs where you have to kill a bunch of those spider things for the doors to unlock, but I couldn't find anything showing a relationship between the sprites and the door.

It's the same deal for those bugs. They have special AI to handle the doors.

[interdpth]

I noticed if you open up the tile editor, then switch to tab that has no data the entire window messes up.

Can you be more specific than "messes up"? If you switch to a tab that doesn't have tile table data, the other panels should just become blank. If something else happens, can you tell me how to reproduce it?

Even the first panel should be blank? They are all blanked out in that case until the form is reopen or you select a tileset number. So if it's by design then nevermind.

[Luce Seyfarth]

I don't know if this was answered yet (didn't have time to read the whole thread), but I found the address to switch Samus' HUD on and off quite a whila ago and then posted it in Interdpths thread about addresses on the Zero Mission board. To quote:
"3. In RAM, address 0x00004A is is a switch for the game HUD; "

...I really need to come by more often :D

[biospark]

I don't know if this was answered yet (didn't have time to read the whole thread), but I found the address to switch Samus' HUD on and off quite a whila ago and then posted it in Interdpths thread about addresses on the Zero Mission board. To quote:
"3. In RAM, address 0x00004A is is a switch for the game HUD; "

That isn't really relevant to MAGE. I'd prefer if the discussion in this thread was constrained to things that are MAGE related. Several people have asked how to do things that MAGE can't do. If you question is "Can MAGE do this?", then that's ok. If the answer is no, then any subsequent questions should be in a separate thread.

This thread has felt like "the general GBA Metroid hacking thread" at times, which I'd like to change. So let's keep things organized. :)

[Blade]

So this new Version will break my custom Event Connections, right?
Could I just delete my new Events (only 8 right now) and add them again or would this still break them?

[Luce Seyfarth]

I don't know if this was answered yet (didn't have time to read the whole thread), but I found the address to switch Samus' HUD on and off quite a whila ago and then posted it in Interdpths thread about addresses on the Zero Mission board. To quote:
"3. In RAM, address 0x00004A is is a switch for the game HUD; "

That isn't really relevant to MAGE. I'd prefer if the discussion in this thread was constrained to things that are MAGE related. Several people have asked how to do things that MAGE can't do. If you question is "Can MAGE do this?", then that's ok. If the answer is no, then any subsequent questions should be in a separate thread.

This thread has felt like "the general GBA Metroid hacking thread" at times, which I'd like to change. So let's keep things organized. :)

Sure thing, I can understand that :)




So, from what I've gathered you wouldn't recommend using MAGE on long projects still? I was thinking of giving the event based connection editor a spin this weekend. I will probably make another safety copy and see if I find any problems while editing a ROM that was already heavily edited by DH and manual ASM coding before.
I saw that the weapon editor can change damage output of Bombs an PBombs, which is really nice - is there any chance that we will be able to edit beam damage sometime in the future? From what I've gathered, base damage is just 2 and every beam (sans Charge Beam) you stack upon short increases damage output by 1 every frame the enemy is hit. Do you plan to change this?

[biospark]

So this new Version will break my custom Event Connections, right?
Could I just delete my new Events (only 8 right now) and add them again or would this still break them?

It would still break them. You can pm me an ips patch.

So, from what I've gathered you wouldn't recommend using MAGE on long projects still? I was thinking of giving the event based connection editor a spin this weekend. I will probably make another safety copy and see if I find any problems while editing a ROM that was already heavily edited by DH and manual ASM coding before.

My plan for version 1.0.0 is to allow adding new rooms, tilesets, spritesets, etc. which is everything you'd need to make a complete hack. You could probably start on a serious project now as long as you didn't need to add new things.

I saw that the weapon editor can change damage output of Bombs an PBombs, which is really nice - is there any chance that we will be able to edit beam damage sometime in the future? From what I've gathered, base damage is just 2 and every beam (sans Charge Beam) you stack upon short increases damage output by 1 every frame the enemy is hit. Do you plan to change this?

It can edit beam damage. I don't see why I'd change that.

[Luce Seyfarth]

So, from what I've gathered you wouldn't recommend using MAGE on long projects still? I was thinking of giving the event based connection editor a spin this weekend. I will probably make another safety copy and see if I find any problems while editing a ROM that was already heavily edited by DH and manual ASM coding before.

My plan for version 1.0.0 is to allow adding new rooms, tilesets, spritesets, etc. which is everything you'd need to make a complete hack. You could probably start on a serious project now as long as you didn't need to add new things.

Cool, I had two ideas with me for a long time now, but needed to add rooms for that :)
And do you plan to make a function for adding new areas, too? :)

I saw that the weapon editor can change damage output of Bombs an PBombs, which is really nice - is there any chance that we will be able to edit beam damage sometime in the future? From what I've gathered, base damage is just 2 and every beam (sans Charge Beam) you stack upon short increases damage output by 1 every frame the enemy is hit. Do you plan to change this?

It can edit beam damage. I don't see why I'd change that.

Yeah, for Fusion it can. I was talking about Zero Mission, which I should have made more clear, sorry.
Unless I oversaw a "damage" option for the beam weapons. I have the latest version you posted here.

[biospark]

Cool, I had two ideas with me for a long time now, but needed to add rooms for that :)
And do you plan to make a function for adding new areas, too? :)

I don't plan on it. That would be very difficult. There are special parts of RAM used for each area, for things like no respawn blocks and tanks collected.

Yeah, for Fusion it can. I was talking about Zero Mission, which I should have made more clear, sorry.
Unless I oversaw a "damage" option for the beam weapons. I have the latest version you posted here.

Weapon editor > Beams > Damage

[Luce Seyfarth]

Weapon editor > Beams > Damage

Well, I feel stupid now -.-
I guess that means no individual damage for each beam :/

I've made some additions and changes now using mage and encountered no new bugs so far :)

Also: Could be an idea to include an image im- and exporter (could just use existing tools) or even an editor for ingame pictures like the title screen? Doesn't have a high priority but would be nice to have...

[biospark]

Also: Could be an idea to include an image im- and exporter (could just use existing tools) or even an editor for ingame pictures like the title screen? Doesn't have a high priority but would be nice to have...

What kind of images? You can already export room and tileset images, and the graphics editor lets you import/export images.

You can edit the title screen image with the tile table editor if you know where its data is located.

[passarbye]

Hi there.

I'm trying to change the spriteset of a room (brinstar room D) from spriteset 25 to 1C. So in the 'select' panel I scrolled to 1C and hit apply, which did nothing. Tried reloading Mage and the change didn't take effect to the room's spriteset. Is there something I'm missing? How can I change this?

[Hawntah]

I'm trying to change the spriteset of a room (brinstar room D) from spriteset 25 to 1C. So in the 'select' panel I scrolled to 1C and hit apply, which did nothing. Tried reloading Mage and the change didn't take effect to the room's spriteset. Is there something I'm missing? How can I change this?

Try changing it in the header editor.

[biospark]

I'm trying to change the spriteset of a room (brinstar room D) from spriteset 25 to 1C. So in the 'select' panel I scrolled to 1C and hit apply, which did nothing. Tried reloading Mage and the change didn't take effect to the room's spriteset. Is there something I'm missing? How can I change this?

Use the header editor. Keep in mind that the editors are not tied to the current room in any way. The spriteset editor will open to the spriteset that the room uses out of convenience, but it's only used to edit the sprites that make up each spriteset (thus the separate "select" and "edit" sections).