Metroid Advance Game Editor (MAGE) Thread

[Suphacker_Temmie]

Thanks. I had to switch to vba anyway, but it worked.

[Zacsolo]

So this might be bumping... but I'm trying to add an object (example separate bombs from the chozo statue tileset (example being the morph ball)) but cant seem to find anything to add said thing

[Cpt.Glitch]

There is no "chozo statue tileset." The Chozo statue is a part of the bomb sprite, and cannot be separated normally. If you look at something like morphball, you will see no chozo statue is included with the sprite, which is why it can stand alone. This patch allows you to make items of your choice just the orb or not.

[dingbat78]

Hi, I've just recently registered Metroid Construction :)

Lately, I've been trying to get back into game translations after a severe HD wipe some years ago destroyed my WIP's.

The only surviving backup I found was of Metroid Fusion, which I had translated all normal text (dialogues, messages, etc.) over the course of a single weekend. Taking this as some kind of sign, I decided to keep going at it. Though, I'm an amateur at best when it comes to hacking stuff.

Which is probably why I've encountered a couple of issues. At first I though it was with NLZ, then MAGE's Graphics Editor. But now I'm not sure so I have to ask...

The problem I'm having is, everytime I export a set of compressed images (example: offset 56A254, which is the item menu) and try to reinsert them, something is corrupted. What happens is what you see in the picture:

https://ibb.co/HPZB16z

The left image is the menu before exporting. The right image is what happens after importing.

I'm exporting in 24-bit RGB, then perform edits in an image program, then export/save it, then import it with MAGE - and that's what happens. The thing is, this happens *regardless* of any edits. Simply exporting then importing what I just exported causes this.

Is this an issue with MAGE? Am I doing something wrong?

Also, if this should be asked in other general MF hacking subforums, my apologies. Please let me know if that's the case!

Thanks!

[FelixWright]

[spoiler=stuff]
Hi, I've just recently registered Metroid Construction :)

Lately, I've been trying to get back into game translations after a severe HD wipe some years ago destroyed my WIP's.

The only surviving backup I found was of Metroid Fusion, which I had translated all normal text (dialogues, messages, etc.) over the course of a single weekend. Taking this as some kind of sign, I decided to keep going at it. Though, I'm an amateur at best when it comes to hacking stuff.

Which is probably why I've encountered a couple of issues. At first I though it was with NLZ, then MAGE's Graphics Editor. But now I'm not sure so I have to ask...

The problem I'm having is, everytime I export a set of compressed images (example: offset 56A254, which is the item menu) and try to reinsert them, something is corrupted. What happens is what you see in the picture:

https://ibb.co/HPZB16z

The left image is the menu before exporting. The right image is what happens after importing.

I'm exporting in 24-bit RGB, then perform edits in an image program, then export/save it, then import it with MAGE - and that's what happens. The thing is, this happens *regardless* of any edits. Simply exporting then importing what I just exported causes this.

Is this an issue with MAGE? Am I doing something wrong?

Also, if this should be asked in other general MF hacking subforums, my apologies. Please let me know if that's the case!

Thanks![/spoiler]

you are exporting as image and editing in something like ms paint aren't you? What are you translating to?

[dingbat78]

[spoiler=stuff]
Hi, I've just recently registered Metroid Construction :)

Lately, I've been trying to get back into game translations after a severe HD wipe some years ago destroyed my WIP's.

The only surviving backup I found was of Metroid Fusion, which I had translated all normal text (dialogues, messages, etc.) over the course of a single weekend. Taking this as some kind of sign, I decided to keep going at it. Though, I'm an amateur at best when it comes to hacking stuff.

Which is probably why I've encountered a couple of issues. At first I though it was with NLZ, then MAGE's Graphics Editor. But now I'm not sure so I have to ask...

The problem I'm having is, everytime I export a set of compressed images (example: offset 56A254, which is the item menu) and try to reinsert them, something is corrupted. What happens is what you see in the picture:

https://ibb.co/HPZB16z

The left image is the menu before exporting. The right image is what happens after importing.

I'm exporting in 24-bit RGB, then perform edits in an image program, then export/save it, then import it with MAGE - and that's what happens. The thing is, this happens *regardless* of any edits. Simply exporting then importing what I just exported causes this.

Is this an issue with MAGE? Am I doing something wrong?

Also, if this should be asked in other general MF hacking subforums, my apologies. Please let me know if that's the case!

Thanks![/spoiler]

you are exporting as image and editing in something like ms paint aren't you? What are you translating to?

Hi. I'm translating to Portuguese.

Also, I'm using an image editing program called Affinity Photo, which is comparable to Adobe Photoshop, and being careful to use only pixel tools. I've also tried using Paint.net, a simpler tool; and tried *.BMP and *.PNG formats as well, but importing the image has the same result. The problem still stands that, simply exporting and importing right back again (without edits), has the same effect.

[FelixWright]

[spoiler=stuff]
Hi, I've just recently registered Metroid Construction :)

Lately, I've been trying to get back into game translations after a severe HD wipe some years ago destroyed my WIP's.

The only surviving backup I found was of Metroid Fusion, which I had translated all normal text (dialogues, messages, etc.) over the course of a single weekend. Taking this as some kind of sign, I decided to keep going at it. Though, I'm an amateur at best when it comes to hacking stuff.

Which is probably why I've encountered a couple of issues. At first I though it was with NLZ, then MAGE's Graphics Editor. But now I'm not sure so I have to ask...

The problem I'm having is, everytime I export a set of compressed images (example: offset 56A254, which is the item menu) and try to reinsert them, something is corrupted. What happens is what you see in the picture:

https://ibb.co/HPZB16z

The left image is the menu before exporting. The right image is what happens after importing.

I'm exporting in 24-bit RGB, then perform edits in an image program, then export/save it, then import it with MAGE - and that's what happens. The thing is, this happens *regardless* of any edits. Simply exporting then importing what I just exported causes this.

Is this an issue with MAGE? Am I doing something wrong?

Also, if this should be asked in other general MF hacking subforums, my apologies. Please let me know if that's the case!

Thanks![/spoiler]

you are exporting as image and editing in something like ms paint aren't you? What are you translating to?

Hi. I'm translating to Portuguese.

Also, I'm using an image editing program called Affinity Photo, which is comparable to Adobe Photoshop, and being careful to use only pixel tools. I've also tried using Paint.net, a simpler tool; and tried *.BMP and *.PNG formats as well, but importing the image has the same result. The problem still stands that, simply exporting and importing right back again (without edits), has the same effect.

Editor doesn't really matter. The problem is that you are exporting these graphics as images. Oftentimes graphics will use the same colors but actually use different palettes in different spots, so when exported as an image that's all treated as the same color which introduces some issues. (A great example of this is the minimap graphics)

In these situations I recommend exporting the graphics as RAW, exporting the palettes, and loading them up in a tile editor like YY-CHR or Tile Molester. I have a guide here.

[dingbat78]

[spoiler=stuff]
Hi, I've just recently registered Metroid Construction :)

Lately, I've been trying to get back into game translations after a severe HD wipe some years ago destroyed my WIP's.

The only surviving backup I found was of Metroid Fusion, which I had translated all normal text (dialogues, messages, etc.) over the course of a single weekend. Taking this as some kind of sign, I decided to keep going at it. Though, I'm an amateur at best when it comes to hacking stuff.

Which is probably why I've encountered a couple of issues. At first I though it was with NLZ, then MAGE's Graphics Editor. But now I'm not sure so I have to ask...

The problem I'm having is, everytime I export a set of compressed images (example: offset 56A254, which is the item menu) and try to reinsert them, something is corrupted. What happens is what you see in the picture:

https://ibb.co/HPZB16z

The left image is the menu before exporting. The right image is what happens after importing.

I'm exporting in 24-bit RGB, then perform edits in an image program, then export/save it, then import it with MAGE - and that's what happens. The thing is, this happens *regardless* of any edits. Simply exporting then importing what I just exported causes this.

Is this an issue with MAGE? Am I doing something wrong?

Also, if this should be asked in other general MF hacking subforums, my apologies. Please let me know if that's the case!

Thanks![/spoiler]

you are exporting as image and editing in something like ms paint aren't you? What are you translating to?

Hi. I'm translating to Portuguese.

Also, I'm using an image editing program called Affinity Photo, which is comparable to Adobe Photoshop, and being careful to use only pixel tools. I've also tried using Paint.net, a simpler tool; and tried *.BMP and *.PNG formats as well, but importing the image has the same result. The problem still stands that, simply exporting and importing right back again (without edits), has the same effect.

Editor doesn't really matter. The problem is that you are exporting these graphics as images. Oftentimes graphics will use the same colors but actually use different palettes in different spots, so when exported as an image that's all treated as the same color which introduces some issues. (A great example of this is the minimap graphics)

In these situations I recommend exporting the graphics as RAW, exporting the palettes, and loading them up in a tile editor like YY-CHR or Tile Molester. I have a guide here.

I see! Thank you for clearing that up, I'll get to it as soon as possible :)

[dingbat78]

Ah, sucess! Well, partial at least.



I'm guessing the last part of the Bomb, Suit and Misc. graphics are shared.

It's that time where I'll have to learn messing with pointers, isn't it?

[FelixWright]

Ah, sucess! Well, partial at least.



I'm guessing the last part of the Bomb, Suit and Misc. graphics are shared.

It's that time where I'll have to learn messing with pointers, isn't it?

hmm, for that... It'd probably be some OAM work? I don't know. maybe @biospark can help you with this personally since we do not have an OAM editor yet.

[dingbat78]

Ah, sucess! Well, partial at least.



I'm guessing the last part of the Bomb, Suit and Misc. graphics are shared.

It's that time where I'll have to learn messing with pointers, isn't it?

hmm, for that... It'd probably be some OAM work? I don't know. maybe @biospark can help you with this personally since we do not have an OAM editor yet.

I'll try to contact him, thanks! In fact, I might just have to do it because I happened on another stumbling block which I think is worse, and may be similar.

The "Clear Time/Your rate for collecting items is/See you next mission" a nightmare. I can't make heads nor tails of it. There is a compressed graphic block with the font and sentence. But there are also two offsets where the text itself is printed. Because I have no use for the english text, I thought about doing it the brute force way so I erased the compressed graphics (replaced them with a blank image), erased the text printing and was careful to repoint all three elsewhere (in this case, into the Spanish equivalents in the ROM).

Turns out it *still* keeps printing in English, overlaying and mixing in with the Spanish text and generally making a mess. I found another offset with instructions (including horizontal and vertical text positions) for the same text - in English, which... Is still being printed even after deleted. My hair's turned a lot more grey in the last week.... -_-

[Tdestructinator]

Hi, I'm in the process of making my first hack and so far I have strictly just been using MAGE. First I wanna say, amazing program.

I wanted to mess with the music and put in custom tracks, can that be edited with MAGE?

Also, how do I edit the title screen? (If that's done a different way, can you please point me in the right direction)

I'm making a zero mission hack. Thanks in advance.

[alexman25]

Hi, I'm in the process of making my first hack and so far I have strictly just been using MAGE. First I wanna say, amazing program.

I wanted to mess with the music and put in custom tracks, can that be edited with MAGE?

Also, how do I edit the title screen? (If that's done a different way, can you please point me in the right direction)

I'm making a zero mission hack. Thanks in advance.

Hey there! Unfortunately, MAGE does not posses music editing capabilities yet. The good news is, there's a program for it.

To edit music, you'll need the Sappy 2006 mod. (http://helmet.kafuka.org/filebin/sappy12.exe https://www.romhacking.net/download/utilities/948/)


Editing the title screen is easy, this can be done within' MAGE. First you open the graphics editor, and input the offset for the title screen graphics you want to edit. You should put in the palette location too. Then, you can simply export an image to edit in an art or image manipulation program, then reimport it.

The locations for title screen graphics as well as some other graphics are documented here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1e0yHFetyrBDNnBC6pikRvIAAzamLC9UGFj97t5vUGwA/edit#gid=0.

If you need any more help, you can find it on the MAGconst Discord server, which is all dedicated to ROM hacking the GBA Metroid games. Most people there will be happy to help you, or see what you're up to. There's also all sorts of useful tutorials, programs, and documents linked there. https://discord.gg/WtekHKb

Hope I could help, and happy hacking.

[SuperMetroidSamus]

I want someone to please tell me, how do you make Samus start off at the ship?

[FelixWright]

There is an ASM you can use to customize where samus is at the beginning of the game. It should be included in ZMHT, else you can find it under resources on the main site

[Lemmy4K]

Does anyone have the Graphical Data for Metroid Fusion?

[FelixWright]

What precisely are you looking for

[|Shadow|]

How do I use this app to apply a asm file to the rom?

[alexman25]

How do I use this app to apply a asm file to the rom?

You don't. MAGE is primarily for editing data, not code. If you want to apply assembly code, download Armips.

[JustinBailey13]

MAGE doesn't store a path to the emulator. It simply saves a test ROM to your temp directory and opens the file, which should open it with whatever emulator you have associated with .gba files. So I'm not sure what you mean by setting the correct path.

Also, if you ever get an error message, you should always include it if you make a post here. Otherwise, I'll probably have no clue what went wrong or how to fix it.

THANK YOU!! This was very helpful.
I wasn't aware I needed to associate the emulator with the GBA files.

[Meculus]

How do I choose which items Samus starts with when testing?
Also, how would I create security stations?

[FelixWright]

How do I choose which items Samus starts with when testing?

You cannot choose the items before testing. However you can toggle items on and off in the status screen when testing.

[Consumedgrub2]

How do you delete a room that you have already made in the editor? (I'm using Metroid Fusion btw.)

[alexman25]

How do you delete a room that you have already made in the editor? (I'm using Metroid Fusion btw.)

You can't really delete a room within the editor, just wipe it to a clean state.

If you really want it deleted for some reason, replace all the associated data with freespace in a hex editor (most people use chunks of FF).

[DamienInnit]

How do I make a new room. I'm new to making rom hacks and I'm just wondering.