M2 map patch beta version

[Moehr]

Update 12/21/22: Releasing Beta.03 for now as the remaining work I want to do isn't directly related to the use of this patch as a stand-alone enhancement. Further development will probably be related to other integrations for the patch - like one that works with ERJTQ - or for bug fixes. Enjoy!

Update 12/10/22: New Beta version of the patch (that should even be able to work with LAMP - though only if you preserve the original room connections - since the patch includes data for the maps that is still in development and therefore does not make sense to help get LAMP to make changes to just yet).
- fixes a couple bugs related to map loading at game start that was found to be needless; code removed from bank 5 and bank 0 as a result.
- some updates to the source used to generate the patch based on code review

Update: A version of the patch that is ready for people to test, but has code that could probably be improved before releasing a beta version.

The in-game HUD had a couple mods to free up some tiles I needed for the map, and also since I felt using icons instead of letters might be fun for consistency. I also edited the Etank graphic to free up some tiles.

The pause map HUD includes a record of in-game time, the items you have found so far out of the total available, and the 'metroids left til lava level subsides' counter, which I changed to a target in the case that hacks want to mark boss locations and have them come off the map once the boss is defeated.

Item dots represent save zones, refill stations, beams, and collectibles. It was decided in chat that showing the metroid locations would probably defeat the purpose of the game, but that could be done for hacks using the map system, which is customizable and might make it into the editors being developed. I was able to make it so the item dots for collectible items disappear once collected (and reappear if you die before saving after collecting them).:

The patch was written for the original gameboy game. Screenshots are from VBA 2.1 with B+W and color screencaps:

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Original post:
[spoiler]Obligatory landing site post for fun:

[spoiler]
[/spoiler]

Goals for patch:
Map all of SR-388 in-game, displayed when pause is pressed (exception is Queen's room, where you can't pause normally anyway, and possibly some other situations if they arise)

Rooms differentiated by a pattern swap on the solid "block" fill

Marked map squares for items, save and refill points.

If able: the items on the map are no longer marked once collected.

If I can figure it out (RT-55J offered me some ideas) and/or it were possible to get a few better tiles for the map (possibly at the expense of some of the tiles used in the vanilla game), would anyone be interested in that?

Right now using the patch for custom hacks would be an exercise in misery. But that may be different down the road.[/spoiler]

[RT-55J]

Holy smokes! The fact that you got a moving Samus sprite on the pause screen is seriously impressive.

[Moehr]

Got at least a working proof of concept for map dots that disappear once you collect an item (here it's conveyed with the destruction of a metroid since they handle SRAM the same way I need to for items, but I'm not planning to mark metroids on the map with dots, just collectable items):

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Moehr]

Updated original post to include the alpha .IPS file, along with some explanation and a couple screen captures.

Note: this must be applied to a clean .gb ROM, and does not currently work with the color patch.

[ShadowOne333]

This is looking amazing!
One of the most notorious issues of Metroid 2 was the lack of a map system, and with this, Metroid 2 on GB will surely get a revival, I'd surely give this one a full playthrough again later down the road.
My only suggestion would be, if possible, to make the map patch compatible with Metroid 2 DX (EJRTQ) :P

[Moehr]

I'm working with a fork of RT-55J's source repo, which is mostly repointable source now. So while it doesn't yet work with that patch, in theory if I had access to the source, it might be achievable somewhat quickly.

[Moehr]

Updated top post to include beta version of post, which can be used with LAMP, but only if you want to make minor changes such as enemies in a room or the tiling on a given screen.

Room connections, scroll edits and map layout cannot be altered yet (LAMP can change these but the maps will still be vanilla and therefore be confusing). It may be supported down the road after the source gets refined some more.

If anyone does do some half-hacking using the map patch and LAMP, let me know how that goes.

[Tower]

Holy shit thats amazing

[Richter]

Note: this must be applied to a clean .gb ROM, and does not currently work with the color patch.
[/quote]

Hello, Moehr,

I'm new here and can I make a little question about Metroid II map patch?

I saw above some pictures of the game running with color and map. Now is possible to aplly some color patch after apply the map patch or exist another improve patch after beta than allow both in same rom?


Thanks a lot for attention.

[Moehr]

This one doesn't work with the color patch as far as I know, though eventually it might support it

[Richter]

This one doesn't work with the color patch as far as I know, though eventually it might support it

Hi, again Moehr,

Thanks for the answer.
Playing the original game with map and color will be great.

[ShadowOne333]

I'm working with a fork of RT-55J's source repo, which is mostly repointable source now. So while it doesn't yet work with that patch, in theory if I had access to the source, it might be achievable somewhat quickly.

Looks like a source is now available for EJRTQ, thanks to MarioFan2468:
https://forum.metroidconstruction.com/index.php/topic,5789.0.html

Hopefully this allows implementation with the Map Patch to be somewhat easy to add into EJRTQ, as I feel that's the only main thing missing for that hack to make it the definitive Metroid 2 experience for sure.

[TheSpiritOfApollo]

Just wanted to bump to see if anyone has the skills and time to combine the EJRTQ and Map patches together :)