Regarding modification/replacement/implementation of sprites/music/etc

[Schala Zeal]

I've been looking everywhere for a tool that....well my priority is sprite editing, and I'm not looking to just assign sprites already in the game, but rather import my own to replace the original of say...Chrono or Marle. I know it's possible because of the numerous IPs patches like Azala's and justin3009's, not to mention the epic work done by Kajar Labs.

My problem is that I can't find said features in TF and every other tool I've come across is just stats/dialog text editing. Any references or pointers or what not would be appreciated.

[FaustWolf]

You are in extreme luck. I'm going to be writing a guide for Chrono Trigger sprite insertion over the next few weeks. Once you learn, you could join the Crimson Echoes team in no time flat if you like. They're in huge need of sprite editors and inserters.

The thing to watch out for with sprite re-insertion is making sure that one character's "graphics pack" doesn't run into another's upon re-insertion.

Probably the best utility for general graphics viewing is TileMolester, available here:
http://www.romhacking.net/utils/109/

Here's a tutorial if you'd be interested in getting used to the interface. TileMolester is the utility my graphics insertion guide will be based on.

[Zaulche]

Thanks for working on the tutorial FaustWolf. I can do sprite work but I do not know how to reinsert the information back into the game. Once the tutorial is finished then I might be able to lend some help to the team as well.

[Schala Zeal]

You are in extreme luck. I'm going to be writing a guide for Chrono Trigger sprite insertion over the next few weeks. Once you learn, you could join the Crimson Echoes team in no time flat if you like. They're in huge need of sprite editors and inserters.

The thing to watch out for with sprite re-insertion is making sure that one character's "graphics pack" doesn't run into another's upon re-insertion.

Probably the best utility for general graphics viewing is TileMolester, available here:
http://www.romhacking.net/utils/109/

Here's a tutorial if you'd be interested in getting used to the interface. TileMolester is the utility my graphics insertion guide will be based on.

Sadly, I've tried that and all that comes in is a scrollable window of random colors.

[FaustWolf]

Sadly, I've tried that and all that comes in is a scrollable window of random colors.

This experience is what kept me from hacking during my childhood. Most graphics in SNES games are compressed, making them all garbled at first appearance. Luckily Geiger includes a hugely useful decompression feature in Temporal Flux, and my guide shall cover it.

Here's a neat trick -- open up an unheadered Chrono Trigger ROM in TileMolester and do a Navigate > Goto...Offset 1272C0. You should see Crono's sprite data, just off-color because I need to rummage through Geiger's notes and see where the palette data is stored.

[Schala Zeal]

Sadly, I've tried that and all that comes in is a scrollable window of random colors.

This experience is what kept me from hacking during my childhood. Most graphics in SNES games are compressed, making them all garbled at first appearance. Luckily Geiger includes a hugely useful decompression feature in Temporal Flux, and my guide shall cover it.

Here's a neat trick -- open up an unheadered Chrono Trigger ROM in TileMolester and do a Navigate > Goto...Offset 1272C0. You should see Crono's sprite data, just off-color because I need to rummage through Geiger's notes and see where the palette data is stored.

Aha...

[FaustWolf]

The real problem comes with sprite assembly -- the data that tells the game engine where all the little subtiles go in each animation frame. Vehek's the resident expert on that, and I'll be mooching off of his investigations when I (hopefully) detail it. For now, a new sprite would have to match up subtile-by-subtile, meaning you couldn't put an eight-legged octupus over Crono, but you could put in a sprite that's very similar to Crono in terms of shape and animations.

[Schala Zeal]

The real problem comes with sprite assembly -- the data that tells the game engine where all the little subtiles go in each animation frame. Vehek's the resident expert on that, and I'll be mooching off of his investigations when I (hopefully) detail it. For now, a new sprite would have to match up subtile-by-subtile, meaning you couldn't put an eight-legged octupus over Crono, but you could put in a sprite that's very similar to Crono in terms of shape and animations.

Well that's pretty fascinating. I followed the tutorial and got Crono the right color and all. I actually have an old archived SNES9X save state I wanted to import but apparently I need a ZST file...

[FaustWolf]

I'll eventually get a list of where all the palettes are in the ROM itself, so you can just use that one file for everything. Did you use a ZST savestate to get the color scheme done properly, or did you already find where it was in the ROM?

[Schala Zeal]

I'll eventually get a list of where all the palettes are in the ROM itself, so you can just use that one file for everything. Did you use a ZST savestate to get the color scheme done properly, or did you already find where it was in the ROM?

What I did was open the ROM in TM, go to offset 1272C0 where the Crono sprite data was, Import from Another File, a not-so-old ZST file, got grayscale, and cycled through the colors til Crono matched the right ones. For some odd reason through, I scrolled to Frog, cycled through, but none matched.

[justin3009]

You have to have the character you want IN the savestate so it can find it's colors.

[Agent 12]

Luckily Geiger includes a hugely useful decompression feature in Temporal Flux

Just a heads up that there is currently a known issue with that feature where TF can potentially write past where it says that it is going to write.  It still puts it in there but it may write over another sprite.  So double check it by following these steps:

1) make a copy of rom
2) use TF decompression feature
3)  Lunar IPS the two with logging enabled
4) Check the logs to see what exactly got overwritten.

(you could also just open a hex editor before and after).

--JP

[FaustWolf]

Whoa, good to know. I didn't have any problem with Prophet's Guile art insertion in that regard, luckily.

[Schala Zeal]

Well I made a savestate where Schala is present on screen, but I'm unable to locate her in the jumble after scrolling through the entire ROM tiles...

[Vehek]

All NPC and enemy graphics are compressed.