DKC Atlas Forum

[Preposterify]

I am pleased to announce that I have created the first full DKC hack using the DKC resource editor. Brace yourself for an all-new world of kremling chaos.

A few things:
1. This hack is more difficult than the original game, and the final world is borderline-kaizo.
2. To beat this game you must be able to roll-jump. Also keep in mind that you can roll through millstone Gnawtys and Rockkrocs.
3. The rom that you patch must of course be Donkey Kong Country(U)(V1.0)

Screenshots:
http://oi39.tinypic.com/34evjb5.jpg

Video of the first level: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJVCBD_-ugo

[FalsePower]

Sounds kind of interesting. I'll give it a shot. Though, the fact that you say it can be Kaizo-like later on kind of worries me.

[Simion32]

Please check the IPS file and ensure that it is for non-headered DKC. DKCRE only accepts headerless ROMs, and pre-adjusted IPS patches will fail. "The file "C:\Donkey Kong Country (U) (V1.0) [!].smc" does not match the IPS patch. It is too small."

I have fixed the patch. It was way too large (broken patch via end-user's IPS saving process?), and also seemed to have been for the headered version of DKC or something.

EDIT: Hack added to DKCDB archive.

Also, something you did, Preposterify, screwed up the IPS file. Try to stick with RE when creating IPS patches, using the built-in Save As IPS features. Using the patcher from the Tools menu is only recommended for arbitrary data files, and does not check the file's headered-ness if it is a ROM/IPS combo.

When creating an IPS from a saved ROM, you MUST provide the unheadered version of DKC. This is likely what caught you off-gaurd (possibly a bug?). To tell whether it's headered - Windows will show 4,097KB instead of 4,096KB. You can use SNESTool to remove the header, I believe.

[Cosmicman]

I will get this as soon as I get home .

[Preposterify]

Ah, yes. I did have some trouble with the patching process which ended up being trial and error. Thanks, Simion32.

[Markster]

Good job on the hack.

[The Banana Bird]

Can you upload a video of it?

[Cosmicman]

Awesome hack, is not that hard, is not easy, very enjoyable, and I'm just on the second level, did you modify all the levels?

[Simion32]

The last two worlds are painfully difficult. Savestate difficult.

I just finished playing, it was rather fun! Awesome hack.

[Phyreburnz]

I have the feeling I'm doing something wrong. I can't get it to work. I'm not the most computer literate person on the face of the earth, but I patched the rom, it started, then when I got to the first level it was black. The music kept going, but there was nothing on the screen. I don't know if that's just because I did something stupid or what.

I also opened it with DKCRE (I tried that first, actually), but I don't know how to write in all the things like the path to the emulator, saves, and I forget what the last one was... Don't make fun of my computer illiteracy! So... sorry for a possibly stupid question

[Simion32]

All you have to do is re-save out as a ROM file once you load the IPS with a v1.0 (U) ROM (in this case the ROM can probably have any header-ness. not sure, will have to check the logic sometime as it seems a little screwy).

[Preposterify]

I made a new IPS patch with an unheadered rom. Download that one if you're having trouble with the first one!

And Simion32, you're officially insane for beating that in one day. Congrats, you primate.

[Phyreburnz]

re-save out as a ROM file

Sorry, but I don't know what that means... Just, like use the quick save key? If that is what you meant, I tried that, and it's still just black. I even downloaded the other ips that Preposterify uploaded.

[Kingizor]

The issue of patching seems to come up quite a lot, and many people have problems with it.

I propose we make a detailed guide patching guide, that explains how to make them, how to apply them, how to prepare roms for patching, and so on.

This way whenever someone has trouble patching something, we can divert them to that one thread containing everything they need to know. We could also link to it whenever we post a new patch?

Thoughts?

Also, I'm looking forward to trying this hack when I find some free time.

[Simion32]

Use the IPS that I edited into the first post, and DKC v1.0 (U).

File > Open... load IPS first, THEN the ROM

DKCRE should load the game as if it were the patched version.

File > Save As... and choose where you want to save, type the filename, but make sure the extension you type is .smc for example "TheFileToSave.smc" and hit Save.

Done.

[VideoViking]

That may be necessary. The only way I was able to get this IPS to work was by playing it through ZSNES using the matching method (make sure that before you load ZSNES, the ROM filename matches with that of the IPS filename - DO NOT change the extensions).

Last night, Simion had a thought that Lunar IPS could have been used to create the IPS. Perhaps if Preposterify explained how he created the IPS (in step-by-step form), we might be able to get a clue on why it didn't work. So far, the probable causes may have been:

1. Using the incorrect ROM file to patch the IPS
2. Using the wrong program to patch the IPS
3. A possible bug/logic error within DKCRE. Should this arise, we may get a DKCRE bugfix later in the year.

[Simion32]

VideoViking, you used the old faulty patch that he first posted.

The new patch should work with DKCRE and Lunar IPS as long as you know what you're doing. Phyre just seems to be confused as to what to do...

Also, I removed his re-upload as the file compared out as the exact same file.

There might be a subtle RE bug somewhere that got us into this mess but the bug caused the first broken IPS. The one that's up right now should be fine.

[Kingizor]

I'm going to guess the following:

• I think it's safe to assume that the original rom Preposterify was using was headered.
• When making the hack, the header was silently removed by DKCRE.
• The patch was made by comparing between the original headered rom, and the hacked unheadered rom.

[Preposterify]

I'm almost positive the original ROM I used was unheadered from the beginning. I originally tried to convert to IPS using DKCRE, but for some reason the it wouldn't alter a clean DKC ROM when I tried playing it. So I tried LunarIPS which worked. I don't remember if I used the same exact file when trying to create the IPS both times, though. That could have screwed it up.

The strangest thing about all this is that I downloaded my IPS patch from this site and applied to to a clean rom and IT WORKED.

[Simion32]

If the ROM you open with DKCRE has a header (even with opening an IPS with the ROM), the header is always silently removed in-memory (original on-disk file is left as-is).

Using the Tools menu will ignore headers, and works with data as if they were ordinary files. No silent truncation is preformed.

If you save out as ROM at all from the File menu, the ROM is always un-headered.
When saving out an IPS file from the File menu, it is always for the un-headered version of the original ROM file.
When opening a ROM and then saving to IPS from there (again file menu), you have to provide the original unheadered unmodified ROM file (oops!).

We DO indeed have a logic error:

bool CBitwiseFileAccess::SetTargetDataSnes(vector<Hex08>& data)
{
if(pActive[pID])
{
pOBuffers[pID] = data; //WRONG: 1-to-1 Copy, Header Ignored!!
return false;
}
else
{
//Error Box: "Could not SetTargetDataSnes() from [Internal Data].
// BFA channel 0x## has not been activated."
return true;
}
}

[Preposterify]

Simion32, so basically I have to open the modified .smc and save it as an IPS along with a unmodified, unheadered Donkey Kong Country U V1.0?

Or is my hack eternally screwed? LOL

[Simion32]

Yeah, that's what you need to do. But the patch I uploaded to your post is fine.

Also, there's no worry, you can just restore the hack from the IPS if you need to (which isn't "broken").

[Cody]

The last two worlds are painfully difficult. Savestate difficult.

I just finished playing, it was rather fun! Awesome hack.

Oh man, I can't even imagine. I just got finished playing the first two worlds of this hack without savestates (was playing on the Snes9xw for the WIi) and Millstone Mayhem took me at least 40 lives, no joke

Edit: just finished everything up to Oil Drum Alley... some of the levels were BRUTAL. Getting past that Manky Kong in Ice Age Alley took me literally well over 100 tries, and to have that mincer portion right after... not cool, man

Edit 2: Phyreburnz, if you still need help getting the IPS patch to work with the ROM, let me know & I'll help you out

Edit 3: Just beat the hack, what an enjoyable experience ♥
I had to use savestates for the last two stages (couldn't imagine doing the majority of the levels without 'em... Platform Perils is incredibly difficult WITH save states).


How long did this hack take you, Preposterify? It was extremely polished for the most part, highly impressive.

[Preposterify]

It took me about two months to create the entire hack. The only reason I finished it so quickly was because it became an obsession. It was all I did in my spare time, which I had no shortage of.

My main goal for the later part of the game was difficulty with savestates in mind. I just believe that a game should at some point destroy a person's will and hope.

[Cody]

Even so, the fact that this only took you 2 months is extremely impressive. It's not just the quality of the hack; the creativity and the inventiveness just blew me away, really really fantastic stuff all around. I can't even begin to fathom how long the beta testing segment of the hack must've taken you, especially with all the specific pinpoint accurate segments (Ice Age Alley & the entirety of Platform Perils come to mind right away)

Also, I discovered a neat trick in Elevator Antics: if you roll into the first Slippa and hold (Y) and > 'til you reach the end of that segment, you'll knock enough baddies to gain a life. Thought that was pretty neat and certainly helped a lot!


Can't wait to see any revisions to this hack if you ever decide to work on it some more!

[Preposterify]

I did just realize that "Manic Mincers" is quite easy because in a lot of segments you can kill the baddies prior to picking up the TNT barrel. I guess that's a big mistake I didn't catch before release. Not a big deal though since it was the easiest level in Chimp Caverns anyway.

Platform Perils is hilariously ridiculous, I know. It was the "you won't beat this game" final slap to the face.

[Cody]

^ THIS is what took me the most time, haha. Ideally it'd be easy. Right off the bat I figured that, to get this part, you had to walk on the plank until you saw Krusha walk towards you... then you'd make a roll for it, and roll underneath him and land at the appropriate spot right next to the other Krusha. THAT'S what's so difficult.

(how hard was it to line up the tiles for this hack? because from experience, lining up the tiles is a nightmare...)

Also, do you have plans to make a DKC2 hack in the future? If so, I'll be your biggest supporter

[Preposterify]

I'm not sure what you mean by lining up tiles. If you mean making it look nice, it took me a while to figure out how to modify the Jungle levels terrain so it looked good. I eventually figured out which tiles go with each other for the ground. The foliage is pretty easy to line up simply because people don't pay much attention to it, heh. The temple levels are easy, most of those tiles line up with each other nicely. The mines were of course a piece of cake, you just move the platforms around, copy/paste, etc. It's all just trial and error. The terrain was actually one of the last things I heavily modified.

I'm really pleased that you guys enjoyed playing my hack. I was content to know that I was proud of it and will enjoy playing it myself for the rest of my life, but to know that other people like it is a great feeling. I've been dreaming about making a hack for 3 years (many thanks to Simion32 for making dreams come true.) I'm not sure yet if I'll make a DKC 2 hack... I'll look into it if the DKCRE will be able to support it. Surely DKC 2 has more to offer in terms of ideas and concepts for ROM hacking.

[Marcolate]

Man, you did an AMAZING job here, that temple stages kicked my ass but the stages are very intelligent and creative!

[VideoViking]

I'm not sure what you mean by lining up tiles. If you mean making it look nice, it took me a while to figure out how to modify the Jungle levels terrain so it looked good.

I think what Cody was trying to say is tile alignment. Sometimes when you are designing a level, there are pieces in the tile table that just don't fit. There will be instances when you are forced to cheat to make your level look nice: flipping a tile or making a custom tile. RE does not accept custom tiles; LB does, but it doesn't exist yet. I've designed many a level for my DKCX hack game and with every new archetype comes a challenge. I have to study the level's outlook and determine its patterns. Some levels follow an easy rule list, like the DKC3 pipes or DKC1 temple; others require further analysis and focus such as the DKC2 honeycombs or DKC1 mine carts.

This is where Adobe Photoshop becomes really useful. Sure, DKCRE has grid mode and the ability to cut/copy/paste tiles, but it doesn't got zoom! Use the zoom tool (up to 500%) to get a clear view of the tile's pixels up close. When you try to adjoin one tile with another and it fits, you can then study how the tiles really meet, both by shape and color. Note that Photoshop does not have grids on by default, so you'll need to make these adjustments beforehand.

1. With Adobe Photoshop opened, click on Edit, Preferences, Grids and Guides.
2. On the Grid section, enter the number 32 for "Gridline Every," and on the dropbox menu next to it, set that to "Pixels."
3. Same section, enter 2 for "Subdivisions."

This setting adjustment ensures that when you are designing a level in Photoshop, the tiles will properly snap to the grid. To enable grids in Photoshop, click on View, Show, Grid. And to enable snapping to grids, click on View, Snap To, Grid (For convenience, please make sure that only Grid and Document Bounds in the Snap To dropbox are checked).

(After I'm done with DKCX, I should probably do a design guide.)

[Preposterify]

Update: I just realized that "Mine Cart Madness" is impossible to beat with Diddy. You have to beat the first half of the level with Donkey Kong. The reason being the fact that Diddy cannot jump as far as DK out of the minecart. I hope nobody got stuck there and quit before the epicness that is the final world.

[Scraps69]

Hats off to you heh. This is an exceptional hack. Only up to the third world (im going to play this fairly. No save state). Millstone mayhem was a tough little cookie. Currently trying to figure out how to pass the zingers by the swinging ropes without touching them in tree top town. Though I already suspect you need to sacrifice your buddy heh.

[Scraps69]

Just a few suggestions and ideas in case you were to edit it later. Just finished the snow world.

Lives. A level with easily accessible and plenty lives would be good as it makes dealing with the later worlds without saves/funky's flights much easier. Pain in the ass gathering lives in your game for the ice world.

Ice Age Alley. This level is possible as I managed to complete it without save state (though many hours later), but it's such a random difficulty spike that almost turned me off. And it seems to be the difficulty that is unfair then it is challenging as the slippery ropes are hard to master as the gameplay controls for the slippery ropes arn't always precise. Further, considering you still have to do torchlight trouble after this level in order to reach save, I suggest making small edits to the speed of the zingers or mankys and the size of the circling rotating wheel spikes.

Also, talking to Cody the last two levels are almost impossible (though in other words impossible unless you're freaky) with save state. I wonder if you're willing to edit in a version which makes it difficult but not impossible for those using snes emulator on their wii's. It seems like a waste to me to have to play levels with the requirement of a save state. When I was editing my levels for the DKC Reloaded, I always ensured the levels were possible without the use of save state and that proper memorization and skill would be the go.

[Preposterify]

Good point on the difficulty of Ice Age Alley. It's hard to determine how hard something will be for others when you're the sole tester of your hack. Of course, for me that level wasn't too hard because I knew exactly how to approach each situation. I recommend having other people available to test your levels.

I agree that the last two levels are over the top in difficulty. I figured a couple of Kaizo levels at the end was less douchey than making the entire hack be kaizo. The last level really tests the physical possibilities of the game.

As far as difficulty goes, I made more of an effort to reduce "guessing" to pass through areas. Playing through "DKC Reloaded" and seeing so many unfair moments, I tried to give players time to make a decision in each area(probably not universally true.)

[rainbowsprinklez]

Preposterify.

If you still exist, I made a TAS of your hack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MID0_zXsSb4