Which game recommended? [EDIT: ASM Qs in post #25]

I can't say much, but you probably don't want to hack Sonic 3. It's not as well known as the other games are.

 

I personally recommend using Sonic 2, mainly because there are 5 extra (unused) level slots for you to use, as well as the ones you already have.
Also, the spindash is easy enough for you to remove via ASM, if you don't want it.
and the levels would be easier to edit because you have alot more of a choice.

Thats my opinion, but its your decision on what game to use.
I'll look forward for your hack when you make it.


On another note, this is my last trial post, and I hope I get accepted in the community.

 

I would also recommend Sonic 2, simply for the fact that the level tiles are more forgiving, and the fact that you can port pretty much anything from Sonic 1 anyway.

 

Let me lay it out here:


> Sonic 1: If you want to learn how to code, this is the way to go. Simple.
> Sonic 2: Intermediate. Only go here if you know the basics of ASM.
> S3K/S3: Advanced. The disassembly is not split (meaning you can't edit levels in SonED, etc) and the disassembly isn't labeled very much, so unless you know ASM very well, you won't know what you're doing.

 

Not exactly; Sonic 2 2007's disassembly is far more commented than the S1 Hivebrain 2006's one, thus making stuff easier for understandin. Both are awesome, though.
[/offtopic]
I'd say Sonic 2, if you want to edit layouts. Editing layouts on Sonic 1 is a pain, believe me. =P

 

well, doesn't that depends on what your used to? I mean, I HATE the equates in Sonic 2, I can never understand where what is with them, in Sonic 1 you don't have them, I know it may sound silly, but I think knowing the actuall RAM address codes them selves will no doubt improve your knowledge of ASM by far greater than equates, thats just my opinion, does anyone agree/disagree with me?

 

I think it's a matter-of-opinion type thing; it depends on the person. Most people seem to find equates easier, iirc, though.

 

I agree with Markey, myself—I find equates distracting; RAM addresses written out as-is are much easier for me to memorize, decipher, and type out when writing code. I certainly recognize how useful equates can be in terms of maintaining consistency and simplicity, though.

 

I stopped working on hacks because I could never keep the memory addresses straight, myself.

 

*raises hand* It's mainly because of equates the reason I just fail at programming stuff at Sonic 2 (I know, I can always use the address itself...but addresses are different between Sonic 2 and 1, and I have all the addresses I need on my S1 codes on the top of my head).
And as I don't want to make this post go completely off topic...have you decided which game you will hack, Kresjah? And looking forward to see your hack - these ideas are very nice.

 

Equates are a method through which to define certain labels as any other kind of assembly equivalent, such as a value or an address.

Let's say I wanted to access rings through a label instead of typing out an address every time I reference rings in an instruction. I could set up this equate in two different ways, which I'll list consecutively:

Code (ASM):

1. RingCount EQU $FFFFFE20
2. RingCount = $FFFFFE20

What we're doing here is defining the text string "RingCount" in the assembler as the value $FFFFFE20, which is the RAM address through which rings are handled. So the next time you want to, say, give yourself 50 rings, instead of this...

Code (ASM):

1.         move.w  #50,($FFFFFE20).w   ; give the player 50 rings

You can write it out like this:

Code (ASM):

1.         move.w  #50,(RingCount).w   ; give the player 50 rings

Pretty straightforward!

You can also use equates in some assemblers for conditional compilation, but that's another bag of chips right there.

 

I don't see the point really. I only use the SVN version of the Sonic 1 Disassembly for porting stuff to Sonic 2 mostly because I can't stand some of the changes that were made. For example, a lot of labels were changed and there was no mention of the old labels, which really annoyed me when I was porting some stuff over (such as RememberState, which is MarkObjGone in the old S1 disasm or something).
The Sonic 2 Disassembly overuses equates and macros and some equates that were changed have prevented me from doing things such as porting over the Sonic 1 Sound Driver.
I use a mixture of equates and addresses, because I only know some addresses such and equates does make porting easy.

 

yes it's editable, but if you wanna port stuff from say S2 to S1 you need to either create the equates on S1 and configure them, or replace the equates in ALL routines you ported with the correct values (Which may I remind "It's a pain" =P)

 

Correct me if I'm wrong here (because I'm too lazy to look it up), but I believe the equate is used for defining constants. It's for the compiler to use to help interpret the code and to make the programmer's life a bit easier by giving a number a name to use instead. If you want to change it, you change it manually prior to compiling the code. It's not a variable, and therefore it cannot be programmatically changed.