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Topic: ( UPDATE ) Info on enabling a game's internal debugger... (Read 2 times)
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Bongo`
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« on: April 08, 2008, 08:59:20 pm » |
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Ok, I have about 3 games that have internal debuggers and I can't seem to get those suckers working. Anyone familiar with enabling these dubuggers? I have seen Wonder project J's debugger and I know of another person who has enabled debuggers but can't remember who. I thing his name was some "H" and he was working on a Front mission game. Anyway, anyone have luck enabling these things??? UPDATE: YES!! I got the debugger to work in Aretha 2!!! What you see here is the sound debugger! Man that feels good!   YAY! 2 debuggers enabled in oneday! I'm on a roll now! Lennus-II |
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« Last Edit: April 12, 2008, 09:36:00 pm by Bongo` »
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Shadowsithe
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« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2008, 10:24:01 pm » |
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MathOnNapkins
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« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2008, 07:29:18 am » |
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It depends on the game and the current state that the debugger is in. For example, the game I work on (Zelda ALTTP) has no sophisticated debugger but it does have a hidden feature to allow you to use the controller's L and R buttons to single step through each frame. One of the buttons toggles whether the game is stopped and the other steps to the next frame when the game is stopped. Now enabling it requires actual modification of the rom file, but luckily it only takes 2 bytes to change it, since it was merely dummied out.
Other games have the debugger still linked in but it requires activation. Either a "code" on the main controller or "code" or sequence on the second controller. iirc, Super Metroid has this sort. Some games also have specialized debugger "rooms" or "areas" that you would have to edit some data to be able to get to in the game. Note that I am talking mostly about SNES games as I don't really know what other systems use for this sort of thing. I have heard of GBA and DS games having in game editors for the game's rooms, which is pretty interesting. (Minish Cap, for example)
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byuu
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« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2008, 10:37:12 am » |
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For Der Langrisser's secret battle test stuff (that we found in Japanese text strings in script dumps), I started messing around with various windows. In this case, there was a code to play BGM and SFX for the game. I tried increasing the number of menu options available to 3, and sure enough, the code indexed the command into a jump table, and the third one activated the battle test mode (sadly, there wasn't a hidden fourth option, heh). From here, it was just a simple matter of resizing the window and printing some text on the new line.
But yeah, these things can be hidden anywhere, and a lot of the code could even be omitted from the final binary. It's more about luck than skill to track these down :)
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Kejardon
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« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2008, 12:35:11 pm » |
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Super Metroid's debug stuff is enabled by setting certain values at the start of the ROM (though a few things haven't been enabled without more codes). After that, debug stuff can be activated by pressing certain combinations of buttons on controller 1 or controller 2. Though some stuff is only accessible at certain times... debug invincibility can only be enabled on elevators for some reason.
As byuu said, it depends pretty much entirely on the game you're hacking, and luck with how complete/working the debugger is.
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Bongo`
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« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2008, 03:38:02 pm » |
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yeah that sucks... Lennus 2 and FEDA both have ref's in the compressed script. Aretha 2 hs 8x8 menu data that is uncompressed. I've tryed them all and had no luck with it... I guess I will have to keep trying!
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DaMarsMan
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« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2008, 10:28:47 am » |
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DQ3 has text for a debug menu. Haven't been able to locate yet but I haven't really tried.
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Bongo`
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« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2008, 11:09:26 am » |
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DQ3 has text for a debug menu. Haven't been able to locate yet but I haven't really tried.
Hmmm, DQx debugging might be cool. The one for Wonder Projec J was cool. I can't remember how lordtech did it. I recall hm giving me a snes RAM location and a value to place there... |
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Neil
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« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2008, 05:45:27 am » |
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DQ7's is still intact and accessible by setting a byte in RAM.
DQ6's menus are no longer intact, but a debugging room is.
DQ5's menus are also no longer intact. The text is there, but as far as i could tel the last time I looked, the underlying code had been removed.
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Bongo`
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« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2008, 07:43:44 am » |
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DQ7's is still intact and accessible by setting a byte in RAM.
DQ6's menus are no longer intact, but a debugging room is.
DQ5's menus are also no longer intact. The text is there, but as far as i could tel the last time I looked, the underlying code had been removed.
Wow... I THINK I still have my DQ7 PSX set. I can't recall. Do you have that memory location still??? I want to get Aretha 2 enabled because that game does some funky stuff with sprites and other good stuff. I just like fooling around with it... |
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Bongo`
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« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2008, 11:47:51 am » |
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DQ3 has text for a debug menu. Haven't been able to locate yet but I haven't really tried.
Check your PM's. :beer: |
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Neil
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« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2008, 08:39:50 pm » |
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DQ7's is still intact and accessible by setting a byte in RAM.
DQ6's menus are no longer intact, but a debugging room is.
DQ5's menus are also no longer intact. The text is there, but as far as i could tel the last time I looked, the underlying code had been removed.
Wow... I THINK I still have my DQ7 PSX set. I can't recall. Do you have that memory location still??? I want to get Aretha 2 enabled because that game does some funky stuff with sprites and other good stuff. I just like fooling around with it... poke 800F2518 with 0001 then press the L2 button on the controller when ever you have control of the hero. it's only partially translated unfortunately. |
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