Hacking Gamecube GBA rumble games (and rom hacked rumble)

[hartleyshc]

Finally managed to squeeze in some time! Just submitted the SMA4 cartridge rumble patch to Romhacking.net for both the European and USA version. There aren't a lot of official rumble events; on death, when thwomps hit the ground, etc. Either way, enjoy!

Download here:
https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/6234/

You even made a new color palette patch to go along with the rumble patch!

It's exciting to see this kind of development going on. The more people patching games the better.


Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Bart Lemming]

SMA4 must now truly be the definitive version os SMB3. Between the rumble patch and the E-Reader levels it really does add to the original (S)NES version, in my opinion.

Thanks for working on this. I think I'll now (FINALLY!) upgrade my flash cart.

 

[Baggins]

Freaking awsome!

Now just the three Japanese games to go, and all official rumble games will be complete!

Shikakui Atama o Maruku Suru. Advance - Kanji, Keisan
Shikakui Atama o Maruku Suru. Advance - Kokugo, Sansuu, Shakai, Rika
Summon Night - Craft Sword Monogatari - Hajimari no Ishi

 

[Baggins]

SMA4 must now truly be the definitive version os SMB3. Between the rumble patch and the E-Reader levels it really does add to the original (S)NES version, in my opinion.

Thanks for working on this. I think I'll now (FINALLY!) upgrade my flash cart.

Make sure you also create a separate rom, and activate the various E-switches too, that makes for a fun alternate game... Especially make sure to use the vegetable one at least... Some of the others are sort of 'incomplete' or buggy in places. But still worth messing with.

Also the fact you can't get all the e-reader items, you might want to activate an 'all-item' hack to let you mess with the items in the game, that you can't add normally without e-reader cards. It just puts all the items in your item menu and lets you load them as you need them.

Ultimatley I'd love to see if someone could add a hack adds an extra menu that lets you switch p-switch card features on and off, without having to have the cards to do it. So with one rom you could try to features out or turn them off and play a level 'vanilla'. But have access to all variants by being to toggle the modes.

 

[djedditt]

My own Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire cartridge rumble patch just went live; https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/6256/

Few details:
- Patches for both the European and USA version (Japan coming soon)
- Functional rumble options menu
- Uses original Game Boy Player rumble events and strength/durations
- Cartridge doesn't rumble when the game is inserted in a GBP, like official rumble games

It's written from scratch like all my patches, to make sure rumble feels as true to the original as possible. Works on any rumble flash cart, but I would recommend insideGadgets' rumble cartridge because the rumble quality is better. Have fun!

 

[Titney]

My own Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire cartridge rumble patch just went live; https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/6256/

Few details:
- Patches for both the European and USA version (Japan coming soon)
- Functional rumble options menu
- Uses original Game Boy Player rumble events and strength/durations
- Cartridge doesn't rumble when the game is inserted in a GBP, like official rumble games

It's written from scratch like all my patches, to make sure rumble feels as true to the original as possible. Works on any rumble flash cart, but I would recommend insideGadgets' rumble cartridge because the rumble quality is better. Have fun!

View attachment 279117 View attachment 279118 View attachment 279119

Thank you so much, this looks excellent!
Could you elaborate a bit more on how insidegadgets rumble is better? I've never seen a comparison before.

 

[djedditt]

Thank you so much, this looks excellent!
Could you elaborate a bit more on how insidegadgets rumble is better? I've never seen a comparison before.

EZ-FLASH Omega Definitive Edition's rumble is too fast, loud and high-pitched. It seems like it draws too much power - with sustained rumble events you can hear it scream and then as power drops it goes down in pitch. I've been thinking of modding it to limit the current, it is that obnoxious. Mine also makes more of a rattling sound when rumble is pulsed, making it feel cheap.

None of my insideGadgets rumble carts have these issues and they are very consistent in their rumble. Not as fast, loud and high-pitched. Overall the rumble feels more stable and similar to the Game Boy Player/GameCube controller combo (to the extent possible with a small flat coin rumble motor). It might be subjective, but I find the iG carts to offer a more pleasant and authentic experience.

Hope that clarifies my statement a bit. I'd be happy to record a comparison video, but I can't commit to when.

 

[Baggins]

EZ-FLASH Omega Definitive Edition's rumble is too fast, loud and high-pitched. It seems like it draws too much power - with sustained rumble events you can hear it scream and then as power drops it goes down in pitch. I've been thinking of modding it to limit the current, it is that obnoxious. Mine also makes more of a rattling sound when rumble is pulsed, making it feel cheap.

None of my insideGadgets rumble carts have these issues and they are very consistent in their rumble. Not as fast, loud and high-pitched. Overall the rumble feels more stable and similar to the Game Boy Player/GameCube controller combo (to the extent possible with a small flat coin rumble motor). It might be subjective, but I find the iG carts to offer a more pleasant and authentic experience.

Hope that clarifies my statement a bit. I'd be happy to record a comparison video, but I can't commit to when.

I think that''s been an issue with many third party style or rumble. I think it can be fixed/improved with firmware updates though?

But style of how it makes rumble will always make things different... Some people prefer the method used by third party like 3-in-1 vs nintendo's own method, but others prefer Nintendo's method instead.

Many of the third party ones used a mobile-phone rumble motor as opposed to the official DS Lite which used a sliding motor. Not sure what the various official rumble games on GBC/GBA used... I.E. Drill Dozer, and Warioware Twisted.

 

[djedditt]

I think that''s been an issue with many third party style or rumble. I think it can be fixed/improved with firmware updates though?

But style of how it makes rumble will always make things different... Some people prefer the method used by third party like 3-in-1 vs nintendo's own method, but others prefer Nintendo's method instead.

Many of the third party ones used a mobile-phone rumble motor as opposed to the official DS Lite which used a sliding motor. Not sure what the various official rumble games on GBC/GBA used... I.E. Drill Dozer, and Warioware Twisted.

Drill Dozer and WarioWare: Twisted! both use a flat coin rumble motor, and they are nowhere near as loud and fast as the ODE. Maybe a firmware update for the ODE could change it, maybe it can't. Might be hardware.

Here's an audio comparison of insideGadgets' rumble vs. EZ-FLASH's ODE rumble. The first two long pulses are the iG rumble cart, followed by the same two long pulses on the ODE. Then a pulse on the iG rumble cart, followed by a pulse on the ODE.

 

[DrunkenMonk]

Drill Dozer and WarioWare: Twisted! both use a flat coin rumble motor, and they are nowhere near as loud and fast as the ODE. Maybe a firmware update for the ODE could change it, maybe it can't. Might be hardware.

Here's an audio comparison of insideGadgets' rumble vs. EZ-FLASH's ODE rumble. The first two long pulses are the iG rumble cart, followed by the same two long pulses on the ODE. Then a pulse on the iG rumble cart, followed by a pulse on the ODE.

View attachment 279152

could try and insulate the rumble a little with a thin layer of packing foam or a rubber band, but the rumble can be modified a little to be less aggressive

 

[Titney]

Drill Dozer and WarioWare: Twisted! both use a flat coin rumble motor, and they are nowhere near as loud and fast as the ODE. Maybe a firmware update for the ODE could change it, maybe it can't. Might be hardware.

Here's an audio comparison of insideGadgets' rumble vs. EZ-FLASH's ODE rumble. The first two long pulses are the iG rumble cart, followed by the same two long pulses on the ODE. Then a pulse on the iG rumble cart, followed by a pulse on the ODE.

View attachment 279152

Thank you very much for the detailed reply and the sound samples! I see what you mean about the ODE rumble being too high pitched. The IG one sounds very much like Nintendo's rumble.

 

[Baggins]

Drill Dozer and WarioWare: Twisted! both use a flat coin rumble motor, and they are nowhere near as loud and fast as the ODE. Maybe a firmware update for the ODE could change it, maybe it can't. Might be hardware.

Here's an audio comparison of insideGadgets' rumble vs. EZ-FLASH's ODE rumble. The first two long pulses are the iG rumble cart, followed by the same two long pulses on the ODE. Then a pulse on the iG rumble cart, followed by a pulse on the ODE.

View attachment 279152

I know at least with the 3-in-1, and various other offbrand rumble packs for DS, also if using Omega DE as a rumble pak, the firmware for the various DS flashcarts can also modify the level of 'rumble'. Usually three settings, low, medium, and full. or maybe its soft, medium, and hard... But I remember three settings.

Interesting thing about the DS official rumble paks they tended to be more 'noisy' than rumbly. Creating some 'rhythm'/beat' in some games.

On a related note there might be an options for rumble intensity in the ODE's menus, at least it may be there for the DS add-on compatibility mode.

Edit... At least on my end, my ODE is 'quiet'... I can't hear much noise... But don't have both brands side by side to test them...

 

[Feroz El Mejor]

I wonder if by the other hand, we could add rumble to the WarioWare Twisted buttons hack, to make it work on the GameBoyPlayer.

Maybe that already exists, just like the european version of Drill Dozer, which has a restoration rumble for GBP.

 

[jdsteel7]

SMA4 must now truly be the definitive version os SMB3. Between the rumble patch and the E-Reader levels it really does add to the original (S)NES version, in my opinion.

Thanks for working on this. I think I'll now (FINALLY!) upgrade my flash cart.

Just be sure to apply the patch to filter out the voices or you're going to have "Ha haa!! Just what I needed!!" in Luigi's voice stuck in your head 24/7

 

[jdsteel7]

Make sure you also create a separate rom, and activate the various E-switches too, that makes for a fun alternate game... Especially make sure to use the vegetable one at least... Some of the others are sort of 'incomplete' or buggy in places. But still worth messing with.

Also the fact you can't get all the e-reader items, you might want to activate an 'all-item' hack to let you mess with the items in the game, that you can't add normally without e-reader cards. It just puts all the items in your item menu and lets you load them as you need them.

Ultimatley I'd love to see if someone could add a hack adds an extra menu that lets you switch p-switch card features on and off, without having to have the cards to do it. So with one rom you could try to features out or turn them off and play a level 'vanilla'. But have access to all variants by being to toggle the modes.

Hi, sorry to bump an old thread but I was wondering if you could elaborate on the E-switches? I've downloaded Solar Magic Advance and I understand I need to patch my Save file, but when I create a switch card all I get is a .bin file and I don't know how to patch a .sav with a .bit....

 

[Home_Rowed]

Also, sorry for bumping the thread, but I'm wondering if it could be possible to make versions of these patches for the EZ-Flash 3-in-1 Expansion Pack? And if the rumble is non-functional in it's GBA mode, is there perhaps a trace to solder to that can enable it in GBA mode in addition to it continuing to work in DS mode?

 

[Wokann]

Also, sorry for bumping the thread, but I'm wondering if it could be possible to make versions of these patches for the EZ-Flash 3-in-1 Expansion Pack? And if the rumble is non-functional in it's GBA mode, is there perhaps a trace to solder to that can enable it in GBA mode in addition to it continuing to work in DS mode?

Actually, ez3in1 does can support gba mode with rumble.
According to my reaserach, there are at least two types of rumble funtion addresses.
The first is origin rumble which works on GPIO. It seems EZODE and InsideGadgets rumble carts both can support this type.

TYPE1
#define GPIO_Data      0x080000C4
#define GPIO_Direction 0x080000C6
#define GPIO_Control   0x080000C8

RumblePrepare
{
    *(GPIO_Control) = 0x1; //GPIO_Control.bit0 = 1
    *(GPIO_Direction) = 0x8; //GPIO_Direction.bit3 = 1
}

RumbleStart
{
    *(GPIO_Data) = 0x8; //GPIO_Data.bit3 = 1
}

RumbleEnd
{
    *(GPIO_Data) = 0x0; //GPIO_Data.bit3 = 0
}

The second is address for EZ flash.

TYPE2
RumblePrepare
{
    *(0x09FE0000) = 0xD200;
    *(0x08000000) = 0x1500;
    *(0x08020000) = 0xD200;
    *(0x08040000) = 0x1500;
    *(0x09E20000) = data;     //data = 0xF1 in ezode rumble patch tutorial
    *(0x09FC0000) = 0x1500;
}

RumbleStart
{
    *(0x08001000) = 0x2;
}

RumbleEnd
{
    *(0x08001000) = 0x0;
}

In tutorial EZflash supports for ezode, the value of "data" in function RumblePrepare is 0xF1.
However it cannot work on ez 3in1.
If you play the gba game with this ezode rumble patch in ez3in1, the game will frozen when rumble and make noise. (At least my ez3in1 512 frozen)

But it easy to solve this problem and make it to rumble on ez3in1.
——just low down the data value, such as 0x1, 0x7.
I've tested it and this can true works on ez3in1.

Add: it seems for ez3in1, it doesn't means the larger data value is, the stronger shake will be.
I haven't found too much material about the setting source code of ez3in1, so the following are just my own estimated settings by my testing——0 - off, 1- weak, 3 - medium, 7 - strong. (add 8 - off)
some value like 0x4, 0x20 don't make shake stronger, but weaker. Hope someone who knows official value setting about ez3in1 can give the accurate values.

Also although the data value changes from 0xF1 to 0x7, this patched gba game still can rumble in ezode.
The difference is the shake will be weaker than 0xF1.
In addition, ez3in1 cannot support Type1 rumble function for gba game. ez3in1 can only support Tpye2.
As for InsideGadgets rumble carts, I don't have this cart, but @djedditt patches used Type1 function, so it's true that IG supports Type1. Whether IG supports Type2 or not, I can't draw a conclusion.

So different flashcarts need to use different types of rumble funtion addresses to patch.
IG: type1.
EZ3in1: type2 (data value need to be low, such as 0x1, 0x7).
EZODE: type1, type2 (data value has a large range, the offical tutorial gives the value 0xF1, but use other value is ok too).

If you wants to let a patch works on all carts above, conbining two types of address may a good idea. If there is any way to let game recogrize which flashcarts the hardware is, we can make an "if else" to change the rumble type we need to work.

ADD:
During my testing, i found that in TYPE2 function for ez3in1, sometimes changing the vlaue in address 0x08001000 from 0x0 to 0x2 or from 0x2 to 0x0 worked well, but sometimes it didn't, it conituned shaking without stop.
In case someone meet the same problem as me, here is my solution when the latter happening.

TYPE2
RumbleStart
{
    data = 0x7;
    *(0x09E20000) = data;
}

RumbleEnd
{
    data = 0x8;
    *(0x09E20000) = data;
}

And here is a sample code conbining two types to support EZODE, EZ3in1 and IG rumble.

void RumbleSwitch( bool IfIsRumble )
{
    if( *GBPflag == FLASE )                
    //if you don't care flashcarts rumbling when being pluged in gbp,
    //or this game doesn't have gbp rumble,
    //you can delete this judgment.
    {
        //TYPE1
        *0x080000C8 = 1;
        *0x080000C6 = 8;
        *0x080000C4 = IfIsRumble * 8;  //GPIO rumble ON(8) / OFF(0) (for ezode,IG etc.)

        //TYPE2
        *0x09FE0000 = 0xD200;
        *0x08000000 = 0x1500;
        *0x08020000 = 0xD200;
        *0x08040000 = 0x1500;
        if( IfIsRumble == TRUE )
            int8 data = 0x7;            //ez3in1 rumble ON (data = 7)
        else
            int8 data = 0x8;            //ez3in1 rumble OFF (data = 8)
        *0x09E20000 = data;
        *0x09FC0000 = 0x1500;
        *0x08001000 = IfIsRumble * 2;  //ezode rumble ON(2) / OFF(0)
    }
}