ROM Hack Funny note by programmer

[RaulCortez]

There's a text file on FIFA09.nds, called how_to_create_highlights. There, we can find the following message:

---------------------------/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To create/save highlights /
-------------------------/---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* run a debug build

* put a breakpoint in game.c at the top of G_ReplayPlay where it says:
// to record replays, put a breakpoint here

* score a goal or miss

* press SELECT to replay at a good moment, the game should Break on your breakpoint before showing the replay

* Make a note of the address of G_tHighlight[0]

* Within Nitro Debugger, select File|Write

* Save As BIN with a filename of:
C:\work\FIFADS06\DATA\oot\miss0.bin OR C:\work\FIFADS06\DATA\oot\goal0.bin (as appropriate)

* set the Start Address of G_tHighlight e.g. 0x0220bc70, and the Length as 0x6760 (should be sizeof(THighlight))

* click OK to save

* increase the appropriate GOAL_LZ_COUNT or MISS_LZ_COUNT #define in gamesys.h (around line 21)

* check the bin files into sourcesafe

* any questions ask Charlie

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It's funny because... well, it's a message left by programmers on the game.

 

[Edgedancer]

Hmm. I wonder if it exists in other games.Where did you find it in the game files?

 

[BelmontSlayer]

That is so freaking awesome...

 

[Myke]

that's cool, but I don't think it would work as that states to run a debug build.
so unless you find a debug build it's not gonna work right?

 

[Normmatt]

that's cool, but I don't think it would work as that states to run a debug build.
so unless you find a debug build it's not gonna work right?

Wouldn't work if you had a debug build either as you don't have the Nitro Debugger Unit nor the source code or elf file.

This isn't uncommon it happens on plenty of games.

 

[Densetsu]

I don't know much about programming, but I'm willing to bet this happens a lot. When software writers collaborate, I would think that they exchange e-mails with each other with their code included in the message. They cut and paste the code, and sometimes bits of the original e-mail gets cut and pasted along with it. This happens on flashcart firmware as well.

Just one screenshot from the thread linked above.

 

[FAST6191]

If you read back the first work on SDAT (the most common DS sound format for those new to this) was done when one of the files was left in a Zoids game.

As Normmatt says though it is quite common (I have found dev notes, partial source code, zip files, pictures........) and it is not just on the DS either. A couple of times there have been some interesting things when games are developed on multiple platforms.

 

[Noitora]

Am I in the past, I remember seeing the exact same thread a few months ago :/
Or was it in Fifa 08
Dunno :/

By the way, princess maker game for the DS had it's full source code included in the rom

 

[Normmatt]

Am I in the past, I remember seeing the exact same thread a few months ago :/
Or was it in Fifa 08
Dunno :/

By the way, princess maker game for the DS had it's full source code included in the rom

Seriously? I might check it out, just for curiosities sake

 

[FAST6191]

Wow just checked out Princess maker (cvn-prim4.zip aka Princess_Maker_4_DS_Special_Edition_JPN_NDS-Caravan).
I see a lot of .C files but no headers, all the comments (and there are a few, I have certainly seen worse) appear to be in Japanese as well.
On top of this the game seems to be one massive bin file along with sdat too which means it is going to be nice to see it from the source code level this time around.

@Noitora every time I see a football game it looks like nothing has changed since sensible soccer but for it to happen to hacking too?

 

[Noitora]

@Noitora every time I see a football game it looks like nothing has changed since sensible soccer but for it to happen to hacking too?

Haha, it seems those programmers are really lazy xD

 

[xvirus]

I haven't seen anything like this in the DS games I've worked on, but in my groups PS2 project, MS Gundam Climax UC, we've found a vfs(virtual file system, a compression-less archive) full of data that we assume was used to test the game. So we're left with tons of .bat and .txt files including notes from the developers(in Japanese, of course).

 

[alex]

Ouendan 2 had a few text files with somethings in Japanese, most having to do with story/tutorials.

Silly developers.

 

[SoulAnger]

By the way, princess maker game for the DS had it's full source code included in the rom

Thats sick.

Maybe I'll go check it out.

 

[Deleted User]

Noone is shocked by the ugly hack described in this note ? I haven't played the game, but apparently there's support for replays in the code, and in order to embed such replays in the rom they asks people on the team to use a debugger, breaking when the game starts to replay and then dump the content of the replay structure in memory...

no let's suppose you want to do the same thing with your homebrew : you just add an option which write the structure on the fat. Easy, clean, perfect.
With the state of homebrews right now, I think we have superior tools, and this note enforces this point of view.

 

[HernanZh]

Just a note? That's nothing. In Puyo Puyo, a developer put his photo in the rom. Unfortunately it didn't come with a palette, so it looks screwed up. Take a look for yourself.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

That's not all, they also seemed to have included a picture of some chick in a bikini. Look at it carefully.

 

[agentgamma]

* any questions ask Charlie

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Charlie, why do all EA Sport games suck?
Is it intentional?

Just a note? That's nothing. In Puyo Puyo, a developer put his photo in the rom. Unfortunately it didn't come with a palette, so it looks screwed up. Take a look for yourself.

I would put a Uncle Sam picture saying
I WANT YOU
TO STOP HACKING

...
or porn

 

[FAST6191]

@agentgamma re "porn"
It has already been done, quite a while back as well (around the time the original carmaggedon was out as I recall). I am trying had to find a news story but I read it in a magazine (the news was in the same magazine as the carmaggedon review) so I doubt I will be able to find it. I think it was one of the command and conquer games or at least an RTS.

 

[Private|Par]

HernanZh, that's hilarious. I really like the picture. It's weird but... awesome.