SoD's Zelda64 Modding Guide

[Deleted]

I've recently been digging my nose into the n64 sdk (alot) and noticed how many inaccuracies there where with documentation thus far, and some of it is rather complicated.

So, I decided I decided to write my own HTML formatted Zelda64 modding guide. It's in its early stages right now, but what is done I guarantee to be 100% accurate.

download link

When finished, it will be a collection of documentation, tutorials, tips, and in-depth details about the history of Zelda modding.

[xdaniel]

Segments: "0x05 - for objects, this is gameplay_field_keep - which contains common objects found in maps like grass and torches. For maps and scenes, this is gameplay_dangeon_keep"

It can be either for maps/scenes. The filenames already tell you their purpose, gameplay_field_keep is used on outdoor maps like Hyrule Field, while gameplay_dangeon_keep (with dangeon being an incorrect romanization of dungeon, in case you didn't know or realize) is used in most if not all dungeons. A header command determines which file gets loaded.

And a short question: may I ask how long you've been around? I mean regarding that whole history section. Because only starting with the history in 2009 or whenever would leave out several years.

Leaving that aside, while I've only glanced over it so far, it's certainly a good start. Good luck with it!

[Deleted]

Nov 18, 2012 12:05:44 GMT -5 xdaniel said:

Segments: "0x05 - for objects, this is gameplay_field_keep - which contains common objects found in maps like grass and torches. For maps and scenes, this is gameplay_dangeon_keep"

It can be either for maps/scenes. The filenames already tell you their purpose, gameplay_field_keep is used on outdoor maps like Hyrule Field, while gameplay_dangeon_keep (with dangeon being an incorrect romanization of dungeon, in case you didn't know or realize) is used in most if not all dungeons. A header command determines which file gets loaded.

And a short question: may I ask how long you've been around? I mean regarding that whole history section. Because only starting with the history in 2009 or whenever would leave out several years.

Leaving that aside, while I've only glanced over it so far, it's certainly a good start. Good luck with it!

That was just my understanding on it, but thanks for correcting me. I want this to be as accurate as possible.

I started modding in late 2008, though I didn't join the community until early 2009. (as a matter of fact, I didn't join any community until around that time). But, thanks to web cache and google, I've read about most of the achievements made throughout Zelda history and still have access to it ;D

Right now, I took a break from the documentation side to work on the biographies section, a tribute to the golden names of modding that pop up all over the place that tells of their achievements, what made them important and well known, as well as their current status.

[Deleted]

Here's the next update. SoD's Zelda64 Modding Guide

Changes:

• Added pre-release warning with details on how to contact me to fix errors found in the dcument
  
• Added Biographies section
  
• Fixed biographies section to note that spinout was a contributer to (and not the creator of) Zelda's birthday (thanks to Sanguinetti for pointing this out)
  
• Fixed the documentation for how segments work (thanks to Sakura)
  
• Fixed the documentation for which file maps and scenes use for the 0x05 segment (thanks to Sakura)
  
• Added vertex and matrix documentation
  

[xdaniel]

Biographies: Last thing I know, spinout is just really busy with real life right now. He's still on GCN from time to time (last post 2 weeks ago), we recently cleaned up the wiki, so it's not like he's left for good.

And if this is supposed to be(come) a thorough history, you're missing ex. biographies for at least MNGoldenEagle, cooliscool and Cen. And that's kinda what I was getting at with my question of how long you've been around - for a proper history of all that's happened regarding OoT/MM hacking, you have to go back to ZSO and the Zelda Coalition forums, the release of the Debug ROM, MN & Co's original "Model Viewer", etc., so at least 2005/2006 but likely more like 2003.

I've seen your "life sucks" thread btw, so please don't feel like I'm demanding this to be done, and done yesterday or whatever. It's just that there's far more to the whole story than spinout, Zeth and Flotonic, and much has likely already been forgotten, at least by the general public who only knows ex. those three guys, if not also by those who were there.

[Deleted]

Nov 20, 2012 20:51:39 GMT -5 xdaniel said:

Biographies: Last thing I know, spinout is just really busy with real life right now. He's still on GCN from time to time (last post 2 weeks ago), we recently cleaned up the wiki, so it's not like he's left for good.

And if this is supposed to be(come) a thorough history, you're missing ex. biographies for at least MNGoldenEagle, cooliscool and Cen. And that's kinda what I was getting at with my question of how long you've been around - for a proper history of all that's happened regarding OoT/MM hacking, you have to go back to ZSO and the Zelda Coalition forums, the release of the Debug ROM, MN & Co's original "Model Viewer", etc., so at least 2005/2006 but likely more like 2003.

I've seen your "life sucks" thread btw, so please don't feel like I'm demanding this to be done, and done yesterday or whatever. It's just that there's far more to the whole story than spinout, Zeth and Flotonic, and much has likely already been forgotten, at least by the general public who only knows ex. those three guys, if not also by those who were there.

Thanks for pointing all that out

Like the warning at the top of the document says, its incomplete, and I'm depending on people who read the documentation to point out anything that needs to be fixed.

[xdaniel]

More of the history behind the Debug ROM's release, remembered that there was a thread on ASSEMbler about it: www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?23285-Origins-of-Zelda-Master-Quest-Debug-Rom - note ex. the posts by Knuckles500, he's one of the old ZSO guys and has a far better memory than I do apparently

[Deleted]

Nov 20, 2012 21:10:48 GMT -5 xdaniel said:

More of the history behind the Debug ROM's release, remembered that there was a thread on ASSEMbler about it: www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?23285-Origins-of-Zelda-Master-Quest-Debug-Rom - note ex. the posts by Knuckles500, he's one of the old ZSO guys and has a far better memory than I do apparently

Thats some pretty awesome documentation
I have a copy of pretty much every release of the OoT rom (master quest and not n64/gc) on my pc, but I don't think I have the actual OoT debug rom (not the OoT MQ debug rom). I didn't think it was ever leaked.

[Jason777]

I barely started reading this today... I'm impressed with how much you have written! My only concerns are the same as xdaniel has stated, but besides that color me impressed.

Heh, I had no idea I had such an impact on the modding community; I'm flattered

[Deleted]

Nov 26, 2012 11:00:01 GMT -5 Jason777 said:

I barely started reading this today... I'm impressed with how much you have written! My only concerns are the same as xdaniel has stated, but besides that color me impressed.

Heh, I had no idea I had such an impact on the modding community; I'm flattered

Thanks I haven't worked on it the past few days, but last I remember I made a small fix to the segment documentation and added a biography for Cen.

Also, question for xdaniel, can you tell me how you your Model2N64 application adds effects like the 'shiny' effect?

[Deleted]

Nov 27, 2012 2:44:06 GMT -5 Dead said:

I might be a bit slow, but I just noticed that you used the N64 SDK, where did you get that?

emuparadise.org

it's like, the first result if you google "n64 sdk"
it's an iso, so you'll need to either burn it or mount it with daemontools or magicdisk to install it.

[Deleted]

Nov 27, 2012 6:35:42 GMT -5 Dead said:

Maybe I should trust google a bit more then.

I don't know about "trusting" them...hell, they track everything you do, add their bots onto every site, and have a backup of pretty much the entire internet...
Kinda makes me miss Limewire...

[xdaniel]

Nov 26, 2012 22:33:52 GMT -5 soulofdeity said:

Also, question for xdaniel, can you tell me how you your Model2N64 application adds effects like the 'shiny' effect?

Shinyness comes from automatic texture coordinate generation via GeometryMode: naesten.dyndns.org:8080/psyq/man/gsp/gSPGeometryMode.html - that and some small greyscale texture is enough IIRC.

[Deleted]

Nov 27, 2012 7:48:49 GMT -5 xdaniel said:

Nov 26, 2012 22:33:52 GMT -5 soulofdeity said:

Also, question for xdaniel, can you tell me how you your Model2N64 application adds effects like the 'shiny' effect?

Shinyness comes from automatic texture coordinate generation via GeometryMode: naesten.dyndns.org:8080/psyq/man/gsp/gSPGeometryMode.html - that and some small greyscale texture is enough IIRC.

Thanks I've seen that page before but never really noticed that.

[greenpoe]

The download link is down. Can you re-upload it?