Castlevania Advance Collection

Castlevania Advance Collection

Tutorial: Modding ROMs in Castlevania Advance Collection
Video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azQY-fIwizY

The Castlevania Advance Collection uses a proprietary emulator with compressed ROMs. You can patch these ROMs with existing patches since they are very similar to the originals. The original ROM(s) must be replaced, and all game files recompressed and repackaged.

You must download the MArchiveBatchTool utility. The release version can be found here: https://github.com/farmerbb/RED-Project/wiki/Castlevania-Anniversary-Collection

0. As it says in the link above, install .NET Core from Microsoft and download the MArchiveBatchTool. Extract the utility archive.

1. To make things simpler, put the "MArchiveBatchTool-win-x64" folder in the root C: drive.

2. Create a folder called "game" in the "MArchiveBatchTool-win-x64" folder. You will extract the game files here in a later step.

3. Create another folder called "build" in the "MArchiveBatchTool-win-x64" folder. You will recompile the game files here in a later step.

4. Copy the following files from the "windata" folder in your Castlevania Advance Collection game folder into the "game" folder in the "MArchiveBatchTool" folder that you created.
- alldata.bin
- alldata.psb.m

5. Open Command Prompt and change directory to the MArchiveBatchTool folder. If you moved the folder to C:, you can run the following command to change to the folder:
cd C:\MArchiveBatchTool-win-x64

6. Run the following command to extract the game files into the "game" folder you created:
MArchiveBatchTool.exe fullunpack --keep game\alldata.psb.m zlib 25G/xpvTbsb+6 64

7. Leave your Command Prompt window open but go to C:\MArchiveBatchTool-win-x64\game\alldata.psb.m_extracted\system\roms\.

8. Choose the ROM you wish to modify. You may want to move it to a different folder first depending on what you want to do with it.

9. Make your modifications. You may be using an IPS patch or a program designed to patch the file. Make note of the output. If the program creates a new ROM, rename this new ROM to the original name (including the .bin extension) that it was called in the extracted game files (e.g., for Circle of the Moon US version, it should be "01_Circle_US.patch_210614m.bin".

10. Copy the modified ROM to C:\MArchiveBatchTool-win-x64\game\alldata.psb.m_extracted\system\roms\ and overwrite the original. If you are not prompted to overwrite, you have named the file incorrectly.

11. Recompress the game files with the following command:
MArchiveBatchTool.exe m pack game/alldata.psb.m_extracted zlib 25G/xpvTbsb+6 64

12. Build a new archive with the following command to output a .bin and .psb.m to the "build" folder you created earlier:
MArchiveBatchTool.exe archive build --codec zlib --seed 25G/xpvTbsb+6 --keyLength 64 game/alldata.psb.m_extracted/ build/alldata

13. Copy the following files from C:\MArchiveBatchTool-win-x64\build to your Castlevania Advance Collection "windata" folder and overwrite the original files:
- alldata.bin
- alldata.psb.m

14. The game should load normally when you start it, but with your custom ROM instead of the ROM you replaced. If it is a black screen that never loads, a mistake was made.

Credit to the author of the MArchiveBatchTool utility: https://gitlab.com/modmyclassic/sega-mega-drive-mini/marchive-batch-tool/-/tree/master/MArchiveBatchTool
Credit to farmerbb, author of this article: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1018020/discussions/0/1629665087674849653/
Emotional support: Circle of the Moon Speedrunning Discord @ https://discord.gg/Ae7Qjd5xDu
Отредактировано calm palm; 16 окт. 2021 г. в 14:18
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Сообщения 1630 из 57
Thanks for this guide! Can't wait to give this a try, still reading through it though.

However, a few ROM hacks I recommend using!


CotM:
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"Card Up" mod, as mentioned by @calm palm-
The game originally bases card acquisition on enemy drops, which are in turn, sometimes have really awful rates. This hack instead places cards in specific locations, based on power, and monsters will now drop meat instead!
[WARNING: This makes the Uranus card much more difficult to get as it is the final reward for arena completion, rather than the Shining Armor. It might be possible to revert to the original ROM to obtain it from the original means, if absolutely necessary.]
www.romhacking.net/hacks/4725/


HoD:
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An alternative to the hack @iriyap suggested, this one removes the glowing outlines and also edits Juste's awkward movement animations, making him look less ridiculous:
www.romhacking.net/hacks/5427/

This hack makes Maxim's story mode much more immersive and enjoyable:
www.romhacking.net/hacks/6007/


AoS:
-----
Luck and Int stat fixes. Now they do what they're supposed to (MP regen actually doesn't suck, some souls are no longer completely useless)!
www.romhacking.net/hacks/5645/


LunarIPS, a user-friendly ROM patcher:
https://fusoya.eludevisibility.org/lips/
(Click "Apply IPS Patch," then choose the patch file in the first window, choose "All Files" from the drop-down selection in the lower right, then select the ROM itself).


Take this list with a grain of salt. I am not responsible for nuclear meltdown, etc. There are other ROM hacks to try (some even overhaul the game completely, such as various "new castle" hacks for Aria) but my aim was to be as close to the original gameplay experience as possible. The Aria one honestly isn't, but it does make it more worthwhile to use different souls or perhaps even gear than the vanilla game would allow for, so I feel it does still fall in line with the game's original intent.
Отредактировано GuyInDogSuit; 26 сен. 2021 г. в 13:43
Here are my personal favorite hacks for each of these games.

1. Aria of Sorrow Alter: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4449/

A massive remapping of Aria of Sorrow with lots of bonus content and balance tweaks. It also fixes many many bugs and exploits.

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2. Circle of the Moon Card Mode: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4725/

This hack removes all card drops from the game and instead carefully places them throughout the castle in many different areas. Eliminating the rng and grinding. Made by a very prominent hacker and community member, this hack is very well done and probably the only good one for CotM.

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3. Harmony of Dissonance Revenge of the Findesiecle usa: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/5848/

Not only does this version translate the Japanese hack of the same name but it also fixes the character palettes. This is a very ancient and well loved hack of Harmony of Dissonance that adds many more playable characters to the game and in this improved version you even get fixed character palettes as a bonus.

Playable characters include:
Juste Belmont (with fixed colors)
Maxim Kischine (with lots of animation tweaks and some of his boss stuff too)
Julius Belmont from Aria of Sorrow (along with full access to Juste's equip menu)
Simon Belmont
Megaman
Mario
JusteX which is Juste but super powered, with a sword and new look.

*note that for this hack you have to use the included 1.0.1 version if you want it to work with the Advanced Collection.

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5. HoD Maxim Story Mode: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/6007/

This hack does not *improve* Maxim Mode as stated by the user above, this hack actually full on replaces Juste's main story mode with a Maxim story mode lovingly made by Caminopreacher and Sorrow (cutscenes and menu art included), it is a very well done and enjoyable hack. Especially if you want to experience the entire story from Maxim's point of view.
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Honorable Mention:

Castlevania Dawn of Symphony: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/3390/
A fan sequel to SotN made in Aria of Sorrow with Alucard as the main character. It may be very difficult but I still found this one to be really fun and the story was neat too.



Отредактировано Sirbagsalot; 26 сен. 2021 г. в 15:47
I'm wondering why there are so few mods for Circle of the Moon, an auto-dash patch would be nice
Автор сообщения: Sirbagsalot
This hack does not *improve* Maxim Mode as stated by the user above, this hack actually full on replaces Juste's main story mode with a Maxim story mode lovingly made by Caminopreacher and Sorrow (cutscenes and menu art included), it is a very well done and enjoyable hack. Especially if you want to experience the entire story from Maxim's point of view.

My bad, I might have mixed up things in my head on how that one actually worked. Now that I read it again, yeah, I see that it's the main story mode, just with Maxim swapped into Juste's place, rather than the Maxim mode being changed somehow.


Автор сообщения: the_randomizer1889
I'm wondering why there are so few mods for Circle of the Moon, an auto-dash patch would be nice

Someone suggested one had existed at some point, but I can't seem to find it.
Would be a great QoL change if they could even just map the dash to another button.
Отредактировано GuyInDogSuit; 26 сен. 2021 г. в 16:14
Автор сообщения: the_randomizer1889
I'm wondering why there are so few mods for Circle of the Moon, an auto-dash patch would be nice
There's a cheat code for this, not a patch. Meaning you'll need to use an emulator with cheat code support, like the mGBA core in RetroArch, which is now available on Steam.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/449471-castlevania-circle-of-the-moon/47127970

Maybe somebody well versed in GBA hacking can make an .ips patch.
Автор сообщения: iriyap
Автор сообщения: the_randomizer1889
I'm wondering why there are so few mods for Circle of the Moon, an auto-dash patch would be nice
There's a cheat code for this, not a patch. Meaning you'll need to use an emulator with cheat code support, like the mGBA core in RetroArch, which is now available on Steam.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/449471-castlevania-circle-of-the-moon/47127970

Maybe somebody well versed in GBA hacking can make an .ips patch.


You mean those "Codebreaker" codes posted a page back? I was wondering how those would work....
Автор сообщения: the_randomizer1889
I'm wondering why there are so few mods for Circle of the Moon, an auto-dash patch would be nice
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1552550/discussions/0/2951536988391825958/
Автор сообщения: GuyInDogSuit
AoS:
-----
Luck and Int stat fixes. Now they do what they're supposed to (MP regen actually doesn't suck, some souls are no longer completely useless)!
www.romhacking.net/hacks/5645/

What were wrong with the LCK and INT stats?
Автор сообщения: Tsukiyomaru Zero
Автор сообщения: CIDphi

Tsukiyomaru, do you know of any Codebreaker, Game Shark, or Action replay codes for forcing a level 1 cap and also editing stats to fixed values, specifically the LCK stat?
Sadly, no. But shouldn't be hard to make them.

I was able to come up with an Action Replay code that would reduce the total EXP you had to zero. but any boss that gave more exp than what was needed to get to the next level would still cause a level up. I wasn't successful in finding a way to fix the level to 1.
Автор сообщения: CrowRising
Автор сообщения: the_randomizer1889
I'm wondering why there are so few mods for Circle of the Moon, an auto-dash patch would be nice
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1552550/discussions/0/2951536988391825958/

I'll check that out
Автор сообщения: CIDphi
Автор сообщения: GuyInDogSuit
AoS:
-----
Luck and Int stat fixes. Now they do what they're supposed to (MP regen actually doesn't suck, some souls are no longer completely useless)!
www.romhacking.net/hacks/5645/

What were wrong with the LCK and INT stats?


They didn't make much of an impact. Certain souls wouldn't really improve with a higher INT stat like others do. LCK didn't seem to do much in regards to drop or soul obtain rates. Or critical hits, for that matter.
Last time I checked, Luck in Aria of Sorrow worked just fine.
Dawn of Sorrow was the game where Luck was a completely broke stat and did nothing.
You can tell this in Aria of Sorrow by getting a very high luck.
IT most certainly did stuff.
I didn't say it did nothing.

It had little impact.
Er. no, I mean for a fact, it was only in Dawn of Sorrow that Luck was a bad stat.
Because it was legitimately broken.

Luck in Aria of Sorrow most certainly did have an effect.
THat was my point.

I have literally never heard of anyone saying that the luck effect in Aria of Sorrow did not do much, or that it was not working as well as it could.
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