Giana Sisters Tiles

[BippyM]

How are the Giana Sisters tiles stored? Here is a screenshot

[Codetapper]

Giana is not quite your typical simple map based game unfortunately. However, every level is stored completely unpacked in memory at around the $54000 address (so with a savestate, that's about $54b34ish). All levels are the same dimensions, 2048 pixels x 160 pixels tall. It's an incredibly wasteful way to store the levels and uses so much memory it's not double buffered. The easiest way to rip all the levels is probably to rip the screen.

The reason it's tough is the main loop that depacks a level is like this:

BSR parse_map
BSR check_SOBJ_data_compat
BSR get_anim_map_coords
BSR get_lift_coords
BSR ready_level_monsters
BSR set_colors_from_SPAL
BSR fill_level_background
BSR render_level_blocks
BSR blit_level_objects

So the level data itself is quite easy to find, but when it creates the level it clears the background, draws various blocks onto the map (of varying sizes) then inserts various objects (again of varying size). And each tile also has a mask after it with what appears to be some padding bytes in between. Basically, it's a real mess to rip the normal way.

I suspect the maps on HOL already were done just by ripping memory too, but the ripper got bored after 8 levels!

[BippyM]

Okay I'll look into ripping the maps this way

[BippyM]

All Giana sister levels attached, I know some are already in HOL but I did them for completeness.

Note there are only 5 bonus levels, they repeat after.

http://eab.abime.net/project-maptapp...py-s-maps.html

[TCD]

Thank you Bippy, all added and labelled

[earok]

@Codetapper I feel dumb for asking this:

I tried to make a couple of quick level hacks, though sure enough the level data itself is plain as day in the disk image, after editing it I found that the level only changed physically but not visually (eg I could make platforms to jump on, but I couldn't see them)

I presume from what you've said it's difficult to make the visual edits? The main thing I was hoping to do was delete the second N from "GIANNA" on the scrolling title screen and shuffle the characters on the right across to fill in the gap.


Edit: I'm assuming there's a list-like structure with the tiles and their x/y co-ordinates..?

[Retro1234]

I cant remember, this game has some wierd map - please remind me how it works? O #2

How come when I wanted to edit Maps all I got was no you shouldnt do that etc? earok Ftw