Super Mario Bros. Special - World 4-4 Bug Fix - Version 0.4 (alpha)

Archive Contents

    README.txt                  This File
    
    smbs-4-4-fix.ips			Patch to fix the world 4-4 corruption.
    smbs-4-4-unfix.ips			Patch to remove the world 4-4 fix.
About

This hack came about as part of the SMB Special on NES [1] project. During the
course of the project, it was noticed that level 4-4 seemed to have been
corrupted. This patch aims to correct this.

The restored level is belived to be exactly as Hudsonsoft intended it to be.
However, this patch has not been properly tested. A variation of the patch
which inserted the corrected level 4-4 in place of level 1-1 has been tested.
This version, which placed the corrected level in it's proper place has not
been tested by me, because I suck at SMBS so bad I can't reach 4-4.

Please report any testing results (good or bad) to me. I can be reached at
"levi at gis dot net". Additionaly, I could use some proper before and after
screenshots of the effect area. Preferably one set coming in from the tunnel
below and another comming in through the pipe above. Thanks in advance.

[1] http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,5671.0.html

Installation

To install the patch onto a SMB Special disk image, use your favorite IPS
patching utility. As alway, it's recommended that you back up your image first
in case something goes horribly wrong.

Uninstallation

If, for whatever reason, you decide that to remove the patch, a reverse patch
has been provided for your convenience.

Technical Details

The short story is that the data was recovered by a combination of clever
guesswork, examining the expected compressed vs. uncompressed size of the
missing data, and the sheer luck of finding part of the missing data elsewhere
in the disk image.

For the full story, see the posts [2] I made on the subject on the SMB Special
for NES thread at RHDN.

[2] http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,5671.45.html

Change Log

v 0.5    Initial public alpha release.

Credits

Super Mario Bros. Special is Copyright 1985 Hudsonsoft and Nintendo.
This modification was made by Levi Aho on Friday 29th, 2008.

The tools used where as follows:

	PC88Win                    by  ...
    Hexedit 0.9.7              by  Adam Rogoyski
        Romhack Edition        by  "Prez"
    gedit 2.18.1               by  The gedit Team
    Universal IPS              by  Neill Corlett
    d88tool                    by  Levi "Karatorian" Aho
    smbs-level                 by  Levi "Karatorian" Aho

Special Thanx

    romhacking.net      Utilities, community, inspiration.
    SMB2J-2Q            Suggesting the SMB Special for NES project.
    frantik             Getting the SMB Special project going.

Portions of this code are Copyright Hudsonsoft and Nintendo and are used
without permission. All other contents Copyright 2008 Levi Aho.

This code may be freely used. This is not the GNU GPL. If anything breaks,
you get to keep the pieces. All documentation All Rights Reserved.

It is requested (although not required) that if you use this hack in a larger
project or similar compilation that I be notified, be sent a copy of the
released hack (patch only please), and be given credit for my contribution.
I can be reached at "levi at gis dot net".

Hack and enjoy!