Kenseiden Korean sprite hack

28.06.2022 by alien nose job

---------------
What is it ?
---------------

There is a separate korean version of the game named "Hwarang Ui Geom".
In order to make the game look "less japanese", the hero's sprites have beenredrawn for the local market.
It turns out the korean artists did a great job.
This hack replaces the original sprites from the US version (more or less the same as the japanese one) with the korean ones, which, in my opinion look way better.

---------------
What is done ?
---------------

Every sprite from the hero has been successfully replaced (walking up/down the stairs left & right as well), plus the life bar Icon.

I corrected the palette to match the Korean one.

You will also find additional separate patches :

- 'Kenseiden BG edit' I lightly modified the palettes from the two bits of background art that hurt my eyes.

- 'Kenseiden - Korean Sprite HACK v1+BG edit' this is tha korean sprite hack, plus the above background palette modification.

- 'Kenseiden Hero Alternate pal 01, 02,03,04, 05" I made alternate palettes for the hero, some look pretty close to each other as I wanted to stay in something that looked a bit antural.

---------------
What is not done ?
---------------

I didn't replace the character's sprites on the map (for some reason I couldn't hex edit it without breaking the game).
Also, I cant locate these tiles visually using a graphic editor.
I think I'll leave it like that.

I didn't try to edit the endings (which is also nicer in the Korean version).
This shouldn't be too hard using something like tile molestor as the tiles pattern is almost identical in both versions.
But I never could figure out how to set it up for a SMS game.
I could probaly hex edit it in but I got tired.
Maybe I'll try it in a while.

---------------
Last words and further goals ?
---------------

This is my first hack. I hope you will enjoy this little change as Kenseiden is a great game.
Feel free to do whatever you want with the hacks, no need to ask for my permission.
Still a little credit would be appreciated of course :)

In the future, I would like to make an improved version of the game with the following addendums :
- slightly increasing the hero's walk speed
- permanently unlocking three techniques from the start (high jump, vertical slice, jumping vertical slice)

But I have no idea of how to do that.
If you want to help, you'll find a topic on the forums.

---------------
Tools used :
---------------

Master tile converter
Emulicious
Cygnus Hex editor
Ips peek

Big thanks to the authors of these tools as it made this possible and to all the rom hackers whose work inspired me to try my hand at it.