Map finding can be a hit or miss situation. I use EmuZWin 2.7 emulator (on Windows XP) and scroll through the memory map.
Tools > Sprite Finder
This will bring up the entire 64k of Spectrum memory (ROM, Screen Ram and above). By using the width setting it allows you to put bytes side by side (upto 32 bytes) and if you're lucky there might be something that looks like map data.
If you can't find a map in a certain game then it will be compressed, stored as a bitmap, or just a random jumble of data.
The memory address is located at the bottom left and will update when the mouse is moved over the data - it doesn't show the byte value though.
The you can either use the Debug Window to change values, select Dec or Hex values with '10' on the menu bar, and test the map, the assembler allows you to extract the map data as a text file (use the disassembler) with all the DEFB bits put in.
As with every emulator, they take time to learn how to get data in/out of a game.
Stu's Incredible Pac-Man Hack Challenge
- MatGubbins
- Dynamite Dan
- Posts: 1239
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 11:45 am
- Location: Kent, UK
Re: Stu's Incredible Pac-Man Hack Challenge
I see. I used a similar principle, but small routine that I put at the top of memory. It fills the screen with vertical lines, then goes through memory dumping 768 bytes to the attribute memory each time you press a key. In this way you can see data emerging. This is how the map data comes out on screen when properly aligned.
- MatGubbins
- Dynamite Dan
- Posts: 1239
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 11:45 am
- Location: Kent, UK
Re: Stu's Incredible Pac-Man Hack Challenge
f you move the hi-score one char to the right then it'll look cleaner. Yeah, it's a bit more code hunting, but you're enjoying it.
Re: Stu's Incredible Pac-Man Hack Challenge
nah, I'm done now, moved on to other things.