Arkanoid level editing?

[D_Harris]

Matt,

If you need a beta tester perhaps Zack can give you some valuable input on the game play. Being the world record holder on all three of the first versions probably gives him insight that most won't have.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4230126374516958798
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7509575714172157108

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

 

[mattosborn]

Were you able to defeat the chip security making this mod useful on an existing PCB or does it require complete new hardware? Also...I noticed mention of integrating high score save into your project...will this too work with current Ark boards?
It's so awesome that you guys are working on this...I can't wait to see it in action

My stuff is designed to work on real Taito Arkanoid boards (the ones with the white masking on top). There are way too many bootleg variations out there to even think about supporting them.
The security is defeated by replacing the microcontroller chip with a custom module I've made up. That allows us to run the modified code.
The high score save part is currently not plug-n-play (the rest is, with the exception of one jumper wire to solder). If I was going to market an Arkanoid high score save I'd have to come up with a different approach (like a daughtercard that plugs into the processor socket).

 

[GackAttack]

Sweet...

....Any chance this can turn it into a multi-board?

I may have missed that detail if already covered.

I would picture something like Mike Doyle's Pac 96 in 1 or Q Bert 8 in 1.

Would this work?

A dedicated multi-spinner machine would be pretty sweet to have....

-GackAttack

My stuff is designed to work on real Taito Arkanoid boards (the ones with the white masking on top). There are way too many bootleg variations out there to even think about supporting them.
The security is defeated by replacing the microcontroller chip with a custom module I've made up. That allows us to run the modified code.
The high score save part is currently not plug-n-play (the rest is, with the exception of one jumper wire to solder). If I was going to market an Arkanoid high score save I'd have to come up with a different approach (like a daughtercard that plugs into the processor socket).

 

[mattosborn]

....Any chance this can turn it into a multi-board?

Well... not really. Only two of the games, Arkanoid and Tournament Arkanoid, run on the same hardware. Those two are essentially the same game, just different levels. And that's what we're talking about creating here... another Arkanoid with new levels (or customizable levels).

Any kind of multigame for ball/paddle spinner games would have to be emulation. Perhaps we can convince Clay to add them to his ArcadeSD platform.

 

[mattosborn]

If you need a beta tester perhaps Zack can give you some valuable input on the game play. Being the world record holder on all three of the first versions probably gives him insight that most won't have.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4230126374516958798
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7509575714172157108

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

Excellent vids! Thanks for the links Darren.

 

[philt80]

If you need a beta tester perhaps Zack can give you some valuable input on the game play. Being the world record holder on all three of the first versions probably gives him insight that most won't have.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4230126374516958798
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7509575714172157108

Those videos are inspiring for sure...I've watched them a few times all the way through...Amazing stuff

 

[ataritoobin]

Don't forget 大山のぶ代 who voiced Doraemon!

 

[philt80]

Don't forget 大山のぶ代 who voiced Doraemon!

HAHA! Thats a vid I haven't seen before.
Now to acquire a candy cab and set up a dual spinner cp like hers to create my own dedicated Arkanoid Returns

 

[DarrenF]

OK, is anyone else having issues using the arkedit.exe program linked above?

It claims to support the World version, but it seems to only want a "*.uc" file. The current romset of Araknoid (World) does not contain a .uc file. Is there an older romset that I need to be using?

Also, since it has been discussed that a security chip on the original PCBs prevented modified code/levels from being used... what is arkedit for? Does it work with emulators, because they don't emulate the security?

 

[philt80]

OK, is anyone else having issues using the arkedit.exe program linked above?

It claims to support the World version, but it seems to only want a "*.uc" file. The current romset of Araknoid (World) does not contain a .uc file. Is there an older romset that I need to be using?

There is indeed an older rom set that includes arkanoid.uc file it is looking for. You'll probably find the most luck looking for a .36 version mame set or a modern "misfit mame" set for the necessary Arkanoid roms.

Maybe someone here has figured out which file in the current version rom set it is looking for...I'd be interested to know if more modern revisions would work with this tool as well...

 

[DarrenF]

OK. I got arkedit working with the World romset. I had to:
1) rename "arkanoid.ic14" to "arkanoid.uc"
2) rename "a75-01-1.ic17" to "a75_01-1.rom"
3) rename "a75-11.ic16" to "a75_11.rom"

Then it'll allow me to open and edit the levels.

However, there are issues. When I play the hacked roms in MAME...

a) after the first death, the "warp hole" on the right hole opens up
b) the "warp hole" stays open the rest of the game
c) after the first game, it's unplayable, automatically cycling thru the levels...

Has anone else actually used arkedit? Did you encounter the same issues? Did I do something wrong?

 

[mattosborn]

OK, is anyone else having issues using the arkedit.exe program linked above?

It claims to support the World version, but it seems to only want a "*.uc" file. The current romset of Araknoid (World) does not contain a .uc file. Is there an older romset that I need to be using?

Also, since it has been discussed that a security chip on the original PCBs prevented modified code/levels from being used... what is arkedit for? Does it work with emulators, because they don't emulate the security?

The *.uc file is the code for the 68705 microcontroller. It's a 2Kb file... should be easy to find. Just rename it to what ArkEdit is looking for for your ROM set. The only thing ArkEdit uses it for is reading the offsets to the level data in the main code ROMs.
The MAME driver for Arkanoid is a bit of a mess... they are all screwed up with their versions. And they've been using hacked up bootleg MCU code for the real Taito versions. Apparently they have some actual MCU code from a couple decapping efforts, but it's not clear which version MCUs they have. What they fail to realize is that each ROM set version (Arkanoid upright, Arkanoid cocktail, Tournament Arkanoid upright, Tournament Arkanoid cocktail, etc.) has it's own unique MCU code. They need to get the legit Taito ROM sets properly identified and sorted out and give that driver a serious overhaul.

 

[mattosborn]

OK. I got arkedit working with the World romset. I had to:
1) rename "arkanoid.ic14" to "arkanoid.uc"
2) rename "a75-01-1.ic17" to "a75_01-1.rom"
3) rename "a75-11.ic16" to "a75_11.rom"

Then it'll allow me to open and edit the levels.

However, there are issues. When I play the hacked roms in MAME...

a) after the first death, the "warp hole" on the right hole opens up
b) the "warp hole" stays open the rest of the game
c) after the first game, it's unplayable, automatically cycling thru the levels...

Has anone else actually used arkedit? Did you encounter the same issues? Did I do something wrong?

I don't think you'll get it to work right in MAME with one of the real Taito ROM sets. You might have better luck with a bootleg set.

 

[Buffett]

i cant wait

i cant wait to see my version at MAGfest.

i spent alot of time coming up with the level designs. many hours of finding images that i could get to work with the colors and space available in the level area.

i hope it entertains people the whole time.

and i may even have a tourney with it.

mat you can post some images but dont give too many away
i want to unvale it at MAGfest

so i really want to thank you for doing this.

Peace
Buffett

 

[Buffett]

hey mat is the level select option something i can turn on and off with a dip setting.
i may not want it on during magfest. but on during the tourney so i can pick cretin levels to play.

just wondering is all.

also the first 4-5 levels keep in the order they are the credits but if you want to arrange them by a difficulty scale i am fine with that they are not in any particular order.

Peace
Buffett

 

[mattosborn]

hey mat is the level select option something i can turn on and off with a dip setting.
i may not want it on during magfest. but on during the tourney so i can pick cretin levels to play.

If I have time I'll see if I can work that out.

 

[Buffett]

sweet thanks hope you can get it to work.

Peace
Buffett

 

[DarrenF]

I don't think you'll get it to work right in MAME with one of the real Taito ROM sets. You might have better luck with a bootleg set.

Thanks for the hint. I'll mess with mixing and matching with some of the bootleg romsets, and see if I can get it going. I notice there are like 8 different bootlegs... so it may take me a while.

I was hoping to get the "world" romset to work, so I could hack it to work on my ArcadeSD board... Oh well.

 

[andy251203]

Thanks for all of the replies people. Glad to shine some light on this. Has there been any effort to do this on Arkanoid 2? I like the gameplay and graphics better on 2. I don't think 2 has the microcontroller protection either.

 

[mattosborn]

Thanks for all of the replies people. Glad to shine some light on this. Has there been any effort to do this on Arkanoid 2? I like the gameplay and graphics better on 2. I don't think 2 has the microcontroller protection either.

I did write a high score save for DoH:

http://www.scoresaves.com/DohHS.html

I have not tried to modify the levels, so I don't know how difficult that would be. It is a great sequel, and I also enjoy it more than the original.
True that the board doesn't have a microcontroller, but it does employ some kind of protection. I found this out when trying to run the World ROM version on the US board. I'm guessing the World board has a different PAL, but I don't have one of those PCBs to verify that.