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Sprite Tool Error

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I am trying to insert the custom sprites that come with the download of sprite tool. Everything was working fine until I encountered the following message:

inserting sprite: 10

************ERROR************
couldn't open cfg file .\sprites\classic_koopa.cfg

I put this in the exact same way as all the others, but for some reason, this one does not work. Additionally, the applications stops there and does not show any possible other errors that may occur after this one. Is there something else I have to do when saving certain files?
What sprite tool are you using? Currently Pixi is the standard for sprite insertion.
I am using this: https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=14583

I'm following along with youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5mJ1wKUiyc.
When this is downloaded, it comes with a bunch of stuff like boomerang bros, horizontal moving thwomps and pirahnas, etc. It would be nice to have these in the game.

I have made all the appropriate folders and typed out all the .cfg names into a text document and renamed all the files to the ExGFX format for the ExGFX folder. The last step is to run the application to insert everything into lunar magic so it can be inserted manually, but I encounter the error and nothing gets put in.
Instead get this follow this tutorial and get your sprites from here Romi's sprite tool isn't really supported anymore and you should upgrade.
So, I made it this far:
Originally posted by MarioFanGamer
"<Sprite>" is the CFG/JSON file of the sprite you want to insert. You don't need to specifly the main folder (by default "sprits"). However, if the sprite is in any subfolder besides the primary ones, you have to enter the subfolder's name, followed by a slash and then the sprite's name (i.e. something like "subfolder/sprite.cfg").


Confused? As an example, we try to insert the included Sidway Piranha Plant and the Hammer Brother. The list should look like this:
Answer: Hide

00 piranha_sideways.cfg
01 bros/hammer_bro.cfg


After opening every file I could included in the download, there appear to be no pre-included sprites. Where do the piranhas and hammer bros. come from?


You can find them in the sprites section. For instance, here is the sideways piranha plant and here is the hammer bro.

Professional frame-by-frame time wizard. YouTube - Twitter - SMW Glitch List - SMW Randomizer
I'm so lost. The tutorial just says to insert the ExGFX with no explanation of how. I have the files there from the other sprite tool tutorial, which I assume I must delete, but there is no instruction for what to do.

I honestly know almost nothing bout computer language. I have, no joke, been at this for years and have yet to find a single working solution. I really need someone to explain step-by-step where everything needs to be placed and how to label it. Right now, I have a big confusing mess.

I don't care about being the most up to date. I would gladly ccept an answer to how to fix the other sprite tool error, or even my original question about hex edits: https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=viewthread&t=101428
I just want one thing to actually work.
For Graphic you should read this tutorial for a basic understanding

For sprites the issue is you should upgrade Romi's Sprite tool as I said isn't really supported (idk why we still host it) and as such most sprites you will find on the site are not compatible with it so go with Pixi.

For hex edits and patches you need asar to be able to apply them which again another tutorial here

You really sure work on one thing at a time and figure that out before moving on. Sprites will work without the correct graphics they just won't look right. Inserting graphics is the same no matter if it's FG, BG or sprites it's how you apply them in LM which changes. Patches both normal and hex edits are handled the same way.
At this point, I'm just focusing on PIXI, since that seems to be what everyone is going with. Following the tutorial up to the stated point, nothing appears in the game while playing. I only mention ExGFX as that is what the previous tool had me doing. What, if anything, goes in the ExGFX folder if all I'm doing is inserting a downloaded sprite?

I also noticed that the tutorial doesn't actually mention opening up the PIXI application itself. I assume that I must do this at some point, but dragging the ROM over just gives an error that PIXI cannot open the list.txt file.

I can't even get started.
list.txt needs to be in the same folder as your rom and dragging your rom onto it works fine as long as you have the list.txt in the right place.
You need to first open pixi and then drag the rom onto the cmd window, also you need to create list.txt yourself and write the stuff in it. list.txt must be in the same folder as the rom
Okay, baby steps.
Now I get this:
Could not open "C:/Users/willy/Desktop/New Lunar/custom/tools/PIXI/sprites/burnerh.cfg"

I am trying to insert the airship burner: https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=22394
which is the only thing in the list.txt as: 00 burnerh.cfg
for which I have both the ASM and JSON files in the sprites folder of the PIXI folder.
I feel this should be obvious but your sprite config file should match what you put in the list.
It's a Json file so it should be .json not .cfg
Great! That gets it in, now I need it to appear.
How do I find out what to change SP3 to?
Did the sprite come with a .bin file?
Bin files are usually graphics and youd need to insert them as ExGFX and load them into the correct sprite slot SP1-SP4 manually.
There is a .bin file, but I have nothing that can open it. Do I just make a copy in the ExGFX folder?
Originally posted by giu
There is a .bin file, but I have nothing that can open it. Do I just make a copy in the ExGFX folder?


Yes but you'll probably need to rename it. This is why I linked to the ExGFX tutorial a few posts up.
OMG!! It's WORKING! I can't believe it.

So, I place the rom in the PIXI folder whenever I want to add something, then move it back to where the ExGFX folder is before working in Lunar Magic.

One last thing. Is it possible to use more than one custom sprite in a single level? Could I label multiple with the same ExGFX number (like a tileset) or is there no way to do this?
Originally posted by giu
Could I label multiple with the same ExGFX number (like a tileset) or is there no way to do this?

Unfortunately that's not an option. ExGFX files must have a unique number, and for each level, you can choose exactly four of them for sprite graphics. (Those are the SP1, SP2, SP3 and SP4 slots you see in the Super GFX Bypass dialog. #lm{sgfxby})

In the original SMW, SP1 and SP2 always hold the same graphics files no matter what level you're in (they contain Goombas, Koopas, message boxes, springboards and other general sprites), while SP3 and SP4 are changed depending on the level number (they contain graphics for level-specific sprites like Chucks and Thwomps). Of course, you can load whatever GFX or ExGFX files you want in those slots.

The thing with SMW (unlike modern games I assume) is that sprites have no special connection to the graphics they use. The sprite's code just says "draw tile number so-and-so to the screen", and whatever graphics are loaded at that spot (#lm{sgfxby}) will be drawn to the screen.

In your case, the tiles the sprite wants to draw correspond to the SP3 slot, which is why you had to put the right graphics there.

If two sprites want to draw tiles that are in the same ExGFX file but not the exact same spots, you can combine two ExGFX files (using an editor such as YY-CHR) to make a new ExGFX file that has the right graphics for both. (I explained a bit of this in my ExGFX guide.)

If two sprites want to draw the exact same tile (at the exact same location), you need to edit the code of one of the sprites to make it draw from another location instead. (Often called "remapping" in the context of sprites.)

In short,
Originally posted by giu
Is it possible to use more than one custom sprite in a single level?

yes, definitely - but if their graphics usages conflict, you have to make manual edits to either the ExGFX file or the sprite code.

That was probably more detail than you needed, but there you go.


 
I'm sure I'll be back once I get that far, but for now at least I can finally add something new!

You guys are the best!

Oh, by the way, what happens when there is no .bin file? I have others I'd like to try that only have ASM, CFG, and JSON. What should I do about the ExGFX numbers for those?
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