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SRAM and BW-RAM Plus v1.3

SMW Patches → SRAM and BW-RAM Plus v1.3

Submission Details

Name: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus v1.3
Authors: MarioE, Tattletale, lx5
Added:
Version History: View
Tool: Asar
Requires Free Space: Yes
Bug Fix: No
Featured: No
Description: This patch rewrites the game's save file handling by using DMA for saving and loading, leading to the most efficient handling. As a bonus, it also frees up the 141 bytes of RAM at $7E:1F49.

NOTE: You must apply this patch after you use Lunar Magic to modify any of the level's level flags on the overworld -- LM doesn't take into account the fact that $1F49 is never being used anymore.

Read the readme for information on including an address to be saved to SRAM/BWRAM.

This version now allows addresses to have default values.

The BWRAM is included because due to the nature of the sa-1 rom, SRAM doesn't exist, so use that instead of SRAM on a sa-1 rom, not SRAM.


Update: Fixed for compatibility with Lunar Magic v2.53.

changelog:

v1.3
--------------------
LX5's bwram_plus:
Fixed a bug init would happen after intro level's load, leading to weird issues with initialized RAMs. Example: if you remove the code that takes care of initializing manually the life counter and try to do that with bwram's default values, you will see your life counter suddenly jump from 1 to the right value. And many other issues of the same variation.
I also brought the load routine to the same hijack, so now the game chooses whether to init or load, instead of trying to do both. In v1.2, I had added a lock so that wouldn't happen, I removed it in this version. Both routines are running at the same hijack sram_plus uses now.

v1.2
--------------------
MarioE's sram_plus:
Fixed a bug it would restore a piece of code from the original game on top of a LM hijack (message sprite fix (shift+f8)) that would send you to the wrong OW submap.

v1.1
--------------------
LX5's bwram_plus:
Fixed a bug the patch would load a save even if there was no save to be loaded (values would be loaded with FF or whatever else was in the tables).
Fixed a bug the patch would write garbage to address+1, according to the tables, so dl $4013C7 : dw $0001 would write to 4013C7 and 4013C8.
Tags: bw-ram dma lorom sa-1 save sram
Comments: 39 (jump to comments)
Download 93.28 KiB | 2,103 downloads

Comments (39)

Hiro-sofT Link
tried it with the individual dragon coin save and RHR baserom... followed instructions of both and used SA-1... game hangs on a black screen after nintendo presents...

i have never ever have gotten this to work honestly.
Francium Link
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355
Found an issue. Managed to apply the saving of lives etc. When running out of lives, however, I can move Mario around while he has a halo on his head and 0 lives. Felt like it was worth reporting.

I'm in the same situation, although you probably applied the patch created by Tattletale.
I will try to find a solution.
Francium Link
Originally posted by Graeak
If you're a beginner like me, you're having trouble using this patch. Because of this I will leave the code of the RAM addresses, which I used in my hack!

For bwram, change it like this.
Code
bw_ram_table:
                dl $3019   : dw $0001 ;Mario's Powerup
                dl $400DB9 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Powerup
                dl $400DC2 : dw $0001 ;Mario's Item Box
                dl $400DBD : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Item Box
                dl $400DBE : dw $0001 ;Mario's Lives
                dl $400DB5 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Lives
                dl $4013C7 : dw $0001 ;Mario's Yoshi Color
                dl $400DBB : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Yoshi Color
                dl $400DBF : dw $0001 ;Mario's Coins
                dl $400DB7 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Coins
                dl $400F34 : dw $0003 ;Mario's Score
                dl $400F37 : dw $0003 ;Luigi's Score
                dl $400F48 : dw $0001 ;Mario's Bonus
                dl $400F49 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Bonus
                dl $400DC1 : dw $0001 ;Yoshi Overworld
                dl $401F2F : dw $000C ;Yoshi Coin Collected
.end
		
bw_ram_defaults:
                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$04,$04,$00,$00
                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
TheBiob Link
In case you're also using the retry patch:

Originally posted by retry patch readme
7. (SRAM Plus only)
If you apply SRAM Plus for the first time to a ROM where this version of retry is already installed, the load/save functions will not work properly.
(e.g. "Erase Data" menu in the title screen will crash the game.)
To fix it, apply the retry patch once again. After doing this, applying patches in any order will be okay.
Parahax Link
Originally posted by bersi
Whenever I apply this, my game crashes when I erase a save file in game. Anyone knows what the problem could be? My table is still empty.
I'm having this same exact issue. Using this with a death counter patch, and the counter works perfectly except it crashes when i go to erase a save file.
hsialin Link
This patch has an issue with the lives count, it ends the game prematurely with 1 life left resulting in a halo mario on the overworld. As long as you keep at least 2 lives, it appears to work ok.
bersi Link
Whenever I apply this, my game crashes when I erase a save file in game. Anyone knows what the problem could be? My table is still empty.
Epic_Manky Link
just based on this warzone comments section, I'm not even sure if I want to try using this patch lmao
Thirteen 1355 Link
Final comment here: This patch is just very broken, corrupting stuff on various places. I recommend against using it, even if you finally manage to find out how it works.
Thirteen 1355 Link
Found another issue: When beating the Donut Secret Ghost House, the black save prompt started glitching out heavily. Merely visual, no gameplay affected. Went away once I pressed save and continue.
Thirteen 1355 Link
Found an issue. Managed to apply the saving of lives etc. When running out of lives, however, I can move Mario around while he has a halo on his head and 0 lives. Felt like it was worth reporting.
Thirteen 1355 Link
Originally posted by lion
ASM patches aren't rocket science, you literally just open Asar, insert the name of the ROM and the name of the patch. They can also be easily editable by advanced users by just opening them in a text editor like Notepad++ or VS Code or Sublime Text. IPS patches are opaque and require inserting and editing in like, hex editors. It's cumbersome for advanced users and restrains the info within said patches from being shared. Just because it's easy to use doesn't always mean it's good.


No, but it's not the ease of use that makes it bad. Besides, do I prefer editing specific data in a hex editor over having some weird table in which you have to write god knows what (no readme)? Yeah, any day. Hex editing is pretty universal. This requires certain instructions which aren't given.

But in the end, I see the use for asm files in general. Thanks for reminding me #smrpg{<3}
Thirteen 1355 Link


Originally posted by Super Maks 64
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355
Originally posted by Super Maks 64
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355

Enough comprehension to understand edits to a ROM can be compiled into an IPS patch.

But not enough knowlegde to begin to understand why that's a terrible practice.


That's a completely subjective matter. I already named ease of use as a pro regarding IPS patches. It's no wonder they're widespread. Ease of use is by no means terrible.

They're terrible because they're usable only on specific ROMs (headered/unheadered, Japanese/US etc), they're static compiled data, so you can't, for example choose which freeram the patch you're inserting uses or the patch can't check if other patches have been inserted into the ROM that would have incompatibilities with the base version, IPS patches can't search for freespace in the ROM unlike asar patches and the user can't even change the freespace area used, which makes it even worse than xkas patches (and has a possibility of overwriting data already used for something else).
Also IPS patches obfuscate code and can't be easily modified unless you grab a hex editor for finding the differences after patching and a disassembler to recreate the patch.

And finally, IPS may be "easier to apply", but that's just comparing using a program which opens 2 dialogs for selecting files and 1 for saving versus a program where you have to type names of 2 files or drag the files into it and press enter.


Yeah, in the end it's very easy to apply most ASM patches, but then there's this one (which fair enough, seems to be an exception). No readme, no indication on what to do or what this patch is useful for in-game. This is where an ips/BPS patch saying "save Dragon Coins/Lives/Power ups would come in real handy for people who want just that. Now you got these seperate puzzle pieces that you need to stitch together in order to make proper use of SRAM plus.

But yes, by now it's clear my issue is more with this patch, rather than the .asm format in general.
lion Link
ASM patches aren't rocket science, you literally just open Asar, insert the name of the ROM and the name of the patch. They can also be easily editable by advanced users by just opening them in a text editor like Notepad++ or VS Code or Sublime Text. IPS patches are opaque and require inserting and editing in like, hex editors. It's cumbersome for advanced users and restrains the info within said patches from being shared. Just because it's easy to use doesn't always mean it's good.
ASMagician Maks Link
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355
Originally posted by Super Maks 64
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355

Enough comprehension to understand edits to a ROM can be compiled into an IPS patch.

But not enough knowlegde to begin to understand why that's a terrible practice.


That's a completely subjective matter. I already named ease of use as a pro regarding IPS patches. It's no wonder they're widespread. Ease of use is by no means terrible.

They're terrible because they're usable only on specific ROMs (headered/unheadered, Japanese/US etc), they're static compiled data, so you can't, for example choose which freeram the patch you're inserting uses or the patch can't check if other patches have been inserted into the ROM that would have incompatibilities with the base version, IPS patches can't search for freespace in the ROM unlike asar patches and the user can't even change the freespace area used, which makes it even worse than xkas patches (and has a possibility of overwriting data already used for something else).
Also IPS patches obfuscate code and can't be easily modified unless you grab a hex editor for finding the differences after patching and a disassembler to recreate the patch.

And finally, IPS may be "easier to apply", but that's just comparing using a program which opens 2 dialogs for selecting files and 1 for saving versus a program where you have to type names of 2 files or drag the files into it and press enter.
Thirteen 1355 Link
Originally posted by Super Maks 64
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355

Enough comprehension to understand edits to a ROM can be compiled into an IPS patch.

But not enough knowlegde to begin to understand why that's a terrible practice.


That's a completely subjective matter. I already named ease of use as a pro regarding IPS patches. It's no wonder they're widespread. Ease of use is by no means terrible.
ASMagician Maks Link
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355

Enough comprehension to understand edits to a ROM can be compiled into an IPS patch.

But not enough knowlegde to begin to understand why that's a terrible practice.
Thirteen 1355 Link
Originally posted by ahegil
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355
My goodness! Every single game uses simple IPS/BPS patches for stuff like this, but for some reason, the game with the biggest hacking community in the world needs cumbersome .asm patches, which are hard for newcomers to decipher and oftentimes (given the comments on many of these patch download pages) riddled with issues.

Why do people need to get through this list of issues before they can save their lives/Dragon Coins with the game? Super Mario Bros. 3 has a hack that incorporates SMB1, SMB2, SMB2US and full save features to all, with a single .ips file.


I think that maybe you should not comment on matters that you have little comprehension of my friend.

EDIT: The NES which is the console that ran the SMB1, SMB2, SMB2US and SMB3 cartridges, are EXTREMELY different than its successor the SNES and the have completely different hardware/software capability's and as newer systems go the SNES is considerably more complex than the NES both in its architecture and engineering.


Enough comprehension to understand edits to a ROM can be compiled into an IPS patch.
TheLegendaryOrb Link
Originally posted by description of SRAM and BW-Ram Plus v1.3
NOTE: You must apply this patch after you use Lunar Magic to modify any of the level's level flags on the overworld -- LM doesn't take into account the fact that $1F49 is never being used anymore.

So I assemble the patch again after I modify any level flags? Or after I assemble the patch I should not modify level flags anymore?
ahegil Link
Originally posted by Thirteen 1355
My goodness! Every single game uses simple IPS/BPS patches for stuff like this, but for some reason, the game with the biggest hacking community in the world needs cumbersome .asm patches, which are hard for newcomers to decipher and oftentimes (given the comments on many of these patch download pages) riddled with issues.

Why do people need to get through this list of issues before they can save their lives/Dragon Coins with the game? Super Mario Bros. 3 has a hack that incorporates SMB1, SMB2, SMB2US and full save features to all, with a single .ips file.


I think that maybe you should not comment on matters that you have little comprehension of my friend.

EDIT: The NES which is the console that ran the SMB1, SMB2, SMB2US and SMB3 cartridges, are EXTREMELY different than its successor the SNES and the have completely different hardware/software capability's and as newer systems go the SNES is considerably more complex than the NES both in its architecture and engineering.
Thirteen 1355 Link
My goodness! Every single game uses simple IPS/BPS patches for stuff like this, but for some reason, the game with the biggest hacking community in the world needs cumbersome .asm patches, which are hard for newcomers to decipher and oftentimes (given the comments on many of these patch download pages) riddled with issues.

Why do people need to get through this list of issues before they can save their lives/Dragon Coins with the game? Super Mario Bros. 3 has a hack that incorporates SMB1, SMB2, SMB2US and full save features to all, with a single .ips file.
HammerBrother Link
If you are using this patch, make sure the order of data in 2 tables, <sram|bw_ram>_table and defaults must match.
Rykon-V73 Link
For curiosity, I tried Graeak's fix and it doesn't work.
Graeak Link
If you're a beginner like me, you're having trouble using this patch. Because of this I will leave the code of the RAM addresses, which I used in my hack!

Code
sram_table:	dl $7E1EA2 : dw $008D ;Default Code
                dl $7E0019 : dw $0001 ;Mario's Powerup
                dl $7E0DB9 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Powerup
                dl $7E0DC2 : dw $0001 ;Mario's Item Box
                dl $7E0DBD : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Item Box
                dl $7E0DBE : dw $0001 ;Mario's Lives
                dl $7E0DB5 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Lives
                dl $7E13C7 : dw $0001 ;Mario's Yoshi Color
                dl $7E0DBB : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Yoshi Color
                dl $7E0DBF : dw $0001 ;Mario's Coins
                dl $7E0DB7 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Coins
                dl $7E0F34 : dw $0003 ;Mario's Score
                dl $7E0F37 : dw $0003 ;Luigi's Score
                dl $7E0F48 : dw $0001 ;Mario's Bonus
                dl $7E0F49 : dw $0001 ;Luigi's Bonus
                dl $7E0DC1 : dw $0001 ;Yoshi Overworld
                dl $7E1F2F : dw $000C ;Yoshi Coin Collected
.end
		
sram_defaults:	db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
		db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00

                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00
                db $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00


To use, add the code in the sram_table.asm file, in the corresponding location. This code has multiple RAM addresses, while using the code your game will be able to save powerup, item box, yoshi, yoshi coin, coin, score, and bonus score. If you want to remove some code, just delete the line of code and the number of bytes corresponding to the deleted code.

Remember that for the patch to work you need to apply the patch posted by Tattletale and that the default code line should never be deleted.
Tattletale Author Link
For those wanting to save powerups, coins, lives, yoshi and stuff like that:

First things first, those values are getting saved and loaded properly, issue is, the game hard-resets these values after load save - happens at $009E1C. I didn't add a patch to ignore that inside this pack because it's not in this pack's responsibility to do that.

Here's a patch that ignores the hard-reset:
Made by Ladida.
Code
!dp = $0000
!addr = $0000
!sa1 = 0
!gsu = 0
!bank = $800000

if read1($00FFD6) == $15
	sfxrom
	!dp = $6000
	!addr = !dp
	!gsu = 1
	!bank = $000000
elseif read1($00FFD5) == $23
	sa1rom
	!dp = $3000
	!addr = $6000
	!sa1 = 1
	!bank = $000000
endif

org $009E1C|!bank
	STZ.w $13C9|!addr
	REP #$20
	BRA +
org $009E4B|!bank
+


Issue is though, when you do that, the game also lets you bring the showoff level yoshi to the intro level and then to the OW. So make sure to initialize and save this RAM 7E0DC1, like this:

for normal ROMs:
Code
sram_table:	
	dl $7E0DC1 : dw $0001

sram_defaults:
	db $00


for sa-1:
Code
bw_ram_table:
	dl $400DC1 : dw $0001

bw_ram_defaults:
	db $00


Also make sure to initialize / save whatever else you are using.

EDIT 2019/01/13:

If you also want to save stars and score, change that patch to:

Code
!dp = $0000
!addr = $0000
!sa1 = 0
!gsu = 0
!bank = $800000

if read1($00FFD6) == $15
	sfxrom
	!dp = $6000
	!addr = !dp
	!gsu = 1
	!bank = $000000
elseif read1($00FFD5) == $23
	sa1rom
	!dp = $3000
	!addr = $6000
	!sa1 = 1
	!bank = $000000
endif

org $009E1C|!bank
	STZ.w $13C9|!addr
	BRA +
org $009E54|!bank
+


Also remember to initialize the values properly (mario score, luigi score, mario bonus star and luigi bonus star).
supershadow64ds From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
Even after reapplying the patch and not altering the rom in any way, I am still stuck in the overworld.
Vawlpe From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
ok cool THX
 Ringo From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
Just reapply the patch if you get stuck after editing the overworld. That works to me at least.
Vawlpe From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
sooo ive read the coments and am a bit confused, i havent rly edited much of the overworld, will the mario is now stuck on the map glitch happen if i have saved the overwolrd before the patch but then decide to add something new so i edit the overworld then save? or will it just happen if the overworld has not been edited before the patch
i want to know if i have to make the enitire overworld map before the patch or if i can just edit something now aply the patch and then later edit the overworld some more
NaroGugul From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
yeah.. this is trash
Edited the overworld, now im stuck.
HammerBrother From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
What will happen if you do this:
  1. Patch the SRAM/BWRAM into your ROM, before any saves on the overworld
  2. Edit and save overworld.
  3. erase the save file if needed


Will disable the player from moving on the map.
 MarioFanGamer From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
Originally posted by Mariofan64
does this patch have the potential for incompatibilities?

A couple patches, specifically these which mess with the saving routine or use specific parts of freespace in bank 0 are this (e.g. no overworld or one player, one savefile).
lx5 Author From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
Quoting myself from a previous version of the patch.

Quote
Just pointing out some really useful info.

SRAM Plus, as mentioned in the description, frees $1F49 which is STILL used by LM, that also means you should reapply this patch AFTER you modify and save your overworld because your ROM will NOT be listening the initial level flags and that will cause you problems.

BW-RAM plus does NOT have this problem because it never touches $1F49.
Mariofan64 From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
does this patch have the potential for incompatibilities?
DiscoTheBat From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
A good update for a great patch, good work!
JackTheSpades From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
Found a "bug". The game runs the init (clear) routine during the intro screen, so if you've got the level set to 00 (no intro), the values don't get initialized.
Edit: Likewise, if you change the intro level value, be sure to also change the CMP value in the clear routine.
lx5 Author From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
Updated BW-RAM Plus patch because it wasn't saving more than 1 RAM address.

If you are using a previous version, please redownload.
lx5 Author From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
Just pointing out some really useful info.

SRAM Plus, as mentioned in the description, frees $1F49 which is STILL used by LM, that also means you should reapply this patch AFTER you modify and save your overworld because your ROM will NOT be listening the initial level flags and that will cause you problems.

BW-RAM plus does NOT have this problem because it never touches $1F49.
DiscoTheBat From older version: SRAM and BW-RAM Plus Link
This zip file, contain two versions of the SRAM patch, one for the SA-1, which moves data to BW-RAM as intended and the original that will do as intended as well.