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SCHG How-to

S1 Split Guides/Basic Art Editing

From Sonic Retro

(Original guide by Qjimbo)

In this tutorial, we're going to go through the basics of editing the art in Sonic.

Tools Needed

For editing the graphics themselves.
For compressing and decompressing art in the game.

Editing the HUD

In this tutorial, we're going to do the basic of the basic. We're going to edit the Heads Up Display in Sonic, that being the "SCORE", "RINGS" and "TIME" text.

1. First things first is to run up Fatilety. If you haven't already, download the zip and extract it somewhere fairly accessible. I myself have put it in C:\SonED2-1\tools\fatilety1.2c
Arttut01.png
Arttut02.png


2. Now go to File -> Open, and browse to C:\SonED2-1\s1h\artnem_u

Arttut03.png


3. artnem_u contains uncompressed versions of all the Nemesis Compressed art in the game. This is usually things like badniks and other objects that appear in the level. The HUD text is also compressed in this way, so select hud.bin from the folder and click open.

Arttut04.png


4. A bunch of windows will open, and I'll explain what the important ones are in a moment. However first, select Format, then 4BPP Genesis.

Arttut05.png


5. Aha! So now what we're editing is more clear!
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6. Now to set up the environment. Go to Interface -> Multiple Tiles and select 4x4 tiles.

Arttut07.png


7. Now for this step, you have to arrange all the tiles in the editor, like this:
Arttut08.gif


Click 0, then click the first tile, click 4, then click the second tile, etc.

8. This is the harder part, being creative! Editing the tiles is fairly straight forward once you know what you're trying to achieve. Just play around. If you don't fancy editing the HUD, edit something else. Editing all the art follows the same basic principle.
9. Ok, so I've done my alternative letters. But there's an R again! Do I have to draw the same letter twice?
Arttut09.png


Nope! Using the Tools box select Tile 3. Then right click on the top of the second R.

Arttut10.png


And there you have it, it's replaced! Do this again by selecting tile 7 and right clicking on the bottom part of the second R.

9. Once you're done, hit File -> Save. I'm lazy and haven't bothered to do any more! Can you replace all the letters?

Arttut11.png


10. Now for the next step, compressing the art. Extract, and open the SEGA data compressor. I extracted it to C:\SonED2-1\tools\tsdc-v2.2
Arttut12.png


11. Click Nemesis (remember this is the format the art is compressed in), then when the next window appears, click Set next to the Source data box.
Arttut13.png


12. Like with Fatilety, browse to C:\SonED2-1\s1h\artnem_u and select hud.bin. Then click Set next to the destination file box. Go to C:\SonED2-1\s1h\artnem and select hud.bin.
Arttut14.png


13. Click Compress!
Arttut15.png


14. Now we've compressed the art, it's time to rebuild the game.
15. Double click build.bat.

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16. Then everything should compile ok. If you get an error about Include, make sure "s1comb.asm" exists in the folder. Now open up the S1Built ROM in your emulator of choice!

Soned-mz14.png


What you should see

SCHG Art Edit Result.png

Another successful mission. Hopefully this has helped you understand the basics of art editing! Remember for more advanced editing, you're going to need to use the palettes in the game too. This will be covered in Part 2 of the Art editing guide.

SCHG How-To Guide: Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)
Fixing Bugs
Fix Demo Playback | Fix a Race Condition with Pattern Load Cues | Fix the SEGA Sound | Display the Press Start Button Text | Fix the Level Select Menu | Fix the Hidden Points Bug | Fix Accidental Deletion of Scattered Rings | Fix Ring Timers | Fix the Walk-Jump Bug | Correct Drowning Bugs | Fix the Death Boundary Bug | Fix the Camera Follow Bug | Fix Song Restoration Bugs | Fix the HUD Blinking | Fix the Level Select Graphics Bug | Fix a remember sprite related bug
Changing Design Choices
Change Spike Behavior | Collide with Water After Being Hurt | Fix Special Stage Jumping Physics | Improve the Fade In\Fade Out Progression Routines | Fix Scattered Rings' Underwater Physics | Remove the Speed Cap | Port the REV01 Background Effects | Port Sonic 2's Level Art Loader | Retain Rings Between Acts | Add Sonic 2 (Simon Wai Prototype) Level Select | Improve ObjectMove Subroutines | Port Sonic 2 Level Select
Adding Features
Add Spin Dash ( Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 ) | Add Eggman Monitor | Add Super Sonic | Add the Air Roll
Sound Features
Expand the Sound Index | Play Different Songs Per Act | Port Sonic 2 Final Sound Driver | Port Sonic 3's Sound Driver | Port Flamewing's Sonic 3 & Knuckles Sound Driver | Change The SEGA Sound
Extending the Game
Load Chunks From ROM | Add Extra Characters | Make an Alternative Title Screen | Use Dynamic Tilesets | Make GHZ Load Alternate Art | Make Ending Load Alternate Art | Add a New Zone | Set Up the Goggle Monitor | Add New Moves | Add a Dynamic Collision System | Dynamic Special Stage Walls System | Extend Sprite Mappings and Art Limit | Enigma Credits | Use Dynamic Palettes
Miscellaneous
Convert the Hivebrain 2005 Disassembly to ASM68K
Split Disassembly Guides
Set Up a Split Disassembly | Basic Level Editing | Basic Art Editing | Basic ASM Editing (Spin Dash)

|Basic Art Editing]]