Chrono Compendium

News and Updates => Chrono News => Topic started by: Boo the Gentleman Caller on December 23, 2018, 01:16:55 pm

Title: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Boo the Gentleman Caller on December 23, 2018, 01:16:55 pm
2018 has been a great year here at the Compendium. We've seen some member growth, had a very successful Dream Splash fan event, and even proved that this series is still capable of providing unexplored analytical discussion over two decades later. The Dream of Zeal survives into 2019!!!

Even better yet, we'd like to make a very special announcement to end the year of right: the release of a brand new ROM-hack from our very own Fauntleroy!

We proudly support the release of:

Chrono Trigger: Schala Edition!

Quote
What if... Schala escaped from the Ocean Palace?

Chrono Trigger fans have been imagining what might've been for almost twenty-five years. Now, for the first time, an extensive ROM hack explores that question in Chrono Trigger: Schala Edition!

By the same author who created the Golbez Edition and General Leo Edition hacks of Final Fantasy IV and VI, this hack alters events so that Schala survives the Ocean Palace disaster. Magus leads Marle and friends on an expanded adventure through 12,000 BC in search of his sister, with a promise to help them retrieve their lost Crono... but only if they help him first. New locations, enemies, bosses and scenes await, ending in one of gaming's most long-awaited reunions.

While recognizably based off of Ted Woolsey's original 1995 translation, this hack features an extended and polished script, new Techs, new items and weapons, and lots of surprises along the way, bringing maximum nostalgia while also offering something new.

The Schala Edition patch will be exclusively available here at the Compendium through January 31, followed by wider release through romhacking.net. The author thanks everybody at the Compendium for their help and support, because this project never would've happened without them!

Try the hack today and thank you! See the included readme for details!



DOWNLOAD V1.2 HERE TODAY:
http://www.bwass.org/bucket/010919schalahack.zip

(https://i.imgur.com/Kexr9Qs.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/l0nBWDo.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/OQS2NEt.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/mqcWAW3.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/PcD0SHk.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/6iQPLJq.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/JPHYq2m.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/9bd9m25.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/Uiz5tlG.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/fsBsbTa.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/TyCWVBn.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/dejDefm.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/1WtVtaS.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/X1nug1E.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/LioeiF3.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/4ol96BG.png)
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Mauron on December 23, 2018, 02:01:23 pm
Nice! Let's inspire 20 more from this!
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: ZeaLitY on December 23, 2018, 02:02:25 pm
Felicitations, everyone. The Dream of Zeal is alive. Upvote these if you're on reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/videogames/comments/a8wmbl/chrono_trigger_schala_edition_a_new_chrono/
https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/a8wh5m/chrono_trigger_schala_edition_a_new_chrono/
https://www.reddit.com/r/chronotrigger/comments/a8wgsc/chrono_trigger_schala_edition/
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/a8whmz/chrono_trigger_schala_edition_a_new_chrono/
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Acacia Sgt on December 23, 2018, 02:41:37 pm
Those are certainly eye-catching images.

Very cool to see this finally finished.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Kodokami on December 23, 2018, 03:38:30 pm
Congrats, Fauntleroy! I can't wait to finally catch up and reach the new content.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Fauntleroy on December 23, 2018, 08:07:03 pm
Wow! I got back from family Christmas to see the nice comments on Reddit! I'm, like... really pretty overwhelmed.

Mauron is absolutely right. I hope this release can help spur a new wave of content creation in the Chrono space.  :)

So now I'll sit back and collect any bug reports, as there are always are some, so that the February 1 release can be even better.

And once that's done, it's off to the next thing! Anybody here a fan of Earthbound...? ;)
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Boo the Gentleman Caller on December 23, 2018, 08:12:19 pm
The nice comments are definitely well-deserved, Fauntleroy.

And yes, as ZeaLitY said, please upvote on reddit. The more upvotes, the more visibility and the longer we can keep the public eye on it.

I probably should have waited until now to post, but I've had family in town and didn't know when I would be able to post, so I had to pull the trigger (har har) at lunch when I had a moment.

All in all, great job, Fauntleroy. All the accolades goes to you. I think I speak for everyone when I said that we will gladly support any future hacks you do, even if they aren't Chrono Trigger ones. :)
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Mauron on December 24, 2018, 12:25:55 am
Earthbound is cool, but I'm more into making hacks than playing hacks. :P
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Boo the Gentleman Caller on December 24, 2018, 03:00:18 am
Quote
Anybody here a fan of Earthbound...?

This guy definitely is. Although I still haven't played the translated Mother 3. :/

Long live Starman!
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Acacia Sgt on December 24, 2018, 03:02:44 am
Earthbound, huh. I suppose I could be considered a bit of a fan. Probably on the more casual side of the spectrum, though.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: CptOvaltine on December 24, 2018, 06:31:05 am
Congrats! This is on my list to play for sure. I even went and upvoted all the posts on reddit!  :kz
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Razig on December 24, 2018, 01:56:10 pm
EarthBound is fantastic. Mother 3 is a punch in the gut.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: maggiekarp on December 25, 2018, 02:04:54 pm
Super hyped but I can't get it to work on my comp. Any troubleshooters?
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Fauntleroy on December 25, 2018, 03:25:46 pm
maggiekarp: Gonna need more detail to troubleshoot. Can you not patch the ROM? Does the ROM patch but not play? What emulator are you using? Etc.

So far, I've had seven bugs reported that range from really minor to kind-of-serious (including one game crash in a kind of rare but definitely triggerable situation). There will be an update to the patch in the next few days!
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Fauntleroy on December 26, 2018, 11:50:04 am
1.1 Patch Release!

No content changes, but an assortment of bug fixes big and small.

https://www.bwass.org/bucket/122618schalahack.zip

Fixes include but are not limited to:

THANK YOU to everyone who reported a bug!!!

DOUBLE THANK YOU to everyone playing the hack!!!

If you started using patch 1.0, you can upgrade to 1.1 with no problems for your saved games or states.

Side note: on the subject of Earthbound, the funnest part has to be creating new enemies.

#004: Ghost Car
(http://www.bwass.org/bucket/004ghostcar.png)

#014: Library Policeman
(http://www.bwass.org/bucket/014librarypoliceman.png)

#023: Boogeyman
(http://www.bwass.org/bucket/023boogeyman.png)

#058: Carcrushosaurus
(http://www.bwass.org/bucket/058carcrushosaurus.png)

#080: High Society Lady
(http://www.bwass.org/bucket/080highsocietylady.png)
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: thief_fighter on December 27, 2018, 12:58:40 am
I think there's a bug with Marle's Rainbow. Sometime it ignores Mdefense, and always bypass the absorb effect.

p.s. what new dungeon is in this mod other than rescuing Schala and where can I find them?
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: blocker209 on December 27, 2018, 03:46:35 am
I sped through the game to the new portion with Schala. * Spoilers ahead* I got "the Magus" now Magus and he asks us to get Schala before leaving 12000 bc. I find her, but both the time gate and the epoch are still locking me into this era so I cannot go forward in the game. Magus says to find Schala though I have already found her. Please help. Thanks!
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: thief_fighter on December 27, 2018, 04:25:50 am
You need to find her a 3rd time.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Fauntleroy on December 27, 2018, 11:47:21 am
I think there's a bug with Marle's Rainbow. Sometime it ignores Mdefense, and always bypass the absorb effect.

I'm not able to replicate this at all. Which emulator are you using, and are you sure you applied the patch to the recommended ROM?
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Fauntleroy on December 27, 2018, 11:48:22 am
I sped through the game to the new portion with Schala. * Spoilers ahead* I got "the Magus" now Magus and he asks us to get Schala before leaving 12000 bc. I find her, but both the time gate and the epoch are still locking me into this era so I cannot go forward in the game. Magus says to find Schala though I have already found her. Please help. Thanks!

Huh. I'll private message you.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: thief_fighter on December 27, 2018, 11:57:58 am
I think there's a bug with Marle's Rainbow. Sometime it ignores Mdefense, and always bypass the absorb effect.

I'm not able to replicate this at all. Which emulator are you using, and are you sure you applied the patch to the recommended ROM?

I use OpenEmu for mac, probably Snes9x. Yes, I checked CRC32 to make sure it's the right ROM
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: chardizzeroony on December 27, 2018, 02:40:13 pm
Hi, just registered to file a bug report:

*Spoilers to follow*







After defeating Dalton at the Guru's retreat, the following scene where Magus and Schala are in the cave and you have a brief scene with your party members hangs indefinitely instead of transitioning to inside the cave with at least one party configuration. Tested in both 1.0 and 1.1 and was present in both.

A party of Magus, Ayla, Marle (that exact order) triggered this bug.
When I went back and switched to Magus, Lucca, Robo, the bug did not happen.

I'm using RetroArch with a core of bsnes-mercury v094 (Performance) on a Windows PC.

CRC32 Unmodified: 8A36ED76
CRC32 Modified (1.1): E8FD6910
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Fauntleroy on December 27, 2018, 11:36:52 pm
Thank you for an exceptionally well-done bug report.

I believe I found the error--check your inbox!
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: CH86 on December 28, 2018, 01:56:23 am
Hey, Just out of curiosity; How long did it take you guys to make this ROM hack?
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Sailor Phantom on December 29, 2018, 12:14:34 am
Funny glitch happened, after finishing 12,000BC and getting Crono.

I visited the shop in Porre and talked to the guy in armor. The current party is Crono, Lucca, and Frog btw, and the guy says his normal lines and falls. Then Magus, who is not there says, "... He fainted."

This is using the 1.1 version and SNESx9 emulator.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Dinadan on December 29, 2018, 10:41:55 am
Thank you for your hard work! I have a question about CRC32. Want to play this Hack in New Year, but my CRC32 is 2D206BF7. It works? Can't find a good place where to get 8A36ED76. Maybe anyone can PM me?
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: the_E_y_Es on December 30, 2018, 05:44:49 pm
Just wanted to say I'm absolutely in love with the Middle English dialect you've concocted for the people at 600 AD. Stupendous job, my hat's off to you.

Chronosplit should have a look at this, he wants the same thing for his patch.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Toreadore on December 31, 2018, 09:23:07 pm
Hello!

Thanks for offering this hack for CT lovers everywhere. I'm impressed with the amount of work that went into it.

I'm currently having an issue but I'm not sure whether it's user error or a glitch. After visiting the Blackbird and being told to go to the Guru's Retreat to see the Nu, I go and the Nu is nowhere to be found. If it matters, I did visit the retreat once before finding Schala. I am using Snes9X.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: taac on January 01, 2019, 03:04:18 pm
hi! i'm overall very impressed. when doing the quest with schala, it's pretty confusing, however - if i go to the small cave right away, the "magus talking to schala" event is immediately triggered, which is pretty baffling.

also i am getting right that the zakra line is necessary to complete before going to the blackbird wreck and doing the real schala line? that's kinda confusing since it doesn't make much narrative sense; i couldn't figure out how to follow the correct line for a long while because of that (besides prematurely triggering the cave event). zakra line also feels pretty empty atm
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Fauntleroy on January 01, 2019, 07:11:59 pm
CH86: I made this hack on my own, but with extensive technical support from people here, especially Mauron. I worked on it off and on for about nine months. If I'd worked on it for an hour or two every day, it probably would've taken me about three months.

Sailor Phantom: Thanks for catching that! Easy fix.

Dinadan: I think that different CRC32 might just be due to the rom having a header vs. not having a header. I'll research further, but if that's the case, either version would work.

the_E_y_Es: Thank you! I'm not 100% satisfied with it. Some of it was just by ear, but I actually used some cheesy Elizabethan/Shakespearean text translators online to get some of the more distinctive vocab.

chardizzeroony, Toreadore and taac: Sadly, a host of connected bugs were found over the past few days involving the Schala sequence. A new patch will be released within the next few days to address the whole kit and kaboodle.

The intended path is: explore area around Last Village, optional visit to Beast's Nest, Forest Primeaval, Blackbird Crash, Guru's Retreat.

Thanks everyone!
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Toreadore on January 01, 2019, 11:32:13 pm
Thanks for the update. I'll be sure to check back in from time to time. 8)
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Demonsblood on January 03, 2019, 08:29:20 am
Have been enjoying the hack, and playing CT again after a very long time. I may have found another issue.

When you complete the Sunken Desert quest, leave Robo with Fiona in 600 A.D. to retrieve Robo in 1000 A.D., enter the campfire scene, and then head off to save Luccas' mom Lara when you come back Robo isn't there to greet you. You can also head back to the camp where Robo isn't there either.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Dinadan on January 04, 2019, 04:54:14 am
Fauntleroy: Thank you! I will wait for the new patch.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: TheMage on January 12, 2019, 10:17:31 am
OH MY GOD YESSSSSSSS

I've been swallowed into the pit of my last year of my master's degree but I finally get my pc fixed and what do I find!? THIS BEAUTIFUL GEM!

Thank you Fauntleroy, you have literally made my year!!!! I can't wait to check this out!!!!
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Toreadore on January 12, 2019, 11:26:35 pm
Huh... now my game won't even go past the title screen. It's stuck in a loop or something. The pendulum swings once and tries to skip to the music/video showing gameplay, then it quits, goes back to the title screen. Repeat.

I wonder if I should just start over.

ETA: I'm thinking it isn't the patch though. Possibly the emulator itself since it's decided it hates all versions of CT. In either case, it ate my files so I'll be starting over anyway.

ETA2: I give up. Tried to patch a new game, tried a newer version of Snes9x, made a little progress but today, getting the same loop problem. I have no idea why I'm failing so hard. It was nice playing though. Hope it turns out better for everyone else.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Demonsblood on January 15, 2019, 03:57:38 am
Sorry for not posting back a very long week. Just wanted to say I was able to finally get through there (maybe emulator was a bit buggy especially with the Black Omen in 1000 A.D., 600 A.D., and 12,000 B.C. not being able to advance, but for some strange reason restarting the emulator let me through) and just finished the game!

Awesome eye opening experience! It was like playing it again after so many years except with some new content. Going to go through it again on new game +. Thank you! :D
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: IHBP on January 22, 2019, 05:53:06 pm
Screenshots look nice, and don't feel too bad about the bugs. I'm still fixing bugs from the first release of my hack.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Prince Janus on January 27, 2019, 11:52:06 pm
so I just saved Schala, everything seems fine...

Then there's an empty scene of a cave entrance, and I'm suddenly in the cave with the party. If I try to leave, I get taken to the same screen.

I tried this with the party mentioned before as well. Running ZSNES. BSNES for whatever reason wanted to start me off with no save files each time.
Title: Re: Ending 2018 with a Surprise: A New ROM Hack!
Post by: Toreadore on January 31, 2019, 10:52:35 pm
So I've pinpointed the source of my misery! Apparently, my emulators really hate it when I use my new controller to play CT. Switched the controls back to keyboard and the game works fine again. Of course, I have had to start over.

It's been a month so I don't remember if I did the Schala events out of order or not, but I did find it is possible to trigger a reunion before having visited the forest, the retreat, or the Blackbird. Makes it trippy because there is two of everyone except for Schala. Of course, I immediately reset and made myself play the events in order and I'm now back on track and ready to scale Death Peak.