Emerald hack: Pokémon CrystalDust [v3 PUBLIC ALPHA]

[Sierraffinity]

The Hoenn pokemon were encountered the same spot as the Marill. I only found a Poochyena and a Illumise in there. Also, what I meant by not much variation was that you must make this game yours. Yes, nail it as close to G/S/C as humanly possible, but also throw in your own ideas in there in some places. Be it a rival, an extra area, etc. Regarding the PokeGear, you should change it to Oak. And Prof. Elm should be in there for when he calls you after Mr. Pokemon's house, the first Gym, etc. etc. He could also be there to give you helpful hints in between these events.

I fixed the Hoenn Pokémon; download the new patch.
Also, my originality is coming after Johto and Kanto; that's when GSC's storyline is finished and I can start doing things that I made up. ;)
Okay... In the Pokégear, I'll change it to Oak, but what should I change to become Elm? That's my question.
EDIT: Also, a new patch is up; it has a new (and possibly better) animation for the Pokémon Center healing.

 

[SilentWing]

it's a D/N system limitation.

I see. I was thinking of the latest Ruby Destiny hack, then, which I just revisited for the sake of getting my "brightness bearings." Sure enough, it wasn't noticeably darker than yours -- but somehow, the windows of the houses were made to light up! That's the trick I suppose--not the overall darkness level, but the contrast between the light of the windows and the darkness of the night tiles that makes the dark seem that much more "real" (not to mention the obvious fact that the windows lit up in G/S/C). But again, if this is the fault of the engine, or if it's only possible in Ruby but not Emerald, I'd completely understand. It's such a trivial detail, really.

But think about it this way. The fact that people are bothering to point out such trivial matters in this hack specifically indicates its level of refinement is already so high that the "trivial" things become suddenly more tangibly relevant. If this isn't clear enough indication that you've got something special here, just await the mass outcry later down the road when reports of the "sound not being stereo" come in. ;)

 

[Sierraffinity]

I see. I was thinking of the latest Ruby Destiny hack, then, which I just revisited for the sake of getting my "brightness bearings." Sure enough, it wasn't noticeably darker than yours -- but somehow, the windows of the houses were made to light up! That's the trick I suppose--not the overall darkness level, but the contrast between the light of the windows and the darkness of the night tiles that makes the dark seem that much more "real" (not to mention the obvious fact that the windows lit up in G/S/C). But again, if this is the fault of the engine, or if it's only possible in Ruby but not Emerald, I'd completely understand. It's such a trivial detail, really.

But think about it this way. The fact that people are bothering to point out such trivial matters in this hack specifically indicates its level of refinement is already so high that the "trivial" things become suddenly more tangibly relevant. If this isn't clear enough indication that you've got something special here, just await the mass outcry later down the road when reports of the "sound not being stereo" come in. ;)

Well, to do that, I would have to do setmaptiles to EVERY SINGLE MAP and reserve a palette for the golden effect, and I don't think I want to do that ATM...
And I see what you mean in the second paragraph. :D

 

[SilentWing]

Well, to do that, I would have to do setmaptiles to EVERY SINGLE MAP and reserve a palette for the golden effect, and I don't think I want to do that ATM...

Agreed; too much work. But if you ever decide to re-visit the idea, consider the practical aspects of "limiting" your approach. Not every map has houses, and some maps (featuring houses not in cities, etc) won't need to stay lit at night either. In fact, you could limit the effect to select houses in select cities -- just enough to give off the "effect" without going overboard.

Just some food for thought... not that I know what any of this entails code-wise. I could be completely off-base here myself. ;)

 

[Sierraffinity]

Agreed; too much work. But if you ever decide to re-visit the idea, consider the practical aspects of "limiting" your approach. Not every map has houses, and some maps (featuring houses not in cities, etc) won't need to stay lit at night either. In fact, you could limit the effect to select houses in select cities -- just enough to give off the "effect" without going overboard.

Just some food for thought... not that I know what any of this entails code-wise. I could be completely off-base here myself. ;)

If I ever do create that, then that's probably not what I'd do.
I mean, whenever you walk into a house, its lights are on.
It wouldn't make sense, then, to have some on outside and some not.
But I'll consider doing that for maybe Beta 2 ;)

 

[Maxim]

I like and see what you're saying... until you get to the last paragraph. No, I won't be copying the buildings/trees from HG/SS because, if I did do your idea, then I think that fan-created ones would suit it much better.

But Game Freak's official presentation of the world will always be leagues more accurate and better-looking than some fanwank.

Especially that Project Platinum's tilesets give me an automatic regurgitative effect whenever I see them, just as much as the people who led that project (mostly elitist pricks who bash anyone who doesn't agree with them). Not to mention that they simply look dull, their Johto looks exactly the same as Kanto, it's so boring.

So, if you're neglecting official material, why don't you remake Kanto as well? After all, FRLG Kanto is just an inaccurate presentation of RGBY, just as HGSS is an inaccurate presentation of HGSS.

 

[Sierraffinity]

But Game Freak's official presentation of the world will always be leagues more accurate and better-looking than some fanwank.

Especially that Project Platinum's tilesets give me an automatic regurgitative effect whenever I see them, just as much as the people who led that project (mostly elitist pricks who bash anyone who doesn't agree with them). Not to mention that they simply look dull, their Johto looks exactly the same as Kanto, it's so boring.

So, if you're neglecting official material, why don't you remake Kanto as well? After all, FRLG Kanto is just an inaccurate presentation of RGBY, just as HGSS is an inaccurate presentation of HGSS.

Yes, it may be more "accurate" and "better-looking" to what they had in mind, but mine is MUCH more accurate when compared to Crystal. And that's what I'm going for here.
If you like HGSS's maps and such, go play HGSS, not complain about how a fan remake isn't what Game Freak wanted it to be.

And well, I'm sorry about the tilesets giving you a regurgitative effect, but it IS mostly FRLG tileset, plus some sweet other things in FRLG format. I'll admit, however, to the fact that the two regions look the same; in the future, something will be done to make Kanto and Johto look different, but right now, it doesn't matter as much as it will when all the regions are present.

And well, why wouldn't I remake Kanto as well? Did you think I was simply going to copy FRLG's maps after all of the trouble of getting them as accurate to GSC as possible? No siree, they'll be remade, although following FRLG's representation a bit, too.

 

[SilentWing]

@Maxim: I'm going out on a limb here, but I find the fan-made tiles in Light Platinum, Blue Sea Edition, and so on to be visually stunning -- an excellent expression of individuality and/or community effort.

Some people just have different "art" preferences. Some might like art to be so simple and gaudy as to actually come off "ugly" to others. You should understand this better than anyone, given your sig, which I thought was trying to make the same point! :)

 

[Sierraffinity]

@Maxim: I'm going out on a limb here, but I find the fan-made tiles in Light Platinum, Blue Sea Edition, and so on to be visually stunning -- an excellent expression of individuality and/or community effort.

Some people just have different "art" preferences. Some might like art to be so simple and gaudy as to actually come off "ugly" to others. You should understand this better than anyone, given your sig, which I thought was trying to make the same point! :)

Yeah. Personally, I think Project Platinum's tilesets are kickbutt. So are many fan-made ones.

 

[Chimchar 9]

This looks great! But could you make a change? like some part of the region snowy, or something like that? Anyway, good luck! :)

 

[SilentWing]

Oh, I see. So like one island is cold and snowy, another is tropical and rainy, another is desert-like and sunny, etc... and the Pokemon found on each reflect this. Speaking of which, if there's any room in the ROM and it's easy enough to do, you could also experiment with new tilesets (like those wonderful woody ones for the rainy island, etc).

But I imagine this is well into the future.

Is it possible to change Prof Birch's phone message to something else before you receive your Pokedex? (Or the label "Always Fun" for 'MOM'?) Otherwise, seeing 0 Pokemon on a non-existent Pokedex might seem odd. Also, the 'H' in Birch is cut off -- since he's already labeled a "PKMN PROF.", maybe you can just change it to BIRCH to avoid the overflow.

But really, it's very impressive we have a phone system now. I'm mesmerized by it, haha. That was one of the main GSC features I missed the most in remakes (besides Day/Night).

 

[Superjub]

I'm going to play through the whole beta now that I have some free time. I have high hopes for this hack! :D
I'll also keep a look out for glitches. ;)

• Would it be possible to make it so you get the Map Card after the old man gives it to you? As it is bugging me that you have it from the start of the game... XD
• I'm loving the fact that even small things like the radio (the tile, not the PokeGear function XD) are in the game. It's a shame they don't play music, but meh, I cna live without it. :P
• The music is good too. :)
• I like the Mystery Egg's sprite. :)
• Oh, and how Mr. Pokemon has (what appears to be) a unique sprite. The same for Prof. Elm. :)
• I'm a bit disappointed that you don't get to name your rival. :\
• No more Wally! :D
• Yay, Running Shoes! :D (For a second, I thought they wouldn't be in it.)
• Mum/Mom doesn't save your money? :(
• Didn't the machine in Prof. Elm's lab heal you in the original Pokemon Crystal, or am i thinking of something else...? :S Nevermind, you have to use the computer next to it! XD
• The box that shows how much money you have when you are at a PokeMat is slightly cut off. Here's a screenshot:
  Spoiler:

  
• According to the PokeGear, Youngster Joey is at the Union Cave when he should be at Route 30. Idk if you can change this, so excuse me if you can't.
• Bug Catcher Wade doesn't get registered in your PokeGear. Again, I don't know if you're able to fix it.
• Despite the Ruins of Alph's puzzle being dodgy (which you already know about, so this isn't me reporting a bug), it was fun. Plus, I loved how the hero falls down the hole. XD I know it was the same in the original, but it's still oddly cute in a wierd way. XD
• I went and got the Running Shoes from Mom before I left, yet she still rings me to tell me I should have talked to her before I left, and says I don't have the Running Shoes... o_O
• Yay, the hidden rooms in the Ruins of Alph are in it... free items! XD But how come when you go down the hole with the unown letters on the floor, you end up at Violet City?
  Spoiler:

  
• It seems Day/Night affects the evolution screen..? Fr example, if it's night, when you're Pokemon is evolving, the screen will still be tinted dark. o_o
• Picnicker Liz doesn't get registered on the PokeGear... Is it only Joey who gets registered (out of the trainers you can battle)?
• Nor does "you should take to your mom sometimes..." Ralph. Since I'm assuming it's only Joey who gets registered, I'm probably not going to say if a trainer that should get registered, doesn't get regisered into the PokeGear (unless there is another trainer that actually does get registered into the PokeGear.)
• Another little error (check the spoiler for a screenshot.)
  Spoiler:

  /]
• I'm loving the FireBreather sprite. :)
• I love how you actually show Kurt lying on his back. :D

I'm looking for a Dunsparce at the moment...
I gave up on looking for Dunsparce! XD

 

[Sierraffinity]

This looks great! But could you make a change? like some part of the region snowy, or something like that? Anyway, good luck! :)

Erm, no thanks. Except for the area around the Ice Path (maybe), I wouldn't really want to mess with the original game's feeling.

Oh, I see. So like one island is cold and snowy, another is tropical and rainy, another is desert-like and sunny, etc... and the Pokemon found on each reflect this. Speaking of which, if there's any room in the ROM and it's easy enough to do, you could also experiment with new tilesets (like those wonderful woody ones for the rainy island, etc).

But I imagine this is well into the future.

Is it possible to change Prof Birch's phone message to something else before you receive your Pokedex? (Or the label "Always Fun" for 'MOM'?) Otherwise, seeing 0 Pokemon on a non-existent Pokedex might seem odd. Also, the 'H' in Birch is cut off -- since he's already labeled a "PKMN PROF.", maybe you can just change it to BIRCH to avoid the overflow.

But really, it's very impressive we have a phone system now. I'm mesmerized by it, haha. That was one of the main GSC features I missed the most in remakes (besides Day/Night).

I lol'd. How is it so impressive that we have a phone feature that was already present in Emerald? XD
I did already change Mom's label, that's why it says 'Always Fun' ;)
And, well, until I crack the ASM coding for the PokéNav, Birch will be unchanged, sadly. :(

I'm going to play through the whole beta now that I have some free time. I have high hopes for this hack! :D
I'll also keep a look out for glitches. ;)

Sweet. :)

 

[SilentWing]

Erm, no thanks. Except for the area around the Ice Path (maybe), I wouldn't really want to mess with the original game's feeling. Ah, except perhaps he was referring to the Sevii Islands or another such "new" area?

I lol'd. How is it so impressive that we have a phone feature that was already present in Emerald? XD What's impressive isn't that it exists, but that it exists in a Johto remake. All the Fire Red revamps aside, last I checked the phone didn't work all that well even in Crystal Shards, which also used an Emerald base.
I did already change Mom's label, that's why it says 'Always Fun' ;) Ah...was it like that in the original? How strange! XD
And, well, until I crack the ASM coding for the PokéNav, Birch will be unchanged, sadly. :( The problem of last-letter overflow also exists in the money display, shown above by Retribution.

Responses in bold. (Always wanted to do that after seeing you do it!)

 

[Sierraffinity]

It looks like I have some response work on my hands...

I'm going to play through the whole beta now that I have some free time. I have high hopes for this hack! :D
I'll also keep a look out for glitches. ;)

• Would it be possible to make it so you get the Map Card after the old man gives it to you? As it is bugging me that you have it from the start of the game... XD For now, I can't...
• I'm loving the fact that even small things like the radio (the tile, not the PokeGear function XD) are in the game. It's a shame they don't play music, but meh, I cna live without it. :P Cool, thanks. They'll play music (hopefully) later on in development.
• The music is good too. :) Sweet.
• I like the Mystery Egg's sprite. :) Actually, that's from HG/SS, I believe. XD
• Oh, and how Mr. Pokemon has (what appears to be) a unique sprite. The same for Prof. Elm. :) Yeah. No more generic Scientist and Gentleman anymore!
• I'm a bit disappointed that you don't get to name your rival. :\ Well, as it wasn't in the original Emerald, I couldn't do it yet.
• No more Wally! :D Well, what did you expect? That I would leave him in? XD
• Yay, Running Shoes! :D (For a second, I thought they wouldn't be in it.) Well, why wouldn't they be? I wouldn't have to force you to go through the whole game at a snail's pace! XD
• Mum/Mom doesn't save your money? :( Nope, again a limitation of Emerald.
• Didn't the machine in Prof. Elm's lab heal you in the original Pokemon Crystal, or am i thinking of something else...? :S Nevermind, you have to use the computer next to it! XD Yeah, just like Crystal, remember.
• The box that shows how much money you have when you are at a PokeMat is slightly cut off. Here's a screenshot:
  Spoiler:

  
  Yes, that's caused by the font change. I'll have to fix that, as well as some other things, sometime or another.
• According to the PokeGear, Youngster Joey is at the Union Cave when he should be at Route 30. Idk if you can change this, so excuse me if you can't. Limitation of not being able to edit the PokéNav yet.
• Bug Catcher Wade doesn't get registered in your PokeGear. Again, I don't know if you're able to fix it. See above.
• Despite the Ruins of Alph's puzzle being dodgy (which you already know about, so this isn't me reporting a bug), it was fun. Plus, I loved how the hero falls down the hole. XD I know it was the same in the original, but it's still oddly cute in a wierd way. XD Wait... You have the actual RoA? Download the latest patch at once, and restart from the beginning. Another person on here and I found out that all variables are reset upon use, so download the new patch and restart from the beginning.
• I went and got the Running Shoes from Mom before I left, yet she still rings me to tell me I should have talked to her before I left, and says I don't have the Running Shoes... o_O See above. That's one thing that'll happen because of that...
• Yay, the hidden rooms in the Ruins of Alph are in it... free items! XD But how come when you go down the hole with the unown letters on the floor, you end up at Violet City?
  Spoiler:

  
  Dang it, seems as though I forgot to fix the warps... Again, download the new patch, everyone.
• It seems Day/Night affects the evolution screen..? Fr example, if it's night, when you're Pokemon is evolving, the screen will still be tinted dark. o_o D/N system glitch.
• Picnicker Liz doesn't get registered on the PokeGear... Is it only Joey who gets registered (out of the trainers you can battle)? Yeah, limitation of the PokéNav again. The trainers I replaced to have my own didn't have any PokéNav values, and therefore don't get registered correctly.
• Nor does "you should take to your mom sometimes..." Ralph. Since I'm assuming it's only Joey who gets registered, I'm probably not going to say if a trainer that should get registered, doesn't get regisered into the PokeGear (unless there is another trainer that actually does get registered into the PokeGear.) Look at above answer.
• Another little error (check the spoiler for a screenshot.)
  Spoiler:

  /]
  Yet again, download the new patch. (Jeez, so many errors... XD)
  [*] I'm loving the FireBreather sprite. :) Credits to Pokémon Platinum GSC.
  [*] I love how you actually show Kurt lying on his back. :D See above answer.
  [*] I'm looking for a Dunsparce at the moment... I gave up on looking for Dunsparce! XD Where were you looking?
  

Responses in bold.
Thanks for being so thorough! I appreciate it.

Ah, except perhaps he was referring to the Sevii Islands or another such "new" area? Possibly. I might do that for Sevii if I can find good enough tilesets.

What's impressive isn't that it exists, but that it exists in a Johto remake. All the Fire Red revamps aside, last I checked the phone didn't work all that well even in Crystal Shards, which also used an Emerald base. Ah, I see. :)

Ah...was it like that in the original? How strange! XD No, in the original, Mom didn't have a title. Maybe I should change it to "Parent"? Yeah, I'll go ahead and do that. Release of this will be in next fix, not current.

The problem of last-letter overflow also exists in the money display, shown above by Retribution. Yes. As I told Retribution, this happens because of my changing Emerald's font to FireRed's. It doesn't matter all that much right now, anyways, because it isn't even Oak yet, so I'll leave it as that right now.

Responses in bold. (Always wanted to do that after seeing you do it!) It's just a really easy way to respond to everything singularly.

Responses in bold... copier! XD

 

[Superjub]

Whoops! XD That probably explains most of the glitches. I thought I re-downloaded it, but I must have forgot to. X'D Anyway, I love the PCC. :) I have a question about the odd egg: does it still have a high chance of being shiny like in Pokemon Crystal? :S

 

[Sierraffinity]

Whoops! XD That probably explains most of the glitches. I thought I re-downloaded it, but I must have forgot to. X'D Anyway, I love the PCC. :) I have a question about the odd egg: does it still have a high chance of being shiny like in Pokemon Crystal? :S

Well, TBH I don't really know.
I did set the right chance of there being a shiny, but I don't know if the Shinyzer works on eggs...

 

[pikachuhatesmk]

I have a problem trying to download this, when I click the download link I get a shining opal thing, could you fix that? and btw what's an .aps file?

 

[Sierraffinity]

I have a problem trying to download this, when I click the download link I get a shining opal thing, could you fix that? and btw what's an .aps file?

Are you sure that you're clicking on the "Download CrystalDust" link?
Also, an .aps file is an Alternate Patching System type of file, similar to .ips.
But why are you asking here? The only type of download I have is .ips...

 

[slim spazzy]

KOOL

this hack is really good i simply love the day and night feature.