ASM Sections Changes + Hijack Map

After many requests and the whole bureaucracy behind it, I'm glad to announce a new SMW map: Hijack Map.

Similar to the ROM and RAM maps, the purpose of the Hijack Map is to store common modifications in a hacked ROM, allowing ASM hackers to code patches and tools with higher compatibility and better interaction with each other.

You will be able to store where a certain patch hijacks the ROM, what region a specific tool modifies it and specially, know where Lunar Magic place its codes, tables and minor modifications. FuSoYa is currently working in submitting all Lunar Magic modifications, so I believe in the next weeks our map will already be pretty useful for whoever wants to code a new patch or tool, or in case a regular hacker want to know potentially incompatibilities between two (major) patches or even make some hex-edits just like the regular ROM map, if applicable (not really recommended, but you can do it at your own risk).

Together with that, now all ASM sections (SMW Blocks, SMW Sprites, SMW Patches and SMW UberASM) have a general and dedicated tag list. These tags will be the new standard when uploading any new submission to these sections, just like SMW Graphics and SMW Music. For that reason, it's advised to when uploading anything new, tag your submissions with all applicable tags available in the list. The full list is available here.

Additionally, pretty much all sections and maps had their rules updated (except RAM Map). Summary of the changes:

1. A version number of the submission is now obligatory when updating it, since now all sections have a version history of each submission.
2. For UberASM Repository, when submitting a code that includes ROM hijacks, you must include a "clean" patch that undo the changes made to the ROM, making possible to the user remove your code without crashing the ROM.
3. In SMW ROM Map, now it's enforced that you should use the Hijack Map if you want to put anything not relevant to the original SMW ROM. And vice-versa for the Hijack Map.
4. It's now required to you include a .palmask file when submitting any ASM submission that includes a palette file intended to be inserted with Lunar Magic.
5. The "common hijack" rule has been enforced, because there is been some cases of patches getting incompatibilities due of the authors picking similar hijacks.
6. Added a hybrid Super FX/SA-1/Regular ROM template in the SMW Patches Guidelines.

With all these changes, I hope the sections now will be even better to use. The purpose of the rules is to warrant the quality and the smooth progress of the SMW Hacking ASM development. Together, now SMWC has in total seven exclusive ASM sections for SMW Hacking (Blocks, Sprites, Patches, UberASM, ROM Map, RAM Map and the Hijack Map).

---

For who didn't notice it, now we have a new sub-forum inside Collaboration Projects called Project Daiyousei, which is a new Sprite Tool project which is been going secret for months, but I felt like it should have a public thing instead. No demo is available yet, but for whoever ASM savvy interested in participating in the project, you're welcome to discuss and collaborate on it.

---

And finally, I wanted to ask one thing: should we have a new ASM Workshop? Yay or Nah?

It is good to have the rules updated to stay in tune with the novelties created by our community, it'll be really handy to have those changes in mind, especially if we want the community to go forward!

As for the ASM Workshop, I stand for the belief that people should try looking at ASM not as a hydra, but a way to expand horizons and enhance creativity and even the way of thinking, henceforth, I would like seeing that happening.

ncie

also i swear there was an asm workshop that was scheduled but then got cancelled. so definitely yes (also offering my services once more. dont give me the lame hex/opcode lessons again pls)

That's some great and useful changes, good job!
Especially the hijack map. That should help a lot.

EDIT:
If you end up doing a new ASM workshop, I recommend doing a Twitch stream or something like that. I have been in one of those workshops for once, just for fun, and I felt like the IRC was way too chaotic to learn anything from such a workshop and it was so easy to get lost. A live stream with tutor and people who can ask questions in the chat seems more useful and focused.

That's just a recommendation, though. Of course, such a workshop isn't meant for me, anyways, so it basically doesn't concern me that much.

---

Feel free to visit my website/blog - it's updated rarely, but it looks pretty cool!

I remember we had one a long time ago, and yeah, like RPG Hacker said, it was very confusing and impossible to follow. It was no different then just reading an asm tutorial, only more inconvenient because if you had to re-read something a few times to understand it you'd already be behind in the lesson. It was also a mess because there were a lot of people at different levels. It was a mix of people that had no idea what asm was and people that had some experience but wanted to get better.

I also think a twitch stream would be a lot better. Actually seeing what they're doing vs. them explaining what they're doing makes a lot more sense, and the visual aspect would help. Like when you actually paint along with Bob Ross.

---

ask me if i give a f*ck...

Having a version history for submissions is a great idea, I'm happy we have this.

Also, I support the idea of a new ASM workshop. The previous one never went beyond what I already knew, we need one that goes as far as stuff like DMA. We should still cover the basics though, so it'd be a very long workshop. Splitting it in multiple sessions over multiple days (weeks?) could work.

I also support RPGHacker's idea of doing it as a stream, since it's impossible to follow anything that happens on IRC, akin to a classroom with 40 students that won't stop yelling and a teacher that doesn't raise his voice. In a stream, the teacher would talk and the students would type, so it'd be easy to follow the teacher. Twitch might be out of the question, though, it'd probably be shutdown for not being strictly vidya, and we don't want to deal with outsiders spamming our chat for the lulz anyway, so it needs to be private (or at least, the chat has to be). I wonder if that'd be possible with Discord? Maybe even Skype? I dunno. We also need a log of the stream, obviously.

EDIT: On a semi-related note, a Music Porting workshop would be nice to have, too. Especially if it could cover how to obtain samples from non-SNES music.

You are 100% allowed to stream programming/talk shows on twitch (under Creative). I would be interested in hosting (part of) the ASM workshop live on twitch, if we are going with that plan.

ASM Workshop? Define :/

ASM Workshop is a way to help people understanding ASM with people that do know and they share their knowledge in order to give means of support and learning.

I hope I was clear.