SDSME Map Editing Tutorial

[Team Plasma's King]

Spiky DS's Map Editor

This program, henceforth called SDSME, promises to be the first real tool that can allow users to modify, to the limit of the current possibilities of hacking ROMs for the Nintendo DS games Pokémon in Generation 4.

Author of this fantastic tool is Spiky-Eared Pichu, a very talented boy.

The tutorial refers to the version 1.8.1 of the tool.

What you need

Latest version of SDSME - You can get the tool from the download in the green box. (Version 1.1 minimum required)

MKDS Course Editor.

Blender - You can get the open source software from the official website .

Map of the region

With this tool, you can edit individual and the position of the header of each map, so you can get an overall picture. Let's start with the load the ROM of the game that we want to modify, open the tool, click on "Load ROM ..." and choose your ROM (there is full compatibility with the ROM Pokémon Italian). After fully charged the ROM, see 4 main tabs:

Map headers - Headers maps: they are shown the main properties of each map.

Matrix Editor - Matrices: allows you to view maps in arrays. (Array)

Map Editor - Map Editor: allows you to view and modify parts of the maps.

Text Editor - Text Editor: allows you to replace any text belonging to the ROM.

In order to see the map of the region, just move the tab Matrix Editor;

each 3D map external (belonging to the region, not the interiors of buildings) occupies the same space in the map, then we can consider each location as a collection of many blocks map, all the same size. See the image below.

The first matrix (Matrix 0), strangely resembles the present routes of Pokémon HeartGold Version. In fact it is the graphical layout of each block map, you can see it in 3 ways:

Map Headers - Lists the header of the maps (so the ID in the Map tab Headers, useful for editing maps and understand, seeing the region, which we are changing the map).

Clicking twice on a white block you will be taken to the number of the map in the Map tab Headers.

Border Map Height - Lists the maps of the "edges", ie those maps which have a block of trees, a block of the sea, a block of rock, etc. ... to continue the maps. Each block has its own height. In this view, the height is indicated. Each block is a real map editable.

Map Files - Lists the maps is that the blocks that surround them.

Clicking twice on a white block will open the map in the Map Editor tab.

If we were to add a new ID map (take the map of New Bark Town, its ID number is 0 map, while the map is his number 60) over the number of IDs already present (the last one is the HG 675), the tool we would signal an error.

Evidently the author did not allow the inclusion of new maps in new places, but this does not mean that it is possible to move the maps.

Indeed, we can change the numeric values ​​and then "move" the positions of the maps in the region.

Attention: without being able to modify the anchor points of the MN Flight, you can not take full advantage of these changes.

Exporting a map

From the overview map of the region, double click on a map in the Map Files tab, you'll go in the Map tab Editor: The central part of the tool. Within this tab there are other 3 sub:

Move Permissions - Modify the movements permits.

3D View - View the map in 3D through the different tilesets.

Tileset Editor - Amend the different tilesets.

Even changing the card, rimmarà left column for Import / Export, like the image below.

What we are interested to export a map are the Export button. Indeed, we can export:

the "move permission" - will be saved to a file. containing the table for movement permits.

the "buildings" - will be saved to a file. bld containing all models of buildings (eg, houses, signs, wind turbines, etc. ..).

the "3D model" - will be saved to a file. nsbmd for the entire model including texture, or a file. obj with textures attached to the same folder (useful for editing the file. obj using 3D editing programs).

the "terrain settings" - export the file. bdhc containing the table settings for every type of terrain in the map (eg lawn when walking to hear that sound, sand where you leave your footprints walking with that particular animation, etc. ..).

Edit a map

This tool allows you to do a lot, but does not include an editor of 3D objects inside. After exporting our map in a folder and format. Obj (the only editable by 3D programs), we open Blender and using File >> Import >> Wavefront (. Obj) import our model.

Main article: Blender

After making the necessary changes, export the model in. Obj through File >> Export >> Wavefront (. Obj) overwriting the previous year.

Attention: the only programs that allow, through the extensions provided by Nintendo, to export your models in. Nsbmd Maya and 3DS Max 6 (versions that may activate the plugin ranging from 6 to 8).

Without one of these two programs pay, you can not export maps to import them in your ROM.

Import a map

Import a map is simple if you already have at you disposal the related model. Nsbmd. If we change one, I will do click Import (3D Model) to replace the map.

One thing not to be overlooked is able to import and export maps from versions Pokémon Pearl, Diamond and Platinum Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions.

In fact, the basis of the ROM has not changed significantly from Nintendo and you can change maps from various games (eg bring the Casino in DPPt HGSS, etc. ..).

In order to successfully import a map from one game to another you need to export all over the map: permits movement patterns, objects, pattern map, textures, terrain tags.

Movements allowed

The movements allowed are the most important part of each map. In fact, through these you can determine where you will find the grass after you can use Surf MN, where travano slides of sand (Pokémon DPPt, slides that you can only go with the second gear of the bike), and more. To change the movement permits, return to the Map Editor tab of the map you have chosen. All the different blocks of various colors representing the movements allowed.

To change a movement permit, click on a block, then changes its value with one in the spoiler above. Changed the number, hit enter and you will have successfully changed the lock. You can also change the step for each block, in two ways:

Using the three options in the upper right corner of the window, Free Passage, No Passage and Grass Sound.

In order: you can pass, you can not switch when switching is made to hear the sound of the grass.

Using the Toggle button: in the lower part of the column Import / Export is a part Paint, just as in AdvanceMap will be possible, by choosing the ID of the tile and the type of step, to click on each block to set its properties.

After making changes, click Save Current to save your progress (to save the ROM then you need to click on "Save ROM ...").

3D view

The second sub-tab of the Map Editor allows you to view the map you are editing.

Here are the basic commands of the viewer:

W - rotates the map clockwise along the x axis.

S - rotate the map counter-clockwise along the x axis.

A - rotate the map in a clockwise direction on the z axis.

D - rotate the map counter-clockwise on the z axis.

mouse wheel - change the zoom.

Wireframe button - changes from viewer to viewer with textured "wires".

button-down Tileset - allows you to choose the tileset of the map.

Edit a tileset

To edit a tileset is not enough to use SDSME, there will also serve the tool MKDS Course Editor.

That said, let's move tab Tileset Editor.

From here we will have the chance to see and edit all the tilesets in the ROM.

Each tile set consists of textures and every texture has typically associated with a scoop (pallets of Nintendo DS games are not restricted in 16 RGB tone, in fact provide different kinds of colors, eg: rgb with 256 colors, 256 colors with rgba, 4x4TexelCompressedTexture, etc. ..).

We can import / export a tileset using Import / Export, and we can save a texture format. Png in order to edit with graphics programs.

To edit a tileset will need to export it as a. Nsbtx and open it with another tool.

Open MKDS Course Editor, open the tileset exported as file1.

In the left column, at the top there is a list of textures, while at the bottom of the list of palette (palette texture and its almost always have the same name).

After changing the image. Png exported from SDSME with a graphics program can import it and replace it with a texture.

We can also choose to import it as a new pallet to leave intact the original colors of the image. After this, save the tileset and import it into SDSME.

Remember to click Save Current before doing anything else.

Objects and buildings

The objects are all models of additional maps, may therefore include buildings (eg Pokémon Center, Laboratory, Pokéathlon, etc. ..), facilities (eg, fountains, wind turbines, signs, street lights, etc. ..) and also contain the 3D models of the interior (red carpets for doors, stairs, machines to treat pokémon, tables, etc. ..) as well as maps of the interior is fully 3D games on Pokémon 4th Generation (would have been more difficult to create a scene map 2D and 3D for programmers of Game Freak).

Click on the Edit tab Buildings Map Editor to display two new windows.

Model List - Lists all models in the ROM, broken down by external and internal (click on "Inside Models" to change).

You can import and export models, but for the moment it is not possible to create new ones other than those already present. You can also create animated models with 4 sequences.

Buildings Editor - View the map with the colors of the blocks movement permits. Lists all the objects in the map, you can remove and add new ones. Each object has its own model (choosing the index from the list of the other window), its coordinates (can be entered numerically or by simply moving the green block on the map), its size (width, height and length indicates how many blocks must occupy an object).

Remember that the coordinates X, Y and Z refer to the axis in order left-right, superior-inferior axis plane, the up-down axis.

Make your changes and click on Save Current Save Current Map Editor tab as well.

Headers and matrices of the maps

The headers are numbers that allow you to choose which background music to hear in a map, weather, set of scripts, and more. To choose correctly in the header of the map that you want to change, it is advisable to go in the Matrix Editor tab, sub Map Headers.

Just double-click on a block to be transported in its own row highlighted in the Map tab Headers.

Credits

Special thanks to:

The creator of the tool and a friend of mine, Spiky-Eared Pichu

The moderator of The PokéCommunity Forums, Team Fail

[theSLAYER]

I hope you don't mind, but I'll like to add my own easy use guide here, as well as the thread to download SDSME:

My own easy use guide:

Inside Shows "Map Headers" Legend:

[Roland]

I hope you don't mind, but I'll like to add my own easy use guide here, as well as the thread to download SDSME:

My own easy use guide:

Inside Shows "Map Headers" Legend:

Feel free. The TC is banned and if anyone wants this thread to continue, someone's gotta pick it up.

[Farquad4]

I was wondering how I edit wild pokemon in SDSME? I have found that route 201 uses  pokemon set 140. I have made changes to the wild pokemon and it has saved. However, when I open my rom in DeSmuME the changes haven't seemed to have any effect. I don't understand why  I have a  rom and a data folder? Maybe I somehow import my  changes to wild pokemon???

[fallnn]

Is there a way to edit the intro of the game or the starting location?

Edited July 18, 2019 by fallnn

[Pokemonfan6498]

im downloaded program and when i tried to boot it up i got an error what says "Can not activate GL rendering content"

Edited July 29, 2019 by Pokemonfan6498