Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolling?

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Vectrex2809
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Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolling?

Post by Vectrex2809 »

It's been thought for a long time that only Uchuu Keibitai SDF used vertical split screen scrolling, but I think Bandit Kings of Ancient China uses it... in the ending. Being really bad at strategy games, can somebody confirm this ending uses that MMC5-specific effect?
This video shows the end credits as a glitchy mess, and it's interesting because I had a same sort of glitch when trying to pull off this effect with the MMC5 on an emulator, by making a shooter with a status bar similar to the Genesis' Truxton.
Another thing that makes me suspect the game uses this interesting effect is that when NA Member WashYourFace beat the game on real hardware and posted it here, the credits magically come up crystal clear.
So, does anyone dare to beat this long game to prove this uses the MMC5's vertical split screen scrolling?
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Dwedit
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Dwedit »

What triggers the ending anyway? Cheat finders might help here.
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Vectrex2809
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Vectrex2809 »

Dwedit wrote:What triggers the ending anyway? Cheat finders might help here.
I have no idea unfortunately, lol. I just noticed that the game may use MMC5 split vertical scrolling :P I have no experience with cheat finding, do you know anyone that might help us?

EDIT: A quick google search gave me a hint of a hidden debug mode in the game - http://oldgamehacking.com/?p=270
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Memblers
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Memblers »

I've finished that game, though it was a long time ago. I'm pretty sure the winning condition is to defeat "Evil Gao Qiu". On the PC version, his nickname is "The Ball Kicker". :lol:
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Vectrex2809
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Vectrex2809 »

Memblers wrote:I've finished that game, though it was a long time ago. I'm pretty sure the winning condition is to defeat "Evil Gao Qiu". On the PC version, his nickname is "The Ball Kicker". :lol:
Really?! Now that's interesting.
I'm actually wondering if someone could make a game genie code that goes straight to the ending, or makes "Evil Gao Qiu the Ball Kicker" super easy to defeat.
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Vectrex2809
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Vectrex2809 »

Bump! This could be interesting to better document the MMC5 and fix emulator glitches!!!
GreyRogue
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by GreyRogue »

Ok. I cheated my way through Bandit Kings to the end. I can confirm it does use Split Screen in the ending. [Edit: Fixed addresses] (It writes 0x8F to 0x5200 and 0x1F to 0x5202).
It's still messed up in FCEUX, which I haven't looked at yet. Screen shot attached.
Also, I've attached a save file that is relatively easy to get to the end with.
Random notes I used to cheat with:

Code: Select all

7340 = Prefecture 1
77D8 = End of Prefecture 49
0-1 = Gold
2-3 = Food
4-5 = Metal
6-7 = Furs
8 = Rate
9 = Flood
A = Land
B = Wealth
C = Support
D = Arms
E = Skill
F
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

60C9 = Heavenly King Men
6BAF = Swift Avenger Men
6BC1 = Pale Faced Men
6C75 = Short Lived Men
6CCF = Stone Warrior Men
6E25 = Soaring Eagle Men
6FC3 = Cloud Guardian Men

605D = Leopard Headed Men (604D)


0
1
2 = Age
3 = Serves (0 = Evil)
4 = ??
5 = Body
6 = Max Body
7 = Strength
8 = Dexterity
9 = Wisdom
A = Strength +
B = Dexterity +
C = Wisdom +
D = Loyalty
E-F = Popularity
10 = Men
11 = Attributes (Position - Bandit/Brother/etc, Boat)
 Minister.Magistrate.Official.Good Fellow.Chieftain.Bandit.Elder Brother.Younger Brother.Dead.Criminal.Priest.Fisherman.Laborer.Doctor.Merchant.Innkeeper.Artisan.Scholar.Richman.Master.Lady.Courtesan.Hunter.Wrestler.Officer.Trader.Dancer.Wizard.Bully.Outlaw.
 - 0x1F = Position
 - 0x40 = Boat
 - C0 = Minister
 - C5 = Bandit
 - C7 = Younger Brother
 - 87 = No boat/C7 = Boat
Edit: Bad save file. Grab the one below.
Attachments
BanditKings.png
Last edited by GreyRogue on Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
lidnariq
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by lidnariq »

GreyRogue wrote:Ok. I cheated my way through Bandit Kings to the end. I can confirm it does use Split Screen in the ending. (It writes 0x8F to 0x5000 and 0x1F to 0x5002).
Those are audio registers. Is that what you meant to write?
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Quietust
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Quietust »

A list of steps to follow would be useful - I don't even know how to play that game, let alone win it, and I'm curious to see how my own emulator handles the ending.
GreyRogue wrote:Ok. I cheated my way through Bandit Kings to the end. I can confirm it does use Split Screen in the ending. (It writes 0x8F to 0x5000 and 0x1F to 0x5002).
I assume you meant $5200 and $5202.
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Sour
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Sour »

Quietust wrote:A list of steps to follow would be useful - I don't even know how to play that game, let alone win it, and I'm curious to see how my own emulator handles the ending.
I was pretty much about to post exactly the same thing.
GreyRogue
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by GreyRogue »

lidnariq wrote:
GreyRogue wrote:Ok. I cheated my way through Bandit Kings to the end. I can confirm it does use Split Screen in the ending. (It writes 0x8F to 0x5000 and 0x1F to 0x5002).
Those are audio registers. Is that what you meant to write?
Sorry you're right. I meant 0x5200 and 0x5202. Just double checked.
Also, 0x5104 is 1, and 0x5105 is 0.
Attachments
Bandit2.png
GreyRogue
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by GreyRogue »

Quietust wrote:A list of steps to follow would be useful - I don't even know how to play that game, let alone win it, and I'm curious to see how my own emulator handles the ending.
To finish the game:
You should start on Heavenly King's province.
Select Fight/War.
Pick the heroes that have more than 90 men each (maybe leave Heavenly King behind).
Attack Area 14.
Take a couple thousand food with you.
Left means yes, right means no.
Deploy on the map where 15 is marked.
Move your units up to the enemies. You can't cross the mountains, so go around those. This particular map is kind of blocked off, which makes moving annoying.
Direction is a little goofy. Up/Down work normal. To chose the diagonals, choose up/down first, then left/right.
Attack/Melee each of the enemies until you kill them.
Once you've captured them all, you should win.
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Quietust
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by Quietust »

GreyRogue wrote: To finish the game:
You should start on Heavenly King's province.
Select Fight/War.
Pick the heroes that have more than 90 men each (maybe leave Heavenly King behind).
Attack Area 14.
Are you sure you uploaded the correct SRAM file? Area 14 is unoccupied, and I cannot target it from the Fight/War menu. Also, every hero has 100 men each.
Edit: to clarify, this is what the world map looks like immediately after loading:
Image
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koitsu
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by koitsu »

Is there a reason nobody is making a save state of things before the ending? If so, what is that reason?
GreyRogue
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Re: Bandit Kings uses the MMC5 vertical split screen scrolli

Post by GreyRogue »

Quietust wrote:
GreyRogue wrote: To finish the game:
You should start on Heavenly King's province.
Select Fight/War.
Pick the heroes that have more than 90 men each (maybe leave Heavenly King behind).
Attack Area 14.
Are you sure you uploaded the correct SRAM file? Area 14 is unoccupied, and I cannot target it from the Fight/War menu. Also, every hero has 100 men each.
Edit: to clarify, this is what the world map looks like immediately after loading:
Image
Try that again. It might have messed up because I still had FCEUX open.
sav attached.
You should be in area 15.
Attachments
Bandit Kings of Ancient China (USA).sav
(8 KiB) Downloaded 548 times
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