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Mortal Kombat II+ Revision (Hardware/MAME)

ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
First off, hello. I don't frequent forums often, but I thought I should share what I've been working on for a bit. It's an MK2 hack based on revision 3.1 and my goal was to create a revision for my personal machine and add the content that I felt was missing but at the same time preserve the core game play experience.


  • Playable Secret Characters
This was the motivation, I used Abystus' MAME hack that allowed you to play as Smoke, Jade or Noob Saibot. Instead of replacing a character though, I made them available by holding START while selecting the appropriate character. So 15 characters are available. I've also added alternate palettes for them as well, fixed 'FRIENDSHIP' strings, added them to the audits, given them story endings and will be finishing them by equipping them with their VS. screen images.
​
  • Endurance Rounds
These work almost exactly as the other Mortal Kombat games. The 2nd character is loaded at the beginning and flips back before the round starts. I've taken it to another level though, when the new character is called upon they will either jump in as usual or if they have a special move that's permitting, they will use that to enter. Raiden may use his superman, Scorpion may teleport...it's random.
​
  • Combo Display
This started with just a kombo counter but just recently I've added the damage percentage. Not much to be talked about here, I did originally have a nice shimmer effect to the animation of the text but machine platforms ignored it. And yes, that is a new stage, it's called Mountain Top but that's secret for now...
​
  • VS. Screen Cheat System
A pretty simple cheat system has been added. It abides to the same standards as the classic "Throwing Disabled" cheat. Just hold a combination of buttons at the VS screen and you may activate something! The list so far includes:
  • Super Uppercuts
  • Randper Kombat
  • No Round Time Limit
  • No Health Bars Displayed
  • Reduced Uppercut Recovery
  • Display Hit Boxes
  • Explosive Kombat
  • Blocking Disabled
  • Pong
  • More coming as well...

  • Improved Artificial Intelligence
​
This was a big addition. This option will give the computer the moves they never had. For instance, instead of the lame punches they commonly throw they will execute better moves in close ranges such as uppercuts, round houses, special moves, headbutts etc...

This option will also give the computer more options when starting a round rather than jump kick, projectile, move forward or their statically assign 1 special move. Scorpion may teleport, Sub-Zero may slide, Raiden may Superman etc...

One other thing this option does is do away with CPU exploits, so say goodbye to that jump-back follow that the CPU is well known for doing. Other exploits are being addressed as well...
​
  • Customization via Test Menu
​
This is what makes this revision special. You can customize it and it will save to your CMOS. Like I said before, I want to preserve the core of MK2 so this feature had to happen.
The options are as follows:
  • Random Fight Ladder
  • Cheats
  • Turbo Mode
  • Stage Options
    • Coin Up Stage
    • Game Over Stage
    • Credits Stage
    • Enable Goro's Lair
  • Finishing Options
    • Extended Fatality Time
    • CPU Always Finishes
    • Selective Darkening
    • Health Bar Display
  • Other Options
    • Kombo Display
    • Secret Characters
    • Improved CPU AI
    • Debug Options
      • Immortality
      • Opponent Selection
      • Stage Selection
      • Endurance Test

  • More Game Audits
  • Additions:
    • Number of Times Komplete
    • Flawless Kompletions
    • Fastest Time Komplete
    • Smoke Chosen
    • Jade Chosen
    • Noob Saibot Chosen
    • Fatalities Performed
    • Friendships Performed
    • Babalities Performed
    • Double-Flawless Fatalities
    • Body Explosions
    • Number of Cheats Used
    • Dan Forden Appearances
    • EJB Menu Accessed
    • Kintaro Stompings
    • Highest Kombo Performed
    • Decapitations
    • Pints of Blood Spilled
Other Changes to the game:
  • Added Secret Characters to Attract Mode Fights
  • Increases scrambled kodes at end-game with Cheat clues.
  • Added Noob Saibot to Klue system
  • Addressed Factory bugs
  • Restored previously unused assets
    • Liu Kang's cartwheel fatality sound (Credit: Abystus)
    • Female strain sound (Credit: Abystus)
    • Kintaro's kick (Credit: Abystus)
    • Shang Tsung's Kombat Tomb stage fatality (Credit: Abystus)
    • Shang Tsung's laugh win pose (Credit: "MKII Hacker")
    • Pagodas on stage "Portal"

To learn more information on the project please visit www.mortalkombatplus.com
​
*BETA AVAILABLE NOW AT THE LINK ABOVE

*Promoted by HellblazerHawkman
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
Shaka said:
Awesome!

are you also planning on adding balance patches?
Click to expand...
You'd have to be more specific. Hit boxes? Damage per move? Recovery delays? I know there's a revision already made for something like this, but if it's highly requested I can add just about anything, but for preservation I'd have it as an option to turn on/off in the Test Menu of course.
 
NSR

NSR

Also known as Futuretime23
yeah, I'm sure he means UMK2 TE.

Maybe an option to turn on TE movesets or off.

Regardless, this shit is fucking amazing man, congrats.

BTW, about the improved AI, are they still gonna be able to read your inputs and punish you perfectly? I'm assuming they won't.
 
1man3letters

1man3letters

Alpha Tarkatan - Moderator
Moderator
awesome stuff! great work

if it was possible to have mk2 TE moveset as a on/off tab on top of this like suggested that be beast!!!
 
ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
NSR said:
yeah, I'm sure he means UMK2 TE.

Maybe an option to turn on TE movesets or off.

Regardless, this shit is fucking amazing man, congrats.

BTW, about the improved AI, are they still gonna be able to read your inputs and punish you perfectly? I'm assuming they won't.
Click to expand...
Improved CPU AI:
The CPU will still counter you just as often and in the same manner as usual. This option also addresses the Jump-Back follow exploit and also Shang Tsung's triple fireball against Kung Lao when his back is against the wall. I've got a list of cheeses that will be addressed.

Also their move quantities have been increased with the following:

Normally the CPU has 3 moves when close range, low punches, high punches or throw. I've added a 4th option which includes Headbutts/Elbows, Special Moves is applicable and also replaced those punch furies with uppercuts or roundhouses. So you can see what special moves are available to each specific character at Short Range.



I've also added a range which was never used, it's outside of sweep range and I call it coincidentally enough...long range. It gives them all a chance to actually jump kick at times other than round start. Also they're given moves that are suitable at long ranges if applicable.

1man3letters said:
awesome stuff! great work

if it was possible to have mk2 TE moveset as a on/off tab on top of this like suggested that be beast!!!
Click to expand...
A "Tournament Edition" is possible, I've already gotten requests to extended Endurance matches into 2v2 for PvP. I've got all the data to edit move damage, hit boxes, defense table etc...so it would be possible. But first, I've got other things that are priority.
 
NSR

NSR

Also known as Futuretime23
Very interesting info. I'm just concerned about the AI punishing you like they did before as they outright read inputs and punished you perfectly, starting from the 3rd opponent. Only the 1st two opponents didn't do that.
It's not challenging, it's downright cheap and MK2 suffered from this moreso than any other MK game out there.
 
ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
NSR said:
Very interesting info. I'm just concerned about the AI punishing you like they did before as they outright read inputs and punished you perfectly, starting from the 3rd opponent. Only the 1st two opponents didn't do that.
It's not challenging, it's downright cheap and MK2 suffered from this moreso than any other MK game out there.
Click to expand...
The AI is really simple. Here's a look at one of my documents.

USEAGE:
This Document Lays out how the computer controlled character starts the round, it will show you how it’s assigned the random move at round start as well as what move it will perform next.


1.CHARACTER STARTING POINTS:

Not all characters are the same, some have different starting locations in the AI routine than others. Like Smoke, he must start in a different location(FF9F2430) to call his ‘smoke’ effect. Shang Tsung is another, he may start with a morph(FF9B1FD0), and Reptile may start with a vanish(FF9B2050). Besides those 3 exceptions there are 3 starting points for the rest. 1 for the rest of the main characters(FF9B20D0), 1 for Shao Kahn(FF9D0760) and lastly 1 other unique one for Kintaro, Noob and Jade(FF9B24E0). Below is the layout of how their locations are determined...





This is basically (Char ID SLL 5h + FF9B1DB0)



2.INITIAL MOVE ASSIGNMENT:

Next is the assignment of the initial move at round start. It begins by moving the MAX random number generated in A0. This value tells us the range of which numbers can be generated up to. By default it is 4h and therefore there are 4 options the CPU has.



Assigns the MAX RNG number Location for Match Start Moves:



Creates a random number from the value assigned in A0(FF9B2120)(4h)



This number will determine what move the CPU will perform. The numbers are listed below.
  1. Approach (FF9B6830)
  2. Jump Kick (FF9B9BA0)
  3. Projectile (FF9B9240)
  4. Special Move (FF9B21B0) Which are limited to 1 pre-determined move
After the initial move at Round start, they randomize a number from 0-2. The factors are below:
0=Close Range
1=Sweep Range
2=Outside of sweep range.

These values predetermine what their next move is by first moving into range and if they happen to pick a range that is behind them, say if they are in sweep range and their randomly generated range for their next move is 2 (Outside sweep range) then they will default to walking forward.

Here's an Overview in debugger:


Important Routines Going On Here:
  1. Randomizes a number from 0-2 (FF9B6900)
  2. Gets Distance from opponent (FF9B6A50)
  3. Calculates the distance check from the random number assigned in step 1. Values are 50, 70 and C0
  4. Branches off to best routine depending on distance from opponent. Jumps to FF9B6960* if distance from opponent(A3) is higher than randomly calculated attack distance in A0
*Loops until AI is within target range calculated randomly @ FF9B6900

The most noticeable cheap move the computer uses is their ability to throw you while you try to sweep them, there are probably more, but that's the 1st one that comes to mind. But with the new moves provided for them, it opens them up to counters so it works well with the new option and makes it feel like a different game. All my testers play with it on.
 
Reactions: NSR
NSR

NSR

Also known as Futuretime23
Very informative analysis.
I guess I'm being too scared for no reason lol.
Excellent work. I'm definitely looking forward to your hack :D
 
MKB

MKB

Forum General Emeritus
This is amazing. Can't believe I went 2 weeks without noticing this. Any update on a release?

I was a tester for UMK2: TE. Love to see my favorite fighter get more and more love.
 
ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
MKB said:
This is amazing. Can't believe I went 2 weeks without noticing this. Any update on a release?

I was a tester for UMK2: TE. Love to see my favorite fighter get more and more love.
Click to expand...
Aiming for end of summer. Fixing bugs currently and will then begin graphical additions for the secret characters stories, bios and versus screens.
 
justfr@me

justfr@me

Noob
hello paul,i ve been tested the last revision of your hack and i have some suggestions for cpu improvement...
first,kung lao cpu must teleport to dive kick,it s weird
the new a.i is very cool with less exploits,however with this brokens throws from cpu ,some frutations appears with some characters...
it is possible to disable cpu s throws when back is hold,like in vs mode!?
imo it s a good deal to balance difficulty :)
 
ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
Secret characters now have proper fatality palettes.


Versus screen images coming along as well:


As well as ladder images:


I will look into mirroing the images as well to make them "unique".
 
Reactions: MKB
MKB

MKB

Forum General Emeritus
If you recall, the SNES version of MK2 had a 4 VS 4 endurance mode. What would it take to make that a possibility on this version? If you could make that a reality, this would be the ultimate version hands down.
 
ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
MKB said:
If you recall, the SNES version of MK2 had a 4 VS 4 endurance mode. What would it take to make that a possibility on this version? If you could make that a reality, this would be the ultimate version hands down.
Click to expand...
PvP endurance is a possibility since I've already got the base of it in the game, but whether or not it makes it way will not define this revision as the ultimate MK2 ever, as it's eclipsed that many revisions ago. ;)

I'm aiming for a public beta next month and that feature will not be included for that. If all goes well I may add it. Along with mega endurances and other fun stuff with it. Many new things will need to be added, such as new selector colors, multiple characters on selection screen, and probably a brand new menu upon starting up ala UMK3.
 
Reactions: MKB
justfr@me

justfr@me

Noob
Whaou you re very talented with hacking,very impressive! I like the all-reversible tweaks.
I regret that not including some fix like auto walk for some chars...
Improved a.i is very hard on 1p side(liu kang ,kitana and mileena are insane now!) but not on 2p side,stay an exploit with walk back a.i

Good job!
 
ZPaul2Fresh8

ZPaul2Fresh8

Noob
justfr@me said:
Whaou you re very talented with hacking,very impressive! I like the all-reversible tweaks.
I regret that not including some fix like auto walk for some chars...
Improved a.i is very hard on 1p side(liu kang ,kitana and mileena are insane now!) but not on 2p side,stay an exploit with walk back a.i

Good job!
Click to expand...
I feel adjusting the walking mechanics is changing the gameplay too much for most people. I kept it normal. I will be adding more improvements to AI and more stuff as it seems people always want more... :)
 
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