Codes by Joshua Tolles

[Joshua Tolles]

I saw a video on youtube posted by rimsky82, and that lead me here. I was surprised and pleased to find that I already had three credited codes posted to NES Tetris.

Another Game Genie code I can think of right off the top of my head is

GPVEPKZA : "A+start=start twenty levels higher"

Normal operation of the game (without hacks) allows the player to press and hold the A button while pressing "start" button to start ten levels higher. So, if you select Level 00, and hold A while pressing start, you start on Level 10. My code modifies the program to allow the player to start twenty levels higher rather than the customary 10. This brings Levels 20-29 into play.


SNES Tetris Game Genie Code: Start on Level 31

CBBA-1700
FEBA-1760
3CBA-17A0


This allows the player to start on Level 31, which is the highest level in the game.


Most of my codes are designed for making the game more difficult. I use them to "train" for Tetris. However, most could be easily modified to make the game "easier" as well. If there is any interest in something like that, let me know.

Is there a way for me to add/submit codes, or is this the standard method of submission?

I probably have a few more than the three listed and the two mentioned here, and I will look into my research later. I was just super excited to find this place and wanted to get the ball rolling immediately.

I also have several rom-mods of NES/SNES Tetris that I am extremely proud of. Is this an appropriate place to share those?

[rimsky82]

Joshua-

I added your codes about a month ago because I got more into Tetris and found them on YouTube. I got the idea to make a code to skip the rocket screen, made it, and then found that you already did, and it was the same one.

I am going to update your account to hacker, so you can add codes yourself. You just find the game on the site, and there will be an "add" button in the subheader.

By the way, you are a kick-ass Tetris player. I saw you played in the tourney lately? My high score is only around 286,000 but I've been practicing!

I'm the executive admin and redesigned this site myself a few years ago, so hit me up if you need anything.

[rimsky82]

Forgot to mention you can post rom patches, but no roms.

[Joshua Tolles]

Thanks, rimsky. Nice avatar.

Funny thing, you making the rocket code, too. Most people don't understand the importance of it, and think it is a silly and pointless code. But I have a friend, a very good Tetris player, who never plays without it (unless he is going for an official record). Those rocket scenes are the worst!

I love making Game Genie codes. Because ram-hacking is easy with an emulator, but to find the part of the rom that controls the ram value you want to change, plus figure out a way to manipulate the rom to do what you want with only three lines of code---that's a thrill.

As far as rom patches go, I don't have any idea how to make one. But I have played around with the NES Tetris rom quite a bit, and have a few modified versions. The three most noteworthy ones are a version in which a T-spin double counts as a Tetris as far as points and line clear animation goes (in newer versions of Tetris, the T-spin double is equal to a Tetris); and another modded version in which the "Select" button acts as a piece-swap for your current piece and the "Next" piece--a sort psuedo-"hold" function (the hold function has become commonplace in newer versions of Tetris); a third version, and my favorite, is one that has "hard-drop" functionality added--you press D-Pad "UP" and your piece hard-drops (again, a game feature found in all the newer versions). Someday, I plan on putting all three of those functions into one rom, but I haven't gotten around to it yet, though.

[rimsky82]

It's not hard to make an ips patch, there are plenty of guis available. You just select the original rom, and your modified one, and it creates a patch file.

Those modifications sound like some very useful functionality has been added, as opposed to mine that just makes things easier by using the up button to move the piece up.

I still have a couple of code ideas in mind, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I did some analyzing the other day and figured out that the piece selection isn't purely random. Almost... it simply tries to minimize doubles. It checks once to see if the next piece is the same as the current, and picks another random one if it is. We both know it will still spit out doubles often, though.

Yeah, the rocket screens are time-wasters if you're training and getting "high" scores all the time. I beat my personal best today, getting 338,269. That was starting on 11, so I'm jumping to 16 to see if I can get faster.

The Tetris doc Ecstacy of Order sparked my interest in Tetris again. Do you know anybody from that flick?

[Joshua Tolles]

338k is a solid score. Well done

Something you might find interesting, if you haven't already discovered it. After Level 09, the speed of some levels are actually the same, rather than increasing every level. Levels 10-12 are the same speed, 13-15 are the same, and 16-18 are the same. Then Level 19 is the fastest "playable" speed, so 19-28 are the same. Level 29 is considered a "killscreen" and regarded as unplayable.

Regarding EOO, I do actually know several of the people from the film, some of them, particularly Ben Mullen, quite well. Ben Mullen is the first person to snare me in, and he and Alex Kerr both sort of "trained" me to be a better player. I met them on the message board over at Tetris Concept. Ben used to write a blog on the Twin Galaxies message board, which is how we first got in touch. Ben invited me to compete at the Midwest Gaming Classic, and I went there and got to play against him in person, and hang out with him afterward.

My first trip to Portland to compete at the Classic Tetris World Championship, I was invited to Robin Mihara's house, where I got to meet and hang out with several people from EOO. I believe I have met all the main players from the movie in person, except for Thor. He is still as elusive as ever.

EOO is what renewed my interest in Tetris, as well. I had been working towards a max out of the game since 2003, but I got stuck on a high score that I couldn't beat in 2006. The longer I went without beating my old high score, the more discouraged I got and played more and more seldom. But then I caught a trailer for EOO on t.v. and got back into it big time.

You're right about that randomizer. That's why I get pissed when I get two longbars in a row: because I know it should have been at least three! If I recall correctly, I think it even does something kooky on the re-roll like adding some additional number to the random seed. Alex Kerr and I have both worked with it, and have tried to modify the randomizer to give a set sequence of pieces, me with failure, but I don't know how Alex made out.

[rimsky82]

There's a code I made that gives you the demo sequence. I've tested it for a few minutes, but I'm guessing it repeats at some point. That's the only way I've found to get the same set over and over. Before it reads the seed, it checks a different zero-page address like C0 or C5, somewhere in there, to see if it's 1 or 5 I think. One of the values means a player is playing, the other that the demo is. And since the demo's moves are recorded, the pieces have to be the same. Just now I'm wondering if there is more than one demo sequence.

It's pretty cool you got to meet those guys, and even cooler you competed with them. I've been meaning to watch EOO again, especially to see how I might improve my game. I know I need to work on keeping the field low and even, and how to fix pieces that don't fit.

I didn't know about the level speeds being the same. Well, I think I had a suspicion, but never looked into it.

My avatar I found at a t-shirt website, bustedtees.com . It might still be available as a t-shirt.

[rimsky82]

I just made two more codes that I've been wanting to look into, modifying the speed of auto-shift. I found a way to modify the auto-shift engage speed and the repetition speed. Changes the game, but I like the idea.

[Joshua Tolles]

I have played around with those auto-shift options as well. But for me personally, I don't like using them, because I feel it messes with my sense of timing for the regular game.

I was going to add my "Start +20 Levels" but I didn't see any "add code" option anywhere on NES Tetris' page. I had a couple I wanted to add.

Also, I don't want to spam the codes page but there are variations of existing codes that some people may want. For instance, rather then forcing the pieces to fall at Level 19 speed (like I use for training), some people may want a "make pieces fall at Level 01 speed" or something to that effect, to make the game easier. Or one I intend to make soon: no rocket sequence unless you max-out ($99 instead of $FF). What do you think of codes like that, the variations?

Also, here is a page regarding NES Tetris you may enjoy:

NES and SNES Tetris

[rimsky82]

You may have to log out and back in, but you have permissions to add codes so you should see the "Add" in the subheader on the code page.

You can add whatever codes you want, but you turn your 19 code into a modifier. I will do that for you, so you can see how it's done.

http://gamehacking.org/vb/threads/98...ystem-Underway

That's the post about the modifier system, cuts down on the code spam.