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September 7, 2000


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since 09-07-00
since 10-27-99 (in all pages)
Old news -- June 2000
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(06/29/2000)

15:15: New poll, and old poll results -
 A new poll has been put up ... this one is about the SMB2 Level Discombobulator. Which of its features is your favorite? Go vote now!

And here's the final results for the previous poll (which you can also go look in a new page I put for this):
"Which of my hacks do you like best?"
Strange Mario Bros 1: 2 votes (4%)
Strange Mario Bros 2: 21 votes (46%)
Strange Mario Bros 3: 9 votes (20%)
Mario Fantasy Adventure: 14 votes (30%)
Total votes: 46

As I had thought would happen, Strange Mario Bros 2 won ... in fact, most of the first votes were for Strange Mario Bros 2, and most of the last votes were for Mario Fantasy Adventure ...


14:05: 4 hacks updated, one hack added -
 I'm a bit late for some of those hacks, but I couldn't do the update sooner, as I wasn't here ...

Well, here's the updated hacks:
- Frank's SMB2 hack, which has worlds 1 and 2 completed.
- SMB2 Fun, which has the first 3 worlds completed.
- Recovery1's SMB2 hack, which has world 4 done.
- SMB3 Expert, which has more changes to World 1, including a new hidden level.

And here's the new one:
- SMB3 Lost Levels, which isn't really a level hack but still features "new" levels. In fact, World 1 is now filled with levels that were already in SMB3 but not used anywhere in the game. Some of those "lost" levels are playable and still well done ...


13:58: Site stats graphs updated. -
 Well, I updated the graphs with the number of visitors from the last days, and stats from TheCounter now start from last December, although I have a few missing stats in February and March (which resulted in "holes" in the daily visits graphs).

13:54: I'm back! -
 Well, after being out for about 5 days, I'm finally back at home. Things should get back going after a while ... as right now I'm having some visits at home (well, my grandparents and my cousin are here) and I can't be online as much as usual.

And I'm going to do some updating pretty soon.


(06/24/2000)

03:07: Ok, I'm leaving for a while. See you later ... -
 Well, next morning, I'm going out, and I won't come back before at least 5 days, maybe even a week. So, of course, don't expect any update in this site during all that time, as I most probably won't get online at all. I'm just saying that so you don't think I'm dead when you'll notice the lack of updates or activity from me, and so you know I'm just out of here.

You can still post in the message boards, send email to me, etc. just as usual, but don't expect any replies from me. You can send me your hack updates or new hacks, but as they won't be put up before I come back, there's no need to send that to me, like, tomorrow or the day after, wait until I come back or when you think I'll be back soon. Thanks.

See you all later ... besides, a week isn't that long ...


03:02: Site stats graphs put up ... -
 Well, I went in the counter tracking stats (from both TheCounter.com and Nedstat) and noted the number of visits on every day (all those for which I could get the number), put all of that on text files, then made up some programs to generate the graphs. It didn't take too long to do, and the graphs section is now up. Stats from TheCounter.com start from March 20, and stats from Nedstat start from May 18, so the first months are not included and the visits that happened at that time are not counted. Of course, I'm going to update this section once in a while, maybe every week or every two weeks.

(06/23/2000)

23:08: Strange Mario Bros 2 updated ... -
 I did an update to Strange Mario Bros 2. No, World 3 isn't started yet (so 3-1 isn't done), but I fixed a few bugs (characters acting weird in quicksand, and enemies messing up in an area in 1-2), and did a new level title card / pause screen which looks nice and is much more colorful.

(06/22/2000)

01:47: 3 hacks added, 1 hack updated -
 Looks like the hack archive here is growing up ...

Added:
- Super Mario Bros 1 Hard Type (by MysteryFace) is already complete ... and not as buggy as the other "Hard Type" hacks. Levels have few changes, but they're still harder.
- Super ACMLM Bros 2 (by Jupiter Paladin) ... yes, that's right, it's Super Acmlm Bros 2, which means that the main character is ... me! Only 1-1 and some of 1-2 are done yet, and it's already harder. I did the new graphics for Mario (now me) but everything else (including the hack idea) is from Jupiter Paladin.
- Holy Knight's SMB3 hack (by Holy Knight) is another new SMB3 hack. World 1 is done. Levels are dark, and full of cannons ... and (of course) harder, although still not too hard.

Updated:
- Zelda 2 Challenge (by X-4000), the "Challenge" edition of Zelda 2, got a big update. Many colors have been changed, several parts of the game are now (much) harder, and the first 2 palaces are done. I'd say it's a good and challenging hack ...

Also, all screenshot pages, including those for my hacks, now display the number of screenshots.


(06/21/2000)

21:48: Bugfix for the SMB2 Level Discombobulator ... (version 0.96b released) -
 Well, a bug came up in version 0.95 ... which caused the character quicksand properties to mess up when you save the character properties (it was writing them at the wrong address, although it read them at the right address). I fixed that problem by ... umm ... hex-editing the editor, but it does work now. And now I have just realised that that bug had its effect on Strange Mario Bros 2 ... the characters are acting weird when in quicksand. Don't worry though, I can easily fix that problem and it will be fixed in the next patch release.

Oh yes, and thanks to XQjC Tony for pointing out that bug, as it could have taken a long time for me to notice it.


(06/19/2000)

20:16: Another hack added ... -
 Just after my previous update, I noticed I just got another hack to put up : Frank's SMB2 hack. Right now, only 1-1 is done, and character properties (as well as some enemy properties) have been changed a bit.

19:28: One hack added, one hack updated. -
 A new hack, Zelda 2 Hard Type (by MysteryFace), has been added. I'm not sure about how complete it is, but it's less buggy than SMB2 Hard Type. There's still some weirdness in it (especially for towns), and I got the game to crash in the second palace (well, sort of, it went to a black screen and I couldn't do anything).

Frank's SMB3 hack has World 5 done, and it has been updated here as well.


(06/18/2000)

00:24: SMB2 Level Discombobulator 0.96 released! -
 Yes, another update ... although this is a pretty small one.

Anyway, here's what's new:
  • Levels should take less time to load when scrolling through them (depending on how similar their palettes are)
  • (Hopefully) fixed a few small bugs with enemy data, or at least decreased risk to screw it up
  • Area number can now be viewed in the format used by pointers (level - area - page)


(06/17/2000)

16:49: If you like voting ... well you'll be happy. -
 Well, those of you that like voting will be happy. I put a poll here (look for it at the bottom of the page, below the section links). Right now, the question is, "Which of my hacks do you like best?" ... so, if you feel like voting now, go there and vote!

(06/16/2000)

22:05: 20000 visitors! -
 Woo ... I got my 20000th visitor. I have no idea who it is though. According to the counter tracking stats, it's someone on AOL, using a Macintosh computer ... probably not one of my regular visitors. Anyway, may Acmlm's ROM Hack Domain continue to grow, get better, and get more visitors! Thanks to all of you for visiting Acmlm's ROM Hack Domain.

Earlier today, Challenge Games got its 40000th visitor. I was the 39999th ... anyway, congrats to x-4000, webmaster of Challenge Games! It's a pretty great site too that's worth checking out if you haven't already.


(06/15/2000)

23:55: Total visits got to 50000! -
 Hehe ... right now, as I'm writing this post, the "Total visits" counter is at 50000 ... I just thought it was cool. That's half of 100000, which is becoming quite good ...

And also, the visits in this page (what would be the real number of visitors) is getting pretty near 20000, that will probably happen tomorrow. And I should also mention that Challenge Games will get its 40000th visitor pretty soon as well. Isn't that a great coincidence?


22:39: SMB2 Level Discombobulator 0.95 released! (about time a new version came out) -
 After a month without updating my SMB2 Level Discombobulator, I finally decided to work on it and release a new version. And here's what's new:

  • 5-3 tree part now looks much better (although still not perfect)
  • Updated a few enemy descriptions
  • Enemy data size is now determined correctly. That should fix problems when moving enemy data, and (hopefully) fix a few other bugs.
  • You can now view total free space available (NES version only)
  • You can dump level data in a 16k file (.s2l extension), and reinsert it to replace the current level data. This can be used for several purposes, like level backup, or transferring level data from one SMB2 ROM (or hack) to another. Note that this only copies levels and pointers, not color palettes and various character and enemy properties. (once again, NES SMB2 only)
  • A few more character properties can be changed (running speed and jump height, when in quicksand)
  • You can now edit the herb properties ... which item (or enemy) you find in each type of herb.

There are not much of bugfixes in this new release, but several new nice features. I like the "level data dumping" function ... I can play a hack but with levels from another hack, like playing Strange Mario Bros 2 but with the levels from Super Carrots, although the different character properties, enemy properties, etc. can sometimes make the hacks "incompatible" with levels (levels can become impossible to beat). Or I could play Strange Mario Bros 2 with the regular, original SMB2 levels ... hehe.


(06/14/2000)

00:22: Other Hacks sections updated. -
 Two hacks updated, one hack added:
- Super Mario Bros 3: The New Quest, by Mr. W (a few new levels in World 5)
- Frank's SMB3 hack, by Frank Maggiore (World 4 is done)
- Super Mario Bros 2 Fun, by Jazz411 (first 2 Worlds are done, and many character properties are changed)

Also, I put a link to the homepage for most hacks that have one. The missing links ... well, I didn't remember the addresses and they weren't in any readme, so I'll put them later (there's only one or two missing, anyway).


(06/12/2000)

22:45: World 2 in Strange Mario Bros 2 is done! -
 2-3 is done ... this one took less time to do than the others, but it's still a good one. Not as many surprises as in the previous levels, but it's a little harder. As for the Triclyde room ... it can be either easy, or hard, it depends on how you play (I can beat it easily sometimes, but I also died many times).

(06/10/2000)

19:09: Damn server problems ... -
 Well, from about 17:00 to 18:45 EST, the Emulation World server went down, which caused all its hosted sites (including Acmlm's ROM Hack Domain) to become unaccessible. I had nothing to do with this, of course. It shouldn't have been too much to care about, anyway, unless you really have nothing else to do than going on Emulation World sites ... but for all that time, I couldn't even get a single visitor. Damn ...

(06/08/2000)

21:21: Other hacks updated -
 Frank's SMB3 hack now has World 3 done, and it looks like it's now really hard.

And SMB2 Hard Type is now ... completed?! After only a week! Yes but it's still full of weird bugs or unusual things. I got stuck in a wall in 1-2 and the game crashes in 2-1 (because of a Triclyde that spits bullets that fall in quicksand) ... and there may be more.


(06/07/2000)

22:04: Strange Mario Bros 2 updated -
 2-2 is done, one week after I finished 2-1. I did several new graphic changes, and more surprises await you in 2-2 (just like in previous levels).

At this rate, though, I won't finish the hack before October ... and I can't go much faster, as it takes several days to do a level (well actually it's about 5 hours of work). At first I'd never have thought it would take so long ... for only 20 levels! Maybe I put too much work on doing levels, heheh ...


(06/05/2000)

01:30: Update in Hacks sections -
 Three hacks have been updated:
- Recovery1's SMB2 hack, which has World 3 done
- Frank's SMB3 hack, which has World 2 done
- Super Mario Bros 3 Challenge, which got a few bugfixes and some new graphic changes. This is (supposedly) the true final version.

Also, the version numbers are now shown, and the readme's are available ... well, all those I could find anyway.


(06/02/2000)

23:03: Hacks sections updated -
 I added one SMB1 hack (EDS Mario), updated one SMB2 hack (SMB2 Hard Type; bugfix), added one SMB3 hack (Frank's SMB3 hack), and updated another SMB3 hack (SMB3 Challenge; bugfix and a few graphic changes).

Also, the number of graphic changes in each hack is now shown in the descriptions, except for the ROMs that have no VROM (graphics are not all together at the end), because it would be much longer (and harder) to calculate.


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© 1999-2002 Acmlm. All pages in Acmlm's ROM Hack Domain are the property of Acmlm (whose real name is Jean-François Lapointe). You can contact him by email by sending a message to acmlm@overclocked.org (I rarely check my email though so don't expect a fast reply). Do not ask Acmlm for ROMs, find them yourself like he did. Acmlm has no affiliation with Nintendo, or whatever other company mentioned here. He's doing this site during his free time, he does ROM hacking for fun, and doesn't get paid for that.