Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool

Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - Printable Version

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Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - ARD - 20-09-2020

This is an EARLY BETA version of a HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL and EXTREMELY UNFINISHED tool for modding the N. Sane Trilogy, CTR Nitro Fueled and Skylanders Imaginators. Use it at your own risk!

Compatibility varies significantly between the games. Support for things like sound effects and textures is not great for some of them because I just haven't had chance to write any new code to deal with those yet - basically everything is just ancient code copied over from other projects like the level editor. I am not planning to spend any more time on this until after the level editor is released so think of this tool more like a preview of something I'll be working on in the future.

BETA v1.00 is primarily for modifying PAK archives and IGZ files, and for creating mod packages that can be easily saved and shared. You can also convert audio files and textures (so this supersedes the tools I've made for those things in the past, please stop using them).

Download:
Alchemist BETA v1.10 - added font support (info)
Alchemist BETA v1.00

The README document included with the program explains how to use it. For further demonstration see this video. Please read and watch before asking questions! Please.

Sample mods:
I have created a few mod files in a format that can be installed using Alchemist just to demonstrate how the mod loader system works. These are mostly just remakes of old mods and tech demos. All are for the PC version of the N. Sane Trilogy, except the Switch version of Biker Crash.

Biker Crash - Crash skin mod
Jetpack Crash - Crash skin mod
Scuba Crash - Crash skin mod

Cortex - my playable Cortex mod, just in a different format
Cortex Extra - the extra stuff from my Cortex mod - Uka Uka and Cortex 1ups

Super Spin - spin attack has a much larger range
Super Slide - slide for a much greater distance
Super Sprint - run faster when using sprint (Crash Dash)

NSTOST Preconsole - the preconsole tracks I included with my custom music tool from 2 years ago - bad, just a demo
NSTOST PSX - same but for the console stuff

Uka Uka - replaces Aku Aku with Uka Uka (non Cortex version)

Crash 1 Super Powers - use Crash 3 abilities and super powers in Crash 1 levels (the game will crash between levels)
Crash 2 Super Powers - same but for Crash 2 levels

Random Crates - stupid fun, see README for instructions

Biker Crash (Switch) - Biker Crash mod for the Switch port of the N. Sane Trilogy

There are many more features I'm planning to add to this in the future, including support for modifying Havok files (animation etc), converting models between games, scripting and command line support, and keeping existing files compressed when importing new stuff to archives. I will also make and release some mods in the format this program uses for the other games, once I have the time. Theoretically I could now turn any of the stupid small mods that I've done in the past into single files that can be installed easily with the Alchemist mod loader so I'll try to do that when I can. But my priority is still the level editor and that won't change until it's released. This was just a little diversion because there's been so much more interest in general modding for these games recently and I wanted to do what I could to help people get into it.

RE: Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - carpetdiem - 24-09-2020

That's an amazing tool! Would the swapping between models work if the model isn't a playable character to begin with? I know that you can swap between Crash and another Crash model like the biker one but would replacing Crash by fake Crash work too? I tried like you showed in your video but it crash...ed

RE: Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - toxiccognition - 24-09-2020

(24-09-2020, 09:53 PM)carpetdiem Wrote: That's an amazing tool! Would the swapping between models work if the model isn't a playable character to begin with? I know that you can swap between Crash and another Crash model like the biker one but would replacing Crash by fake Crash work too? I tried like you showed in your video but it crash...ed

I used a slightly different method and got it working, though as I don't have a completed game save. I can't test if I broke actual Fake Crash, could you download and test?
http://www.mediafire.com/file/6g2lyrc4ovmpuaz/Fake_Crash.alcmod/file
[Image: FDWVNpd.png]

edit: Wait actually, do you mean the game crashed or Alchemist crashed? If you mean Alchemist crashed then it's just that you need to save after every "Import from PAK" and before using the "Replace within PAK".

RE: Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - carpetdiem - 26-09-2020

(24-09-2020, 10:32 PM)toxiccognition Wrote:
(24-09-2020, 09:53 PM)carpetdiem Wrote: That's an amazing tool! Would the swapping between models work if the model isn't a playable character to begin with? I know that you can swap between Crash and another Crash model like the biker one but would replacing Crash by fake Crash work too? I tried like you showed in your video but it crash...ed

I used a slightly different method and got it working, though as I don't have a completed game save. I can't test if I broke actual Fake Crash, could you download and test?
http://www.mediafire.com/file/6g2lyrc4ovmpuaz/Fake_Crash.alcmod/file

edit: Wait actually, do you mean the game crashed or Alchemist crashed? If you mean Alchemist crashed then it's just that you need to save after every "Import from PAK" and before using the "Replace within PAK".

Thanks but you were right, I actually was saving the mod file before importing anything which was making alchemist crash. The game seems to work fine so far!

RE: Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - @HexCube.Art - 27-09-2020

Awersome Tool! Love it

[attachment=47]

RE: Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - Peppins - 28-10-2020

Hey ARD, i've a problem with the program. I can't see the right window like in your screenshot, why? It's like cut in half, for example "float", "exnm", "type" are cut in half, i don't see the entire bar. I don't see also the menu on up right where is "launch"...

I have win 7 x64.

https://prnt.sc/v8wkl0

edit. solved, was the windows DPI to 125%, i've set to 100% and now work.

RE: Alchemist: Alchemy games modding tool - ARD - 11-11-2021

New release: Alchemist BETA v1.10

This version adds support for modding the fonts (N. Sane Trilogy PC only). See README and the video below for instructions. No other changes so no bug fixes, sorry (no time!). The new stuff is a bit buggy too - if you get any glitchy characters in a custom font, go back to the font file and slightly adjust the position and size values to fix it. Normally happens if you've manually typed values in without further changes.

To keep your directory settings and recent files from the previous version you can copy stuff\config.txt to the new one, or just overwrite the old .exe with the new version.

Wasn't planning to update Alchemist any time soon but people were asking me about fonts last week and once I figured it out, this was easier than trying to explain to anyone how to do it through hex editing.