User blog:RottenBlock/Alice Nyo Decompile, Part 2

Looking back on an older project (honestly hoping to finish up with it, but no luck on that front), I've made a little more progress with the ever-faulty Alice in Kaeru nyo Land code. Like a caveman beating a shotgun against a rock, I've eventually learned what should have been obvious features in ALDExplorer that allowed me to stick the game's code into one file. This has fixed the errors with the DLC's TALK files. I've also got enough of a grasp on System 3.5's hellish array and loop code to suggest that the MINE files, which looked to have errors similar to the TALK files, are actually correct. Go figure.

The biggest problem now are external file reference errors. At first, good results! Combinging the files fixed several of the errors. It didn't fix all of them, but this is actually Alicesoft's own fault: it seems they left the code open for even more DLC than we actually got - since the code had no way of checking how many files there were dynamically - leaving slots for a total of 20 expansion files when we only got six (two that came with the game). Long story short, once I point everything in the right direction and remove the open slots, this should work. If it weren't for an unrelated error tied up in System 3.5's hellish loop code, I might have even tried it by now! I have no idea what's wrong with the loop code, but other than that, prospect: hopeful?

In the midst of my troubles I went to check on that other lingering 3.5 decompile problem, Persiom, and re-discovered that its problems were all external file reference errors, too. Except Persion doesn't use multiple code files! After some investigation, and to the disappointment of my Cut Content project, it seems Persiom's devs removed its debug code file after the game went gold! The only remaining references to the file are the original debug access menu, and various array read error reports (which ironically might cause the game to crash in this modified form - guess they're really confident in their product!). While this is disappointing (I'm holding out hope that the file was just renamed or something, cross your fingers), the lines of code are easily removed and I should be able to get a decompile ready without much trouble... if it weren't for another fucking loop error! With this happening two games in a row, one wonders if Sys3Decompiler is at fault, but I guess we'll see.

I wish I was a little closer to actual results but all considering this is good progress.