Custom Chao Gardens?

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starfydusty
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Custom Chao Gardens?

Post by starfydusty »

It's been on my mind all day, so I figured I'd ask and see what responses I get...

Is it possible to create a fully custom chao garden? I'm talking something with a custom layout, beyond re-texturing gardens that already exist. If it is possible, what kind of work does it entail?

This is something I've wanted to see ever since I was young, so even if it's not possible for me to pull off, I'd love to just talk about it, too. :chaohappy:
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Roaxes
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Re: Custom Chao Gardens?

Post by Roaxes »

I believe it's definitely in the realm of possibilities now that we been able to port dreamcast gardens, and recently Shaddatics "enhanced" gardens which are sort of a morph of Gamecube, Dreamcast and his personal touches.
It would take someone with the skill for modeling, and knowledge for how the chao gardens work though very likely.
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Jeffery Mewtamer
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Re: Custom Chao Gardens?

Post by Jeffery Mewtamer »

To my knowledge, the model format used in SA2 and it's ports remains only partially reverse engineered, so little can be done there beyond model swapping(though, I've long thought the battlefield for the Biolizard fight might make a nice basis for a garden).

As for SA1, I believe it's model format is fully documented, so new models are possible, but I wouldn't know where one would start or what kind of limitations there are(although, even without new models, a playable version of the Ancient Shrine Garden would be awesome).
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Re: Custom Chao Gardens?

Post by chaoadventures »

Actually SA2's model format has been reversed completely I believe? There's full character model imports, a few levels, and there's a couple early custom gardens floating around.

To make a whole garden you would need knowledge of:

- How to export and import full level models.
- The level collision systems and how to place/edit them.
- How chao garden waypoints are handled and edit those (at least I remember them being called that, they determine what areas the chao can go and place seeds I think?).
- How to perform .set editing (to place things like trees, decorations like flowers, and maybe toys?).

My current understanding of chao garden editing (and level editing in general) is that, currently, you can but shouldn't unless you're already neck deep in SA2 modding or prepared to dive that far.

This is also me guessing based on various bits I've gathered because I've never done any level or model editing other than the time I exported Sonic's model and viewed it in Blender.
I also know nothing about using Blender.

However, I do have this link I've been clinging onto to an early pastebin guide to modding SA2 character models for the day I learn to model, but it's probably very outdated at this point.
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Re: Custom Chao Gardens?

Post by Dama »

An "Angel Island" garden with custom geometry is currently in the works.
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