diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 21b4b5a..802c503 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,10 +1,21 @@ # ram-watch-cheat-engine -RAM watch is a powerful tool for researching games - for modding, speedrunning, or just generally learning how the game works. + + +Sample videos: + +- [Super Mario Galaxy - Tilt research](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hri8f8Pgim8) +- [Sonic Adventure 2: Battle - Inputs and coordinates, by Tales](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp1txiez0OM) +- [F-Zero GX - Replay inputs and status, customized by superSANIC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntQt6srYo6A) + + +## Overview + +RAM watch is a powerful tool for researching games - for modding, speedrunning, writing cheat codes, or just generally learning how the game works. The [tool-assisted speedrun community](http://tasvideos.org/) makes extensive use of RAM watch on emulated games. The most popular Gamecube/Wii emulator is Dolphin, and so far, Cheat Engine has been the most popular RAM watch solution for Dolphin. Here's a nice [tutorial by aldelaro](http://tasvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17735) on using Cheat Engine with Dolphin. -In addition to supporting RAM viewing and scanning (and even modifying), Cheat Engine also includes a Lua scripting engine. This opens up many more possibilities for boosting research productivity, including: +In addition to supporting RAM viewing, searching, and editing, Cheat Engine also includes a Lua scripting engine. This opens up many more possibilities for boosting research productivity, including: - More interactivity. With Lua scripting, you can create a separate Cheat Engine window with arbitrary GUI elements: buttons, text fields, and so on. You can record values to a .txt file as the game runs, and then paste results into a spreadsheet to make a graph (e.g. showing your character's speed over time). @@ -14,22 +25,18 @@ In addition to supporting RAM viewing and scanning (and even modifying), Cheat E This repository contains: -- A Lua framework for writing custom RAM displays with the above features. Although the Lua framework can be used for any game, the main focus is on games running in Dolphin emulator. - -- A tutorial covering the basics of the Lua framework. +- Ready-to-use RAM display layouts for several games. -- Advanced display layouts for a few games, most notably F-Zero GX and Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2. +- A Lua code framework for writing custom RAM displays with the features described above. The main focus of the framework is on games running in Dolphin emulator, but the framework can also be used for PC games and other emulators. -Here's an example of a Super Mario Galaxy RAM display in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hri8f8Pgim8 - -You can get a RAM watch script up and running without any prior knowledge of Lua coding. If you do know some Lua (or are willing to learn), this framework can help you write display scripts for any game you like. +- A tutorial to help you get started. ## Requirements Windows, Mac, or Linux. Cheat Engine and Dolphin are supported on all of these platforms, though Windows is probably easiest for Cheat Engine. Also, the tutorial here assumes Windows, but the explanations shouldn't change that much between platforms. -No programming or Lua experience is required for the first few tutorial sections. For the later sections, some programming experience will make it easier, but the tutorial attempts to walk through things slowly for beginners. +No programming or Lua experience is required for the first few tutorial sections. For the later sections on writing your own displays and game scripts, some programming experience will make it easier, but the tutorial attempts to walk through things slowly for beginners. ## Getting started @@ -45,7 +52,7 @@ As a general recommendation, it's okay to skip doing a tutorial section if it do If you're having problems before even touching the Lua code, you might want to read [aldelaro's tutorial](http://tasvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17735) on using Cheat Engine with Dolphin. -If you're having problems with a Lua script, try the [troubleshooting and debugging page](/docs/debugging.md). +If you're getting Lua errors or the Lua script isn't doing what you expect, try the [troubleshooting and debugging page](/docs/debugging.md). If you've got a question, problem, error message, etc. that you want to ask about, try [this TASvideos forum thread](http://tasvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18685). Note: In the Lua Engine window, the latest Lua error appears BELOW previous errors. @@ -58,6 +65,8 @@ I encourage asking questions publicly with the methods above so others can learn Cheat Engine is a powerful tool, so don't be too careless when using it. For example, if you ever attempt to edit memory (such as when using the F-Zero GX stat-editing layouts), make extra sure that you've selected the Dolphin.exe process in Cheat Engine, and not some other process on your computer. +The primary authors of this GitHub repository are not affiliated with Dolphin, Cheat Engine, or the companies behind the games mentioned here. + ## Credits diff --git a/screenshot.png b/screenshot.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..63d5b97 Binary files /dev/null and b/screenshot.png differ