Ammo box model loading function

[spoondiddly]

We've known about this little feature for some time, but now it seems apparent how it worked.

Ammo crates - those green ones in MP and certain solo stages - have a beta feature which, to some degree, still exists. If you look at them under a hex editor, the ammo part of the thing is written as such:
FFFF 0032
The 0032 would specify 50 rounds of this type of ammo, but the FFFF is curious. It accepts an object model code, and rather amusingly it loads this model into memory - then never uses it!

+_+

Originally it seemed that maybe ammo crates worked differently at some point in development, and instead would break open and spill out that many clips of ammo using that certain model. After all, that's what those crates of potatoes do ;*)

Another rather shoddy theory would be that when a certain ammo type is present it would replace the object's model with the specified one. Although not likely, there will be a patch to do exactly that in a future release.

-_-

However, the most likely thing is a feature that was designed and not implemented, namely to preload models for throwable objects so they (potentially) would not need to be loaded when first thrown. Although not used as such, setting the models for grenades, mines, and rockets takes out a small degree of delay when first drawing those weapons.

So there you go. The unused and completely-not-beta model preloader built into ammo crates.

[spoondiddly]

Interestingly, this is not a beta feature in GoldenEye. Random bodies is a fully-implemented and unused feature built into the game. It allows you to set a random body for a guard. Just like random heads, it uses the value FF.

Funny enough, it practically requires that you set a random head as well. There is no gender check otherwise, so you may wind up with 'Griff the fat techwoman'.

The default set of random bodies interestingly matches that of the multiplayer character select, probably not without good reason.

+_+

A patch to incorporate this feature into all character loading methods will be released in coming months.

[spoondiddly]

Unless you have never seen the manual or box for GoldenEye, you know that you could select one of four Bond pictures for each file. What you probably don't know is the extent of how this was integrated.

Firstly, the Bond image was selectable and not fixed. The interface still exists but does not execute anything yet. Silly Rare ;*) This value was written to the folder's eeprom file, possibly on the '007' byte that unlocks all stages and settings. (+9)

The final cufflink setting (unless I am mistaken this is #9) reads this value, setting a cuff corresponding to the Bond selected. It also selects the corresponding head and body model to match the cuff. So, in other words, the special Bond used in the final two stages is none other than the Bond you selected on the folder page.
Note that each special Bond also has individual cuff and model settings prior to this. The final cuff selects one of these, for all intents and purposes.

=_=

Interestingly, not much effort was put into removing the feature. There are still four folder pages, but each uses Brosnan's portrait. There are still four head and body models, as well as four cuffs, but all are set to the tuxedo Brosnan. Jumps to detect the selected Bond still exist, but each returns zero unconditionally.

+_+

If you notice the theme with these posts, then you know I'm about to say this will be released into a patch within the coming months.

[treeckoman]

This is awesome. great find.

[trevor]

Cool, I can't wait.

what ellse are you planning on doing?

Trev

P.S. I got your pm from MSFN
what do you do there?

I joined because i wanted to report an error KEX and I also wanted to make a suggestion RP9.