Documentation

Maptapper is an application designed to extract graphics data and maps from memory dumps of Amiga games. In theory, there is no reason why it couldn't work with other systems, but it has been designed primarily with the Amiga in mind.

• Graphics tab - Extract graphics from a memory dump
• Map tab - Display a map by looking up indexes for the tiles in memory
• Search tab - Match a screenshot to tiles, and search for the map
• Info tab - Detailed information and debugging, mainly for Amiga programmers
• Map 2 tab - Some games use a map to create large blocks, then use a secondary map to assemble the large blocks into the final map used by the game

Examples

Maptapper comes pre-installed with several save-states and configuration files that show the result of the ripping process. Most games contain a screenshot from the game that can be used to match the tiles to their indexes, and then to locate the maps.

Action Fighter

The game uses 16x16 pixel tiles and assembles them into 256x32 pixel blocks (16 tiles across and 2 down). 400 of these blocks are arranged upwards in memory (which is rare!) to create the map for each level. I have never seen another game that arranges the levels upwards, so you need to use the Custom option and choose Action Fighter from the list to display the levels correctly.

Each of the 5 levels uses the same tile graphics, and all 5 maps are after each other. In Maptapper, simply press the Page Down key to display the next level!

CJ's Elephant Antics

The graphics are stored in an enormously wide image (4096 pixels across) but the tiles themselves are 16x16 pixels. The Rearrange feature is used to rearrange the tiles into a more manageable 512 pixels across so they can be viewed on a single screen more easily.

The game contains 4 levels, with 256 tiles for the first 2 levels and another 256 tiles for the final 2 levels. In the example, I have chosen to rip all 512 tiles, and use an Offset for levels 3 and 4 to display the tiles starting from tile index 256.

Configuration files for ripping the graphics from most objects in the game are also included.

Creatures

One of the few games that uses 16x8 pixel tiles. To match the graphics to the screenshot, the background copperlist must be replaced using the painting tools in the Search tab. There is a video showing the ripping process on Youtube.

Global Gladiators

Features vertically and horizontally flipped 16x16 tiles. A couple of high-bits in the maps indicate whether each tile is flipped or not.

Pang

Each screen from the game uses the copperlist to alter the palette at various Y-coordinates. Configuration files are included to rip the sprites from the game (ignoring the mask after each image) and showing how the various sections from each screen are assembled vertically.

Rainbow Islands

Each tile index in the map is pre-multiplied by 32 due to each 8x8 tile occupying 32 bytes of memory. The tile indexes are stored as longwords and a right shift of 5 is required to undo the multiplication and display the correct tiles. Paradroid '90 uses the same technique.

The Power

A single tileset is used for all 50 levels which are arranged continously in memory. A substitution of a tile index is required to display the collectable hearts.

Toki

A simple to rip game featuring 16x16 pixel tiles.

Turrican 2

No map ripping software would be complete without being able to rip this amazing game! The game uses 32x32 pixel tiles to create enormous levels!

About

Maptapper was written by Codetapper/Action in 2013! Check out my website at www.codetapper.com for more information!

This help file was last modified 27/06/2013 to incorporate changes to Maptapper v0.8.3 (Build 54)