Robotrek/Strings

This is a sub-page of Robotrek.

Below is the string definition for US version of the ROM. Strings are generally referenced using COP 1D and 1F, and are used by actor scripts

There are two types of strings: one for console/menus, and one for dialog boxes.

In the US version, strings use standard ASCII characters so you can view them with a hex editor.

Menu Strings

The menu font can be found at 0x13873D. It is compressed, 2bpp, and written to VRAM 0xC000. The first two rows of tiles contain dialog borders. The developers seem to have left the Japanese characters in rows 0x80 - 0xE0, even though they aren't used. A modder could utilize these for extra borders/graphics.

Character Table

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	A	B	C	D	E	F
20		!	┗	┓	PT	S.	&	EG	(	)	*	+	,	-	.	/
30	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	:	;	┏	━	┛	?
40	►	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O
50	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z	.S	ˎ	˳	▼	█
60	'	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k	l	m	n	o
70	p	q	r	s	t	u	v	w	x	y	z	▸	├	┬	┤	·
F0	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5	L6	L7	L8	L9	EN	ER	GY	EN	EM	Y	☻

Command Table

ID	Name	Parameters	Description
00	NUL		Terminates string
01	POS	ScreenIX: Word	Sets cursor position to absolute screen tile index. 0x40 is one tile in the Y direction
02	STR	StringPtr: Address	Prints a string at the specified address and returns
03	PAL	IX: Byte	Sets the palette index
04	TBL	TablePtr: Address IndexPtr: Offset	Prints a string from a table, using the index stored at IndexPtr
05	NUM	Digits: Byte ValuePtr: Offset	Prints an integer number using the specified number of digits, stored at ValuePtr
06	DEC	Decimals: Byte Digits: Byte ValuePtr: Offset	Prints a decimal number using the specified number of decimals and digits, stored at ValuePtr
07	BOX	Width: Byte Height: Byte ScreenIX: Word	Displays a window/box with a specific width/height, at an absolute screen index
08	08	Word	??
09	FIL	TileIX: Byte NumberPtr: Offset	Fills layer 3 with a specific tile at the current position, the number filled is stored at NumberPtr
0A	0A	Binary + 0xFF	??
0B	0B	Byte	??
0C	0C		??
0D	N		Wraps the cursor position around to a new line
0E	0E		??

Dialog Strings

The dialog font can be found at 0x080000. It is 2bpp, uncompressed, and is 256 tiles wide wrapping around at 0x081000 for the second half of the characters. The first 32 entries are mostly blank but contain the words "Quintet" and "Enix", which don't seem to be used anywhere. When rendered, each character is stamped directly into VRAM 0xD000 from ROM.

Character Table

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	A	B	C	D	E	F
20		!	ʺ	#	$	%	&	►	(	)	*	+	,	-	.	/
30	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	:	;	‟	=	ˮ	?
40		A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O
50	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z	"	§	ˮ		█
60	'	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k	l	m	n	o
70	p	q	r	s	t	u	v	w	x	y	z
80	Ç	ü	é	â	ä	à	å	ç	ê	ë	è	ï	î	ì	Ä	À
90	É			ô	ö	ò	û	ù	ÿ	Ö	Ü
A0	á	í	ó	ú												β
B0	→	←	↑	↓	╔	╝	╳	¨	ˎ	˳	·	┌	┘	━	“	”

Command Table

ID	Name	Parameters	Description
C0	END		Terminates string waiting for input, does not show arrow. Destroys box and contents.
C1	POS	X: Byte Y: Byte	Sets character position on screen
C2	NAM	ID: Byte	Displays one of the player-defined names (character, robot)
C3	PAL	ID: Byte	Changes palette index used
C4	PGE		Scrolls box content up before clearing it and resetting cursor position.
C5	TBL	Table: Offset Index: Offset	Displays one of the strings in an Offset table, using an in-memory index
C6	NUM	Digits: Byte ValuePtr: Offset	Prints a BCD number with a specific number of digits, stored at ValuePtr.
C7	BOX	Width: Byte Height: Byte Border: Byte	Renders a dialog box originating at POS, using a specific size and border type
C8	DES		Destroys box and contents. Does not wait for input.
C9	PAU	Frames: Byte	Pauses display of text for a set number of frames
CA	CA		??
CB	CB		??
CC	TER		Immediately terminates string. Does not wait for input. Does not destroy box. Should not be used within a box string as it will ruin all functionality.
CD	N		Wraps text around to a new line
CE	SKP	Count: Byte	Skips Count number of characters in the dialog, effectively showing spaces
CF	CF	Address	??
D0	CLR		Clears but does not destroy dialog box, and returns to start position.
D1	FIN		Stops text, waiting for input, before clearing the box for a new page.
D2	WAI		Halts display of text, waiting for input.
D3	JMP	String: Offset	Transfers string display to a new address.
D4	KNA		In JP version, switches to katakana font. Unused in US version
D5	HGA		In JP version, switches to hiragana font. Unused in US version
D6	SFX	SoundIX: Byte	Changes SFX used when printing each character. 00 is silent
D7	DEF		Renders a dialog box using the default position and size at the bottom of the screen
D8	DF2		Same as D7 (DEF)??
D9	DFT		Same as D7 (DEF) except displays box at the top of the screen
DA	DF4		Same as D7 (DEF)??
DB	DF5		Same as D7 (DEF)??
DC	DLY	Frames: Byte	Sets the wait time for each displayed character
DD	DD		??
DE	NXT		Terminates string waiting for input. Displays arrow at bottom of box. Does not destroy box, but clears it for new text.
DF	DEC	Decimals: Byte Digits: Byte ValuePtr: Offset	Prints a BCD decimal number with a specific number of decimals and digits, stored at ValuePtr.
E0	TPL	ID: Byte	Displays one of the template strings from table 08D86E. Mostly for names
E1	ESC		Terminates string. Does not wait for input. Does not destroy or clear box, keeps current position.
E2	E2	Word	??
E3	DIC	ID: Byte	Displays one of the compression strings from table 0FB654

Compression Dictionary 0FB654

ID	Text
00	"the "
01	"you "
02	"have "
03	"I'm "
04	"The "
05	"your "
06	"I'll "
07	"don't "
08	"and "
09	"You "
0A	"about "
0B	"You're "
0C	"for "
0D	"It's "
0E	"this "
0F	"can't "
10	"with "
11	"Mayor "
12	"will "
13	"you're "
14	"can "
15	"that "
16	"was "
17	"Don't "
18	"has "
19	"What "
1A	"He's "
1B	"it's "
1C	"are "
1D	"father "
1E	"not "
1F	"from "
20	"come "
21	"something "
22	"but "
23	"what "
24	"This "
25	"going "
26	"get "
27	"Mayor's "
28	"When "
29	"want "
2A	"Oh, "
2B	"would "
2C	"That's "
2D	"like "
2E	"What? "
2F	"found "
30	"take "
31	"Hey, "
32	"Akihabara's "
33	"Please "
34	"Well, "
35	"just "
36	"But "
37	"give "
38	"Hacker "
39	"little "
3A	"some "
3B	"know "
3C	"been "
3D	"talk "
3E	"back "
3F	"really "
40	"Your "
41	"he's "
42	"make "
43	"when "
44	"his "
45	"There's "
46	"Hackers "
47	"inventor "
48	"There "
49	"South "
4A	"out "
4B	"there "
4C	"inventory's "
4D	"find "
4E	"must "
4F	"tell "
50	"should "
51	"What's "
52	"Come "
53	"I've "
54	"time "
55	"great "
56	"need "
57	"children "
58	"heard "
59	"Stone "
5A	"him "
5B	"Just "
5C	"People "
5D	"good "
5E	"see "
5F	"shouldn't "
60	"trying "
61	"mother "
62	"That "
63	"were "
64	"Welcome "
65	"looking "
66	"nothing "
67	"won't "
68	"they're "
69	"without "
6A	"thought "
6B	"Are "
6C	"got "
6D	"help "
6E	"went "
6F	"lost "
70	"around "
71	"all "
72	"understand "
73	"Maybe "
74	"suspicious "
75	"taking "
76	"Scrap "
77	"making "
78	"one "
79	"house "
7A	"secretary, "
7B	"change "
7C	"Thank "
7D	"young "
7E	"came "
7F	"Because "
80	"Count's "
81	"meet "
82	"kind "
83	"combine "
84	"worried "
85	"show "
86	"dangerous "
87	"invention "
88	"Why "
89	"secretary "
8A	"Invention "
8B	"inventory "
8C	"Let's "
8D	"still "
8E	"might "
8F	"We're "
90	"mouse "
91	"looks "
92	"she's "
93	"place "
94	"could "
95	"saved "
96	"very "
97	"master "
98	"Surprise "
99	"probably "
9A	"gotten "
9B	"Rococo "
9C	"hard "
9D	"remember "
9E	"house. "
9F	"happened "
A0	"who "
A1	"Month, "
A2	"Thanks "
A3	"Now "
A4	"long "
A5	"Get "
A6	"here "
A7	"now "
A8	"said "
A9	"They "
AA	"caused "
AB	"sure "
AC	"care "
AD	"them "
AE	"straightened "
AF	"father's "
B0	"things "
B1	"only "
B2	"anything "
B3	"you've "
B4	"You'll "
B5	"interesting "
B6	"talking "
B7	"there's "
B8	"forward "
B9	"use "
BA	"No, "
BB	"against "
BC	"did "
BD	"dog "
BE	"any "
BF	"First "
C0	"moved "
C1	"more "
C2	"Fever "
C3	"over "
C4	"Inventions "
C5	"lots "
C6	"look "
C7	"Could "
C8	"such "
C9	"than "
CA	"let's "
CB	"their "
CC	"these "
CD	"real "
CE	"Where "
CF	"Especially "
D0	"Take "
D1	"read "
D2	"where "
D3	"told "
D4	"Robot "
D5	"knows "
D6	"left "
D7	"Everything "
D8	"check "
D9	"seems "
DA	"keep "
DB	"they "
DC	"bring "
DD	"you. "
DE	"happy, "
DF	"health "
E0	"matter "
E1	"invent "
E2	"police "
E3	"Akihabara "
E4	"inventor, "
E5	"Everybody "
E6	"too "
E7	"people "
E8	"strong "
E9	"pretty "
EA	"increases "
EB	"island "
EC	"combining "
ED	"Did "
EE	"rearrange "
EF	"somewhere "
F0	"didn't "
F1	"rumors "
F2	"before "
F3	"recovered "
F4	"that's "
F5	"different "
F6	"her "
F7	"Nagisa "
F8	"looked "
F9	"Office "
FA	"You've "
FB	"way "
FC	"important "
FD	"Father's "
FE	"invented "
FF	"Everyone "