path: root/Remove-Pokémon-sprite-animations.md

One of Pokémon Crystal's improvements to Gold and Silver was animating the Pokémon sprites. There are various reasons why you might want to remove this feature:

- You're changing a lot of Pokémon and don't want to design animations for them all
- You want the game to more closely resemble R/B/Y or G/S
- You need the space for something else

If you just want some of the Pokémon to not be animated, then as mentioned in the [new Pokémon tutorial](Add-a-new-Pokémon), you can just put `endanim` as the full contents of anim.asm and anim_idle.asm for those particular Pokémon. But if none if them will be animated, then you can save considerable ROM space by removing the entire animation system.


## Contents

1. [Delete the sprite animation system and data](#1-delete-the-sprite-animation-system-and-data)
2. [Remove references to deleted files](#2-remove-references-to-deleted-files)
3. [Remove code and data that is no longer used](#3-remove-code-and-data-that-is-no-longer-used)
4. [Don't load animation graphics](#4-dont-load-animation-graphics)
5. [Play cries instead of animations](#5-play-cries-instead-of-animations)
6. [Fix the Pokémon stats screen](#6-fix-the-pokémon-stats-screen)
7. [Remove the unused animation tile graphics](#7-remove-the-unused-animation-tile-graphics)


## 1. Delete the sprite animation system and data

Delete all of these files:

- [engine/gfx/pic_animation.asm](../blob/master/engine/gfx/pic_animation.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/anim_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/anim_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/anims.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/anims.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/idle_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/idle_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/idles.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/idles.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/bitmask_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/bitmask_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/bitmasks.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/bitmasks.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/frame_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/frame_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/johto_frames.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/johto_frames.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/kanto_frames.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/kanto_frames.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_anim_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_anim_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_anims.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_anims.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_idle_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_idle_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_idles.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_idles.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_bitmask_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_bitmask_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_bitmasks.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_bitmasks.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_frame_pointers.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_frame_pointers.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown_frames.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown_frames.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown/bitmask.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown/bitmask.asm)
- [gfx/pokemon/unown/frames.asm](../blob/master/gfx/pokemon/unown/frames.asm)

Then run these commands to delete files that might have been created by `make`:

```bash
rm -f gfx/pokemon/*/front.animated.2bpp
rm -f gfx/pokemon/*/front.animated.2bpp.lz
rm -f gfx/pokemon/*/front.animated.tilemap
rm -f gfx/pokemon/*/bitmask.asm
rm -f gfx/pokemon/*/frames.asm
```


## 2. Remove references to deleted files

Edit [main.asm](../blob/master/main.asm):

```diff
-SECTION "Pic Animations 1", ROMX
-
-INCLUDE "engine/gfx/pic_animation.asm"
-...
-INCLUDE "gfx/pokemon/unown_bitmasks.asm"
-
-
-SECTION "Pic Animations 2", ROMX
-
-INCLUDE "gfx/pokemon/frame_pointers.asm"
-INCLUDE "gfx/pokemon/kanto_frames.asm"
-
-
 SECTION "Font Inversed", ROMX

 FontInversed:
 INCBIN "gfx/font/font_inversed.1bpp"
-
-
-SECTION "Pic Animations 3", ROMX
-
-INCLUDE "gfx/pokemon/johto_frames.asm"
-INCLUDE "gfx/pokemon/unown_frame_pointers.asm"
-INCLUDE "gfx/pokemon/unown_frames.asm"
```

And edit [pokecrystal.link](../blob/master/pokecrystal.link):

```diff
-ROMX $34
-	"Pic Animations 1"
-ROMX $35
-	"Pic Animations 2"
 ROMX $36
 	"Font Inversed"
-	"Pic Animations 3"
```


## 3. Remove code and data that is no longer used

Edit [wram.asm](../blob/master/wram.asm):

```diff
-; PokeAnim data
-wPokeAnimStruct::
-wPokeAnimSceneIndex:: db
-...
-wPokeAnimStructEnd::
```

Edit [constants/gfx_constants.asm](../blob/master/constants/gfx_constants.asm):

```diff
-; PokeAnims indexes (see engine/gfx/pic_animation.asm)
-	const_def
-	const ANIM_MON_SLOW
-	...
-	const ANIM_MON_EGG2
```

Edit [data/predef_pointers.asm](../blob/master/data/predef_pointers.asm):

```diff
 PredefPointers::
 	...
-	add_predef Unused_AnimateMon_Slow_Normal
	add_predef PlaceStatusString
-	add_predef LoadMonAnimation
-	add_predef AnimateFrontpic
-	add_predef Unused_HOF_AnimateAlignedFrontpic ; $48
-	add_predef HOF_AnimateFrontpic
-	dbw -1, InexplicablyEmptyFunction ; ???
```


## 4. Don't load animation graphics

Edit [engine/gfx/load_pics.asm](../blob/master/engine/gfx/load_pics.asm):

```diff
 GetAnimatedFrontpic:
 	ld a, [wCurPartySpecies]
 	ld [wCurSpecies], a
 	call IsAPokemon
 	ret c
 	ldh a, [rSVBK]
 	push af
 	xor a
 	ldh [hBGMapMode], a
 	call _GetFrontpic
-	call GetAnimatedEnemyFrontpic
 	pop af
 	ldh [rSVBK], a
 	ret

...

-GetAnimatedEnemyFrontpic:
-	...
-	ret
-
-LoadFrontpicTiles:
-	...
-	ret
```


## 5. Play cries instead of animations

If you read [engine/gfx/pic_animation.asm](../blob/master/engine/gfx/pic_animation.asm) before deleting it, you'll see how the animation system works. Usually the `AnimateFrontpic` routine is called with an `ANIM_MON_*` value loaded into `e`. It then runs a series of subroutines based on the value of `e`, selected from the `PokeAnims` array:

```
PokeAnims:
; entries correspond to ANIM_MON_* constants
	dw .Slow
	dw .Normal
	dw .Menu
	dw .Trade
	dw .Evolve
	dw .Hatch
	dw .HOF
	dw .Egg1
	dw .Egg2

.Slow:   pokeanim StereoCry, Setup2, Play
.Normal: pokeanim StereoCry, Setup, Play
.Menu:   pokeanim CryNoWait, Setup, Play, SetWait, Wait, Idle, Play
.Trade:  pokeanim Idle, Play2, Idle, Play, SetWait, Wait, Cry, Setup, Play
.Evolve: pokeanim Idle, Play, SetWait, Wait, CryNoWait, Setup, Play
.Hatch:  pokeanim Idle, Play, CryNoWait, Setup, Play, SetWait, Wait, Idle, Play
.HOF:    pokeanim CryNoWait, Setup, Play, SetWait, Wait, Idle, Play
.Egg1:   pokeanim Setup, Play
.Egg2:   pokeanim Idle, Play
```

Notice that not all of the subroutines are related to graphics: `Cry`, `CryNoWait`, and `StereoCry` play the audio cries. So since we've deleted the whole implementation of `AnimateFrontpic`, we have to restore the cry-playing functionality to wherever `AnimateFrontpic` was called.

Edit [engine/gfx/trademon_frontpic.asm](../blob/master/engine/gfx/trademon_frontpic.asm):

```diff
 AnimateTrademonFrontpic:
 	...
 	ld a, [wOTTrademonSpecies]
 	ld [wCurPartySpecies], a
-	hlcoord 7, 2
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_TRADE
-	predef AnimateFrontpic
-	ret
+	jp PlayMonCry
```

Edit [engine/movie/evolution_animation.asm](../blob/master/engine/movie/evolution_animation.asm):

```diff
 EvolutionAnimation:
 	...

 	ld a, [wPlayerHPPal]
 	ld [wCurPartySpecies], a
-	hlcoord 7, 2
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_EVOLVE
-	predef AnimateFrontpic
+	call PlayMonCry2

 	pop af
 	ld [wCurPartySpecies], a
 	pop af
 	ld [wBoxAlignment], a
 	ret
```

Edit [engine/pokemon/breeding.asm](../blob/master/engine/pokemon/breeding.asm):

```diff
 EggHatch_AnimationSequence:
 	...
 	ld a, [wJumptableIndex]
 	ld [wCurPartySpecies], a
-	hlcoord 6, 3
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_HATCH
-	predef AnimateFrontpic
+	call PlayMonCry2
 	pop af
 	ld [wCurSpecies], a
 	ret
```

Edit [engine/battle/core.asm](../blob/master/engine/battle/core.asm):

```diff
 Function_SetEnemyMonAndSendOutAnimation:
 	...

 .not_shiny
 	ld bc, wTempMonSpecies
 	farcall CheckFaintedFrzSlp
 	jr c, .skip_cry

-	farcall CheckBattleScene
-	jr c, .cry_no_anim
-
-	hlcoord 12, 0
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_SLOW
-	predef AnimateFrontpic
-	jr .skip_cry
-
-.cry_no_anim
 	ld a, $f
 	ld [wCryTracks], a
 	ld a, [wTempEnemyMonSpecies]
 	call PlayStereoCry

 .skip_cry
 	call UpdateEnemyHUD
 	ld a, $1
 	ldh [hBGMapMode], a
 	ret

 ...

BattleStartMessage:
	...

.not_shiny
	farcall CheckSleepingTreeMon
	jr c, .skip_cry

-	farcall CheckBattleScene
-	jr c, .cry_no_anim
-
-	hlcoord 12, 0
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_NORMAL
-	predef AnimateFrontpic
-	jr .skip_cry ; cry is played during the animation
-
-.cry_no_anim
 	ld a, $f
 	ld [wCryTracks], a
 	ld a, [wTempEnemyMonSpecies]
 	call PlayStereoCry

 .skip_cry
 	...
```

Turning the "Battle Scene" option off would already disable sprite animations here, so all we had to do was make its case the default and only one.

Edit [engine/events/halloffame.asm](../blob/master/engine/events/halloffame.asm):

```diff
 AnimateHallOfFame:
 	...

 .DisplayNewHallOfFamer:
 	call DisplayHOFMon
 	ld de, .String_NewHallOfFamer
 	hlcoord 1, 2
 	call PlaceString
 	call WaitBGMap
-	decoord 6, 5
-	ld c, ANIM_MON_HOF
-	predef HOF_AnimateFrontpic
-	ld c, 60
+	call HOF_PlayCry
+	ld c, 180
 	call DelayFrames
 	and a
 	ret

 ...

 _HallOfFamePC:
 	...

 .finish
 	ld de, .EmptyString
 	call PlaceString
 	call WaitBGMap
 	ld b, SCGB_PLAYER_OR_MON_FRONTPIC_PALS
 	call GetSGBLayout
 	call SetPalettes
-	decoord 6, 5
-	ld c, ANIM_MON_HOF
-	predef HOF_AnimateFrontpic
+	call HOF_PlayCry
 	and a
 	ret

 ...

+HOF_PlayCry::
+	ld a, [wCurPartySpecies]
+	cp EGG
+	jr z, .fail
+	call IsAPokemon
+	jr c, .fail
+	ld a, [wCurPartySpecies]
+	call PlayMonCry2
+	ret
+
+.fail
+	ld a, 1
+	ld [wCurPartySpecies], a
+	ret
```

The Hall of Fame uses its own `HOF_AnimateFrontpic` instead of the usual `AnimateFrontpic`, so we copied its extra behavior. We also increased the delay for displaying new Hall of Famers from 60 frames to 180, the same as G/S, since sprite animations aren't contributing to the delay any more.

Edit [mobile/mobile_42.asm](../blob/master/mobile/mobile_42.asm):

```diff
 Function108219:
 	ld [wCurPartySpecies], a
-	hlcoord 7, 2
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_TRADE
-	predef AnimateFrontpic
-	ret
+	jp PlayMonCry

 Function108229:
 	ld [wCurPartySpecies], a
-	hlcoord 7, 2
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_TRADE
-	predef LoadMonAnimation
 	ret

...

 Function1082db:
 .loop
 	farcall PlaySpriteAnimations
-	farcall SetUpPokeAnim
-	farcall HDMATransferTileMapToWRAMBank3
 	jr nc, .loop
 	ret
```

Finally, edit [mobile/mobile_5f.asm](../blob/master/mobile/mobile_5f.asm):

```diff
 Function17d93a:
 	...
 	decoord 0, 0
 	add hl, de
 	ld e, l
 	ld d, h
-	farcall HOF_AnimateFrontpic
+	farcall HOF_PlayCry
 	pop af
 	ldh [rSVBK], a
 	call Function17e349
 	ret
```


## 6. Fix the Pokémon stats screen

The stats screen doesn't call `AnimateFrontpic` *or* `HOF_AnimateFrontpic`. Instead, it calls individual low-level subroutines of the sprite animation engine. So fixing it to just play cries is a bit more tricky than with the other subsystems.

Edit [engine/pokemon/stats_screen.asm](../blob/master/engine/pokemon/stats_screen.asm):

```diff
 StatsScreen_WaitAnim:
 	ld hl, wcf64
 	bit 6, [hl]
 	jr nz, .try_anim
 	bit 5, [hl]
 	jr nz, .finish
 	call DelayFrame
 	ret
 
 .try_anim
-	farcall SetUpPokeAnim
-	jr nc, .finish
 	ld hl, wcf64
 	res 6, [hl]
 .finish
 	ld hl, wcf64
 	res 5, [hl]
 	farcall HDMATransferTileMapToWRAMBank3
 	ret
 
 ...

 StatsScreen_PlaceFrontpic:
 	ld hl, wTempMonDVs
 	predef GetUnownLetter
 	call StatsScreen_GetAnimationParam
 	jr c, .egg
 	and a
 	jr z, .no_cry
 	jr .cry
 	...
 
 .get_animation
 	ld a, [wCurPartySpecies]
 	call IsAPokemon
 	ret c
 	call StatsScreen_LoadTextboxSpaceGFX
 	ld de, vTiles2 tile $00
 	predef GetAnimatedFrontpic
-	hlcoord 0, 0
-	ld d, $0
-	ld e, ANIM_MON_MENU
-	predef LoadMonAnimation
 	ld hl, wcf64
 	set 6, [hl]
 	ret

 StatsScreen_GetAnimationParam:
 	ld a, [wMonType]
 	ld hl, .Jumptable
 	rst JumpTable
 	ret
 
 .Jumptable:
 	dw .PartyMon
 	dw .OTPartyMon
 	dw .BoxMon
 	dw .Tempmon
 	dw .Wildmon
 
 ...
 
 .CheckEggFaintedFrzSlp:
 	ld a, [wCurPartySpecies]
 	cp EGG
 	jr z, .egg
 	call CheckFaintedFrzSlp
 	jr c, .FaintedFrzSlp
+	jr .Wildmon
+
 .egg
 	xor a
 	scf
 	ret
 
 .Wildmon:
 	ld a, $1
 	and a
 	ret
 
 .FaintedFrzSlp:
 	xor a
 	ret

 ...

 StatsScreen_AnimateEgg:
 	...
-	hlcoord 0, 0
-	ld d, $0
-	predef LoadMonAnimation
 	ld hl, wcf64
 	set 6, [hl]
 	ret
```

Before, the `farcall SetUpPokeAnim` in `StatsScreen_WaitAnim` would play the Pokémon cry. Since we deleted that, we have to fix `StatsScreen_GetAnimationParam.CheckEggFaintedFrzSlp` so that it will return `nz` and `nc` for Pokémon that are neither Eggs, nor fainted, nor frozen, nor asleep. That way `StatsScreen_PlaceFrontpic` will correctly play cries for those Pokémon.


## 7. Remove the unused animation tile graphics

If we stopped here, the animations would be gone and the cries would play correctly, but the ROM would still have leftover graphics data for the sprite animations.

One way to fix this would be to edit all 276 [gfx/pokemon/\*/front.png](../tree/master/gfx/pokemon/) files (251 Pokémon, with 26 forms for Unown), cropping each one to just be the first frame. But doing this manually is tedious, and doing it automatically (a) requires installing [GraphicsMagick](http://www.graphicsmagick.org/) and (b) risks messing up the images' [indexed color palettes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indexed_color).

Another way is to crop the sprites *after* they've been converted from .png to .2bpp format. That's what we're going to do.

(If you're replacing the 251 Gen 2 Pokémon with your own set, then skip this step. And of course when you're drawing front sprites, just draw them as square still sprites, without any animated frames.)

Create **tools/trim_animation.sh**:

```sh
#!/bin/sh
# Usage: trim_animation.sh front.animated.2bpp front.dimensions

case $(cat $2) in
	U) bytes=400;; # $55="U"; 5*5*16=400
	f) bytes=576;; # $66="f"; 6*6*16=576
	w) bytes=784;; # $77="w"; 7*7*16=784
	*) bytes=-0;;  # invalid size; don't trim
esac

temp_file=$(mktemp)
head -c $bytes $1 > $temp_file
mv $temp_file $1
```

(Be sure to use [Unix line endings](https://blog.codinghorror.com/the-great-newline-schism/), not DOS/Windows, just like all the other text files in pokecrystal!)

Then edit the [Makefile](../blob/master/Makefile):

```diff
 ### Pokemon pic animation rules

 gfx/pokemon/%/front.animated.2bpp: gfx/pokemon/%/front.2bpp gfx/pokemon/%/front.dimensions
 	tools/pokemon_animation_graphics -o $@ $^
+	tools/trim_animation.sh $@ $(word 2,$^)
-gfx/pokemon/%/front.animated.tilemap: gfx/pokemon/%/front.2bpp gfx/pokemon/%/front.dimensions
-	tools/pokemon_animation_graphics -t $@ $^
-gfx/pokemon/%/bitmask.asm: gfx/pokemon/%/front.animated.tilemap gfx/pokemon/%/front.dimensions
-	tools/pokemon_animation -b $^ > $@
-gfx/pokemon/%/frames.asm: gfx/pokemon/%/front.animated.tilemap gfx/pokemon/%/front.dimensions
-	tools/pokemon_animation -f $^ > $@
-
-
-### Terrible hacks to match animations. Delete these rules if you don't care about matching.
-
-# Dewgong has an unused tile id in its last frame. The tile itself is missing.
-gfx/pokemon/dewgong/frames.asm: gfx/pokemon/dewgong/front.animated.tilemap gfx/pokemon/dewgong/front.dimensions
-	tools/pokemon_animation -f $^ > $@
-	echo "	db \$$4d" >> $@
-
-# Lugia has two unused tile ids in its last frame. The tiles themselves are missing.
-gfx/pokemon/lugia/frames.asm: gfx/pokemon/lugia/front.animated.tilemap gfx/pokemon/lugia/front.dimensions
-	tools/pokemon_animation -f $^ > $@
-	echo "	db \$$5e, \$$59" >> $@
-
-# Girafarig has a redundant tile after the end. It is used in two frames, so it must be injected into the generated graphics.
-# This is more involved, so it's hacked into pokemon_animation_graphics.
-gfx/pokemon/girafarig/front.animated.2bpp: gfx/pokemon/girafarig/front.2bpp gfx/pokemon/girafarig/front.dimensions
-	tools/pokemon_animation_graphics --girafarig -o $@ $^
-gfx/pokemon/girafarig/front.animated.tilemap: gfx/pokemon/girafarig/front.2bpp gfx/pokemon/girafarig/front.dimensions
-	tools/pokemon_animation_graphics --girafarig -t $@ $^
```

(Be sure to use tabs, not spaces, for indenting commands in the Makefile!)

(Older versions of pokecrystal also had rules to build `gfx/pokemon/%/normal.pal`, `gfx/pokemon/%/normal.gbcpal`, and `gfx/pokemon/%/back.2bpp`, but as of September 2018 they were removed. They do not need to be changed for this tutorial.)

Let's go over what trim_animation.sh is doing. Before, this was the workflow when building the ROM:

1. `tools/gfx` converts each front.png to **front.2bpp**
2. `tools/png_dimensions` reads each front.png and writes its size as a single byte in **front.dimensions**
3. `tools/pokemon_animation_graphics` takes each pair of front.2bpp and front.dimensions and creates **front.animated.2bpp**, which is modified from front.2bpp in two ways:
   - The first frame is transposed so its tiles are in column order, not row order
   - The subsequent frames are treated as a series of *animation tiles*, and duplicate tiles are left out
4. `tools/lzcomp` compresses each front.animated.2bpp into **front.animated.2bpp.lz**

(Actually, if a **front.animated.2bpp.lz.XXXXXXXX** file exists, and the [MD5 hash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD5) of front.animated.2bpp is XXXXXXXX, then it will just copy front.animated.2bpp.lz.XXXXXXXX as the compressed file. This is done because `tools/lzcomp` can't always reproduce the exact same compression as the original Pokémon Crystal ROM.)

Anyway, trim_animation.sh takes each front.animated.2bpp file and removes the animation tiles, keeping only the transposed tiles for the first frame. It reads front.dimensions to know how many tiles the first frames uses. Then each tile uses 16 bytes, so it keeps that many bytes of the head of the file.

That's it, we're done! This change frees up 102 KB of a 2 MB ROM: nearly 5% of the total space. Considering that an original Crystal ROM has 20% of its space unused, we've increased the free space by nearly 25%.

(As of July 23, 2018, you can measure free space after building a ROM with `make` by running `tools/free_space.awk pokecrystal.map`. The script [tools/free_space.awk](../blob/master/tools/free_space.awk) parses a .map file and adds up all the unused "slack" space.)