path: root/Rock-Climb.md

Gen 4 introduced Rock Climb, a field move that can scale rocky walls, as HM08. Its in-battle effect, to deal damage with a chance of confusion, already exists (for Psybeam); and its field effect is not too complex to implement.

(The code for this feature was adapted from [Pokémon Orange](https://github.com/PiaCarrot/pokeorange/).)


## Contents

1. [Prepare the Rock Climb move](#1-prepare-the-rock-climb-move)
2. [Prepare the HM08 item](#2-prepare-the-hm08-item)
3. [Define a collision type for rocky walls](#3-define-a-collision-type-for-rocky-walls)
4. [Start to prepare the Rock Climb field move effect](#4-start-to-prepare-the-rock-climb-field-move-effect)
5. [Define a utility function to check for rocky walls](#5-define-a-utility-function-to-check-for-rocky-walls)
6. [Define text related to using Rock Climb](#6-define-text-related-to-using-rock-climb)
7. [Finish the Rock Climb field move effect](#7-finish-the-rock-climb-field-move-effect)
8. [Talk to rocky walls to use Rock Climb](#8-talk-to-rocky-walls-to-use-rock-climb)
9. [Add rocky walls to a map](#9-add-rocky-walls-to-a-map)


## 1. Prepare the Rock Climb move

We're going to add a field effect for climbing rocky walls; but first, we have to add the move Rock Climb, following [this tutorial](Add-a-new-move).

Replace `MOVE_OR_ANIM_FC` with `ROCK_CLIMB`; give it a name, description, and battle properties (`ROCK_CLIMB, EFFECT_CONFUSE_HIT, 90, NORMAL, 85, 20, 20`); give it an animation (it can share `BattleAnim_Waterfall`); and add it to Pokémon learnsets (Sandshrew, Geodude, Onix, Rhyhorn, and Gligar learn it as an Egg move).


## 2. Prepare the HM08 item

We also have to add the item HM08, following [this tutorial](Add-a-new-TM-or-HM).

Add an HM for `ROCK_CLIMB`; give it a name and attributes (`0, HELD_NONE, 0, CANT_SELECT | CANT_TOSS, TM_HM, ITEMMENU_PARTY, ITEMMENU_NOUSE`); associate it with the move `ROCK_CLIMB`; make it unforgettable; and add it to Pokémon base learnsets (48 Pokémon are compatible with it, including all three fully-evolved Johto starters).


## 3. Define a collision type for rocky walls

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

```diff
 ; collision data types (see data/tilesets/*_collision.asm)
 ; TileCollisionTable indexes (see data/collision_permissions.asm)
 COLL_FLOOR             EQU $00
 COLL_01                EQU $01 ; garbage
 COLL_03                EQU $03 ; garbage
 COLL_04                EQU $04 ; garbage
+COLL_ROCKY_WALL        EQU $06
 COLL_WALL              EQU $07
 ...
```

And edit [data/collision_permissions.asm](../blob/master/data/collision_permissions.asm):

```diff
 TileCollisionTable::
 ; entries correspond to COLL_* constants
 	NONTALKABLE  LANDTILE ; COLL_FLOOR
 	NONTALKABLE  LANDTILE ; COLL_01
 	NONTALKABLE  LANDTILE ; 02
 	NONTALKABLE  LANDTILE ; COLL_03
 	NONTALKABLE  LANDTILE ; COLL_04
 	NONTALKABLE  LANDTILE ; 05
-	NONTALKABLE  LANDTILE ; 06
+	   TALKABLE  WALLTILE ; COLL_ROCKY_WALL
 	NONTALKABLE  WALLTILE ; COLL_WALL
 	...
```

Rocky walls will prompt to use Rock Climb when talked to, so they need to be `TALKABLE`.


## 4. Start to prepare the Rock Climb field move effect

Now we can start to add the field move effect, following [this tutorial](Add-a-new-field-move-effect).

Define `MONMENUITEM_ROCKCLIMB`; associate it with the move `ROCK_CLIMB`; and implement `MonMenu_RockClimb` for its menu action (in [engine/pokemon/mon_menu.asm](../blob/master/engine/pokemon/mon_menu.asm), or [engine/menus/start_menu.asm](../blob/master/engine/menus/start_menu.asm) in older versions of pokecrystal) like this:

```diff
+MonMenu_RockClimb:
+	farcall RockClimbFunction
+	ld a, [wFieldMoveSucceeded]
+	cp $1
+	jr nz, .Fail
+	ld b, $4
+	ld a, $2
+	ret
+
+.Fail:
+	ld a, $3
+	ret
```

We still have to implement `RockClimbFunction`; but first, let's define some more components for it.


## 5. Define a utility function to check for rocky walls

Edit [home/map_objects.asm](../blob/master/home/map_objects.asm):

```diff
 CheckHeadbuttTreeTile::
 	cp COLL_HEADBUTT_TREE
 	ret z
 	cp COLL_HEADBUTT_TREE_1D
 	ret
+
+CheckRockyWallTile::
+	cp COLL_ROCKY_WALL
+	ret
```

This isn't strictly necessary—we could just directly use `cp COLL_ROCKY_WALL` instead of `call CheckRockyWallTile`—but it's how the other field moves work. And this approach is easier to extend, if for some reason more than one collision type should act like a rocky wall.


## 6. Define text related to using Rock Climb

Edit [data/text/common_2.asm](../blob/master/data/text/common_2.asm):

```diff
+_AskRockClimbText::
+	text "The wall is very"
+	line "rocky…"
+
+	para "Want to use"
+	line "ROCK CLIMB?"
+	done
+
+_UsedRockClimbText::
+	text_ram wStringBuffer2
+	text " used"
+	line "ROCK CLIMB!"
+	prompt
+
+_CantRockClimbText::
+	text "The wall is very"
+	line "rocky…"
+
+	para "Will a #MON's"
+	line "move scale it?"
+	done
```

This could have gone in [common_1.asm](../blob/master/data/text/common_1.asm) or [common_3.asm](../blob/master/data/text/common_3.asm) instead, but [common_2.asm](../blob/master/data/text/common_2.asm) has text related to other HM moves already.

We'll need this text, and the previous `CheckRockyWallTile` routine, when we define `RockClimbFunction` next.


## 7. Finish the Rock Climb field move effect

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

```diff
+RockClimbFunction:
+	call FieldMoveJumptableReset
+.loop
+	ld hl, .jumptable
+	call FieldMoveJumptable
+	jr nc, .loop
+	and $7f
+	ld [wFieldMoveSucceeded], a
+	ret
+
+.jumptable:
+	dw .TryRockClimb
+	dw .DoRockClimb
+	dw .FailRockClimb
+
+.TryRockClimb:
+	ld de, ENGINE_EARTHBADGE
+	farcall CheckBadge
+	jr c, .noearthbadge
+	call TryRockClimbMenu
+	jr c, .failed
+	ld a, $1
+	ret
+
+.noearthbadge
+	ld a, $80
+	ret
+
+.failed
+	ld a, $2
+	ret
+
+.DoRockClimb:
+	ld hl, RockClimbFromMenuScript
+	call QueueScript
+	ld a, $81
+	ret
+
+.FailRockClimb:
+	call FieldMoveFailed
+	ld a, $80
+	ret
+
+TryRockClimbMenu:
+	call GetFacingTileCoord
+	ld c, a
+	push de
+	call CheckRockyWallTile
+	pop de
+	jr nz, .failed
+	xor a
+	ret
+
+.failed
+	scf
+	ret
+
+TryRockClimbOW::
+	ld de, ENGINE_EARTHBADGE
+	call CheckEngineFlag
+	jr c, .cant_climb
+
+	ld d, ROCK_CLIMB
+	call CheckPartyMove
+	jr c, .cant_climb
+
+	ld a, BANK(AskRockClimbScript)
+	ld hl, AskRockClimbScript
+	call CallScript
+	scf
+	ret
+
+.cant_climb
+	ld a, BANK(CantRockClimbScript)
+	ld hl, CantRockClimbScript
+	call CallScript
+	scf
+	ret
+
+AskRockClimbScript:
+	opentext
+	writetext AskRockClimbText
+	yesorno
+	iftrue UsedRockClimbScript
+	closetext
+	end
+
+CantRockClimbScript:
+	jumptext CantRockClimbText
+
+RockClimbFromMenuScript:
+	reloadmappart
+	special UpdateTimePals
+
+UsedRockClimbScript:
+	callasm GetPartyNick
+	writetext UsedRockClimbText
+	closetext
+	waitsfx
+	playsound SFX_STRENGTH
+	readvar VAR_FACING
+	if_equal DOWN, .Down
+.loop_up
+	applymovement PLAYER, .RockClimbUpStep
+	callasm .CheckContinueRockClimb
+	iffalse .loop_up
+	end
+
+.Down:
+	applymovement PLAYER, .RockClimbFixFacing
+.loop_down
+	applymovement PLAYER, .RockClimbDownStep
+	callasm .CheckContinueRockClimb
+	iffalse .loop_down
+	applymovement PLAYER, .RockClimbRemoveFixedFacing
+	end
+
+.CheckContinueRockClimb:
+	xor a
+	ld [wScriptVar], a
+	ld a, [wPlayerStandingTile]
+	call CheckRockyWallTile
+	ret z
+	ld a, $1
+	ld [wScriptVar], a
+	ret
+
+.RockClimbUpStep:
+	step UP
+	step_end
+
+.RockClimbDownStep:
+	step DOWN
+	step_end
+
+.RockClimbFixFacing:
+	turn_head UP
+	fix_facing
+	step_end
+
+.RockClimbRemoveFixedFacing:
+	remove_fixed_facing
+	turn_head DOWN
+	step_end
+
+AskRockClimbText:
+	text_far _AskRockClimbText
+	text_end
+
+UsedRockClimbText:
+	text_far _UsedRockClimbText
+	text_end
+
+CantRockClimbText:
+	text_far _CantRockClimbText
+	text_end
```

You can study how this routine works; it's similar to other field moves. Just like in HG/SS, you need the Earth Badge to use it. (If you don't want that, remove the two checks for `ENGINE_EARTHBADGE`.) When you're facing up or down toward a rocky wall, you can climb it. Just like waterfalls, you'll continue moving until you reach a different type of tile.

Anyway, the requisite move, HM, and field effect are all done, but we still have a few improvements to make.


## 8. Talk to rocky walls to use Rock Climb

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

```diff
 TryTileCollisionEvent::
 	...

 .headbutt
 	ld a, [wFacingTileID]
 	call CheckHeadbuttTreeTile
-	jr nz, .surf
+	jr nz, .rock_climb
 	farcall TryHeadbuttOW
	jr c, .done
	jr .noevent
+
+.rock_climb
+	ld a, [wFacingTileID]
+	call CheckRockyWallTile
+	jr nz, .surf
+	farcall TryRockClimbOW
+	jr .done

 .surf
 	farcall TrySurfOW
 	jr nc, .noevent
 	jr .done

 .noevent
 	xor a
 	ret

 .done
 	call PlayClickSFX
 	ld a, $ff
 	scf
 	ret
```

`TryTileCollisionEvent` checks for various relevant collision types, one after another, so we just add a case for rocky walls.

That's it! Now `COLL_ROCKY_WALL` can be used like any other collision type—try assigning it to a block in [data/tilesets/\*_collision.asm](../tree/master/data/tilesets/).

…Although, there aren't any suitable tiles for rocky walls. So let's make some.


## 9. Add rocky walls to a map

Here are some rocky wall tiles edited from [Pokémon Orange](https://github.com/PiaCarrot/pokeorange/):

![Screenshot](screenshots/rocky-wall-tiles.png)

Let's say you want to copy HG/SS and require Rock Climb for an item ball on Route 45. Since [maps/Route45.blk](../blob/master/maps/Route45.blk) uses the `johto` tileset, here's what that would involve:

1. Add the rocky wall tiles to [gfx/tilesets/johto.png](../blob/master/gfx/tilesets/johto.png)
2. Assign the `BROWN` color to those tiles in [gfx/tilesets/johto_palette_map.asm](../blob/master/gfx/tilesets/johto_palette_map.asm)
3. Design a rocky wall block in [data/tilesets/johto_metatiles.bin](../blob/master/data/tilesets/johto_metatiles.bin)
4. Assign the `ROCKY_WALL` collision type to that block in [data/tilesets/johto_collision.asm](../blob/master/data/tilesets/johto_collision.asm)
5. Redesign [maps/Route45.blk](../blob/master/maps/Route45.blk) to use the rocky wall block

You can use [Polished Map](https://github.com/Rangi42/polished-map) to edit maps and tilesets; refer to the [new map](Add-a-new-map-and-landmark) and [new tileset](Add-a-new-tileset) tutorials for more information.

Now test it out!

![Screenshot](screenshots/rock-climb.png)

By the way, if you're walking on top of cliffs, it's possible to walk down onto a cave entrance. That's because the clifftops all use `COLL_FLOOR`, cave entrances use `COLL_CAVE`, and of course it's possible to walk from the former to the latter, since there's no real concept of "elevation" in Gen 2. The solution is to use `COLL_DOWN_WALL` for clifftops above cave entrances. That way you can walk *onto* the space but not *down* from it. (The top edges of cliffs already use `COLL_UP_WALL` so you can't walk between them and the ground level.)