Entry 200

"The later volumes' save: the extension, Init and NewGame checked against their own code; Mutation reaches its title"

2026-09-26volumes

Filescrates/piney-data/src/save.rscrates/piney-data/src/save/init.rscrates/piney-data/src/sinit.rscrates/piney-data/src/exe.rscrates/piney-data/src/volume.rscrates/piney-demo/src/newgame.rscrates/piney-demo/src/names.rstools/sinit_tables.pytools/main_data.pytools/test_save_init_rs.pydocs/formats/save.mdplans/volumes.md

0199 carried Infection's addresses. Mutation's boot then stopped at the new game's tables. From Mutation on there are 21 characters, and the last three live in a 0x854-byte extension beside ccSaveData (save.md, "The extension").

The record

SaveData now always holds the extension after its 0x8530 bytes, as a later volume's slot file does. On Infection it stays zero and is never written: bytes() and sum() still cover ccSaveData only, and slot_bytes(volume) gives each volume's file. save::ext names the extension's members. save::by_id routes a character's records as the accessors do (ids 18-20 to the extension). Image remembers its volume, and InitText carries it, so SaveData::boot(text) knows whose Init to run.

Init

The first comparison ran Infection's and Mutation's boot records in eemu. They differed in 14 bytes of ccSaveData plus the extension. That hides every zero write, so the second run was each Init alone on 0xAA-filled and 0x55-filled records. It found five differences (save.md lists them):

• the 21 characters' lists through the accessors;
• the talk counts through their setter;
• the trade counts through a new (kind, code) setter;
• partyTime and spcPresent through setters for ids 0-19;
• new blocks cleared at +0x8432 and +0x8462, and the extension's tail.

Three things the disassembly showed:

• The setters count from character 1, so the game's loop from 0 writes the word before each array: the last entry of enemyKillArea.
• The trade count setter moves NPC codes 181, 180, 182, 183, 121 and 120 into the extension at +0x74b. save.md had guessed those six bytes were sound settings.
• Outbreak and Quarantine run the same Init.

test_save_init_rs.py's InitLaterVolumes runs each later volume's own Init (flags 0 and 1; zeroed, 0xff and random records and extensions). It compares every byte with the port's: 0 differences on MUT, OUT and QUA.

NewGame

• charTbl has 21 rows. The later trade tables hold 20 characters' and 54 NPCs' lists. The carried symbol sizes are Infection's, so each table's base is carried and the rows are counted by the volume (Volume::characters).
• A Parody Kite's level is 20, 50, 70 or 90 by volumeNum.
• SetDefaultWord is one routine on every disc, keyed on volumeNum. Infection's copy, run in eemu with 1-4, gives each volume's bits.
• NewGame(0) gives Kite important items, more with each volume. Quarantine also sets four news entries and clears seven mails.

Outbreak and Quarantine moved charTbl from DEMO.PRG into main. The carry now looks for an overlay's global in the volume's main when its overlay lacks it.

NewGameLaterVolumes compares the title's part of a new game with the game's for all three volumes, with and without Parody: 0 differences. That covers the boot, NewGame(1), the flag, NewGame(0), the name pointers and both parts of the record.

The rest of the boot so far

• Static initializers. saveSysMsg is filled by __sinit_sdmng.cpp, so the port had held Infection's table. tools/sinit_tables.py runs each volume's own initializer in eemu and writes piney_data::sinit. Infection's generated table equals the old one.
• Direct reads. Every direct read of an Infection address constant (218 in 50 files) now goes through at, applied mechanically. The desktop's readers that pass constants through closures and helpers were done by hand.
• The title's scene. It is title1-title4 by volume (SetVolCcs).

Mutation now boots to its title: its copyright line and memory-card question. The logo and menus do not draw yet. Infection's own overlay switches eight opening functions on the volume (the control's +8) and holds every volume's animation names. The port took only volume 1's.