By doing some hex editing, I have found where the .MAP data is stored into a .LEV file. This means that it's now possible to get map templates from all the first generation games of Rayman (Rayman, Rayman Designer, Rayman By His Fans, Rayman Learning Center 1, 2 and 3, and their demos). Note, however, that the data will we based on the actual .PCX files stored into the different world folders. This means that it won't take the "removed" tiles (like the pink pile of mushrooms in original Rayman). But instead, it would be possible to know at which position in the .PCX they are stored.

Here's the format of the .MAP file when you open it in a hex editor :

• Each cell is 4 bytes long (usually: XX XX XX 00).
• First cell defines the length and height of the map (this means you aren't "forced" to use the template ones. You can create maps of any size you want by just modifying the values and adding/removing bytes at the end of the .MAP file. The minimum recommended size is : 20 x 13). First two bytes are the length, third and fourth bytes are the height. But they are read backwards. Example: for a "600 x 40" map, 600 is not 02 58, but 58 02. Same goes for the height, 40 is not 00 28, but 28 00.
  It's the same thing in a .LEV file. The level size is located at address :
  - 58h or 88d for Rayman Designer, Rayman By His Fans and Rayman Learning Center games and demo.
  - 8 for original Rayman.
• Second cell and all those that follow are all the cells that compose a map. First two bytes are the position of the cell to take in the .PCX file (the one at complete top-left is 0, next one on the right is 1, and so on...). Third byte is the "type". Fourth byte is always 00.
  In a .LEV file, it seems to be different. Each cell is 6 bytes long. But I know the first two bytes are the position of the cell to take in the .PCX file and the third byte is the type, like above. I don't know what the fourth, fifth and sixth bytes are about, but they aren't needed. I guess they are reserved for linking events. Anyway, the .MAP data starts at address :
  - 35Dh or 861d for Rayman Designer, Rayman By His Fans and Rayman Learning Center demo.
  - 90Dh or 2317d for original Rayman.
  - 95Dh or 2397d for Rayman Learning Center games.

EDIT : I STILL brought some modifications.

This post has been edited by DragonsLover on Oct 9 2009, 12:12 AM

In that case, it might be completely different for Original Game levels.
I was thinking about LEVs myself today. I thought that they might be the solution to creating multi-part levels, like in the Original Game. I guess I'm wrong then. :(

MasterRay, do you think you can do this?

I always thought NO (or i had answered already) , because my programm skills are limited and i don't understand the whole hex-editing stuff...

But looking at this post again: Hmm....i will try it.

If i undertstand you correctly the tool should do this:

.

I'm not sure if i can do this, but i can try. But i need a "source".

Could the upload the hex-editor view as txt file of one file?

In fact, I guess I will be able to do the job on my own by using a hex editor. I just successfully taken out a .MAP from a .LEV using it.

Recognize that level? :D

(Posted Image)

It's a level in the already made in Rayman Designer, or Rayman by his Fans if I remember...

Wow, you really take this form a lev file? could you take it form original rayman too?? :o

I'd doubt it. The WLD files are encrypted differently, so the LEV files probably are too.

Yeah, it's a bit more difficult with the original Rayman game levels, but I guess I have found something.

There are some Mountain levels that are based on a level in Amazing Learning Games with Rayman. Now that we are able to make levels in that style, it would be nice to use that map.

In "Rayman Per His Fans"? I ask this because I don't have the Amazing Learning Games with Rayman and I would like to... :(

Heh, I'd like to too. :P

Wow, great! So did you just copy/paste the Hex's?

And it's called "Rayman by his fans". Here's a pic I took of mine:
(Posted Image)

EDIT:

Holy $&@# I just noticed how much potential for a PCX there is in that screenshot. It's hi-resolution versions of everything! B)

If you want I'll take out the buttons and give them the plain thing with no buttons. I just have to remove the "fond" buttons (PCX format).

This post has been edited by rayfan9876 on Oct 4 2009, 04:54 AM

Yes. A lot of the Mountain levels in Rayman By His Fans are based on Amazing Learning Games with Rayman. I even made a topic about it two months ago.

Okay, I've started with some Cake levels of Rayman By His Fans, but it's a bit long to do the conversion. It takes a couple of minutes for each map because I have to do 3 XVI commands to each of the map cell. Bigger is the map, longer it takes. But I'm patient and will be able to convert them all! :) Obviously, if someone could manage to do a little executable program to speed the things up, it'd be very appreciated.

And Jaxx, YES, I can convert those of the original Rayman game too. I just did it. There's however one little problem :

(Posted Image)

Yup, the game doesn't use the same .PCX files. They're stored in a different way than in the other games, thus giving that... "~". :P In the picture above, it's the very first level of Rayman. If we can manage to know exactly at which coordinates each tile must be placed into the .PCX file, then the level will look ultra clean! Of course, it would take a while... So, I asked Drolpiraat to get a copy of the tilesets of each world of the PSX version of Rayman. I only have the Cake one, I'm waiting for the others. But if any of you already got them, then I'd be able to correct the problem above.

By the way, I'm wondering about something : are the levels the same between "Rayman By His Fans" (EN) and "Rayman Par Ses Fans" (FR)? Because if not, there's a chance for me to get more level templates. And even more if there's the German version as well.

This post has been edited by Tehrunescape455 on Oct 21 2010, 04:18 PM

wow, if you could fix that, I wouldn't to need all hard and boring work ^^, then the only problem would be the exact coordinates of the events.