Can PoP1 have more rooms?

[Norbert]

A question asked by yaqxsw (in the shoutbox): can levels be created with more than 24 rooms?
Somewhat related to the question "Can PoP1 have more levels?" that has its own thread here.

Theoretically, (almost) everything should be possible, but I don't think it has been done before.
Would require hex editing; may be very complicated to pull off.

However, there is a way to trick even experienced players into thinking that a certain level has 48 rooms. In level 12a, when you move to room 23, level 12b (13) is being started. Both have dungeon graphics, the game doesn't display any information in the status bar (where you would normally see the "LEVEL x" message) when level 12b is being started, and there is no cut scene between the levels. The player does make a one-tile running entry in level 12b, but that doesn't happen when the prince is falling. In other words, if you force the player to (hang-)drop down to room 23 in level 12a, you can then make the prince fall onto the middle row from the top row in level 12b. Then it's almost impossible to tell another level starts. Loading the room in level 12b takes a bit longer, but that's it.

[Norbert]

Here is an example of what's possible:



As you can see I'm forcing the player to hang-drop down facing the direction that I want the prince to enter level 12b (13), by putting a wall at the other side of the gap.
The top room is level 12a, the bottom room is level 12b (13).

[Edit: By the way, obviously, when you die in level 12b (13), you return to the 'bottom' room there and it's impossible to return to level 12a.]

[mk1995]

Now all you gotta do is replace the floor tiles in the room above with walls, so it's at least a bit less obvious. Also, you should probably avoid having the Prince drop that kind of length. That's three floors. He lived through that without a scratch. Normally, you at least lose some health when falling that distance after hanging from a ledge.

But then again, you were probably just displaying a game mechanic, so creating the illusion likely wasn't that high a priority. Nice find. I'd probably use it if I ever got back to modding (not like you should count on that happening anytime soon, though).