SMBX64

SMBX64 (Super Mario Bros. X Standard version 64) is the name of the technical standard used by Super Mario Bros. X version 1.3. This standard contains the file formats, references, item lists, and game-wide default values. The specifics of this standard were researched by Wohlstand in early 2014. This standard is very strictly defined. Each item and behavior algorithm is linked directly to a specific ID value.

Standard history

SMBX1 - The first version of standard which came with Super Mario Bros. X 1.0, written by Andrew 'Redigit' Spinks. Blocks can hold 1-99 coins or one of the following NPCs: goomba, flower, leaf, shoe, or mushroom.

SMBX2 - Added support for custom music

SMBX8 - Added support for inter-level warps, added "stars-needed" lock for warps, added "Door" warp type

SMBX10 - Added support for layers and events in levels. Para-Koopas, Para-Goombas, and Cheep-Cheeps were given multiple behavior algorithms. Added NPC Generators. Added talk messages, "friendly" flag, and "not movable" flag for NPCs. Boss NPCs no longer all use the same algorithm, so the flag "Legacy Boss" was added to re-enable those algorithms. Added intro levels of episodes. Added "restart level on death" support. Added "hub-style" worlds system. Added credits fields for world map. Added support for entering to the specified warp ID of a level from world map.

SMBX17 - Added star count field into level file.

SMBX18 - Blocks can contain any available NPC by its ID. Added play-sound event.

SMBX20 - Added "Number of stars" field for world maps.

SMBX28 - Added "Locked", "No Yoshi" and "Allow NPC" flags for warps. Added support for event triggers. Added support for forcing the player's control key events. Added "Always visible" flag for levels on world map. Added support of background image under level icon. Added "Game start" flag for level: allows for using any level location as the episode start point. Added support for warping between two locations on the world map.

SMBX32 - Added support for "Water" physical environment zones. Added auto-start ability of events, added layer motion events.

SMBX49 - Added auto-scrolling support.

SMBX55 - Added support to disable specified characters in the episodes.

SMBX62 - Added "level title" field. Added slippery block support.

SMBX63 - Allowed layers to be attached to an NPC, which will move layers with NPC's motion. Added "Quicksand" physical environment zone type.

SMBX64 - The latest and final version of the SMBX standard which was created in 2011 with "Super Mario Bros. X 1.3". After this version, "Super Mario bros. X" development was permanently ended.

File formats

SMBX64 standard uses a text format with unmarked values.

.LVL - level file format.
Download specification: ODT, PDF

.WLD - world file format.
Download specification: ODT, PDF

.SAV - game save file format.
Download specification: ODT, PDF

Limits

The SMBX64 standard has a maximum item limit which can be set in the files.

Levels

• Playable characters: 2
• Blocks: 16384
• NPCs: 5000
• Background objects: 8000
• Warp entries: 199
• Water/Quicksand rectangles: 450
• Events: 100
• Layers: 100

World maps

• Tiles: 20000
• Paths: 2000
• Music-Boxes: 1000
• Scenery: 5000
• Levels: 400

Note: the information about SMBX's limits here is NOT taken from the Debugger box of SMBX, because it doesn't show the real limits of Blocks and Warps (and possibly other things?), it doesn't show the limits of Layers and Events, and it doesn't have a Debugger box for World Map.

Standard item list

Here are lists of the total item settings which are defined by the SMBX64 standard

Level

• Playable characters
• Blocks
• Background Objects
• Non-playable Characters
• Backgrounds
• Music
• Sound effects

World map

• Tiles
• Sceneries
• Paths
• Levels
• Music

Content formats

Graphics

SMBX Graphics use the GIF format. The SMBX Engine imitates transparency by using alpha-channel masks - an additional image which defines the transparency level by grayscale level: 0 (Black) - is a visible, solid pixel, and 255 (White) - is a transparent pixel, but SMBX64 only supports completely solid or completely transparent pixels, so using semi-transparent (gray) colors in the mask is not recommended.

Musics and sounds

Default audio data uses the MP3 file format. Custom music can be in other formats, however, such as: WAV, MID, MP3.

Customization

SMBX64 supports partial customization of content.

Blocks

You can replace graphics, but you need to use an image with the same size and the same number of animation frames as the original sprite.

Exception: you can escape this limit if you place blocks via the PGE Editor or if you modify the .LVL file manually after placement of necessary blocks.

Background objects (BGOs)

Background Objects follow the same rules blocks, but without the special exception.

Non-Playable Characters (NPCs)

You can use images of any sizes and you can customize animation, but you need to use the special npc.txt configuration file.

Backgrounds

You can use images of any size.

Playable Characters

Each playable character uses a sprite-sheet with a size of 1000x1000 pixels, and contains a total of 100 frames in them.

Tiles

Follow the same rules as background objects.

Sceneries

Follow the same rules as background objects.

Paths

Follow the same rules as background objects.

Level points

Follow the same rules as background objects.

Musics and sounds

You can't customize the stuff music and you can't use custom music on the world map. You can use the special field to define custom music in levels.