Old man glitch: Difference between revisions

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The '''old man glitch''' (not to be confused with the [[item duplication glitch]]) is a [[glitch]] in {{game|Red and Blue|s}}. It is one of the ways in which the [[player character|player]] can encounter [[Missingno.]] and [['M (00)]]. Its name comes from the {{ka|old man}} in [[Viridian City]], who is required to complete the glitch.
The '''old man glitch''' is a well-known [[glitch]] in {{game|Red and Blue|s}}. It is one of the ways in which the [[player character|player]] can encounter [[Missingno.]] and [['M (00)]]. Its name comes from the {{ka|old man}} in [[Viridian City]], who is required to complete the glitch. It should not be confused with the related [[item duplication glitch]], which is most easily performed by first performing the old man glitch.


Through the development of {{game|Yellow}}, which occurred in the two years following the release of {{game|Red and Green|s}} in Japan, the old man glitch was disabled by blanking the data for wild Pokémon before overwriting it, and reprogramming shore tiles to not call any wild Pokémon. However, even before Yellow, this glitch was fixed in some {{wp|European}} versions of Red and Blue, such as the {{pmin|Spain|Spanish}} and {{pmin|Italy|Italian}} versions, by making the shore tiles act as [[water tile]]s, but still remains in other European versions, such as the {{pmin|Germany|German}} version. In the {{pmin|France|French}} version, the glitch is present, but the game freezes every time a [[Missingno.]] or [['M (00)]] appears.
This glitch was not present in the Japanese [[Pokémon Red and Green Versions|Pokémon Red, Green]], or {{game|Blue|_(Japanese)}}. This glitch was fixed in some {{wp|European}} versions of Red and Blue, such as the {{pmin|Spain|Spanish}} and {{pmin|Italy|Italian}} versions, by making the shore tiles act as [[water tile]]s, but still remains in other European versions, such as the {{pmin|Germany|German}} version. In the {{pmin|France|French}} version, the glitch is present, but the game freezes every time a [[Missingno.]] or [['M (00)]] appears. This glitch was removed in all versions of {{game|Yellow}} by blanking the data for wild Pokémon before overwriting it, and reprogramming shore tiles to not call any [[wild Pokémon]].


==Performing the glitch==
==Performing the glitch==
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At the end of the player's name, there is a special character to mark the end of the name. This character can either cause Missingno. to appear, or create the possibility for wild 'M (00) to be at level 80.
At the end of the player's name, there is a special character to mark the end of the name. This character can either cause Missingno. to appear, or create the possibility for wild 'M (00) to be at level 80.


The eighth through eleventh bytes are only 00 if using a custom name; using a [[#Preset names|preset name]] results in these extra bytes being filled by the series of other preset name separated by end of name markers (with NEW NAME after the last preset name). As such, 'M (00) will not appear when using a preset name. As an example, the preset names would be organized as so (Pokémon Blue Version): <end>BLUE<end>GARY<end>NEWNAME<end>
The eighth through eleventh bytes are only 00 if using a custom name; using a [[#Preset names|preset name]] results in these extra bytes being filled by the series of other preset name separated by end of name markers (with NEW NAME after the last preset name). As such, 'M (00) will not appear when using a preset name.


==Results==
==Results==
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|
|
|'''{{tc|Gentleman}}'''
|'''{{tc|Gentleman}}'''
|240
|241
|-
|-
|.
|.
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Due to the fact that [[Cinnabar Island]] has no wild Pokémon data but the potential for wild Pokémon to appear, and that wild Pokémon data is not formatted when entering a new area, any location that can be {{m|Fly|flown}} from can have its wild Pokémon available on the coast. This includes the {{safari|Kanto}}, so players can encounter Safari Pokémon under normal battling circumstances.
Due to the fact that [[Cinnabar Island]] has no wild Pokémon data but the potential for wild Pokémon to appear, and that wild Pokémon data is not formatted when entering a new area, any location that can be {{m|Fly|flown}} from can have its wild Pokémon available on the coast. This includes the {{safari|Kanto}}, so players can encounter Safari Pokémon under normal battling circumstances.


Due to being able to find Pokémon over level 100, it is possible to trigger glitches relating to Pokémon with levels that are too high. If Pokémon over level 100 receives experience by battle, it will automatically go to level 100; Rare Candies will level up the Pokémon normally. If the Pokémon's remaining HP is already low, dropping to level 100 can cause the HP will drop to negative number, but it will be interpreted as a very high number, similarly to the [[Pomeg glitch]]. In {{eng|Pokémon Stadium}}, HP is shown as the actual amount; in [[Pokémon Stadium 2]], it will act as if its HP was full.
Due to being able to find Pokémon over level 100, it is possible to trigger glitches relating to Pokémon with levels that are too high. If Pokémon over level 100 receives experience by battle, it will automatically go to level 100; Rare Candies will level up the Pokémon normally. If the Pokémon's remaining HP is already low, dropping to level 100 can cause the HP to drop to negative number, but it will be interpreted as a very high number, similarly to the [[Pomeg glitch]]. In {{eng|Pokémon Stadium}}, HP is shown as the actual amount; in [[Pokémon Stadium 2]], it will act as if its HP was full.
 
Trading or fighting in the [[Cable Club]] overwrites the wild Pokemon data with the opponent's name.
The [[Cable Club escape glitch]] can then be used to Fly to Cinnabar.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==

Revision as of 18:42, 20 July 2015

The old man glitch is a well-known glitch in Pokémon Red and Blue. It is one of the ways in which the player can encounter Missingno. and 'M (00). Its name comes from the old man in Viridian City, who is required to complete the glitch. It should not be confused with the related item duplication glitch, which is most easily performed by first performing the old man glitch.

This glitch was not present in the Japanese Pokémon Red, Green, or Pokémon Blue. This glitch was fixed in some European versions of Red and Blue, such as the Spanish and Italian versions, by making the shore tiles act as water tiles, but still remains in other European versions, such as the German version. In the French version, the glitch is present, but the game freezes every time a Missingno. or 'M (00) appears. This glitch was removed in all versions of Pokémon Yellow by blanking the data for wild Pokémon before overwriting it, and reprogramming shore tiles to not call any wild Pokémon.

Performing the glitch

To perform the glitch, the player must talk to the old man located in the north of Viridian City and allow him to demonstrate how to catch a Pokémon. After the demonstration, the player should immediately Fly to Cinnabar Island. Here, the player should surf up and down along the east coast of the island where the water is touching the land without leaving Cinnabar Island. Wild Pokémon will appear, based on the player's name.

Effects

The wild Pokémon that appear are based on the player's name. The third, fifth and seventh slots of the player's name are the species of Pokémon that will appear (see table below). The second slot of the player's name becomes the level of the Pokémon caused to appear by the third slot, the fourth slot for the fifth slot, and the sixth slot for the seventh slot. The game also reads the ninth and eleventh slots as wild Pokémon and the eighth and tenth slots as levels; however, due to the seven character name limit, these slots are not used, so are blank (00), causing 'M (00) to appear at level 0.

At the end of the player's name, there is a special character to mark the end of the name. This character can either cause Missingno. to appear, or create the possibility for wild 'M (00) to be at level 80.

The eighth through eleventh bytes are only 00 if using a custom name; using a preset name results in these extra bytes being filled by the series of other preset name separated by end of name markers (with NEW NAME after the last preset name). As such, 'M (00) will not appear when using a preset name.

Results

This table demonstrates what Pokémon specific characters in the player's name will cause to appear, or the level of the Pokémon that they will cause to appear. Only characters possible to include in the player's name are included. Glitch Trainers are in bold.

Pokémon Level
  
AniMS Missingno I.png
'M (00) 0
  
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 80
  
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 127
A Golduck Golduck 128
B Hypno Hypno 129
C Golbat Golbat 130
D Mewtwo Mewtwo 131
E Snorlax Snorlax 132
F Magikarp Magikarp 133
G
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 134
H
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 135
I Muk Muk 136
J
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 137
K Kingler Kingler 138
L Cloyster Cloyster 139
M
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 140
N Electrode Electrode 141
O Clefable Clefable 142
P Weezing Weezing 143
Q Persian Persian 144
R Marowak Marowak 145
S
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 146
T Haunter Haunter 147
U Abra Abra 148
V Alakazam Alakazam 149
W Pidgeotto Pidgeotto 150
X Pidgeot Pidgeot 151
Y Starmie Starmie 152
Z Bulbasaur Bulbasaur 153
( Venusaur Venusaur 154
) Tentacruel Tentacruel 155
:
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 156
; Goldeen Goldeen 157
[ Seaking Seaking 158
]
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 159
a
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 160
b
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 161
c
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 162
d Ponyta Ponyta 163
e Rapidash Rapidash 164
f Rattata Rattata 165
g Raticate Raticate 166
h Nidorino Nidorino 167
i Nidorina Nidorina 168
j Geodude Geodude 169
k Porygon Porygon 170
l Aerodactyl Aerodactyl 171
m
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 172
n Magnemite Magnemite 173
o
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 174
p
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 175
q Charmander Charmander 176
r Squirtle Squirtle 177
s Charmeleon Charmeleon 178
t Wartortle Wartortle 179
u Charizard Charizard 180
v
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. 181
w
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. (Kabutops Fossil form) 182
x
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. (Aerodactyl Fossil form) 183
y
AniMS Missingno I.png
Missingno. (Ghost form) 184
z Oddish Oddish 185
PK Rival Blue 225
MN Pokémon Prof. 226
Chief 227
? Rocket 230
! Cooltrainer♂ 231
Blaine 239
× Gentleman 241
. Rival Blue 242
/ Champion Blue 243
, Lorelei 244
Channeler 245

Preset names

Choosing a preset name will result in different results to inputting a custom name. Inputting a custom name which is the same as a preset name will not cause the glitch to behave as if a preset name was chosen.

Preset names function differently because they are stored one after the other in the game data, separated by the end of name marker, whereas custom names are succeeded by zeros after the end of name marker. In English Pokémon Red, the player's name is stored as "RED<end>ASH<end>JACK<end>NEW NAME", starting from the selected name; in English Pokémon Blue, the player's name is stored as "BLUE<end>GARY<end>JOHN<end>NEW NAME", likewise starting from the selected name.

Due to the names extending past the usual seven character limit, the ninth and eleventh characters are also used to determine the wild Pokémon, and their levels are determined by the eighth and tenth characters, respectively. These characters are usually null, so cause 'M (00) to appear, and Pokémon to at level 0, respectively. Because of this, unlike when inputting a custom name, 'M (00) do not appear when using a preset name. Characters after the eleventh are ignored.

Results

The numbers in parentheses are the index number of the specific Missingno. in hexadecimal.

Pokémon Red

Name Level 1 Pokémon 1 Level 2 Pokémon 2 Level 3 Pokémon 3 Level 4 Pokémon 4 Level 5 Pokémon 5
RED 132 Mewtwo 80 Golduck 146 Missingno. (87) 80 Missingno. (89) 128 Golbat
ASH 146 Missingno. (87) 80 Missingno. (89) 128 Golbat 138 Missingno. (50) 141 Snorlax
JACK 128 Golbat 138 Missingno. (50) 141 Snorlax 150 Missingno. (7F) 141 Golduck

Pokémon Blue

Name Level 1 Pokémon 1 Level 2 Pokémon 2 Level 3 Pokémon 3 Level 4 Pokémon 4 Level 5 Pokémon 5
BLUE 139 Abra 132 Missingno. (50) 134 Golduck 145 Starmie 80 Missingno. (87)
GARY 128 Marowak 152 Missingno. (50) 137 Clefable 135 Electrode 80 Electrode
JOHN 142 Missingno. (87) 141 Missingno. (50) 141 Snorlax 150 Missingno. (7F) 141 Golduck

Cause

When the game sets up the battle between the old man and a wild Weedle, it needs to temporarily change the player's name to "OLD MAN" so that it will display that name, rather than the player's entered name, during the battle.

The programmers decided to use the space where data for wild Pokémon found in the grass is stored (which is completely blank in Viridian City, as only Surfing and Fishing data is used) to save the player's name temporarily. Normally, this would cause no abnormal activity, as this data is overwritten when the player moves to a different area.

In all cities, however, this data remains blank, and so the data is never overwritten (as there is nothing new to overwrite it with), and thus, the data that was last entered (be it the player's name or the wild Pokémon data from another area) remains in place. This itself still causes no harm; however, an oversight in the programming of the tiles used to denote the shore of Cinnabar Island marks them as equivalent to grass. As all water routes have no real grass on them, likewise, the data is not overwritten, and so whatever data is in the slots for wild Pokémon found in the grass is used, be it the player's name or wild Pokémon found elsewhere, such as the Safari Zone.

The name of the player has six hexadecimal values in it. The game needs only three "slots" of wild Pokémon data to store this.

The species of wild Pokémon the player encounters along the coast are determined by the third, fifth, and seventh characters of the player's name, while their levels are determined by the second, fourth, and sixth characters, respectively. The game also reads the ninth and eleventh slots as wild Pokémon and the eighth and tenth slots as their respective levels; however, due to the seven character name limit, these slots are not used unless using a preset name, so are blank (00), causing 'M (00) to appear at level 0.

Other coast related exploits

A Golbat affected by the glitch in Pokémon Stadium

Due to the fact that Cinnabar Island has no wild Pokémon data but the potential for wild Pokémon to appear, and that wild Pokémon data is not formatted when entering a new area, any location that can be flown from can have its wild Pokémon available on the coast. This includes the Safari Zone, so players can encounter Safari Pokémon under normal battling circumstances.

Due to being able to find Pokémon over level 100, it is possible to trigger glitches relating to Pokémon with levels that are too high. If Pokémon over level 100 receives experience by battle, it will automatically go to level 100; Rare Candies will level up the Pokémon normally. If the Pokémon's remaining HP is already low, dropping to level 100 can cause the HP to drop to negative number, but it will be interpreted as a very high number, similarly to the Pomeg glitch. In Pokémon Stadium, HP is shown as the actual amount; in Pokémon Stadium 2, it will act as if its HP was full.

Trading or fighting in the Cable Club overwrites the wild Pokemon data with the opponent's name. The Cable Club escape glitch can then be used to Fly to Cinnabar.

Trivia

  • Although less practical, players can make a trade and then surf on a coast to find the same Pokémon that they would have found otherwise via the old man glitch. This is because name data is stored in the RAM and recalled after performing a trade.


Multiple
generations
Transform glitchesGlitch TrainersCloning glitchesError messagesArbitrary code execution
Generation I GlitchesBattle glitchesOverworld glitches
--0 ERRORBroken hidden itemsCable Club escape glitchDual-type damage misinformation
Experience underflow glitchFight Safari Zone Pokémon trickGlitch CityItem duplication glitchItem underflow
Mew glitchOld man glitchPewter Gym skip glitchPokémon merge glitchRhydon glitchRival twins glitch
Select glitches (dokokashira door glitch, second type glitch) • Super Glitch
Time Capsule exploitWalking through wallsZZAZZ glitch
Generation II GlitchesBattle glitches
Bug-Catching Contest glitchCelebi Egg glitchCoin Case glitchesExperience underflow glitch
Glitch dimensionGlitch EggTeru-samaTime Capsule exploitTrainer House glitchesGS Ball mail glitch
Generation III GlitchesBattle glitches
Berry glitchDive glitchPomeg glitchGlitzer Popping
Generation IV GlitchesBattle glitchesOverworld glitches
Acid rainGTS glitchesPomeg glitchRage glitch
Surf glitchTweakingPal Park Retire glitch
Generation V GlitchesBattle glitchesOverworld glitches
Charge Beam additional effect chance glitchCharge move replacement glitchChoice item lock glitch
Frozen Zoroark glitchSky Drop glitch
Generation VI GlitchesBattle glitchesOverworld glitches
Charge Beam additional effect chance glitchCharge move replacement glitchChoice item lock glitch
Lumiose City save glitchSymbiosis Eject Button glitchToxic sure-hit glitch
Generation VII GlitchesBattle glitches
Charge Beam additional effect chance glitchCharge move replacement glitchChoice item lock glitch
Toxic sure-hit glitchRollout storage glitch
Generation VIII Glitches
Charge Beam additional effect chance glitchCharge move replacement glitchChoice item lock glitch
Toxic sure-hit glitchRollout storage glitchParty item offset glitch
Generation IX Glitches
Glitch effects Game freezeGlitch battleGlitch song
Gen I only: Glitch screenTMTRAINER effectInverted sprites
Gen II only: Glitch dimension
Lists Glitches (GOMystery DungeonTCG GBSpin-off)
Glitch Pokémon (Gen IGen IIGen IIIGen IVGen VGen VIGen VIIGen VIII)
Glitch moves (Gen I) • Glitch types (Gen IGen II)


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