Old man glitch: Difference between revisions

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==Cause==
==Cause==
The 1-square-wide strip of water on the right side of Cinnabar and Seafoam Islands was programmed to be a place where wild Pokémon can appear, but Gamefreak did not define what Pokémon can appear there. When the {{ka|Old man}} demonstrates catching the {{p|Weedle}}, "Your Name" is changed to "Old Man". To do this, it overwrites the variables you gave to "Your Name". Therefore, the game must store the variables that make up your name in another place, so it can recall them later. The game stores your name in the slots that define which wild Pokémon appear. Usually, whenever the player enters a new area, the slots will be rewritten. However, if there are no wild Pokémon in the new area entered, the slots are not rewritten. So if the player flies to [[Cinnabar Island]], where there are no wild Pokémon, then the data is not rewritten. Because the coast contains the code to enable wild Pokémon to appear, the game encounters a Pokémon by misreading the players name as wild Pokémon data. The odd characters are read as levels and the even characters are read as wild Pokémon. It can read up to 7 characters. The Pokémon 'M appears with any name as it reads the byte before the players name, which is always zero. The first byte is the level of [['M]]. The second byte is the next wild Pokémon, then the next its level, etc.
The 1-square-wide strip of water on the right side of Cinnabar and Seafoam Islands was programmed to be a place where wild Pokémon can appear, but Gamefreak did not define what Pokémon can appear there. When the {{ka|Old man}} demonstrates catching the {{p|Weedle}}, "Your Name" is changed to "Old Man". To do this, it overwrites the variables the player gave to "Your Name". Therefore, the game must store the variables that make up your name in another place, so it can recall them later. The game stores your name in the slots that define which wild Pokémon appear. Usually, whenever the player enters a new area, the slots will be rewritten. However, if there are no wild Pokémon in the new area entered, the slots are not rewritten. So if the player flies to [[Cinnabar Island]], where there are no wild Pokémon, then the data is not rewritten. Because the coast contains the code to enable wild Pokémon to appear, the game encounters a Pokémon by misreading the players name as wild Pokémon data. The odd characters are read as levels and the even characters are read as wild Pokémon. It can read up to 7 characters. The Pokémon 'M appears with any name as it reads the byte before the players name, which is always zero. The first byte is the level of [['M]]. The second byte is the next wild Pokémon, then the next its level, etc.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 02:14, 28 April 2010

The Old man glitch (not to be confused with the Item duplication glitch) is an infamous glitch in Pokémon Red and Blue. It is one of the ways in which a Trainer can encounter Missingno. and 'M. Its name comes from the old man in Viridian City, whom is required to complete the glitch.

Through the development of Pokémon Yellow, which occurred in the two years following the release of Pokémon Red and Green in Japan, the Old man glitch was disabled by blanking the data for wild Pokémon before overwriting it, and reprogramming shore tiles to act as water tiles. However, even before Yellow, this glitch was fixed in some European versions of Red and Blue, such as the Spanish and Italian versions, but still remains in other European versions, such as the German version.

Performing the glitch

Talk to the Old man located north of Viridian City. Allow him to demonstrate how to catch a Pokémon. Once he is finished, immediately use Fly to travel to Cinnabar Island and then walk up to the east coast. Surf up and down along the east coast of the island where the water is touching the land. Do not to leave the coast. Wild Pokémon appear, based on the player's name.

Chart[1][2]

Only characters possible to include in the player's name are included.

Character Pokémon Level
(end of name marker) Missingno. 80
Primeape 117
(space) Pinsir 127
A Golduck 128
B Hypno 129
C Golbat 130
D Mewtwo 131
E Snorlax 132
F Magikarp 133
G Missingno. 134
H Missingno. 135
I Muk 136
J Missingno. 137
K Kingler 138
L Cloyster 139
M Missingno. 140
N Electrode 141
O Clefable 142
P Weezing 143
Q Persian 144
R Marowak 145
S Missingno. 146
T Haunter 147
U Abra 148
V Alakazam 149
W Pidgeotto 150
X Pidgeot 151
Y Starmie 152
Z Bulbasaur 153
( Venusaur 154
) Tentacruel 155
: MissingNo. 156
; Goldeen 157
[ Seaking 158
] Missingno. 159
a Missingno. 160
b Missingno. 161
c Missingno. 162
d Ponyta 163
e Rapidash 164
f Rattata 165
g Raticate 166
h Nidorino 167
i Nidorina 168
j Geodude 169
k Porygon 170
l Aerodactyl 171
m Missingno. 172
n Magnemite 173
o Missingno. 174
p Missingno. 175
q Charmander 176
r Squirtle 177
s Charmeleon 178
t Wartortle 179
u Charizard 180
v Missingno. 181
w Missingno. (Kabutops fossil form) 182
x Missingno. (Aerodactyl fossil form) 183
y Missingno. (Ghost form) 184
z Oddish 185
' Black Belt 224
PK Blue 225
MN Pokémon Prof. 226
Chief 227
Blaine 239
. Blue 242
/ Blue 243
, Lorelei 244
Channeler 245
0 Agatha 246
1 Lance 247
2 248
3 249
4 250
5 251
6 252
7 253
8 254
9 255

Cause

The 1-square-wide strip of water on the right side of Cinnabar and Seafoam Islands was programmed to be a place where wild Pokémon can appear, but Gamefreak did not define what Pokémon can appear there. When the Old man demonstrates catching the Weedle, "Your Name" is changed to "Old Man". To do this, it overwrites the variables the player gave to "Your Name". Therefore, the game must store the variables that make up your name in another place, so it can recall them later. The game stores your name in the slots that define which wild Pokémon appear. Usually, whenever the player enters a new area, the slots will be rewritten. However, if there are no wild Pokémon in the new area entered, the slots are not rewritten. So if the player flies to Cinnabar Island, where there are no wild Pokémon, then the data is not rewritten. Because the coast contains the code to enable wild Pokémon to appear, the game encounters a Pokémon by misreading the players name as wild Pokémon data. The odd characters are read as levels and the even characters are read as wild Pokémon. It can read up to 7 characters. The Pokémon 'M appears with any name as it reads the byte before the players name, which is always zero. The first byte is the level of 'M. The second byte is the next wild Pokémon, then the next its level, etc.

References

  1. http://www.trsrockin.com/missingno4.html MissingNo Mystery Solved? (retrieved February 18, 2010)
  2. http://glitchcity.info/biglist.htm Glitch City Laboratories


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 glitchesOverworld 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 sprite
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)
Project GlitchDex logo.png This article is part of Project GlitchDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on glitches in the Pokémon games.