Nightmare Circus/Tweaker

Back to: Nightmare Circus.

The Tweaker is Nightmare Circus' user-accessible debug mode, allowing players precise control over everything from hitboxes, gravity, timing, and nearly every single gameplay variable used in the Mega Drive game's object oriented-like programming. Referred to by the game’s manual and advertising as U PROGRAM technology, and in-game as the Tweaker, the menu is extensively developed and properly labelled, and unlike the majority of debug modes was actually intended for use by players. The manual even details the menu’s control scheme and additionally offers potential ideas for players to alter gameplay, stating “the possibilities are nearly endless.”

Usage

The Tweaker can be unlocked either by completing the main game or by a button combination; if this is done via the latter method, it will not be recognized as being "fully-cleared". Once unlocked, entering a second password expands the Tweaker menu with a level select. Now, accessing the menu while paused during gameplay will display a new list of variables specific to that stage, meaning enemies and obstacles can have their variables adjusted at any time during gameplay itself. The Tweaker is only usable with a Six Button Control Pad.

With the game's rushed development cycle and relatively-shallow gameplay, the Tweaker and its abilities are seen as a means to extend Nightmare Circus' replay value by allowing players to creatively experiment with the gameplay structure. In a sense, it allowed players to create rudimentary "rom hacks" with nothing more than their controller; turning up the difficulty, pouring on the enemies, or granting everything a ridiculous palette.

Variables

Name	Minimum value	Maximum value	Default value	Description
1-on-1 Combat C-PSI				The amount of C-PSI available during 1 on 1 Combat.
1-on-1 Combat I-PSI				The amount of I-PSI available during 1 on 1 Combat.
Acceleration	0	100000	A000	The amount of movement control players have while airborne.
Acceleration due to Gravity
Air Friction	0	100000	6000	Effectively the amount of player inertia. The smaller the value, the faster players move while airborne.
Air Speed ​​Limit	8000	100000	40000	The amount of speed players can build up while airborne.
Ambush Radius
Animation I-PSI Usage Rate	0	100	A	The I-PSI consumption rate when using the special ability Animate.
Back-Recovery Speed	0	100000	1E000	The distance players roll across the ground after experiencing a hard knockback.
Bodysnatching I-PSI Usage Rate	0	100	14	The I-PSI consumption rate when using the special ability Bodysnatch.
Burning Duration	6	12C	24	The time which players continue to take damage after entering fire.
Boss Dematerialization Duration
C-PSI				The amount of C-PSI available during normal gameplay.
Climb Chimney Speed	1000	80000	10000	The speed which players can chimney climb up the walls of the stage Maggot-Men Act.
Co-op Move Height Radius	28	40	30	The range of vertical distance between co-op players which allows the use of a co-op exclusive ability.
Co-op Move Height Range	8	30	20	The vertical distance between co-op players which allows the use of a co-op exclusive ability.
Co-op Move Width Radius	20	40	24	The range of horizontal distance between co-op players which allows the use of a co-op exclusive ability.
Co-op Move Width Range	1	20	10	The horizontal distance between co-op players which allows the use of a co-op exclusive ability.
Damage Factor				Factored with Power to increase damage dealt.
Dazed Duration	1	100	6	The duration of being stunned. The higher the value, the shorter the stun duration.
Dazed Threshold	1	3F	17	The threshold at which attacks will stun players. The larger the value, the less attacks will achieve stuns.
Draw-Back Speed	0	7FC000	200000	The distance which players are knocked backwards when being dealt a strong attack. The higher the value, the farther players will travel.
Draw-Back Threshold	0	3F	2	The threshold at which attacks will knock back players. The larger the value, the less attacks will achieve knockbacks.
Fall-Back Speed	0	7FC000	240000	The distance which players are knocked backwards when being dealt a strong attack while airborne. The higher the value, the farther players will travel.
Fall-Back Threshold	0	3F	A	The threshold at which attacks will knock back players while airborne. The larger the value, the less attacks will achieve knockbacks.
Friction
Gravity Change
Hand-Walk Speed	1000	80000	14000	The speed which players carry themselves across obstacles with their hands, like traversing ropes.
Hard Landing Tolerance	0	400000	6A000	The duration which players are unable to move or attack after landing from a hard fall. The higher the value, the shorter the duration.
I-PSI				The amount of I-PSI available during normal gameplay.
I-PSI Usage Limit
Impact Factor				The general amount of knockback distance and stun duration in attacks.
Incarnation C-PSI Limit
Incarnation Rate				The speed which players and enemies recover health through the ability Incarnate.
Initial Run Speed	10000	100000	40000	The speed at which players begin running.
Jester I-PSI Loan Amount
Jester Loan I-PSI Threshold
Jump Up Y-Speed	22000	F4000	52000	The height which players and enemies can jump.
Jump X-Speed	8000	80000	30000
Jump Y-Speed	22000	F0000	48000	The height which players and enemies can jump while performing a Back Flip.
Ladder Climbing Speed	40000	200000	C0000	The speed which players climb ladders.
Landing Control Loss Threshold	10000	200000	86000	The threshold at which players will not stumble if they do not hold or after landing. The smaller the value, the easier it is to stumble.
Landing Run Threshold	10000	100000	41000	The threshold at which players will begin running if they hold or after landing. The smaller the value, the easier it is to run after landing.
Landing Topple Tolerance	1000	400000	90000	The threshold at which players will stumble after landing from a great fall, where there is a large height difference between the two platforms. The smaller the value, the greater the height difference will increase the likelihood of stumbling.
Maximum Run Speed	10000	100000	90000	The maximum speed you can reach after you start running.
Music Tempo Change
Perching Control Loss	0	400000	78000	The threshold which players fall when standing on the edge of platforms. The smaller the value, the easier it is to fall.
Pivot Control Loss X-Speed	0	400000	F0000
Pivot Control Loss Y-Speed	0	200000	F0000
Pole Climbing Speed	20000	200000	140000	The speed which players climb poles.
Power				Factored with Damage Factor to increase damage dealt.
Prone Delay	0	3FF0	30	The duration in which characters cannot move or attack after taking damage. The larger the value, the longer the duration.
Push Speed	1000	10000	10000	The speed at which players push forward the blockade in the stage Work Yard. A value less than 8000 renders the cart immobile.
Random Travel Duration	0	50	AA	The distance which the computer will randomly navigate characters away from active players. The higher the value, the farther the computer tends to keep characters away.
Run Acceleration	0	2000	1000	The amount which players accelerate to maximum run speed while running. The higher the value, the faster players reach maximum speed.
Slide Friction	1000	100000	14000	The amount of friction players experience when being knocked across the floor. The higher the value, the lower the slide distance.
Slide Friction Damage Factor	0	3F	1	The amount of damage players take when being knocked across the floor.
Speed
Speed Limit
Topple-Back Speed	20000	100000	5A000	The distance players are knocked forward when attacked from behind.
Topple-Back Threshold	0	3F	4	The threshold which players are knocked back when attacked from behind.
Travel Speed	4000	A0000	3D000	The speed at which players walk. Values under 8000 render players immobile, and values under 7000 reverse walk direction entirely.
Travel Backwards Speed ​​(2000-28000-70000)	2000	70000	28000
Wall Impact Tolerance	4000	100000	60000
Wall of Death X-Speed	4000	80000	10000	The speed players move horizontally when navigating the Wall of Death.
Wall of Death Y-Speed	4000	80000	10000	The speed players move vertically when navigating the Wall of Death.
Weakness C-PSI Threshold				C-PSI value below which characters enter frenzy mode.
Weakness I-PSI Threshold				I-PSI value below which characters enter frenzy mode.