Super Smash Bros. Melee has been 100% decompiled!
Link to decompilation: https://github.com/doldecomp/melee
FAQ:
What is decompilation?
Decompilation (or decomp) means we have reconstructed an approximation of the original source code of the game. Nintendo shipped the assembly instructions that the CPU runs, and using their compiler, we wrote functions that reproduce the exact same asm. Currently, the only requirement is that a function reproduces the same asm with the same compiler - this means that there are tons of "fakematches" that are unreadable and will not work the same when ported or compiled using a different compiler.
How did this happen so fast?
The vast majority of decompilation was done by LLMs. There will never be a human-written alternative decompilation.
What happens next?
Not much changes for a bit. Even at 100%, the decomp is pretty unusable in it's current state. The decomp needs tons of tons of cleanup before anything big can be done with it. We need to fix portability bugs before it can be compiled for other platforms. We need symbol naming before modding can be done. We need a shim to use the data files on other platforms. This takes time and effort.
What changes for the layman?
Nothing for quite a while. There might be some fun mods popping up here and there - they will not be slippi-compatible. Once the decomp is portable to other platforms, a PC port will be made. After that, the PC port will support slippi netplay. After that, slippi-compatible mods will start popping up.
Will there be a PC port?
Yes, but not for a while. There are many bugs and issues that only arise when compiling to other platforms. Fixing those will be a complex task. Don't think that a slippi-compatible PC port is coming in a few weeks. Not to mention, the decomp team is not the PC port team.
What would a PC port change?
We can avoid using the dolphin emulator to run the game. This improves performance and decreases input latency. A modloader could be built into it, making modders' and users' lives easier.
Will tournaments run on PC using decomp?
It might happen at some locals eventually. It's unlikely at large tournaments, considering how heavily Nintendo is involved.
What about mods?
Creating new ISOs with light modding can be done basically immediately, but it won't be anything revolutionary. Only when symbols have been named and the codebase is generally easier to work with will larger mods be made. Eventually, there will be a mod loader that will make mods easier to use and make, but this far away. **Mods made using decomp WILL NOT be slippi-compatible!**
Will we be able to get away from Nintendo by replacing assets?
No. While we could replace models without affecting gameplay, animations and character attributes are fundamental and are stored in the games files. We cannot replace those without it being a different game. The decomp does not help with our Nintendo problem.
Will projects using decomp get shut down by Nintendo?
Maybe, but it seems unlikely. Mario 64 has a large decomp community, and so far Nintendo seems ok with them.
Will training tools get better?
Not really. Thanks to the hard work of UnclePunch and Ploaj, We've been able to program training tools and other mods in C for years now. Decomp won't change much for slippi and other tools at all.
Will texture and model modding explode?
No. Decomp doesn't change the process of making model and texture mods.
Will melee run at a higher refresh rate?
Probably not. This would fundamentally change the game.
What will change about netplay?
Nothing until a PC port. A PC port will likely be first made without slippi compatibility. Then we will likely add slippi-compatability as a mod. That interface may be exactly the same interface as base slippi, or something different like Preflight. Assuming Fizzi gives his consent, we would use slippi's servers with a bespoke frontend.
Have we learned new information about bugs and tech?
Not really. Very smart people have already long understood the mechanics and bugs by reading the assembly.
TLDR: Please refrain from confident speculation about is possible using decomp. This won't cause everything to immediately be better in every way. Mods are still work to make. Mods will have incompatibilities with each other. A PC port will not come in a month. Texture and model mods will not change much. Slippi will not change much. Training tools will not change much. Nintendo is still on our ass at tournaments.
Big thank you to the contributors! Biggest contributors: claude and codex, ribbanya, PsiLupan, MarkMcCaskey, r-burns, RevoSucks, jurrejelle, snuffysasa, fjooord, BR-, encounter, itsgrimetime, lukechampine, snuffysasa, jellejurre, VetriTheRetri, sadkellz, camthesaxman, and many more.