*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\n+ +
\n* The Definitive Guide to ROM Hacking for Complete Beginners *
\n+ +
\n* v1.00 *
\n+ +
\n* by InVerse *
\n+ +
\n* 02\/28\/03 *
\n+ +
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
Introduction:<\/p>\n
The purpose of this guide is to supply neophytes to the ROM hacking
\nrealm with pointers to find the information they desire. This guide
\nwill NOT teach you how to ROM hack, it will show you where to find
\ninformation on ROM hacking, how to get started and what mistakes to
\navoid.<\/p>\n
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Table of Contents:<\/p>\n
I. Introduction
\nII. Table of Contents
\nIII. Document History
\nIV. Index
\nV. Section One – The Basics
\nVI. Section Two – Getting Started
\nVII. Section Three – Editing Graphics
\nVIII. Section Four – Editing Text
\nIX. Section Five – Editing Other Things
\nX. Section Six – Translating
\nXI. Section Seven – Advanced ROM Hacking
\nXII. Section Eight – Assembly
\nXIII. Section Nine – Miscellaneous
\nXIV. Section Ten – Tools
\nXV. Section Eleven – Etiquette
\nXVI Section Twelve – The Scene
\nXVII. Resources
\nXVIII. Conclusion
\nXIX. Credits
\nXX. Contact Info<\/p>\n
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Document History:<\/p>\n
02\/28\/03 – v1.00 – Initial Release<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
Section One – The Basics<\/p>\n
0101: What is a ROM?
\n0102: What is ROM hacking?
\n0103: Why do people ROM hack?
\n0104: What type of people ROM hack?
\n0105: What is the most important quality of a ROM hacker?
\n0106: Is ROM hacking legal?<\/p>\n
Section Two – Getting Started<\/p>\n
0201: How do I hack a ROM?
\n0202: What tools do I need?
\n0203: So what do I do first?
\n0204: What’s the most important thing I should know before starting?
\n0205: Why won’t xxxxx program work?
\n0206: What about utilities for Mac OS, Unix, etc?<\/p>\n
Section Three – Editing Graphics<\/p>\n
0301: How do I edit graphics?
\n0302: Why are the graphics all scrambled?
\n0303: Why can’t I find the graphics I want to hack?
\n0304: How do I edit the title screen of a ROM?
\n0305: Why are the colors all wrong?
\n0306: How do I change the color of the graphics?
\n0307: Why don’t my changes show up?<\/p>\n
Section Four – Editing Text<\/p>\n
0401: How do I edit text?
\n0402: What is a table?
\n0403: How do I make a table?
\n0404: What if the text I want to edit is in Japanese?
\n0405: How do I get more space for my text?
\n0406: Why can’t I find the text I want to edit?
\n0407: What is a script?
\n0408: How do I extract\/insert a script?
\n0409: How do I build a custom script dumper?<\/p>\n
Section Five – Editing Other Things<\/p>\n
0501: How do I edit levels?
\n0502: How do I edit statistics?
\n0503: How do I edit items?
\n0504: How do I hack save states?
\n0505: How do I make Game Genie codes permanent?<\/p>\n
Section Six – Translating<\/p>\n
0601: How do I translate Japanese?
\n0602: Can I use an online translator?
\n0603: How can I find a script translator?
\n0604: How can I view Japanese characters on my computer?
\n0605: How can I type in Japanese?
\n0606: What are the different type of Japanese characters?<\/p>\n
Section Seven – Advanced ROM Hacking<\/p>\n
0701: What is an ISO?
\n0702: How do I hack Playstation games?
\n0703: How do I hack games for newer systems?
\n0704: How do I hack PC games?<\/p>\n
Section Eight – Assembly<\/p>\n
0801: What is assembly language?
\n0802: What is assembly hacking?
\n0803: How do I learn assembly language?<\/p>\n
Section Nine – Miscellaneous<\/p>\n
0901: Why are hacks\/translations distributed as IPS patches?
\n0902: What should I pick for my first translation project?
\n0903: Why are there so many unfinished hacks for a certain game?<\/p>\n
Section Ten – Tools<\/p>\n
1001: What graphics hacking tools should I use?
\n1002: What text hacking tools should I use?
\n1003: What emulators are good for hacking?<\/p>\n
Section Eleven – Etiquette<\/p>\n
1101: How can I ask for help without getting flamed?
\n1102: How can I start a ROM hacking group?
\n1103: How can I get someone to translate a particular game?
\n1104: Why shouldn’t I e-mail a ROM to a ROM hacker?<\/p>\n
Section Twelve – The Scene<\/p>\n
1201: What is “The Scene”?
\n1202: Who is a member of “The Scene”?
\n1203: How can I join “The Scene”?
\n1204: What are the benefits of “The Scene”?
\n1205: What are these people talking about?
\n1206: How do I quit the scene?<\/p>\n
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\nSection One – The Basics
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0101: What is a ROM?<\/p>\n
A ROM is a copy of the program from a console cartridge. In other
\nwords, it’s the actual game. ROMs can be run by emulators to allow
\nyou to play console games on your computer.<\/p>\n
0102: What is ROM hacking?<\/p>\n
ROM hacking involves editing a ROM for various purposes. The term
\n‘hacking’ derives from the original computer related definition of
\nthe word which means to explore technology. ROM hacking does not
\ninvolve breaking the ROM’s security so as to deface its web page or
\nsteal its credit card.<\/p>\n
ROM hacking might involve translating the text from one language to
\nanother, editing the graphics, fixing a glitch in the coding of the
\ngame or any other number of possible changes.<\/p>\n
0103: Why do people ROM hack?<\/p>\n
The prominent (and only valid) reason is because they enjoy it. Yes,
\nthey want to see the game they’re hacking playable in English. Yes,
\nsome of them like the attention they get from working on a high level
\nproject. But if you don’t enjoy facing and overcoming the challenges
\ninvolved in ROM hacking, you’re never going to successfully complete
\na project.<\/p>\n
0104: What type of people ROM hack?<\/p>\n
Literally all kinds. I’ve met ROM hackers of every race and from 6 of
\nthe 7 continents. I’ve met ROM hackers who grew up in gangs and ROM
\nhackers who are attending ivy league colleges. In other words, there
\nis no one certain type of person that makes a good ROM hacker. The
\none quality that all good ROM hackers possess is enjoyment of
\nfiguring out how something works and learning new things.<\/p>\n
0105: What is the most important quality of a ROM hacker?<\/p>\n
Above all else, a ROM hacker must be patient. Without patience, you
\nwon’t accomplish much. The work is often tedious and boring, but if
\nyou stick it out, you’ll be highly rewarded.<\/p>\n
0106: Is ROM hacking legal?<\/p>\n
This is a gray area, but for the most part it’s not. ROMs contain
\ncopyrighted material, thus editing it is infringing on the copyright.
\nROM hackers get around this by releasing patches instead of actual
\nedited ROMs. The patches don’t contain any information copyrighted by
\nthe game’s publisher, only a set of changes made by the ROM hacker.<\/p>\n
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\nSection Two – Getting Started
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0201: How do I hack a ROM?<\/p>\n
First, you have to decide what type of hack you want to do. Do you
\nwant to hack the text of a game? Do you want to change the graphics?
\nAre you interested in designing entire new levels? Once you’ve
\ndecided what to do, then you can figure out how to do it.<\/p>\n
0202: What tools do I need?<\/p>\n
This will depend on what you intend to do. In general, you’ll need
\na hex editor & a tile editor. You can do quite well with just these
\ntwo things to start. When your hacking skills improve, you’ll want to
\ninclude thing such as table makers, script dumpers and others. If
\nyour goal is to create new levels, you’ll need a level editor for
\nthe game you’re wanting to hack.<\/p>\n
0203: So what do I do first?<\/p>\n
Play around. Open the ROM up in your hex editor & graphics editor and
\nlook around. Experiment with different things and see what happens.
\nDon’t expect to make some awesome new game on your first attempt,
\nbecause it’s not going to happen.<\/p>\n
0204: What’s the most important thing I should know before starting?<\/p>\n
Always (and I mean ALWAYS) back up your work. You never know when you
\nmight make a mistake that screws up all of your previous work. Keep
\nmultiple copies of your hack because you might screw something up and
\nnot even notice until you’ve changed several other things. And don’t
\njust keep a copy on your hard drive, back up to a floppy disk or CD.
\nIt’s also a good idea to store a copy of your progress somewhere on
\nthe Internet just in case your house burns down or something and you
\nlose your hard drive *and* backups. Many a project has went -poof-
\ndue to some hapless ROM hacker not properly backing up his work.<\/p>\n
0205: Why won’t xxxxx program work?<\/p>\n
Many ROM hacking utilities were written in DOS, which is no longer
\nsupported by Windows XP. If your operating system is XP, that could
\nbe the reason. Some utilities might work under a DOS emulator such as
\nDOS Box but, for the most part, you’ll just have to find another tool
\nto get the job done. There are Win32 programs that can accomplish
\nmost ROM hacking tasks, you’ll just have to adapt to them.<\/p>\n
Alternatively, if you’re getting a strange error. Make sure you’re
\nusing the program according to the readme file. Try redownloading the
\nfile to make sure you didn’t get a corrupt download. Also, some
\nprograms require additional files (extenders for DOS, DLLs for
\nWindows) so make sure you have all of these. Required files will be
\nlisted in the documentation of the utility on most occasions.<\/p>\n
0206: What about utilities for Mac OS, Unix, etc?<\/p>\n
There are very few ROM hacking tools for Mac OS or Unix. By ‘very few’
\nI mean almost none. The only reason for this is that nobody has
\nbothered to write any. There’s nothing about Mac OS or Unix that make
\nit difficult to ROM hack, it’s just that more programmers use Win\/DOS
\nsystems, so nobody wrote tools for anything else. You can try a
\nWindows emulator if you want to ROM hack from a non-Windows OS.<\/p>\n
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\nSection Three – Editing Graphics
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0301: How do I edit graphics?<\/p>\n
You’ll need to use a tile editor for this. (See Section Eleven –
\nTools for recommendations on tile editors.)<\/p>\n
0302: Why are the graphics all scrambled?<\/p>\n
That’s just how the graphics are stored in the ROM. There is no way
\nto put them in order. You’ll have to search and experiment to get
\nthings right. (See 0105)<\/p>\n
0303: Why can’t I find the graphics I want to hack?<\/p>\n
If you’ve searched the ROM and can’t find the graphics you want to
\nhack, chances are they’re compressed. While it’s certainly possible
\nto uncompress graphics, it’s not a simple task and not something a
\nbeginning ROM hacker should attempt. Set that project off to the side
\nand work on something else until you’ve mastered the basic skills.
\nThen you can worry about learning assembly. (See Section Nine)<\/p>\n
0304: How do I edit the title screen of a ROM?<\/p>\n
As long as the title screen isn’t compressed, you edit it exactly
\nlike you would any other graphic, just that it’s bigger. Consult
\n“Title Screen Hacking Made Easy” by InVerse for more on this
\ntopic.<\/p>\n
0305: Why are the colors all wrong?<\/p>\n
Every game uses a different palette and there’s no way for most
\ngraphic editors to know what that palette is. Some utilities will
\nallow you to load a palette from a save state but most of the time,
\nyou’ll simply have to adjust the palette by hand. Remember, though,
\nthese changes aren’t permanent. You have to hack the palette within
\nthe ROM in order to save color changes.<\/p>\n
0306: How do I change the color of the graphics?<\/p>\n
Some emulators and utilities will allow you to modify the palette
\nwithin that program but this isn’t a permanent change. For this, you
\nwill have to do some palette hacking. Try The Palette Hacking Doc by
\nToma for NES palette hacking or SNES Palette Format by Jay.<\/p>\n
0307: Why don’t my changes show up?<\/p>\n
First, make sure you’ve saved the changes in your editor. This may
\nsound obvious, but almost everyone (myself included) has forgotten to
\nclick save at one time or another and then wondered why nothing had
\nchanged.<\/p>\n
Also, if you’re reloading from a save state, keep in mind that some
\nof the information you are hacking may be stored in that save state.
\nThis means you’ll have to do something to flush the memory in order
\nto see your new graphics. In some games, this might be as simple as
\ngoing to an inventory or pause screen. Others might require you to
\nenter another area. Sometimes, you’ll simply have to die and start
\nthat level over again to see your changes.<\/p>\n
Another possibility is that your ROM is set as read only. Check the
\nattributes and make sure read only isn’t selected.<\/p>\n
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\nVIII. Section Four – Editing Text
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0401: How do I edit text?<\/p>\n
You open the ROM in a hex editor, along with the appropriate table,
\nand edit away. (See Section Eleven – Tools for a recommendation of
\nhex editors.)<\/p>\n
0402: What is a table?<\/p>\n
A table is a file that tells a hex editor what font characters
\ncorrespond with what hex values. Tables are only readable by hex
\neditors that are specifically designed for ROM hacking purposes.<\/p>\n
0403: How do I make a table?<\/p>\n
It’s a relatively simple process but still goes beyond the scope of
\nthis FAQ. Consult the document The Definitive Guide to ROM Hacking
\nTables by InVerse or Tables for Dummies by satsu.<\/p>\n
0404: What if the text I want to edit is in Japanese?<\/p>\n
You edit it just like you do English text. You’ll need a table that
\nincludes Japanese characters if you want to see them in the hex
\neditor. For information on translating Japanese, see Section Ten.<\/p>\n
0405: How do I get more space for my text?<\/p>\n
You’ll quickly find out that you can’t simply add more text to a ROM.
\nIn order to make more room for your text, you’ll have to learn to
\nhack pointers. Consult the document The Mad Hacker’s Guide to
\nPointers by The Mad Hacker.<\/p>\n
0406: Why can’t I find the text I want to edit?<\/p>\n
There are 2 possibilities. First, if you can find some but not all of
\nthe text, perhaps the game uses more than one font. This can result
\nin needing more than one table. Consult The Definitive Guide to ROM
\nHacking Tables by InVerse for more information on this.<\/p>\n
Secondly, it’s possible that the ROM you chose has a compressed
\nscript. If this is the case, it will require assembly level hacking
\nto decompress the script. This isn’t something a novice is likely to
\ngrasp, so I recommend putting the project aside until you’ve mastered
\nthe basics of ROM hacking. Then you can try more advanced subjects.
\n(See Section Nine)<\/p>\n
0407: What is a script?<\/p>\n
A script is a file containing all of the text from a game. Rather
\nthan hacking the text directly in a hex editor, you can extract a
\nscript, change the text as you see fit in a word processing program,
\nthen reinsert the script.<\/p>\n
0408: How do I extract\/insert a script?<\/p>\n
If your ROM’s script uses a consistent format, you can use one of the
\nprebuilt script dumpers. If there are any strange features in your
\nROM’s script, you might have to build a custom script dumper. (See
\nSection Eleven – Tools.)<\/p>\n
0409: How do I build a custom script dumper?<\/p>\n
This will require knowledge of C, Visual Basic or some other
\nprogramming language and involves more than just ROM hacking.<\/p>\n
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\nIX. Section Five – Editing Other Things
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0501: How do I edit levels?<\/p>\n
Some popular (and a few unpopular) games have utilities specifically
\nbuilt to edit the levels, so first check for one of those. If the
\ngame you want to edit doesn’t have a level editor already, you’ll
\nhave to figure out the level format yourself by corrupting the ROM.
\nConsult Basic ROM Corruption by InVerse for more details.<\/p>\n
0502: How do I edit statistics?<\/p>\n
As with levels, a few popular games have utilities specifically for
\nthis purpose. If the game doesn’t have such a tool, you’ll have to
\nsearch for the location of the statistics via ROM corruption. Consult
\nBasic ROM Corruption by InVerse for more details.<\/p>\n
0503: How do I edit items?<\/p>\n
If you’re wanting to edit the statistics of items, see 0502. If
\nyou’re wanting to edit what items your character currently has in a
\ngame, see 0504.<\/p>\n
0504: How do I hack save states?<\/p>\n
Save state editing is a bit more precise than other types of editing.
\nConsult Hacking RPG Inventories by The Spook for more details.<\/p>\n
0505: How do I make Game Genie codes permanent?<\/p>\n
This involves hex editing the ROM. Consult Game Genie Doc by SnowBro
\nfor more details.<\/p>\n
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\nX. Section Six – Translating
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0601: How do I translate Japanese?<\/p>\n
You aren’t going to learn Japanese from a tutorial. If you are
\ninterested in learning the language, consult section XVIII References
\nfor a list of sites that provide educational information concerning
\nthe Japanese language. If you’re just interested in getting the
\nJapanese in your project translated, you might be best served by
\nlocating a Japanese speaker willing to translate for you.<\/p>\n
0602: Can I use an online translator?<\/p>\n
You could, but your script would likely come out horribly mangled.
\nOnline translators are far from accurate. For example, using the most
\npopular online translator, BabelFish, the sentence “Let’s go in the
\nroom.” translates to “That with everyone you will try going in the
\nroom.” Now if it does such a bad job with a simple sentence, imagine
\nhow badly it will mangle an entire script. Online translators are
\nfine when you want to translate individual item names or the
\noccasional short sentence but relying on them to translate a game
\nscript for you is pointless.<\/p>\n
0603: How can I find a script translator?<\/p>\n
Your best bet is to post on ROM hacking related messageboards asking
\nfor a translator. Don’t just say “I want to hack such and such game
\nand need a translator.” though, because you’re unlikely to receive
\nmuch help. You need to show evidence that you’re capable of handling
\nthe project. Do some initial hacking to show that you know what
\nyou’re doing. Change some dialogue text and show off your work with
\nscreen shots. The text you hack in doesn’t need to be correct, it
\njust needs to show that you’re capable of hacking the ROM. Also, it
\nhelps to have your script dumped (see 0408) so you can inform a
\nprospective translator of just how much text needs to be translated.<\/p>\n
0604: How can I view Japanese characters on my computer?<\/p>\n
Some programs have built in support. For example, in Internet
\nExplorer, there is a Japanese (Auto-Select) option under Encoding
\nin the View menu. Other programs will require you to install a
\nJapanese font. There are also programs you can run that will allow
\nyou to view Japanese in just about any program. (See Section 10 –
\nTools for more information.)<\/p>\n
0605: How can I type in Japanese?<\/p>\n
In Windows XP or 2000, you can enable the native IME by going to
\nControl Panel and selecting Regional and Language Options. Click Add
\nand select Japanese as the Input Language. This will add Japanese as
\nan installed service. You can then set the Language Bar and Key
\nSettings button to allow you to type in Japanese.<\/p>\n
If you’re using Windows 95 or 98, you can download a Global Input
\nMethod Editor from Microsoft’s website (http:\/\/www.microsoft.com).<\/p>\n
Macintosh users can select Japanese from the keyboard menu. There
\nare IME’s for Unix as well. Your best bet is to check the website
\nfor your particular flavor to find the best method to accomplish
\nthis.<\/p>\n
Another option is to download a Japanese word processing program.
\n(See Section 10 – Tools for more information.)<\/p>\n
0606: What are the different types of Japanese characters?<\/p>\n
There are four basic types of Japanese characters that you’ll have to
\ndeal with while ROM hacking. The most prevalent are hiragana and
\nkatakana, collectively referred to as kana. Kana is the written
\nversion of the Japanese spoken language. In other words, much like
\nRomanic alphabets, each kana has a specific sound that it makes.
\nHiragana characters generally correspond to native Japanese words.
\nKatakana are usually used to write non-native words and names. For
\neach sound in the Japanese “alphabet”, there is a corresponding
\nhiragana and katakana character.<\/p>\n
Next up is kanji. Kanji are the big, complicated characters that most
\npeople associate with Japanese (though kanji is used in Chinese and
\nKorean as well.) Each kanji represents a specific word or idea. There
\nare several thousand kanji. Finally, there is romaji which is when
\nJapanese words are written using Romanic characters. You’ll probably
\nnever actually encounter romaji in a game, but if you spend any time
\non ROM hacking messageboards or chat rooms, you’ll likely encounter
\nit.<\/p>\n
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\nXI. Section Seven – Advanced ROM Hacking
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0701: What is an ISO?<\/p>\n
An ISO is an image taken from a CD, much as a ROM is an image taken
\nfrom a cartridge. Referring to an ISO as a “Playstation ROM” will
\nlikely get you ridiculed.<\/p>\n
0702: How do I hack Playstation games?<\/p>\n
There have been a few complete Playstation translations, so interest
\nin hacking for PSX is on the rise. Since you’re dealing with a CD
\ninstead of a ROM, some things will obviously be different. The basics
\nare still the same, though. You’ll still be hex editing the text,
\nusing relative searching to locate it, etc. Consult “The PlayStation
\nTranslation Doc” by Cless for more information.<\/p>\n
0703: How do I hack games for newer systems?<\/p>\n
There have been translation projects involving Saturn, Dreamcast and
\nPS2 games, among others. As of this writing, no complete translations
\nhave been released for any of these systems, however. Once again, the
\nbasics are going to be the same but you’ll just have to experiment on
\nyour own to figure out anything special regarding a certain system.<\/p>\n
0704: How do I hack PC games?<\/p>\n
Once again, the basics of ROM hacking apply to PC games. Search the
\nweb and you’ll likely find some tutorials regarding hacking PC games.<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXII. Section Eight – Assembly
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0801: What is assembly language?<\/p>\n
No matter what language a game was originally written in, when it is
\ncompiled, it’s converted to machine language. Using a disassembler,
\nyou can convert a ROM into assembly language. Each processor type
\nhas its own flavor of assembly, hence NES, SNES, etc will use
\ndifferent types of assembly.<\/p>\n
0802: What is assembly hacking?<\/p>\n
Assembly hacking is when you hack a ROM by disassembling it and
\nrewriting portions of the assembly code. This will give you much
\ngreater control over the changes, since you’ll be able to see
\nexactly what is happening within the game.<\/p>\n
0803: How do I learn assembly language?<\/p>\n
You’re not going to learn Assembly language from a single tutorial
\nlike you will with most ROM hacking techniques. You’ll have to read
\nwhat documents exist and then start breaking a ROM in order to really
\nlearn Assembly. Try “6502 Microprocessor” (commonly named 6502.txt)
\nor “A 65816 Primer” by Brett Tabke. Once you learn one assembly
\nlanguage, it will generally be easier to learn others. The basic
\nprinciples are the same, the implementation just differs.<\/p>\n
0804: What assembly language do various consoles use?<\/p>\n
Nintendo Sega
\n——– —-
\nNES………….6502 Master System……..z80
\nSNES………..65816 Genesis…………68000
\nN64………….MIPS Saturn……………SH2
\nGamecube……..MIPS Dreamcast…………SH4
\nGameboy……….z80 GameGear………….z80
\nGBA………ARM7TDMI<\/p>\n
Other Sony
\n—– —-
\nMSX…………..z80 PSX……………..MIPS
\nX-Box…………x86 PS2……………..MIPS
\nTG16…………6280
\nNGPC……….93c141<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXIII. Section Nine – Miscellaneous
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
0901: Why are hacks\/translations distributed as IPS patches?<\/p>\n
As was previously mentioned, ROMs are copyrighted files and it is
\nillegal to distribute them. It’s also illegal to modify them. If a
\nROM hacker were to distribute hacked ROMs, they would be in danger of
\nhaving their website shut down. An IPS patch doesn’t contain any
\ncopyrighted data from the ROM, it simply contains a list of changes
\nthat need to be applied to an unhacked ROM in order to convert it to
\nyour hack. IPS files are also much smaller than ROMs, so it saves on
\nbandwidth to distribute IPS patches. Not to mention, most sites that
\ncarry translations refuse to post hacked ROMs, so if you want the
\nword to get out about your work, you’ll need to distribute it in IPS
\nform.<\/p>\n
0902: What should I pick for my first translation project?<\/p>\n
Well, the obvious answer is “something easy”. It’s usually easiest
\nto start with an NES or Gameboy action or puzzle game. There’s also
\nnothing wrong with doing a text hack of a game already in English
\njust to get the experience of various techniques without having to
\ncomplicate things by dealing with a language you don’t understand.
\nIt’s really not a good idea to choose a big RPG as your initial
\nproject, though. Get some experience first, then move on to bigger
\nand better things.<\/p>\n
0903: Why are there so many unfinished hacks for a certain game?<\/p>\n
If there are multiple unfinished patches for a single game, it’s
\nlikely that there are problems with the game that make it difficult
\nto hack. That doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to translate that
\nparticular game, just that nobody who has the skills to accomplish it
\nhas sat down and worked on it. Many games, mostly RPGs, have taken
\nseveral years of effort to actually complete a translation. A lot of
\nthe time, new ROM hackers will pick up a big RPG with grandiose ideas
\nof translating it and garnering instant fame. Then they run into the
\nsame problem that everyone else who attempted it encountered, or else
\nthey just get overwhelmed by the shear size of such an endeavor, and
\ngive up. If there are multiple patches for a single game, it’s
\nprobably safe to say that it would be a bad choice for a first
\nproject.<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXIV. Section Ten – Tools
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
1001: What graphics hacking tools should I use?<\/p>\n
Tile Layer Pro is hands down the best tile editor for just about
\neverything you’ll need to do. Tile Mod is another popular graphics
\neditor that can do a few things TLP can’t. YY-Chr is also worth a
\nlook. There are many editors that can accomplish most hacking, so
\njust use the one that you’re most comfortable with.<\/p>\n
1002: What text hacking tools should I use?<\/p>\n
For hex editing, Hexposure is the king. Unfortunately, it’s a DOS
\napplication, so if you’re using Windows XP, you’ll have to go with
\nHexecute or Translhextion. For script dumping, ROM Juice is probably
\nthe only really decent general extractor and Gizmo is probably the
\nbest inserter. In general, however, it’s usually better to use a
\ncustom built tool.<\/p>\n
1003: What emulators are good for hacking?<\/p>\n
It’s not good for much else, but Nesticle has a pattern editor that
\nwill allow you to do a certain amount of graphics hacking directly in
\nan NES ROM. FCE Ultra and Nesten both feature debuggers for NES.
\nSNES9X LT is a version of the popular SNES emulator with a debugger
\nbuilt in. No$GB is another popular emulator, this one for Gameboy,
\nthat features a debugger. Many other systems have emulators with
\ndebuggers as well. Check the documentation to find out which ones.<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXV. Section Eleven – Etiquette
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
1101: How can I ask for help without getting flamed?<\/p>\n
One of the biggest problems a neophyte to ROM hacking has is an
\nunfamiliarity with how to go about obtaining help when a problem is
\nencountered. Most will simply post a question on a messageboard or
\ne-mail a ROM hacker without first considering their actions.<\/p>\n
To avoid being flamed on a messageboard, first make sure you’ve read
\nany documents regarding the subject you’re asking about, to make sure
\nyour question isn’t answered there. Secondly, read through the board
\nand make sure nobody else has asked the same question. One of the
\nmain reasons people get flamed is because they ask a question that
\nhas already been answered several times. Finally, be specific. Don’t
\njust say “How do I hack Metroid?”, state exactly what you’re trying
\nto do and what problem you’re having. Explain what you’ve tried so
\nfar and then ask for assistance. And don’t expect to get an answer.
\nNobody is obligated to help you and getting pissed off because you
\ndon’t immediately get the answer you need isn’t going to do any good.<\/p>\n
Also, never e-mail a ROM hacker asking for help unless they’ve made
\nit clear that it is ok to do so. If you have a specific question
\nregarding something they’ve written or a hack they’ve released, then
\nit may be okay to ask them about it, unless their website or
\ndocumentation says not to do so. Don’t e-mail a ROM hacker asking for
\nhelp with a utility they didn’t write or a system they haven’t hacked
\nfor, however. Doing so will most likely get you ignored and\/or flamed
\nand you don’t need to piss off the people whose assistance you need.<\/p>\n
1102: How can I start a ROM hacking group?<\/p>\n
One of the biggest neophyte mistakes is to attempt to start a new
\nROM hacking group to accomplish some project you’ve thought up. First
\nof all, no experienced ROM hacker is going to join a group founded
\nby someone who’s never released a ROM hack. Secondly, unless you plan
\nto do a significant portion of the work (and no, managing a team does
\nnot count) then most ROM hackers will avoid your attempt to start a
\ngroup because it looks like you’re wanting to take credit for their
\nhard work. If you really want to start a ROM hacking group, then show
\nsome progress on a project of your own and then solicit people to
\nhelp you with it. It’s generally easier to find an existing group and
\noffer your services to them, however.<\/p>\n
1103: How can I get someone to translate a particular game?<\/p>\n
Asking someone to translate a particular game rarely ever works. Most
\nROM hackers work only on games they enjoy. Asking someone to
\ntranslate a game, even if it’s a sequel or similar to another game
\nthey’ve hacked, is most likely only going to annoy them. The best
\nway you can go about getting a particular game translated is to build
\na shrine, of sorts, to it. Post screen shots, summarize the game, in
\nshort, show people why that particular game really needs to be
\ntranslated. Then link your shrine on a few general ROM hacking
\nforums and hope for the best.<\/p>\n
1104: Why shouldn’t I e-mail a ROM to a ROM hacker?<\/p>\n
A sure fire way to gain hatred from the ROM hacking elite is to send
\nthem ROMs via e-mail and ask them to translate it. For starters, most
\nROM hackers know exactly where to get any ROM they could ever want.
\nSending a ROM via e-mail can be a problem for multiple reasons. First
\nof all, just because you have a ‘leet broadband connection doesn’t
\nmean that your recipient does. They could be on a very slow dialup
\nand a large file such as a ROM could clog up their bandwidth for a
\nsignificant amount of time, thus turning them against you before they
\nhave even read your request. Just because you CAN send large files
\nvia e-mail doesn’t mean you should. That’s not the purpose of e-mail.
\nYou can use a car to slaughter cattle as well, but that doesn’t mean
\nit’s a good idea. Secondly, you have no idea where a ROM hacker might
\nbe checking their mail from. It’s almost a guarantee that the ROM
\nyou’re sending is copyrighted material, and some people don’t
\nappreciate unwittingly downloading illegal files on someone else’s
\ncomputer or in their laptop at a local cafe. In short, never e-mail a
\nROM without explicit permission from the recipient.<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXVI. The Scene
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
1201: What is “The Scene”?<\/p>\n
“The Scene” (which you’ll often see written in bold) refers to a
\nlarge subset of ROM hackers who communicate via IRC and various
\nmessageboards. “The Scene” is like a family. A fat, lazy, annoying
\nfamily of assholes, most of whom hate each other.<\/p>\n
1202: Who is a member of “The Scene”?<\/p>\n
Just about anyone who participates in a “Scene” related chat room or
\nmessageboard is a part of the scene. If someone denies being a part
\nof “The Scene”, they probably are, particularly if that denial occurs
\nin\/on a “Scene” related chat room or messageboard.<\/p>\n
1203: How can I join “The Scene”?<\/p>\n
Just start hanging around various ROM hacking messageboards and chat
\nrooms and you’ll eventually become trapped in “The Scene”. Some
\npeople will claim there is a membership fee that must be paid in
\nhentai but that has been unconfirmed as of this writing. Any ability
\nor knowledge in regards to ROM hacking is completely irrelevant.<\/p>\n
1204: What are the benefits of “The Scene”?<\/p>\n
Well, if you’re into lame cartoon pornography, jokes about sexual
\norientation and the occasional reach around, then “The Scene” is for
\nyou. If you actually hope to make progress in your ROM hacking, then
\nthere are no benefits.<\/p>\n
1205: What are these people talking about?<\/p>\n
Hell if I know, consult “The Emulation Dictionary” by satsu.<\/p>\n
1206: How do I quit the scene?<\/p>\n
First, get frustrated with some minor thing. Then post on all the
\nmessageboards about how you’re quitting “The Scene”. Wait for a day
\nor two and then start working on your projects again, after a week or
\nso, start posting on the messageboards again. This might not make
\nsense now, but it will after you’ve been around “The Scene” for a few
\nweeks.<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXVII. Resources
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
General ROM Hacking Information
\n——- — ——- ———–
\nThe Repository – http:\/\/www.romhacking.com
\nZophar’s Domain – http:\/\/www.zophar.net
\nCTC – http:\/\/www.confederatedtranslationcompany.com<\/p>\n
Translation Archives
\n———– ——–
\nThe Whirlpool – http:\/\/donut.parodius.com
\nRPGd – http:\/\/rpgd.emulationworld.com<\/p>\n
Non-Translation Hacks
\n————— —–
\nAcmlm’s ROM Hack Domain – http:\/\/acmlm.overclocked.org
\nChallenge Games – http:\/\/www.cg-games.net
\nRuSteD ROM Hacks – http:\/\/bmf.rustedmagick.com<\/p>\n
Japanese Information
\n——– ———–
\nJapanese Online – http:\/\/www.learn-japanese.com
\nJim Breen’s Page – http:\/\/www.csse.monash.edu.au\/~jwb\/japanese.html
\nThe Japanese Page – http:\/\/www.thejapanesepage.com
\nJapanese Online – http:\/\/www.japanese-online.com\/<\/p>\n
My Websites
\n— ——–
\nSuicidal Translations – http:\/\/www.pigtails.net\/ST
\nAnywayz… 21st Century Parasite – http:\/\/www.anywayz.org<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXVIII. Conclusion:
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
Above all else, remember that this is a hobby and nothing more. Too
\nmany people (myself included) get caught up in the politics of “the
\nscene” and forget that it’s all about video games. So whatever you
\ndo, don’t forget that. I mean, what’s the point of a hobby if you’re
\nnot having fun?<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXIX. Credits:
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
There are entirely too many people to credit\/thank for the existence
\nof this document.<\/p>\n
Thanks to:<\/p>\n
SnowBro for writing many of the tools that made ROM hacking what it
\nis today.<\/p>\n
Klarth for providing various answers in this document, particularly
\nin regards to the Advanced ROM Hacking and Assembly sections.<\/p>\n
Neil_ for providing information, inspiration, entertaining and a
\ngeneral respite from the ignorance that is “The Scene”.<\/p>\n
Musashi for helping me out when I first got started, providing the
\ntranslation for several of my earlier projects and hacking several
\ngreat games himself.<\/p>\n
Anybody who has ever written a utility or tutorial, translated a
\nscript, answered a ROM hacking question on a messageboard or released
\na quality hack or translation.<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\nXX. Contact Info:
\n*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*<\/p>\n
I’m not an exceptional ROM hacker. I wrote this document in hopes of
\nhelping some people learn to ROM hack and to save time in answering
\nthe same questions over and over again on messageboards. If you have
\nquestions regarding ROM hacking, you’re going to get a lot more help
\nby asking on a messageboard than you will by e-mailing me. If you
\nfind an error in this document, then contact me and I’ll most likely
\nfix it. Do NOT under ANY circumstances e-mail me asking to translate
\na game and if you e-mail me a ROM, you will suffer horribly. If you
\ncan comply with these rules, my e-mail address is
\ninverse@pigtails.net<\/p>\n
The most recent copy of this file can always be found at my website
\nSuicidal Translations (http:\/\/www.pigtails.net\/ST) along with other
\ndocuments and utilities I’ve written and my own ROM translations.<\/p>\n
-InVerse<\/p>\n
*-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-=*=-=-*
\n02\/28\/01 – ROM Hacking for Complete Beginners – v1.00<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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