How do you like to start (making a rom that is)

[Mr.KoolAid]

How do you like to start making a rom? do you like to figure out the story first? What pokemon would be in it? The tilesets and sprites you'll use? Is the ROM base important to you?

Me, i cant figure it out. I tried just jumping in and it didnt work (making maps with standard tilesets, throwing in wild pkmn and trainers etc.

im thinking of finding which tiles i want and a decent story and getting all that, as well as which sprites i need in before starting any real development, and saving it onto a flashdrive in case i screw something up while making it

[ShinyUmbreon189]

I recently gave up on my hack but the first thing I do is come up with a script because you can't do anything until you know about it. Next I do pokemon sprites, then I do the tilesets for the map and just continue from there.

[giradialkia]

This seems a bit like a sly way of asking for advice on where to start- not that that's a bad thing, hahaha :) And it should result in some interesting responses...

Most of the things you named are valid places to start, in my book. I guess, the story is the most important factor to sort out before starting a hack. That way, you'll know what you want to include in the hack, and from there you'd be able to decide which ROM base would suit your project better.

For me, I'm trying to have the story 100% planned out before really starting any actual hacking. However, I tend to get a bit impatient and can't resist a little bit of mapping now and again, so once I get finished with a story, I can just get straight to scripting for the earlier areas, at least.

[FrozenInfernoZX]

Mapping. I'm a newbie to pokemon hacking. The main reason I started hacking because it is just so awesome creating my own pokemon world. I already created my region and inserted it, sub regions, not done yet. Now I'm just mapping out the towns and routes, something I enjoy the most. A great way to pass some time. I'm not a good scripter since I'm so new, but I'm learning here and there. My hack is gearing more towards a "vanilla" hack. I like more traditional graphics than all the glossed up candy eye graphics. I followed and seen too many of these not get completed. In my hack, I'm aiming to have more expansive FireRed experience with Johto mapping elements (GSC was my favorite game).

I can't really start hacking without mapping because I need that "sense of direction." You know, lol. Try creating the region map first, insert it, and map a few cities and routes. You'll like it!

[droomph]

Though ROM Hacking is not making a full-blown game like GD does, it is "making a game" nonetheless.

So where do you start when you make a game? The design, of course.

However, Game Freak has already done everything for you to create the "base", so the only part you need to do is to plan out the world, and the story.

Then you actually do those things. Mapping is easier, and it is where the story begins and ends, so I suggest doing that first.

Then, when you feel like you're ready, go ahead and do the second part - the scripting. That's where you make the story.

When that's all said and done, do the last step, which is to add extraneous things to the game. Make new tilesets, add new side stories.

And bam! A finished ROM hack ^^

[Darkrai Lv.1000]

I start like a game designer would, a little R&D. Thinking up the stories, characters, and how I want the game to be played.

Currently, the one I'm working on (which I hope to submit here soon) already has its story planned out. Next, I'll start mapping.

My work order is R&D/Plan-->Mapping-->Spriting/Image work-->Scripting/ASM-->Clean up/Test

[thanethane98]

I prefer to have a framework for the story set up, and then I'll start mapping. If I try to do anything else first, it becomes a big mess.

[Ferox]

You need to know WHY you're hacking the rom in the first place. Now I have an end-point established I start at the beginning, one map at a time, and script as I go.

[Team Fail]

I come up with concept ideas in my head and try plotting them down on paper. From there, I balloon the ideas and try materializing them.

[KhaosKnight]

I have learned from my previous mistakes those I've seen from other people here.

First I would say get a story together that you can reasonably implement in the Pokemon games. Make a storyline map or similar that walks through most of the events the player will encounter in order. With this comes character design, worldmap design, what Pokemon you will implement in your region, etc. Really put some effort into it and make something that you see yourself finishing by yourself. Don't rely on having others to help finish it.

Next comes with learning the skills needed to implement your ideas. Scripting, Mapping, Spriting, working with Hex, and being able to find and research information. If you can't at least get the basics down in those categories, you are gonna have a pretty hard time getting very far in your hack. This also includes choosing your ROM base. Most common is Fire Red, then Ruby, and sometimes Emerald though not that common. Most choose Fire Red because of the wide spread information that is out there. But then this also curbs originality because most things that can be easily implemented have been done before. I chose Emerald because I personally wanted to find out more about it because there is little to no information publicly posted. This became a problem with finding offsets for things and also finding palettes. But because of that it taught me how to use VBA to find images and palettes and search using a Hex editor for the information I needed. If I had began working with Fire Red I would have just looked here and not have taught myself a very fundamental aspect of ROM hacking.

Personally since I have started hacking again, I have been taking a more systematic approach. I started at the boot screen, edited the intro animation, changed the title screen, then changed the professor intro before I even began mapping and scripting. This allowed me to hack my ROM "in order" from start to finish for better thought organization. I also keep track of every modification I make to my ROM in what I call my "Captains Log" so can review modifications later if a problem arises. This also includes organizing what I put in the free space. I organize and keep track of what I put and re-point to the free space so I can easily locate, move, or change what I need to quickly. This leads to a cleaner working environment so I can pinpoint problems areas easier if they arise.

Finally, don't rely on tools. If you can want to change something simple, edit the value with a hex editor. Mapping with A-Map, Pokemon editing with YAPE, and sprite editing with NSE are understandable because those are very tedious things to do and the tools are reasonably helpful. Strive to implement new features that you thought of yourself to make a truly innovative hack that is fun to play.

TL;DR: Be creative, learn different skills, organize, don't rely on tools.

[Kaliser]

Well Working on my hack I get used to start creating the tiles. After that I take up the mapping, and I'm now making the fakes. Whatever, I'm waiting for my scripter, it's really annoying because he will never give me the scripts lol.

[Airbourne Bubblun]

As I've said many times, mine isn't specific to pokemon, but there is a way that I do it.

If no tools are made:
I start the romhacking using hex only, if there are no tools for said game. Depending on the game, I could find platforms, palettes, possibly even stats and speed of things. I make rom maps of the games so that I know exactly what I am looking for.
->
If it is a 2D platformer:
I then use a tool called Platinum and input the block data into the tool, and it helps view the level before I change the data. Sprites however, is very difficult because you have to figure out how they are stationed in the level. I then keep testing the level until it works correctly.

If there is a tool already made:
I plan what I will do on paper, then input the data accordingly. I then keep testing it out to make sure it works correctly.

Very easy to do, unlike the long process stated before, but that's what I really like doing is making rom maps and making romhacks just using hex.

[amcolash]

As of now, I am still working on my hack - this project started around the new year, but with school I actually now have time to work on it. I started with changing the maps with advance map. While this wasn't exactly what I wanted to do, it showed to what extent I could actually change the game. After that came scripting and graphics. Now I am hoping to finish adding pokemon to the game, and fixing/adding tiles where necessary

[Fireworks]

I...have never made a "rom" before, nor do I know what that is. What I assume you meant to say is "ROM", in other words, Read-Only Memory, which is a storage medium used in computers and other electric devices. It is memory that can be read, but cannot be changed, hence it' name "Read-Only Memory".

Also, sorry to be off-topic here, but I thought I'd share with you all how I like to start a Pokémon ROM hack. What I first of all do is sit at my laptop, with a text file open, and I begin to brainstorm ideas. I type said ideas into the text file, figure out what ones work and what ones don't, then I weld them together to create the basic structure of my Pokémon ROM hack.
A huge amount of the other work I do thereafter, however, is improvised.

[Mr.Man]

Story, Mapping, Spriting, scripting

[DaleH771]

My new ROM Hack started with blank tilesets, I inserted the tiles and got straight onto mapping. Made a large chunk of a region so far and I love it. Inspires me to script, which is a horrible task... Story... Kinda prewritten?

[Eelektross]

Dex draft->sprites->moves->stats and movesets->sequential movement through the game/balance/testing.

[Gerokunz]

First, I'll think about story.
Second, start mapping.
Third, start scripting.
Fourth, looking for helpers.
Fifth, release beta.
Sixth, go to first again until the hack is completed.

Sprites? I'll use old hero and heroine and old Pokemon.

[SwiftSign]

Like most people have said, story is the most important place to start.

My preferred order is:

Story design, Character design (Gym leaders, rivals, helpers, etc.), then I start piecing together a tileset and mapping - those tend to go side by side. Once I have a few maps down I start scripting, and the whole thing snowballs...

I think my problem is I like doing it ALL AT ONCE at a certain point, which kind of leads to burning out. Also the fact I can map relatively quickly, and really enjoy it, but scripting takes ages and my laptop likes making it as stressful as possible.

[Mallowigi]

I'm not really okay with the map > script thing. First of all to design all 300+ maps require an overwhelming amount of work, I abandoned mid-way (or i should say onetenth-way...)

The most important thing to my opinion is the reception: when you have a public that is looking forward to your releases, you're more entertained to keep the good work.

This is where i failed, I started designing maps, scripting things and sprites, but as soon as I finished something, I just noticed that I've only done 0.5% of the game and that it took me weeks.

Therefore, I would suggest to gather a team directly from the start, create a bunch of maps and sprites and present your 1% to the public... and keeping the work until you all giving up altogether... or finish your job!

[atmmachine11]

I start out by designing the maps and dialogue, not necessarily the sprites or anything right away . I like to get the basic game done first, and adding in everything else after.

[aar2697]

I start off with making the world map. Then, I come with the basic story and build from that as I work on the game. I make my maps piece by piece; I do not do the city and all of the interiors at one time. I'll make the outdoor of the city, do all of the events outside, then map one building and do events in there, then another, et al. I often come up with little ideas to make the game more unique, such as the weather system I made, so I'll do things like that randomly. There will also be points in development where I'll focus a lot on the in game music. My development structure is very unorganized I guess, but everything still works fine in the end.

[Notepads]

I start off with the title screen then making the maps/sprites and then scripting and storyline. Works well i guess

[Spherical Ice]

Haha, i wish I had a more systematic order like the guys above me. I really have no structure at all. The most organised I get is my folders for everything and even that isn't overly organised.

Anyway, I tend to start off with just an idea, then brainstorm. I generally get a friend of mine in an msn conversation and just spout ideas at them and get some ideas back. This helps me see what things are stupid, could be improved on, and also gives me a place to refer back to (i.e the msn chat log). In that chat I normally decide what rom base. If I want to apply any patches (JPAN's engine, decapitalisation patches, etc.), I do that before I start working.

By then, I get pretty hyped to start working so I just start mapping the starter town, then literally start doing whatever I want after that. Normally I find myself tile editing and reorganising the FireRed tileset so it's easier to use (e.g put the Pokémon Center in one chunk so I can just select it all at once instead of searching for the individual tiles each time).

After I've mapped the first few areas I start scripting, adding in sidequests etc. I never plan out the entirety of the storyline, just the basic stuff. In fact, I rarely plan anything haha. But yeah, in general I just wing it.

(disclaimer: the above is not very good advice)

[Chaos Rush]

I plan out everything, and create an outline with multiple notepad and MS Word files.

For my upcoming hack, Pokemon DarkViolet, I've already planned out the regional Pokedex, along with all Gym Leader and Elite Four teams. However, I haven't planned their levels, only their Pokemon, because levels are something that should be figured out as you go along making the hack. I've also written out the entire story, and a general outline of the route that the player takes through the region.

I have my entire hack planned out, but the only reasons why I haven't (re)started it yet is because:
1) I am planning on having resized DS sprites for every Pokemon, both front and back
2) I'm working on a ROM base that has 493 Pokemon
3) That ROM base I'm working on is also going to have most, if not all, 4th Generation attacks

Even though I won't get to start my hack for a while, I have EVERYTHING planned out, all in a bunch of notepad files. I even have an extra "drawing board" ROM that I use to test out tiles and maps, so then I can just import the data when my main ROM base is complete.