[Graphics] A Beginner's guide to inserting d/p sprites into a gba rom(No need to outline)

[psyduck6199]

PLEASE DO NOT STEAL THIS.


This is a tutorial to insert sprites larger than 64x64 in a gba rom without you having to outline(so boring). This tutorial also works for backsprites.

Things you will need:

unlz-gba(hacked)(get it from hackmew's thread)
microsoft paint(comes with windows xp or vista)
a rom of your choice.(get it somewhere)
freespace finder(get it from hackmew's thread)
irfanview(just google it)

Stage 1(Spriting)

1. Open up the sprite u are inserting with paint. I will use torterra.

2. Fill the background with a color not used by the sprite. I will use blue.

3. Now goto Image>Stretch/Skew. Put both the circled values to 80 if u are using a d/p sprite or anything else if u are using some other sprite.

4. Save it. Now minimize paint and open up that picture in irfanview. Then go to Image>Decrease color depth. Select 16 Colors (4 BPP). The image will look a little messed up after this. Don't panic!

5. Now goto Image>Pallete>Edit Pallete. Find your background color there. Also open up a notepad or get something to write with. Write down the Value:RGB for the background color and the first color(in the left corner).

6. Now exchange those two colors. Double click the background color and put in the value of the first color.

Double click the first color and put in the value of the background color.

7. The image will look messed up again(and don't panic again).Now save the file from irfanview using a different name than the paint file. Close irfanview and the notepad.

8. Goto the minimized paint file press Ctrl+A(to select it) and press Ctrl+C(to copy it). ALso open up the irfanview file you just closed using paint.

9. Now press Ctrl+V(to paste it) in the messsed up picture.
it should look like this...

10.Save it and now u can delete the old picture but make sure you keep the new one.

Stage 2(Inserting)

1. Now,open up unlz-gba(hacked) and open your gba rom with it. Goto a picture you you want to replace. I will replace venusaur. Get the numbers for pokemons somewhere else. In firered the pokemon pictures start at 669.

2. Click import and select the file that you didn't delete.

3. Click write to rom.

4. Make sure "Expot Image" and "Auto Abort if new data is bigger" are checked and press ok. Uh-oh! It didn't work. Note the compressed size.

5. Now is the time for you to open up your free space finder. Open up your rom with it. Select "Search from the beginning of the ROM". In the right bottom corner in a box called "HEX", put in the Compressed Size i told you to note. You will have noticed that a number has appeared above that box in a box called "Dec". Copy the number in the Dec box to the "Needed Bytes" box. Note the numbers/letters(HEX Number) that appeared.

6. Go back to unLz-GBA(hacked). and click on write to rom again. This time also select the "Automatically Fix Pointer" box. In the box that says "Image Offset: put in the number I told you to note. Also don't forget the two zeros before the number.

7. Click ok and it should say something like this...

8. Almost done. Now click on write to rom again. But this time make sure you have only checked "Export Pallete" and ""Auto Abort if new data is bigger". Click ok.

9.Now you are done. Open up your rom and check it out. Here's mine.

[Sophidius]

just one question. How do u change the NAME of the Pokemon?

[psyduck6199]

use yape just search for it in the toolbox

[nemesish]

Finally a good way to do this.
Specially the indexing thing, since I have seen the replace-new-with-old-sprite-after-indexing thingy on only ONE tut apart of this.

Thank you

[Seb*s]

how or where can i find at what number pokemon pictures start at ruby?
great tutorial btw.

[hello there]

how would you change the back sprites??

[RedYoshi]

Originally Posted by hello there

how would you change the back sprites??

The same way as this, except you index the back sprite and search for the back sprite in unLZ-Gba and then replace it

[psyduck6199]

yeah to change the backsprite its the same way but just make sure you go to previous pal and you don't need to export pallete if you have already put in the front sprite. oh ya i got the irfan view idea from u red yoshi

[Seb*s]

Originally Posted by RedYoshi

The same way as this, except you index the back sprite and search for the back sprite in unLZ-Gba and then replace it

Hey, i followed your steps and they've worked fine and i've been able to import some, but when i import weaville it never aborts. Does it work with Weaville?

[RedYoshi]

Originally Posted by Seb*s

Hey, i followed your steps and they've worked fine and i've been able to import some, but when i import weaville it never aborts. Does it work with Weaville?

What do you mean by never aborts? Its only supposed to abort if the Sprite is too big and such.

[psyduck6199]

if it doesn't abort then it still works

[GreenGoblin]

how can you insert the trainer sprites? cuz i tried it and it said image not indexed

[RedYoshi]

Originally Posted by pikachu_X

how can you insert the trainer sprites? cuz i tried it and it said image not indexed

It's pretty much the same thing as Pokemon Sprites except you don't need a back sprite for trainer sprites. The sprite you are inserting is not indexed, thus you cannot import it into the rom.

[Jerros]

Very nice, but doesn't work for Emerald...

[GreenGoblin]

tried it did not work in fire red turn the sprite into a scrambled image with a truck like image underneath it

[RedYoshi]

Originally Posted by Jerros

Very nice, but doesn't work for Emerald...

Actually it does. But in Emerald you have to also insert a 2nd sprite for the animation.

Here is a guide on how to do it on Emerald

http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=159773

Originally Posted by pikachu_X

tried it did not work in fire red turn the sprite into a scrambled image with a truck like image underneath it

Would it be something like this?




(Image was taken from HackMew's Knowledge)

[madarawolf]

How would you insert all the forms of arceus? I looked at pokemon with diferent forms and they were just put on one picture. so I did that, I took a picture with all the forms on it, and when I tried to insert unlz-gba just closed.

[RedYoshi]

Originally Posted by madarawolf

How would you insert all the forms of arceus? I looked at pokemon with diferent forms and they were just put on one picture. so I did that, I took a picture with all the forms on it, and when I tried to insert unlz-gba just closed.

Certain Pokemon are like that, such as the Unown. To insert all forms of Arceus you would have to use up the 25 empty slots or Overwrite some of the other Pokemon and edit the evolution.

Example : Use Fire Stone on Arceus = Fire Type Arceus and to revert Arceus back to "Normal" Arceus use something like a Moon Stone

[CelticGuard]

Thank you! It works very well, but I believe the finished sprite still needs some cleaning. I did this with a Gallade sprite and used a violet background, but when I finished Gallade had a slightly violet border. Anyway it's not really evident in game, so it works.

[madarawolf]

Thanks, I had thought of that but I prefered not ot do it like that. Oh, well I guess thats just what I'll have to do.

[Ray Maverick]

Finally!Now,i know how to insert sprites!I got bored with mapping and scripting!
Thanx psyduck!

[Perfect_Palkia_10]

Awesome tutorial. Thanks, you've really helped me out.

[ThunderEmblem]

Thank you so much man.One thing whats wrong with the blue outlining?Is there someway to fix or if i can make it black some how?

[psyduck6199]

yeah some pokemons have that blue outline just goto paint and fix it. its not that noticable anyways.

[onyx79]

I need to do all the ways here?because some are really hard...
and the unlz doesn't work...
it doesn't shows me the picture of my 4th pokemon...
ut shows nothing to me...