Are 3rd gen games really easier to be hacked?

[miksy91]

I got this question in my mind as people say that it's far easier to hack 3rd gen games instead of 1st/2nd gen.

Let's pretend that there are NO TOOLS (expect a hex editor for viewing the ROM) for hacking and you're planning to make a hack of a GBC or GBA pokemon game.

GBA roms are 8 times bigger than 2nd gen roms, and therefore GBA roms have many new features compared to 2nd gen. To make a good hack of any GBC rom, you've to study the ROM base but it isn't too hard because editing most of the things is simple. For example, you don't have to look for the collision-data for tiles that you put in the maps because that is stored in another way.

Myself, I can't say much about hacking GBA games because I've never tried anything but messing with the maps with AdvanceMap.

Anyway, what do you think?
Are GBA games really easier to be hacked instead of 1st or 2nd gen?

 

[adhdguitar]

Well, 3rd gen games have way more tools available, which makes it easier, but I have heard that they are still easier to hack than the old games.

 

[Binary]

If there were really no tools and we'd just have to use a hex editor and pure hacking knowledge, then Gen III roms would be just as hard as Gen I and II roms. I've had a go at Gold once and I don't remember it being too hard. And of course I was using a hex editor and a tutorial (Tauwasser's scripting document I think). But I doubted that I'd get so far, so I jut dropped it. I've experimented with it in the past. I've not used the hex editor so much while hacking FR/LG and R/S/E except for some data repointing and other stuff. I think that both of them are just as hard (without the tools). But with increasing number of tools for III gen games, it's become easier to hack.

 

[Pokepal17]

GBA probably is, or else there wouldn't be many tools because the people with the hex editors may not have found certain data esaily.

Either that or people are too lazy to make GB/GBC tools

 

[sab]

Not really, except for the fact that 3rd gen is when the amount of hackers really took off, and we got lots of people coming to hack. While 4th gen has a more complex design, which is why we haven't been able to hack it as easily... this massive growth made there be more dedicated researchers (and more n00bs) who searched for stuff and made tools. If it came down to just hex, it would still be easier to hack just because huge amounts of things are written all over the place. I haven't looked that much, but it seems to me that if you hack 1/2 gen you have to do a lot more research yourself, where as with 3rd gen you could just look online and find it. So yes 3rd gen is easier to hack, but only because more people try to hack it.

 

[Coolboyman]

Actually, no.
It just became easier because of the tools, and without those it'd be hard as hacking Gen I and II. Its just no difference, if Gen III has less tools available (like before, when the only tool used was a HEX Editor.) then it'd be hard to hack. :D

Before making such an absurd claim, wouldn't it be logical to LOOK at how the data is stored in Gen I, Gen II, and Gen III?

Gen I: The programming is a mess, I've had trouble getting it to do the most basic things.

Gen II: Gamefreak realized their mistakes and it's much more polished.

Gen III: Very easy to use and flexable because GBA allows a bigger file size, and much much more RAM than GBC does.

Gen I is hardest, Gen III is easiest, Gen II is in the middle, the end.

 

[Tropical Sunlight]

Yes. That's my opinion XD

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Yes, because they got much better at programming and managing stuff by the third-gen stage.

 

[Skystrike]

Yes. I do think it's easier....for progressing hackers (< i'm there)
2nd/1st gen, for beginniers, it's easy, and with that CrystalText tool you made, it got easier.

2nd/1st gen, as I'm trying to say, is gonna catch up to the 3rd gen.

 

[Wichu]

Yes. I do think it's easier....for progressing hackers (< i'm there)
2nd/1st gen, for beginniers, it's easy, and with that CrystalText tool you made, it got easier.

2nd/1st gen, as I'm trying to say, is gonna catch up to the 3rd gen.

The first post clearly states that if there were no tools, which would be easier to hack?

I'm not a hacker, so I can't really contribute, but I remember reading that for R/B, they had to squeeze a lot of data in and it only barely fit into the space available (in an interview with one of the creators?). It would stand to reason that this could mean the code was quite messy (as KBM said).

 

[Mana1]

Without tools Gen 3 would still be easier due to more interest and more research + tutorials available for people. If the tools didn't exist there would be hex-tutorials on how to do the exact same thing I expect (which would probably be a good thing).

 

[pringles_king]

As quite a few up ahead said, It's only easier because there are allot more tools to choose from.
In 1st/2nd gen. I only know of Hex editing. Whereas FR/LG R/S/E Have Advance map. XSE A-Trainer(Or PET)
I personally find it easier because of more (Simple to use) Tools
Correct me if i'm wrong but I think that Third Gen is the easiest gen to hack.
Kanto/Hoenn make for great Regions to hack anyways
much unlike Johto or Sinnoh

 

[lbirrueta]

i believe that when people once begin to play the new fifth generation games Hackers will still bring back our previous generations including diamond/pearl.

 

[clt_42]

yeah because more people are focused on hackin the new games thus making tools

 

[Masterge77]

3rd gen games are not easier to hack, they are OVERHACKED, that's what, and that's why I only hack the Second generation, even though there are very few tools for it (I need a text editor for Gold damnit! And how the hell do I edit map links like how New Bark Town links to Route 29!?), and hex editing CONFUSES THE HELL OUTTA ME!!!!!!!

 

[miksy91]

3rd gen games are not easier to hack, they are OVERHACKED, that's what, and that's why I only hack the Second generation, even though there are very few tools for it (I need a text editor for Gold damnit! And how the hell do I edit map links like how New Bark Town links to Route 29!?), and hex editing CONFUSES THE HELL OUTTA ME!!!!!!!

well, 3rd gen seems to be easier than the first ones (read the posts above).
besides, you should search for a tutorial how to edit the map connections.
I believe it's quite hard but you should just be able to make it.

 

[SonicBlazePlatinum]

Generation 3 is easy to hack. You need to know how by reading tutorials, and know how to hex edit since that's important. Use XSE to change texts and Advance Text for editing the intro Prof. speech, however A-Text can be buggy. I'd advise to use A-Trainer for trainer battles since PET dosen't edit everything.

Anyways the main point is that Generation 3 is the easiest to hack. I'd try hacking it one day if I were you, an example is Fire Red. My first hack will be an Emerald Rom hack, than two Fire Red hacks. One of the Fire Red hacks is a Septo Conquest remake.

Have a great day!

 

[Roaring Moon]

And how the hell do I edit map links like how New Bark Town links to Route 29!?)

Just wait until JohtoMap is released.