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DarkPsychic June 20th, 2015 5:39 PM

Advice if at all possible
 
First I have been working on a hack for years now that has to do with the New World Order and the Elite banking system...
Its a very informative hack but I have found that doing everything all alone is what is keeping me from releasing it.
I have had to learn as much as I can about each aspect of hacking. From scripting, mapping, sprite making to Asm.

I have noticed that I can't become a master at any of these unless I focus on one at a time. But that in its self is what makes it impossible because of the fact that I am doing it all alone and when making the hack I keep jumping around from one end to the other. I will go from adding tiles back to scripting then forget what I learned in scripting then go back to making sprites to have to go back to learning how to script... Its honestly been a pain... So I take time off (like months) then come back to find that I have to relearn everything again >_<

My question is how can I do this or should I try to make a team or should I just give up all together =(

Also I have asked many if they could help me just simply modify the Asm routine made by FBI Agent for "Enhancing Bank Scripts" to hold $999,999,999. I know that with JPAN's Hacked Engine this can be done with the players held money but can't figure out how to do it for my this Bank routine or if its even possible.

Any advice is much appreciated

machomuu June 20th, 2015 6:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkPsychic (Post 8807905)
My question is how can I do this or should I try to make a team or should I just give up all together =(

First off, to that last thing, don't even consider it. Cross it out. Delete it. Perish the thought.

I'll give you simple advice regarding the first option. It's completely possible to make a hack by yourself and its been done before. You just have to have one thing: motivation. Taking off lots of time and coming back can be okay if done very sparsely, but if it becomes a habit born from stress then things just never get done and the project gets messy. You need to hunker down and do what you can. If it feels like too much, take a break, but don't give yourself too much of a break that you're settled out of hacking. You have to keep yourself in tune with what you're doing.

It seems like you personally have a disorganization problem. I'm just guessing here, but it's likely that you things as you see them necessary rather than in an organized manner, correct? Or, put another way, you do things based on what you see as required right at that moment rather than based on some sort of schedule or plan. If that is your problem, then you need to do things in parts. If you find yourself jumping from mapping to spriting to tile inserting to ASM, you're not only going to wear yourself out, you're also going to have trouble keeping up with you need to do and what you are doing. Focus on specific areas so that the different aspects of hacking can work together like a puzzle piece (say, create a map, and once you're done, script it out and create the necessary sprites). Organization will ultimately make the process a lot less of a headache. It'll still be a lot of work, but I imagine it'll help you to be more focused and less spread out.

DarkPsychic June 20th, 2015 6:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by machomuu (Post 8807951)
First off, to that last thing, don't even consider it. Cross it out. Delete it. Perish the thought.

I'll give you simple advice regarding the first option. It's completely possible to make a hack by yourself and its been done before. You just have to have one thing: motivation. Taking off lots of time and coming back can be okay if done very sparsely, but if it becomes a habit born from stress then things just never get done and the project gets messy. You need to hunker down and do what you can. If it feels like too much, take a break, but don't give yourself too much of a break that you're settled out of hacking. You have to keep yourself in tune with what you're doing.

It seems like you personally have a disorganization problem. I'm just guessing here, but it's likely that you things as you see them necessary rather than in an organized manner, correct? Or, put another way, you do things based on what you see as required right at that moment rather than based on some sort of schedule or plan. If that is your problem, then you need to do things in parts. If you find yourself jumping from mapping to spriting to tile inserting to ASM, you're not only going to wear yourself out, you're also going to have trouble keeping up with you need to do and what you are doing. Focus on specific areas so that the different aspects of hacking can work together like a puzzle piece (say, create a map, and once you're done, script it out and create the necessary sprites). Organization will ultimately make the process a lot less of a headache. It'll still be a lot of work, but I imagine it'll help you to be more focused and less spread out.


You seem to be completely right...
I just can't figure out how to be organized when having to write down everything that I have added to the hack.
From what flags I have used to where I inserted asm routines to what variables I have used...

Disorganization really does seem to be one of my biggest problems when it comes to rom hacking...
"If you find yourself jumping from mapping to spriting to tile inserting to ASM, you're not only going to wear yourself out, you're also going to have trouble keeping up with you need to do and what you are doing"
That right there is my main problem...
I keep jumping from one end of hacking to another which in turn is keeping me from at least mastering one aspect of hacking...

When you say " It's completely possible to make a hack by yourself and its been done before" I understand that but they are the best of the best, they seem to be the exception an not the rule though...

Honestly I do thank you for your advice as it really as made me think.
I will try to figure out what I need to do and try to take steps in that direction.

Also you are right, giving up is the worst thing I can do as I have already learned so much from this community it would be nothing short of a waste...

FamiliaWerneck June 21st, 2015 5:00 AM

machomuu is right. Don't give up. That's the worst thing you can do. Let it take decades, but do NEVER give up.
First of all, I'm making a hack by myself, and I'm not the best of the best. I implement one stuff at a time (two new thing a week +-) and try using ideas that already exists or branching from the ones that exist.

I found hacking by mistake. In a clean up in my house, my brother and I found the DVDs for the Kanto's season in Pokémon and we decided to watch it.
I got excited with it and downloaded VBA to play Fire Red once again.
Don't know what I was searching for in Google, this site came up and I discovered that all that I ever wanted was possible (all Pokémon to be capturable, change Pokémons moves, etc).
I downloaded Advance Map (the first hacking tool I found that made hacking possible in my head) and I spent three days changing Pokémon all over the maps. Then I discovered YAPE could change the attacks for me. Downloaded it and when I tried opening, my hack wouldn't open and it crashed.
I got so angry that I spent so much time editing it and it went wrong, I then decided to change a lot more stuff.
But before adding stuff like you are doing, and like I did at first, I took a week or two around the site, checking it in my free time. Seeing what was possible, what could and could not be done. Testing tools in test hacks. I eventually asked a bunch of stuff in a single thread.
Now, I'm doing stuff. I take an empty day and try implementing a new thing. If I manage to implement it correctly, I write a word doc with instructions to do it again.
I ALWAYS make a backup and try one new feature at a time. I also downloaded MrDS' Rombase, that did a great amount of work for me.

My advice to you is: plan your hack. No need to rush into doing it. But do everything you can in a section before moving to the other. Your idea seems to change a lot with the game's original story. Start here, simple, with the story. Define who is your main character. Where does he live. What is the purpose (become the Pokémon Master, catch bad guys, defeat and destroy all crime organizations like Team Rocket, Team Magma and Team Acqua or KKK, because they killed your parents, etc). What must the character do and where does he need to go.
Now think about what new features you want in you game. Will HMs be deletable? Want Fairy, Physical/Special Split? Maybe you want Megas? Think of everything. Ask if you don't know if it's possible, or couldn't find in the sites or with Google. Get a list of what to do and not to do.
Finally, move to stuff that doesn't require much effort. What Pokémons you want in your game, which levels they evolve, what attacks they might learn. This may affect the other sections, but you won't have to redo stuff, 'cause you are still just planning (My Slowpoke evolution is an example of this, once again).
This is important. Check the site for hacks or Rombases that might have stuff that you want in your game. I used MrDS' Rombase, like I said, for Physical/Special Split, but I got some new attacks and abilities with it. After that, I downloaded a patch for new evolutions. A quarter of my work was done.

Once you have all that set, create all new sprites. I believe you are going to use Pokémon and can use characters that are already in the game. Create all the bankers' sprites, police or whatever new things you need that you couldn't find or use from the original games. Create tiles you are certain you are going to use. Write a doc with instructions (personal advice) to do it again, if you think of some new character or place you don't have already. You won't have to redo these if something goes wrong, just insert them again.
Move to mechanics. Implement EVERYTHING you want your game to have. Breedable Legendaries, Megas, Roaming Pokémon, bank capacity, imagination is the limit here. Try doing one thing at a time. This involves more ASM and hex. If you take mechanics out, you probably won't need to remember much ASM afterwards. But again, the instructions wrote by you helps a lot, if something goes wrong and you have to start over.
Short effort stuf comes here. Simple stuff like editing Pokémon, effectiveness, items, etc. Having a list of what you'll change helps a great deal here (I made a list of all Pokémon, and one-by-one I decided when and how they will evolve, how do they breed and what types each Pokémon will be).
After all this is done, comes the, in my opinion, hardest part. Maps and scripts. You set where the player starts, where does he need to go and people he'll meet. Now, you create all the maps and change theirs scripts. I don't have much advices here, as I myself am a bit far from here, and don't know much how it works. You game seems to change a lot with the story. Pay attention to what maps you want unchanged and what you are changing. Same for events. I believe changing maps first and events later is the logical way to go. Since you set already how the story will go on, you probably won't get lost here.
I had an idea of changing Cinnabar to include a volcano and having Blaine's Gym inside it. I didn't want to screw Bill's script (he takes you to the Sevii Islands). So I thought of a workaround. I'm taking all trainers out of the gym and I'm keeping it locked. I will delete Pokémon Mansion. I'll set the volcano and after the battle with Blaine (don't know how you'll know of the battle or reach the Volcano's Gym yet, but probably through a riddle in the Gym's door and an old man placed lookin at the Gym, much like Viridian) , the volcano will start erupting. We'll go out of it through a secret passage that leads to the Gym Leader's Room (much like the one in Pokémon Game Corner, for Rocket's Hideout. But the stairs will fade after we are inside the gym). Blaine will say that the eruption naturally failed, and the island was safe. He will say goodbye to us, and when we leave we'll find Bill (with its, I hope for, untouched script). Just an example of workaround for using a specific script.

Lastly, try finding a partner, or someone that can help with doubts. Don't try doing everything by yourself. Maybe implementing, and the actual game, but routines and ideas, like I said, ask around, search for them. Maybe someone already did it and you won't have much more work for just implementing.
Sorry for the big text, got motivated by the "giving up" thing.
Best of luck man, hope you do finish your game.


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