Hardest Part of ROM Hacking

We've all got those little things we begrudge doing when it comes to making our own games, but what irks you the most?

For me it is Overworlds. I can barely do spriting on a large basis but to gather all those features into a tiny little sprite is very annoying. I constantly ask myself, how do I show he/she has a jacket on? What about the hair (clearly the most difficult)? And then there's the tedious job of creating the back and side profiles, not to mention editing them later on for walking animations.

I haven't even began creating my own maps/tiles yet, but I have a feeling the irritation of attempting to make a decent map will outweigh my hatred for overworld spriting.

Tell me, though, what do you dislike doing?

In an ideal world we'd all have a team to do the bits we don't want to do.

If you consider spriting/graphics development a part of ROM hacking, then it's probably that. It can take years of practice before you're able to make something that's actually good.

Otherwise, I'd say ASM/C is the hardest to learn and master. Scripting probably being the easiest and mapping being harder (as it requires some level of artistic talent).

Like every skill, if you practice you will get better. So I'd go for what's harder to practice, and that would be maps. My reasoning is that it's hard to pass the unconscious incompetence stage without someone else making suggestions. The map rating thread is pretty dead.

If you're hacking on your own, then I'd creating sprites is definitely the hardest aspect. It's one of those things that usually you can draw or you can't, and the amount of time it takes to can is much longer than any other hacking-related skill.

Similarly, I'd say music composition is also very difficult to do well.

most definitely music and fleshing out a world. i haven't even begun to look into music, but there's a level of entry that's expected when you come into it that's just so high! i might take a music theory class, though, so we'll see how that goes.
for me, spriting is easy, you just need to know how to make something look good (which apparently isn't a universal talent?). i don't like doing spriting, however, as it's sooooo time-consuming and bleh
i do overworlds sometimes, though~

Not getting burnt out.

I would say that doing setvar is the hardest part ever

autorun.inf said:

I would say that doing setvar is the hardest part ever

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I disagree, but if you're having trouble with setting variables, try posting a thread in the Beginners Lounge to get help, I'm sure there will be people willing to help you out, including myself.

Inspiration

Well it depends on if you want it done well or not. Sprites are very easy to hack but difficult to make look good.

As for difficulty implemting ASM or Music.

motivation, thats the hardest thing for me

Actually doing it. Like, putting the time in. The vast majority of hacking is pretty simple once you know what you're doing, but the time investment of taking things from your brain and putting them in the ROM is enormous.

Hardest part for me is FINDING good downloads in the first place.

Hello, internet, I am new to this site and am probably not using it correctly, sorry.

I was into editing pokemon roms years ago and want to get back into it...problem is I dont have any of my old work and can't for the life of me find a decent way to download GBA pokemon roms or editing software anymore.

Back then I was using Advance map, Advance Trainer, YAPE, XSE, ect....Now most of the time those downloads dont work for me.

Looking for general help or advice, thank you
-Green

PkmnTrainer_Green said:

Hardest part for me is FINDING good downloads in the first place.

Hello, internet, I am new to this site and am probably not using it correctly, sorry.

I was into editing pokemon roms years ago and want to get back into it...problem is I dont have any of my old work and can't for the life of me find a decent way to download GBA pokemon roms or editing software anymore.

Back then I was using Advance map, Advance Trainer, YAPE, XSE, ect....Now most of the time those downloads dont work for me.

Looking for general help or advice, thank you
-Green

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Advance map can be downloaded from the official site (1.92 is recommended).
XSE can be found here.

As for the other tools, both of those are out of date by now. Some alternatives to YAPE would be G3HS, PGE or G3T. For Advance Trainer I'd recommend Hopeless Trainer Editor, although G3T also has in it's own built in trainer editor.

Expanding the emerald Pokedex

Deokishisu said:

Actually doing it. Like, putting the time in. The vast majority of hacking is pretty simple once you know what you're doing, but the time investment of taking things from your brain and putting them in the ROM is enormous.

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This right here.

Jeesh said:

Expanding the emerald Pokedex

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Brah, you serious

DizzyEgg said:

Brah, you serious

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Theres so many options to do it and they're all tedious. I mean, I've successfully DONE it, I'm just saying it was hard. XD

Jeesh said:

Theres so many options to do it and they're all tedious. I mean, I've successfully DONE it, I'm just saying it was hard. XD

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bruh, I made a script that expands the pokemon in like half a minute, how's that tedious?

DizzyEgg said:

bruh, I made a script that expands the pokemon in like half a minute, how's that tedious?

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I actually did see your script. But I'm a mac hacker (a macker, so to speak). So I did it the old fashioned way and repointed everything, since you use a bunch of .exe files that winebottler doesn't like for some reason.

I mean, no hard feelings, I'm sure your method works. I'm just one guy who went with another.

Jeesh said:

I actually did see your script. But I'm a mac hacker (a macker, so to speak). So I did it the old fashioned way and repointed everything, since you use a bunch of .exe files that winebottler doesn't like for some reason.

I mean, no hard feelings, I'm sure your method works. I'm just one guy who went with another.

Click to expand...

I don't use any exe files, just python scripts and code. I wrote this method, because the other one is buggy. Also, this old fashioned way you're talking about is the only way. That's how things are done, you repoint them. I just wrote a script which does that, so you don't have to do it manually.