Emerald hack: Pokémon Emerald Horizons - Emerald Difficulty Hack [Complete, v1.11b ft. New Rocket Storyline, Boss Gauntlet, Gen 1-8, Side Quests, and QoL features]

[BrandonXL]

Well there you have it. It was surprising that Wallace was easier compared to the other E4 members, SB Blaziken carried me through the game tbh, while the bulkiness of intimidate Salamence + Mega + DDance helped in late game. I kinda wished for a better movepool to the mons, that was always putted me on a tough spot, like Sharpedo got a decent physical water stab only on the late game and Manectric had only one SpA coverage which left him behind in usage. But overall a nice game, hope to see more things in the next updates, good job!

Love the team and glad you were able to see it through! I'll also look to tweak movesets where appropriate for mons like Sharpedo and Manectric; were there any other mons you thought could scale better in terms of moveset? Any feedback is much appreciated!

Hi, sorry if I missed the answer to this somewhere. But how can I access Navel Rock for the final quest? Is it related to dex completion? Really loved the game :)

Navel Rock currently is initiated in Altering Cave on Route 103; I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed the game. If even one person is able to truly enjoy the game, I think that is enough gratification for all of the long hours put into this project, so thank you again for the kind words!

I'll also use this to provide an update on the future of the game. Initially, an update was slated to come out addressing minor things. However, at this juncture, I think there is a good amount I want to address.
I was planning on publishing a 1.02e version incorporating simple things, like the Hitmon evolution changes suggested by Mr. X. Ultimately, I think it's in my best interest to get this game to a more significant update (a 1.03) and test it thoroughly. My desires are:

1. Expanding the Team Rocket side quest. The quest itself is very short, and I'd like to play with it more and make it more significant of a mini storyline.
2. Utilizing Altering Cave; right now, it's just an area to activate the Navel Rock quest. Working through ways to make it worthwhile post-game content.
3. Inclusion of Battle Factory and Battle Tower; these are (in my opinion) the best facilities. Working them to modern standards will be tedious, but something I don't mind. However, the main issue is avoiding bad eggs, which I have been unfortunately unable to consistently reproduce to determine root cause.

I will likely implement my bug fixes, QoL changes, and items 1 and 2 above in a forthcoming update. I will delay inclusion of item 3 until I can confidently say that bad eggs should not be an issue.

Thank you to all in the community for your support! I look forward to getting a new update out in the future :)

 

[Dezerex]

Having dropped the franchise with Dexit, this is the first pokemon game I've played in five years. Phenomenal use of exceptionally powerful legendary pokemon, this really feels exactly right for my level of ability 😎👍👍👍

In this case I wanted to use my favorite pokemon to their full potential, since a large chunk of them are not particularly powerful in the base game without a lot of work, which this modpack made much easier.
From Left to Right:
Assault Vest Reuniclus - Unable to outspeed opponents, but if a special attacking threat comes onto the scene, it can be a good switch in (KOs Mega Mewtwo Y)
Z-Crystal Azumarill - Was on my team consistently from the first gym, Huge Power + Incredible STAB + Aqua Jet + Reasonable Bulk is insane, and only got better once I got access to Z-Crystals, swapping between Fighting, Fairy and Water. Beat Ultra Necrozma with Health to Spare.
Toxic Boost Zangoose - My favorite individual pokemon, hits incredibly hard, especially against special attackers who can't take advantage of poisons defense drop. Has on several occasions instakilled four pokemon in a row with Facade, Close Combat and Knock Off.
Support Chimecho - Only here because I used a Chingling in Explorers of Sky, acted essentially as dead weight during all of the Elite Four, occasionally landing a Yawn/Healing Wish to work as a support pokemon.
Thunder Galvantula - Fast, hard hitting special attacker with very good power against wallace, primarily ran Electric Gem to boost damage even further, along with paralyzing with Thunder Wave to set up others for their damage dealing.
Mega Metagross - Steel type damage to help deal with the hardest of the elite four, Glacia, along with an extra STAB priority move and generally high damage, I would have used Latios for my mega slot, but it is not available until after the Elite Four 😔

 

[CrystalClear2]

I'm loving this hack so far! One thing though, I know you said there's no in-game way to obtain a large chunk of the legendaries, but are there out of game ways like PkHex? Mostly just cause my brain likes seeing the entire Pokedex full lmao

 

[BrandonXL]

Having dropped the franchise with Dexit, this is the first pokemon game I've played in five years. Phenomenal use of exceptionally powerful legendary pokemon, this really feels exactly right for my level of ability 😎👍👍👍

In this case I wanted to use my favorite pokemon to their full potential, since a large chunk of them are not particularly powerful in the base game without a lot of work, which this modpack made much easier.
From Left to Right:
Assault Vest Reuniclus - Unable to outspeed opponents, but if a special attacking threat comes onto the scene, it can be a good switch in (KOs Mega Mewtwo Y)
Z-Crystal Azumarill - Was on my team consistently from the first gym, Huge Power + Incredible STAB + Aqua Jet + Reasonable Bulk is insane, and only got better once I got access to Z-Crystals, swapping between Fighting, Fairy and Water. Beat Ultra Necrozma with Health to Spare.
Toxic Boost Zangoose - My favorite individual pokemon, hits incredibly hard, especially against special attackers who can't take advantage of poisons defense drop. Has on several occasions instakilled four pokemon in a row with Facade, Close Combat and Knock Off.
Support Chimecho - Only here because I used a Chingling in Explorers of Sky, acted essentially as dead weight during all of the Elite Four, occasionally landing a Yawn/Healing Wish to work as a support pokemon.
Thunder Galvantula - Fast, hard hitting special attacker with very good power against wallace, primarily ran Electric Gem to boost damage even further, along with paralyzing with Thunder Wave to set up others for their damage dealing.
Mega Metagross - Steel type damage to help deal with the hardest of the elite four, Glacia, along with an extra STAB priority move and generally high damage, I would have used Latios for my mega slot, but it is not available until after the Elite Four 😔

This is such an incredibly unique team! Shoutout to Chimecho!
Also, I really appreciated the write-up; it's really insightful to see how people approached the matchups (rip Chimecho though).
I hope you enjoyed your playthrough!

I'm loving this hack so far! One thing though, I know you said there's no in-game way to obtain a large chunk of the legendaries, but are there out of game ways like PkHex? Mostly just cause my brain likes seeing the entire Pokedex full lmao

I'm glad to hear you're liking it! Because of the way the game is assembled, the data is kinda all over the place, so the mon-related information in a traditional binary hack is misplaced with respect to how it is usually oriented.
I apologize for the inconvenience, but I'm also thinking through logical ways to present the player with legendaries as they progress.

Also, for those that are currently playing or are considering playing, please refer to the master post regarding a newly discovered bug.
This is related to the use of Neutralizing Gas; this is likely getting disabled in a future patch, as it doesn't seem to play nice with abilities like Electric Surge.
Progress is steady and gradual for 1.03; I hope to get it out soon after some more extensive playtesting! Cheers :)

 

[Deathnetworks]

I'm glad to hear you're liking it! Because of the way the game is assembled, the data is kinda all over the place, so the mon-related information in a traditional binary hack is misplaced with respect to how it is usually oriented.
I apologize for the inconvenience, but I'm also thinking through logical ways to present the player with legendaries as they progress.

Might be an unwanted suggestion, but a quest or a quest chain (no idea if that's possible) per legendary that once complete enables a stationary legendary.

Spoiler:

Basically anything other than trading or mystery gifts, that kinda feels like a cheat. May just be me, but I wanna earn it. ;)

Though glad to hear you're thinking about adding them in, also a dex completionist here. ^_^

 

[CrystalClear2]

The other thing I want cheats for is money lmao, I came to realize that the cost of the grinding trainer/Sceptilite/Smooth Rock/Linking Cable would be way too much for me while also buying lots of Poke Balls

 

[CrystalClear2]

Also, in terms of the legendaries, I don't really mind how I get them lol. I do agree that quests would be a good way to do it. Assuming you don't want them accessible as options during the main game, maybe some postgame quests open up after entering the hall of fame?

As for my current run, I just beat Watson and am currently preparing my team for Flannery. The lack of trainer documentation makes it a tad bit annoying but I think I'll survive without it lmao

 

[cervixknight]

i love this difficult emerald hack
plan to enable Nature, IV/EV, Hidden ability option?
im enjoy to grinding with this difficult hack.

 

[Deathnetworks]

*Cough* Auto-run *Cough*

 

[CrystalClear2]

Just beat Tate and Liza! Team of Hippowdon, Excadrill, Mandibuzz, Tangrowth, Slowbro, and Mega Lopunny has been serving me really well, I'm probs gonna bring it to the Elite Four honestly. Will try and finish up tomorrow!

 

[BrandonXL]

Might be an unwanted suggestion, but a quest or a quest chain (no idea if that's possible) per legendary that once complete enables a stationary legendary.

Spoiler:

Basically anything other than trading or mystery gifts, that kinda feels like a cheat. May just be me, but I wanna earn it. ;)

Though glad to hear you're thinking about adding them in, also a dex completionist here. ^_^

Suggestions are always welcomed and considered! It's on my to do list long term, but it'll have to wait pending the larger scale changes I've been working on.
The holidays don't give me as much time to work on changes since I'm always traveling, but just know I'm hard at work!

The other thing I want cheats for is money lmao, I came to realize that the cost of the grinding trainer/Sceptilite/Smooth Rock/Linking Cable would be way too much for me while also buying lots of Poke Balls

Money can definitely seem tight early on, but those side quests pump you with a healthy amount of money.

Just beat Tate and Liza! Team of Hippowdon, Excadrill, Mandibuzz, Tangrowth, Slowbro, and Mega Lopunny has been serving me really well, I'm probs gonna bring it to the Elite Four honestly. Will try and finish up tomorrow!

Loving the team, especially since most of them are not currently in the Hall of Fame! Who has been the MVP for you so far? Can't wait to see your victory!

i love this difficult emerald hack
plan to enable Nature, IV/EV, Hidden ability option?
im enjoy to grinding with this difficult hack.

Glad you're enjoying it. Hidden abilities can be obtained through the use of the DexNav (chaining) or using an Ability Patch (available after a certain amount of badges).
There are no plans at this time for natures/IVs/EVs, but natures could be factored in the future.

 

[CrystalClear2]

Yeah! I actually focused on trying to use mons not on the Hall of Fame list, but Excadrill was too good to pass up lol. Excadrill has been my overall MVP since it's been fiending ever since I got Gigalith, but Mega Lopunny was pretty key for mopping up the Magma and Aqua Hideouts and saving time on running back to the Pokemon Center

 

[Azamaki]

I don't know English, so I use a translator, sorry if I wrote something wrong, and now about the game. This game is wonderful and hateful at the same time. I like the new features, a huge number of Pokemon, just perfect Emerald 2023, but although no , not so, NOOOOO, the complexity of this game simply destroys everything and everyone, how wonderfully the game starts, you walk around enjoying new chips, fight with ordinary trainers, everything is just great until you reach this damn forest, where the first battle against the villain from Aqua....I just hated everything around me, but still, with great difficulty, having passed through this forest and getting to the first gym, I simply sent the creator of this hack, all the Pokemon where to go, the first badge, just the first, damn badge, on which I killed 30 minutes of real time and in fairness I still won, even more, I was able (with VERY great difficulty) to go through the cave and return the stolen thing, and then I met May is near PokeMart, she offered to fight and I agreed, and then I deleted the game to hell, just kidding, in fact I just left the game swearing every word. I wondered if I had to spend so much time winning in the forest, in the gym, in a cave playing through an emulator using a quick save, is it even possible to beat this game playing on the original GBA? I ask, I pray you, release at least a little reduced difficulty for ordinary players who just want to complete the game without changing their team a hundred times, not save/load a million times in a minute, I beg you, I really like this game, but if at the very beginning there is such a level of difficulty, then I'm afraid what's going on there in 7-8 gyms or in E4. Please listen to people, I started reading the comments from the very beginning and many people complain about the difficulty, but it seems you don't even raise an eyebrow and this is very frustrating. Sorry that the text is so long, but I'm writing this 5 minutes after I closed the game and I'm still emotional

 

[Azamaki]

I just read the comments that suggest a good option, to introduce several difficulty levels to choose from, this is an ideal option, everyone will be able to play as they want, please take note of this, I am very grateful to you for the work done, however, due to the same difficulty I I think a lot of people will just quit the game

 

[BrandonXL]

I don't know English, so I use a translator, sorry if I wrote something wrong, and now about the game. This game is wonderful and hateful at the same time. I like the new features, a huge number of Pokemon, just perfect Emerald 2023, but although no , not so, NOOOOO, the complexity of this game simply destroys everything and everyone, how wonderfully the game starts, you walk around enjoying new chips, fight with ordinary trainers, everything is just great until you reach this damn forest, where the first battle against the villain from Aqua....I just hated everything around me, but still, with great difficulty, having passed through this forest and getting to the first gym, I simply sent the creator of this hack, all the Pokemon where to go, the first badge, just the first, damn badge, on which I killed 30 minutes of real time and in fairness I still won, even more, I was able (with VERY great difficulty) to go through the cave and return the stolen thing, and then I met May is near PokeMart, she offered to fight and I agreed, and then I deleted the game to hell, just kidding, in fact I just left the game swearing every word. I wondered if I had to spend so much time winning in the forest, in the gym, in a cave playing through an emulator using a quick save, is it even possible to beat this game playing on the original GBA? I ask, I pray you, release at least a little reduced difficulty for ordinary players who just want to complete the game without changing their team a hundred times, not save/load a million times in a minute, I beg you, I really like this game, but if at the very beginning there is such a level of difficulty, then I'm afraid what's going on there in 7-8 gyms or in E4. Please listen to people, I started reading the comments from the very beginning and many people complain about the difficulty, but it seems you don't even raise an eyebrow and this is very frustrating. Sorry that the text is so long, but I'm writing this 5 minutes after I closed the game and I'm still emotional

I just read the comments that suggest a good option, to introduce several difficulty levels to choose from, this is an ideal option, everyone will be able to play as they want, please take note of this, I am very grateful to you for the work done, however, due to the same difficulty I I think a lot of people will just quit the game

Hi, no worries! Translation seems to have come through as you intended I think!
I hope you didn't get the wrong idea. Feedback is always considered and important to me! It's been instrumental in rolling out changes (Town Map for accessibility, no need for most field HMs, etc.), so I will always be open to hearing what your thoughts are.

Difficulty has been brought up here and there, and the original iteration of the Petalburg Grunt fight was modified to account for what people considered difficult. This game is a difficulty hack and should always present some form of challenge across all stages of the game. That is not to say difficulty modes are out of the question; it is certainly a possibility in the future. As it stands, my priority is to bugfix and get the next update out with an updated sidequest before trying to mess with the Battle Tower and Battle Factory. Legendaries have been brought up, too. I think once those items are all addressed (in some way or another), I can explore how I would want to implement an easier mode.
Thanks for your feedback!

 

[CrystalClear2]

Alright, I finally beat the game! I was putting this off for a while but I finally made it to the Hall of Fame! Final team was Smooth Rock Hippowdon, Sand Rush Excadrill, Regen AV Tangrowth, Regen Specs Slowbro, Braviary, and Mega Lopunny. Very fun game, I had a great time!

 

[chiudetemilaudio]

Hi there, love the hack and the work you put into it, it's difficult but doesn't feel completely unfair.

Just a thought tho: is there a way, or could you eventually implement it, to let the starter pokemon you pick in mauville's game corner to evolve into their hisuian form? I'd really love to have H-Typhlosion on my team but I feel like waiting to find it in the wild is kinda too late in the game.

 

[BrandonXL]

Alright, I finally beat the game! I was putting this off for a while but I finally made it to the Hall of Fame! Final team was Smooth Rock Hippowdon, Sand Rush Excadrill, Regen AV Tangrowth, Regen Specs Slowbro, Braviary, and Mega Lopunny. Very fun game, I had a great time!

Ah, congratulations! Five new first timers is always great to see, too :)
Who was the hardest E4 member? And more importantly...who was the MVP of the E4 run? Super appreciative for you playing and completing it!

Hi there, love the hack and the work you put into it, it's difficult but doesn't feel completely unfair.

Just a thought tho: is there a way, or could you eventually implement it, to let the starter pokemon you pick in mauville's game corner to evolve into their hisuian form? I'd really love to have H-Typhlosion on my team but I feel like waiting to find it in the wild is kinda too late in the game.

So, this is being implemented, albeit not until 1.03 is released. I would say I'm a few days from completing all of the updates for 1.03 (it is a bigger update), and while it is technically compatible with 1.02d from a save point perspective, you wouldn't be able to do certain quests because of the way questlines have been restructured, so I would recommend people that use the newest version to start fresh. By the time it's all tested and ready to go, you probably would have gotten to the point where you can get them. This was a design flaw in the current iteration that didn't make sense for players. Basically, long story short, it is being added! Sorry for the inconvenience!

 

[CrystalClear2]

Ah, congratulations! Five new first timers is always great to see, too :)
Who was the hardest E4 member? And more importantly...who was the MVP of the E4 run? Super appreciative for you playing and completing it!

So, this is being implemented, albeit not until 1.03 is released. I would say I'm a few days from completing all of the updates for 1.03 (it is a bigger update), and while it is technically compatible with 1.02d from a save point perspective, you wouldn't be able to do certain quests because of the way questlines have been restructured, so I would recommend people that use the newest version to start fresh. By the time it's all tested and ready to go, you probably would have gotten to the point where you can get them. This was a design flaw in the current iteration that didn't make sense for players. Basically, long story short, it is being added! Sorry for the inconvenience!

I was 100% expecting Excadrill to be the MVP, but in reality, Mega Lopunny cleaned up a lot of the E4. I'd say Drake was the hardest, mostly because it was much harder to hit OHKO thresholds with the team I made. That's what happens when you prep to get new timers in above all else lmao

 

[chiudetemilaudio]

Ah, congratulations! Five new first timers is always great to see, too :)
Who was the hardest E4 member? And more importantly...who was the MVP of the E4 run? Super appreciative for you playing and completing it!

So, this is being implemented, albeit not until 1.03 is released. I would say I'm a few days from completing all of the updates for 1.03 (it is a bigger update), and while it is technically compatible with 1.02d from a save point perspective, you wouldn't be able to do certain quests because of the way questlines have been restructured, so I would recommend people that use the newest version to start fresh. By the time it's all tested and ready to go, you probably would have gotten to the point where you can get them. This was a design flaw in the current iteration that didn't make sense for players. Basically, long story short, it is being added! Sorry for the inconvenience!

Oh ty for the answer, it's really not that big of a deal tbh I was just wondering if it was possible but I'll gladly wait for the big update to drop :) Cant' wait to see the changes you made since it's a bigger one.

Really loving the game btw, it's so positively challenging and fun (I'm at team aqua's hideout atm, did a lot of the optional quests, can't wait to finish the run and see if my current team can defeat the elite four)

Amazing job, really.