Hacking Fantasy Life save: ROM to retail?

[Nurio]

I've started playing Fantasy Life as a ROM on my Gateway while I waited for the retail cartridge to arrive. (The wait time was one month!)
Now that I finally have the retail copy in my hands here, I was wondering if there is a possibility to transfer my save from my 3DS XL I use for Gateway to the 3DS XL I use for retail games. I know Fantasy Life stores the saves on the SD card, so that is making me at least a little hopeful.
I thought to ask if it is possible before trying it, since if it's impossible, I'd rather leave my retail copy sealed (NRFB! NRFB!) and continue playing with the ROM.

 

[Shinitai]

Sorry, don't think it's possible. At least not yet. The saves are encrypted, and part of the key to that encryption is the game's header. Thus only copies with the same header can share saves, and the header is unique to each cartdrige.
When (and if) the save encryption is broken, it will be possible. Don't hold your breath though.

 

[Nurio]

Sorry, don't think it's possible. At least not yet. The saves are encrypted, and part of the key to that encryption is the game's header. Thus only copies with the same header can share saves, and the header is unique to each cartdrige.
When (and if) the save encryption is broken, it will be possible. Don't hold your breath though.

Just to make sure, you DID read the part where the game saves on the SD card, right? This is an exceptional case where it possibly isn't encrypted with the game's header like with normal saves.

 

[Shinitai]

Just to make sure, you DID read the part where the game saves on the SD card, right? This is an exceptional case where it possibly isn't encrypted with the game's header like with normal saves.

I did read that. I don't see how it's an exceptional case. Maybe I'm not getting exactly what you mean. You are talking about a .sav file in the 3DS SD named something like 0004000000XXXX00.sav, yes? This is the case for all games, except the few that use NAND saves.

 

[Nurio]

I did read that. I don't see how it's an exceptional case. Maybe I'm not getting exactly what you mean. You are talking about a .sav file in the 3DS SD named something like 0004000000XXXX00.sav, yes? This is the case for all games, except the few that use NAND saves.

No, I am not talking about that. I'll reiterate:
The game saves on the SD card instead of on the cartridge.

I presume it is because the save file is too big, and NAND-based saving is too expensive, so this is a good middle-ground solution. It is also the reason why loading and saving takes so much time to begin with.

 

[kyogre123]

No, I am not talking about that. I'll reiterate:
The game saves on the SD card instead of on the cartridge.

I presume it is because the save file is too big, and NAND-based saving is too expensive, so this is a good middle-ground solution. It is also the reason why loading and saving takes so much time to begin with.

So, we could call that a CARD3 game?

Sorry, but everything is tied to IDs under the 3DS, so you are out of luck. In that case, you may need to decrypt the firmware to decrypt the save (just guessing).

 

[Shinitai]

No, I am not talking about that. I'll reiterate:

The game saves on the SD card instead of on the cartridge.

I presume it is because the save file is too big, and NAND-based saving is too expensive, so this is a good middle-ground solution. It is also the reason why loading and saving takes so much time to begin with.

Oh, you mean even retail copies save to the SD card? Sorry, I don't know in that case. If I had to bet, I'd say the save is probably still encrypted.

One thing you can try is injecting a header into the ROM. It doesn't have to be a valid one, just a different one from the one it currently has. Make sure to change every byte in both the chip ID and the cart ID. The cart ID is probably FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF, so change it to EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, and the chip ID is probably FFFFFFFF, so change it to EEEEEEEE. Then, see if your save loads.

 

[Nurio]

So, we could call that a CARD3 game?

Sorry, but everything is tied to IDs under the 3DS, so you are out of luck. In that case, you may need to decrypt the firmware to decrypt the save (just guessing).

I suppose it is classified as a CARD1 game since it'll most likely still have a (dummy) save file on the cartridge that is like a standard CARD1 save file.
Hmm, it's a shame to hear that it's not really possible. I haven't been following the scene lately, but I presume it's not possible to decrypt the firmware and such?

 

[Nurio]

Oh, you mean even retail copies save to the SD card? Sorry, I don't know in that case. If I had to bet, I'd say the save is probably still encrypted.

One thing you can try is injecting a header into the ROM. It doesn't have to be a valid one, just a different one from the one it currently has. Make sure to change every byte in both the chip ID and the cart ID. The cart ID is probably FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF, so change it to EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, and the chip ID is probably FFFFFFFF, so change it to EEEEEEEE. Then, see if your save loads.

From the limited research I have done, this should work. I've seen people use different headers and their saves loaded just fine.
However, what I am also interested in is if you can transfer the saves between 3DSs.

 

[Shinitai]

From the limited research I have done, this should work. I've seen people use different headers and their saves loaded just fine.

You mean for this particular game? Because it certainly doesn't work for others.

However, what I am also interested in is if you can transfer the saves between 3DSs.

Depends on if the save is encrypted using something like the console's ID as part of the key. I'd say probably not, but I can't be sure.

All I can suggest at this point is try to get another copy (rent it or borrow it?) and try with that.

 

[Nurio]

You mean for this particular game? Because it certainly doesn't work for others.

Yes, naturally for this game. This is, as far as I know, the only game that saves like this.

Depends on if the save is encrypted using something like the console's ID as part of the key. I'd say probably not, but I can't be sure.

All I can suggest at this point is try to get another copy (rent it or borrow it?) and try with that.

Hm, if the answer is inconclusive, I'll just try with my own retail copy. But I'll wait for some more input first before trying that. Because I have two opposing answers now.

 

[kyogre123]

Yes, naturally for this game. This is, as far as I know, the only game that saves like this.


Hm, if the answer is inconclusive, I'll just try with my own retail copy. But I'll wait for some more input first before trying that. Because I have two opposing answers now.

If yoou are using emuNAND, make a backup f it, backup the iiles of your SD and change then the header of this ROM. If it loads the same save, then you are good.

 

[Reecey]

What you need to do is dump your retail copy with Gateway then export the header out of your retail version and import the header out of your rom version and use it as a rom instead of a cartridge, your save file will work that way!. Should work OK

 

[gamesquest1]

it would be very easy to check, backup your save first, inject a different header and see if it loads up your save still, if it does your good, if it doesn't, from what i read about ssb it only stores certain bits on the SD, the main bulk of the save would be on the card (or .sav file when using gateway).....that way you don't loose your save if you switch consoles, but instead only loose certain things (until you put the game back in the original console) like unlocked trophies or customized characters


personally i dont think it will work as the .sav file will only work for the original header it was created with

 

[Nurio]

What you need to do is dump your retail copy with Gateway then export the header out of your retail version and import the header out of your rom version and use it as a rom instead of a cartridge, your save file will work that way!. Should work OK

And... what would I even gain by this? The point is that I want to play from a retail cartridge on my unhacked 3DS but not lose my save.

it would be very easy to check, backup your save first, inject a different header and see if it loads up your save still, if it does your good, if it doesn't, from what i read about ssb it only stores certain bits on the SD, the main bulk of the save would be on the card (or .sav file when using gateway).....that way you don't loose your save if you switch consoles, but instead only loose certain things (until you put the game back in the original console) like unlocked trophies or customized characters


personally i dont think it will work as the .sav file will only work for the original header it was created with

Maybe so. But if the .sav contains no actual save data, it might actually work. I just had hoped someone else has tried exporting the Fantasy Life save like this and could tell me their results. ^^;

 

[gamesquest1]

And... what would I even gain by this? The point is that I want to play from a retail cartridge on my unhacked 3DS but not lose my save.


Maybe so. But if the .sav contains no actual save data, it might actually work. I just had hoped someone else has tried exporting the Fantasy Life save like this and could tell me their results. ^^;

just change the header on the rom and you can test it yourself.....just pick any old public header and see if it works(best backup your save first though ....and maybe the rest of your SD if it has an additional saving area on the SD)

 

[cearp]

test it yourself.....

novel idea, i was waiting for someone to recommend that

 

[SilverfalconLP]

Im state on similar situation but im its for have separated emunand and sysnand sdcard folders,im make sav (more 58 hours of game) whit r4i multirom firmware (sysnand 4.5) but if im go to older firmware for emunand (for home relay streetpass)not load my sav for my sav its on sysnand sdcard filesystem,the questions its how if it can move sav sysnand to emunand sdcard filesystem and load (im copy and paste sav folder but not load ,on settings sav look interrogation icon)

 

[Nurio]

Im state on similar situation but im its for have separated emunand and sysnand sdcard folders,im make sav (more 58 hours of game) whit r4i multirom firmware (sysnand 4.5) but if im go to older firmware for emunand (for home relay streetpass)not load my sav for my sav its on sysnand sdcard filesystem,the questions its how if it can move sav sysnand to emunand sdcard filesystem and load (im copy and paste sav folder but not load ,on settings sav look interrogation icon)

You say it's a bit of a similar situation, but I still wonder how exactly it is relevant to this topic. It doesn't really have much to do with Fantasy Life or transferring SD Card data from one 3DS to another.
Moreover, it was somewhat difficult to read and understand.

 

[SilverfalconLP]

You say it's a bit of a similar situation, but I still wonder how exactly it is relevant to this topic. It doesn't really have much to do with Fantasy Life or transferring SD Card data from one 3DS to another.
Moreover, it was somewhat difficult to read and understand.

I do not speak English, a translator aver if I understand, the sav Final fantasy life is saved in sdcard so you can change the header, without the corrupting sav, I say that by having a sav in sysnand and another in emunand different, so you should not have problems loading a sav a rom with the original cartridge, however my question if you could pass the sav of sysnand foldersystem to emunand foldersystem