ROM Hack [Question] Best way to release a ROM hack?

[HelpTheWretched]

I've got a ROM hack that's almost done and I'd like to release it, but I don't know the best way.

The game (Zelda: Tri Force Heroes) has an update/DLC that's required for online play, which would overwrite a bunch of the modified files if I just released the v1.0 ROM hacked in .3ds or .cia.

I've been testing/playing the hack by just packing all the modified files into the v2.1 update .cia and re-installing that each time. But of course, anybody wanting to play it would need the full game, physical or digital.

Is one of those options the 'standard' around here? Or does anyone know if there's a way to combine the main game and the v2.1 patch into a single .cia? I could pack all the files together but the updated has new code that might conflict somehow... or the game might search for the update's titleID when trying to play online... I dunno!

 

[dAVID_]

Quickly! Distribute it to as many warez sites as you can!

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Best way to release rom hacks is to create a patch with instructions on how to patch the rom yourself. Most sites like this one allow rom hacks only if they aren't a rom itself, so if you want to share to more sites, that be the best way.

 

[souler92]

follow

 

[ReiKeima]

Or does anyone know if there's a way to combine the main game and the v2.1 patch into a single .cia? I could pack all the files together but the updated has new code that might conflict somehow... or the game might search for the update's titleID when trying to play online... I dunno!

Going by how Pokémon Bank's latest update behaves, I'd say put update contents in base CIA, figure out if there were any overwrites to your edit, and set the CIA's software version to be equal to or higher than the update data's software version (3120).

Or don't put the update contents in the base CIA and just kick up the CIA's version to equal or higher than the update data's.

 

[kingraa777]

more info on the rom haCK please

 

[HelpTheWretched]

Quickly! Distribute it to as many warez sites as you can!

...No, Peg.

Best way to release rom hacks is to create a patch with instructions on how to patch the rom yourself.

Cool, like an IPS patch or something? And would that even be feasible on an encrypted .cia?

I'd say put update contents in base CIA, figure out if there were any overwrites to your edit, and set the CIA's software version to be equal to or higher than the update data's software version (3120).

Well, I'd need to include the update's contents since there's additional code, but I'll try putting it all in the base .cia, thanks.

more info on the rom haCK please

Nothing really special, just restores Purple Link. He had many fans who have missed him.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Cool, like an IPS patch or something? And would that even be feasible on an encrypted .cia?

Well i think people are starting to use BPS more than IPS, and also is just a matter of providing the custom content and instructing the users how to patch it themself. I don't think distributing cia is allowed unless is completely 100% original content, not modified official content mixed with original content. It may fall under some rules against some conduct i dunno yet. Ask a staff member

 

[The Real Jdbye]

...No, Peg.


Cool, like an IPS patch or something? And would that even be feasible on an encrypted .cia?




Well, I'd need to include the update's contents since there's additional code, but I'll try putting it all in the base .cia, thanks.


Nothing really special, just restores Purple Link. He had many fans who have missed him.

I think they meant to use something like PackHack which extracts the CIA, patches in the modded files and rebuilds it for you.
IPS patches and such used to work very well back in the day when mods just replaced certain bytes in the ROM or added data to the end of it, but the romfs filesystem is a lot more complex than that so you'll probably end up with a patch that is much larger than the edited content and contains most of the game because the process of extracting the romfs, adding your files and rebuilding the CIA will result in a completely different file. Also, you can't redistribute said file if it contains most of the game.

But anyway I would suggest to distribute your edited files with PackHack or similar. That way people can patch their own CIA, patch a romfs for use with HANS, or they can take the edited files and stick them in a LayeredFS if they like. It leaves more options for people.

That still leaves the issue of the update data though. Maybe design the patch to be used with the update CIA?

 

[HelpTheWretched]

Okay, thanks for the good replies, everyone.

Come to think of it, TFH is primarily an online game, so nearly everyone has the patch. It'd be a lot easier to work with that. So I'll brush up with PackHack (and/or look into BPS patching) and release it that way, but maybe also release the hacked patch .cia at that site or that other site.

Also, as it's something I've tried before (https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAADAAB2V0f9x_I8eQ), I may include some modified Miiverse stamps in the hack. If anybody has ideas for logos or other such images that'd be good to include....

 

[Deleted User]

Here's a fork of LayeredFS that works on pretty much every game: https://github.com/mariohackandglitch/OnionFS.

Personally, though, I haven't had much luck with Layered/OnionFS (certain modified assets wouldn't load properly).

Your best bet would to just release the modified files and let users patch their games themselves. It takes a bit more work for the end user, but it's not deathly hard. It also allows the end user to choose how to play the game (HANS, OnionFS, or rebuilt CIA), though that decision would be up to them.

 

[HelpTheWretched]

Ooh, I like that Layered/OnionFS, never seen it before. I'll have to figure out how to work it, though.

One question, since it didn't mention in either readme: Do you know if the files you include need to keep their directory structure? Like say I just want to modify link's character model, would I include:
SD:/OnionFS/<titleID>/romfs/link.bch
or
SD:/OnionFS/<titleID>/romfs/Common/Costume/link.bch
Since it's normally located in the /Common/Costume folder?

 

[KunoichiZ]

Ooh, I like that Layered/OnionFS, never seen it before. I'll have to figure out how to work it, though.

One question, since it didn't mention in either readme: Do you know if the files you include need to keep their directory structure? Like say I just want to modify link's character model, would I include:
SD:/OnionFS/<titleID>/romfs/link.bch
or
SD:/OnionFS/<titleID>/romfs/Common/Costume/link.bch
Since it's normally located in the /Common/Costume folder?

It should be in Common/Costume, as that's the original structure for the romfs.

 

[HelpTheWretched]

Thanks again, Kunoichi.

New question that came up as I was writing the instructions.txt:

Any time I've played this game with HANS, it does not apply the V2.1.0 DLC/Update. So online play is out, and it doesn't contain the code for several outfits. Basically, I'm not sure how to apply it, and right now HANS isn't working for me to test it. (It locks before starting any game; worked fine when accessing HBL via MenuHax, but never worked since applying A9LH+Luma3DS. That's a question for another time...)

Does anyone know if it would work with HANS by loading the custom RomFS and the update's code.bin from SD?

 

[DarkSynopsis]

Does anyone know if it would work with HANS by loading the custom RomFS and the update's code.bin from SD?

I don't believe it would allow online play though, not worked with HANS but I've merged updates with base games before for CIAs and even though they are running the latest version of the game that way, online still didn't work, guess the title checks to see if the update TitleID is installed or something, been awhile since I tested that though.

 

[PabloMK7]

OnionFS works with updates, just make sure to add the update romfs to the romfs folder aswell.

 

[HelpTheWretched]

I don't believe it would allow online play though, not worked with HANS but I've merged updates with base games before for CIAs and even though they are running the latest version of the game that way, online still didn't work, guess the title checks to see if the update TitleID is installed or something, been awhile since I tested that though.

That makes sense... Whether it's the solution or not, I'll put a note about keeping the update installed.

OnionFS works with updates, just make sure to add the update romfs to the romfs folder aswell.

Great! I don't have NTR CFW (not very familiar with anything other than Luma3DS) but I read up on OnionFS. It's a very neat option.

 

[KunoichiZ]

That makes sense... Whether it's the solution or not, I'll put a note about keeping the update installed.


Great! I don't have NTR CFW (not very familiar with anything other than Luma3DS) but I read up on OnionFS. It's a very neat option.

NTR CFW isn't an actual CFW. You run NTR by launching an app, such as BootNTR Selector. You don't need to change CFWs at all.

 

[Deleted User]

wow *watch*
please link here to the release thread when ot will come out