I'd like to know what i'm better off with. I have a 32gb SD and mSD (for the GW). I have all roms at the moment and want to know if it is better with CIA's. I will NOT be going online just using download play on rare occasions.
Hacking CIA vs ROM Files
- Thread starter rickycoe123
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Well, since changing roms, formating etc is speedier and easier for the roms, i tend to use cias for games i expect to play frequently and for a long time. For example Monster Hunter, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart etc. Games that are more of a one-off kind, i put them as roms.
I also prefer to use cias for Pokemon and Animal Crossing because of the fear of getting fragmentation errors with their saving mechanism.
I also prefer to use cias for Pokemon and Animal Crossing because of the fear of getting fragmentation errors with their saving mechanism.
Mario Kart I can play for a few hours on end. I often play a few other games too. I have 23 ROMs but only play a maximum of 10 frequently. You'd recommend getting those 10 in CIA format? I still have not got any way to install them yet either.
CIA is more convenient, you don't have to access the multirom menu and scroll through to find the game and then wait for it to show up, and they take up less storage space normally, however, with a 32GB mSD, you shouldn't have much of an issue fitting around 15 games or so, so storage will not be an issue. The only problem I see with CIA is that it'll take forever for you to install everything in bulk, but after the initial installation you won't ever have to go through it unless your SD card is wiped. Personally I only prefer to use CIA for 3DSware and other small-ish games, though this is mostly because my case covers the SD card slot and it's too much of a hassle to have to take it off every time I want to install something new.
From that I assume the installation process is a long one. I don't ever plan to wipe my SD unless it is corrupt etc.
I guess using a cia and going online is fine then?
CIA files do not seem to require any sort of header to play online, so just about any CIA that you find with multiplayer support should just work, while you must find 3DZ ROMs in order to play them online, not that they're very hard to find, and you can do it yourself with a private header if you're afraid of getting banned and whatnot. Personally, I have yet to be banned even with using public headers before, however, I have already switched to private headers just in case.
Since the Gateway card must be inserted to use emunand and basically forced to use both .3ds and cia, I tend to keep things as real as possible.
Ex: 3DS games on the micro SD, ehsop games as cia. I still have plenty of space on my micro SD and regular SD. So it doesn't matter which way I go from here.
Ex: 3DS games on the micro SD, ehsop games as cia. I still have plenty of space on my micro SD and regular SD. So it doesn't matter which way I go from here.
As stated, I never go online so that feature doesn't matter. Not even connected to a network. I just want things simple and tidy.
If you never play online I would just use .3ds, I only have a couple of CIA installed stuff, the installation time kills off any argument about wasting time setting up headers 1 minute setting up a header vs 20 minutes to install a game 
, plus with .3ds files, if ever your 3ds breaks you can just copy all your saves over to another console, if you where using CIA files you can only transfer your saves if the console is currently working by using save data filer, again a good 20 mins to export all your saves, then re-import them, vs 1 minute of drop and drag onto another SD
Each have their advantages, but CIA advantages are generally canceled out by the installation times and the time taken to convert the rom if you didn't just download a pre-made .cia file
, plus with .3ds files, if ever your 3ds breaks you can just copy all your saves over to another console, if you where using CIA files you can only transfer your saves if the console is currently working by using save data filer, again a good 20 mins to export all your saves, then re-import them, vs 1 minute of drop and drag onto another SDEach have their advantages, but CIA advantages are generally canceled out by the installation times and the time taken to convert the rom if you didn't just download a pre-made .cia file
If you never play online I would just use .3ds, I only have a couple of CIA installed stuff, the installation time kills off any argument about wasting time setting up headers 1 minute setting up a header vs 20 minutes to install a game
Each have their advantages, but CIA advantages are generally canceled out by the installation times and the time taken to convert the rom if you didn't just download a pre-made .cia file
Thanks for the detailed reply. I think this sums it up for me. I am best of using .3ds roms rather then CIA. If I do, I'm future plan to use online, is it best to use a CIA for that too?
General consensus is CIA is better for online, personally I really just use .3dz with private headers.....but again it's all personal preference
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