Hacking Creating your own thumbnails for the EZ-Flash Omega firmware

[Drumaster]

Hello,

I wanted to write a very short and easy tuto to allow people to make their own thumbnails for their homebrew games/demos to use with the EZ-Flash Omega firmware. As the steps are very specific, I thought it deserves a quick guide about how to do it guys.
Thanks to kuwanger and EZ-Flash2 for their help on this BTW.

Prerequisites:
- Thumbnail pack downloadable at http://www.ezflash.cn/zip/IMGS.zip
- Photoshop (I use CC 2017 for instance). I could not find any other easy way to do it without Photoshop, sorry.
- GBA Tool Advance (GBATA): https://gbatemp.net/download/gbata-gba-tool-advance-0-7a.223/

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First we need to convert your thumbnail in a specific BMP format that EZ-Flash Omega will accept (other format won't be accepted or displayed properly).

Open Photoshop and first resize the image by going into Image > Image Size and do the same as below:

Then we need to reverse Red and Blue value in Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer like this:

After that we're going to export the image in the proper BMP format, go to File > Save As and select BMP format and set the options this way:

An easy way to know if your file is incompatible with the Omega is to look at its size. It has to be exactly 19,256 bytes in the file properties (real size, not the one on your disk). If your file size is different, it should not work.


Now we're going to name correctly your thumbnail. Its name has to be the LAST 4 letters of the game serial id (you may encounter more than 4 letters) + 'bmp' file extension. To get the serial id of the game, open your GBA rom with GBA Tool Advance (GBATA):

The file has to be put in the folder structure shown below, using the first 2 letters of the game id:

So, for 'BTGE.bmp', put your file in /IMGS/B/T so it can be displayed through Omega menu.

Now just launch your GBA with your Omega and it should be displayed fine when selecting your game!

Here's an example:

Hope it will helps some of you to customize their thumbnails.

David

 

[Localhorst86]

A more reliable way to get the game serial is using a tool like gbata (avaliable here: http://www.no-intro.org/tools.htm) to display all information about the ROM.

btw: *technically* you don't need a GBA or an EZ-Flash Omega to create the thumbnails. You only need those for using them

 

[Drumaster]

A more reliable way to get the game serial is using a tool like gbata (avaliable here: http://www.no-intro.org/tools.htm) to display all information about the ROM.
View attachment 134583

btw: *technically* you don't need a GBA or an EZ-Flash Omega to create the thumbnails. You only need those for using them

Yeah, using GBATA is a more sexy way, I edited my post. Thanks.

 

[Axel-MaV]

Hello,
- Photoshop (I use CC 2017 for instance). I could not find any other easy way to do it without Photoshop, sorry.

I'm working on a tool to do this, currently is possible to create only one file at time, but I am implementing new features:

 

[Drumaster]

I'm working on a tool to do this, currently is possible to create only one file at time, but I am implementing new features:

That's simply amazing, thanks.

This way, no need to have a Photoshop license anymore (I used the trial that is now expired...) and it's more convenient to use a very light dedicated tool as well, thanks.

EDIT: I can't test it anymore as I returned my Omega but I just saw that it gives thumbnails with a file size of 19,254 bytes instead 19,256 bytes, not a big deal here I guess though. But I also noticed the thumbnails given by your tool are a bit more blurry than with Photoshop. Did/can you use Bicubic Sharper (reduction) or something similar?

 

[Axel-MaV]

But I also noticed the thumbnails given by your tool are a bit more blurry than with Photoshop. Did/can you use Bicubic Sharper (reduction) or something similar?

Yes, I'm working on it now. Something like this GIF (the old blurry image to a new sharper image)?

 

[Drumaster]

Yes, I'm working on it now. Something like this GIF (the old blurry image to a new sharper image)?

Yeah, exactly, the sharpest one is much better. Seems similar to Bicubic sharper.

 

[CoupureElectrique]

Anyone have a Qwak thumbnail (same style as the normal ones) by any chance?

 

[Shadow#1]

Hello,

I wanted to write a very short and easy tuto to allow people to make their own thumbnails for their homebrew games/demos to use with the EZ-Flash Omega firmware. As the steps are very specific, I thought it deserves a quick guide about how to do it guys.
Thanks to kuwanger and EZ-Flash2 for their help on this BTW.

Prerequisites:
- Thumbnail pack downloadable at http://www.ezflash.cn/zip/IMGS.zip
- Photoshop (I use CC 2017 for instance). I could not find any other easy way to do it without Photoshop, sorry.
- GBA Tool Advance (GBATA): https://gbatemp.net/download/gbata-gba-tool-advance-0-7a.223/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First we need to convert your thumbnail in a specific BMP format that EZ-Flash Omega will accept (other format won't be accepted or displayed properly).

Open Photoshop and first resize the image by going into Image > Image Size and do the same as below:

Then we need to reverse Red and Blue value in Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer like this:

After that we're going to export the image in the proper BMP format, go to File > Save As and select BMP format and set the options this way:

An easy way to know if your file is incompatible with the Omega is to look at its size. It has to be exactly 19,256 bytes in the file properties (real size, not the one on your disk). If your file size is different, it should not work.


Now we're going to name correctly your thumbnail. Its name has to be the LAST 4 letters of the game serial id (you may encounter more than 4 letters) + 'bmp' file extension. To get the serial id of the game, open your GBA rom with GBA Tool Advance (GBATA):

The file has to be put in the folder structure shown below, using the first 2 letters of the game id:

So, for 'BTGE.bmp', put your file in /IMGS/B/T so it can be displayed through Omega menu.

Now just launch your GBA with your Omega and it should be displayed fine when selecting your game!

Here's an example:

Hope it will helps some of you to customize their thumbnails.

David

um how did u make a thumbnail for another world as my header is this and i made a O/M folder and it didnt work

 

[Localhorst86]

um how did u make a thumbnail for another world as my header is this and i made a O/M folder and it didnt work

Judging from your screenshot, the serial looks to be "Home". So you need to name the thumbnail "Home.png" and place it in H\O

 

[V3L3N0]

WHat if 2 games have the same serial number? Like I have 2 rom hacks of Fire Red and they both have the same serial number..

 

[Localhorst86]

WHat if 2 games have the same serial number? Like I have 2 rom hacks of Fire Red and they both have the same serial number..

Then you're gonna have the same thumbnail for both games.

There are probably tools available that allow you to modify the serial for one of the games,
though.

 

[Apple_Blossom]

I'm working on a tool to do this, currently is possible to create only one file at time, but I am implementing new features:

Thank you so much for this! I used this to its fullest extent and my Gameboy Advance SP is so much better because of you!

 

[Apple_Blossom]

One key feature about the EZ Flash Omega that caught my attention was the ability to have box art displayed, as I find its way to nice of a feature to have when dealing with massive game collections, and was disappointed to see what was offered were only screenshots of the title screen, which aren't too helpful XD
So I looked high and low for another download pack, hoping a kind soul put one together but I was unable to track one down. I did however find this post, and the lovely download above. After many hours of eye-crossing converting, I have a box art pack here of almost all the USA box art, and many Japanese as well. Just replace the existing IMG folder with this one, and make browsing beautiful again! Enjoy everyone! <3 <3

EZ Flash Omega Box Art

 

[timdmackey]

After many hours of eye-crossing converting, I have a box art pack here of almost all the USA box art, and many Japanese as well. Just replace the existing IMG folder with this one, and make browsing beautiful again! Enjoy everyone! <3 <3

EZ Flash Omega Box Art

This is AWESOME!! Thanks so much for doing this! I'm currently working on a new EZ Flash theme, and although it's not part of the theme itself, I had been thinking it would be nice to have actual box artwork rather than screenshots.

I'm guessing you built a tool to automate the process—how difficult it would be to output these again in the original box art aspect ratio, rather than stretched? Since I'm working on my own theme (which I plan to share here), I can reprogram the thumbnail display to handle the different image size.

 

[timdmackey]

The original post is missing all of its images, so unless it gets fixed you can see an archived version of the post with images intact, using this link: https://web.archive.org/web/2018083...nails-for-the-ez-flash-omega-firmware.510210/

 

[NewHobbyWhoDis]

Finally got a working thumbnail for Another World!
Download link for the GBATA software wasn't working, but the second Google result for "gbata" did the trick. Cheers!