ROM Hack DLC, how does it work?

[gudenau]

I would like to know how the DLC system works. Does different DLC come in different CIAs? Can it patch the executable? Can it replace files?

 

[Buggzy1011]

I think DLC works like updates or it is stored in the extradata of the game.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I would like to know how the DLC system works. Does different DLC come in different CIAs? Can it patch the executable? Can it replace files?

All DLC for one game shares the same ID. So, different DLC for the same game has to be packed into one CIA, since you can only have one DLC CIA installed at a time. It can't to my knowledge patch the executable -- the game has to already be aware of the DLC and check for it. What happens after that is up to the game I suppose. Whether it imports game data directly from the DLC (so it works more like an update), or it simply checks for a flag to enable DLC that already exists either in the ROM or in an update. Whether it can replace files or not is probably down to how the game handles it.

 

[gudenau]

All DLC for one game shares the same ID. So, different DLC for the same game has to be packed into one CIA, since you can only have one DLC CIA installed at a time. It can't to my knowledge patch the executable -- the game has to already be aware of the DLC and check for it. What happens after that is up to the game I suppose. Whether it imports game data directly from the DLC (so it works more like an update), or it simply checks for a flag to enable DLC that already exists either in the ROM or in an update. Whether it can replace files or not is probably down to how the game handles it.

So, to add a theme I would need to dump my theme cia then add to it?

 

[The Real Jdbye]

So, to add a theme I would need to dump my theme cia then add to it?

Pretty much, or you can get the pack that contains every theme.

 

[gudenau]

Pretty much, or you can get the pack that contains every theme.

I want to add custom ones, that would not help me much.