Gaming Do patched GBA ROMs have to be edited?

[Rokku]

I've been trying to use Gameshark codes in conjunction with the Pokemon Emerald 386 patched ROM, but the codes don't seem to DO anything.

Is every site I check on the Internet full of faulty codes, or do patched GBA ROMs have to be edited like DS ones to use codes?

 

[Rydian]

Codes affect memory and routine locations. In a ROM hack, these might be modified, in which case codes for the base game may or may not work.

 

[Rokku]

Codes affect memory and routine locations. In a ROM hack, these might be modified, in which case codes for the base game may or may not work.

Well with DS games, I could open up the cheat list files and change the IDs to match patched ROMs...

Guess you can't do that with GBA games?

 

[Rydian]

Changing the ID is needed if the codes don't show up at all, from what I understand your codes are showing up but not working?

In a DS game the resources (sprites, text, levels) can be edited without modifing the binaries (which determine the memory and code locations, which codes modify). This means that for DS games, unless the game code itself has been purposely modified (such as some pokemon ROM hacks that change type matchups and stuff) codes for the base game should work for hacks, it's just that the ID needs to be changed so the codes show up in the list.

However older systems don't keep their data the same way, so the process of modifying a ROM may very well break compatibility with codes for the base game, which need to be modified to fit the ROM hack.

 

[Rokku]

Changing the ID is needed if the codes don't show up at all, from what I understand your codes are showing up but not working?

In a DS game the resources (sprites, text, levels) can be edited without modifing the binaries (which determine the memory and code locations, which codes modify). This means that for DS games, unless the game code itself has been purposely modified (such as some pokemon ROM hacks that change type matchups and stuff) codes for the base game should work for hacks, it's just that the ID needs to be changed so the codes show up in the list.

However older systems don't keep their data the same way, so the process of modifying a ROM may very well break compatibility with codes for the base game, which need to be modified to fit the ROM hack.

Well I'm using VBA, so the codes show up whether or not they actually work...

 

[Rydian]

See if you can find any codes specifically for that ROM hack and see if they match the same code for the base game (emerald).

 

[Rokku]

See if you can find any codes specifically for that ROM hack and see if they match the same code for the base game (emerald).

I...don't think there are any.

There's a cheat list included, but I swear it doesn't do anything.

Actually...the codes that were originally on the list did seem to work, but the codes I try to add do not. I dunno how I'd change the codes I added to be compatible with the ROM though.

 

[Rydian]

Try to find any codes that match (codes for emerald and the hacked ROM that do the same thing), and compare the actual codes (the letters/numbers shit) and see if they match.

 

[Rokku]

All of the codes are entirely different from normal Emerald codes, and there's a code called "DMA Disabler" that I've never heard of before.

Forgot to mention this, but I downloaded the patch from FileTrip.

 

[Rydian]

Then like I said this is one of the cases where the memory and code routines have changed due to the patch, so you'll need codes specifically for that ROM hack, the base Emerald codes won't work.

There's no automatic way to convert the codes, you'll need somebody to rehack them for that ROM hack, or you can find some gameshark/AR forum and read up on tutorials on making codes.
http://cheats.gbatemp.net/forum/index.php?board=5.0