Hacking GBA EZ Flash IV : EZ Prime, a skin inspired by Metroid Prime's UI and menus.

[Leeka]

I made this skin inspired from a game I love !
This is all hand-made except for the metroid creature image.

Versions 1.1 and 1.2 have different icons sets, pick the one you like (see preview pictures).

IMPORTANT : This is based on kernel 2.05. If you need it for another version, let me know and I'll upload it.


TESTED AND WORKING ON :

• GBA SP (AGS-001) with EZ Flash IV microSD.
• GBA SP (AGS-101) with EZ Flash IV miniSD.

Let me know if you tested it on another config and I'll put it here !


ISSUES :
There's a white square appearing in the "message" window ("item discribe" in vanilla) :

• When the system loads a game, writes to / erases from NOR, behind the progress indicator ;
• When you select an option in "message" window (like language or save mode), behind the select arrows.

I don't know if it can be fixed and I don't do hex editing for now. It's always there, just more visible than on brighter skins.


HOW TO USE :
- Download the archive at the bottom of the post and extract it to the root of your SD card.
- Insert your flashcart in your GBA / SP / DS and boot it up while holding R.
- Wait for the update to finish, voilà !


CREDITS :
Localhorst86 for his port of the customization tool and patches ports, which I used to create this.
If you want to create your own skin there's all the info you need on that post, scroll through !

Gyron, Lybertyernie, Kuwanger and Draxxon for the original patches (fixes and improvements).

Jayro for the edited help.txt file and help with trying to fix things.

Synamax and Miepee for their amazing "Deface" font that I used for various texts in this skin.
If you're interested in the music and sound design of the Prime series, you absolutely have to check Synamax's YT channel. He has done tremendous work finding those synth patches and dissecting the soundtrack.


PREVIEW :
v1.2 :

v1.1 :

UPDATE LOG :

• v1.2 : New desktop icons.
• v1.1 : Improved readability and better spacing between some elements. More cohesive looks. Updated "Help" text file. Added main menu title.
• v1 : First upload, obsolete. Not available anymore.

 

[Leeka]

With better looks now !

 

[Crabtor]

The skin looks really good ! Motivated me to update my old cartridge. Thanks !

The last few Kernels adds a ton of new fonctionnality, i spent so much time patching all my games at the time...

GBA SP (AGS-101) with EZ Flash IV miniSD (model from ~2006).

 

[Leeka]

The skin looks really good ! Motivated me to update my old cartridge. Thanks !

The last few Kernels adds a ton of new fonctionnality, i spent so much time patching all my games at the time...

GBA SP (AGS-101) with EZ Flash IV miniSD (model from ~2006).

Thanks for the kind words and the test.

I dug out my cart too a few weeks ago, I wanted to do something about the UI haha. Since I'm beginning to meddle with texturing and image editing I figured I'd do it myself.

 

[Bart Lemming]

This looks lovely. Thanks for sharing.


EDIT: Wow, I just noticed that tomorrow will be my 20th anniversary here! Man, I'm old!

 

[efbiaye]

Great looking skin! Does it also have support for emulation of other consoles?

 

[Leeka]

Great looking skin! Does it also have support for emulation of other consoles?

Thanks !

Well it's packed with the latest kernel for this cart, but it doesn't have emulators like PocketNES or Goomba pre-installed, if that's what you mean. But if you want them you could just install them following whatever instructions that comes with them ! Shouldn't have any compatibility problems since it's just a reskin.

 

[Localhorst86]

That's quite a nice looking skin, very coherent. Might install it on my EZFlash IV for my torquise GBA. Are there altenative backgrounds for the file selector, with maybe a more subdued metroid image?

 

[Leeka]

That's quite a nice looking skin, very coherent. Might install it on my EZFlash IV for my torquise GBA. Are there altenative backgrounds for the file selector, with maybe a more subdued metroid image?

Thank you ! Are you talking about the colors of the metroid background or about a different pose, or style ?

In any case I'm taking suggestion and opinions to improve and broaden this project, to an extent.

 

[Localhorst86]

Thank you ! Are you talking about the colors of the metroid background or about a different pose, or style ?

In any case I'm taking suggestion and opinions to improve and broaden this project, to an extent.

The colors. I think it could look cool if it had the same "monochrome" torquiose look to it as the rest of the skin.