Hacking EZFlash Omega Skins

[stap]

@stap that is so so helpful - thank you so much. I think I'm going to use 'Clean' as my base and use the info you've given me to tweak the colours to roughly match the Switch Dark Theme (I reckon I can get it quite similar in feel) - graphic design is my job.

Based on what I've read I think I'm better staying with stock firmware and this theme mod. I'd like to get some Gomba Colour action for a few GBC must plays like MGS, Zeldas and Wario games - but I've read scary things about quitting that emulator (instead of powering off after a few seconds) corrupting SD Cards (and therefore your whole GBA content).

So initially I fancied trying to play some GB/GBC, NGP and GG (even TG16 - but I can imagine how it handles the squishing of the graphics). But now I thinking to just enjoy it as a pure GBA playing Micro.

What do you think - have you bothered with other systems much?

I personally prefer the slightly modified stock fw by veikkos as I don't bother playing platforms other than GBA/GB/GBC. And for GB experience EZ-Flash Junior is a better choice as it has no lags and save issues and works with the original GB/GBC. However I'm happy there are people making other firmwares for Omega that support other systems.

 

[SkyDX]

The Universal Skinner is compatible with Kernel 1.06 and FW7 right? Is there any file-size limit on the images, how can I make sure that the skin I make won't brick the flashcard?

 

[stap]

The Universal Skinner is compatible with Kernel 1.06 and FW7 right? Is there any file-size limit on the images, how can I make sure that the skin I make won't brick the flashcard?

Yes, it does support official 1.06 FW7 kernel as long as you have a "definitions.xml" file with correct offset addresses for that firmware.

Images used are bitmaps (however exported in a compressed png format), so they usually are of a fixed size, considering they are just number of pixels multiplied by colour depth. I don't think you could have a bitmap more than 112KB in size for splash screen for example, as its resolution is 240x160 and each pixel for 24-bit bitmap is 3 bytes (24 / 8 bits per byte) long.

If you try to replace image in UniversalSkinner with a 32-bit or 16-bit bitmap, the application will show you an error message "Error loading File: Bad pixelformat, needed 24bit per pixel (RGB 888).".

In other words, in most cases, I don't think you can damage your flashcart with a more risk than while usual flashing considering you are using a bitmap image with correct resolution. Of course you should also take into consideration that in some rare cases you could damage the cart even while flashing official unmodified fw. Make sure your battery is fine and charged, and you'll do ok.

 

[SkyDX]

Yes, it does support official 1.06 FW7 kernel as long as you have a "definitions.xml" file with correct offset addresses for that firmware.

Images used are bitmaps (however exported in a compressed png format), so they usually are of a fixed size, considering they are just number of pixels multiplied by colour depth. I don't think you could have a bitmap more than 112KB in size for splash screen for example, as its resolution is 240x160 and each pixel for 24-bit bitmap is 3 bytes (24 / 8 bits per byte) long.

If you try to replace image in UniversalSkinner with a 32-bit or 16-bit bitmap, the application will show you an error message "Error loading File: Bad pixelformat, needed 24bit per pixel (RGB 888).".

In other words, in most cases, I don't think you can damage your flashcart with a more risk than while usual flashing considering you are using a bitmap image with correct resolution. Of course you should also take into consideration that in some rare cases you could damage the cart even while flashing official unmodified fw. Make sure your battery is fine and charged, and you'll do ok.

Alright thank you I'll try making my own theme later then and see what I can come up with. If I can open the 1.06 FW7 kernel with the program just fine it means my definitions should be correct, right?

 

[Nona_Elexis]

Hi guys, I made a new modern looking theme for Veikkos V5 which complements the look of my GBA SP with IPS screen. I made a light and a dark theme.

 

[Bruno Jenso]

Hi guys, I made a new modern looking theme for Veikkos V5 which complements the look of my GBA SP with IPS screen. I made a light and a dark theme.

View attachment 209133View attachment 209132View attachment 209126View attachment 209123View attachment 209131View attachment 209124View attachment 209125View attachment 209128View attachment 209129View attachment 209130

Very Nice! - are you happy to share the files?

 

[Nona_Elexis]

@Bruno Jenso Sure no problem. I also made a red and blue version. I added all the themes in the attachment.

 

[Bruno Jenso]

@Bruno Jenso Sure no problem. I also made a red and blue version. I added all the themes in the attachment.View attachment 209325 View attachment 209326 View attachment 209327 View attachment 209328

Thank you so much. Love the new colours too!

Can I ask - on your SD Card screen everything is very clean - just your rom folders. On mine I have a mess of other folders:

CHEAT
IMGS
RTS
SAVER
SAVER-BACKUP (Which I believe is an extra feature in Veikkos's versions)
ez-kernal.bin

Can relocate these? Or once the firmware is updated can I delete the kernal file etc... Basically how did you get your first screen so clean, and why on your Red theme is the kernal file there - but not on the others?

Appreciate any advice, Bruno

 

[Shadow#1]

Thank you so much. Love the new colours too!

Can I ask - on your SD Card screen everything is very clean - just your rom folders. On mine I have a mess of other folders:

CHEAT
IMGS
RTS
SAVER
SAVER-BACKUP (Which I believe is an extra feature in Veikkos's versions)
ez-kernal.bin

Can relocate these? Or once the firmware is updated can I delete the kernal file etc... Basically how did you get your first screen so clean, and why on your Red theme is the kernal file there - but not on the others?

Appreciate any advice, Bruno

It's because he's using custom firmware and has thoes folders moved to the "SYSTEM" folder then used hide attribute in files properties in Windows to hide that folder

 

[Bruno Jenso]

Interesting. Do you know which custom firmware? Nona_Elexis mentioned Veikkos above - V5 which I think I'm using but I thought it was only Sterophonick's 'Simple' theme that used the System Folder method?

Would the ez-kernal.bin file be hidden in the same way or just deleted?

 

[Shadow#1]

Interesting. Do you know which custom firmware? Nona_Elexis mentioned Veikkos above - V5 which I think I'm using but I thought it was only Sterophonick's 'Simple' theme that used the System Folder method?

Would the ez-kernal.bin file be hidden in the same way or just deleted?

I'm using Sterophonick's 'Simple' theme with the moved folders and after u have updated u can delete the bin file as it's only for flashing the hardware

 

[Nona_Elexis]

Interesting. Do you know which custom firmware? Nona_Elexis mentioned Veikkos above - V5 which I think I'm using but I thought it was only Sterophonick's 'Simple' theme that used the System Folder method?

Would the ez-kernal.bin file be hidden in the same way or just deleted?

I'm using Veikkos v5. To make it look clean you need to hide the folders in windows. Right click - > properties - > Hide

edit: The kernel you can delete once you installed it. I just forgot to do it for the red theme.

 

[Bruno Jenso]

Nona_Elexis and Shadow#1 Thank you guys! - what a great community this is

 

[visc]

Made an account specifically for this thread. Gave editing a shot with a gameboy-inspired version of Nona's excellent theme. Really fun to mess around with. (sorry for potato pictures)

 

[NANASHI89]

Made an account specifically for this thread. Gave editing a shot with a gameboy-inspired version of Nona's excellent theme. Really fun to mess around with. (sorry for potato pictures)
View attachment 209412View attachment 209414 View attachment 209413

Can you share this theme?

 

[visc]

Can you share this theme?

Here you go, included images as well if you aren't using the veikkos firmware.

 

[NANASHI89]

Thanks!

 

[Shadow#1]

Here you go, included images as well if you aren't using the veikkos firmware.

What tool r u using to inject the theme?

 

[visc]

What tool r u using to inject the theme?

I'm using the latest version of using t5b6de's tool and did all of my adjustements using pyxel and illustrator for the icons, which turned out to be a little more finicky.

 

[Bruno Jenso]

Made an account specifically for this thread. Gave editing a shot with a gameboy-inspired version of Nona's excellent theme. Really fun to mess around with. (sorry for potato pictures)
View attachment 209412View attachment 209414 View attachment 209413

Very cool stuff!