Gameboy - related / N64 Transfer Pack Hack

[Airikita]

FWOOM! Hello, let me introduce myself first. I am Airikita, I hack Zelda Ocarina of Time, and came here after receiving an N64 recently. I have bought myself a Pokemon Stadium 2 cart with it, and I would not like to use Gameshark on my sexy beast machine N64, instead I am going to be buying a Gameboy N64 Transfer Pack for my N64 controller, and I am looking to modify a cart to use SD Cards for my ROMs instead.

I would like to find information on any info there might be, I will be digging around myself, but if there is any info on how to modify a Gameboy Color cartridge (because I want to play Pokemon Gold and transfer it to SD), let me know.

I am a N64 ROM hacker, so I will be looking for other info regarding save file info for Pokemon Gold, but I am curious as to anything leading to existing Homebrew modifications of Gameboy Color carts.

I would like to know where to start, and I'm assuming I would need to design my own emulator for the ROM for Pokemon Gold too.. or perhaps there is a way to port save files to the save battery (although I would prefer if the cart was homebrew).

I don't usually modify consoles, but considering Gameboy Color is a dying retro standard, I'm sure I can pick up a lame GBC cart, and muck with it.

This could also be considered my "Project" Topic as well as my "Q&A" Topic.

EDIT:
I could also get a Pokemon Gold cart, and just hack the save battery, but I don't want to damage a perfectly good game.

 

[theBitman]

This is a bit of a bad (read: lack of googling is apparent) post, but I'll bite:

You'll probably want to check out this link, as it covers save file backup using about $50 worth of gear, no modifications required. You won't want to try "rolling your own" flash cartridge and making a flasher, not for this sort of thing.

As far as save file hacking goes, you might be able to delve into this Pokemon Crystal disassembly. It's a bit hard to stomach. The game shares largely the same SRAM format as Gold and Silver versions.

There isn't much information on save data handling or any of that for Pokemon Stadium (2), don't even bother with looking. The emulators run based on GB ROMS embedded within the N64 ROM. Inserting custom ROMs into the N64 ROM is possible (maybe?), but reading ROMs out of the Transfer Pak isn't possible. Only save data can really be read, so no ROM dumping that way.

Otherwise, all I can say is good luck in your aspirations. You've kind of done a shit job of researching Gameboy flashcarts, checking for things like disassemblies, or even clearly stating what you wish to do. Contrary to popular belief, the Transfer Pak is very limited in what it can do, and the Gameboy homebrew scene is very much alive (the chiptune scene is to thank for it).

And lastly, you don't hack the "save battery" to modify a game's contents. You flash the SRAM. Most novice game hackers and modders know that, whether it's Sega Genesis, Gameboy Advance, SNES, or N64. Nor do you need an SD card or any other sort of storage media of the sort for what you wish to do. Your post seriously makes me doubt your capabilities as a hacker, but I can easily be proven wrong in the future. I hope what information I've posted is useful, if not, you probably don''t know what the hell you are talking about. Good luck regardless, fellow homebrew and hacking enthusiast.

 

[Airikita]

You consider me a novice, but I have done assembly hacking like you wouldn't know. Also, Pokemon Stadium 2 uses the data stream from the Gameboy cart from the Transfer Pak. It's all serial info.

I am modding a cheap N64 cart to work, and I can custom-make a ROM use a different CIC with a tool I have. I have done Assembly hacking, and I am a big Zelda Ocarina of Time hacker.

Sample:


That code took 4 code hooks, and a reconfiguring on the variable implementation and actor modification for that one item. I know my way through N64 Assembly.

I am going to buy a chip burner. I also have ROMs and a compresser/decompressor. I could even find the code that Pokemon Stadium 2 uses and port it, or simply make it activate the Transfer Pak when you enter the Gameboy Tower.

Our community is just looking into Pokemon Stadium 2, and, aside from my mod, it's a project I'm looking into for my next hobby work.

I am buying an N64 game for $5 to mess with. In fact, I'm buying 4 games for $20. I could even make a custom cart by using software to buy it from china. I can keep the other chips in the appropriate pin-outs, and just modify the ROM pinouts to fit either a USB or SD card reader. I found an SD card reader with 44 pin serial pinout, but I'm still digging around.

 

[LuigiGold]

You consider me a novice, but I have done assembly hacking like you wouldn't know. Also, Pokemon Stadium 2 uses the data stream from the Gameboy cart from the Transfer Pak. It's all serial info.

I am modding a cheap N64 cart to work, and I can custom-make a ROM use a different CIC with a tool I have. I have done Assembly hacking, and I am a big Zelda Ocarina of Time hacker.

Sample:


That code took 4 code hooks, and a reconfiguring on the variable implementation and actor modification for that one item. I know my way through N64 Assembly.

I am going to buy a chip burner. I also have ROMs and a compresser/decompressor. I could even find the code that Pokemon Stadium 2 uses and port it, or simply make it activate the Transfer Pak when you enter the Gameboy Tower.

Our community is just looking into Pokemon Stadium 2, and, aside from my mod, it's a project I'm looking into for my next hobby work.

I am buying an N64 game for $5 to mess with. In fact, I'm buying 4 games for $20. I could even make a custom cart by using software to buy it from china. I can keep the other chips in the appropriate pin-outs, and just modify the ROM pinouts to fit either a USB or SD card reader. I found an SD card reader with 44 pin serial pinout, but I'm still digging around.

Have you got any news about hacking the GB Tower to play Game Boy Games?

Greetings.