Hacking Gateway save game management

b00100100

Well-Known Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
81
Trophies
0
XP
155
Country
United States
Has anyone devised a method for keeping track of which save files go to which games? One of the things I liked about DS saves was that your .sav file had the same name as your .nds game card file. That was nice because you knew what save game was which. With Gateway (and probably others), they are now not obvious. So does anyone have that mapping or the logic behind how the savegame file is created? Thanks.

If was asked how Gateway could be better
1. online support
2. have the save games use the same name as the game file
3. support for new games (they are good at this)
 

jcote1321

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
51
XP
101
Country
Canada
Actually this might be useful information to have available. I've been burned in the past by playing games on DS then having the save file lost because the micro-SD eventually wears out, so I got into the habit of making regular backups of the save files. With DS carts this was easy since the save file was named the same as the game file just .sav extension, but now with Gateway I don't have an easy way to figure out which save corresponds to which game.

Further complicating this is the new NAND-based save support in 2.1 (BTW thanks Gateway, my son is playing Pokemon X and loving it!). I initially formatted a micro-SD card as FAT32, copied Pokemon X onto it, tested and confirmed it as working, and set my son up to play. Afterwards I read about the benefits of exfat, so I formatted a different microSD exfat, copied several games onto it including Pokemon X. When I loaded Pokemon X from that card, the save game was gone. I switched back to the original card and loaded, the save was available. Then I re-formatted the 2nd card, copied Pokemon X as the first game onto the card, and re-tested, the save was now available. So for NAND-based saves, there is apparently some correspondence between the file's position on the microSD card and the save file.

Ideally Gateway could provide information in the SD card that labels each save, but barring that, I think this thread could save us time googling around and potentially copying the wrong save files. I'll try to look at the 3DS's SD card contents tonight and see what the NAND saves look like there, and will report any useful information I discover.
 

gamesquest1

Nabnut
Former Staff
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
15,153
Trophies
2
XP
12,247
Actually this might be useful information to have available. I've been burned in the past by playing games on DS then having the save file lost because the micro-SD eventually wears out, so I got into the habit of making regular backups of the save files. With DS carts this was easy since the save file was named the same as the game file just .sav extension, but now with Gateway I don't have an easy way to figure out which save corresponds to which game.

Further complicating this is the new NAND-based save support in 2.1 (BTW thanks Gateway, my son is playing Pokemon X and loving it!). I initially formatted a micro-SD card as FAT32, copied Pokemon X onto it, tested and confirmed it as working, and set my son up to play. Afterwards I read about the benefits of exfat, so I formatted a different microSD exfat, copied several games onto it including Pokemon X. When I loaded Pokemon X from that card, the save game was gone. I switched back to the original card and loaded, the save was available. Then I re-formatted the 2nd card, copied Pokemon X as the first game onto the card, and re-tested, the save was now available. So for NAND-based saves, there is apparently some correspondence between the file's position on the microSD card and the save file.

Ideally Gateway could provide information in the SD card that labels each save, but barring that, I think this thread could save us time googling around and potentially copying the wrong save files. I'll try to look at the 3DS's SD card contents tonight and see what the NAND saves look like there, and will report any useful information I discover.


The pokemon save is actually written in to the Rom file, copy the Rom he started on to the new SD
 

b00100100

Well-Known Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
81
Trophies
0
XP
155
Country
United States
The save name is the games title ID, you can just type the file name into google and see what the game is.....still it would be better if it used the rom name instead.


Thanks for the information. It wasnt obvious that it was the game title ID. Best approach is probably using link Juins posted

3ds.essh.co
 

Cyan

GBATemp's lurking knight
Former Staff
Joined
Oct 27, 2002
Messages
23,749
Trophies
4
Age
45
Location
Engine room, learning
XP
15,650
Country
France
create a text file on your SD card (or any other file type, just en empty file without extension will do too)
00040000000FC600 Bravely Default.txt
00040000000FC600.sav
00040000000xxxxx Whatever game title
00040000000xxxxx.sav
etc.
use http://3ds.essh.co website to find the corresponding game.
 

jcote1321

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
11
Trophies
0
Age
51
XP
101
Country
Canada
Thanks gamesquest1 for the info - I didn't think of it before, but the 2nd time I copied the file from the original SD card, which explains everything. Great to know, now I'll periodically backup the ROM. I should try comparing two files in a hex editor, maybe I can locate the save data and just extract it. Hmm, if that's possible, I could write an app that backs up and restores the save data in the ROM. I'm going to try that tomorrow.

Also thanks to juins for the link & cyan for the text file suggestion, that's exactly what I needed.
 

gamesquest1

Nabnut
Former Staff
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
15,153
Trophies
2
XP
12,247
Thanks gamesquest1 for the info - I didn't think of it before, but the 2nd time I copied the file from the original SD card, which explains everything. Great to know, now I'll periodically backup the ROM. I should try comparing two files in a hex editor, maybe I can locate the save data and just extract it. Hmm, if that's possible, I could write an app that backs up and restores the save data in the ROM. I'm going to try that tomorrow.

Also thanks to juins for the link & cyan for the text file suggestion, that's exactly what I needed.

http://gbatemp.net/threads/way-to-distribute-the-removed-hidden-pokemon-from-power-saves.364150/
tool to extract save and restore save is there
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Yeah I'm sure at minimum the starter was fried
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Alternator and battery
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Prob alot of fried parts. It was still smoking when I left.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I would've said show me how it rides
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    I always wanted one of those Smart Cars with a Hyabusa motor in it.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I'm getting sick and tired of cheap ass baking pans now
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I think it be cool to have one that would fit in my pickup truck bed, then I could put down ramps n drive it off.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Used this one 5 times already impossible to clean
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    You need the $900 copper coated ones, they are good for 10 times cooking before they are un cleanable
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Condoms are only meant to be used once Ken lol
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Well damn that explains how you were born
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I tried Cavier for the first time today. That shit is nasty. Don't get why people like it.
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Eh it's good with Vodka and crackers
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Gotta have the whole experience
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Drink enough vodka so you can barely taste it
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Depends on brand rich rich people spend like 500 a tin
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    What I'm putting down is you gotta be trashed first lol
    +1
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Like if psi fucked the fish the quality of the eggs will probably come out abnormal
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    We had it spread on crackers, n I had Rum/Coke today. I like all fish and seafoods, but not that.
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Lol sorry Ken it was either the fish or your mom.... I picked the fish lol
    +1
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Yeah still an abnormal egg came out
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Prob smelled the same anyways
    +1
    BigOnYa @ BigOnYa: Prob smelled the same anyways +1