Hacking How do you use cheats with GBA games?

[GatorDeb]

Other than ips files (which I can't find anywhere) and CHT (which I can't find anywhere either, and the built-in all come with chinese options so I can't understand them), are there any other cheap options for GBA games? I have an R4DS for DS and this for GBA (the perfect combo

).

Thanks!

 

[FAST6191]

IPS files tend to be trainers which you can grab here:
http://gba.dellicious.de/trainer.php?s=n&o=dsc&d= (site seems to be down right now)
here:
http://bubbz.pocketheaven.com/?system=gba&section=patch
and here:
http://www.advanscene.com/

As for cheats the inbuilt engines work OK but you may find GABsharky more to your liking:
http://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_messages/942567/26

 

[jalaneme]

do you know where i can find version 1.2b? the official site is down and all the link on google are dead, and how do you create .cht files?

 

[FAST6191]

GABsharky should be included with the guide I linked (click on Stevens cheating guide).

Cht files seem to be the same for each cart (check around the sticky threads/wiki for your chosen cart to make sure) here is the EZFlash one:
http://ezflash.sosuke.com/wiki/index.php?title=Cht

 

[jalaneme]

the wiki has a program to make cheat files but it's in alpha form and you can't edit or create any cheat files with it, the only thing you can do with it is view the .cht file which is useless, CHTED dosn't even work at all.

also when i convert codes to the gameshark v3 format how do i convert M codes? they are unconvertible and the codes will only work with the M anyway, btw all codebreaker codes have a M code and i think it's the same with action replay so how will these codes work without one?

right, i've just wasted the last 2 hours trying to get the gabsharky program to work with my gba games and it doesn't work, all that happens is i get a white screen everytime, look all i want is to patch the bloody files to the gba game how hard is it to give my this information? i wouldn't really have to waste my time with all this crap if my codebreaker and action replay cart worked with my G6 lite!!

unfortunately it doesn't so i'm forced to use this crap.

so all i want the answer for is how to create a .cht file and how to patch the .cht file onto a gba file successfully! is a M code needed with the codes, and can you use codebreaker and actionreplay and gameshark, that is all.

 

[jalaneme]

bump

 

[gatorade]

interesting, I was wondering how would I do the same thing as I don't feel like buying a gameshark

 

[serg0]

I have a question about the ips patches. Do they automatically work or do you decide which codes to pick like cht files?

 

[GatorDeb]

This is something I don't get... I learned how to reformat codebreaker into CHT, and I made a CHT file and loaded it, and I loaded the game and the thing came on and I was able to Enable what I wanted, but it does nothing in the game. It's like I hadn't used a cheat file. For example here's Lego Knights Kingdom.

Codebreaker: (I made sure to pick US instead of E)

Infinite Weapon Bar 3200F41A 0001
Infinite Health 3200F168 0063



My translated CHT file:

[Infinite Weapon Bar]

ON=3200F41A,00,01

[Infinite Health]

ON=3200F168,00,63


And when I get hit, my health goes down. When I use power, it goes down. I tried 4-5 games before I gave up in disgust. What could be going on?


Re IPS: I've found that when it comes to GBA trainers: NDS trainers add cheat functionality... i.e. the Metroid Prime Hunters (NDS) trainer adds inf energy, inf missiles, etc. The GBA IPS I've found make the carts work in more flash cards, but add no cheat functionality. I wonder why the difference?

 

[jalaneme]

This is something I don't get... I learned how to reformat codebreaker into CHT, and I made a CHT file and loaded it, and I loaded the game and the thing came on and I was able to Enable what I wanted, but it does nothing in the game. It's like I hadn't used a cheat file. For example here's Lego Knights Kingdom.

Codebreaker: (I made sure to pick US instead of E)

Infinite Weapon Bar 3200F41A 0001
Infinite Health       3200F168 0063



My translated CHT file:

[Infinite Weapon Bar]

ON=3200F41A,00,01

[Infinite Health]

ON=3200F168,00,63


And when I get hit, my health goes down. When I use power, it goes down. I tried 4-5 games before I gave up in disgust. What could be going on?


Re IPS:Â I've found that when it comes to GBA trainers:Â NDS trainers add cheat functionality... i.e. the Metroid Prime Hunters (NDS) trainer adds inf energy, inf missiles, etc. The GBA IPS I've found make the carts work in more flash cards, but add no cheat functionality. I wonder why the difference?

how do you manage to convert codebreaker codes into RAW format and then .cht files???!! there is no guide that tells you how at all, but it's pretty disappointing that it doesn't work anyway, i'm going to try and give the action replay/gameshark a second try but i'm not holding my breath at all for anything to happen at all.

edit: yep still a white screen when i load the game, don't waste your time on this crap, it just doesn't work, from now on i'm using my old flash cart that's is compatible with a action replay/codebreaker cartridge

, i ain't messing with this junk ever again!

 

[GatorDeb]

For the Codebreaker, you just look at the difference in codes and make it look the same. I found it somewhere on the Internet. I tried ARDecrypt and the CHT convert tool and it froze on me.

 

[jalaneme]

For the Codebreaker, you just look at the difference in codes and make it look the same. I found it somewhere on the Internet. I tried ARDecrypt and the CHT convert tool and it froze on me.

nah, seriously mate. don't waste your time on this junk as it's just a waste of time! and annoying!

 

[GatorDeb]

What cartridge works with the actual cheat hardware? I would prefer one that fits flush into the DS lite.

 

[FAST6191]

Some of the old style F2A,EZ1/2,XG-Flash (later neoflash) work with cheating hardware but it invloves disabling the menu and even then it is a bit sketchy.

As for the cheat breakdown 03XXXXXX is the IRAM in the GBA which tends to be where the values are stored. By holding values here you can cheat (you can do stuff with other sections like walk through walls mind).
I am not so hot on my implementations of cheating (instant save is still about as close as I come) but you might also try making your own cheats, a nice guide to it here:
http://etk.scener.org/?op=tutorial
and here (this one should help with conversion):
http://ezflash.sosuke.com/viewtopic.php?t=686

You tend to have to activate cheats as well typically before you launch the rom although some have the provision to disable/enable in game, how you would do this I have no idea so again I suggest checking stickies/faqs and wiki pages.

Regarding IPS patches, some carts needed save patches and more exotic games had a level of protection (the classic nes/famicom mini series checked to see if EEPROM was present and as no carts had it....).
IPS patches that are trainers normally add an intro to the rom where you can select what cheats you want or they add key combinations so you can say press L+R+A to get a life/power/bullets refill. I already linked trainer sites up top.

 

[GatorDeb]

Went to Advancescene, got the trainer for Astro Boy, loaded it up just fine, got the cheat screen, selected unlimited energy and superpowers, hit start, and it froze on a black screen. Sigh

 

[jalaneme]

What cartridge works with the actual cheat hardware? I would prefer one that fits flush into the DS lite.

i have a EZF advance II clone flash cart and i've been using this with codebreaker and action replay fine, but i doubt that you can buy this particular flash cart anymore as it's quite a old card.

 

[GatorDeb]

You know, I loaded Astro Boy on a winPC emu (the patched file) and it worked and loaded just fine. Now I'm wondering whether you have to do some button combination on the M3 to make the cheats work. Why would something load on an emu and not on the cart?