Pokémon UnovaHGSS
Rom info:
Hack of: Pokémon SoulSilver (USA) (HeartGold will be supported at a later date)
Language: English
Current Version: Alpha v1.1 (goes up to Ilex Forest)
Last Updated: 10th April, 2012
Summary
UnovaHGSS is a hack of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver that integrates the new fifth generation Pokémon from Black and White into the game. The new Pokémon are not meant to replace the original 251, rather, my intention is to have them alongside the original Pokémon. Not all Pokémon will be included in this hack – very few third and fourth generation Pokémon appear. To include the Unovian Pokémon, I had to replace existing Pokémon, so most third and fourth gen Pokémon are gone. This is my first actual hack, so I’m still new at this.
The battle sprites for the new Pokémon are placeholders, simply taken from Black/White and put into the game until I create original sprites for them. All but a few overworld sprites for the new Pokémon were created through a community endeavor over at DeviantArt; I made a few myself, notably the larger Golurk sprite. Shiny Pokémon are also fully supported, in-battle and overworld.
Features:
-Every Pokémon from Unova will be obtainable in this game, alongside every first and second generation Pokémon! Some third and fourth generation Pokémon also available!
-All Unovian Pokémon will follow you around for the first time!
-Slightly increased difficulty – stronger trainers, wild Pokémon, etc.
-More features will be added in future versions
FAQ:
Q: How long is this first Alpha release?
A: This release will be playable up to and including the 2nd Gym. I’ve hired a security guard to make sure you don’t delve into places I’ve not edited yet.
Q: Will we travel to Unova?
A: No, the name UnovaHGSS stems from the Unovian Pokémon being in HGSS. Unova will not be in this game, just Johto and Kanto, like the original games.
Q: Are there fifth generation abilities/moves in the game?
A: No, not yet. Moves will almost certainly be put into the game at a later date. Abilities, I’m not entirely sure. Depends on whether or not I can do it – if I can, it will be done, sometime.
Q: How about the new Pokémon? Are they just sprite replacements, or are the stats actually changed?
A: Every new Pokémon has their true stats from Black/White. Their movesets are the same as well, barring any new moves introduced in the new games. Those moves are for the most part replaced by other, still relevant moves (eg. – Ember replaces Incinerate in a Pokémon’s moveset for now). The only things that are not changed about a Pokémon’s stats are their height/weight (for calculating damage for moves such as Low Kick), and simple aesthetic anomalies (such as a Pokémon’s sprite being horribly off-center in a battle, or their animations being ridiculously silly. I still need to figure out how to change that). Pokédex entries are also in the game for every Pokémon, though the order for the Pokédex is obviously not the same as the true National Dex.
Q: Are there any crazy changes to the Pokémon, such as new types or changed types (such as Serperior being Grass/Dragon)?
A: While I have nothing against new types or changing a Pokémon’s type in a hack, I have done nothing of the sort in this hack. All Pokémon retain theirArceus God Gamefreak-given stats.
Q: Do Pokémon such as Machoke and Boldore still require trading, or otherwise impossible methods as a single player, to evolve?
A: No – I have changed evolution requirements for any Pokémon such as these, though the option to evolve them through trading is still there. These edits are not final, nor do they necessarily represent what requirements will be in the final version.
A: This release will be playable up to and including the 2nd Gym. I’ve hired a security guard to make sure you don’t delve into places I’ve not edited yet.
Q: Will we travel to Unova?
A: No, the name UnovaHGSS stems from the Unovian Pokémon being in HGSS. Unova will not be in this game, just Johto and Kanto, like the original games.
Q: Are there fifth generation abilities/moves in the game?
A: No, not yet. Moves will almost certainly be put into the game at a later date. Abilities, I’m not entirely sure. Depends on whether or not I can do it – if I can, it will be done, sometime.
Q: How about the new Pokémon? Are they just sprite replacements, or are the stats actually changed?
A: Every new Pokémon has their true stats from Black/White. Their movesets are the same as well, barring any new moves introduced in the new games. Those moves are for the most part replaced by other, still relevant moves (eg. – Ember replaces Incinerate in a Pokémon’s moveset for now). The only things that are not changed about a Pokémon’s stats are their height/weight (for calculating damage for moves such as Low Kick), and simple aesthetic anomalies (such as a Pokémon’s sprite being horribly off-center in a battle, or their animations being ridiculously silly. I still need to figure out how to change that). Pokédex entries are also in the game for every Pokémon, though the order for the Pokédex is obviously not the same as the true National Dex.
Q: Are there any crazy changes to the Pokémon, such as new types or changed types (such as Serperior being Grass/Dragon)?
A: While I have nothing against new types or changing a Pokémon’s type in a hack, I have done nothing of the sort in this hack. All Pokémon retain their
Q: Do Pokémon such as Machoke and Boldore still require trading, or otherwise impossible methods as a single player, to evolve?
A: No – I have changed evolution requirements for any Pokémon such as these, though the option to evolve them through trading is still there. These edits are not final, nor do they necessarily represent what requirements will be in the final version.
Screenshots:
Credits:
Tools used:
• Hex Workshop (hex editing many things)
• CrystalTile2 (creating Pokémon Icons)
• PokeTEX (importing Pokémon overworlds)
• thenewpoketext (editing text)
• Tile Molester (creating Pokémon overworlds)
• PPRE (editing Pokémon, trainers, maps, etc)
• Kiwi (NDS file extractor)
• Pokémon DS/Pic Platinum (importing Pokémon battle sprites)
• Windows 7 Paint (creating Pokémon battle sprites)
• Windows XP Paint (retains palette of exported battle sprite image – allows me to copy and paste a new sprite into the game over the temporary sprites without worrying about palette screw-ups)
• Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3 (compiling Pokémon battle sprites to 8bpp)
• Xdelta (creating patch)
• DeSmuME (testing game on computer)
• Pokesav HGSS (editing save file for testing purposes)
• CrystalTile2 (creating Pokémon Icons)
• PokeTEX (importing Pokémon overworlds)
• thenewpoketext (editing text)
• Tile Molester (creating Pokémon overworlds)
• PPRE (editing Pokémon, trainers, maps, etc)
• Kiwi (NDS file extractor)
• Pokémon DS/Pic Platinum (importing Pokémon battle sprites)
• Windows 7 Paint (creating Pokémon battle sprites)
• Windows XP Paint (retains palette of exported battle sprite image – allows me to copy and paste a new sprite into the game over the temporary sprites without worrying about palette screw-ups)
• Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3 (compiling Pokémon battle sprites to 8bpp)
• Xdelta (creating patch)
• DeSmuME (testing game on computer)
• Pokesav HGSS (editing save file for testing purposes)
DeviantArt community – for making all the Unova overworld sprites. Link
Chaos Rush – for his wonderful endeavor in creating resized sprites. I’m using the Reshiram and Zekrom in the game for now - Link
Poryhack – for pointing me in the right direction for hex editing Pokémon icon palettes (whenever I learn how, I will make a program that will make editing the icons and palettes easier than hex editing them). Also thanks to Poryhack and the Project Pokémon community for creating a list of the HGSS File system - Link
Stratocaster - for creating a guide on how to change every aspect of a Pokémon. This hack would not have happened without it - Link
PokeCommunity – for giving me the desire to hack Pokémon games back in 2007 when I knew even less than I do now
MediaFire – for continuing its services through this stupid anti-piracy craze…
Bugs:
- Though not really a bug, all new Pokémon (and consequently, the Pokémon that I have repositioned in the Pokédex) have incorrect battle animations, offsets, and cries. These will hopefully be fixed in a future release. Their sprites are also temporary – these will be changed in a future release.
- A couple overworlds may have incorrect shiny colors – if you find any, just let me know. Though I didn’t find any through much testing, other graphical errors may exist – let me know!
- As this is HGSS, random freezing may occur if played on the computer. This is not a fault of the hack, but of the actual game itself. Just make sure to save frequently, and you should be fine.
- A couple overworlds may have incorrect shiny colors – if you find any, just let me know. Though I didn’t find any through much testing, other graphical errors may exist – let me know!
- As this is HGSS, random freezing may occur if played on the computer. This is not a fault of the hack, but of the actual game itself. Just make sure to save frequently, and you should be fine.
Changelog:
- Alpha 1.1: Same as 1.0, except freezing has been fixed. Plays up to Ilex Forest - Mr. Security Guard will not let you pass, akin to Gandalf (do not be mistaken - I am the only wizard in this game!)
- Alpha 1.0: Changed ALL the things! This includes the new Pokémon, etc. Due to scripting corruption, the game will freeze whenever an overworld triggers a script. As such, this version will not be released on here… unless you really want it. It is the same as Alpha 1.1 except buggy, so there’s no point to upload it.
- Alpha 1.0: Changed ALL the things! This includes the new Pokémon, etc. Due to scripting corruption, the game will freeze whenever an overworld triggers a script. As such, this version will not be released on here… unless you really want it. It is the same as Alpha 1.1 except buggy, so there’s no point to upload it.
Downloads and Documentation:
Link to patch and xdelta (used to patch the original rom)
List of Changed Pokémon
