Homebrew RELEASE SwitchTime - Manipulate Time-based Events in Games

[MegaMagikarp]

I was trying to get more Sweets in Pokemon Sword, which the game limits to once per day. Did some google search and didn't find an existing tool to change the system clock, only found a network time setter: NX-ntpc by thedax. So I forked it and now I present to you: SwitchTime.
It's kinda like RTChanger on the 3DS, with an additional "automatic time sync" feature.

## Current functionalities:
- Change time by day/hour
- Contact a time server at ntp.org to set the time back to normal

## Disclaimer:
This program changes NetworkSystemClock, which may cause a desync between console and servers. Use it at your own risk! It is recommended that you only use the changed clock while offline, and change it back as soon as you are connected (either manually or using ntp.org server.)

## Link:
https://github.com/3096/switch-time/releases

Spoiler: Screenshot

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I was trying to get more Sweets in Pokemon Sword, which the game limits to once per day. Did some google search and didn't find an existing tool to change the system clock, only found a network time setter: NX-ntpc by thedax. So I forked it and now I present to you: SwitchTime.
It's kinda like RTChanger on the 3DS, with an additional "automatic time sync" feature.

## Current functionalities:
- Change time by day/hour
- Contact a time server at ntp.org to set the time back to normal

## Disclaimer:
This program changes NetworkSystemClock, which may cause a desync between console and servers. Use it at your own risk! It is recommended that you only use the changed clock while offline, and change it back as soon as you are connected (either manually or using ntp.org server.)

## Link:
https://github.com/3096/switch-time/releases

Spoiler: Screenshot

You get sweets every time you do a raid battle.

 

[MegaMagikarp]

You get sweets every time you do a raid battle.

I was referring to the sweets to evolve different colored Alcremies. Only way I know to get it was to battle at the cafe thing. Idk, I wasn't very far into the game

But anyways with this tool you can also quickly cycle through wild area weathers and skip Poké Jobs waits, etc

 

[JonJaded]

Aye that's awesome. For some reason my mind defaulted to that freemium Kirby game, but I guess this would be great for Pokemon players as well.

Nice job!

 

[Fewtch22]

This seems like a complicated way to do something PkHex would allow you to accomplish in all of 4 minutes.

 

[osaka35]

Nice! What benefits does this have vs changing the time in console settings?

 

[MegaMagikarp]

This seems like a complicated way to do something PkHex would allow you to accomplish in all of 4 minutes.

Well...
1. Some of us would rather play the game instead of cheating things in, just not to be time-gated.
2. It can be used for other games as well, like Jonhy said in #4

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Nice! What benefits does this have vs changing the time in console settings?

The Console Settings changes UserSystemClock, but the internal NetworkSystemClock or LocalSystemClock doesn't change. The game will be like "hey that doesn't match up" and punish you by resetting your daily events to wait for another day, and other time-based events will get reset to the hours you started with as well.

So this changes NetworkSystemClock directly and the game doesn't fuss about it. It'll just think that amount of time has actually passed.

 

[cucholix]

Would it work to change date back to a Tetris 99 event if you missed themes?

 

[JonJaded]

Would it work to change date back to a Tetris 99 event if you missed themes?

I'm pretty sure those themes are for competing in online, not sure if you'll be able to connect with a time that was that much offset.

 

[eskinner3742]

This will be of great use come time for animal crossing

 

[OkazakiTheOtaku]

So this changes NetworkSystemClock directly and the game doesn't fuss about it. It'll just think that amount of time has actually passed.

So wait, the game doesn't detect a mismatch at all?
Say it's 9PM on both my NetworkSystemClock and UserSystemClock, and I change the clock with this tool to be a day ahead (therefore out of sync), get the daily sweet, and then change it back to be in sync again. The game doesn't know?

 

[MegaMagikarp]

So wait, the game doesn't detect a mismatch at all?
Say it's 9PM on both my NetworkSystemClock and UserSystemClock, and I change the clock with this tool to be a day ahead (therefore out of sync), get the daily sweet, and then change it back to be in sync again. The game doesn't know?

Try it. I don't know if it detects dialing the time backwards yet.

 

[OkazakiTheOtaku]

Try it. I don't know if it detects dialing the time backwards yet.

I don't know how the game punishes you if it detects a time skip.

 

[MegaMagikarp]

I don't know how the game punishes you if it detects a time skip.

Oh yeah I guess there isn't a good way to tell without passing 12 am to the next day and see if the daily events refreshed.

I do remember last I checked, the game actually increases hours for Poke Jobs when I dialed the time backwards, so maybe that's a sign that didn't detect it, cuz otherwise it'll just reset the hours.

 

[Vandes]

FYI, some users could have a problem using this tool the first time.

If I read that correctly, you pull the existing NetworkSystemClock with this line before user input; if NetworkSystemClock is not set at all (in my case because I removed the battery once and never connected to the Internet since) the immediate output is "timeGetCurrentTime failed with cc74" and there's no way to set time.
To resolve I had to compile a temporary build changing "NetworkSystemClock" with "UserSystemClock" on that same line, so I could start the app pulling my user time and then setting it to NetworkSystemClock, and now your build works correctly.


Incidently, is there any way to manipulate RTC? Like the one you see in Hekate for example... since my battery removal that's been way off and I haven't found any way to change it.

 

[Storm21]

Incidently, is there any way to manipulate RTC? Like the one you see in Hekate for example... since my battery removal that's been way off and I haven't found any way to change it.

With Ubuntu you can do that, my RTC time and date is now current... In Hekate ok and in my Emunandswitcher ok. But you have to change the Switch time and date after that.

 

[Vandes]

With Ubuntu you can do that, my RTC time and date is now current... In Hekate ok and in my Emunandswitcher ok. But you have to change the Switch time and date after that.

Nice. Is there anything less invasive than a whole OS? Seems faster to just plug the battery in at exactly midnight

 

[Storm21]

Jepp, but then only the time is correctly...

 

[MegaMagikarp]

if NetworkSystemClock is not set at all (in my case because I removed the battery once and never connected to the Internet since) the immediate output is "timeGetCurrentTime failed with cc74" and there's no way to set time.
To resolve I had to compile a temporary build changing "NetworkSystemClock" with "UserSystemClock" on that same line, so I could start the app pulling my user time

Interesting. I didn't think of the scenario of NetworkSystemClock being not set. I mean I don't see why that line can't just be UserSystemClock instead actually, so I suppose I change it to that.

 

[MegaMagikarp]

https://github.com/3096/switch-time/releases/tag/0.1.1
small update: added a quick launch toggle by pressing L button
speeds up any repeated time change operations during gameplay.

Happy Christmas everyone!