ROM Hack What would I need to hack a GBA ROM?

[GGFan]

So I've been thinking about hacking Mother 3, what would I need to go about hacking it? It has nothing to do with the translation BTW.

 

[FAST6191]

What do you want to hack it to do? (by the way the hacking docs up the top of this section/in my signature also cater for GBA stuff).

Still a hex editor or three. Depending on what you want it is possible to gear the editor to deal with the hack in question.
An emulator (far easier than loading it up on a flash cart) and with far more options. VBA SDL-h or just plain VBA (or something like VBA-m).

Anything else is likely to change depending on what you want to hack.

 

[Normmatt]

If you've read the translation blog, you'd understand that even the very very skilled people working on the translation are having a hard time with mother 3, i seriously doubt a newbie would have any luck at all.

No offense of course, just stating facts.

 

[GGFan]

Well there's nothing stopping me from learning, I'd like to at least try.

What I'm trying to do is make Flint a permanent party member, and I would like to implement a party changing system. In other words, I'll be changing text, a few sprite and sprite placements, and if possible a party changing system when there's a party of five people. I have all of my ideas mapped out, so now it's just a matter of trying to execute.

I'll probably wait until after the translation patch is released though, because then everything will be in English and I assume text will be easier to alter. Still though, if anyone can link me to stuff I'll need, I'll appreciate it.

 

[FAST6191]

Find a book on ARM7TDMI assembly, read it, learn it and master it. Then come back and try that.

You might be able to do a member swap kind of like the old FF7 hacks where one of the "hidden" characters was overwritten with young cloud/sepiroth (you might possibly even be able to implement that as a cheat) but to do all you ask is a major project far in excess of most translations.

 

[GGFan]

Ok, so I'll google that and see if I'm capable of learning it. I assume it's the best thing, so wish me luck!

BTW, I've heard that a hex editor might work as well.