/heg/ - Hacking and Essentials General

When will this essentials meme end?

>>27265485
I've learned to just ignore Essentials. Maybe a good game like Sage will eventually be finished, and until then we should just try to encourage ROMhacks rather than fight to discourage other venues, it's a better use of our time.

Also, someone finally used some of the music I post here in a ROMhack!

https://hax.iimarck.us/topic/6874/

I haven't played it myself yet so I don't know if I'd recommend it as a hack yet, but I just love that someone used my music!

>>27265485
Gen 1 - 3 can be emulated near perfectly using essentials.
Rmxp even has an unused chip tune system inside.

The only issue with it so far is that it can't easily run on mobile devices, though a couple beta Rmxp emulators for Android do exist.
After my project is complete, I'm focusing my attention on mobile app development. I might start work on a Pokémon Essentials Mobile or something.

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>>27266383
>Gen 1 - 3 can be emulated near perfectly using essentials.

If you're talking about GS Essentials it's dogshit.

I try not to trash Essentials (except when someone asks for opinions on it) too much despite my feelings on it but don't you dare suggest GS Essentials.

I don't know why you would even want to make something in Gen 1/2 style if you aren't going to stick to the limitations of the Game Boy. It's like the equivalent of those "retro" indie games.

What do you think makes for a good name for a Pokémon game, /heg/?

>>27266581
Name it after a color, a metal, or a gem.

>>27266461
I'm not saying that any premade engine has made it far enough to optimally, but everything is already there to work with.

The argument many make about Essentials is that it is too easy to work with, leading to a slew of poor-quality games.
GS Essentials is a fine platform to start from.
All someone needs to do is have the programming skills and time to tweak it graphically and mechanically to mirror the first two gens.
Because of how rom hacking works, most things a good Essentials game needs to solve is already prepackaged and ready for use.
I've worked with games 3-5 for years, and I know for a fact that most procedures in making a good rom hack are just step-by-step edits that must be done in a certain order to avoid corruption.
Because of how Essentials works, every game will look and act the same unless someone either develops a specialized engine or develops scripts from scratch.
Also, there are several limitations in rom hacking that severely curb a lot of creativity. I had a gen 5 project two years ago, and knew all of the ends and out editing most everything, but many small things that I wanted to change couldn't be, so I started porting it to Essentials.

tl;dr:
Many cite the accessibility of Essentials as it's main flaw, but it takes an equal if not greater amount of skill to make it yours.

>>27266785
>All someone needs to do is have the programming skills and time to tweak it graphically and mechanically to mirror the first two gens.

If you have that amount of skill, you should be able to bypass whatever problem the ROMhacking, so I don't know why you'd go to GS Essentials in the first place if you were good enough for that.

>I had a gen 5 project two years ago, and knew all of the ends and out editing most everything, but many small things that I wanted to change couldn't be, so I started porting it to Essentials.

How many of those problems do you think would have been solveable had BW2 been disassembled?


I can understand your argument for people who want to make something like BW, but Gen 1 and 2 are already 100% disassembled, and though there are still hardcoded limits in the game that would take sizeable effort to surmount, if the person is as skilled as in your hypothetical they can in fact surmount it, like Shantytown surprassing the 256-minus-a-few limit in Pokémon Red.


Basically, I just don't know why someone would like Gen 1/2 enough to want to make something LIKE Gen 1/2, but not actually make a Gen 1/2 hack. If they aren't skilled, Essentials is going to have a ton of inaccuracies, and if they are skilled, they should be able to get around any and all problems they'd experience with ROMhacking, because both games have disassemblies.

>>27267071
As I stated before Essentials can do a whole plethora of things none of the games can.
Ever wanted to have the player dynamically decide on which generational style they want to play in? They can do that.
How about a gen 1-3 game with fully functional GTS? Check.
How about incorporating animated cutscenes and features from other gen that go against your gen's hardware capabilities? It can do that too.
No disassembly can dream of doing any of these.

We haven't even gotten to gen 4 yet.
Even if gen 5 every gets entirely disassembled, we'd still have the labor of spriting and animating as well as having to create compatible 3D models and cutscene animations. That's part of why I left. All of that can be done in Essentials.

>>27265445
Sweet flip.

>>27267271
>Ever wanted to have the player dynamically decide on which generational style they want to play in?
Wouldn't that be basically making multiple games?
>How about a gen 1-3 game with fully functional GTS?
That's not entirely out of our reach these days for Crystal specifically, if this here ends up leading to a custom server:
http://forums.glitchcity.info/index.php/topic,7509.0.html

>How about incorporating animated cutscenes and features from other gen that go against your gen's hardware capabilities?
If you want to go against your Gen's hardware capabilities, why are you trying to copy that Gen?

>>27267681
Also relating to a GTS, I'm pretty sure both the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance have had emulators capable of netplay in the past, which may as well be GTS.

>>27267681
You can simply change the character sprites, tilesets, etc. to match certain generations.
In Essetials one could make a script that does just that.

>If you want to go against your Gen's hardware capabilities, why are you trying to copy that Gen?
Because the point is not to copy, merely use existing material to springboard your idea into reality. If you only copy existing things, you're practicing the thing so many people complain about: unoriginality.
Think about how many 493+, 649+, 721+ rom hacks there are.
The reason why there are so many is that it's relatively easy to do. You could make one in Gen 4 and 5 without any knowledge of it's inner workings and while only using one tool.
Yet, people seek them heavily, while bashing more creative attempts at games.
Anyway, Essentials is a viable way of developing a game and shouldn't looked down on.

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>>27267941
When I say copy I mean trying to imitate it as a base, to the point where it's "perfectly emulated" as you said. I see no value to trying to use the aesthetics of Gen 2 if you're going to half-ass it.

The reason something like TRE2's battle screen is impressive is because they managed to pull it off within the hardware, not just because "hey I wanted to make something that looks 8-bit." Why would you copy GSC if you aren't going to actually use GSC as a base?

>>27268102
Someone may like the aesthetics of one generation but want the mechanics of one or something entirely different.
I'm not saying rom hacking isn't the way to go in some cases, but Essentials is just as viable in others.

>>27268200
>Someone may like the aesthetics of one generation but want the mechanics of one or something entirely different.

Then port the mechanic you want to the base with the aesthetics you want, if you're as skilled as the hypothetical person making this game it shouldn't be too hard. To use Gen 2 as an example, people have added the Fairy-type, people have added the split, people have added abilities, pretty much the only thing they haven't added is double battles and I've seen someone working on a prototype for that in Gen 1 so even that is possible.

>>27268231
If you're skilled you'll find it easier to graphically emulate than re-script whole mechanics.

If all you want to do is add a new type, then yes, use a rom, but people like me are adding new attributes to pokemon, new battle mechanics, touch screen capabilities, 8 dirctional movement, and so on.

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>>27268293
At that point it wouldn't remotely be Gen 2 or anything resembling a Game Boy game. Not even aesthetically.

>>27268494
I'm not building a gen 2 game, but yes, in fact you could still make it look like gen 2.

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>>27268545
Out of curiosity, does this look like a retro game to you?

>>27268709
The anti-aliasing in the background, shading, and choice of colors makes me say no, but it's a good start.

I'd also make the characters a bit larger or at least zoom in closer on them.

>>27268766
>it's a good start

At this point you're fucking with me.

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>>27268789
No, it really is.
>Use less colors
>Minimize highlighting
>Never anti-alias anything, meaning the sky should be redesigned
>Make the player the focus of the screen
>Increase its size
>bring platforms closer together
Now you have a traditional nes platformer.

>>27268874
>Use less colors
>Minimize highlighting
>Never anti-alias anything, meaning the sky should be redesigned
>Make the player the focus of the screen
>Increase its size
>bring platforms closer together

That's pretty much remaking it from scratch, how is that a good start?

>>27268903
No, that would just require editing the sprites, tiles, and map.
I've already had to revise tilesets several times for size and color reasons.
If you're not willing to go that far, you'll never make an optimal game, if one at all.

>>27268946
I'm not saying they shouldn't try again, but I wouldn't call it a "good start" in any way.

>>27269343
What doesn't make it at least decent start?
If they follow the steps I listed, they will have nailed the basics.

>>27269452
It's like wanting to learn to draw and coming up with a stick figure. It's pretty far from the mark.

>>27269515
But stick figures are the basis of all figure drawing.
If you practice refining your stick figure, you'll come to understand how fleshed figures work.
Same here.
If you start with rudimental platforms and hand-sprited characters, you'll come to understand what style works and in what ways they should be improved.
If whoever made that map continued practicing spriting and using classics as a reference, they'd eventually fix all of this.
Same goes for all game development.
Some engines do things better than others.
Regardless of what engine you use, you'll have beginners refining their skills and producing subpar content like Rejuvenation and Snakewood. With enough practice, reference to existing material, and attention to public demand, they'll make greater things.

is light platinum worth my time

so what are the reasons one would pick rom hacking or essentials. Trying to figure which road to go down for a potential hack im wanting to do

>>27269838
What are you planning on doing?
What gen are you basing it around?

>>27270409
Platinum set 5 yeas after the game
want female and male options
just want to emulate the feeling of the game aesthetics wise
I think i have a good story idea

>>27272033
If you're relatively inexperienced and want to work with story elements, I suggest Essentials, particularly the DS 2.0 build, as it has dual screen an 4th gen UI. It's focused on HGSS graphically, but I'm sure you can edit to be more like platinum. There are a few rather good tilesets out there for gen 4, actually more than there are for 5.
If you have any experience with animation, there's even a few methods on adding cutscenes into your game.

Klein Studios is also working on a Pokétch script, so I'd keep close watch on his Deviantart.

>>27272111
I am experienced with animation, didnt know there were other essentials other than the one posted in op

>>27272263
They're more like adaptations of the original to get closer to a single style
Here's the thread for the DS version:
http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=284551

>>27272287
thanks mate, very much appreciated.
This will save me a lot of hours with pixelart creating them from scratch or ripping them

>>27272391
Hopefully, everything is there, but if there are other resources you need but don't want to rip, try searching spriters-resource.com for already ripped pixel art

Do people like or hate IVs? Should I remove them? Same with EVs?

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Guys, I'm translating my fangame to english, can you watch the intro and tell me if my english is correct?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4J6pWUcotQ

>>27274875
Looks great!
Most of the dialogue looks pretty good.
There are just a few corrections I would make.
My edits are in "()".

>Welcome to Pokemon Today, where we keep you informed about the Pokemon World!
>I'm Antoni Ferrel, your (beloved) (journalist/reporter.)
>Today, we visit Metal City, (the heart of the region's business), to interview (someone of great eminence).
>The interview will be about (a recent study) by the Pokemon International Institute.
>For the first time in history, Pokemon population surpasses human population!
>Our guest is Mr. Crono, Doctor of Political Sciences and Sociology.
>I'm glad to be (on) your program again, Ferrel.
>Mr. Crono, How does the increase in Pokemon population (affect) the humans?
>Well, it's evident that we no longer have control over their natality.
>In the past, we fought wars against Pokemon and colonized their ecosystems, so their (populations) were "regulated".
>Are you implying that a conflict between humans and Pokemon will break out in the future?
>Not at all! We live in times of peace (and) have left our red-tainted past behind.
>()We will (probably) have to change our model of society and do deep transformations in our laws.
>We have to adapt to these new circumstances.
>Well, we will continue discussing this interesting top after (these messages)!
>(Please continue to tune in)!

Are you posting info on your game anywhere?

I've been working on a few encounter themes:
https://soundcloud.com/dimbus-maximus/encounter-super-nerddiva?in=dimbus-maximus/sets/meta-mercury

Someone needs to translate Pokemon MindCrystal into English.

To those who hate Essentials because it's easier to use: How do you feel about Hyper Training?

>>27274493
Depends on how short your game is. If your game isn't that long, go ahead and remove IVs. Don't listen to the naysayers, IVs aren't some amazing mechanic you have to keep in if you don't like them.

Gonna add this info to the OP next thread, due to high request.

I put together 2 lists of things people can't seem to find. Hope this helps!

Gen 4 - 6 Hack Tools:
http://pastebin.com/WvTzcdPR

Essentials Engines:
http://pastebin.com/G5PdvaGD

>>27280278
Max, what and where are some various scripts people have shared? I've seen all the ones on pokecommunity, any other places?

>>27280336
For hacking in gens 1-3, PokéCommunity is the place to be.
For hacking in gens 4-6, try projectpokemon.org.

For Essentials,
RelicCastle.com
PokéCommunity, pokemonessentials.wikia.com/wiki/Tutorials

I went ahead and re-did my drought theme:
https://soundcloud.com/dimbus-maximus/drought

>>27281019
>https://soundcloud.com/dimbus-maximus/drought
Sounds really good dude, I've been lurking the thread and you seem to be really talented. Appreciate you keeping the thread alive too. I'll try and post some info from my game here soon

>>27278652
I'll remove them then.

Max, do you know how to remove IVs in essentials? I'm sure that I can find it, I'm just asking because I assume you already know.

>>27281137
I'll be looking forward to that!

>>27282267
Since many things like Hidden Power and Characteristics are reliant on IVs being in the code, the safest way to do that actually doesn't remove them at all, just sets them to a specific value.

Go into "PokeBattle_Pokemon" and find:
>@iv[0]=rand(32)
>@iv[1]=rand(32)
>@iv[2]=rand(32)
>@iv[3]=rand(32)
>@iv[4]=rand(32)
>@iv[5]=rand(32)

Then just set them to the values you want.

>@iv[0]=0
>@iv[1]=0
>@iv[2]=0
>@iv[3]=0
>@iv[4]=0
>@iv[5]=0

You'll still be able to set the IVs of pokemon to be different.
>[yourpokemon].iv["value 0-5"]=31
You may want to do that with bosses to make them always more powerful than the trainer's pokemon.

First timer here. Gen 3 is the easiest to work with with the most options, right? Are there lazy resources, like a patch that just gives you a full 721 pokedex without doing it manually? Following Pokemon sprites, etc? Or am I stuck doing it all the hard way?

>>27282570
>Are there lazy resources, like a patch that just gives you a full 721 pokedex without doing it manually?

There are ROM bases like that.

Check www.pokecommunity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=66 to try to find a base you'd like. Nobody's gotten following Pokémon to work yet though.

>>27282601
Thank you, but none of the 721+mega bases seem to have download links anymore. Anyone got a file laying around?

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Bump with some trees.

>>27282432
Thanks. Those IVs would be good for bosses as well as possible mystery gift Pokemon.

>>27286656
No prob.
I was thinking of creating a third "hidden value" called Power Values or PVs for short.

PVs would take the place of IVs when stats are calculated, always starting at 0 and capping at 31. You can train the values in-game rather quickly, but it can be expensive to do so. You can see exatly how much you've invested, much like Hyper Training.
Also, you can only have 93 or the equivalent of 3 perfect stats per pokémon.

Individual Values would no longer factored into stats, but would stay as is.They alter other things now, but I'm not sure what.

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Wrote another track for the beach areas in my game.
The three regions are islands so there are plenty of beach resorts.

https://soundcloud.com/dimbus-maximus/pokemon-beach

>>27290538
That's amazing. What are you using to make your music?

>>27292968
Cakewalk Studio and Kontakt 5
This are paid programs, but FlStudio should do just fine.

>>27290538
Dang, I left in a looping error.
I should be fixed now.
Also revised the melody a bit.

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>rejuvenation part 8 out
>archive fucking died again and this time there were no backups

Fugg
I want to continue the LP but at the same time I really don't want to play through the earlier parts again, or repost several threads worth of repeat content.

should I just go ahead and LP part 8?

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Kanto Roads: Route 22 re-re-re-redraft
Got rid of the Nido-Ranch. It's a novel idea but it didn't fit.
Tried to make it challenging to navigate at early level but convenient to bypass later on: brown circled bush will be a Rock Smash boulder.
Rival still hasn't moved; blue circle and arrow.
Yellow circles: Left will be an item, right will be a unique pokemon encounter or trainer battle.
I am aware that the tree shading is off right now.
Still stuck around Routes 9 and 10, plan on moving forward with them after I review all my other maps.

>>27294782
Do it, faggot.

>>27295327
I'm going to stream it for a friend first since he insist I should be doing that instead, but i'll take caps and post them at another time

>>27294782
Part 8 is pretty short of an update, to be honest.

>>27295351
It can't be shorter than part 7, can it?

>>27295368
Part 7: Go into past, do some shit around there, try saving past!melia, then you end back up to present again, you have to go clear out sewers, garbodor happens (this is where timeline splits off), and THEN you fight gym leader and go onto train
Part 8: Riding train, but tracks are sabotaged so you end up before Grand Dream. The bridge is sabotaged as well! So you end up searching for the guy to fix it, and meanwhile you find Grass Gym Leader and his sibling. However, shenanigans ensue and you have to escape. With help of some girl (I think?). After you escape, some more shenanigans ensure, and after that, I think you fight Gym Leader after that, and you FINALLY get Strength. Honestly, it felt shorter than V7. GENUINE SPOILERS AHEAD: It's also another timeline split. You can turn in Flora for being part of Bladestar, which makes you fight her brother [who was relatively easy for me barring his Mega Sceptile who almost killed what left of my team]

By the way, devs have ninja'd some new TMs. Good ones are Return in West Gearen, Poison Jab in West Gearen Sewers, and Flash Cannon in Amethyst Cave once you have Strength. Oh by the way. They made HMs deleteable now (except Magma Drift due to an oversight).

>>27295508
Almost forgot. There's also Work Up in East Gearen, available instantly.
http://www.pokemonreborn.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17190
Team Xen's been very silent lately.

Funnily enough, there are THREE Round TMs spread across the current areas. There's also Focus Blast TM ball in the overworld, but it's unavailable right now (the cave entrance it's next to is literally decoration right now). It's just there to taunt you.

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>>27295577
How is this not a crime.

What is the best finished hackroom of Pokemon B/W2?

>>27295777
I'd say Drayano's Volt White/Blaze Black series

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I've been wanting to use this sprite for a long time

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Hey, tangentially speaking of Reborn, what does everyone think of the idea of battling things that aren't Pokemon or battling groups of Pokemon all at once, Pokestar Studios style? You wouldn't be able to catch any of them, most of them would be sidequest-only, and some of them are going to have Shinies that you can catch later. Pic related; I can post more of the sprites I've made if anybody wants to see them.

>>27295508
>>27295351
I just got done, holy shit it was fucking nothing. I'll wait until the next update before making another thread.

>spooky atmospheric house where you follow a Clefairy doll
>all you get is a Light Ball

FUCK YOU

>>27298199
Give the uncatchable ones unique gimmicks and high HP/Def/SpDef so the player won't just one-shot them like a wild pokemon.

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>>27298528
Yeah, I am. They'll have buffed stats and unique attacks/abilities; for example, the Biker Gang in >>27298199 have the Ability RYDEL RYDEL RYDEL (which is just a Speed Boost clone) and a unique attack, RYDEL!! (Steel-type, increased priority, 70 BP), and the Shock Squad here have Filter and an Electric-type draining move.

>>27296678
for the love of god when can we play this
you're just toying with us now

Half the links in the pastebin are dead.

>>27298936
A demo should be ready by mid-fall, but a full release will take place next year.

This game's prequel is coming out in a few weeks, hopefully.

Why are Emerald, Fire Red and occasionally Ruby the go-to? Is it just that they're the most popular?

>>27299484
And half the working pokecommunity ones have dead links there too

>>27300241
Gen 3 is the latest gen to also have a high amount of flexibility when it come to editing.

>>27299484
>>27300318
Yeah, it could use updating.
I'm working to filter out obsolete links and add new ones in the coming threads.

>>27300355
Oh, I know. I meant, out of Gen III, why those specifically? But I bet it's because Firered and Ruby were more popular than Leafgreen and Sapphire, which is a shame.

>>27300405
That's a good question.
Does it make much of a difference, though?

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Are fancy tilesets valued too highly? I feel like if I don't get one my hack won't be popular at all.

>>27300405
>>27300720
The Ruby/Sapphire disassembly is for both versions, so you can finally choose again (or do both).

>>27300795
We should try to make community tilesets.

>>27300405
I'd assume most tools that would work on one will work on the other.

>>27300795
This crying bat is flipping me off

>>27300795
It's best to focus on making your game unique and creative. There's no perfect set of resources.
People will want to play your game if it is memorable.

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What are some evolution methods you'd like to see in the future?

>>27305368
Something with Pokemon combining. Make one of them have shit stats and literally no moves so nothing of value is lost.

>>27295212
these look great, wtf. what are you doing with this?

>>27306017
I don't see a problem with two NFE's fusing without making the base forms unusable.

For example, you could have a large Nurse Shark pokémon with great defenses and hp, but very few offensive moves, and a smaller Eel or Remora built more like a frail physical attacker.
The Remora could permanently live inside the Sharks mouth and most of their stats could be the best of both base forms:

Shark
Water/Fairy
110
60
80
70
90
65
475

Remora
Water/Dark
55
105
65
75
75
90

465 BST

Evolution
Water/Fairy
110
105
80
75
90
65(Because Shark is Transportation)

Gets Remora's Dark-Type moves
525 BST

>>27306199
True, I hadn't thought about that, and your example sounds great. Suggestion: archerfish and isopod; upon evolution, the archerfish becomes the isopod's space gunship.

>>27306804
I could see a rhino whose horn is a projectile grooming bird

Why not a breeding mechanic where when two specific pokémon create an egg, a new species is found inside?
Maybe a Frog and a Rooster create a cockatrice.
Or when a certain female bird Pokémon holds an egg, a random cuckoo pokémon can be found inside on occasion.

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So I need feedback on this short WIP "short" when it's almost as long as a full loop of some of the songs I've done, this song's full loop is going to be close to two whole minutes just to make sure I'm on the right track with porting.

https://soundcloud.com/mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm-1/vs-champion-iris-gbc-8-bit-wip

Just getting this far took a couple days, but unlike Reversal Mountain this is fun as hell to port at least.