HG/SS Attack Data Editing

[Panda-monium]

So, to my understanding, there isn't a specific move editor for HG/SS (yet...). However, I did read up that it's possible to edit the move data from a D/P rom with Attack Editor DS (AEDS from now on), extract the corresponding narc file, and insert it into HG/SS. Sounded easy enough, but I'm having some issues.

First, AEDS isn't cooperating. Whenever I go to edit the move data, none of my changes ever save. I have not only tried out multiple roms/versions of roms, but also tried saving after editing each move. Nothing is working. I wonder if my version of AEDS is out-of-date/corrupted, but I can't seem to find the program anywhere except for the one place where I obtained my current version.

Hopefully, someone can hook me up with an alternate AEDS download (or perhaps there's another issue I'm unaware of that can be fixed). If not, then I suppose that means I would need to resort to editing the hex code myself. Course, since I'm pretty much new to this whole hex editing thing, this also poses some problems.

As far as I've discerned, I need to open the HG/SS rom with Crystal Tile 2, hit "View," Select "Hex Editor," hit the little NDS icon thing, find "a/0/1/1" from the directory, extract/export that file (saving it as a .narc file), and.....that's where I get lost. Not sure if I need another program to edit that file I extracted, or if I can do it within CT2. Also, I have no idea how to search for specific offsets/pointers. For example, the one for Blast Burn is apparently $1D6FC1C, but I've never seen a string of characters in that kind of format. Without knowing how to do this, I obviously can't find specific moves to edit.

So, would anyone be willing to help walk me through this? Like, as a practice example, could someone walk me through what I would have to do to edit the move Pound from base 40 power to base 50 power?

TL/DR: Not sure how to edit move data in HG/SS. Attack Editor DS isn't working for me when using D/P roms. Pretty unfamiliar with hex editing. Care to walk me through the process?

[aninymouse]

You got a bad version of AEDS. Some archive files left out a crucial file that allows saving. Try downloading from PokeCommunity.com forums... I think that's where I got mine, way back when.

To hex edit attacks in Gen 4... AHA! Found it. I knew I'd made posts on this waaaay back.

http://projectpokemon.org/forums/showthread.php?8318-Help-Hex-editing-moves-in-Pokemon-D-P

[Panda-monium]

The only download link for AEDS I've found via PokeCommunity.com is here, but even the commenters in that thread pointed out that it doesn't work correctly. Everywhere else says to go to Swampert Tools, but that website is completely down. It's like there just isn't a working version...anywhere....

As for that other link, I'm still confused on what I need to do after I've extracted/exported the narc file from D/P, along with how exactly I can search for specific moves within the hex code. People keep saying to search for a string of characters in a format that I can honestly say I've never seen in CT2.

[aninymouse]

The missing file is a DLL, I think. I deleted all my Gen 4 stuff a long time ago, or else I'd just upload it for you, sorry. I did have quite the collection of doo-dads...

I'm gonna make a how-to post for hex editing, though. Gimme a minute.

[aninymouse]

So, just like the other thread... This is the format:

04 - Effect (Hit + Possible Burn)

00 - ??

00 - Damage Category (00 = physical, 01 = special, 02 = status)

4B - Power (75)

0A - Type (Fire)

64 - Accuracy (100)

0F - PP (15)

0A - Chance of Effect (10%)

00 - Target (One Opponent)

00 - Move's Priority (For Quick Attack, and Extremespeed)

00 - ??

13 - Makes Contact

11 - ??

01 - ??

00 - ??

00 - ??

That's Fire Punch. In the hex editor it'll look like: 04 00 00 4B 0A 64 0F 0A 00 00 00 13 11 01 00 00

The attacks always go in the same order, ever since Generation 1! If you go here, they're listed in the order they appear in the rom: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_moves

I'm a little out of practice for Gen 4 (and I don't plan on ever going back to it in the near future), so I copied a lot from the old stand-by, THIS thread: http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131283 Keep that thread handy. Even though a bunch of stuff changed in Gen 5, most of the basic stuff stayed the same.

Also, this is of great use: http://www.mathsisfun.com/binary-decimal-hexadecimal-converter.html Can't ask for a better free tool. It automatically converts into decimal, hexadecimal and binary in real time

A great rule of thumb for hexadecimal numbers that are over two digits long: In Pokemon games, you have to break the number in half and flip the first and second parts' orders. In other words, if you have the decimal number 554, that's 22A in hexadecimal. In a Pokemon game, "22A" in hex is seen as 2A 02.

For HGSS: it's always easier to hex edit the narc, so extract it like you've been doing. The HGSS rom actually has two identical lists of moves, but only the one located at a/0/1/1 does anything. Editing the other narc does nothing; it's just a holdover from DP -- copied data. Perhaps it's for interacting with DP, perhaps it's for other reasons...

Editing certain attacks is difficult. Generally, the more complicated an attack is, the harder it is to totally change it. Flare Blitz, Volt Tackle, Fly, & Bounce come to mind. Surf has something odd going on with it, too. You can edit them, but trying to change their effects or replicate their effects in other moves takes some messing around with the values hitherto unknown to me.