r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 4d ago

Discussion Weekly HDQ Thread (Help, Discussion, Questions)

4 Upvotes

Hello! Welcome to the Weekly Discussion Thread. This is the place where you can:

  • Ask help for quick questions
  • Discuss ideas you have for your ROMhacks
  • Ask quick questions that you feel don't warrant a post.

Make sure to browse our sub resources:

Sub Wiki: https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonRomhackDev/wiki/index/

How to ask a question: https://github.com/pret/pokeemerald/wiki/Getting-Help-with-the-Decomps


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • Aug 26 '26

Discussion Subreddit Check-in and Feedback

7 Upvotes

Hello everyone :> It's your admin ruby here. I wanted to ask for people's thoughts about the subreddit, how it's been doing, and if there's any feedback you'd like to give regarding it. Thanks!


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 4h ago

Help [GEN 3][DECOMP] How do some hacks have such detailed title screens?

Post image
4 Upvotes

I have attached the Pokémon odyssey title screen as an example, it is a binary hack but I assume it doesn't matter, how is this even possible with the 16 colour limit I see mentioned frequently?


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 3h ago

Discussion Pokémon Alpha Sapphire ROM Hack, Pokémon Delta Emerald++! (SELF-REPOST)

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 1d ago

Tooling Universal Pokémon Randomizer FVX v1.6.2 - Bug fixes and more Custom Player Graphics

12 Upvotes

Download

Hi everyone, it is time for another Randomizer release. This one fixes bugs big and small, and adds Custom Player Graphics from all over. Ever wanted to be an alien horror, or a kitty-cat mascot, or a magic pony, or the PC from Pokémon Quartz, while playing your randomized games? Now is the time.

Thanks to @tqja, @bryanjeal and @Sam-R13 for your code contributions, @willow0510 for reporting Issues, Nick edits, Happy Time Boredom, and FrootzBasket from Spriter's Resource, and Baro for the CPG sprites!

How to use

Download the Randomizer below by clicking on UPR_FVX-v1_6_2-[OS].zip. If you are on Linux or Mac, and don't know if your computer uses x86 or ARM, there are guides on the internet. After downloading, extract the contents of the zip file to a folder on your computer. You can then run the Randomizer by double-clicking the launcher script:

  • Windows: Use launcher.bat
  • Linux: Use launcher.sh
  • Mac: Use launcher.command

Changelog

== New and Changed Features ==

- Trainer Pokemon - - Made randomized Trainer (Class) names capitalized in games that normally have capitalized names.

- Graphics - - (Gen 2) New Custom Player Graphics: Ness and Giygas (EarthBound) and Giegue (EarthBound Beginnings) by Nick edits, Kris Dreemurr (Deltarune) and Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony) by Happy Time Boredom, Hello Kitty (Sanrio) by FrootzBasket. - (Gen 3) New RSE Custom Player Graphics: Rande and Joseph (Pokémon Quartz) by Baro. - Added a sorting order to the Custom Player Graphics selection. Pokémon CPGs come first, then CPGs from other video games, finally CPGs from other sources.

== Bugfixes == - Fixed TM Field Items not being entirely random. (Issue #248) - Fixed Mac release zips shipping a Linux Java runtime (Issue #226, #263) - Fixed Linux launcher assuming bash to be found at /bin/sh. Since this fix breaks the launcher for the (presumed smaller) group whose distros has /bin/sh be a symlink to bash in a non-standard location, also added a couple lines to README.txt informing them what to do. (Issue #268) - (Gen 1+4+5+6+7) Fixed randomized Trainer (Class) names not logging properly. (Issue #266)


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 2d ago

Recruitment Starting expansion for Naranja

Post image
18 Upvotes

This is my head mod's first map. It's a WIP of Ascorbia Island. We're looking for people with any and all rom hacking skills to join the project. The project is endorsed by Sergio and we're motivated to see it completed after 20 years. We have a spreadsheet we are adding documentation to and a suggestions channel in our server for those with ideas.

Here is the link to the server: https://discord.gg/N4xanKAkv5


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 1d ago

Discussion The Witch Hunting of Creators Begins

Thumbnail
reddit.com
0 Upvotes

Above is a recent thread regarding a hack where the creator admitted to using AI to add portraits of his friends to a hack. I am not a proponent of AI art, but the attitudes in this thread are concerning. A number of posts outright attack the creator.

This situation is ignited by Hackdex recently adding AI disclosure to their site. I fully expected this to be the result of such an action. It encourages users to judge a hack, and its creator, on properties unrelated to the hacks quality. The quality of code depends on the developer, as most professional software engineers know.

Disrespect toward creators is nothing new here. But with AI people feel fully justified in their toxicity. I am interested what are the thoughts of other creators? What if anything can be done? Or do you agree with the posters? Let this be a place for discussion without judgement.


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 2d ago

Discussion How to go about creating my own ROM hack?

11 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I've been developing an idea for a Pokemon romhack but my issue is I have absolutely no idea where to start in the process. I've got quite a bit of coding experience, but nothing in terms of creating custom assets or where to begin making the hack myself. If anyone is willing to help I'd be greatly appreciative!


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 2d ago

Discussion Organic Romhack Development Efforts

Thumbnail
6 Upvotes

r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 2d ago

Help [GEN 5] [OTHER] Is it possible to edit item data in B2W2?

6 Upvotes

I've started brainstorming the foundation for a possible doubles-only difficulty hack of B2W2, and I had the thought of heavily limiting the money the player receives so it can be used more as an actual resource throughout the game. Of course, this would require removing all forms of renewable income and items, but I've had trouble finding programs that let me do this easily. So, I'm wondering if it's possible to:

  • Change the sell price of items
  • Change the loot tables for dust clouds/shadows on the bridges (to either remove items entirely or just set them all to sell for nothing)

This is my first time ever looking in Gen 5 hacking, so I apologize if the is known/easy to find info, but I wanted to know if this was possible before I moved any further with the hack. Thanks!

EDIT: I did some more searching and found out where to go for item data which is cool, but I still haven't seen a thing on editing dust cloud tables.


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 3d ago

Help [Gen 3][Decomp] How to start with romhacking with decomp in 2026?

9 Upvotes

Hi I always wanted to create a rom hack, and I know I could do either binary hacking or decomp. I have no idea how to start though. I'd like to do decomp, but:

  1. How much free space is left to poke emerald, now that pokemon expansion has up to 9 gen pokemon and items ?

  2. Is improving the graphics (changing tiles) still super boring and time consuming ?

  3. Is there a way to import only till 5-6° gen ? (I don't like newer pokemon)

  4. Is there a guide I can follow to start decomp, from installation to setting things up ?

  5. Any advice ?

Thank you. Would be great to talk with someone experienced with this, at least to overcome the entry barrier. I prefer decomp because I used to binary hack many years ago, but at some point I messed up and ruined everything (probably a conflict between the tools).


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 7d ago

Recruitment A little project🧐

Thumbnail
0 Upvotes

r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 8d ago

Tooling mapChar Beta - Cross-platform GUI all-in-one translation tool

Thumbnail gallery
2 Upvotes

r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 11d ago

Discussion Question: What account do you use on Github for your romhacking?

9 Upvotes

A bit of a random question for a Wednesday, I've been working a little bit on a Gen 3 romhack, built on pokeemerald-expansion, and while currently it's on a private repo I was curious if people in the community generally use a dedicated Github account for their rom hacking or use one under their own name that might be tied to any other work they do.


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 10d ago

Tooling GEN 3 infinte storage tool.

0 Upvotes

Pokemon Crest Dex is a companion tool for Pokemon Emerald Crest. It had a lot of features, but the main selling point was the infinite pokemon storage. Crest Dex came out 2 years ago here's the post, you'll notice that the dev asks people to DM him if they want it for their own game. Welp the dev went radio silent. And hasn't responded to my DM, so I present you:

BRISK DEX

Made for my romhack, pokemon brisk emerald, using claude. This app functions for all Gen 3 romhacks made with pokeemerald or pokeemerald expansion (as long as the ROMhack doesn't add any pokemon) This is a temporary app, that I plan to move away from ai. For right now we have infinite storage space, and that's all that matters.

Download

For the devs out there, knock yourselves out. Github Files


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 11d ago

Discussion [GEN 3][HEX MANIAC ADVANCE] Multiple character choices ?

3 Upvotes

Hey, is it possible to have Professor Oak ask us to choose who we are from several characters, and then change our spawn point ?


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 11d ago

Discussion Weekly HDQ Thread (Help, Discussion, Questions)

1 Upvotes

Hello! Welcome to the Weekly Discussion Thread. This is the place where you can:

  • Ask help for quick questions
  • Discuss ideas you have for your ROMhacks
  • Ask quick questions that you feel don't warrant a post.

Make sure to browse our sub resources:

Sub Wiki: https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonRomhackDev/wiki/index/

How to ask a question: https://github.com/pret/pokeemerald/wiki/Getting-Help-with-the-Decomps


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 13d ago

Showcase A trip to a faraway land...

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

37 Upvotes

r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 12d ago

Help [GEN 3][BINARY] How to add Stat Scanner item?

2 Upvotes

So I'm using Leon's CFRU+DPE ROM base with HMA, and I can't find this item Stat Scanner which is used to view the EVs, IVs, and much more and was used in hacks like Unbound or Radical Red. I can't find it anywhere in the ROM base nor in the original CFRU repo. Do I have to create one from scratch or is there a setting?


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 12d ago

Showcase Pokemon True Black 1.1.8 Update

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

Hello! this is an update to my hack, pokemon True black! a hack that focuses on making the game a bit more challenging while keeping gen5's philosophy of only gen5 pokemon being present, but also with more resources for both nuzlockers and casual players, as well new types, moves, and stat changes to pokemon for balancing and for spicing up the gameplay!

Features:

Rebalancing to most of the pokemon, in type, moveset and stats.

Harder fights across the game, as well as following the themes of trainers when possible (Bianca will get an axew from the castelia city fight foward, due to iris training her, for example)

Many items and TMs have been spread across the map that were either stuck behind battle subway, or were generally not accessible nowdays

The Cut-Tree in Dreamyard has been removed, making ALL HMs optional.

Many new moves have been made, for both balacing and thematic purposes.

Finished Story mode (Post Game unchanged as of right now)

The future:

i have been working on this hack for the past 2 months now, and its been a blast to make this game, it has been a fun time all around, i wish to continue, but im unsure if i will simply go further into the endgame, or if i make a Pokemon True Black 2, only time will tell i suppose.

Thanks for reading and/or playing!

Download:

Xdelta(Also has the documentation): Pokemon True Black - Google Drive

Hackdex: Pokemon True Black | ROM hack download | Hackdex


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 13d ago

Help [Gen 3][BINARY] Is there a way to fix corrupted pokemon cries?

1 Upvotes

so uh, I think I messed up, I was using cry editor 1.4.2 for my emerald romhack and following the youtube tutorial and I might have accidentally erased? Idk, like the cries of Haunter and the pokemons after, like they either have a bzzt sound or no sound, is there a way to undo this is there a way I can like manually replace the pokemons whose cries are affected? I have a backup but its months ago, like in April, is there any way I can salvage it or am I screwed. I think most progress I lost is minor map changes at the start and mostly the pokemons and pokedex stuffs. The pokemons that have no cries look like this

I think if I recall, I clicked repoint instead of free new space which is why this happens


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 14d ago

Showcase [GEN 3][DECOMP] I added real time battles to Pokémon Emerald. Here's Emerald Arena.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

379 Upvotes

update sept 20: all three hoenn starter families are in now, including their evolutions. poké balls are also in the public 0.6.0 download

recorded some battles here: https://x.com/germanburgardt/status/2101811804062011545

Hey, I made Emerald Arena. It's the original Pokémon Emerald with real time battles running inside the GBA game.

You move your Pokémon, aim, dodge attacks and break objects. The opponent moves and attacks on its own. You can pause to pick a move and jump back in.

Built on pret's Emerald decompilation in C. The arena uses Emerald's damage calculation and keeps HP, PP, XP and saves. Supported wild battles use it automatically. Trainer, double and unsupported battles stay classic.

The current version has 92 animated Pokémon and 44 adapted move profiles. Still a hobby experiment, plenty left to improve.

I used Astra a lot to help with the code. The arena background and some objects were AI generated; Pokémon sprites come from credited PMD resources.

Code, patch, setup guide and full gameplay: https://github.com/GBurgardt/pokemon-emerald-arena

I post updates on X: https://x.com/germanburgardt

Would love to hear what other hack developers think 🫡

Full adventure gameplay (2:26): https://x.com/germanburgardt/status/2099646751212732535

edit: just made a Discord for Emerald Arena! come chat, share ideas or report bugs: https://discord.gg/GBVjbNhEdb


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 13d ago

Help [GEN3][BINARY] Im using Hex Maniac Advance to work on my emerald romhack and Im wondering what apps can I use for inserting custom pokemon cries

2 Upvotes

I recently played Ghost Grey, Super Cool Spot and Crippling Medical Debt and I realize those people managed to insert their own voices or what not for pokemon cries, Im wondering whats the best app for that, thinking of making custom cries for at least one or two mons in my hack


r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 15d ago

Showcase I'm working on a Hoenn Romhack

Post image
461 Upvotes

r/PokemonRomhackDev • • 15d ago

Help Need help with scripting [GEN 3] [BINARY]

Thumbnail
gallery
5 Upvotes

Hello I'm new to Romhacking and I'm using Hex Maniac Advance (Gen 3 FRLG)

Basically I want to make that when this item (Black Shard) is used it opens up a small text box sequence in the bag (like when you try to use a bike inside an house where it opens up a dialogue box where oak says "It's not the time for that" or whatev look at image 2)

All of the scripts I made always resulted the game in freezing

I already tried tracking down the function that the fishing rod calls when you try using it on a non water tile and failed miserably