How to hack a NES ROM on a Chromebook?

[Ck]

Hi everyone!

I thought I had posted a question; I must have not hit 'post', lol!

Does anyone have any info on hacking roms on a Chromebook? Someone did it using cameyo.com, but they didn't give any specifics.. I've made an account, looked at a zillion apps, but still have no clue on how they did any programming there.

I'm excited because this would open many possibilities for me.. I've never hacked before, so it should be a fun experience.

Hopefully someone knows or has an idea of what tools were used online without the need for a real windows, linux or mac!

Ps. The hack programmed using cameyo was cxszelda. Maybe they installed a hacking tool on the platform? Thanks for any help or input with this! Ck

[Jorpho]

There's very little discussion of such things here.  You might be better off on a different forum.

I'm not sure what "possibilities" you expect this to open for you, or why you are expecting this to be "fun".

[Ck]

LOL, you had me for a second!  At ROMhacking.net, I would actually be wrong in asking about ROM hacking? you're too funny, Jorpho!

The Zelda hack I'm playing right now is amazingly well done and I want to know how that was done so I can create my own.. that sounds very fun to me! Isn't that the whole point of ROM hacking or modding, or am I on another planet here?

Plus my main machine right now is a Chromebook. I know, a lot of folks don't see it as a real computer, but I've patched and played plenty of ROMs on with no trouble at all so the next step is modding some games of my own, that's the 'possibilities' I referred to. Do I sound off anybody?

Again, nice try Jorpho, but if I'm out in left field folks, then all I can say is that I'm totally losing it then!

[Bahamut ZERO]

Hmm are there any OS emulator/sandbox that can run on a Chromebook? By that I mean things like DOSbox (for running DOS-based things) or Vine (for windows-based stuff). If there are, you can probably run most of the tools on this site without much trouble.

And depending on what game you want to mess around with, there's probably a good bit of documented info on it as well. If so, then the only thing you really need to get used to is dicking around with a hex editor (for things that your other tools can't accomplish) and figuring out the assembly language of the system said game is on (there's usually a reference sheet for a language's operation codes, which makes the task immensely less stressful).

If you can get tools for whatever it is you want to mess around with, I'd say take baby steps at first - change some text, or edit a few graphics - before jumping balls deep into it. And have fun with it - Rom hacking's a piss poor hobby if you're not getting some enjoyment out of what your doing, or if you stress yourself with way too much.

Bear in mind my advice is a bit grasping-at-straws as I've never used a chromebook for anything, but I figure any advice at all is better than the jackassed response you got from Jorpho. 

[NoOneee]

Jorpho probably just glimpsed at your post and thought it was about hacking "chromebooks", not "ROMs on chromebooks".

I've also never used a chromebook. It seems this cameyo thing allows you to use windows apps? If that's the case you may be able to use one many Windows utilities here. I don't know what you are trying to do. If you want to edit the maps on the Zelda games, there are already made editors for some of them (like Hyrule Magic).

[Ck]

Thanks guys!

Yes, I've used DOSbox to run a DOS-based patcher. Cameyo.com allows you to install Windows apps. It also has an extensive library of freeware and open-source apps already ready to go, which was why I imagined that some of the tools used may already be there, you know?

MY GOAL: to do some (preferably simple) hacking on a Legend of Zelda (LoZ) NES ROM

Ideally, I'd love to use the ***easiest editors*** but if useful I also have 1) an old PC running Windows XP I can remote into and 2) an old Mac running OS X Leopard 10.5.8, and I don't mind using a mix of several tools as long as they aren't made for hard-core rockets scientists, lol! So any suggestions of what to try would be perfect.

I found and I'll try the following Windows Zelda-specific ROM editing tools, so if anyone knows these or others, definitely give me your favs:

Dungeon Master - http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/605/
Zelda 1 Dungeon Editor - http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/292/
Zelda Tech - http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/187/
Zedit - http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/188/



Thanks again for the replies!

[Jorpho]

I figure any advice at all is better than the jackassed response you got from Jorpho. 

Jorpho probably just glimpsed at your post and thought it was about hacking "chromebooks", not "ROMs on chromebooks".

Yes, thank you. Hacking a Zelda ROM is an entirely different and much more feasible experience than trying to hack a Chromebook.

That said, you might want to consider looking into Zelda Classic, depending on your specific needs.

[Ck]

I had totally forgotten about ZC, Jorpho! 

I've been messing around with the editors I found, so I can compare ZC to them. I assume its creations output to a ROM or IPS file.

I will see about doing all this on the Chromebook after I do some more research on my old XP PC!

[Jorpho]

I've been messing around with the editors I found, so I can compare ZC to them. I assume its creations output to a ROM or IPS file.

No, if I'm not mistaken, Zelda Classic cannot be used to produce anything at all usable on an NES or an NES emulator.  But then again, unless for some strange reason you are dead-set on producing something that can be loaded on a real NES (probably via a Powerpak), I strongly suspect using Zelda Classic will be a much more pleasant experience than trying to work within the existing limitations of the original Zelda NES ROM.

[Ck]

I have been inspired by all of the amazing hacks I've discovered on this site!

Ever since I stumbled across Outlands, I was hooked on hacks! After, I played old Nintendo games I'd bought used, then I started using an old Mac emulator to play them on my Mac. I loved that I could save my progress and then the craving for more set in!

Then when someone published a hack they were able to work on on a Chromebook, I couldn't believe it! Which lead to my post 

[The3Dude]

Hey Ck this is Chase Squires -CXS- I dont know if you got my emails but i feel like a jerk for not telling you how to hack roms on a chromebook just watch this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ugCsl8WZ2o )created by me specifically for ya P.S Sorry for taking so long to reply man ... Also im making a new Chromebook made rom hack currently for Zelda a link to the past!! It will be hard im a quarter through finished making it.... But When you go to cameyo.com you have To go to  ADD APPS Then click PUBLISH A SERVER and then leave it at calc.exe cuz my vid shows you how to bypass the calculator and run Windows for 25 mins, but every 25 mins you should upload your rom hack to google drive cuz thats how i made my hack..... Hope this helps