[Archived] Hack ideas: for those without the skill but with all the ideas.

[Tsukiyomaru0]

So, I was poking around hopelessly around the internet and found this:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/phantasy-star-0-undub-and-jp-weapon-project.193512/

Saddens me that said project has not gone onwards for what? Two years? Three? More? FIVE years? Well, seems PS0 will never ever see the true light of JP-Exclusive items in the US version... Or perhaps some kind soul could take into this idea, and only make a single patch that adds those items JP-Exclusives to PS0 US Release, possibly with simple passwords or in the Photon Drop Trader store.

[Bobolicious81]

How about a version of a game where you have to use a difficult weapon as your default weapon? Such as say a Megaman series hack where you play you don't get Mega Buster from the start of the game

That reminds me of when I was a kid. I didn't have a lot of games, so when I beat a game for the umpteenth time I tried things like playing Legend of Zelda with no sword. I don't remember if I beat Ganon or if that's even possible, but I know I at least got pretty far with just bombs, arrows, and candles for weapons.

[Ganon35]

I'm not sure if this is the best place to ask this, but is it possible to code a program that can create GBA roms from scratch?  What I mean by this is a program similar to SMBX, but it exports the game as a .gba, .gb, .gbc, etc. file.  If one were made to create games like so, you wouldn't have to work within the bounds of the game, and the UI could be much more intuitive.  Again, I don't know if this is possible, but it would be amazing.  Image the capabilities of being able to share code, graphics and such and easily create original games and fan games!  But I guess it wouldn't even be called rom hacking at that point, just rom making. :/

[Seihen]

But I guess it wouldn't even be called rom hacking at that point, just rom making. :/

It's called "game development," unfortunately, and tends to involve having access to licensed developers' kits.
It would be awesome, though, if this were possible. Unfortunately, the best hope is going forward (Vita, PS3/4, Xbox Live) for making games on real, modern systems.

[FAST6191]

The GBA has some very nice dev kits and has done even during its lifetime (you could even work in C without any assembly), not many people went the game maker type route on the GBA though.

There are several kits but these days you would be foolish to use anything other than http://devkitpro.org/ (devkitarm being the sub section of it all that does for the GBA, DS and the like).

You might also like
http://www.coranac.com/tonc/text/

[LegallyBlindGamer]

Here's an idea. Is there a way to apply the Pokemon Generation IV (Diamond/Pearl/Platinum) physical/Special split to Generation III (Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald/FireRed/LeafGreen)? If so, that would be awesome.

[Ganon35]

Okay, because I've been working on designing a Link' Awakenig remake with GBA graphics and sound upgrades along with extras and secrets, and a dev kit for GBA would be extremely usefull.

[Bobolicious81]

Ganon35, that sounds awesome. 22 years later, Link's Awakening is still my favorite Zelda game.

On an unrelated note, does anyone know if Megaman 4, 5, and 6 for the NES can be hacked to give a password after the red herrings to start at Wily's castle?

[Spudman]

I'd love to see if it's possible to hack the iso of Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes and replace the music with that from the original PS1 title.

[johnny]

That reminds me of when I was a kid. I didn't have a lot of games, so when I beat a game for the umpteenth time I tried things like playing Legend of Zelda with no sword. I don't remember if I beat Ganon or if that's even possible, but I know I at least got pretty far with just bombs, arrows, and candles for weapons.

The problem with that is the game forces you to fight Aginham/Ganondorf with the Master Sword as well. Though I suppose with a bit of tweaking and hacking I suppose one could have an object in a room which would deflect Aginham's/Ganondorf's beams back to him. As far as the final battle is concerned, you would probably need to put a hazard in the room that can damage not only you but Ganondorf as well. Hey how does The Legend of Bug Catching Kid sound xD. Of course you'd have to rely on catching bees and letting THEM damage the enemies and bosses. It would probably take forever to beat the game and be a pain to do. On the bright side you could still catch fairies.

[MontyMole]

You can use the bug catching net to beat Aghanim. Don't know if its possible for Ganon to be defeated without the sword though.

[johnny]

You can use the bug catching net to beat Aghanim. Don't know if its possible for Ganon to be defeated without the sword though.

That's pretty awesome. So if someone did make a hack where the main weapon was the net and there was no sword to use, at least you could beat some of the bosses by default. I know for normal enemies, you just catch a bee or a good bee (found in the Ice Wand cave) it could damage enemies upon being released. Of course, I highly doubt a good bee or a bee could damage Ganondorf if you release one at the Final Boss Battle. Try it?

You can however beat Ganondorf without Silver Arrows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRuObtu5EtA

In Zelda 1 on NES you can almost beat the entire game without a sword. The only boss that can not be beaten is yes...you guessed it Ganon/Ganondorf. In Zelda 1, you are forced to fight Ganon/Ganondorf using a sword and the silver arrows. See now what someone COULD do as a hack is to make it so that in one of the Zelda games, you can beat Ganon/Ganondorf without a sword at all though it will be very challenging and take a ton of hits to do so.

[Bobolicious81]

Of course I was referring to the original Zelda for the NES. Since the game doesn't force you to pick up any swords, I just didn't have a sword at all. It would so brutal and manly to hack Ganon so he could be damaged by other weapons and remove the sword guys entirely.
Ganon vs. Link, armed with his trusty red candle!

[johnny]

Of course I was referring to the original Zelda for the NES. Since the game doesn't force you to pick up any swords, I just didn't have a sword at all. It would so brutal and manly to hack Ganon so he could be damaged by other weapons and remove the sword guys entirely.
Ganon vs. Link, armed with his trusty red candle!

I mean it doesn't even have to be Link even. Maybe Link is dead and some random flunky with a candle has to save the day. Like a weird timeline veer off.

[SunGodPortal]

I mean it doesn't even have to be Link even. Maybe Link is dead and some random flunky with a candle has to save the day. Like a weird timeline veer off.

The new character could be a pyromaniac. He/she might prefer a candle to a sword.

[Bobolicious81]

Some dude with messy hair wearing a Speedo, running around Hyrule burning evil to the ground!

[CM30]

Okay, it's not really a ROM hack specific idea, but how about a game where the playable epilogue is actually a whole seperate story and game?

So you'd beat the game, get to the epilogue...

Then realise it's just led you to a whole new world with a new story, quest, characters, enemies and bosses, items and puzzles. Like playing Ocarina of Time, beating it, going to mess around with a post game sidequest and realising that you're now playing Majora's Mask.

I think URA Zelda actually used to/was meant to work like this.  You'd have normal Ocarina, Master Quest, the post game, a second quest and Majora's Mask all on the same 'disc'. They gave up on the idea because the 64DD failed and the concept was too ambitious.

Then again, you know what would be even cooler?

A game which gets bigger and bigger in scope after every 'ending'.

So you'd start off with a simple Super Mario Bros 1 style platformer.  No map, eight worlds with four levels apiece.

You'd then immediately go through Super Mario Bros 2 with the same structure.

But then, it'd zoom out and reveal that both these whole 'games' are actually just single parts of Grass Land in Super Mario Bros 3, and you've got about 150 more levels to play through spread over 7 more worlds.

But after you beat that, it zooms out again.  Suddenly, it turns out the same world map is part of an even larger map which has Sarasara Land, Mario Land, Yoshi's Island, Isle Delfino and Peach's Castle on it.

And if you wanted to go really insane, have it zoom out again, Mario Galaxy style and show all of that was merely one planet in a ten or so planet solar system.

It'd an interesting twist on the whole 'epilogue' concept.  And it'd be extremely surprising for a game that people assume would have just one quest.

[Bobolicious81]

On a not-quite-so-insane level, that's what Dragon Quest 3 did. You explore the entire world, and go after the supposed source of all evil. Then you get sucked into the 'dark world' and have the whole world map of Dragon Quest 1 to go through still.

[johnny]

Some dude with messy hair wearing a Speedo, running around Hyrule burning evil to the ground!

And so it was he came to be known as soap:



Its NOT dangerous to go alone. You'll be fine.

[CM30]

On a not-quite-so-insane level, that's what Dragon Quest 3 did. You explore the entire world, and go after the supposed source of all evil. Then you get sucked into the 'dark world' and have the whole world map of Dragon Quest 1 to go through still.

Reminds me of Pokemon Gold and Silver, and getting to explore Kanto after beating the Elite Four and Champion. God those games were awesome.
March 23, 2015, 07:16:27 PM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Here's a very simple idea; an enemy in a game with a death counter that actually adds lots of deaths to the counter on one condition or another.

So for example, in a similar way to the old men in Zelda 1's second quest (your money or your life), it'd give you the option to take a shortcut... for a hefty price.  Would you skip half the level for the price of another 50 deaths on the counter?  Skip half the game for 200 extra deaths on the counter?

A very cruel choice indeed for speedrunners and perfectionists...