DopeRPGHack

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(this awesome ascii graphic had to be converted to GIF, as it screwed with the formatting of the page. If you want, I can send you a copy of the original)
This Document is OWNED by KingEdgar0, and Heh[]heh, unless you are us (and you aren't) you can't reproduce this unless you give us full credit. If you use info from this please give us some credit, because we are egomaniacs. We also take no responsibility for any harm you (somehow) cause yourself, your family, or your pets, making codes. If you get frustrated, hit a pillow or call a psychiatrist, don't blame us!
Point of this FAQ:
To stop newbies from bugging people to make codes. And to help advanced users get even farther, to fend off the newbies. Also as a good resource for people who are new to hacking RPGs, and to help them fend off rabid newbies.
Stuff included:
You get hacking info, humor, and 101 ways to flame newbies on a forum for only $0.00! That's right! Read now, and you get it early! If you're lucky, you might be able to weed out all that useful stuff we included! We also included useful info on hacking all types of RPGs!
Also, Sir Ashrim provided The ASCII art in this FAQ. The top logo for this FAQ was originally found on a free art page in BMP format. If you are the author and would like us not to use the graphic. Then just E-mail KingEdgar0@aol.com, and we will take it out.
0.1: Who we are
0.2: Contact info
0.3: What's new
1.0: Basic info on hacking
1.1: What to hack with
1.2: Best surroundings
1.2.1: Best Snacks
1.3: Skills needed
1.4: RPG specific stuff
1.5: Web Sites
2.0: Hackin' time!
2.1: Known value searches
2.2: Levels
2.3: EXP
2.4: Battles
2.5: Walk through walls
2.6: Debug Menu
3.0: Advanced stuff/extras
3.1: Price Mod
3.2: Shop Mod
3.3: Item effect mod
3.4: Position Mod
3.5: Funky (and Super Funky) Codes
4.0: An introduction to the Ultimate Method
5.0: The horror of hacking StarOcean: the Second Story!
Section 0.1: Who we are
King Edgar 0: An amateur hacker that has been part of the "Scene" since about July of 1999. His first code hacked was one that changed how high the highwind could fly. He uses a GameShark Pro 3.0 to hack. He also owns a GameShark 2.2 and a Game Wizard Pro. He is working mostly on the Advanced GameShark section. He also wrote the "Introduction to the Ultimate Method" section. As he firmly believes that it is the right way to learn how to hack.
Sir Ashrim: A friend of King Edgar 0's. He does the ASCII art that you see here. Not much will be said of him, as that is how he wants it. It will be said that he loves small fonts :) As you could tell by looking at the art.
Heh[]Heh: Another amateur hacker… first code was the "funky code" for SO2. Has been making codes with a GSpro since July 1999, and became one of KingEdgar0's friends 2 days after getting a GS. Currently owns a GSpro version 3.2, and a modified Pro Action Replay for playing imports, hopes to soon by a CommsLink so he can hack imports. Note: came up with this FAQ spur of the moment and asked KingEdgar0 if he wanted to be partners.
Section 0.2: How to contact us.
If for any reason you wish to contact us. You can reach us the following ways:
King Edgar 0:
E-mail: KingEdgar0@aol.com
AIM: KingEdgar0 or KingEdgar0AIM
ICQ: 36405031
Heh[]Heh:
E-mail: Archonwarp@aol.com
AIM: Heh0Heh
ICQ: 57022092
Sir Ashrim:
None....
Section 0.3: What's new
Version 1.01 "Heh0Heh" version 3/17/2000
Small update to Snack section
Happy Birthday Heh0Heh!
Happy Saint Patricks Day!
Version 1.0 "Masamune version" 1/17/2000
First release
Happy Birthday Masamune!
1.0: Basic info on hacking
1.1: What you need to hack
Well, I suggest a GSpro, it's cheaper, easy to use, and you don't need to hook it up to your computer. Or, you can use a CommsLink from Datel.
1.2: Best Surroundings
I suggest your room, or anywhere comfy, because you'll be on your arse for a while. Also, snacks drinks, and a bathroom in the vicinity is a great plus. You also need to be away from most distractions, gotta think.
1.2.1: Best Snacks:
Heh[]heh: Well, the ultimate snack is NACHOS! Not the normal dip n' shit nachos, but my "special" nachos (loved by both me and Edgar). What you do is, Take Tostitos chips, put them on a plate, and grind some Jalapeno cheddar cheese. Then put the cheese evenly on the plate, and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Wha-la best damn nachos EVER! Popcorn is recommended, but is greasy so you need plenty of napkins. Anything that comes in a bag is good, but can be distracting (having to reach into the bag). Drinks: Iced Tea, Soda, anything non-coffee with caffeine in it.
KingEdgar0: I agree with Heh[]Heh, Nachos are the greatest snack. The one problem though is it takes about a minute to get a plate of them.. and then a minute or two to eat them. They still are the best though. I make them pretty much the same way as Heh[]heh, Except for a few variations. 1: I use co-jack cheese. Why? Because it's the best freaking cheese ever made! I also make a variant of the regular nachos, seafood nachos. Just prepare the nachos as usual. And before you put them in the microwave. Put some of that cheap fake crab on each chip. If you don't have fake crab you can find it at most grocery stores. Popcorn is also nice. I always eat it while reading the paper (Yes, I read the paper). The problem, As Heh[]Heh pointed out. Is that it is to oily.. and you can crap all over your GS and controller. which isn't good. Ok, Now for drinks. I suggest a can or 5 of pop. (for God's sake do NOT spill it on your Playstation or the controllers), Iced tea is good as Heh[]Heh mentioned. But the greatest hacking drink is:
BIG WATER JOE!
It is basically a bottle of water. You can get pretty big sized bottles too. But, unlike ordinary water... This water is caffeinated!! The big water bottles have the caffeine of 2 cups of coffee. So if your store carries that I suggest it.
Update (By KingEdgar0): Egg Rolls, And the Egg Roll Bandits
Now... As we all know, Chinese and Japanese food rocks (IMO)
And, Egg rolls are one of the more convenient Chinese foods (Try eating Tso's Chicken while hacking, It won't work very well). Unfortunatly. Sometimes it can be hard to buy them at good prices. So.... Why not get them for free!
Now... I am not sure how legal this is... But I really don't see anything wrong with it..
The Egg Roll Bandit(s)!
Now... You may be asking yourself... Just who is this egg roll bandit? Well.. YOU ARE! MWA HA HA HA HA.
This is what you will need:
A plastic bag or 2 (The little sandwich kind)
Some Stealth moves
A love for Asian food
A local chinese buffet (They are everywhere now..)
A coat with pockets
11 Easy steps:
1: Put the plastic bags in your coat pocket
2: Go to the buffet
3: Order the buffet
4: Load up your plate with tons of chinese goodness
5: Make sure there are at least 2 egg rolls on your plate
6: Slip the egg rolls into your pocket
7: Eat the goodness that is Chinese food
8: Go back up to the buffet, and repeat steps 4-8 till pockets are full
9: Pay and go home
10: When ready, Put egg rolls into microwave
11: Enjoy free egg rolls
Enjoy!
1.3: Skills needed
The ability to hit buttons, read, and put up with stuff not working all the time. Computer skills, hex skills, and assembly knowledge help greatly.
1.4: RPG specific stuff
Well, the only real difference is that you'll have to usually make in-battle and out-of-battle codes. Not much else. Another thing to remember is that there is a lot of text to edit, making for some great gag codes .
1.5: Web Sites
www.gameshark.com - Has good forums, and you can order a GSpro there.
www.cmgsccc.com - Lotso' codes, mainly good for item variables.
www.datel.co.uk - Useless… except it's the only place to get the CommsLink.
http://members.xoom.com/_XMCM/Hehheh/welcome.html - My personal (sucky) website.
http://members.aol.com/Kingedgar0/notebook.html - KingEdgar0's personal (kickass) website.
2.1: Known value searches
Known value searches are easy, they include any
number/letter that you can see. And if you read your instruction manual for whatever you hack with, you know how to do it! If you wanna know what values make letters, simply start the game, go to the memory editor, scroll to the alphabet and look at the corresponding numbers on the left. Then you know what values to look for.
2.2: Level Changing
EASY!! Get to a screen where it displays that characters level. Make sure it's a not-too-common number, and that only 2 or less people are at that level. Then do a known value search for that number, and you should have a good amount of codes to choose from. There are 2 things to do from here:
1: You can gain a level, and then search again. Simple, but can be annoying at higher levels.
2: You can systematically turn codes on and see, which ones work then narrow them down. Or go into the memory editor, go to some addresses and see if the characters name is nearby.
Tips: Changing a characters level won't increase their stats until they gain another level. It might even inhibit growth, because some games have stats gained per level, as opposed to stats set per level. Another handy tip is to go to different menus that display the level when searching for it.
2.3: EXP
In Battle code: Well, this can be hard, or extremely easy. It all depends on the game. Easy: You get into a battle, win, and then right when it shows the EXP, do a known value for the amount. Keep doing this until you have few possibilities. Then put some of the codes on, set the value to FFFF, and enter a battle and win. If you get 65,535 EXP, then you did it. If not, move to different codes, or try the harder way of searching. It's simpler to explain, but takes longer and is harder to get results from. Go into a battle, win, and do an unknown value search in any area. Then, get into another battle, if it gave you more EXP, do a higher than last search, less, less than last, same, same as last. Then use the above narrowing technique to get the code.
Out of Battle Code: Same thing as the level editing code. Just make sure the characters total EXP isn't over 65,535. Also, if you go into the memory editor, at the codes address, then you can change the next 4 digits value for 8 digits of hex, and a 2-line code. This works with the in battle version too.
Tips: Persistence. All I can really add!
2.4: Battles
There is a world of stuff you can do with battles… You can edit what you fight, what terrain its on, who is in your party at the time… wow… Well, with the skills you've learned thus far it'll be easy, just remember not to use a known value search UNLESS you have the variables of what you are looking for. More Detail: Well, you want more detail, eh? Well, to change what monsters you fight, do different and same to last searches in many areas. Persistence and patience is key here. If you know the variables for the monsters, it is a hell of a lot easier. I'll get into more detail of the other possibilities next version.
2.5: Walk Through walls
Deceptively easy! Here's the quick lowdown: Start moving, search for 1. Hit a wall, search for 0, etc. etc. Do this until you have few options left. You may have to do the same thing with different to last searches if the game is a bitch to hack (Like SO2). That's it! So easy, yet so frustrating in certain games (like FF5)… don't expect to find one code that will let you walk through all walls everywhere, and won't glitch. Codes for this WILL GLITCH! And sometimes they are only for certain areas.
2.6: Debug Menus
Odd… glitchy… but still very easy (and useful for finding new codes), that is Debug menus in a nutshell. To do it is simple, get to the status menu (shows stuff about your characters at the world map), and then highlight the first option and search for 0. Then highlight the second option and search for 1 etc. etc. Depending on the game, you might need to search for 1, then 2 so on and so forth. To test the code, put some of the possibilities onto the active list, and change the variable up by 1. If you're stuck on the next option, you got your code. Then, you need to find the variable for the debug menu (in SO2 it was 0B) mainly by trial, error, and random freezing… you know you have the variable when you press the select (button that selects stuff, not the physical one) and you get taken to a new menu. Wha-La you should have some weird/strange/useful menu there. Debug menus have many options that can screw with the game, so we suggest NOT having your memory card in when you make one of these codes…
Hello, This is KingEdgar0. I will be your aid in the world of advanced RPG GameShark hacking.
This section will cover a wide range of hacking methods. From changing the price of items, to changing what items are sold, to changing how spells work. And lots more.
During the course of this section you will learn how to better use the memory editor to find what you want.
So get ready to learn how to do the neatest, strangest, and sometimes-stupidest things you can in RPGs.
I hope you enjoy it.
Section 3.1: Changing prices
OK, This is one of the very first thing I ever did with my GSpro. I changed the price of one of the greens in FF7. Man did it make me happy. So here is a good way to do it. Note that this will not work on all RPGs, it should work on most though.
First things first. Get into a shop. Look at the item list. Pick an item you want to change the price for. Try and pick an item with an odd price. Numbers like 100, 1000, 255, 250, ect ect, are way to common in memory. It also helps if the item costs more than $255. Once you have found an item that you think will work, Go into your hacking menu, And do a known value search for that number. How many results did you get? Try for 1 - 100. If it is more then try a different item. Tried all the items and can't get one lower than 100 results? Well... I have had to work with 200 - 350 before, it is possible, But annoying.
Found a good price to change? Good. Now, Exit the shop, Re-enter it, And do an equal to search for the same number, this might help narrow it down a little more.
Ok, Go into the search results screen. Move 10 or so codes over into the active window. And change the prices all up by one. Exit the GS menu and check the price. Did it change? If so you are lucky.(Note, For some games you have to exit the shop and re-enter it in order for the price to change.) If it didn't, Go back into your menu and delete those codes from the active code list. And do another Equal to search for the same number. That should get rid of the ones you just tried. Put another 10 codes over to active. And change the price up one. Check the game again. Keep repeating the steps until you get the price changed. If you didn't get the price changed, and you tried all the results, then you might not be able to change the prices. Try another item just to make sure. If it didn't work than try another game...
Got it to work? Good. Now to narrow down the active codes. Change half of them back to their original value. Check the game. If it's back to the original value then delete all the ones that still have the modified value. If it is still the modified price then delete all the ones that where changed back to the original price. Repeat this until you are down to one code. and change code to something different (Just a few random numbers) to make sure. Check the game and it should be a different price. Now go back into the hacking menu and write the code down/type it up on your pc/ whatever you do when you find codes. Now, Go into the memory editor and hit select. And choose "Go to Address" and type in the code address (The first 8 digits..). This should be the area in memory that all the prices are stored. With some Decimal to hex conversions you should be able to find the price for any item.
Section 3.2: Shop editing
Note that I am only putting this method her because it is related to price changing, I am not saying that it is easier than then the things that come after it. This is actually 10X harder than item price changing, And at least 5X harder then the next few things. Also note that I have only modified the shops in 3 games so far. FF7, Lunar: SSSC, And Tales of Destiny.
Ok, There are many methods to do this, because different RPGs store their memory in different ways. First thing to try is to do a known value search for the first 2 items. This will really only work if there less then 256 items in the whole game.
Method #1: Try this first
First you need to find out the digits for the first to item of the shop you are in. www.cmgsccc.com is a great place to find item digit lists for games. If they don't have it then hack a code to change what items you have in your inventory. And find out the digits by playing around with it. Once you have the digits do a search for them. Reversing the to items. Example:
Say that the first item was item #24, and the second one was item #33. Do a search for 3324. If you get results then change it to 3325 in the active codes list and see if it changed what was for sale at the shop. If you don't find anything using this method, then you have to use the hard method...
Method #2: The easy way
Ok, Now. Some games store all the shop data in memory. But when you enter a shop they copy that data to a set location. If the game works that way then you have it easy. First go into a shop and do a known value search for the number of the first item on the list.
Go to a different store and do a equal to search for the number of the first item in that shop (Make sure the shops have different items). This should get pretty small result numbers. Try to activate a few codes and modify the number up one and checking the store. If you got a different item in slot one then use the same method to narrow down the results that I
described in section 3.1.
Once you have your code then write it down or whatever you do. And you are done. Good job.
If there where still to many results, Then try going to a different shop and doing an equal to search for that item number. Your results should be pretty low now. If not then keep going to new shops and doing the same thing until you do have a low enough number. If it never gets very low then you are pretty much screwed... I can't help you much.
Method #3: The hard way
Ok, Now, You will be using the memory editor a lot for this. Get into your memory editor. Your goal is to search around the memory and find the shop lists. Sound imposable? It practically is. A good place to start is the memory areas around the item prices. Find out all the item numbers for one shop. And look for those numbers. In some games they will be side by side (Lunar) in some games they will be up and down (FF7). Good luck... You will need it. Not much else I can say.
Section 3.3: Changing item properties.
Ok, Here is another neat one. Changing how items work. Now, It's a good thing to either have a save where you have a lot of items. Or use a have an all items GS code.
First try something basic. Look at your healing items. Potions, Berries.. whatever they are called in the game you are hacking. Now, Find out how much they heal you. And do a known value search for that number. If you got to many results then try a different item. Now, Make sure your characters are not at full health! Either use the memory editor to change their health. Or do something like put on and then take off the Hp<>Mp materia in FF7. Just make sure that if you used the item you are trying to mod. It will not fill up your health. Now. Go into search results. Add some codes to the active list. Change the values down(Or up, But I like down more) by one. Go back into the game and use the item. Did it heal you the amount it was supposed to? If it did then delete them from the active list and do an equal to search for the same number, to get rid of the codes that didn't work. Keep repeating until you find the code. When you, Use the same method to narrow down the active list as was used in 3.1 and 3.2. Once you have found the code change the digits to: 0001. And make sure that it only heals you one HP/MP/BP or whatever the item heals. Now, write down the code as usual. If you want that item to heal you to full. And you can get a max of 9999 HP in that game, then the code would be <Address> 2710. 2710 = 10000 in Hex. If you can only get 999 HP in the game, then use 03E8.
Now, Something a little more complicated. Changing the effects of in-battle items. I haven't done much work in this field. But I figure it works this way:
Ok, Now, Find out what the digits are for all the spells. (once again, www.cmgsccc.com usually has lists like that.). Make sure you have at least 3 of an item that casts one of the spells you can normally get in the game. Go into battle. Do a known value search for that number. Win the battle. If possible go to a different part of the world so you have different backgrounds and enemies. Get into a battle. Do an Equal to search for that number again. Repeat this until the results are low enough. 30 or below is ideal, but 100 - 150 and below are tolerable. Although annoying. And you will need a lot of that item (or an infinite item code...) Now, Add a bunch of codes into the active code list. And change the digit up or down one. And look at the list to see what spell that corresponds to. Go back into the game and use the item. If it used the spell it regularly does. Use the same method to delete those codes from the list. Add some more codes. And try again. If you do get a different spell than normal. Then use the same method as always to narrow down the active codes. Then write down the code.
Perhaps in a future update I will add more on item editing. I still am fairly new at it.
Section 3.4: Position Mod
This is actually pretty easy.
Now, This used Unknown value search.
Get into the game... blah blah... get to a map. any one.. (Preferably NOT the world map)
Now do an unknown value search.
Walk right.
Do a greater then last search.
Walk up.
Do an Equal to last search.
Walk left.
Do a less then last search
Walk down.
Do an Equal to last search
Get how it works? Right = higher number, left = lower number.
Keep doing searches based on that until you get your code.
If you go into the memory editor you will find the address to modify your up/down position right near the left/right one. This code can help you make a walk through walls code. As well as just help you get past a stubborn NPC and skip a part of the game :)
3.5: Funky (and Super Funky) Code, by Heh[]heh
Well, this one's simple, because all it does is screw with the graphics in weird way that makes it Funky. You see, making this is a skill that only I have mastered (I think). It's simple, try to make a walk through walls code with unknown value searches, and put some of the codes higher in memory on. Most of the time it will just be glitchy, but if you're lucky, it will be very strange. It's actually harder than it seems you have to REALLY screw up. I've noticed though, the common addresses (which I'll leave to you to find) and I can almost find one purposely.
Yes, You read right, an ultimate method exists. In reality though, it is not a method, but a lack of methods. It is more of an understanding. An understanding of exactly how things work. It was because of this understanding that after getting my GSpro it took about 3 minutes to become the hacker I am today. Sure, I have learned a few things over time. But most of it was code types., advanced joker systems… Stuff that didn't really have to do with the actual hacking.
Some of you are probably thinking "Ok, Enough with the description, How the heck do I learn this Ultimate Method?"
Well, to tell the truth. It might take a while.
First thing you should do is read about how computers, and memory works.
Second, is to get some experience with Hex editors. It was because of my experience with hex editors that I was able to incorporate the memory editor into my hacking style right away. Something, which has helped me on hundreds of occasions. I suggest taking a leap into Emulator save state hacking. For more info check out Rage Games. To get there go to www.classicgaming.com and look at the list of hosted sites. Rage games should be there. Check out their tutorial on Save State Hacking. Try out some save state hacking. The info you gain will help you with using the memory editor.
Third, Learn more about how PSX works in general. Hang around the Message board at www.cmgsccc.com and read anything that looks technical.
Now. After a while you will start to think differently about hacking.
How do you tell if you have developed the Ultimate method? It's when your hacking skill has been raised to a level where instead of saying
"Hmm... I wish I knew how to hack this kind of code, I better ask someone"
Or:
"Hm... I wonder how I could hack that kind of code. I should ask someone
You say:
"Well, I think the memory is stored in this way. So maybe if I do a search here for this, and another one there for that. Then I should be able to manipulate that data to get the results I want."
or:
"It seems that it stores its information in this manner. So the fastest way to get the results I want is to do this"
Instead of saying:
"I wonder how to do walk through walls codes. Time to look at a FAQ"
You now say:
"Well, There must be a place in memory where it stores the information on if the character can currently walk or not. So if I do some searches depending on that I can find the address"
Basically, You have found the Ultimate method when this, And all other hacking FAQ's become useless, because you can figure out your own methods when you need them.
This is what all hackers should strive for. Instead of learning what methods work. You should learn why those methods work. Once you have that understanding nothing is holding you back from hacking any type of code you want.
5.0: The Horror of SO2!
AAAIIIIGGGGGHHHHH!!!! That's what about 300 hackers screamed when they first tried making codes for SO2. There is a 29-line enable code for this game! You see, the addresses holding the information for codes would bounce around either by activation, or by resets. A Hackers nightmare! Also, the 29-line enable code only held certain sections, and that allowed for about 5 permanent codes. So, what's an amateur hacker to do? Well, tell people HOW to make the codes (or in my case, get lucky and find out that the funky codes didn't move). Me and KingEdgar0 had to make a guide on making a Debug Code for SO2, because it would change to one of 500 addresses every time the value was changed. You need to look out for games like this, and remember how you made a certain code, and do it whenever needed, also, be nice and find a way to share your information on the internet (like us ;). You either have to be patient for an enabler code for a game like that, or if you're good enough, make one yourself.