The Complete N00B's Guide to Brawl Hacking

[(specter)]

My problem is my psa hacks (i believe it's called) aren't working. Or they work sometimes. Like I start up Brawl with Gecko OS and maybe the first VS. match I do, the hacks seem to be working but then after that, the characters go back to their normal costumes/movesets.

I've had this happen to my Dark Samus PSA. Sometimes she works but sometimes she doesn't -- it's completely sporadic. My only guess is it's a bug in the PSA.

And I also notice sometimes the custom character textures don't always show up but the moves still work even when I have FitCharacterxx files. (i.e. Sonic looks normal but he has the PSA Shadow's moveset.)

I'm certain my files are set up properly: private > wii > app > RSBE > pf > fighter
And within fighter I have all the correct character files (captain, dedede, diddy, donkey, etc.)

But I don't have .pcs/.pac files in all of the fighter files. (i assume the Brawl would just read those files off the disc itself?)

Is the reason my hacks aren't working because I need to have FitCharacterXX.pcs/.pac in EVERY fighter file?

Yes; you need to have .pcs files in every folder that contains texture hacks. You don't need .pac files unless it's for a transforming character (i.e. Samus/ZSS, PKMN Trainer, Bowser, Zelda/Sheik).

Brawl cannot read the files off the disc because it uses its own files. What happens is when you download texture hacks and place them in your SD card and run Gecko, it will make Brawl read your files instead of Brawl's.

I also have other unused files such as: pfmenu2, info, item, menu2, module, stage, sound, and system. I assume those are for the custom portraits, sounds, names, stage textures, menu backgrounds, etc. but as of right now, I would just like to have the custom characters.

Help would be greatly appreciated,
Windstar.

I'll give you a rundown of what they're all for:

pfmenu2 contains the main menu and title screen.
info > portrite is where you put your Battle Screen Portraits or HUD (picture of character where damage is displayed)
item not sure what goes in here
menu2 is probably the most commonly hacked folder. It contains the character selection screen (CSS) and stage selection screen (SSS). These two files can be edited to change just about anything on the CSS and SSS.
module is where all your .rel files go. Rel files are the "DNA" of stages. You can hex edit them to make them compatible with other stages. Usually you need .rel files to help use a hacked stage. The Module and Stage folders work together.
stage is the folder you put all your hacked stages in. It contains two child folders: "adventure" and "melee". Put all your hacked stages for vs. mode in "melee", and I think you put all your SSE hacked levels in "adventure".
sound is where all your SFX hacks go. You can only do this with Riivolution, though. It also contains a child folder called "strm" and in there you place all your custom Brawl music, or .brstm files.
system I'm not to entirely sure, but I think you go in here and edit its common3.pac if you're doing item hacks and maybe other types of hacks.

Hope I helped.

[Windstar]

Thank you!! I'll try downloading all of the characters original .pcs/.pac files (excluding the FitCharacter00's since I will use those for the psa's) and see if that helps keep my psa characters on.

[(specter)]

Thank you!! I'll try downloading all of the characters original .pcs/.pac files (excluding the the FitCharacter00's since I will use those for the psa's) and see if that helps keep my psa characters on.

No problem. Did my folders analysis shed some light?

Well if there were custom textures that came with any of your hacked files you should go back to the Vault and re-download those files to obtain their .pcs or .pac files, or if they're still in your Recycle Bin go retrieve them. Not all PSAs come with custom textures as it all depends if the creator made any for them, but if some of yours did, you should go and get them back.

[Windstar]

"No problem. Did my folders analysis shed some light?"
Oh yes, immense light!! I eventually plan on attempting to get some portraits, voices, and the like. It'll probably be more complicated with the Riivolution and BrawlBox and whatnot but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

"Well if there were custom textures that came with any of your hacked files you should go back to the Vault and re-download those files to obtain their .pcs or .pac files, or if they're still in your Recycle Bin go retrieve them. Not all PSAs come with custom textures as it all depends if the creator made any for them, but if some of yours did, you should go and get them back."
Oh, that's a good idea. Yeah, I actually downloaded 200 mb file. (that was preloaded with custom textures for every characters alt costumes, plus stage textures, and item textures, as well as custom portraits in the Character Select Screen.) Good thing I backed it up! I'll just put those back on my SD (except the FitCharacter00 of for my psa's of course) and I'll report how things work out. Thanks again!

[(specter)]

"No problem. Did my folders analysis shed some light?"
Oh yes, immense light!! I eventually plan on attempting to get some portraits, voices, and the like. It'll probably be more complicated with the Riivolution and BrawlBox and whatnot but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

"Well if there were custom textures that came with any of your hacked files you should go back to the Vault and re-download those files to obtain their .pcs or .pac files, or if they're still in your Recycle Bin go retrieve them. Not all PSAs come with custom textures as it all depends if the creator made any for them, but if some of yours did, you should go and get them back."
Oh, that's a good idea. Yeah, I actually downloaded 200 mb file. (that was preloaded with custom textures for every characters alt costumes, plus stage textures, and item textures, as well as custom portraits in the Character Select Screen.) Good thing I backed it up! I'll just put those back on my SD (except the FitCharacter00 of for my psa's of course) and I'll report how things work out. Thanks again!

Just remember to put all those hacks in their respective areas. Refer to my folders guide if you need to.

If you need help on how to add CSPs (character selection screen portraits) and name texts just let me know. They can all be accessed in the sc_selcharacter.pac in your menu2 folder. Everything CSS related can be found in sc_selcharacter.pac.

[Windstar]

Well after hours of trying to figure this out I finally found the solution...my SD card was locked...I know, really stupid of me but I never new what that little slidey thing was for!! I tried the psa's and everything's working perfectly now! And now I shall go on a downloading rage...

Oh and by the way, I'm new to this site so I'm not sure where everything is. Where would your "folders guide" be?

[(specter)]

Lol well glad you figured it out. And I hear you; I also went on a downloading rage when I got Brawl Minus working after a long time of frustration and confusion of how to set it up and work in properly. I went nuts downloading stuff, seriously. Then I decided to make an account here then next day.

No I don't have an actual thread about it it was in the post on this thread remember I asked you if it shone any light? And you said immense light? Here: http://forums.kc-mm.com/index.php?topic=12169.msg308109#msg308109

[Windstar]

Alright, thanks dude. I'll be sure to save that for future reference. Thanks for all the help

[(specter)]

Alright, thanks dude. I'll be sure to save that for future reference. Thanks for all the help

No problem.

[tplaks727]

Hey i have everything installed and i can run the game through gecko os on my homebrew station. but when i try to try out a texture the wii freezes as soon as i pick a map, any ideas why that might be happening?

[(specter)]

Hey i have everything installed and i can run the game through gecko os on my homebrew station. but when i try to try out a texture the wii freezes as soon as i pick a map, any ideas why that might be happening?

Could be a bad texture or stage? Most likely it's the stage if it freezes after you select it.

[tplaks727]

Hey i have everything installed and i can run the game through gecko os on my homebrew station. but when i try to try out a texture the wii freezes as soon as i pick a map, any ideas why that might be happening?

Could be a bad texture or stage? Most likely it's the stage if it freezes after you select it.

Thanks for your suggestion but,I don't think so the only texture i ve only tried running character textures, and one at a time, and i ve tried 3 different popular textures, all of which had the same result of the game freezing as soon as i picked a map

[(specter)]

Thanks for your suggestion but,I don't think so the only texture i ve only tried running character textures, and one at a time, and i ve tried 3 different popular textures, all of which had the same result of the game freezing as soon as i picked a map

That's weird. Could you tell me what these textures that freeze your game are? Can you use anything else texture-related or can you play a game with normal characters without textures?

[tplaks727]

That's weird. Could you tell me what these textures that freeze your game are? Can you use anything else texture-related or can you play a game with normal characters without textures?

As long as i dont try to use any textures everything works perfectly.  The textures that froze my game were from this site they were: Mario Mafio, the most downloaded mario texture, the carbon alloy rob, and falcon rob v2.  I haven't tried any other kinds of textures.

[(specter)]

As long as i dont try to use any textures everything works perfectly.  The textures that froze my game were from this site they were: Mario Mafio, the most downloaded mario texture, the carbon alloy rob, and falcon rob v2.  I haven't tried any other kinds of textures.

Hmm, sounds like more than likely you did something incorrectly with those files. Are you sure everything is named properly, correct extensions and in the right folders? Also, you should probably try other textures then.