Fundamental Help

[auvic]

I apologize in advance for anything I might have missed reading the FAQ and all, but I'm having difficulty understanding some fundamentals of hacking--unfortunately, I'm not all that tech savvy, but I'm more than willing to learn how it all works!

So from what I understand, Brawl is modified by altering Data Partitions (which are extracted original files from the game), and then re-injected via SD Cards while loading up Brawl into its Stage Builder loophole with something called Gecko? And I understand Gecko uses that loophole to inject the modified date into the game?

My first question is:
How would I extract files from Project M? There are a lot of things I love about Project M that I would like to modify into my own modded version of Brawl. I understand I would use... PSA? Or Brawl Box? But getting the files out from Project M... how would I go about doing that? Is there a program that extracts an iso file into these Data Partitions?

My second question is:
Alternatively, I would prefer it if I could compile an entire iso, like an entire package like Project M was done. Is there a program that puts together your modded stuff with Brawl into an iso?

I would like to mod as I go along, you know? To test it in Dolphin and make changes quickly and retest them.


I have a million more questions, but these are just the fundamentals. Thanks for reading and the help!

[windhunter7]

Answer to Question A:

You don't extract Project M's files. Project M is downloaded as a .zip file, containing preset folders that you just copy and paste onto your SD card; so, to obtain the files, that's literally all you have to do. As for modifying said files, what you mostly want to mod are the .pac and .pcs files, as well as the occasional .brres file, and you want to use BrawlBox for everything related to that, unless it's a moveset that you're making, in which case, BrawlBox OR PSA can be used for that.

Answer to Question B:

To compile a bunch of folders(Of the Brawl iso) that you have edited to your liking into a new iso, you can download Wii Scrubber(In the Resources section), and use "partitionbuilder.exe" to do that. I don't remember how to use it, though, since I only used it once a very long time ago. You can always use a program like WinImage to create a virtual SD card for Dolphin(Though I never managed to successfully do so, following the tutorials, but maybe it's just me), and you can also use Wii Scrubber itself to replace files, though with that method, you have to replace each one individually, and hold down the enter key for part of replacing each one, so it can be time consuming if you're testing a complete overhall; testing character animations or skins, though, doesn't take long to do it that way; I do that all the time for my model import tests, and for my requested model imports & textures in-game screenshots(Just cause it's literally faster than copying to the SD card, removing that from the computer, inserting that into the Wii, and booting up Project M)

[auvic]

Ah... okay! Thanks for the fast reply, that was awesome.

So if I started with the normal Brawl Data, would replacing character files simply do the trick or would it go a little deeper than that? Because I assume, from my experiences from modding Melee with Crazy hand, replacing a character file takes care of all the basics, pretty much, but Project M seems like it goes a little further, such as pressing Side on the D-Pad with Samus changes movesets to 'Ice.'

Another reason I ask is if it is at all possible to choose different versions of the same character? Like the new versions of 20XX has the option to choose from NTSC character or PAL character... is that possible in Brawl? I would love to put a Melee version of Captain Falcon and a Smash 4 version, or something along those lines.

[windhunter7]

Project M still does majorly file replacement, yes(That Samus's D-Pad thing you mentioned would be an example of PART of ONE file), as well as Gecko codes, to change things that are overall for the game, like bringing back Wavedashing, colored shields, and such.

[auvic]

So when you say overall for the game, it's something I can't have a duality of right? I can't have a character that can wavedash and say a character that cannot?

[windhunter7]

I'm honestly not sure if you can edit a fighter's individual moveset to have Wavedashing just for him, so I unfortunately do not know.

[auvic]

Ah okay, thanks anyway!

So, I noticed distributing Brawl Data Partitions is a bit of a legal grey area... the links on this site doesn't seem to work for me. Maybe I could be pointed to the right direction on where to obtain that?

Or maybe some kind of extractor? I own a copy of Brawl and all, I have an .iso too.

[windhunter7]

If you have the .iso, then you can extract the Brawl Data Partition with Dolphin. Put the .iso file in a directory where you know where to go for your Dolphin games.(You need to browse for the folder and set it as like the default games folder) Open Dolphin and right-click the "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" that's in the list; Click "Properties". In "File System", the right tab, you can select the entire thing, and exract it as a giant-sized folder, to extract all the files. You can also extract individual files, if you wish, though in the Resources section of Kc-mm, there's literally an organized folder list of the NTSC iso files.

[auvic]

You are a genie. Thanks a bunch.

Yeah the Resources section doesn't seem to be working for me, so I wanted to find an alternative way. Plus, there's something about using your own copy that adds a bit more sentimental value... Ridiculous, I'm sure. x)
Post Merge: March 14, 2016, 01:41:49 AMAlso, one more quick question...

I did a bit of snooping, but I couldn't use even Google to find some stuff. Maybe I'm terrible at searching, but is there a thread where there is a list of useful codes other than the Gecko Codes website? There was one other link but it didn't work.

And I understand Project M's codeset is private and we cannot view them... right? If not... I would like to see that.

I find it strange that I need individual codeset to modify each and every character... or am I simply doing something wrong?