-- ROMedit Tutorial: ROMs --

NOTE: the FF1.NES ROM file is required for this tutorial.

This tutorial will give you a quick runthru of the ROMedit ROM Editing utilities.

ROM Editor (HEXIT.EXE) is the program which actually modifies the ROM. Hit 1 to choose "ROM Editor".

After the program starts, hit a key to bring up the file selection box. Go to the directory where you installed ROMedit, put the cursor on 'FF1CHAR.TLE' and hit enter.

ROM Editor will start loading the tile data, and you can watch its progress as the tiles flash by in the top left corner of the screen while the 'Scanning tile' field shows you the hex number of the current tile.

After all 256 tiles are loaded, ROM Editor will ask you to open a file. Press a key to bring up the file selection box again. Go to the directory where you installed ROMedit, put the cursor on 'FF1.NES' and hit enter.

You will now be presented with the main ROM editing screen. If you want, press H to view the help screen.

The first thing we will do is jump to the class names and change one. Hit the J key, and type "2BF50". This will jump your cursor down to byte 2BF50 of the file, which is where the class names are.

Assuming that you haven't corrupted any files and that ROMedit is working alright, you should see the class names on the screen. Move the cursor to the F in FIGHTER and hit enter.

In the box to the left, an F and the number 143 will appear. Press [ to choose the previous tile. The F will change to an E, and the 143 will change to a 142. The number is simply the hex code of the tile you are viewing. Now press ] until the box shows the letter R and the number 155. Hit enter to change the byte.

Now go through each letter of the word FIGHTER, and change the bytes like so:
(You have already changed the F.)

      F -> R
      I -> O
      G -> M
      H -> e
      T -> d
      E -> i
      R -> t

After you have changed the whole word, hit S to save the file. ROM Editor will ask you whether to save to a new file or an old file. Hit N to choose new. (If you hit O, the file selection box will pop up and let you overwrite an old file.) Type in the name of the new file (say, EDITED) and hit enter.

The screen will flash and you will be returned to the main ROM editing screen. Hit X to quit ROM Editor. It will ask if you wish to save. Since you already saved, hit N to choose no. ROM Editor will stop and you will be returned to the ROMedit Selection screen.

Hit 4 to select "Fix extension - NES". A file selection box will pop up. Go to the directory you installed ROMedit in, move the cursor down to "EDITED.ROM" and hit enter. You will be returned to the ROMedit Selection screen.

Now hit X to quit ROMedit and go to your favorite NES emulator. Open EDITED.NES and start a new game. When you get to the part where you choose your characters, the word FIGHTER will now appear as ROMedit.

Isn't it so easy and fun? ;)