3DS Powersaves editor?

[xirtamehtsitahw]

I may have a way to directly edit 3DS Powersaves (or at least the backups the device makes on my PC), if I can find where the backups are stored. They are obviously NOT stored in the "Action Replay Powersaves" folder, in Program Files.

Of course, I do this at my own risk, as an improperly edited Powersave could temporarily "brick" my 3DS cartridge, or at the very least show up as a "corrupt save", or whatever.

If, however, I find a way to get this to work (and achieve effects for which Codejunkies hasn't provided saves/codes for), then I will have opened the door for others to try the same thing, and basically leave Codejunkies in the dust...yet again.

If anyone has any info regarding this possibility, please post it in this thread.

UPDATE: I have discovered where the Powersaves backups are stored--Codejunkies, you just revealed your glaring weakness!

Now, if only I could make heads or tails of the seemingly chaotic clumps of gobbledygook amidst all the endless rows of "FF"s...

I've done this before, but not without being able to actually PLAY the game whilst searching for codes/values. This one may be a bit of a tough nut to crack, but if I can find a way to teach a velociraptor how to fire a Nuke Weapon on Turok 2 (for N64), I can figure THIS one out. Besides, Codejunkies oh so kindly provided a really EASY save to hack: "Start game with 999,999,999 P". All I have to do is search for that particular value, and boom, I've opened up the save for editing!

Let the 3DS hacking commence!

UPDATE 2: Turns out there's a little more to this save-editing than first appears. Of course the raw save data looks like a bunch of ASCII garbage--it has to be decrypted! However, the currently existing save de/encrypter tool does NOT recognize .bin files (that's how the Powersaves device stores its saves to PC). Is there anything I can use to actually see the real contents of a 3DS save, or has the encryption algorithm not yet been completely hacked?

[Helder]

Not only is it possibly encrypted it also has more than likely some kind of checksum so even if you could alter the saves they wouldn't work unless you can recalculate the checksum so it appears untampered. I hope you figure it out but I'm sure that Codejunkies has a way to add the checksum and or re-encrypt the save.

[xirtamehtsitahw]

Well, there already is a save de/encrypter available for the 3DS, but that's pretty much all it does--decrypt then re-encrypt your saves. I was hoping to be able to open the floodgates for user-generated codes.

Here's another thing which really irks me about Datel--they love to give more/better codes to the European version of each 3DS game that comes out. Smash Bros. is no different. The American version has gotten everything the European version has so far...except for probably one of the coolest set of codes yet created: they max out the default Brawn, Agility and Protection Badges, so that they EACH give +200 to ALL THREE attributes! If you were to equip all three, you'd have a character which would have +600 in Attack, Defense AND Speed!

That would translate to a heavy character such as Charizard or Bowser moving faster than Sonic, yet able to tank as many hits as would take down an entire team of Giga Bowsers, and be able to potentially OHKO Master Hand!

Yet Datel saw fit to add those codes ONLY to the European version!

Allow me to quote the Hurricane (Gregory Helms): "What's up with THAT?!"

[Helder]

So there are cheats for the 3DS? or just power saves? I have a 3DS as well as Smash Bros. so I won't mind looking into this along with you, in fact we are throwing around ideas of doing save hacking for the newer systems here on the site.

[Demonic722]

Just Powersaves. The guys over at ProjectPokemon were able to make their own Save Editor for Pokemon X and Y, but it requires a Japanese 3DS, cart, and Cyber Gadget Save Editor. Datel should offer the same features as this device so that we can modify US and EU saves.

[rimsky82]

http://macrox.gshi.org/3DS%20Saves/

macrox is the answer

[Helder]

So it seems like we need the Powesaves dongle or the one mentioned in the 3DS homebrew site (http://3dbrew.org/wiki/Main_Page) I saw:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_kw=nds+adapter+plus

this one linked above will work with the homebrew extractors and de/encrytors. I'm wondering if the Datel one will also work with these apps since it's a little cheaper than the NDS Adapter Plus.

[xirtamehtsitahw]

That sounds like an interesting experiment.

Also, the best formula for creating a good Mii Fighter in 3DS Smash Bros. is to make them short and bulky. The shortness gives them speed, while the bulk makes them like miniature tanks. Aim for the best combination of attack and defense with whatever equipment you have available, and voila, instant Classic Mode winner!

Even on 2.0 difficulty, you can get some pretty cool equipment. Increasing the difficulty only means you get MORE of it, at a greater risk of losing. That's why I suggest sticking with 2.0 difficulty, as the AI still fights against you without being brainless meatbags, yet doesn't resort to cheap dodge-spamming and taking advantage of item spawns.

[lee4]

Well, there already is a save de/encrypter available for the 3DS, but that's pretty much all it does--decrypt then re-encrypt your saves. I was hoping to be able to open the floodgates for user-generated codes.

Here's another thing which really irks me about Datel--they love to give more/better codes to the European version of each 3DS game that comes out. Smash Bros. is no different. The American version has gotten everything the European version has so far...except for probably one of the coolest set of codes yet created: they max out the default Brawn, Agility and Protection Badges, so that they EACH give +200 to ALL THREE attributes! If you were to equip all three, you'd have a character which would have +600 in Attack, Defense AND Speed!

That would translate to a heavy character such as Charizard or Bowser moving faster than Sonic, yet able to tank as many hits as would take down an entire team of Giga Bowsers, and be able to potentially OHKO Master Hand!

Yet Datel saw fit to add those codes ONLY to the European version!

Allow me to quote the Hurricane (Gregory Helms): "What's up with THAT?!"

you have to remember Datel is an European company

[xirtamehtsitahw]

They have a branch in the US as well. It's even located in the same state I live in--Florida.

Datel, however, is very well known for being quite poor in the email-response department. Also, it seems as if they haven't made a certain code for a game in about a week, there's seemingly no way to pry it out of them, even with an Adamantium crowbar! Trust me, I've tried (not with the crowbar, though :; ).

We HAVE to find a way to make user-generated 3DS codes possible!

[Helder]

Here is my confusion, are these CODES some kind of save hack or is it just Power Saves meaning is there some cheat device hooked to the system that freezes a value like health?

[xirtamehtsitahw]

The "codes" are described as being edits of specific memory addresses within the cartridge itself. The changes are put into effect by the following process: decryption of the game save, application of the selected codes/changes, then re-encryption and writing onto the cartridge.

That means that it very well could be possible to create your own codes, once you know how to decrypt a 3DS save and edit it via a hex editor (such as Frhed), then re-encrypt using the save de/encrypter, and the custom code(s) you created should take effect.

EDIT: the Powersaves dongle does NOT attach to the 3DS in any way. It instead connects to your PC via a mini-USB to USB cable (similar to that used by the PSP 1000, 2000, and 3000). You insert your 3DS cartridge into the dongle, and use the software application available on the Powersaves website (download it) to add Powersaves and/or codes.

EDIT 2: Also, there seems to be a problem trying to open Datel Powersaves backups using the 3DS Explorer program (I found it on the Macrox index). How does one go about doing that (I keep getting a CRC Error/Corrupt Save error)?

[rimsky82]

I have a datel powersaves dongle and I've used it, from what I can tell they are just save hacks. There is no RAM or ROM manipulation, or a cheat engine, or anything like that.

I'd love to be proven wrong.

[xirtamehtsitahw]

I have the Powersaves Pro dongle, which is a more recent version of yours, Rimsky. It DOES have a cheat-code engine, which are essentially "mini-saves", as each code only deals with a specific address or handful of addresses. The Powersaves basically overwrite your pre-existing save, and have the effect of entire bundles of codes at once.

The cheat codes allow you to fine-tune your own Powersave (or, at least that's what Datel WANTS you to think). I'd like a little more freedom in deciding what goes into my game saves, sort of like what CWCheat/TempAR allow you to do on the PSP. Even cooler would be if the actual 3DS firmware could be hacked to allow homebrew apps such as a code-search engine.

I'm not sure, but the Gateway 3DS flashcart system MAY allow such things. Someone clue me in on this. I may look into something like that if it is true. I would really like to stick it to Datel for refusing to give me American versions of the badge codes for Smash Bros.!

[Helder]

That's not codes all that is doing is altering the save info for certain things, codes is what we do by altering RAM or ROM. I did buy one of these things today to give it a go and was hoping it did real cheats but alas it does not, we should try to get the saves to work with the 3DS Save DeEncrypter v1.5a.