Zelda ROM Text Editing With a Hex Editor Tutorial

Text Tutorial for those who don't want to watch the video:

This here is the ZDEC, the Zelda Decompressor, it works for the Zelda roms and makes it 64 MB, this will make it so you can view all of the actual text. http://www.mediafire.com/?jd8g3lit4c7tcm2

Here's the Hex Editor I used in the video: http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm

Make sure you test the rom with Nemu64, seems to work best there.


From there here's the rest of the way to do it.

1. Make a folder with only Zdex.exe and your Majora's Mask (U) in it.

2. Open Notepad and type:
@echo off
zdec.exe 1.z64 2.z64
pause

3. Save that notepad as anything that ends in .bat ex: abc.bat

4. Rename your Majora's Mask (U) to 1.z64 (makes it easier)

5. Open Zdec.

6. Click on the ".bat" you just saved (should be in the same folder as Zdec.exe)

6. Now type Y then press enter.

7. All done! Your decompressed ROM is now 2.z64

The start of the OOT Debug Rom (PM for file) "You borrowed a pocket" : 8C6002

The start of the game "In the vast deep forest" spiel: 8CECFD

When you get your decompressed ROM open in the Hex Editor hit CTRL+G and type in "B19347" for the hexidecimal code to jump to the beginning of the game "In the land of Hyrule." From that point, you can search for strings using this text dump guide: http://www.neoseeker.com/resourcelink.html?rlid=74466&rid=68843

And there ya go! Thanks to highpriestfuneral who helped me with all of this!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• edit
• text
• majora's
• mask
• brynnagiadrosich
• hex
• editor
• help
• zelda
• 64
• Nemu64

[JulianGMBH]

I dont know if thats a stupid question, but how can I compress the edited Rom again?

Everytime I start the emulation with the decompressed Rom i get an black screen..

Can i compress it with Zdec again, you know just the other way round or do i need an extra program?

I changed a lot of text, so it would be a pity if i cant play it...^^

It would be great if you answer. ;D

Thank you!

[brynnagiadrosich]

@JulianGMBH

Alas, you can't re-compress the rom, you have to use the correct plug-ins and such for your emulator. Try different N64 emulators like 1964 and Nemu64, I don't believe it works with PJ64

[ieatatsonic]

Hmm, is there a gui editor for the n64 games?

[brynnagiadrosich]

@ieatatsonic The only editors I know of are Utility of Time (which is buggy and awful, don't use it), or Zelda Actor Placement 2, which I'm told is a whole lot better than UOT. I just downloaded the latter this morning and I'm messing with it to see how it is.

[neoevil]

Are you going to make a romhack? =3

[brynnagiadrosich]

@neoevil I can't say either yes or no at this point.

[1337EliteGaming]

Norton found virus :(

[MultiGeekyGamer]

It says 'zdec.exe has stopped working.'

[MAJORASGUIDE]

Every time I use the NOTEPAD document/.bat file, it says 'zdec.exe' is not running. HELP!

[1337EliteGaming]

NVM, Nemu won't load MM. It's stuck at NEMUlating...

[MarioCeballosTV]

I get: Error. Unable to open file for reading. Press enter to quit. When i open the bat file! Then, when i run it as administrator it says: 'zdec.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. PLEASE HELP! :(

[jukeachuthepikachu]

@brynnagiadrosich im trying to use a text editor for banjo but i need to know how do i decompress the rom

[boredom1000]

I really love you for this.

Your DL link is literally the only place on the entire internet where you can get the xdec.exe

:D

[AlyssaQistina98]

I still use Project64 no matter what..........