ACE3

Hexadecimal memory editor

This tutorial can be achieved on real hardware, or on mGBA emulator using an original (dumped) GBA bios. Other emulators might not be accurate enough.

This tutorial is for the English version only.

The bad eggs created in this tutorial should not be marked or moved in your party: it could corrupt them.

In this tutorial, we will implement a memory editor inside the box storage. We highly recommand to setup the improved ACE environment before following this tutorial: even though the memory editor can be started with standard ACE (i.e. by viewing the summary of a glitch Pokemon), doing so will fail to pause the game because you are only supposed to open it while in the overworld (not in a menu). Our recommendation is to open the memory editor by pressing R (using the improved ACE environment).

Note that this tutorial is experimental, and the memory editor is not very convenient to use. But, well... if you want to do it for science...

Credits: This tutorial is an adapation of this article on Hatena Blog. Credits for the initial implementation of the memory editor goes to the author of this article. For this tutorial, I have adapted the implementation to work on the US version and I made it compatible with our ACE setup.

Prerequisite

Implementation of the hex editor

In order to implement the memory editor, you have to execute 24 codes with the hex-writer (together with the crafting table). It will create a total of 12 bad eggs. In order to avoid propagating mistakes, we recommend executing the codes by batches of 6: it should create 3 bad eggs that you should then store somewhere (before the last row of BOX 11 or in a safe spot of the crafting table area) before continuing with the next batch. Keep track of the order of the bad eggs (the order of creation)! If you put them in the wrong order, it will not work, and it will be a nightmare to fix it!

Do not look at BOX 12 after the execution of code with an odd number (for instance, you can look at your BOX 12 after having executed the code 2, but not between the execution of the code 1 and 2). If you do not follow this rule, the data you just wrote will get corrupted.

You can freely save between the batches (if you have enabled the persistent ACE setup, please ensure you haven't stored a bad egg in an unsafe slot of the crafting table area before saving).

NOTE: spaces have been added only for readability purposes. Box names must not contain any space. Boxes 11-14 have been omitted: their name should be 00000000 during the whole process.

=============== CODE 1 ===============

Box 1:  80 B5 70 B4
Box 2:  DA 48 D3 4C
Box 3:  7F 46 05 37
Box 4:  BE 46 79 E0
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  05 1C D0 4C
Box 7:  7F 46 05 37
Box 8:  BE 46 71 E0
Box 9:  00 20 CF 4C
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 2 ===============

Box 1:  7F 46 05 37
Box 2:  BE 46 69 E0
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  08 21 CF 48
Box 5:  CA 4C 7F 46
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  09 37 BE 46
Box 8:  5E E0 C9 49
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 0D 72 CD 48

=============== CODE 3 ===============

Box 1:  08 60 00 78
Box 2:  08 71 00 20
Box 3:  49 71 70 BC
Box 4:  80 BD CA 48
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  10 21 09 02
Box 7:  40 18 00 22
Box 8:  C7 49 01 80
Box 9:  01 31 01 23
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 4 ===============

Box 1:  01 23 01 23
Box 2:  01 23 01 23
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  01 23 01 23
Box 5:  01 23 02 30
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  01 80 01 32
Box 8:  0E 2A EC D1
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 01 31 01 80

=============== CODE 5 ===============

Box 1:  01 31 BB 48
Box 2:  40 23 10 22
Box 3:  12 02 80 18
Box 4:  01 80 C1 52
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  02 31 1C 30
Box 7:  01 80 C1 52
Box 8:  01 31 B6 48
Box 9:  10 22 12 02
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 6 ===============

Box 1:  80 18 01 80
Box 2:  01 31 00 22
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  01 23 01 23
Box 5:  01 23 01 23
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  01 23 01 23
Box 8:  01 23 01 23
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 01 23 01 23

=============== CODE 7 ===============

Box 1:  02 30 01 80
Box 2:  01 32 0E 2A
Box 3:  EC D1 01 31
Box 4:  01 80 70 47
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  A7 46 C0 46
Box 7:  80 B5 70 B4
Box 8:  84 B0 97 4D
Box 9:  28 7A 11 21
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 8 ===============

Box 1:  A0 4C 7F 46
Box 2:  09 37 BE 46
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  7D E0 00 24
Box 5:  2E 1C 28 78
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  01 09 09 29
Box 8:  02 D9 10 31
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: A1 31 31 74

=============== CODE 9 ===============

Box 1:  0F 21 01 40
Box 2:  09 29 00 D9
Box 3:  10 31 A1 31
Box 4:  71 74 01 35
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  02 36 01 34
Box 7:  05 2C 05 D0
Box 8:  04 2C E4 D1
Box 9:  01 36 E2 E7
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 10 ===============

Box 1:  80 4D 2E 1C
Box 2:  32 1C 10 8A
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  D1 8A D0 82
Box 5:  11 82 50 8A
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  91 8A 90 82
Box 8:  51 82 00 20
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 30 62 70 62

=============== CODE 11 ===============

Box 1:  B0 62 70 79
Box 2:  04 28 07 D0
Box 3:  40 00 10 30
Box 4:  31 5A 10 30
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  31 52 07 E0
Box 7:  70 7E 29 21
Box 8:  70 54 B0 7E
Box 9:  2A 21 70 54
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 12 ===============

Box 1:  80 48 F0 60
Box 2:  F0 61 F0 62
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  0E 36 02 96
Box 5:  00 20 01 90
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  69 48 00 90
Box 8:  28 7A 00 21
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 00 22 00 23

=============== CODE 13 ===============

Box 1:  70 4C 00 00
Box 2:  7F 46 05 37
Box 3:  BE 46 1A E0
Box 4:  10 36 02 96
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  00 20 01 90
Box 7:  60 48 00 90
Box 8:  28 7A 00 21
Box 9:  00 22 00 23
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 14 ===============

Box 1:  66 4C 00 00
Box 2:  7F 46 09 37
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  BE 46 04 E0
Box 5:  04 B0 70 BC
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  80 BD A7 46
Box 8:  80 B5 70 B4
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 07 1C 78 46

=============== CODE 15 ===============

Box 1:  05 30 86 46
Box 2:  13 E7 4D 4D
Box 3:  5B 4E 36 88
Box 4:  10 20 30 40
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  05 D0 68 79
Box 7:  04 28 74 D0
Box 8:  01 30 68 71
Box 9:  6B E0 20 20
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 16 ===============

Box 1:  30 40 09 D0
Box 2:  68 79 00 28
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  67 D0 01 38
Box 5:  68 71 5E E0
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  40 20 30 40
Box 8:  12 D0 68 79
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 04 28 02 D0

=============== CODE 17 ===============

Box 1:  C0 43 03 21
Box 2:  08 40 29 5C
Box 3:  01 31 29 54
Box 4:  04 28 4C D0
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  28 68 00 78
Box 7:  28 71 46 E0
Box 8:  80 20 30 40
Box 9:  0F D0 68 79
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 18 ===============

Box 1:  04 28 04 D0
Box 2:  C0 43 03 21
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  08 40 29 5C
Box 5:  01 39 00 39
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  E3 E7 68 79
Box 8:  04 28 14 D1
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 10 20 00 01

=============== CODE 19 ===============

Box 1:  30 40 03 D0
Box 2:  29 79 10 31
Box 3:  29 71 26 E0
Box 4:  20 20 00 01
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  30 40 04 D0
Box 7:  04 20 29 79
Box 8:  10 39 29 71
Box 9:  1B E0 01 20
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 20 ===============

Box 1:  30 40 05 D0
Box 2:  28 68 29 79
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  01 70 10 E0
Box 5:  02 20 30 40
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  11 D0 38 1C
Box 8:  26 4C 7F 46
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 09 37 BE 46

=============== CODE 21 ===============

Box 1:  7F E7 24 48
Box 2:  00 21 01 70
Box 3:  05 E0 7F 46
Box 4:  09 37 BE 46
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  E8 E6 70 BC
Box 7:  80 BD C0 46
Box 8:  00 09 09 0E
Box 9:  02 0F 8F 00
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 22 ===============

Box 1:  00 02 03 00
Box 2:  00 04 05 00
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  80 33 00 08
Box 5:  8C 37 00 08
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  6C 23 00 08
Box 8:  B0 8F 0A 08
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: 00 D6 03 02

=============== CODE 23 ===============

Box 1:  5C D3 03 02
Box 2:  45 D2 03 02
Box 3:  68 D3 03 02
Box 4:  6C D3 03 02
Box 5:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 6:  00 00 00 02
Box 7:  10 EA 00 06
Box 8:  14 E2 00 00
Box 9:  50 EA 00 06
Box 10: 00 E0 AA AA

=============== CODE 24 ===============

Box 1:  D0 EA 00 06
Box 2:  48 3C 00 08
Box 3:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 4:  64 9E 19 08
Box 5:  F0 22 00 03
Box 6:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 7:  9C 90 0A 08
Box 8:  2C 0F 00 03
Box 9:  00 E0 AA AA
Box 10: FF 00 FC 15

You can temporarily store all these bad eggs in your BOX 11 (before the last row). Remember not to change their relative order!

Implementation of the launcher

In order to start the memory editor, we will need an additional bad egg. As before, you can generate it with the hex-writer, without looking at your BOX 12 between the execution of the two codes:

=============== CODE 1 ===============

Box 1:  EF B4 0B A0
Box 2:  06 4E 00 25
Box 3:  35 60 F5 60
Box 4:  07 49 7C 22
Box 5:  92 00 0B DF
Box 6:  04 4D B5 60
Box 7:  CD 1C 35 61
Box 8:  EF BC 00 47
Boxes 9-14:  00 00 00 00

=============== CODE 2 ===============

Box 1:  38 0E 00 03
Box 2:  00 00 00 40
Box 3:  01 02 00 00            
Box 4:  00 D0 03 02
Box 5:  28 30 00 23
Box 6:  21 D0 03 02
Box 7:  27 02 00 00
Box 8:  02 00 00 00
Boxes 9-14:  00 00 00 00

That's it! You have all the ingredients: the 12 bad eggs of the memory editor, the bad egg of the launcher and the Thumb<->ARM switch. Now, in order to execute the memory editor, you should arrange these different elements like that (only the relative order of the elements is important, you can move that group of bad eggs elsewhere in BOX 13 or 14):

BOX 14:
M  L  X  X  X  X
X  X  X  X  X  X
X  X  -  -  -  -
-  -  -  -  -  -
-  -  - (H)(W) -

-: Empty slot

M: Thumb<->ARM switch (Machop)
L: Launcher (bad egg)
X: Memory editor (12 bad eggs)
H: HeXecutor (only when you want to use it)
W: Hexadecimal writer (bad egg)

The Thumb<->ARM switch must be marked in order to switch execution to THUMB (the launcher of the memory editor being THUMB code).

That's it! You can save your game.

Now, in order to open the memory editor, you can just trigger ACE as usual (preferably with R if you have setup the improved ACE environment, and with your first Abra in box 12 unmarked in order not to open the certificate). If it crashes, please refer to the next section.

How to use the memory editor:

  • If you started it inside a menu, you should return to the overworld in order to be able to see it (however this will fail to pause the game and your inputs will be captured by both the memory editor and the overworld)
  • The 4 first bytes represent the address, the last one the value
  • Choose the desired address, and then you can modify the value and press A to confirm the modification
  • L and R can be used to change the value by 0x10 (don't use R if it is already the key you use to start the memory editor)
  • Press B to exit the memory editor

Appendix: in case of failure

In order to check that the data in your bad eggs is correct, we will use a special bad egg that computes a checksum of the 6 following slots and store it in the attack and defense stats of the second pokemon in your team.

First, generate the following bad egg (the Checksum bad egg) with your hex-writer:

Box  1: 46808FE2
Box  2: 1E9E88E2
Box  3: 00C0A0E3
Box  4: 04B098E4
Box  5: 000000FF
Box  6: 0BC08CE0
Box  7: 090058E1
Box  8: 18F04F32
Box  9: 0AB09FE5
Box 10: BAC5CBE1
Box 11: 2CC8A0E1
Box 12: BCC5CBE1
Box 13: 10FF2FE1
Box 14: 50450202

Now, move this bad egg somewhere after the exit code bootstrap, for instance in BOX 13:

BOX 13:
+  +  +  +  +  +
+  +  +  B  -  -
-  -  -  -  -  C
x  x  x  x  x  x
-  -  -  -  -  -

-: Empty slot
+: Area of the crafting table
B: CPSR status reset (Bulbasaur)
C: Checksum bad egg
x: Slots where you will put the bad eggs to check

Leave the x slots empty for now and trigger ACE. The second pokemon of your party should now have an attack and defense of 0 (it does not work if the second pokemon of your party is deoxys).

If it is the case, then we can proceed to the verification of your bad eggs. You will have to move one of the groups of bad eggs indicated below in the row with the x slots (from left to right). Then, just trigger ACE and compare the value of attack and defense stats with the ones given. Then, move your group of bad eggs back into their original position and proceed to the test of the next group.

Group             Attack  Defense
Hex editor 1-3    59215   52963
Hex editor 4-6    14453   33968
Hex editor 7-9    43544   3083
Hex editor 10-12  53719   10227

NOTE: The checksum does not take the order into account, so take care not to change the relative order of the bad eggs, otherwise it will be difficult to notice it and to find the right order again!

If you have different values for some groups, then you should throw away the corresponding bad eggs and create them again. If all the groups have a correct checksum, then the issue probably comes from your launcher bad egg.