PK Hack is a Java program which aims to let users create their own RPG-style game using the Super Nintendo video game EarthBound's engine in an easy-to-use graphical interface. After loading the ROM image into PK Hack, a user can edit, among many other things, the map, the text of NPCs, the sprites, and even the photos displayed at the end of the game during the credits.A Brief Version HistoryPK Hack 0.1
The original PK Hack (version 0.1) was created in the late 1990s. It was a program that was limited to a simple enemy entry editor and a basic item editor.PK Hack 0.2
It allowed the editing of stats of enemies (HP, PP, experience gained, etc.), the editing of the effects and properties of items, and the changing of miscellaneous text. As a "joke feature", the "mini-ghost button" would, when pressed, "possess" the loaded ROM by changing the header to "BOO!". It should be noted that, though PK Hack 0.2 was very useful, most users used other programs in conjunction with it (ie: a text editor (to change the text of NPCs), a program to compress and insert bitmap images to be used for an enemy's sprite, and even a map editor).PK Hack 0.3
PK Hack 0.3 was intended as a replacement for PK Hack 0.2, but it never evolved from the alpha stages, and today is seldom used. PK Hack 0.2 does not work with some versions of Microsoft Windows, so it was a useful alternative for some users.PK Hack 0.5+
Formerly known as JHack, a newer version of PK Hack was written from scratch in Java, and eventually replaced the older Microsoft Windows executable version. This version of PK Hack is the main focus of the rest of this article. Unlike the former versions of PK Hack, this program makes new releases (somewhat) regularly with new features and bug fixes included. PK Hack 0.5+ tries organizes itself into modules, where each module edits a certain aspect of the game. PK Hack 0.5+ has all of the editing features of PK Hack 0.2 (and 0.3) and much more. A list of the non-hacking-related features includes, among other things, automatic updating, a built-in bug reporting client, and many other things that the older versions of PK Hack did not have. It should be noted that PK Hack is still officially in the beta stage.Modules
PK Hack's modules are attempted to be sorted logically into categories based on each of their purposes.IPSIPS Patch Maker
Used to create patches of changes made to the current ROM loaded (compared to any other ROM) using the IPS system. This is most commonly used to create patches against clean, unedited ROMs, which can then be distributed.IPS Patch Applier
Used to apply an IPS patch to the loaded ROM.IPS Database
Lets the user to apply and unapply a handful of IPS patches included with PK Hack. The patches have various effects, from allowing the names of characters to be one character longer, to various graphics hacks.GeneralROM Expander
Used to convert ROMs from EarthBound's default size of 24 megabits (3 megabytes) to 32 megabits (4 megabytes) or even 48 megabits (6 megabytes).Hex Editor
A simple hex editor included with PK Hack.Pointer Editor
Used to change various pointers in the game, so that the game looks somewhere else for data. Of course, if there is a module already for editing something, it will change the pointer automatically.Reset Button
Used to copy over a certain range of bytes from one ROM into another. This is useful when the user wants to reset some large range of data back to its original state or when the user somehow messes up their ROM and wants to fix it.Misc. Crap Editor
Used to edit small things that don't quite fit into other categories, such as which background music plays during the naming scenes or some of the in-game menu text.ItemsItem Editor
Used to edit the data attributed to game-specific items, such as the effect it has on the user once used, how much the item costs, even the name of the item, allowing for new items to be createdItem Transformation Editor
Used to edit the transformation process of the iten "Fresh Egg", which transforms to "Chick", and finally to "Chicken", and some options associated with the change. Of course, this can even be used to create totally different transformations. For instance, "Ice Cream Cone" to "Melted Ice Cream" to "Sticky Cone".Condiment Editor
Used to alter the effects of condiment items (ie: Ketchup Packet, Pack of Salt) on food items.Store Editor
Used to change the list of items each store stocks.TeleportTeleport Destination Editor
Used to change the destinations of PSI Teleport. Teleport Table Editor
is a control code which instantly changes the party's location to a pair of coordinates specified by the argument XX. This module is used to change the destinations of these teleports. Do not be confused between these "teleports" and PSI Teleport.Text"Don't Care" Names Editor
Used to change the set of default names for the party.Misc. Text Editor
Used to change small pieces of text that fit in any other module. Some of these include text for ailment names and battle commands.Phone List Editor
Used to change the game's list of phone numbers and what happens when you call them.Flyover Editor
Used to change the flyover at the beginning of the game. It can change the text displayed, where they start and end, or the direction travelled.TPT Editor
TPT stands for "text pointer table", which is a table which contains the data for all of the NPCs in the game. This is used to change this table. However, this module does not alter where the NPCs are placed.[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for PK Hack ]
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