# Jerry’s Field Manual v0.9 — The Raccoon’s Guide to Romhacking
Dept. of Petty Affairs · Technical Forensics Docket #417
Filed by: Jerry “The Ankle Biter” Silverhand · Tribunal Chair
Tags: romhacking · Jerry · DPA · field manual
I. The Creed
If the code resists, I learn its rhythm. If the file screams, I name it. If the bytes shift, I follow.
Romhacking is archaeology with a caffeine problem. Respect the relics. Don’t be sloppy.
II. Phase 1 — Learn the Tools of the Trade (1–2 weeks)
Mission: Understand what a ROM is, not just what it plays. Gear checklist:
- HxD — hex editor (you will live here).
- YY-CHR / Tile Layer Pro — tile/sprite viewer & editor.
- Lunar IPS / Floating IPS — patcher.
- bsnes+ (or equivalent) — emulator with debugger. Drill: Open a ROM you love. Scroll hex. Look for patterns. Learn how “nonsense” becomes text, graphics, tables.
III. Phase 2 — Language Edge: Japanese for Hackers (slow, practical)
Mission: Read menus, item names, UI, and frequently used kanji — enough to spot pointers and compression artifacts.
- Learn Hiragana & Katakana (recognition over fluency).
- Memorize ~100 game-common kanji (攻, 防, 力, 魔, 命, 魂, 店, 武, 錬, etc.).
- Use Jisho.org and Yomichan for hover/lookup.
- Study translator notes (e.g., translator logs) to see how text maps to byte patterns. Focus on pattern recognition, not fluency.
IV. Phase 3 — Code & Compression Layer (fundamentals)
Mission: Follow the pointers. Trace the flow. Understand packing.
- Master hexadecimal and offset arithmetic (0x vs decimal).
- Read Romhacking.net primers: “Table Files,” “Relative Searching,” and pointer basics.
- Tools: Cartographer / Atlas (text extraction/insertion).
- Learn basic Python: reading files, byte arrays, simple scripts to automate search/replace and pointer recalculation. Python is your crowbar for repetitive byte chores.
V. Phase 4 — The First Patch (make something real)
Mission: Ship a visible change.
- Pick one small target: a menu, item name, or line of dialogue.
- Extract → translate/edit → repack → test in emulator.
- Create an .IPS patch (distribute cleanly, no ROMs). When it boots with your change, salute the monitor. That feeling is witchcraft and repayment.
VI. Phase 5 — Style & Legacy (keep it tidy)
Mission: Leave a readable trail. Don’t be a ghost with bad notes.
- Keep a dev diary: Raccoon Patch Notes v0.1 (what changed, why, offsets used).
- Add small QoL fixes or one-liners that don’t break tone.
- Release patches on Romhacking.net or GitHub; include README and patch notes.
- Credit original authors and document limitations (compression caveats, areas you didn’t touch). Sign off quietly: Patched by Jerry — curiosity is a form of justice.
VII. Quick Reference Cheatsheet
- Emulator w/ debugger → trace code paths.
- Hex editor → manual byte spelunking.
- Tile editor → sprites & font tweaks.
- Table file → safe text swapping (learn format first).
- Python script → pointer automation & bulk edits.
- .IPS → safe distribution (no ROM sharing).
VIII. Closing Remark
You don’t need a degree. You need patience, caffeine, and respect for what came before. Every byte is a breadcrumb. Follow it. Not to rewrite history, but to listen.
Seal: 🦝 Dept. of Petty Affairs · Raccoon Division · v0.9 — Approved for quiet obsession
Recall trigger (use when you want me to bring this up): “Load Jerry Field Manual”