VBA: How do I make 128kb sized saves?

[Slownic]

Greetings gentlemen!

This is my first post on EPForums, and I wouldn't be writing this post right now, if I really don't know what to do.

"So what's the big deal?", you might ask. Let me explain.

Since I decided to finish the regional pokedex in Pokemon Sapphire, I began to backup the saves from the very cartridge, in order to get some stuff via VBA and VBA Link (i.e. Eon Ticket), all of this with the GBA Backup Tool. These save files are RAW (.sav) and, at least for Pokemon R/S, they're all 128kb files.

Now, the ROMs of Ruby and Sapphire that i've been using, are the clean and unpatched ROMs taken directly from the cartridges. VBA's version is the last one, 1.7.2.


The problem is that, no matter what I've tried to do, if i save IN GAME, VBA keeps saving in 64 kb.


I've tried any guide I've found on the internet, and none of them work for me, can you help me?

Thanks,
Slownic.

[Zorlon]

Easy to fix

Grab yourself vba-over.ini

That file will set the save types that are not detected correct by VBA by itself, the vba-over.ini file will tell VBA to use certain save types for the roms listed in the vba-over.ini file

You can get that from here

just follow the instructions on that page to make sure it works correctly

do not load old save states either as that will revert any setting changes made by hand and by the vba-over.ini as the save states also has some of the settings stored that had been used at the time the save state was created. (save states are not the same as battery saves)

I created that file some years back, SegNin also done a lot of updates to that file as well with over 100 roms fixed for save types in VBA including the Pokemon games including the Ruby and Sapphire versions

P.S. Welcome to the forums, I hope you have a long and happy stay

[Slownic]

Does it work even with VBA Link?

[Zorlon]

I would of thought so VBA link is just a modded version of VBA it should even work with VBA-M that includes the VBA Link hack

I have not tested with VBA-Link or VBA-M though so maybe you can tell me that

[Slownic]

It still doesn't work. It would be better if i post the step-by-step process that i use to get the Eon Ticket?

[Zaladane]

Would switching the save type in the options help? I don't know GBA stuff but to switch to 128 goto options => emulator => save type and choose the 128

[Zorlon]

I will test out the vba over myself later you possibly did not follow the needed steps to make detection work

Edit as I thought the VBA-over.ini works just fine with VBA-Link

I suspect that you either did not follow the instructions or there is an issue with the save files, that I may be able to fix if you upload a save for me to look at for you or all your saves if you like, if you want I will play test the Eon ticket thing just make sure your dumped save is as close to doing that as possible and walk me through what is left to do, I'm not a fan of Pokemon so would like to play as little as possible in my attempt to fix this for you

[Slownic]

So, before we start, I just wanted to tell you that:

• The version of VBA Link i'm working on it's the 1.7.2

• In the folder where I unzipped the VBA there is ONLY the vba-over.ini file

• I just tested it on a fresh extracted VBA Link: it still doesn't work.

Here we go:

1)I put the Ruby and the E-Reader rom in two different folders, in which there are, except the roms, ONLY the savefiles.
2)I rename the Savefile that i dumped from Ruby's cartridge from ".sav" to ".sa1".
3)I open two session at the same time of VBALink, one for the E-reader, one for Ruby
4)I get the Eon Ticket
5)As soon as the trade is over, a message pops up on Ruby saying: "Go visit your father at Petalburg". Now, as soon as I press "A" the following happens:

• The game resets itself, apparently, autosaving

• The size of the savefile in the Ruby folder, automatically resizes from 128kb to 64 kb

And that's it. As you may guess, after the resize, it's impossible for me to recover it to its original size.


Anyway, these are the ROM and the Savefile, both dumped directly from the cartridge:

ROM - Savefile


Again, thank you so much for helping me!

[Zorlon]

Yep using the same version of VBA as I have

I tested by starting a new game though and the resulting save was exactly 128MB

I have the full set of GBA roms but I will download your save

I know the rom is going to be the EU version as that is what the save is for

[Slownic]

It should be the US version, as far as I know

[Zorlon]

Sorry about the delayed reply you did not exactly help me the way I asked, but I figured out how to use the silly e-Card and the game then quickly updated the save for you as well, just do whatever it asked you go see whoever it said to see....

Just extract the attached and upload it back to your rom (you do have backup of the save anyway hosted at mediafire)

EU = Europe/USA it's the revision 2 rom of the game released in the USA and Europe that I used (GBA carts are region free as are DS cards, 3DS cards are region locked though :/ shame)

There is no individual USA and European version it was a dual release, but there are other European releases for other languages

P.S. if that has not work re-up the save near whoever you need to give the ticket to and I will test that as well

[Slownic]

It still doesn't work!

If you want, maybe I could sent you a Join.me link via PM, so maybe, by sharing my screen, we'll figure this out.

[Zorlon]

I just done it for you.

The save should have the ticket though it doesn't seem to show as an item

What room do you enter in the Gym to see ya dad

Edit I thought it auto saved but it doesn't I will save in game a give you the updated save... please wait...

Edit you need to talk to your dad then it should save

You can tell because you can no longer transfer the event.

It is a Key item so not sure where that is you might know that though, so look there.

Re-up comming soon ok





Ok this one should work for you

You needed to play the game right after doing the transfer and talk to your dad so you actually get the ticket, that is in the Key Items (BAG then left to view Key Items, it's the last item)

I saved just after talking to your dad as that is needed to create a save with the new Item

I also included a screen grab of the convo so you don't miss anything

[Slownic]

You, sir. You're my new legend.

[Zorlon]

You, sir. You're my new legend.

No that's just your foot