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Creating IPS Patches ...w/StealthPatch, IPS XP, or SegaTool.

#1 User is offline Icy Guy 

Posted 11 February 2004 - 11:12 PM

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Recently, I saw a topic asking how to create IPS patches, and it occurred to me that other people might have the same question. They might also be too shy to ask how to create an IPS patch, so I’ve written this tutorial/document/FAQ/whatever you wanna call it.

First, make sure your ROMs’ checksums are correct. You can fix them using ESE II. Supposedly, ESE causes problems (ROM expansion), but I haven’t noticed that...maybe that problem was fixed for ESE II (hence, the link only to ESE II).


Using StealthPatch:

1) Open the program, click “File,” and then “Create IPS Patch.”

2) Select the original, unmodified ROM...you do have one, don’t you?

3) Now, when prompted, select the altered/hacked ROM.

4) Once you do that, you’ll be prompted to give your patch (*.ips) file a name. Do that, being sure to add “.ips” to the end of the filename (this isn’t automatic, for some reason) and, if all goes well, you’ll see “Patching complete!”


Using IPS XP (must right-click and choose “Save Target As...”; you’ll need these VB runtimes if you don’t have them already, too):

1) Open the program and click “Select the source file(s)” under “Create Ips Patch.”

2) Select your file.

3) Click “Select the target file” and select the altered/hacked ROM.

4) Click “Create Ips Patch” and type in your desired filename, but without “.ips” at the end of it, and you’re done. The IPS file will be in the same directory as the altered/hacked ROM. Note: for some reason, the patches created with this program have much, much smaller filesizes than StealthPatch’s, yet they appear to work just as well.


Using SegaTool (must right-click and choose “Save Target As...”; this is a DOS program, which supposedly won’t run on Windows XP):

1) Select “Create ips” and use the arrow keys to navigate through the directory tree to the original ROM; when you’ve found it, highlight it and hit Enter. Remember: as this is a DOS program, file and folder names will only have a maximum of 8 characters. Pressing the left arrow key goes one directory higher, and pressing the right arrow key will enter the currently highlighted directory.

2) Go through the same process to navigate to the altered/hacked ROM.

3) Highlight it, and hit Enter. Your patch file will have the same filename as the altered/hacked ROM, except with the .ips extension. Note that this will overwrite any IPS files with the same name in that directory.


Thus ends this little tutorial/FAQ. Most of this stuff is self-explanatory (to me, at least), but sometimes a little help is needed; a “nudge in the right direction,” so to speak. If you need info about applying patches, however, give this topic a look.
This post has been edited by Icy Guy: 11 February 2004 - 11:13 PM

#2 User is offline Mustapha 

Posted 11 February 2004 - 11:16 PM

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Well done. I always wanted to know a simple way to creating an IPS patch for my hacks.

Thanks, Icy Guy.
This post has been edited by Mustapha: 11 February 2004 - 11:17 PM

#3 User is offline Bleeding Cut 

Posted 12 February 2004 - 04:48 PM

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Just one question: why would someone wish to create an IPS patch? Wouldn`t be easier to just hack the ROM and have it publicly released? :blink:

#4 User is offline Yoshi 15 

Posted 12 February 2004 - 04:50 PM

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Bleeding Cut, on Feb 12 2004, 04:48 PM, said:

Just one question: why would someone wish to create an IPS patch? Wouldn`t be easier to just hack the ROM and have it publicly released? :blink:

1) ROMs are illegal, while IPS patches aren't.
2) IPS patches are smaller in size.


that's why. :D

#5 User is offline Bleeding Cut 

Posted 12 February 2004 - 04:58 PM

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Yoshi 15, on Feb 12 2004, 04:50 PM, said:

Bleeding Cut, on Feb 12 2004, 04:48 PM, said:

Just one question: why would someone wish to create an IPS patch? Wouldn`t be easier to just hack the ROM and have it publicly released?  :blink:

1) ROMs are illegal, while IPS patches aren't.
2) IPS patches are smaller in size.


that's why. :D

Why aren`t IPS patches illegal, too? :blink: Don`t they do the same thing as a ROM, letting you play a game on your PC?

#6 User is offline Quickman 

Posted 12 February 2004 - 05:12 PM

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Quote

Supposedly, ESE causes problems (ROM expansion), but I haven’t noticed that...


It's only for certain operations. Checksum fixes and palette editing, along with the Miscellaneous options don't expand the ROM.

Quote

this is a DOS program, which supposedly won’t run on Windows XP


Works fine for me. It runs under a command prompt just fine.

Quote

Why aren`t IPS patches illegal, too? :blink: Don`t they do the same thing as a ROM, letting you play a game on your PC?


No, they patch a ROM. You can't open the IPS under an emulator and run the game. You have to patch the ROM.
This post has been edited by Quick Man: 12 February 2004 - 05:13 PM

#7 User is offline The Wanderer 

Posted 12 February 2004 - 05:15 PM

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Bleeding Cut, on Feb 12 2004, 04:58 PM, said:

Yoshi 15, on Feb 12 2004, 04:50 PM, said:

Bleeding Cut, on Feb 12 2004, 04:48 PM, said:

Just one question: why would someone wish to create an IPS patch? Wouldn`t be easier to just hack the ROM and have it publicly released?  :blink:

1) ROMs are illegal, while IPS patches aren't.
2) IPS patches are smaller in size.


that's why. :D

Why aren`t IPS patches illegal, too? :blink: Don`t they do the same thing as a ROM, letting you play a game on your PC?

IPS patches aren't illegal for a few reasons.

First off, IPS patches are used for more than just ROMs, as they can be used for software, files, etc. I can't think of a good example off the top of my head though....

Secondly, IPS patches can't be run without the original file. So basically without a ROM, the IPS patch is essentially useless. Because it can't be used on its own, it's not really illegal, as it serves no purpose.

There are a few minor points as well, but those are the two main reasons. Also note: I may actually be wrong on some of my information, but I'm pretty positive that these are correct. Edit: Well Quick Man's post basically confirmed the second part of my post....
This post has been edited by The Wanderer: 12 February 2004 - 05:17 PM

#8 User is offline Timecrash 

Posted 12 February 2004 - 06:47 PM

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Thanks Icy! I've been meaning to do a Sonic hack from some time now....Stay tuned, folks.

#9 User is offline Simon 

Posted 12 February 2004 - 08:05 PM

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IPS patches aren't illegal because they only contain changes -- changes you've made. It's your code, your work. Whereas a whole ROM contains mostly codes belonging to the development team, which cannot be freely distributed.

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