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Frequently Asked Questions

Don't worry, we all need to start somewhere—if you're a beginner and still need to find your way around, chances are the F.A.Q. will answer a lot of the questions you may have. Before asking in the forums, it's wise to check this page first!

If you have suggestions for the F.A.Q., feel free to contact a staff member.

Hex

What is "hex"?
Hex is short for hexadecimal, a base-16 counting system. It goes, "0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F, 10, 11, 12, ..." In our daily life, we usually use decimal, which is base-10.
Here is a comparison:

Code
Decimal.........0.......2.......10
Hexadecimal.....0.......2.......A
Binary..........0.......10......1010

More information regarding the hexadecimal system can be found here.
Wait a minute... What does this have to do with ROM hacking?
All data is stored as binary: zeroes and ones. Rather than having to read data painfully in binary, though, a hex editor converts data to hexadecimal for a more comfortable experience. A hex editor can let you modify the game code directly.
Where do I get a hex editor?
You can get HxD. Otherwise, Bless is a cross-platform hex editor.
How do I hex edit?
Here is a very basic tutorial on how to hex edit a Super Mario World ROM using Asar patches. Here are some tips if you plan on looking for undocumented things to edit.