Pokésav

Pokesav or Pokésav is an unofficial series of popular save file editors and Action Replay code generators developed for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon Platinum and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver chronologically. It was originally developed by a Japanese programmer named 'COM' whom also remade the program for Pokémon Platinum [1] although since the release of Pokesav for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, members from the website Project Pokemon have helped translate the program and modify it to export Action Replay codes for American and Europeon versions of the games. Alternative versions of Pokesav give support for Pokémon Platinum (English and French) and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, although the Pokémon Platinum and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver editions are not fully complete as Spanish, German and Dutch versions have not been developed for these games.

The English version of the Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver edition of Pokesav is still a public beta and consequently has not yet been translated and modified to export Action Replay codes for other localizations of the game. Unlike the other editions of Pokesav it is not yet possible to export codes for Pal Park Pokémon, record systems, the player's global map co-ordinates, a complete Pokédex, Accessories, Seals, Gifts, Wonder Cards, Mystery Gift, the Mining Museum Pokémon, the Daycare Egg, League Badges, Roaming Pokémon or the Rival's name, although it is possible to view the values of some of these addresses if the player uploads his or her save file to a computer via a device such as the GameShark duo and opens it with Pokesav.

Features

1. The ability to export a list of Action Replay codes as an XML file including party Pokémon using a decryption algorithm, the amount of party Pokémon, the player's name and gender, the amount of money the player is holding, the current map location of the player by identifier, X, Y and Z co-ordinates, Pokémon in the storage box using another decryption algorithm, what bag items the player is holding, the amount of repel steps left, accessories held, Pal Park Pokémon, seals owned, the multiplayer avatar, the player's ID and secret ID, the playtime, the "adventure started" date, whether the player has the National Pokédex or not, events such as the current fossil Pokémon, what Key Items the player is holding, underground traps, 'record system' codes and a complete Pokédex code all to be activated via holding down the L+R buttons.
2. The ability to view a Pokémon game save file in the format of either a SAV, DAT, .0, or NSD file and modify it via the 'Save As' and 'Save' options.
3. The ability to read and write RAM data to a BBME-IF (a device sold only in Japan)

Location names oversight

With ProjectPokemon's release of the Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Japanese edition of Pokesav, it is not possible for players to choose a Pokémon's location such that it originated from a particular area of Kanto or Johto. Until the program was updated, players would have to know the hexadecimal identifier of the desired location, as well as the 'location modifier' address and implement it into the exported code without the use of Pokesav. The problem was also amended in the English version, although like the Japanese version the newer version is not available on the main site.

Legality and legitimacy of Pokesav generated Pokémon

It is possible to generate a Pokémon with qualities of a 'legal' Pokémon in Pokesav although there are no error handlers to prevent the player from generating an illegal Pokémon in Pokesav such as one originating from an impossible location or a Pokémon with an impossible moveset (as bounds restrict in normal gameplay). Although to a certain extent it is easy to generate a legal looking Pokémon in Pokesav with a built in generator for the Pokémon's 32-bit species byte (or PID), the player is required to fill in the hidden 'XXh' values, some of which have a function not provided by Pokesav hence practically it is difficult to produce a 'perfectly legit' Pokémon.

The Pokémon are not 'legitimate' in the sense that it was received via normal gameplay and Pokémon generated via Pokesav are not officially approved by Nintendo, hence if it is found to be illegitimate it will not be allowed in official tournaments or to a certain extent over Wi-Fi, such as a random match in Pokémon Battle Revolution.

External links

1. [2] Project Pokemon's download page for Pokesav.