3rd Gen I Totally Didn't Buy a Fake Pokemon Emerald, But If I Did, Could the GB Operator Download & Upload the Save File?

[Reginald Cosmic]

All right, so I bought a GB Operator to preserve my save files from throughout my time playing the Pokémon main series Game Boy & GBA games. While I was at it, I also did that thing where I save the ROM to my computer, which I think is the legitimate way to use emulators with ROMs. Just kidding. I've been doing this the whole time I've been on the forum because I would never download games illegally over the internet. <Wink>

So, I got a bit of an unorthodox question. Let's say hypothetically: I helped a friend out by buying some GBA games from him, and one of them was a copy of Pokémon Emerald that I knew was fake, and the GB operator downloaded the game and its save data only for the emulator and PKHex to both go "UGH! That's not a legitimate save file. Get that garbage out of here!" In that scenario, would it still be possible to upload the backup SAV file back onto the original fake cartridge just in case anything malicious happened to the save file. (I have heard of a horror story where someone's save file was completely erased... in the Champion's room... like some kind of Earthbound anti-piracy measure.) I mean, if I had gotten my heart set on completing a friend's save file (as a joke that I spent real money on), I'd pRRRobably feel relieved if it was possible to use the SAV file downloaded by the GB Operator as a safety measure. It just seems like a scenario that could happen to me in another universe.

Anyway, yeah, I'm glad I'm able to use the GB operator to save my Pokemon save files. I'm also really thankful I've never touched a ROM site and that this morning isn't my first time using the GB Operator. Now if you'll excuse me, I got to go burn some stuff I've hid in a dumpster for no reason whatsoever.

 

[giradialkia]

So, I'm not going to bother with any pretense, I have a fake/repro copy of FireRed. Aesthetically it looks perfect, and the game works fine...
...until I save the game, at which point the music freezes briefly, and when it returns certain tracks are missing. Very disconcerting.

It doesn't work with my GB Operator, unfortunately. I managed to trade Pokémon from my (legitimate, childhood) LeafGreen, so I can still actually achieve my goal of a complete Dex, but frustratingly can't back up the save file.
In a similar vein, my copy of Diamond also turns out to be a repro (thanks a lot, eBay!). I've tried to copy the save file using my hacked 3DS' CheckPoint app... and that seems to fail for similar reasons as my FireRed/GB Operator.

It seems to be down to the way the repro copies write their save files. The games run fine, there doesn't seem to be any editing to the ROMs themselves, but the way the memory is written to the cartridge differs to vanilla cartridges, which appears to be the issue.

I can't say for sure, but based on my two experiences being failure, I'm inclined to tell you not to get your hopes up, but if you already own both the game and the Operator, you may as well try - maybe you'll be lucky.

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

I'm going to drop the pretense because it won't be funny now, so I'll reply like a normal human being.

I'm assuming the battery on the fake Pokemon Emerald is (in some way) the reason why the save file is different. I cleaned the cartridge with rubbing alcohol and a Q-Tip, and looking into the cartridge's pins, I can see the battery is ... kind of weird. I've never owned a legitimate copy of Emerald (only Ruby and Sapphire... and Fire Red and Leaf Green), but I don't think the battery looks like that.

Another weird thing is that when I press A on the title screen, the game interrupts itself (on the "Continue? New game? Options" screen) to say "The previous save file will be loaded." and then "The game can be played." I've only ever seen a legitimate copy of Sapphire do that when the battery ran dry. (For the uninitiated, this is not the same problem as Gold/Silver/Crystal's batteries dying. A copy of RSE can still save with a dry battery, but time based events like the tides in shoal cave and the berries will no longer occur.) I think the game is aware there's something wrong with the save system, but it hasn't decided to give me a "bad egg" or whatever. Wait. Do pirated copies get "bad eggs" or is that a "hacked 6IV shiny legendary" thing?

I'm just really paranoid about getting really far into the game with his team (like Victory Road) and the game's save system deciding to quit on me. Is that likely? Is that not likely? I need to know.

 

[CoolKid575]

I'm going to drop the pretense because it won't be funny now, so I'll reply like a normal human being.

I'm assuming the battery on the fake Pokemon Emerald is (in some way) the reason why the save file is different. I cleaned the cartridge with rubbing alcohol and a Q-Tip, and looking into the cartridge's pins, I can see the battery is ... kind of weird. I've never owned a legitimate copy of Emerald (only Ruby and Sapphire... and Fire Red and Leaf Green), but I don't think the battery looks like that.

Another weird thing is that when I press A on the title screen, the game interrupts itself (on the "Continue? New game? Options" screen) to say "The previous save file will be loaded." and then "The game can be played." I've only ever seen a legitimate copy of Sapphire do that when the battery ran dry. (For the uninitiated, this is not the same problem as Gold/Silver/Crystal's batteries dying. A copy of RSE can still save with a dry battery, but time based events like the tides in shoal cave and the berries will no longer occur.) I think the game is aware there's something wrong with the save system, but it hasn't decided to give me a "bad egg" or whatever. Wait. Do pirated copies get "bad eggs" or is that a "hacked 6IV shiny legendary" thing?

I'm just really paranoid about getting really far into the game with his team (like Victory Road) and the game's save system deciding to quit on me. Is that likely? Is that not likely? I need to know.

Unfortunately it actually is pretty likely. Cheap repro carts often use bottom-of-the-barrel flash chips that failed QA; so they're liable to give up the ghost at pretty much any time. I really wouldn't continue playing with such a cart and just use a ROM.

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

Unfortunately it actually is pretty likely. Cheap repro carts often use bottom-of-the-barrel flash chips that failed QA; so they're liable to give up the ghost at pretty much any time. I really wouldn't continue playing with such a cart and just use a ROM.

I feel like you didn't read the thread carefully, but maybe you got confused by my jokey way of writing the original post.

I've beaten RSE a few times in the last couple years (as part of my ongoing monotype "game mastery" challenge with Ruby/Sapphire). The actual point of me buying the cartridge was--Actually, my friend needed the money at the time--but from my point of view, I thought it'd be entertaining to finish his save file with (more or less) the team he chose. Prior to the save file not working with the GB operator, I actually was considering just playing on an emulator after downloading his original SAV file. Unfortunately, I can't. As I said above, neither the emulator nor PKHex can make sense of the save file. It also gives me a weird boot-up message on my GBA SP.

I don't plan on making this a challenge run; I just thought I'd get a kick out of it.

 

[CoolKid575]

I feel like you didn't read the thread carefully, but maybe you got confused by my jokey way of writing the original post.

I've beaten RSE a few times in the last couple years (as part of my ongoing monotype "game mastery" challenge with Ruby/Sapphire). The actual point of me buying the cartridge was--Actually, my friend needed the money at the time--but from my point of view, I thought it'd be entertaining to finish his save file with (more or less) the team he chose. Prior to the save file not working with the GB operator, I actually was considering just playing on an emulator after downloading his original SAV file. Unfortunately, I can't. As I said above, neither the emulator nor PKHex can make sense of the save file. It also gives me a weird boot-up message on my GBA SP.

I don't plan on making this a challenge run; I just thought I'd get a kick out of it.

My bad, I was reading pretty late at night, so I guess I misinterpreted the post.