Hex string for all treasure chests?

[aheyfromhome]

Could I kind soul with 100% percent chests let us know what the correct Hex string is for the appropriate part of the save file? I've fiddled with the hex until (nearly) everything is FF and it hasn't popped when I've opened the "final" treasure in game.

In the save.bin file, the treasure for first save slot is tracked from position 00002C1C to 00002C4B. A specific position counts up by a specific amount when particular chest is opened, so it codifies which have been opened and which haven't.

The problem I may be having is that not all of the positions count up to FF. For example, I know that 00002C1F only counts up to FE**, and both 00002C1D and 00002C4A seem to break the file it they're not 7F. By changing *everything* else to FF I think the game might not be happy with the checking process.

00002C1F codes (at least partly) for the chests at Pirate Hideout, which are accessible at the end of the game. So I've been increasing other positions, then decreasing 00002C1F by the same amount to make the ckecksum work, before going into game and re-opening the Pirate Cove chests to get that block back up to FE**. By doing this I can get nearly every other position to FF, but the acheivement doesn't pop.

So please could someone open their file and a hex editor (like HxD) and share what a successfull chest collection looks like with everyone else?

**EDIT: It turns out that the Pirate Hideout pair finishes in BE. I don't know whether this is some sort of bug I encountered which meant I didn't get the achievement or something.

[aheyfromhome]

I've used chenixga's online save editor to give myself a shed load of EXP and ABP and bomb through the game getting all the chests listed on Iylat's guide on Steam (it took 20 hours playtime). And it popped! I've kept a track of how the Hex changes at various points and I've listed them in the next post. I'll leave analysis to whoever needs to do it.

So the final Hex string from 00002C1C to 00002C4B (for save slot 1) before opening Neo Shinryu's chest and popping the achivement is:

FF 7F FF BE
FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 3F FF FF FD FF FF FD FF
FF FF 7F FF CF FF DF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
F7 FF FF FF FF FF FF BF 9F FF 7F EF

After opening Neo Shinryu's final Ultima weapon chest, the final 9 changes to B.
(Add 00002000 to the address for save slot 2 and so on)

If you've played the game through once in good faith and missed a chest then I think fiddling with this stuff is enough effort to "earn" the achievement quite honestly.

[aheyfromhome]

I've broken it down into 12 groups of 4 pairs (which seems to be how it counts mostly). This is the order in which I played the game. There'll be a couple of notes in which I state what does and doesn't count towards chest which relates to Iylat's guide. I refer to the number of chests in each location according to Iylat's guide.

Apoligies for any typos. This is a transcription.

I only started detailed notes once the first block was completed:
1x Tycoon Meteorite, 1x Pirate's Cave, 4x Wind Shrine, 11x Tule, 3x Pirate's Cave, 8x Ship's Graveyard: FF7FFFBE: 1st block

3x Carwen: 0000000F 2nd block start
2x North Mountain: 0000003F
14xTycoon: 003FFFFF
1xWalseTown: 007FFFFF
7xWalseCastle: 3FFFFFFF
4xWalseTower: FFFFFFFF 2nd block end
00000003 3rd block start
9xFireShip: 000007FF
15xKarnakCastle: 03FFFFFF
1xKarnakTown: 07FFFFFF
3xLibraryAncients: 3FFFFFFF
3xJackolCave: FFFFFFFF 3rd block end
00000001 4th block start
Toad doesn't count
3xRuinsUnderCrescent: 0000001D
Adamantite: 0000003D
12xRonkaRuins: 0003FFFD
No change after ExDeath castle
2xUnderwaterCave: 000FFFFD
7xMoogleVillage: 07FFFFFD
3xBalCastle: 3FFFFFFD 4th block end
Wolf Inn potions have no effect
Well frog wizard has no effect
7xDrakenvale: 000001FF 5th block start
Surgate Castle song has no effect
2xSurgate: 00000DFF
4xBarrierTower: 0000FDFF
1xMooreTown: 0002FDFF
Chest in Guido's cave?: 0003FDFF
12xMooreForest: 7FFFFDFF
15xExdeathCastle: FFFFFDFF 5th block end
00001FFF 6th block start
1xSurgateCastle: 00003FFF
BraveBlade(/ChickenKnife?): 00007FFF
9xPyramid (at save point): 01FF7FFF
19morePyramid: FFFF7FFF 6th block end
00001FFF 7th block start
1xCarwen: 04001FFF
1xPhantomVIllage: 0C001FFF
Round the world chocobo ride reward has no effect
6xIslandShrine (at savepoint): 00003F00 8th block start
8moreIslandShrine: 003FFF00
Collected IslandShrineTablet: 007FFF00
Taking 6 legendary weapons: 0C1BDFFF **7th block**
4xForkTower: 1FFFFF00 (8th)
Walse Oxygen chest doesn't count
Odin/Mime/Bahamut don't count
6xGreatSeaTrench: FFFFFF00 8th (changes later)
0000001F 9th block start
8xIstoryFalls (at save): 00001FFF
6moreIstoryFalls: 000FFFFF
6remainingLegendaryWeapons: 0FFFDFFF **7th block**
10xPhoenixTower: CFFFDFFF **7th block final**
FFFFFFFF 8th block end
6xIRruins+4xIRforest+2xIRcave: FFFFFFFF 9th block start and end
5xIRcastle: 0000000F 10th block start (possibly missed previous increment)
4xIRlastfloor before Shinryu: 000002FF
After Shinryu: 000003FF
4xTitansGrotto: C00003FF
and 00000003 **11th block**
2xDungeon: F00003FF (10th)
8xRiverofSouls: F7F803FF
4xHallofSouls: F7F83FFF
5xHallofDoubt: F7FFFFFF 10th block ends
5xArena: 000000BF 11th continues
19xHeartofRonka: 07FFFFBF
9xAbyssalFalls: FFFFFFBF 11th block ends
0000000F 12th block starts
3xLetheCourt: 8000000F
10xTombofMercury: 80007FEF
13xShinryusLair before NeoShinryu: 9FFF7FEF
AfterNeoShinryu: BFFF7FEF

[Squall]

WOOAH that is very interesting. I'm the same case - I have allachievments expet for the treasure (and final - fpr all).
I tried to mess up with the numbers in save.bin. It seems there is a checksum somewere, because after I manually changed and saved, it says: "Failed to load".

Do you know how I can change the numbers and still be able to play?

[Faint]

Originally posted by Squall:

WOOAH that is very interesting. I'm the same case - I have allachievments expet for the treasure (and final - fpr all).
I tried to mess up with the numbers in save.bin. It seems there is a checksum somewere, because after I manually changed and saved, it says: "Failed to load".

Do you know how I can change the numbers and still be able to play?

I finally got mine to pop, but I did it the long way. instead of messing with numbers and breaking the game doing things I don't know how to do I did a quick run while keeping 2 things in mind

1. Crystal Armor chest in Pyrimad of Moore... the stupid thing will glitch and dissapear after a few seconds so you have to check (I'm assuming this is the reason so many people failed te achieve)

checking to make sure the treasure is in your inventory in general is a good idea considering it could happen other places.

2. quick save in general... but mostly because of human error

Also the 100% treasure guide here is like 98% complete so use the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ guide for everything except the secret cave..

[aheyfromhome]

Originally posted by Squall:

WOOAH that is very interesting. I'm the same case - I have allachievments expet for the treasure (and final - fpr all).
I tried to mess up with the numbers in save.bin. It seems there is a checksum somewere, because after I manually changed and saved, it says: "Failed to load".

Do you know how I can change the numbers and still be able to play?

If you increase one of the hexidecimal numbers you have decrease another one by the same amount to make the checksum work. This will technically "open" a chest you're missing but "close" another one. If you know what chest will be "closed" then you can find it in the game and open it. This way you can gradually work the numbers up to what they need to be.

It's only a theory that this will work anyway (because I did it in the game in the end). I'm just providing the info so others know what they're aiming for and can maybe save themselves 20 hours just to clear one pesky achievement.

[Squall]

Originally posted by aheyfromhome:

If you increase one of the hexidecimal numbers you have decrease another one by the same amount to make the checksum work. This will technically "open" a chest you're missing but "close" another one. If you know what chest will be "closed" then you can find it in the game and open it. This way you can gradually work the numbers up to what they need to be.

Hehe I wish things were so simple ... They use so called bit-field - each bit holds the status of 1 treasure. The very first one Tycoon Meteorite uses bit 1 (not 0) thats why the first final number is alway even. Maybe there was another treasure in the beggining but they had removed it from the game, I don't know.
Anyway if you want to 'open' a treasure you put 1 in the corresponding bit. If treasure is not open you put 0. Unfortunatelly most checksum algorythm don't use addition ... usually they use XOR (exclusive OR). Your suggustion will work only if they use regular addition ...

[Squall]

Finally I did it:
Treasure hunter achievment[www.bwass.org]

Thank you very much aheyfromhome, your notes helped me A LOT!
Initially I try to do it in reverse way - using your numbers to give all treasures except the first. Unfortunately grabbing it didn't trigger achievement. Then I did as you said: all chest opened except Neo Shinryu. Right after battle started achievement popped up. Unfortunately although I have all achievements I didn't get the final - Master but I don't care for it.

[aheyfromhome]

Originally posted by Squall:

Finally I did it:
Treasure hunter achievment[www.bwass.org]

Thank you very much aheyfromhome, your notes helped me A LOT!
Initially I try to do it in reverse way - using your numbers to give all treasures except the first. Unfortunately grabbing it didn't trigger achievement. Then I did as you said: all chest opened except Neo Shinryu. Right after battle started achievement popped up. Unfortunately although I have all achievements I didn't get the final - Master but I don't care for it.

I'm glad it helped! Yeah, I'm not too good on the mechanics of the game but at least the data gives wiser people something to work with.

[Ariote]

thanks aheyfromhome, with your idea of looking on hex files i could following my mistake and finally get this achivement

only think i don't understand is before i reached shyriu my hex was

FFFFFFFE FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFD FFFFFDFF FFFFBFFF EFFFDFFF FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF F7FFFFFF FFFFFFBF 9FFF7FEF

after

FFFFFFFE FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFD FFFFFDFF FFFFBFFF EFFFDFFF FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF F7FFFFFF FFFFFFBF BFFF7FEF

looks like they changed some chest to count on this place

[Squall]

No, they don't count all chest toward the achievment.

[Tommaso]

Maybe I'm a little late to the party, but I recently played the game and got all the achievements except the Treasure Hunter. Since I'm too lazy to do a treasure recognition through all the game (and I'm pretty sure I missed some missable anyway) I decided to go the old hex editing way.
So, I ended up on this thread and decided to give a try to the hex string, but as expected checksum is blocking me to load the file after the editing. Anyone found out the checksum address or algorithm?

EDIT: never mind, I solved

[Eroc]

How were you able to view the save files hexcode? Could someone help me out when they have a moment? Thank you

[Terug]

@Space
1. Grab https://notepad-plus-plus.org/
2. Grab https://github.com/chcg/NPP_HexEdit/releases
3. Install Notepad++
4. Unzip NPP_HexEdit into Notepad++'s plugin folder. Specifically, create a subfolder there, and, put the .bin file inside.
5. Open the sav.bin file using Notepad++
6. In Notepad++, click Plugins > HEX-Editor > View in HEX

Best.

[Liko]

Hello!
I was wondering if I can get any help. I am stuck at 99% treasure. I cannot find what chest I am missing. I'm completely new to hex editing, but I believe I found where the treasure codes are stored:

8 bit:

ff 7f ff be
ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff bf ff ff fd f7 ff fd fe
ff ff 7f ff ef ff df ff ff ff f9 ff ff ff ff ff
f7 ff ff ff ff ff ff bf bf ff 7f ef

32 Bit:
ff7fffbe
ffffffff ffffffff bffffffd f7fffdfe
ffff7fff efffdfff fffff9ff ffffffff
f7ffffff ffffffbf bfff7fef


What exactly would I need to change to get the chest to open and one to close? I am complete newbie to hex, so bare with me!

thank you!

[lunar190]

It took me whole day, but I'd like to thank you for your work mates.
I stuck with 99% after killing Neo Shinryu, and I was pretty sure having 68% (and 69% after next chest) right before end-game Rift, so I just checked logs like you said.

I used many links:
http://www.erick.guillen.com.mx/Codes/GBA%20Final%20Fantasy%20V%20Advance.txt
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/gba/930369-final-fantasy-v-advance/faqs/61876
http://chenixga.atspace.cc/ff/ff5se_20.html
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/930369-final-fantasy-v-advance/66686348
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/930369-final-fantasy-v-advance/64465988

but this thread helped me.

aheyfromhome - I appreciate how you wrote all hexes from game. Terug's post helped me how to use notepad.

My hexes looked similar to yours, but with differences. It made me to load my old 1st world save and I run acroos Ship's graveyard etc. all for nothing. There are subtle changes, because, my guess, there are more treasures than these counted for achievment (for example Wind Shrine has 4 chests, but one with Great Sword doesnt count for achi).

So after checking whole Rift, Sealed Temple again, then whole 1st world.. I eventually arrived to Moore Town and it was Main Gauche in the barrel. I was pretty aware of this one, but probably walkthroughs mess up in that point, because that's the moment in the game when you do overall airship exploration, nothing linear. Somehow I did not have it. So I checked it and boom, there bumped my achievment.

So all-in-all hexes do not help that much, because they can show differences that doesn't mean that area wasn't cleared fully. But maybe my logs will help somebody in need.

- MINE
- aheyfromhome's
1:
FF 7F FF FE
FF 7F FF BE
2:
FF FF FF FF
FF FF FF FF
3:
FF FF FF FF
FF FF FF FF
4:
BF FF FF FD
3F FF FF FD
5: surgate castle, moore forest (mabye aegis over flame shield as chosen?)
FF FD FD FE (this changed to FF FF FD FE after I finaly found main gauche as last pick)
FF FF FD FF
6:
FF FF BF FF
FF FF 7F FF
7:
EF FF DF FF
CF FF DF FF
8:
FF FF FF FF
FF FF FF FF
9:
FF FF FF FF
FF FF FF FF
10:
F7 FF FF FF
F7 FF FF FF
11:
FF FF FF BF
FF FF FF BF
12: difference because I killed Neo Shinryu
BF FF 7F EF
9F FF 7F EF