UniversalPokemonRandomizerTutorial

Greetings!ThisisawrittentutorialforanyonewhowouldliketolearnhowIusetheUniversal
PokemonRandomizertocreatethePokemonROMSthatIuseonmyTwitch.tvchannel.This
tutorialassumesyouhavealreadylegallyobtainedaROMfileforthePokemongameyouwishto
use,andhavefoundanoptimalemulatortorunthegame.IpersonallyrecommendtheVisualBoy
AdvancefortheGameBoy,GameBoyColor,andGameBoyAdvancegames,andthe
DeSmuMe0.9.9JITversionforthegames.Ifyouhavenotdoneeitherofthese,donotaskmefor
ROMfiles.Iwillturnyouaway.Atanyrate,youmayalsoobtaintheUniversalPokemon
Randomizerprogramatthefollowinglink:

http://pokehacks.dabomstew.com/randomizer/

Onceyouhavedownloadedthefile,unarchiveitintoitsownfolder.Thiscanbeanywhereonyour
computer.Onceyouhaveunarchivedthefile,thefolderyoucreatedfortheRandomizershould
looklikethis:

Asshownabove,theonlythingyouhavetoworryaboutisthe.jarfiletitledrandomizer.Thisis
theRandomizeritself.Doubleclickittoopenitup,bringingupthefollowingwindow:

ThebuttoninthetoprightofthewindowiswhatyouwillclicktoselecttheROMfileyouwishto
randomize.Onceyouhavechosenyourfile,theRandomizerwillchangetolooklikethis:

Asyoucansee,IhaveselectedtheUSversionofPokemonCrystal,fortheGameBoyColor.For
thistutorial,IwillprovidepicturesforGeneration2games,andsimplylistthesettingsfor
Generations1(Red/Blue/Yellow),3(Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald),4(Diamond/Pearl/Platinum),and5
(Black/White1&2).ThefirstthingyouwanttolookatwhenRandomizingaROMfileisinthetop
leftofthewindow,asshownbelow:

Themainoptionhereyouneedtocheckisremovingtradeevolutions,whichdoesexactlyasit
saysitdoes.IfaPokemonwouldevolvethroughtrading,itinsteadwillevolvethroughlevelingup,
assumingtheonlyrequirementwasforthePokemontobetraded.IfaPokemonrequiredtobe
tradedwhileholdinganitem,theevolutionisthenperformedthroughtheEvolutionStonesinstead.
Thismayvarybygame,soyoucanalwayshoveryourmouseovertheoptionstobringupasmall
boxthattellsyouexactlywhatitdoes.

Next,youwillwanttoturnyourattentiontotheoptionsbelow:

IgnorethefirstsectiontitledPokemonBaseStatistics.Thisisnotanoptionyouwantto
Randomize.Instead,godowntoStarterPokemon,andmakeitsothattheStarterPokemonwill
becomeRandomPokemon,butthosePokemonselectedwillbeonesthathaveabasicform
followedby2evolutions,tofollowthepatternofthetraditionalStarters.Proceedtothenextsetof
options.

IgnorethesetofoptionstitledPokemonTypes.Thisisalsoanoptionyouwillnotwantto
Randomize.Instead,lookatthesetsofoptionstitledPokemonMovesetsandTrainers
Pokemon.YouwillwanttocompletelyrandomizethemovesetsofthePokemon,asseeninthe
redboxabove.Inthebluebox,youwillwanteveryTrainersPokemonteamtobeRandom,with
yourRivalcarryingtheirstarterthroughoutthegameliketheytraditionallywould.Foraddedhumor,
youwillalsowanttoRandomizetheTrainersnames,andtheirclasses.Proceedtothenextsetof
options.

ThenextsetsofoptionsaretitledWildPokemon,StaticPokemon,andTMs&HMs.Under
WildPokemon,youwantyourencounterstobeRandom,withNOadditionalrules.Ifyouare,
however,aimingtocatcheverysinglePokemoninthePokedexofthegame,CatchEmAllMode,
asitsnamesuggests,allowsthistobepossible.Theprogramitselfcanexplaintheexactmethod
byhoveringyourmouseovertheoptionfordetails.StaticPokemonareyourstationarypokemon
likeSudowoodo,Hooh,Lugia,PokemonreceivedasNPCgifts,andtheTogepiegginpokemon
Crystal.YouwanttomakethesePokemoncompletelyrandomforthebestresults,ORyoucan
swapLegendariesforotherLegendariesandRegularsforotherRegularsthroughtheuseofthe
optiondirectlyabovethecompletelyrandomone.UnderTMs&HMs,youwillwanttoRandomize
theTMsaswell,inadditiontomakingPokemonsabilitytolearncertainTMsandHMscompletely
random.ThisoftenresultsinsomethingtotheeffectofasurfingFiretypeoraPokemonwithno
meansofCuttingbeingabletoCut.Itsratherhumorous.IveflownaroundonaMeowthbefore,for
example.Proceedtothenextsetofoptions.

Thisisthefinalsetofoptionsavailabletoyou.IfyourgamesupportsMoveTutorsyouwillwantto
setthemovestheyteachtoRandom,andto,muchlikewiththeTMs&HMs,randomizetheir
compatibilitywithPokemon.Onceyouhaveeverythingcustomizedtoyourliking,gobackupto
thetoprightofthewindow,andclicktheRandomize(Save)button,tosaveyournewROM.

OncetheSavebuttonhasbeenclicked,youwillhavetocreateafolderforyourRandomized
ROMfiles,andcreateafilenameforyournewgame.Asyoucansee,Iamattimescreative,and
othertimesjustlazywithmynamecreation.OncetheROMhasbeensaved,thispopsup:

Whatthismeansisitwillcreatea.txtfiletobeopenedupinNotepad.WhatthisLogFileis,isa
comprehensivelistofEVERYTHINGthatwasrandomized.Anexampleofthisisbelow:

Asyoucansee,itsalongfile,andittellsyouliterallyEVERYTHINGthathaschanged.Fromthe
TradeEvolutionrequirements,totheStarters,Movesets,andifIweretoscrolldown,theTMs&
HMs,aswellasthemovetutors.ItwillalsotellmeeachandeveryPokemonthattrainershaveas
well.DonotviewthisfileifyouareplanningtoracesomeoneusingthisRandomizedpreset.
Speakingofpresets,assoonasyoufinishdecidingifyouwouldlikeaLogFiletobesaved,this
popsupnext:

Thiswindowgivesyoutheoptiontorecreatetheexactrandomizedpresetyoujustcreatedthrough
2datastringsthatyoucanhaveanotherpersoncopy/pasteintotherandomizerundertheUse
Presetsoption.Youcanalternativelyproduceafilethatcontainsthedatanecessarytoreproduce
yourexactrandomizationandthensimplysendpeoplethatfile.Theymusthavetheoriginalbase
ROMyouused,however.Inmycase,thiswouldbetheUSversionofPokemonCrystal.

Onceyouhavefiguredoutifyouaresharingthefilewithanyoneelse,youmayclicktheDone
button,andyouareallsettorunyourRandomizedROMinanemulatorofyourchoice!

Below,IwillnowlistthesettingsIuseforeachgenerationofgamesrespectively:

Generation1:Red/Blue/Yellow

GeneralOptions:
RemoveTradeEvolutions

PokemonBaseStatistics:
Unchanged

StarterPokemon:
Random(basicPokemonwith2evolutions)

PokemonTypes:
Unchanged

PokemonMovesets:
Random(Completely)

TrainersPokemon:
Random
Rivalcarriesstarterthroughgame
RandomizeTrainerNames
RandomizeTrainerClassNames

WildPokemon:
Random
NoAdditionalRule

 StaticPokemon:
Random(completely)

TMs&HMs
TMsareRandom
TMs&HMsCompatibilityareCompletelyRandom

Generation2:Gold/Silver/Crystal

GeneralOptions:
RemoveTradeEvolutions

PokemonBaseStatistics:
Unchanged

StarterPokemon:
Random(basicPokemonwith2evolutions)

PokemonTypes:
Unchanged

PokemonMovesets:
Random(Completely)

TrainersPokemon:
Random
Rivalcarriesstarterthroughgame
RandomizeTrainerNames
RandomizeTrainerClassNames

WildPokemon:
Random
NoAdditionalRule

StaticPokemon:
Random(completely)

 TMs&HMs
TMsareRandom
TMs&HMsCompatibilityareCompletelyRandom

MoveTutors
Random
Compatibility:Random(completely)

Generation3:Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald&FireRed/LeafGreen

GeneralOptions:
RemoveTradeEvolutions
GiveNationalDexatStart

PokemonBaseStatistics:
Unchanged
PokemonAbilities:Unchanged

StarterPokemon:
Random(basicPokemonwith2evolutions)

PokemonTypes:
Unchanged

PokemonMovesets:
Random(Completely)

TrainersPokemon:
Random
Rivalcarriesstarterthroughgame
RandomizeTrainerNames
RandomizeTrainerClassNames

WildPokemon:
Random
NoAdditionalRule

StaticPokemon:

 Random(completely)

TMs&HMs
TMsareRandom
TMs&HMsCompatibilityareCompletelyRandom

MoveTutors
Random
Compatibility:Random(completely)

Generation4:Diamond/Pearl/Platinum&HeartGold/SoulSilver

GeneralOptions:
RemoveTradeEvolutions
PokemonAbilities:Unchanged

PokemonBaseStatistics:
Unchanged

StarterPokemon:
Random(basicPokemonwith2evolutions)

PokemonTypes:
Unchanged

PokemonMovesets:
Random(Completely)

TrainersPokemon:
Random
Rivalcarriesstarterthroughgame
RandomizeTrainerNames
RandomizeTrainerClassNames

WildPokemon:
Random
NoAdditionalRule

StaticPokemon:
Random(completely)

TMs&HMs
TMsareRandom
TMs&HMsCompatibilityareCompletelyRandom

MoveTutors
Random
Compatibility:Random(completely)

Generation5:Black/White&Black2/White2

GeneralOptions:
RemoveTradeEvolutions
RandomizeHiddenHollows(IbelievethisappliestoonlyB2/W2)

PokemonBaseStatistics:
Unchanged
PokemonAbilities:Unchanged

StarterPokemon:
Random(basicPokemonwith2evolutions)

PokemonTypes:
Unchanged

PokemonMovesets:
Random(Completely)

TrainersPokemon:
Random
Rivalcarriesstarterthroughgame
RandomizeTrainerNames
RandomizeTrainerClassNames

 WildPokemon:
Random
NoAdditionalRule

StaticPokemon:
Random(completely)

TMs&HMs
TMsareRandom
TMs&HMsCompatibilityareCompletelyRandom

MoveTutors
Random
Compatibility:Random(completely)

WhileIdontknowhowtoproperlywrapupatutorialdocument,IsupposeIcanhopethatthis
StepByStepguidehasbeenusefultoyou.Ifyoueverhaveanyquestions,youmaycontactme
onTwitterhere:https://twitter.com/Amber_CyprianormyTwitchChannelhere:https://twitch.tv/
[email protected]

Thankyoufortakingthetimetoreadthroughthisguide.Hopethishelps!

AmberCyprian
05/13/2013