Getting Started

[Vesly]

Join the Fire Emblem Universe Discord Server!

Have a question? Polls/discussion threads go in #community, hacking with FEBuilder questions go here (please attach a report7z via Drive/Dropbox etc.), and everything else is a #questions thread.

Common Links
Tell me what / how to play
Fangame Directory	How to Patch a ROM
Projects
FEBuilderGBA
FEBuilder	7743’s wiki on Febuilder
UltraxBlade’s FEBuilder FAQ	Creating a Chapter in 16 mins
Custom Game Engines
Lex Talionis Wiki/Guide	Tactile Custom Engine
Buildfiles
SkillSystem Buildfile	Ultimate Tutorial 2.0
Beginner’s Buildfile	FE8U Decomp
Eventing
FE8 EA Eventing Guide	Stan’s Event Codes
Assembly
ASM For Dummies	Teq Doq
Graphics
Ultimate Graphics Repository	Spritans Pin Dump
Sounds
Ultimate Music Repository v3	Anvil Studio
Maps
FE Map Creator (also generates random maps)	Tiled Map Editor

FEBuilder, Buildfiles, or what?

Pros & Cons

Comparison post about all the different engines.

FEBuilder
Pros			Cons
Easy-to-use interface			Edits are permanent
Beginner-friendly & intuitive			Debugging requires your backups to compare data & resolve issues
In-depth documentation of FE8			Testing custom ASM is clunky

Buildfiles
Pros	Cons
Edits aren’t permanent	No user-interface
Organized directory that you “build”	Steeper learning curve
Easier to design custom asm

Most users begin with FEBuilder, but some transition over to buildfiles once experienced. Most hacks are made exclusively for FE8U (and it has the most features), so that is the default when otherwise not stated.

Other Engines

Lex Talionis is a custom coding framework for creating fire emblem styled games in python.
Lex-Talionis

SRPG Studio is an easy-to-use all-in-one editor for creating simple srpg projects.

Tactile (previously FEXNA) is a .NET coding framework & all-in-one editor.

Projects that use these engines are welcome on feuniverse, though they generally see a bit less traffic than fegba hacks.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Info

I can’t post links / images. Why not?

Your account must have existed for a day or so and you must have posted / replied a few times to be able to post images & links.

I have a great idea for a hack! How can I get a team of people to help?

99.9% of projects are essentially solo - the creator is the only one actually editing the game. However, there are many excellent free to use (with credit) assets, including portraits, tilesets, battle animations, and asm hacks/patches. So worry not, as it won’t feel like a solo project once you involve yourself with the community.

What emulator should I use?

We recommend mGBA in general, or no$gba for debugging with break points. VBA is advised against because you will miss bugs. VBA automatically turns bad commands into NOPs, so it won’t necessarily crash when mGBA or real hardware would. It is also less accurate, such as how enemy AI may act differently in fire emblem games on VBA compared with real hardware. If you rom hack it’s best to use mGBA so you’ll see any crashes and don’t force your playerbase to only use VBA. Please note you need to disable vba compatibility mode in newer mgba versions so the emulator accurately crashes when you break things.

Specialized Guides:

Focused topics

Specialized
How to make Range Event and Escape Event	Scripted Battle Tutorial	SkillSystem and you
Zoning AI	Turnwheel / Autosave	Import Images as Maps
Prepping for #Playtesting	Let’s make a Skill	Music Tutorial 2: Intermediate Guide - #13 by SaltySoul
The Ins and Outs of Text Editing	FE8’s Traversable World Map	[FE8] Creating and Inserting Battle Screens - #3 by Pikmin1211
Class Card Insertion via Buildfiles	Insert Map Sprites via Buildfiles	Clendo's (Actual) Guide on Repointing and Expanding Tables
Portrait Splicing Tutorial	The Pixel Art Tutorial [Ext. Link]	How to install custom spell animations
BuskHusker's GBA Portraiting Tutorials	Music Insertion Guide
Contro's Buildfile Tutorial	Vesly’s Buildfiles Overview
Dumping ROM from GBA Cartridges

Video Guides:

Videos

Video Tutorials
MemeTzar’s FEBuilder Video Tutorials		MarkyJoe’s FEBuilder Tutorial
Vesly’s FEBuilder Guides		Snek’s Buildfile Series
XPGamesNL’s FEBuilder Tutorials		FEBuilder FAQ (Video)
Darknight 97 FEBuilder Tutorials

More Directories:

Resource Directories

Resource Directories
Ultimate Graphics Repository
Map Sprite/Class Card Repository	Tileset Data Compilation	Skill Activation Effects for FE8	Alfred Kamon’s MIDI Collection
Music Blitz (156 Song Package)	FE3 Soundtrack in GBA	Full Berwick Saga MIDI Soundtrack Rip	Stat Screen Blitz
Stat Screen Blitz 2	Lord Glenn’s Sprite Freebies	Prime’s Map Pack	AuraWolf’s Map Pack
GBAFE Maps in Tiled Format (Ext. Link)	Animation Directory	Spell Animation Archive	Laqieer’s List of Resources

Discord - Invitation to join FEU Discord

Legacy

We have built upon the amazing contributions of many users, making the methods and information below become less relevant. An especially avid reader may find something of interest, though.

Legacy

General Hacking
Super Beginner Tutorial	Principles of Micro Editing [Hex Editor]	[Ultimate Tutorial] [Various Tools]	Nightmare Module Format Explained [Nightmare]
Expanding and Relocating Data Arrays [Hex Editor]	Repointing Tutorial [Nightmare/Hex Editor]	Text Editing for Dummies [FEditor]	Arch’s Guide to Chapter Construction (FE7/FE6) [Event Assembler]
Eventing for Dummies (FE7/FE6) [Event Assembler]	Archibald’s Bootcamp of Event Hacking (Video Series) (FE7) [Event Assembler]	Simple Event Editing (FE7) [Event Assembler]	A Guide to Modification by Hex (FE7)
A Better Way to Support Compatibility [using simple EA macros] [Buildfile]	How to Patch a ROM	Repointing the Text Array [Buildfile]	Patching ROM Hacks on Android

Graphics
Generic Palette Finding and Editing (ALL GBA) [VBA/Hex Editor]	Character Palette Editing without FERecolor (ALL GBA) [Various Tools]	FERecolor Palette Template Tutorial [FERecolor]

Guides on GBA Graphics Editor
Basic Item Icon Editing and Insertion	Editing Map Palettes	Map Sprite Insertion Mania

World Map
World Map Routes (FE8)	World Map Graphic Insertion (FE8) [GBA Graphics Editor] [Tiled]	World Map Insertion (FE7) [GBA Graphics Editor]
Thread Title

Chapter Maps
Inserting Maps and Tiled Changes in Tiled (ALL GBA) [Tiled/Nightmare]	Insert an Image to Use as a Map (ALL GBA) [Tiled]

Music
Sappy Graphical User Interface Explained [Sappy]	Music Hacking: The ELF Method	Inserting Custom Sound Samples [Sappy/Various Tools]
Basic Voice Table Editing [Sappy]	Fix “Missing File VbalCboEX6.ocx” Error [Sappy]	Thread Title

Niche Documentation:

GBA Assembly Hacking
Assembly Hacking in C	Assembly Hacking Conventions	Notes on Calling Subroutines
6c Structures/Procs	Short Treatise on Longcalling the Second	A (Short) Treatise on Longcalling

Niche Notes
Free Space Ranges	Hextator’s Doc	Cam’s Hacking Notes	Tile Configurations
Weather Graphics Priorities	Trap Data Event Notes	Sound Sample Format Explained	Music Looping Info
Stacking Weapons Locks	Text Speed Option	Notes for Spell and Battle Animations	Counting with Event IDs

FE8 Specific Notes
AI Documentation Thread	Save Data and Suspend Data Space Allocation	Saving in the Tower of Valni/Lagdou Ruins	Tactician Naming
Mimicking the Lord Split Menu	Leftover Stuff from the Prototype	Using CGs	List of Battle Backgrounds
Changing the Universal Doubling Threshold	Notes on Randomized Monsters	Summoned Phantom Items	Epilogue Notes
RAM Offset of “Other” Units	Remove Class Bitpacking to Allow 255 Classes	Skip the Difficulty Selection	Allow Player to Control Enemy/NPC Units
Dance Routine Documentation	Notes on Status Effects	Branched Promotion Screen Procs/Functions	Allowing More than Two Promotions
Trainee Autopromotions	Unicode Characters Supported	World Map Event Pointer Table Location	Notes on how FE8 Interprets Event Codes
Event Code Documentation	Forced Deployment and Wounded Characters	Remove Arrow Wiggling Advancing RN	Pierce Glitch Fix
Help Command & Permanent Event IDs	Event ID Glossary

FE8 & FE7 Specific Notes
Trading Routine	Item Icon Offests	Skip the Intro Cutscene	Character Data Table in RAM
Enemy Control (Mine/Gorgon Egg) Glitch Fix	Difficulty Mode Stat Changes	Variable Poison Damage	Notes on Item Dropping
Unit Movement Speed	Breaking the Normal HP Cap	How the Game Knows When to Canto or Cancel Move	Tutorial Style Scripted Fights
Devil Effect Calculation Location	Thief Vision	Thief Escape Points	Randomization
Unit Menu Options		Weapon Triangle Advantage Array

FE7 Specific Notes
AI Documentation Thread	Force the Game to Start in a Mode	Changing Support Limits	Item Storage Without Merlinus
Use the Tactician Name for a Unit	Getting the Full 8 Instruments in Songs	Event ID Documentation	EXP Mode Coefficient Fix
EXP Routine Documentation	Notes on Custom Items	Notes on Magic Sealing	Unlock the Sound Room by Default
Expanding the Sound Room	Sound Room Pointers	Battle Stat Computations	Class Roll Documentation
Miscellaneous Notes on ASM Contents	ASMC Notes	Access Augury in Hard Mode	World Map! +TSA Tips
Title/Status/Character Screen Background Palettes	Lightning and Map Dimming Effects	Canas Alternate Death Quote	Ch25H Fort Seizing Dialogue
Title Screen Graphic Locations	Main Menu Graphic & Palette Locations	Disable Skipping a Section of Events	Hide Status Screen of Specific Character/Class
Fire Dragon Animation Documentation	Eclipse Documentation	Weapon Cannot Double Effect	Tracing the Branch Calls of Using a Stat-Up Item
Modify the Pure Water Boost	Mag/2 Range Notes	Pay-to-Recruit Events	How the Emblem Seal Works
Triangle Attack Notes	Attack Speed Difference to Double	Designating Weapon Effectiveness	Issues with Expanding Weapon Icons

Other Games
FE6	Hard Mode Bonuses for Raigh, Douglas, and Hugh
FE5	General Documentation	Notes on FE5 Events	FE5 Procs [ASM]
FE4	Miscellaneous Information from Archived Thread
FE3	The Debug Menu	Text Table (External Link)
FE1	Adding New Weapons

This thread is a revamp of The Grand Library of FEU by Arch.

Good luck with your project!