We’re back – and we’re not even kidding this time!
I’ve just wiped the dust off my hands from building us this entire new site, so let’s get to it, what’s new.
We’re more driven than ever, with a brand new team behind us to push us along. The new team comes from a merge between PHO and Mew3.inc, with the goal of creating a new breed of ROM Hackers which I shall discuss below. The merge has, however, meant that some highly skilled, reputed… even famous ROM Hackers have joined our ranks. So without further ado~
- Mewthree9000 – Owner of Mew3.inc, creator of Chaos Black (Probably the most famous GBA Hack stolen by pirates) and such ROM Hacking tools as PokeTronic, CyclonePrototype and IntroEd.
- Koolboyman – The creator of Pokémon Brown and Pokémon Prism, arguably the most famous Pokémon hack of all time. A clear master of ASM and anything hacking related.
- Interdpth – Incorporated a real time clock in to the FireRed and LeafGreen games, allowing for day and night to be added to them.
- Zodiacdagreat – Known for his various tools, his brilliant work on his hack Pokémon Pure Gold, his ASM abilities and also for work with the RTC.
Myself (Green Charizard) and Black Charizard still remain staff members.
PHO’s achieved a lot in it’s almost 4 year presence on the web. The coming and going of many a staff member, four versions as of this post, the strong alliance with the Spanish ROM Hacking Site WAH, being the first true pioneers of ROM Bases, providing you with a dedicated community and a place where you can call home, but most of all, introducing and teaching the art of ROM Hacking to Pokémon fans across the world…
ROM Hacking is truly deserving of the label ‘an art’, remarkable pieces of work have been made with it. However, one of the key things we wish to renew with this revival of PHO is the appreciation for the basics, the nitty-gritty, the raw code, the steam behind the engine. The revised PHO team has collectively agreed that many of the original ROM Hacking skills are being lost, to make way for tools that supplement this knowledge. We believe that by teaching ROM Hacking properly, and cultivating a community of respect, a ROM Hacking family, that we can help our own community develop quality hacks that deserve respect and hackers alongside.
It is important that we discouraged the ever heightening competitive hatred hackers have began to adopt for each other. ROM Hacking was once not a competition, but a team sport, where people hacked together, some even working in teams on their discoveries and where people were only given ROM Hacking fame and never sought it.
I’ll summarize with a quote from Mewthree9000:
“We need discovery teams and real tools that benefit us. We need a home deserving of those teams, tools, and discoveries that come with it. I believe that we can accomplish this if we all share the same mindset. Becoming bigger than any ROM hacking community out there. PKMN Fans will always cherish the Fan Game community. We are part of it. A fan base of millions at our feet. Waiting and watching for our next move.
I’ll end with this:
Gotta Hack’em All.”
However, to just talk about this we’d be ignoring the view! Take a look around you, things have changed, PHO’s evolved and you’re here to see it. The site has been completely rebuilt and is now driven by a much simpler and effective engine, so expect more frequent updates, RSS feeds are available once more, so re-subscribe and get our news delivered directly to you. We’ve also integrated social networking in to the site, so if you want to post something on Facebook, StumpleUpon, del.ico.us, or any of the other available sites, just hit that little button. With this version of PHO, along with our Tutorials and Resources, we’re also making accommodation for the ROM Hack gamer, with our revised ROM Hack section, which we have admittedly neglected in the past. We also hope that you find everything a lot more organized, where and when you need it.
We’ve also launched a new service, ROM Hack Tube. A site where you can host your ROM Hacking videos. http://www.romhacktube.com
Also, we’d encourage anyone who wishes to support us to do so. We have a page of banners on the “Support Us” section of the site, accessible under the “Other” section on the right hand menu. We really need you to help us spread the word in this time of our rejuvenation.
Expect the usual wealth of new content to be hitting your screens soon.
Why not join our ROM hacking revolution?
Discuss at our official forums: http://www.thepokemonboard.com/
~Green Charizard