Introducing Expressive Backgrounds!

Some of you may recall a Reddit post from few years ago, which demonstrated the potential for custom 3D enviroments during battles. Many moons later, discord user Shy presented a general method to convert map assets into battle backgrounds....

Later, u/TrustyPeaches was able to use this method to create map backgrounds at scale. Inspired, I created an improved pipeline for mass production and proved that these backgrounds can be made to run on real DS hardware!

For more info and FAQs, please see the Reddit post!

Bro the push in improvements for ds romhacking in insane! So excited to try this!

Could this run on real hardware?

Yep! See the Reddit post for full info :)

B/W2 used fuller Gen 6-onward arenas for Pokestar Studios, but I wished they did more with the others. The gym leaders all using the generic indoors arena was...bleh.

DS romhacking is getting so good wtf

I really want a Gen 5 rom that’s just improvements like this and adding back all the event exclusive stuff ngl Like a fully complete version of the game, would be so good

Chat we’re eating so good

Im very interested in this, and I have quite questions. Gotta list them here: I guess this is not compatible w RPG Maker Essentials? Is just a hackroom thing, Im right? Would be possible to port this into other software that is not romhacking? Im more into fangaming +

I have no idea how portable this is to other platforms outside of the original DS titles!😅

The idea is there. So maybe it could be recreated, thanks !

Aint the same without the lil circle below them

I kinda get that, but trust me it tends to look really bad for these Expressive Backgrounds! Some do have them if it looks good though.

That’s super cool. I bet it’s hard to get it like that thought I feel like if the DS actually had those backgrounds in the original game the console would’ve blown up. 😂

They run full speed on hardware, check the Reddit post :)

Oh I see. I’m not a person who uses Reddit so I wouldn’t know. Plus I’m not a game programmer 😂

Could this run on a 3DS? Kinda want to play the game like this now lmao

In theory yes - check the Reddit post :)

@constarlations Hugh after sending out Snivy:

Need to see Tepig on the background

this would’ve blown my mind if this was real when I was a kid

HOW. THATS AWESOME.

HOLY SHR FINALLY SOME ROM HACKING THAT ISNT GEN 3

I think pkmn models still need the platform on their feet

Some maps will have that, but trust me it tends to look really bad for most of these maps!

Imma follow up on this, u got a follow here

Love the constant push to make the DS ROM-Hacking scene better and better. Hats off to you and everyone else involved <3

Did he... Did he just fall off the cliff?

Ive always wanted to see cool mods like this for Pokémon Black/White, so this is so cool!!simple mods like this that just make the game slightly more artistic is always nice, like imagine a mod that added animated characters to BW1? Or even these expressive backgrounds to it!!

OUGH I KINDA WISH THIS COULD BE USED BOTH IN VANILLA AND REDUX

See the Reddit post :)

Unironically how I imagined this battle as a kid 🥺

Why do we even need Pokémon in 3D anymore? Looks soooo good. Wish It could be on RPG Maker, but amazing job!

HUGH NO DON'T JUMP

WHAT THE FUCKKKKK

Type of mindblowing shii GameFreak would've been doing for Gen 6 had they not listened to Gen 1 Gen 5 haters

This is so fuckin beautiful dude, congrats to you and everyone that worked on this.

@ItmeBoe Somehow BW2 was made even better

@ShiftShido alr ill replay the game

Goated post and pfp

@Pownchao Now I just need it to destroy some part of the background terrain whenever I miss focus blast