AC:NL Custom TPC Image Guide
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damages this tutorial may cause. Back up your saves before attempting.
AC:NL Custom TPC Image Guide
3DS running homebrew or CFW
Hex editing software (I use HxD in this tutorial)
NLSE (If using the homebrew method or have CFW on 10.3+)
Digital or cartridge version of AC:NL
Step 1: Obtaining your RAM file
How youâll be obtaining your RAM file depends on whether you have access to homebrew or CFW.
If youâre running CFW (10.2 and below ONLY), follow this guide on how to dump your âacnlram.binâ file.
If youâre running CFW (10.3+), install JKâs SaveManager to obtain your gamesave folder with your âgarden.datâ file.
If youâre running homebrew, use whatever save managerâs available. This guide is written mainly for CFW users, however after obtaining your gamesave folder with your garden.dat file, the process is identical.
Step 2: Creating your image
When creating the image you want as your custom TPC, keep in mind that the game has a few limitations. Follow these constraints **carefully*, or else youâll overwrite important data within your gameâs RAM file.
image MUST be in .jpeg format
image MUST be no larger than 4000 bytes (4kb). Any larger might overwrite values within your RAM file. Thatâs bad news.
image must have a resolution of 64x104 px. This isnât as important as the others, but itâs a good idea to stay within the default frame size of the original TPC window. Anything else will make the image look shitty.
Iâd recommend making a quick test image in MS Paint just to see if it works. Then once youâve become familiar with the process, repeat it with a copy of your backup you made in the begining. You might be able to get away with editing the already-edited RAM file again, but I wouldnât risk it. Itâs better just to start over on a fresh backup.
Step 3a: Hex editing (acnlram.bin)
This is where things get tricky, so read carefully. Iâve split this section into (a) and (b) depending on which method youâve used to obtain your saves.
If youâve obtained an acnlram.bin file, great. Your life just got a whole lot easier. Youâll be able to edit this file directly instead of having to decrypt the RAM from a savegame file if you were using the other methods. REMEMBER TO MAKE A BACKUP.
Open your âacnlram.binâ file in HxD.
Click SEARCH>FIND in the top toolbar.
Enter âFFD8â without the quotes and change the search datatype from âText-stringâ to âHex-valuesâ, click OK.
HxD should locate the blocks and highlight âFF D8â in blue. This is where the hex data for your TPC image currently starts. Keep this window open.
We are now going to inject our custom picture into our RAM file.
Drag and drop your image (remember, it MUST follow the constraints mentioned previously) into HxD to convert it to hex.
Click EDIT>SELECT ALL in the top toolbar to select all of the hex data that makes up your image.
With all of that data copied, go back to your HxD window where âacnlbin.ramâ is opened.
Locate the âFF D8â value again, click your cursor just before the âFFâ block so that it begins to blink before the first âFâ.
Confirm that HxD is on âOVERWRITEâ mode by looking at the toolbar on the bottom of your screen. It should be on âOVERWRITEâ mode by default.
Click âEDIT>PASTE WRITEâ to paste and overwrite the original TPC image data with your custom image data.
Youâve successfully injected your custom image into your âacnlram.binâ file. Save and place the RAM file onto the root of your SD card, inject it into your game. Confirm that your TPC has changed.
Step 3b: Hex editing (save folder)
If youâve obtained your gameâs save folder instead of an âacnlram.binâ file, you have a few extra steps to perform.
Open NLSE, drag and drop your save folder into its window, click âgarden.datâ to open up the save editor.
At the bottom right of the screen is an option to EXPORT RAM. This will decrypt the RAM file within your save and spit out an âacnlram.binâ file that you can edit.
Once youâve obtained your âacnlram.binâ file from your gamesave file, follow the instructions in Step 3a: Hex editing (acnlram.bin) to edit your RAM file.
After editing your ram file, go back to NLSE. Look in the bottom right corner again, and select IMPORT RAM this time.
Select your edited âacnlram.binâ file and it will be imported into your gamesave. You can confirm that youâve successfully injected your custom image by checking if your characterâs TPC image has changed at the bottom.
After confirming that your image has changed, put the save folder back onto your SD card, following whatever save editor homebrew app you used, and re-import your gamesave folder through that app.
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