Update(08/23/00) : Well, a couple of weeks turned into half a year. (I doubt it really matter since I didn't do much to advertise the site and not many even know of it's existence, let alone care) After the last update, I discovered that I didn't have backups like I thought. (I'm obviously a moron) So I got bummed and said screw it for about half a year. Well I finally got board enough to rewrite the entire thing from scratch. I did have a hardcopy of one of the larger class definitions which helped a little. Some good came of it, though. I've made some improvments that would have been more difficult to jerry-rig into the old code than they were to implement from the beginning. The new version (not out yet, but soon) is resizeable for one. Not being able to resize the main window was something that bugged me to no end about v1.0. I also eliminated the .INI file and all options are stored in the registry and easily editable via dialogs. Comments can now be text or HTML and can be loaded from a seperate file as well as stored in the map files themselves. Helps have been implememted, but I haven't actually made any yet. If TzarNES doesn't get in my way, I figure the new version should be available in a week or two, but I won't sware by it. I'll also put out a couple more mapfiles at the same time. Oh, and yes, It will be compatible with the old map files.

Update (02/11/2000) :  Some bad news.  I lost my most recent source in a OS/HD crash  >=(  Win-doze SUX!!  This curse seems to be going around, doesn't it?!?  I can and WILL restore it from a backup but it will set me back a couple of weeks.  Until then, I will only be working on Iron C.L.A.D. itself and won't have time to work on any map files.  If any of you out there want to make any map files, don't worry, when Iron C.L.A.D. is restored it will still use the same map file format so you're time won't be wasted.  Sorry about the setback, I'll update the status regularly.

Welcome to the home of Iron C.L.A.D., the universal game save-file editor.  Thanks for checking out my page and my program.  I hope you'll be able to get some use out of it.  I've worked hard to make life easier, and would like nothing more than to know that there is someone out there enjoying the fruits of my labor.
 

Simply put, it is a program that lets you edit the save file of virtually any game. It works with PC games AND emulator save-state files. In fact, it's very generic and you could use it to edit any type of file that you would like. However, it works best for (and makes the most sense for) game save files as that was what it was intended for.
 

What makes Iron C.L.A.D. any different from other text/hex editors? Simple. It's not a hex editor OR a text editor. It lists all of the values of interest in a save file, and gives you an appropriate type of control for giving it a new value. For example; with Final Fantasy 2 (English), it lists all of your characters stats (strength, intelligence, etc.) and lets you select which one(s) you want to edit. If you select a string value (such as Character Name), it will give you an edit box for manipulating the text. If you select a value that can be chosen from a list (such as what your character is wearing on his head), a list box will appear with all of the appropriate items to choose from. So far, you can edit Strings, Integers of any length(1-4 bytes) and either byte order, Boolean variable (with either a check box OR 2 radio buttons, whichever is appropriate), byte based lists, and Bitmapped integers (not pictures, but an integer value where each bit represents a boolean value). Other options will be coming soon. If any of this sounds a little confusing, don't worry, I explain it all a lot better in the READ.ME file.
 

How can one program edit ANY game save file from a PC or Console Emulator game? The answer...map files. The program is generic and can edit any type of file that has had a map file created for it. Map files list all of the names, locations, and other info. about the values of interest in the file. Basically, it tells the program where the values are, what to call them, and how to manipulate them. I've written a "how to" for making map files for anyone who's interested, and of course, I'll be making some myself. I plan to have a map file repository on this site. The map files are in text format and can be edited with any text editor. They are also generally very small for most games - a few K at the most.
 

I am an RPG fanatic. I started making this program NOT so that I could make a game easier to beat, but so that I could play through some of the games that I had already beaten a few time without spending hours building levels and K@$H. I wanted to be able to walk through the story in FFV without having to wander in circles making myself stronger just to accomplish what I had already done before. With this program you can simply save your game, give yourself a few more levels and get right back into the game without the tedious hours spent beefing up. More time is spent enjoying the great story lines that Square is so famous for. WARNING!! Part of the fun of these games is the building up, seeing yourself get stronger over time. I only recommend this program for games that you've beaten at least once. Otherwise, you will take some of the fun out of the game. Although this program was designed with RPGs in mind, it will work for just about any kind of game. Though for many games, like Mario for example, you won't be able to change much more than the number of lives or coins you have - unless you can edit the game file/ROM code itself and change how high you can jump (which is quite possible for someone who is really in the know) - or something to that affect.
 

C.L.A.D. is obviously an acronym. It stands for Cheat Like A Dog, which is exactly what this program lets you do. Iron is just a word that I thought sounded good with C.L.A.D. I'm not exactly sure how this name popped into my head, but I liked it, so it stuck.
 

It will cost you as much to use this program as it cost me to make it. I've gotten too much out of the Emulation community for free to charge for such a minor contribution as Iron CLAD. Use it, give it away, e-mail it to friends, and spread it around as much as you want as long as you don't charge anything for it. The more people who use it, the more people that can potentially make map files for it. I'm sure not going to make a map file for every game ever made, but if some of you out there are willing to break out a hex editor and make a map file, I'll be more than glad to make it available for download here giving you full credit for it. The download file "IronCLAD.zip" includes a file called "HowToIcm.txt" which should explain everything you need to know to create map files.
 

Here are the links.

Iron C.L.A.D. program file:  download        Map files: download
 
 
 
 

I'll update this page more as I think of anything else to say.