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EDIT: (12/08/2017) [boy, I'm late] Nintendo 3DS SoundHax has been patched as of 11.4 firmware. It will still work on systems operating 1.3 and below. Please refer to Part 7. for alternative methods. Contents (for quick search, use the ( 'Part letter' or 'Letter/number') codes (without the brackets) within a search function, or search the titles): (Part 0.) Overview (Part 1.) Installing Homebrew (1A - 1B) (Part 2.) How to Access Homebrew (2A - 2B) (Part 3.) Programme for Extracting DS Save Data (3A) (Part 4.) Extracting Save Data (4A - 4D) (Part 5.) Using the DQIX Save Editor (5A) (Part 6.) Injecting your new save Data into your DQIX Cart (6A - 6B) (Part 7.) When Should I unlock my Cart? Corrupted Data Fixing, 'Future Proofing', Guide Compilation Information, and Information for 'CFW/CIA' 3DS users. (7A - 7E) ______ Part 0. Overview: The simple explanation is that you will be using the 'Homebrew' Channel, and then using a programme downloaded to the SD card that can be accessed from the Homebrew Channel in order to extract the DQIX save data (or any DS game loaded into the 3DS Cartridge slot). I'll put a disclaimer out here because when anyone mentions 'Homebrew' people immediately think "Oh this could brick my 3DS" and what not. However, the methodology used to access Homebrew for this purpose will not have that specific risk, but I will put a standard disclaimer, that if you attempt to do this, you do so on your own back, and I am not responsible for any problems which may occur. If you want a vote of confidence - this reddit post is currently boasting around 91% approval ratings, and currently flawless success ratings in personal correspondence - I do also tend to try and take time out to explain and clarify as necessary to ensure smooth transitions with the process, I am however a somewhat busy man, but I do try to get around to everyone, but in the event I cannot immediately help, I will let you know of this. The method we will be using is an 'Invoke' Method, rather than a 'Custom firmware' method. Custom firmware contains more risk (but holds more potential), because when a 3DS system updates it checks its component parts and changes certain things, but will be unable to change/override custom firmware, and so this is where problems occur. Invoke methods (i.e. using downloaded files to overload malloc chunks to take control and perform a write) do not contain this risk specifically, due to all of the data being externally contained, and all access being temporary (I.e. If the 3DS updates, it might patch the method of access - so you won't be able to access homebrew using that method anymore - but it will not cause software problems or anything such as bricking). ______ With this explained briefly, I will quickly explain in more detail the exact process: Part 1. Installing 'Homebrew' Step 1A: (http://smealum.github.io/3ds/) Specifically refer to "Preparing your SD Card" Download the Homebrew Starter Kit (contained here: https://smealum.github.io/ninjhax2/starter.zip) it contains all of the things we need. Step 2B: Extract 'Homebrew Starter Kit' on the root of your SD card. It should add an additional few folders and files onto the root of your SD card, you only really need to pay attention to two of them. One is a folder called /3ds (all lower case - this is different to the 3DS folder which will contain game and app data for your system) The second is a file called 'boot.3dsx' ______ Part 2: How to Access Homebrew With the parts in Part 1. installed on the root of your SD card, you will now need to install a method of initiating the boot in order to access the 'Homebrew Channel'. The most accessible, modern and least risky (in my esteem), as well as the least permanent, is a method called: 'SoundHax' Step 2A. What we need for this is to download an 'otherapp.bin' file, specific to our 3DS type and firmware (continue refering to site in Part 1, but refer to 'otherapp/ropbin payloads' for 'more' detail). For instance, my 3DS is an Old 3DS, and it recently updated to 11.2.0-35E (all whilst I had these files on my SD card). I would therefore select these in the drop down menus in the provided link, and then click: 'Download otherapp'. ! Only select NEW if you are running this on a New 3DS (XL); regular 3DS, 3DS XL and 2DS owners should select OLD ! When given the option to save this, locate the root of your SD card, and then name the file: 'otherapp' (minus inverted comma's of course) - It will save this file automatically as a '.bin' Step 2B. With the '.bin' file corresponding to our 3DS type and firmware version, we now need to install the other part for this specific method ('Soundhax'). Head to this site: http://soundhax.com/ And select your 3DS type and Region (E.g. Mine would be: EUR and OLD 3DS) - then select 'Download M4A'. This will place a file named: 'soundhax-region-console abbreviation.M4A' on the root of your SD card. With these all installed on the SD card, you now have the means of being able to access the Homebrew channel (which of course unlocks a great deal more than save extraction - though even I have not explored all of these). Regardless, we can now move on to our primary goal extracting the save data. ______ Part 3. Programme for extracting DS Save Data Step 3A. Once again, we will need to download more software to the SD card. This time it is a programme called: TWLSaveTool. Download it from here: https://digiex.net/downloads/download-center-2-0/nintendo-3ds-content/apps/14669-twlsavetool-nintendo-3ds-app-ds-save-game-backup-restore.html -> Because we are not using custom firmware, we will need to download the link titled '3dsx Homebrew launcher version', and for ease of use, this is the direct link: https://digiex.net/attachments/twlsavetool1-1-3ds-homebrew-zip.14597/ Save this in your '/3ds' folder on the root of your SD card (SD Card -> 3ds) (ensure this is the folder that the 'Homebrew Starter kit', or you, created). Now, in order to TWLSaveTool to run from the Homebrew menu, it is required for your 3DS must have PokemonDreamRadar or PokemonBank installed on your 3DS. This will incur some slight cost (I believe DreamRadar is the cheaper of the two) but is an unfortunate requirement for the method. You have now finished putting the necessary files onto your SD card. Safely extract your SD card from your computer and return it into your 3DS. _____ Part 4. Extracting Save Data Step 4A. With your SD Card and your DS game inserted into your 3DS, power on the system. You will now need to select '3DS Sound' (indicated by the music note). Step 4B. In the sound menu, scroll down to the folder marked 'SD Card' (or what it happens to be called), and find the M4A file we installed - the system will find it called "Nedwill". Play this file. Do not panic when the top screen goes black, and the bottom screen flashes red/yellow/green* If it gets stuck on yellow for a long period of time - simply hold the power and restart the system - it will restart as normal. Occasionally it may get stuck on yellow for seemingly no reason - I can only surmise that it tries to boot to quickly and gets itself stuck. Regardless - with everything performed correctly, you should not get a yellow screen - it should quickly turn to green on the bottom screen, and eventually take you to the 'Homebrew Menu v1.1.1' on the top screen. Step 4C. Navigating the Homebrew menu is very simple. Control stick/+pad allows you to choose applications you want to launch. A button launches them. To return to your standard Home menu, press the start button to bring up an additional menu. You will want to select the option to reboot the system to the home menu (A button) whenever you are finished using the Homebrew menu. Step 4D. Without further ado, scroll down the Homebrew menu until you find the programme titled 'TWLSaveTool' Press 'A' Button to launch it. This will quickly load up more menus with yet more processing appearing on the top screen. Eventually it will give you 4 options: 'B' Button to back-up your Save Data 'A' Button to restore your save Data (and 2 options we can ignore for our purposes). Press the B button to back-up your save data. When it reaches 'Reading 100%' it will give you a menu saying: Start to exit Or Y to restart. Press Start to exit Once back at the homebrew menu, reboot the system to Home menu by pressing start then A. Then power the system off and remove the SD card. Place your SD card back into your Computer. When looking at the SD card root, it will now have a new folder on it, titled 'TWLSaveTool'. Inside this folder is the games save data titled something like 'game.#.sav' (specifically ours will be called 'DRAGONQUEST.9.0.sav') - it might not be all caps but you get my point. From here, all we need is our DQIX Save editor. __________________________________ Part 5. Using the DQIX Save Editor Step 5A. You can download the DQIX Save Editor from here: http://www.yabd.org/apps/dq9/dq9_save_editor_0.7.zip Using the DQIX save editor. 1. Run the programme on your computer (you will likely need WinRar {or similar} to extract it - find a free copy and then ignore it when it asks you to pay for it to keep using it - everyone else does). 2. Put the SD Card into your SD card reader on/connected to your computer. 3. File Explorer -> Find the TWLSaveTool folder on the root of the SD card -> Make a copy of the "Dragonquest.9.0.sav" file inside -> Place this copy in a safe place somewhere else on your computer so you always have a hard back-up (this is just a precautionary measure). 4. In the editor, go to File -> Open -> open this .sav file 5. To unlock the quests -> Quest tab -> check the box marked "DLC" -> Underneath this you will notice "Unavailable", "unacquired" and something else i have forgotten, probably "cleared". Click the circle marked 'Unacquired" and then press Go. (Leave the 'Normal' box unchecked) This will change all of the additional quests from "Unavailable" (i.e. you haven't unlocked them using connection to DQVC) to "Unacquired" (you have unlocked them from 'wifi/dqvc' but haven't accepted them yet). If you have any problems in this step, refer here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/937281-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels%20-of-the-starry-skies/71126194 Inventory Editors & Maximising the Inn You can also use inventory editors - instructions are somewhat self explanatory. To Maximise the Inn: Click the inn tab On the left side, you'll notice two things: Visitors (and a data entry box), and Inn rank (and a data entry box). Change Inn rank to "6" (if you use the arrows you can't go higher than this), and change the visitors to "30" (or higher). You can then check all of the additional guests you want to have in your inn (in the check menu on the left). Map Editors. You can also use the Map editor to give yourself Grotto maps that are rare (e.g. Metal Slime only, Kawasaki locker etc). -> Go to the 'Treasure Data' menu located next to file/edit. Click in this, and then click generate map (and it will load a bar which is a search tool for searching several million maps). After this has finished, you can use the search function located in 'Treasure data' to search for specific maps. You can find these maps here: http://dq9grotto.wikidot.com/quickest-12-bosses (Note the menu on the left -> pay close attention to 'Best grotto maps' and this specific link. This will give you all of the best treasure maps for grinding. To find the map use the search function entering the data found on that site. When you have found the possible maps, you will want to find the two things "Rank" {2 characters} and the "Seed" {usually 4 characters}. This will appear on the far left columns of the search function after you've searched. Within the editor, then go to the grottos tab, and click the plus symbol under your list of grottos. This will load a default "Granite Tunnel of woe lv 1" -> click into this and then change the rank to match (you will need to check both boxes marked "hex" in order to get the right result. Please note, changing the rank/seed/location, causes the map to move up and down your list due to being given a new name. It will be marked in your list by a "!" followed by the Map name. Click on this, and then edit the next box, find it again, and so on. Be sure to enter all the data correctly, and then choose the correct location. If it no longer has anything coloured 'Red' or has a "!" next to it, you've done it. _____ Part 6. Injecting your new save Data into your DQIX Cart Step 6A. Once you've edited everything you want. In your DQIX Editor, go to: File -> Save As -> Save it on top of the ".sav" file in the TWLSaveTool folder on your SD card (I.e. This file already exists, do you want to save on top of it - select yes). Safely eject the SD Card from your Computer Refer to 'Part 4 - Steps 4A -> 4C' Do NOT perform Step 4D Step 6B. scroll down the Homebrew menu until you find the programme titled 'TWLSaveTool' Press 'A' Button to launch it. This will quickly load up more menus with yet more processing appearing on the top screen. Eventually it will give you 4 options: 'B' Button to back-up your Save Data 'A' Button to restore your save Data (and 2 options we can ignore for our purposes). Press 'A' Button to 'Restore Save Data from Back-up' This will give you a new loading bar 'Writing'. When it reaches 'Writing 100%' it will give you a menu saying: Start to exit Or Y to restart. Press Start to exit Once back at the homebrew menu, reboot the system to Home menu by pressing start then A. ______ Congratulations, you have successfully unlocked the full potential of your Dragon Quest IX Cart. Now, best crack on with those extra story quests you've been putting off eh! ______ Part 7. When Should I unlock my Cart? Corrupted Data Fixing, 'Future Proofing', Guide Compilation Information, and Information for 'CFW/CIA' 3DS users. This segment will contain all of those little bits of information not addressed in my methodology for unlocking the cartridges. 7A. When is it 'safe' and advisable to unlock the extra content? It is advisable to unlock everything (DQVC/Quests/Inn) once you have visited Stornway, and seen the cutscenes at the Inn and created yourself a party, and read through all of the necessary text, along with having accepted one quest in order to gain the quest menu. This will ensure everything triggers in the correct order and doesn't hinder any Story flags. You can however do really interesting and unusual things using this editor without jeapordising a game state. For instance, you can trigger the flags for the 6 Additional Classes, without filling out any of the quest information for them. You can then swap between these classes at will (once you either have 'Jack's Knack' or have completed the Alltrades Abbey segment), and completing these quests to unlock the classes at a later date causes no problems what so ever - I'm currently playing through the game as a Sage. Similarly, you can also give your Party Members the 'Egg on' ability too. ______ 7B. My Data has Corrupted, how do I fix it? Within 'Part 5 - Step 1', I made the recommendation to make a hard back-up of this 'Dragonquest.9.0.sav' file somewhere on your computer for just such an occasion (i.e. the file before you edited anything). Locate the back up of (unedited - or safe/working edit) 'Dragonquest.9.0.sav' Copy/Paste this into the 'TWLSaveTool' Folder on the Root of your SD Card (overwrite any other Save of the same name). Refer to 'Part 6 - Inject Save Data' Follow all Steps - This will put your unedited/working-edit back into your DQIX cart. This will remove the corruption (at cost of some progress perhaps). Corruption however is somewhat rare, but if it worries you that much, you can make multiple back-ups as story/event progress is made. _________ 7C. Future Proofing - 'Soundhax doesn't work any longer' Quick disclaimer, those inverted comma's mean that that is not thecase, and that i'm merely speculating that this could be what someone would say to me in the event it wasn't working. All you need to unlock DQIX is the ability to access the 'TWLSaveTool' this requires you to have access to the Homebrew menu. In the event 'Soundhax' is patched (as it doubtlessly will be - but works on most versions as of 11.2.0-35E ), you will need to look towards another method of accessing the Homebrew Menu. The safer of these methods work similarly to 'Soundhax' and previously 'BroswerHax' because these tend to be self-contained executables from within the SD Card, the more risky and somewhat permanent install 'custom firmware' if you don't specifically know what you're doing, I strongly advise you to stay away from 'Custom Firmware' for this reason. So, in the event Soundhax is taken down, you will need to find a means of accessing the Homebrew menu. Once you can access the Homebrew menu, you can refer to 'Part4 - Step 4D' and onwards and proceed as normal. _______ 7D. Information used to compile this guide: Homebrew: http://smealum.github.io/3ds/ TWLSaveTool: https://digiex.net/downloads/download-center-2-0/nintendo-3ds-content/apps/14669-twlsavetool-nintendo-3ds-app-ds-save-game-backup-restore.html Editing Grotto Maps: http://dq9grotto.wikidot.com/quickest-12-bosses General DQIX Save Editing help: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/937281-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels%20-of-the-starry-skies/71126194 Downloads: DQIX Save Editor: http://www.yabd.org/apps/dq9/dq9_save_editor_0.7.zip Homebrew Starter Kit: https://smealum.github.io/ninjhax2/starter.zip Otherapp.Bin (refer to): http://smealum.github.io/3ds/ TWLSaveTool: https://digiex.net/attachments/twlsavetool1-1-3ds-homebrew-zip.14597/ _____ 7E. Custom-Firmware 3DS Users If you have a Custom Firmware 3DS, I strongly advise you to read the 'TWLSaveTool' link contained within '7D.' as this provides an alternate method (but if you have custom firmware you likely don't need me to tell you this). Furthermore there are number of other editors available to these users. But that is beyond my current realm of expertise. ____ Happy Dragon Questing!