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v0.9.5 Beta — Quality of Life Update

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@cbreezy210 cbreezy210 released this 11 Sep 00:07
· 4 commits to main since this release
v0.9.5-beta
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🎮 PKHeX-NX v0.9.5 Beta — Quality of Life Update

Welcome to PKHeX-NX v0.9.5, a quick follow-up to the v0.9.4 Hardening Sprint. This update focuses on user experience polish, adding convenience features requested by early testers while maintaining our bulletproof safety architecture.

🔧 Assets rev2 (Sept 10, 10 PM): Fixed a cosmetic bug where the in-app select-game screen displayed "v0.9.4" instead of "v0.9.5". Homebrew menu icon was already correct. All links unchanged.

📦 Installation Options

Option 1 — Manual Install (Standard): PKHeX-NX-Beta-v0.9.5.zip
(Includes the app + pkhex-nx-assets folder. Extract to SD root.)

Option 2 — DBI / Homebrew App Store: PKHeX-NX-DBI-v0.9.5.zip
(One-click install package for DBI MTP or Homebrew App Store.)

Both zips contain the identical application engine. Launch via Title Override (hold [R] while launching Pokémon Scarlet/Violet).

Installation

Ensure your Switch is running Custom Firmware (Atmosphère).

Standard Installation (SD Card)

  1. Download the latest PKHeX-NX-Beta-v0.9.5.zip
  2. Extract the contents directly to the root of your SD card. This creates the following structure:
📦 SD (Root)
┣━ 📂 switch
┃  ┗━ 📂 PKHeX-NX
┃     ┗━ 📜 PKHeX-NX.nro
┣━ 📂 pkhex-nx-assets
┃  ┣━ 📄 species.txt
┃  ━ 📄 stats.txt
┃  ┣━ 📄 abilities.txt
┃  ┣━ 📄 growth.txt
┃  ┣━  learnsets.bin
┃  ━ 📄 pp.txt
┃  ┗━ 📄 moves.txt
┗━ 📂 pkhex-nx-backups (auto-created)
   ┣━  SC_main_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.bak
   ┗━ 📄 VI_main_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.bak
  1. Fully close Pokémon Scarlet/Violet (do not leave it suspended).
  2. Hold [R] and launch Pokémon Scarlet or Violet from the Home Menu to open the Homebrew Menu.
  3. Select "PKHeX-NX" to launch (do not run the game at the same time!).

Alternative Installation (DBI / Homebrew App Store)

For users with DBI installed on their Switch, or once approved on the Homebrew App Store:

  1. Download PKHeX-NX-DBI-v0.9.5.zip from the Releases page.
  2. Install the .nro via DBI (MTP responder or network), or grab it from the Homebrew App Store.
  3. Ensure the pkhex-nx-assets/ folder is on your SD card root (see structure above).
  4. Launch via Title Override (hold [R] on Pokémon Scarlet/Violet from the Home Menu).

🎯 What this Beta IS / IS NOT

This Beta IS... This Beta IS NOT...
A native, on-console save editor for Gen 9 Pokémon. A replacement for Pokémon HOME or a cloud-sync tool.
An educational reverse-engineering & cryptography project. A tool for cheating in online competitive multiplayer.
A safety-first editor with mandatory pre-write backups. A "magic button" that guarantees zero risk to your save data.
Built for offline, single-player enjoyment and research. Affiliated with Nintendo, Game Freak, or The Pokémon Company.

⚠️ CRITICAL LAUNCH INSTRUCTION

You MUST launch this app via Title Override (hold the [R] button while launching Pokémon Scarlet or Violet from the Home Menu).
Do NOT launch it from the Album/Applet Mode, or the app will safely block itself and prompt you to restart correctly.

✨ What's New in v0.9.5?

  • Main Menu Version Display: The header now explicitly shows v0.9.5, so you always know you're running the latest build.
  • Graceful Quit ([ZL]): Added a dedicated "Quit App" button on the main menu. No more force-closing via the Home button; the app now exits cleanly back to the Homebrew Menu.
  • Max IVs Shortcut ([ZL] in Slot Editor): Instantly set all 6 IVs to 31 with a single button press while editing a Pokémon. Perfect for competitive prep without tedious digit-by-digit editing.

Carried Forward from v0.9.4:

  • Species #917 Audit (PKSE Issue #107 Fix): Full PKHeX SpeciesConverter port fixing Paldean ID divergence.
  • Round-Trip Crypto Sanity Check: Boot-time verification ensuring crypto integrity.
  • SD Space Validation: Pre-backup space check to prevent mid-write corruption.
  • Full Legality Generator with real abilities and accurate level-up movesets
  • M11 Legal Move Picker for manual move selection
  • SwishCrypto Engine for full Gen 9 save decryption/encryption
  • Bulletproof Backups: Automatically creates verified backups of your save data before every single write.
  • Box Toolkit: View, edit IVs/EVs/Natures, clone, delete, and inject .pk9 files.
  • Applet Mode Guard: Hard-blocks Album launches to prevent save-corruption crashes.

🎮 Compatibility Matrix

Game Status Save Format Boxes Slots/Box
Pokémon Scarlet ✅ Supported SCBlock (main) 32 30
Pokémon Violet ✅ Supported SCBlock (main) 32 30
Legends: Z-A 🟡 Planned SCBlock (main) 32 30
Sword/Shield 🟡 Planned SCBlock (main) 32 30
BDSP 🟡 Planned Flat binary 40 30

🛡️ Backup & Safety System

When loading a game save on Switch, an automatic backup is created before any modifications.

  • Byte Verification: Backups are mathematically verified after creation to ensure data integrity.
  • Dual-File Commit: When committing changes to NAND, the app writes to both the main save file and the backup save file simultaneously.
  • One-Button Rollback: To restore from your newest backup, press [R] on the main menu.
  • SD Space Check: Verifies sufficient free space (2x save size) before backup creation.

💡 The Honest Note: No save editor is 100% bulletproof. While PKHeX-NX uses military-grade verification and dual-file commits, SD cards can fail, power can cut out, and edge cases in Gen 9's complex save structure can still exist. Always keep a secondary backup on your PC using a tool like JKSV or Checkpoint before doing major edits. Our safety net is your first line of defense, not your only one.

⚠️ Known Gaps & Limitations

Strictly aligned with our public roadmap to prevent feature drift.

  • Text-Only UI: The current interface is a developer-focused text console. (Graphical UI planned for v1.1).
  • No Bag/Item Editing: You cannot currently edit your inventory, TMs, or key items. (Planned for v1.0).
  • No Pokédex Registration: Injected Pokémon do not automatically register as "caught" in your in-game Pokédex. (Planned for v1.0).

🤝 Credits & Acknowledgments

  • kwsch & The PKHeX Team: For the foundational research, cryptography documentation, and the legendary desktop editor that inspired this project. (GitHub)
  • Switchbrew & devkitPro: For maintaining the libnx toolchain that makes native Switch homebrew possible. (Website)
  • The GBATemp & r/HomebrewSwitch Communities: For early testing, hardware validation, and relentless feedback during the beta phase.
  • Insektaure (pkHouse, pkBakery): For setting the gold standard in native Switch Pokémon UI/UX and safety patterns.(Github)
  • GameBrew: For hosting the Install Guide & Documentation Mirror.

⚖️ Responsible Use & Disclaimer

  • Offline Use Only: Do not use edited Pokémon in online multiplayer, official tournaments, or ranked battles.
  • Respect the Ecosystem: Do not distribute edited saves or Pokémon as your own work.
  • Educational Purpose: This software is provided "as-is" for research into cryptography and data structures. Modifying save data always carries a risk. I am not responsible for corrupted saves, lost Pokémon, or banned consoles. Use at your own risk!
  • Not Affiliated: This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo, Game Freak, or The Pokémon Company.

Feedback & Bugs

This is a beta! If you find a bug or have a feature request, please let us know:

Happy editing, and remember to keep your backups safe!
— cbreezy210

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