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Gen1Better

Gen1Better adds widescreen presentation, customizable menu colors, 2D battle backdrops, cinematic story staging, and the optional BetterPC, BetterParty, BetterPokedex, BetterTrainerCard, BetterBag, BetterModManager, BetterOptions, BetterBattle, and BetterScenes suites to Gen1Recomp

Each interface can be enabled independently. Disabling one keeps its classic interface with Gen1Better's widescreen and palette support.

Getting started

1. Place the complete mod folder in the Gen1Recomp mods directory
2. Enable Gen1Better in the game's mod manager
3. Open START > OPTION > EXTRAS > Gen1Better to choose your menu palette and interfaces

Keep the supplied assets with the mod when updating

Interfaces

BetterPC

A responsive Pokémon storage screen that displays your party, box contents, and the selected Pokémon's details in one interface. It supports moving, transferring, and releasing Pokémon through the existing storage system.

BetterParty

A responsive party screen that displays Pokémon details and moves beside the party list while retaining the game's party actions and selection behavior

BetterBag

A responsive pocket-based bag with item descriptions, favorites, sorting, and expanded inventory limits. Mods that manage their own inventory can retain their existing capacity and pocket behavior.

BetterPokedex and BetterTrainerCard

Responsive Pokédex and trainer-card interfaces, each controlled by its own default-ON setting

BetterModManager and BetterOptions

A responsive mod manager and tabbed game options. BetterOptions groups SPEED, VIDEO, GRAPHICS, AUDIO, BATTLE OPTIONS, CONTROLS, EXTRAS, and MODS. Select Gen1Better in EXTRAS and press A to enter its settings pane; B returns to the list.

BetterBattle

A WIDE Extended battle interface with compact status panels, command and move panels, HP and XP bars, trainer portraits, party indicators, and 63 automatic pixel-art battle backdrops

Set BATTLE LAYOUT → WIDE and BATTLE HUD → EXTENDED, then choose BetterBattles for the 2D stage and BetterBattle UI for the panels. Both default to ON and can be selected independently. Incompatible layouts turn both OFF; turn both OFF before switching to the Standard HUD.

Battle sprites need a correct transparency mask: transparent background and opaque Pokémon body, including white areas. Active external renderers take priority over the 2D backdrop.

BetterScenes

Bring a story to life with your own backdrop, characters, and props. BetterScenes lets you stage an entrance, write dialogue, add a reaction, change the lighting or weather, and choose how the next moment unfolds.

Start with the cutscene guide. Its complete template includes scene updates, A/B controls, and the return to the game. A consuming mod can connect the story to an encounter and choose what happens after victory, defeat, or escape.

Modders and agents can use the API reference for exact setup, timing, and handoff contracts

More features

Gen1Better also includes menu palettes, Menu Scale, Start Menu and item favorites, scrolling labels, and configurable Pokédex caught indicators

See Extra Features for the player guide and BetterBattle Pixel-Art Backdrops for backdrop behavior, scene mappings, and sprite requirements

For artists & creators

The public API is currently untested. I built these tools to help me create JRPG-style storytelling expansions, scenes, and complex battles, and chose to share them with anyone who wants to build similar projects. I plan to test the API. I'm sorry if you run into anything broken while using it.

Looking to create custom art, cutscenes, or encounters? Check the Artist & Creator Launch Pad for a quick "what do you want to build" guide:

• Make a Custom Battle Backdrop Pack: your image, where it appears, and how its shadows look, with a complete template
• Make a Cinematic Story Cutscene: Choreograph narrative scenes outside of battle with speech bubbles, character staging, and weather
• Customize Floor Shadows (BetterShadows): Tune ground contact shadows, scene tints, or custom species profiles
• Script Custom Battles & Arena Transitions: Trigger custom spawns, boss arenas, or mid-battle elevation shifts

For mod authors

See Provider and Mod Compatibility for public hooks, exports (betterBattle, betterScenes), provider ownership, custom battle scenes, and custom-menu scaling

See Mod Options Screen Compatibility for the standard isModOptions screen marker