TECH Signal 394
Magic School Lunar save files store only XP and use a one-byte checksum
↗
Illustration only Photo by Brad Helmink on Unsplash
The author reverse-engineered the Sega Saturn game’s save format, finding that character stats are derived from experience points and that the file includes a single-byte checksum.
Knowing that stats are not stored directly but computed from XP means a translator can boost characters simply by editing the experience value. The presence of a one-byte checksum means any modification must also update that byte, otherwise the game will reject the save.
Written by elseif from the cluster below · every claim links back to a sourceThe three things worth knowing
Only HP, MP, and total experience are saved; other stats are generated at runtime.
Character levels and derived stats are calculated from the stored experience using the game’s level curve.
The save file contains a single-byte integrity value that must be updated when editing the file.
THE CLUSTER