Version 1.1
This project randomizes the field encounters in Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.
Each field monster is replaced with another monster chosen from the game's 256 field monsters. The overworld symbol and model are also changed to match the randomized monster.
Bosses are excluded from randomization. Monster stats, items, spells, and equipment are unchanged. Scripted story battles are also unchanged.
The randomizer does not rebalance the game's difficulty. Some randomized encounters may be significantly stronger or weaker than the original encounter.
Demo video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gUc4pJak4o
How to install video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsf332pc45g
The patch only works on the European multilingual release, and it will refuse anything else rather than produce a broken game.
The required ROM is:
Dragon Quest IX - Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds
You do not need an English-only ROM. The English, French, German, Spanish and Italian languages are all included in this single European ROM.
The ROM filename does not need to match the name above. The patch checks the ROM contents, not its filename.
The ROM must have the following fingerprints:
- Serial:
YDQP - CRC32:
FE8EC0E8 - MD5:
3a63438fff7db282fa3133e8fd020e85 - Size:
268,435,456 bytes
You can check the MD5 hash of your ROM with:
# Linux / macOS
md5sum "Dragon Quest IX - Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"On macOS, you can also use:
md5 -q "Dragon Quest IX - Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"On Windows PowerShell:
Get-FileHash -Algorithm MD5 "Dragon Quest IX - Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"The expected MD5 is:
3a63438fff7db282fa3133e8fd020e85
No ROM is distributed here — use your own copy of the game.
You need xdelta3 to apply the patch.
| Platform | Installation |
|---|---|
| Linux | Install xdelta3 using your distribution's package manager |
| macOS | Install xdelta3 using Homebrew |
| Windows | Download the xdelta3.exe Windows binary from the xdelta releases or the xdelta-gpl releases, or install it with Scoop/WinGet if available |
On Windows, you do not need to install xdelta3 system-wide.
You can simply put xdelta3.exe in the same directory as:
- your Dragon Quest IX ROM
DQIX-Randomizer-v1.1.xdelta
Then open PowerShell in that directory and run .\xdelta3.exe.
Download the patch from the latest release:
DQIX-Randomizer-v1.1.xdelta
A copy is also kept in this repository at patch/DQIX-Randomizer-v1.1.xdelta, but
the release page is the place to get it: that is where every version stays
available, with its checksums.
xdelta3 -d -s "Dragon Quest IX - Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds" "DQIX-Randomizer-v1.1.xdelta" "DQIX Randomizer.nds"If xdelta3.exe, the ROM and the patch are all in the same directory:
.\xdelta3.exe -d -f -s ".\Dragon Quest IX - Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds" ".\DQIX-Randomizer-v1.1.xdelta" ".\DQIX Randomizer.nds"The ROM filename can be different. Replace the filename in the command with the actual name of your ROM.
The -f option allows the output file to be overwritten if it already exists.
The resulting file should be:
DQIX Randomizer.nds
The expected output size is:
268,435,456 bytes
The expected MD5 hash of the patched ROM is:
13a9bf614263eaabbec58d80b0b45282
On Windows, you can verify it with:
Get-FileHash -Algorithm MD5 ".\DQIX Randomizer.nds"On Linux / macOS:
md5sum "DQIX Randomizer.nds"Run:
DQIX Randomizer.nds
in your Nintendo DS emulator.
Start a new game.
The randomization is applied when the patch is created, so every patched ROM can contain a different set of randomized encounters.
The randomizer has been tested with melonDS through BizHawk. and desmume
Unmodified save files are not supported.
The randomizer has not been tested on real Nintendo DS hardware or flashcarts.
If you want to build the randomizer yourself, you need:
- Python 3
ndspykeystone-enginecapstone
Install the Python dependencies with:
pip install ndspy keystone-engine capstoneThen run:
python randomizer.pySee the available command-line options with:
python randomizer.py --help| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
XD3_INVALID_INPUT |
Wrong ROM or corrupted patch — check the fingerprints above. The American and Japanese releases will not work. |
xdelta3: not found |
xdelta3 is not installed or is not in your PATH. On Windows, if xdelta3.exe is in the current directory, use .\xdelta3.exe. |
No such file or directory |
A file or directory specified in the command cannot be found. Check the current directory and all filenames. |
| The command appears to hang | Make sure you are using a compatible xdelta3 binary and that the ROM and patch are accessible. The patch should normally complete quickly. |
| The output ROM has the wrong size | Make sure you are using the correct European ROM and the correct DQIX-Randomizer-v1.1.xdelta patch. |
If the ROM does not match the fingerprints listed above, do not continue. The patch is designed specifically for that ROM revision.
- European multilingual release only. The patch targets the European
(En,Fr,De,Es,It)release. Other regions have different addresses; the patch refuses to apply to them. - If several monsters are visible on screen at once, the game may still borrow a model from another monster: measured at about 1 appearance in 80.
- Large monster models are more likely to cause visual/model issues.
- The randomizer has only been tested from a fresh game start.
- Some randomized encounters can be considerably stronger or weaker than the original encounters because the game is not rebalanced.
This project was made possible thanks to the following resources:
- ArchipelagoDQIX by kid2407
- dqix-decomp by ZevyaDev
- Guide to RNG systems in DQIX for game manipulation by hurblub
This project does not distribute any copyrighted game ROM or other copyrighted game assets.
You must provide your own legally obtained copy of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.
The patch is provided as-is. Use it at your own risk.