LayeredFS patching guide

layeredfs.md

Luma LayeredFS game patching guide

This is a guide for patching a game with Luma's built-in LayeredFS feature. This requires the latest Luma3DS and b9s. They can be installed using the guide if you have not already.

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Dumping RomFS from a game

You can dump RomFS from any game using Godmode9. The RomFS can be used with some patchers or for exploring and modifying the game files yourself. A detailed tutorial on dumping RomFS from games can be found here.

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Enabling Luma LayeredFS game patching

1. Power off your console
2. Boot your console while holding (Select) to launch the Luma configuration menu
3. Use the (A) button and the D-Pad to turn on the following:

• “Enable game patching”
• In some cases it may already be enabled. If so, proceed to the next step  
• For a full list of features that this setting enables, see Luma3DS' wiki

4. Press (Start) to save and reboot

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Applying patches

Patches that work with LayeredFS come as folders (or .zip archives) with the modified romFS files in them.

1. Unzip the patch archive, if applicable
2. Place the patch's files into the /luma/titles/<titleID>folder on your SD card

• Game titleIDs are 16 characters long and start with 00040000
• You can find the titleID of your game from the 3dsdb title database
• If your patch already comes inside a folder with the titleID, put that folder into the /luma/titles folder and not into another folder

3. Launch your game from the HOME menu and the patch should activate

• If the game acts normal, make sure that you have enabled game patching and that the patch folder is correcrly placed
• If you get an arm11 exception, make sure that none of the patch files are corrupt

Is it possible to change the home screen banner? Tried doing it myself but didn't have any luck. Created a "banner" folder in luma/titles/title_id

Unfortunately not. The home screen banner is handled by a completely different system and cannot be patched by LayeredFS.

Scarlet Study, who made a fan translation of Dai Gyakuten Saiban (now The Great Ace Attorney) bypassed this problem by creating an update cia for the game that could patch the home screen banner. I don't know how it works, look on their page / ask them / google for more details :)

What do I do if I have the game downloaded, and as a cartridge?

It will work. Both will be patched, since games released on both cartridge and eShop have the same titleID.

@PixelSergey Thanks for the info!

I just ordered a used cartridge version of omega ruby, will I be able to patch it with rising ruby? I had alpha sapphire patched with sinking sapphire but it would keep crashing and I accidentally deleted it so I ordered omega ruby.

Hi! This was super useful. I do have a bit of an issue, though...
I understand what I'm supposed to do, but I'm stuck at placing the patches files into the folder with the title id.
First of all, I didn't have a 'titles' folder under luma, so I simply made one, as people said to do in the comments. However, the mod I'm installing (Story of Seasons Trio of Towns: True Love Edition) says I should place the patch with the 1.1 update title id, rather than the game's. I'm unsure whether I need to make a folder for the actual game's title id along with one for the update, just put the patch with the game's title id, or leave the game's title id out and just do the update id.

Second of all, I know this is likely more of a personal issue rather than an issue others can help with, but no matter what I do, I can't extract the patch files from the zip folder. I get an error saying that it "couldn't find the specified path." It won't let me move the file to a new folder, copy and paste it, or simply unzip the whole thing.
I know this is an older post, but any insight would be a huge help.

My cousin and I are trying to play a Pokemon X and y randomizer I got X working for me on my 3ds and I got y working for him but after he lost our nuzloke when we tried re randomizing I can’t get it to work for him we have the patch in sd card luma titles and Pokémon y id with rom fs and code.bin file

I'm trying to make a custom multi-video cia and am getting an error. Would it be possible to just run it as a rom hack of the base title if I have all the files already?