Skip to content

z_TestHome.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
136 lines (94 loc) · 7.07 KB

z_TestHome.md

File metadata and controls

136 lines (94 loc) · 7.07 KB

The Home Page

Welcome to the Home Page of setting up your Pokemon automation.

First order of business is understanding how far into automation you will need to go for what you want to do. The chart below is a simplification of what setup to choose based on the game. The automation level is set by what the majority of types of programs any given game has.

Game Automation Level
Scarlet & Violet Computer Controlled
Legends of Arceus Computer Controlled
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Computer Controlled
Sword & Shield Microcontroller
Sowrd & Shield DLC Computer Controlled

For a full list of programs go here for Microcontroller and here for Computer Controlled.

Please pay attention to the Step # so that we can better assist you. Ex: 1.A

[Step 1] Buy Hardware

No matter the level of automation you need, start here!

Buy the necessary items from 1.A & 1.B

Microcontroller (MC) Hardware Options

Step 1.A - Buy hardware under the column of what type of Switch you have.

Switch Switch Lite
Mini-USB male to USB-A male cable or adapter. (example 0, example 1) Mini-USB male to USB-A male cable or adapter. (example)
A USB hub or portable dock. (example)

Step 1.B - Buy one of the following Microcontrollers.

Select which column best exemplifies your experience and purchase that microcontroller.

Arduino Leonardo Teensy2.0 / Teensy2.0++ Pro Micro
For beginners For beginners Experienced users
I am accustomed to Arduino I want to easily add programs I want to automate multiple switches, cheaply
I'm not experienced with electronics I'm not experienced with electronics I know my way around electronics

Step 1.C - Verify you have the following

  1. A Mini-USB male to USB-A male cable or adapter (from Step 1.A)
  2. A USB hub or portable dock (from Step 1.A only if you have a Switch Lite!)
  3. A microcontroller (from Step 1.B)

Computer Controlled (CC) Hardware Options

IMPORTANT: Skip these steps if you are only doing the Microcontroller setup.

Requirements for Computer-Controlled Programs

If you would like to use computer-controlled programs, make sure you meet all of the following requirements:

  1. You have computer running 64-bit Windows or macOS. As of this writing, no other platforms are supported. But if you use Linux, you should be computer-savvy enough to adapt our macOS guide to work for your Linux.
  2. You have a regular Switch (not a Switch Lite) if you want to use most of the computer-controlled programs (i.e. programs requiring video/audio feedback).
  3. Be willing to spend an additional $20 - $50 USD for the new hardware.
  4. Your computer must be sufficiently powerful:
  • If you intend to control 1 Switch: A dual-core processor @ 3 GHz no older than 2015 should be sufficient.
  • If you intend to control 2 Switches: A quad-core processor @ 3 GHz no older than 2015 should be sufficient.
  • If you intend to control 4 Switches: 6-8 cores minimum.

There are many ways to set this up with varying cost and difficulty. Here we will present some simple options that do not require soldering. If you are experienced with electronics, feel free to do your own thing.

Buy the necessary items from 1.D, 1.E, 1.F, and 1.G.

Step 1.D - Purchase one of the following serial boards

Adafruit UART CP210x Board
Suggested for beginners Best if you want to automate multiple switches
CP210x controller 1 for $8
2 for $8
4 for $8

Step 1.E Serial Board Connections

Purchase one of the following Board Connections

Mini-Grabbers to Male Jumper Wires Solderless Hammer Headers Hammer Headers
Arduinos only need these N/A for Arduinos N/A for Arduinos
Easiest option, but hard to find. Fairly easy to install. These must have a bulge on the short > side. Most difficult. Will require soldering.
No soldering. Best for beginners. Doesn't require soldering. Requires soldering. Experienced only.

Step 1.F Capture Card

Purchase a Video capture card (example)

Note: More expensive cards like the Elgato HD60S tend to have color correction issues you will need to sort through. In general, cheaper $15 cards tend to work fine.

Step 1.G HDMI Cables

Purchase HDMI cable(s) if you don't own any

[Step 2] Setup the MC Hardware

Before you begin, make sure you have a computer. This used to go without saying, but it's becoming apparent that many people do not have computers anymore and only have phones or tablets. You need to have a Windows, macOS or Linux laptop/desktop computer (or a high-end Windows tablet) that you can install software on it.

For a Microcontroller setup, you need three things setup as follows:

  1. The Microcontroller (Leonardo, Teensy, or ProMicro) connected to the...
  2. USB-mini to USB-A cable connected to...
  3. Your PC

Microcontroller -> USB Cable -> PC

[Step 3] How to flash the TurboA .hex file

Flashing the .hex file type is paramount to utilizing our programs. This is the base-level of what you need to handle for automation.

  1. Open the package from previous section and double-click on HexGenerator-Windows.cmd to run it. In the "Board Type" drop-down, change it to your purchased Microcontroller. In the program list, click on "Turbo A".

[Step 4] Device Specific MC Flash Instructions

Click the link below based on the microcontroller and OS.

Windows macOS or Linux
Arduino Leonardo (beginner friendly) Guide Guide
Teensy 2.0 and Teensy++ 2.0 Guide Guide
Pro Micro Guide Guide
Arduino Uno R3 (not recommended) Guide Guide

[Step 5] Setup the CC Hardware

Device specific CC setup

[Step 6] Preparing the Device

[Step 7] Running the Program