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Keep your vanilla game safe by separating three things before you begin: the original ROM, a backup of the original save, and the newly patched randomizer ROM. Use an Ocarina of Time 1.0 NTSC-U or NTSC-J base ROM, generate a seed with its spoiler log, patch a duplicate ROM, and create a separate randomizer save. In Ship of Harkinian, saves marked RAND are for randomizer play; a save without the randomizer logo is the vanilla route.
The safe setup in one pass
- Make two backups of your original save data and keep the original ROM untouched.
- Confirm that your base game is Ocarina of Time version 1.0 for NTSC-U or NTSC-J.
- Use the online generator with a beginner-friendly preset and leave Create Spoiler Log enabled.
- Download the generated seed, patch a copy of the base ROM, and give the output a new filename containing the seed ID.
- Load the patched ROM with a compatible emulator or supported hardware route.
- Create a new randomizer save. In Ship of Harkinian, choose the randomizer quest so the slot receives the
RANDlabel.
This arrangement means a bad patch, a wrong ROM revision, an emulator mistake, or an update cannot overwrite the files you use for ordinary, unmodified play.
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What you need before generating a seed
A legally obtained game dump
The randomizer community does not distribute Nintendo game ROMs, WADs, or other copyrighted base files. Use only a dump you are legally entitled to use. The standard workflow accepts an Ocarina of Time 1.0 NTSC-U or NTSC-J ROM, commonly stored with an .n64 or .z64 extension.
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Create a folder with clear names such as OoT-Vanilla-Original, OoT-Backups, and OoT-Randomizer-Seeds. Keep the untouched ROM and save in the first two locations and perform all patching in the seed folder. A read-only copy or a backup on another drive gives you a recovery path if a program writes to the wrong file.
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A playback method
You can play through an emulator, original Nintendo 64 hardware, Wii Virtual Console, or a supported port. The emulator configuration is platform-dependent, so decide where the seed will run before choosing a patching route. Ship of Harkinian uses its own save system and has separate randomizer and vanilla quest selections.
Back up the original ROM and save
If you are using a ROM file
- Close every emulator or port that might have the game open.
- Copy the original ROM to a backup location without changing its contents.
- Rename the copy so its status is unmistakable, for example
oot_v10_ntscu_ORIGINAL.z64. Keep the original extension. - Work only from a duplicate in a separate folder. Do not patch the file whose name identifies it as the original.
- Back up the emulator save as well. Depending on the emulator, it may be a battery-save file, a save-state file, or a memory-card file; copy the entire relevant save folder rather than relying on a single in-game slot.
The important distinction is between a patched ROM and a modified save. The patch changes game data; the save contains your progress. Preserve both independently so either one can be restored.
If you own an original cartridge
Use a cartridge-dumping setup that can read both the game data and the cartridge save. The backup guide uses THE_LEGE.Z64 for the ROM dump and THE_LEGE.SRA for the save file as examples. Your dumper may choose different names, but retain both files and make a second copy of the save before attempting any conversion.
Verify the dump or convert it to version 1.0 before feeding it to the standard randomizer workflow. Keep the cartridge itself and the untouched dump as your vanilla source; generate and patch from a working copy.
Use the correct base ROM
Revision and region matter. The standard patching workflow is built for version 1.0, not every release that happens to be labeled Ocarina of Time.
| Base image | Directly usable in the standard workflow | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| OoT 1.0 NTSC-U | Yes | Use it as the patching input. |
| OoT 1.0 NTSC-J | Yes | Use it as the patching input. |
| Rev A or Rev B | No | Use the community’s documented converter or downgrader to produce a compatible 1.0 image, then verify the result. |
| Master Quest | No | Do not submit it as the standard Ocarina of Time input; obtain or convert a compatible 1.0 image instead. |
If the generator rejects the file, check the revision and region first. Changing only the filename extension does not turn a Rev A, Rev B, or Master Quest image into a version 1.0 image.
Generate a seed and keep its records
Choose settings for a first run
- Open the OoT Randomizer generator.
- Select the Default/Beginner or Easy preset if you are learning the randomizer.
- Review the options before generating. A preset is a starting point, not a requirement; you can change settings when you understand their effects.
- Leave Create Spoiler Log enabled. The log records item locations, settings, and entrances and is the most useful reference when you need to diagnose a route or ask for support.
Generate and identify the seed
Choose GENERATE SEED! for a normal playthrough. The service assigns a unique seed ID. Generation is described by the setup documentation as averaging about 15 seconds, but that is a variable service estimate rather than a guaranteed time.
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Download the randomized ROM and the spoiler log, and store them together. Preserve the seed ID in the ROM filename, for example OoT-Randomizer-12345.z64, so you can match the playable file to its settings and log later. Do not edit the spoiler log if you may need to establish exactly which settings produced the seed.
Patch a duplicate, never the original
- On the seed page, select the compatible 1.0 base ROM you verified earlier.
- Start the patch operation and wait for the generated output to finish.
- Save the new ROM in your randomizer folder under a new name that includes the seed ID or another unique identifier.
- Open the output only after confirming that the original ROM remains in its backup folder and has its original timestamp or checksum information.
- Keep the output ROM and spoiler log together. If you generate another seed, use another filename rather than replacing the earlier output.
The setup documentation’s operational rule is simple: save the new ROM separately from the original. Treat that as a permanent workflow, not a one-time precaution.
Keep vanilla and randomizer saves separate in Ship of Harkinian
Create the randomizer slot
- Open Ship of Harkinian and go to the file-select screen.
- Open Randomizer Settings and set the options you want.
- Press Generate Seed.
- Create a new save using the quest selection that displays the randomizer logo.
The resulting slot is labeled RAND. Use that slot for the randomizer quest and leave your unmodified progress in a different slot.
Create or select the vanilla slot
For unrandomized play, create a save with the quest option that has no randomizer logo. The official instructions describe that slot as having no tag or an MQ tag. Select that route when you want ordinary game logic and item placement rather than the generated seed.
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Do not infer a save’s purpose from its position alone. Read the label or logo on the file-select screen. A clearly named slot prevents accidentally loading a randomizer file for a vanilla session or starting a vanilla file when you intend to continue a seed.
Choose a playback route
The project documentation lists these emulator options. The best choice depends on your operating system, controller, and whether you need networked features.
| Emulator | Documented characteristics | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Project64 3.0 or newer | Light and easy to set up | A straightforward desktop setup. |
| BizHawk | Supports Multiworld | Players joining networked or coordinated Multiworld sessions. |
| RetroArch | Runs on more platforms but can be harder to configure | Users who want a broad platform range and are comfortable managing cores and settings. |
| Dolphin | Uses Wii Virtual Console emulation and supports GameCube controller adapters | Players using a Wii Virtual Console route or GameCube-style controllers. |
The wiki also documents original N64 and Wii Virtual Console play. Wii Virtual Console and Dolphin patching can require additional WAD and Wii Common Key files. Those requirements are separate from the base ROM requirement, so confirm them before choosing that route.
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Online generator or local tools?
The online generator is the shortest setup because seed creation and patching are handled through the documented web workflow. You still need your own compatible ROM and a place to store the output. Standalone or source-code routes can be useful for advanced or offline workflows, but they add local software requirements such as Python and/or Node.js. Choose that route only when you are prepared to install and maintain those dependencies; it does not remove the need to protect the original ROM and save.
Whichever route you choose, preserve the same records: seed ID, settings, spoiler log, base-ROM copy, and patched output. A local tool may make it easier to regenerate a seed, but it also makes it easier to point a script at the wrong file. Keep the archival folder outside the tool’s working directory.
Understand seed and version compatibility
A seed is tied to the randomizer build and its settings. Harbour Masters states that replacing Ship of Harkinian files during an update does not affect settings or vanilla saves, but seeds created on older builds are not guaranteed to work on newer builds. Finish an in-progress seed before updating whenever possible.
Before an update, write down the seed ID, keep the patched ROM and spoiler log, and make a backup of the Ship of Harkinian save directory. After updating, test the new build with a disposable seed or a copied save before relying on it for a long race. If an old seed fails after the update, restore the previous build or finish from the original patched environment rather than repeatedly rewriting the save.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
The generator rejects my ROM
- Confirm that the image is OoT 1.0 NTSC-U or NTSC-J.
- Check that you did not select Rev A, Rev B, or Master Quest.
- Verify that the file is a complete dump and that your converter produced the expected 1.0 output.
- Submit the verified working copy, not the untouched archival copy, if conversion was necessary.
The randomizer starts, but my old progress is missing
A patched ROM does not automatically carry progress from a vanilla save, and Ship of Harkinian intentionally creates a separate RAND slot. Return to the file-select screen and choose the slot labeled for the route you want. If the original save is absent, close the program and restore the backup copy before creating more saves.
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I cannot tell which ROM is which
Stop launching files until you can identify them. Rename the untouched image with ORIGINAL, identify the region and revision in the working copy’s name, and include the seed ID in each randomized filename. Keep the spoiler log beside the matching output ROM.
An older seed does not behave correctly after an update
Do not assume that replacing program files preserves seed compatibility. The documented guarantee covers settings and vanilla saves, not every randomizer seed. Reopen the seed with the earlier build when possible, or complete it before updating.
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I overwrote a file by mistake
Stop immediately and do not generate new saves in the same location. Restore the original ROM or save from the second copy, then move the randomizer files into a separate working folder. Two independent backups are much easier to recover from than a single copy kept beside the files being patched.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A repeatable folder and naming scheme
A simple layout prevents most mix-ups:
OoT-Vanilla-Original/oot_v10_ntscu_ORIGINAL.z64— untouched archival ROM.OoT-Backups/THE_LEGE.SRA— cartridge save backup, if that is the format produced by your dumper.OoT-Randomizer-Seeds/seed-12345/seed-12345.z64— patched output.OoT-Randomizer-Seeds/seed-12345/seed-12345-spoiler.html— matching spoiler log.
The exact filenames are up to you; the principle is to make the original, the working input, and each generated output visibly different. Never place a patched file in the folder that serves as your only vanilla backup.
Why the spoiler log is worth keeping
The spoiler log is not only for revealing the answer to every location. It records the settings, item placements, and entrances associated with a seed. Keeping it lets you identify a seed months later, explain a routing decision, and provide the information support volunteers need when a file or setting appears inconsistent.
For blind play, store the log in a clearly marked archive folder or on separate storage so you do not open it accidentally. For troubleshooting or route planning, use the log that was generated with the same seed ID as the ROM; a log from another seed cannot explain the current game.
Switching safely between vanilla and randomizer
- Quit the current game rather than changing files while it is running.
- For a patched-ROM setup, launch the file whose name contains the intended seed ID; for vanilla, launch the untouched ROM.
- In Ship of Harkinian, use the file-select label:
RANDmeans randomizer, while a slot without the randomizer logo is the vanilla route. - Never copy a randomizer save over the vanilla save directory just to make it appear in another build.
- After playing, back up any newly important save before changing builds, emulators, or storage locations.
Keeping the ROM choice and save choice aligned avoids the two most common mistakes: opening a vanilla save with a randomized game or loading a randomizer slot when you expect the original item placement.
What the randomizer guarantees—and what it does not
The project README describes logic designed to make every seed completable without glitches and to avoid softlocks from possible dungeon-key usage. That is a property of the randomizer’s logic, not a promise that every setup error is harmless. A wrong base ROM, an incompatible build, a damaged dump, or loading the wrong save can still prevent a successful session.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my vanilla save while playing randomizer?
Yes. Back up the vanilla save first and use a separate randomizer save. In Ship of Harkinian, the randomizer slot is labeled RAND; the unmarked or MQ slot is the vanilla route.
Which Ocarina of Time ROM works with the standard randomizer?
Use Ocarina of Time version 1.0 in NTSC-U or NTSC-J format. Rev A, Rev B, and Master Quest images do not work directly; use the documented converter or downgrader to produce a compatible 1.0 image.
Should I patch my only ROM copy?
No. Keep the original untouched and patch a duplicate in a separate folder. Give every output a new name containing its seed ID.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHow do I back up an N64 cartridge save?
Use a cartridge-dumping setup that reads both the ROM and save. The documented examples are THE_LEGE.Z64 and THE_LEGE.SRA. Keep two copies of the save before converting or patching anything.
Do I need a spoiler log?
Leave Create Spoiler Log enabled. The log records settings, item locations, and entrances and is useful for troubleshooting, support, and identifying a seed later. Store it with the matching ROM.
Which emulator should I use?
Project64 3.0 or newer is described as light and easy to set up. BizHawk supports Multiworld, RetroArch supports more platforms but may take more configuration, and Dolphin supports Wii Virtual Console emulation and GameCube controller adapters.
Can I update Ship of Harkinian during a seed?
Updates do not affect settings or vanilla saves, but an older randomizer seed is not guaranteed to work on a newer build. Finish the seed first when possible, or keep the earlier build and its save backup.
How long does seed generation take?
The setup documentation gives an average of about 15 seconds, but the actual time varies with the service and your connection.
The Bottom Line
Back up the original ROM and save, verify an OoT 1.0 NTSC-U or NTSC-J base, generate and retain the spoiler log, patch only a duplicate, and keep the seed ID in the output name. In Ship of Harkinian, use RAND for randomizer play and an unmarked or MQ slot for vanilla. With those boundaries in place, you can try new seeds and updates without sacrificing your original progress.
Quick Recap
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