Hey there.  I have joined these boards for a very specific reason: I want to do a hack of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the GBA.  I have never done any ROM hacking whatsoever, but am adept at coding, so I am confident that this won't be impossible.  What I'd like to do to the game is the following:

• Character sprite changes
• Landscape sprite changes
• Character animation changes
• Attack animation changes
• Text (storyline, descriptions, etc) changes
• Item attribute changes
• Creating entirely new items
• Creating entirely new attacks/abilities
• Creating entirely new character classes, if at all possible
• Creating entirely new races, if at all possible
• Modifying the game's cutscenes (they're created using the game's battle engine), if at all possible
• I am NOT changing the game's mechanics
• I am NOT changing the enemy AI
• I am NOT changing any of the basic functions of the game

Bearing in mind that I have no experience in such matters, would anyone here like to point me in the right direction in terms of programs, utilities, guides, and the like to get me started on this admittedly ambitious project?  I figured I go to the experts before I dove right in. 

I would offer to help but right the end of my semester is in a week.. and tonight I have to write an essay and study for my Chemistry final.. anyways, this might be slightly helpful:

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Edit: Better?