Modifying Smali only based games?

[Legacy]

Hi,
I maybe wrong about the situation I am about to introduce but it would be glad to know the answer to.

So I decompiled a game (its not updated nowadays, last update was in 2015 I think) and the decompiled folder consisted of smalis that I presume can be used to modify the game. I tried checking the "assets" folder and it consisted of many jpg files and also ".bal" files whose names were certainly related to ingame related items.

My question here is that in order to modify this game do I need to do so using smali files or do I have top find a way to edit and modify the ".bal" files?

Thanks and any answers will be appreciated..

 

[wertyy]

I'm assuming you used APKTool right?

Smali is the "assembly" for the Dalvik VM, APKTool will get the DEX file and disassemble it in smali files

You should use something like dex2jar if you're starting, it's kinda inaccurate, but great of you're starting. There is also JEB decompiler, which can do both

As for the .bal files, they're layout files. If you don't want to change the design of the app, you don't need them