[HELP] How-to properly customize a stock ROM

[Guest Typhus_]

Hello my dear friends!

Being inspired by raverrr's Fish'N'Chips, and Dalmi's AndroIum ROM's work, I want to customize a stock ROM and turn it into a pretty decent custom ROM for my Optimus Barcelona, aka ZTE Atlas (it's a Crescent, TMV variant) phone.

And so, I've got my hands on a stock ROM built specifically for my phone. You may check it HERE.

Afterwards, I've followed THIS guide that I've found on xda in order to customize my stock ROM through dsixda's Android kitchen.

Unfortunately, I'm not being able to build a properly bootable ROM. All my builds get stuck on the splash screen.

On my latest build I've decided to just change stuff on the kitchen (didn't change anything on build.prop, nor kernel, nor anything else).

List of changes I've made (through the kitchen) on my latest build:

Added root permissions

Added BusyBox

Zipalined all apk

Changed the ROM's name

Added Nano text editor + sysro/sysrw

Added Bash

Added Apps2SD

Deodex all apk

Added /data/app functionality

Added /etc/int.d

While in the building stage, I've allowed the kitchen to convert the update-script into updater-scrip.

Still, no luck. Splash screen freeze, again.

I'm really sad about this and I'm about to lose my will to build this.

Yeah, I know, I could simply use any other ROM already built, but I want to learn. I wanted to get a stock ROM built specifically for my phone (where everything will work) and then customize it.

Things I want to add to the ROM (besides all that's possible on the kitchen):

1 - Add an extended power menu

2 - Custom splash screen and bootanimation

3 - ICS or JB Settings style

4 - ICS or JB Statusbar style

5- ICS or JB icons for wifi, clock, date

6 - Change the default launcher

7 - Change the default kernel for another one with OC capabilities

8 - Add some tweaks on bulid.prop

Anyway, I'm constantly searching and reading guides over the Internet to make this changes, but if I'm not able to build the ROM through the kitchen with minor changes, I will never be able to build one with all changes I want, so, I'm stuck.

Can anyone help me and point me on the right direction?

I've already thought on making all the changes, build the zip file on the kitchen, and then simply open the Fish'N'Chips zip file (or any other ROM that boots) with WinRar (or 7zip) and then replace everything there except for the META-INF folder. Do you guys think that will do the trick?

I really wanted to do this in order to be able to deliver my ROM for all people out there using the same (or compatible) phone as my own.

I appreciate all help you'll be able to offer me.

Thanks!

Edited March 6, 2013 by Typhus_