• Welcome to Final Fantasy Hacktics. Please login or sign up.
 

Final Fantasy, Monster Hunts

Started by Kib, October 06, 2015, 01:29:44 am

Kib

So, I've been playing and using others mods for all of our favorite game for years now. Recently however I thought it would be a cool idea to change the story from what is and make a FFT based around the monster hunter premise. To elaborate, remove the majority of story content and replace it with a story based around "hunts" that would work similar to how they did in final fantasy 12. I will still allow for some of the story characters, like Beowulf and Reis, Mustudio, Rad (with a custom job), and have Olan and the Swordsmen be guest during some battles instead of permanent characters.  The point of this post is to gauge if this is something that could be more then a personal mod, and possible see if I could get some help with it or if there is already work being done for it. If I can get some response for this, I'll post more details and such.
  • Modding version: PSX

Angel

I would say that:
a) Yes, it would very much be possible.
b) To be more than a personal mod, you probably need a stronger premise; the whole hunts thing is possible without killing the story.
c) Since what you want to accomplish involves event editing, you will really have to prove yourself by jumping into that head-first before you'll receive much in the way of help. Far too many people get enthusiastic about custom events, beg to be taught how to make them, and when help is given... they never return. "Oh, this is work. Nevermind." Nobody's going to make a patch for you, and help is given to those who help themselves.
  • Modding version: PSX
* Angel should quit being a lazy bitch
<@Elric> I agree to that as well

nyanyame nyanyajuu nyanyado no nyarabide nyakunyaku inyanyaku nyanyahan nyanyadai nyannyaku nyarabete nyaganyagame
At the end of the day, are we not all trapped inside lemons?

Jumza

Quote from: Toshiko on October 06, 2015, 10:21:32 am
b) To be more than a personal mod, you probably need a stronger premise; the whole hunts thing is possible without killing the story.


You could even make a story about hunting! Brilliant! :P

Quote from: Toshiko on October 06, 2015, 10:21:32 am
c) Since what you want to accomplish involves event editing, you will really have to prove yourself by jumping into that head-first before you'll receive much in the way of help. Far too many people get enthusiastic about custom events, beg to be taught how to make them, and when help is given... they never return. "Oh, this is work. Nevermind." Nobody's going to make a patch for you, and help is given to those who help themselves.


This, so much this. I'm just posting to quote this because it's so important. Eventing isn't scary though! It's fun! You should try it! :D
  • Modding version: PSX
Nyzer: Alma teleports out of her own possessed body.
Raijinili: Remember that you're telling a modding community that the game they love could use some fixing.

Kib

I actually downloaded the programs and started to learn them, I hope to at least be able to do a simple edit for most of it. I have seen a lot of projects start and fail here some of which I loved the premise, and I cannot promise life won't slow down my progress but I have always wanted to make this idea and I figured I'd give it a shot.

My story idea would follow along the same story as the game but be a companion, ie. Instead of following the zodiac stone side, out group would be following the reports of dangerous monsters and demons endangering local communities. And ultimately lead up to a unknown zodiac monster fight with one of Lucavi.

Or

It would be set x number of years later and the zodiac stones have started to reappear in the world and one of the Lucavi, possibly ultima have found a new host and is starting to twist the world for a new attempt at world domination. 

I actually prefer the later but those were my two ideas.

I started after I posted this to flesh out the job classes and item list, and I'll post my progress later.

Thank you for the responses.

  • Modding version: PSX

3lric

Don't start with job classes and item D: start with events...
  • Modding version: PSX

Kib

Sigh,your right, but learning is hard lol. guess I know what I'll be doing tonight lol. Turtorials here I come.
  • Modding version: PSX

Xifanie

...Learning is the easy part.

Check out the the Mod Work Time Estimator to look at how many man hours your idea would require.
http://rc.ffhacktics.com/
  • Modding version: PSX
Love what you're seeing? https://supportus.ffhacktics.com/ 💜 it's really appreciated

Anything is possible as long as it is within the hardware's limits. (ie. disc space, RAM, Video RAM, processor, etc.)
<R999> My target market is not FFT mod players
<Raijinili> remember that? it was awful

Kib

Hmm, before I can complete the variables for that calculator, Ill have to flesh out what exactly needs to be edited. I've thrown 200+hours into personal mods between the research and planning and actual editing doing just simple job,class,item,abilities and the simplest of event editing (all in FFTpatcher) but with the learning curve I expect to be invested for close to 2 years.

Unless something happens in RL, Ill be here asking questions and working on this till its done.  :D

I'm going to try and do a simple event tonight an see how that goes. Wish me luck!

  • Modding version: PSX

3lric

Quote from: Kib on October 06, 2015, 08:40:32 pm
and the simplest of event editing (all in FFTpatcher)


* Elric is confused :o
  • Modding version: PSX

Kib

Do not be confused Elric, if your confused then I'm totally doomed. What I mean is using FFTPatcher like this for example.

Magic City Garliand battle: Team vs Bandits
I edited the bandits to contain a unit named Rad with a custom job, that when the battle is won joins you, giving a story based reason for Rad being more then just another mercenary for Gaffy.
Then replaced all instances of Rad's squire job with the custom job and gave him a new sprite.
Then during the Chap 2. opening event I removed Rad's join up option to avoid having a duplicate.

or

With the battle with Zalera
Instead of summoning two undead Knights he summoned Gaffy, Chap 1 Wiregraf and his Sister, and Algus to fight you.

I've done a few things like this, but all of them lacked any text and would be horribly confusing to anyone but me playing the mod.
  • Modding version: PSX

Kib

Alright, since my last post I have been learning to event, and with some difficulty with time I hope to have it mastered sometime in the near future.........*crosses fingers*. :lol:

I wanted to give everyone a glimpse into what I am planning by previewing the classes. I have pushed to rework most of the classes and moved skills around multiple times thanks to learning exactly how much a pain in the ass hard coded slots are. :mad: But I hope you will enjoy the class changes I have planed and hopefully you can offer ideas for some I haven't changed.

I'll start with the physical classes and post the magical classes next.

Squire > Solider
Solider's use their weapons in the most basic of way targeting equipment and limbs to weaken targets,  Essentially a less powerful knight these units will make the brunt of early human enemies and be the generic starting class

Equips Swords, Great Swords, Shields, Helm, Armor, Robes, and Accessories

Skills : Battle Skills
Break Helm
Break Armor
Break Shield
Break Weapon
Break Arm
Break Leg



Monks - Lvl 3 Solider
Monks only saw changes in base stats, and gained the ability to equip robes
Martial Arts lost secret fist but gained :
Gut Punch - Cancels Charge, Performing, Defend


Lancers > Dragoon - Lvl 3 Monk and Solider
Another class that saw no changes other than stats and name change.


Knight > Marauder - Lvl 3 Solider, Monk, Dragoon
Since solider's took over the knights role, knights became sometime new. Similar to the berserk of old, marauders channel their strength into their weapons and draw strength from the berserk status.

Equips Axes, Flails, Swords, Great Swords, Helms, Armor, Assc

Skills : Rage
Blood Lust - Pa +1, self inflict Berserk. Even though I loved doing it, spaming accumulate and scream is a thing of the past, at least until later in the game.
Wild Swing - A powerful skill that can deal a little damage or massive
Mad Rush - Charges a target, causes damage and knockback
Crushing Blow -A more restrained form of Wild Swing, hits for less max damage, but always deals a moderate amount.
Vengeance - A marauders best skill, as they get closer to death, the more damage it deals, DMG = CasMax Hp-Cur Hp


Archer > Ranger - Lvl 3 Solider
Rangers are a dual class, taking part of the archers and mediators place. Rangers specialize in ranged combat and taming wild beast.

Equips - Bows, Crossbows, Hat, Clothes, Accessories

Skills : Survival
Tame - Turns enemy monster into ally - Adds Traitor which only affects monster now, thieves really need a good workout anyway
Rations - A quick meal always helps even the weariest warriors, a quick but weaker targeted heal
Knockout - Uses a coated weapon to put an target to sleep
Addle - Adds a hallucinogen to a weapon, causing the target to become confused
Poison - A poisoned weapon is always a great way to weaken a target before attacking.


Thief- Lvl 3 Solider, Ranger
Did these guys really need much of a change? Adjusted stats and removed Steal Exp, how did that work anyway :lol:.
Pending further testing,Thieves gained:
Stretch - Sp +1, chance for a cramp and a Don't Move Status


Geomancer- Assassin - Lvl 3 Solider, Ranger,Thief
I see this class always appearing in patches, this is my take on the classic class

Equips - Bows, Knives, Crossbows, Hats, Clothes, Accessories

Skills : Assassinate
Smoke Bomb - Self Transparent
Blackout - Targeted strike, affecting vision and inflicting Blind
Spinal Tap - Target the spine, inflicting pain and stop
Last Breath - A risky shot, misses often but can kill almost any target, inflicts Dead
Warp Strike - Uses unknown magic to stop a target from moving next, inflicts CT 000
Execute - Assassins strongest attack, years of training have trained their bodies and minds to inflict the most damage, every strike adding to the last. Dmg = Tar Max Hp - Cur Hp


Ninja - Lvl 3 Solider, Ranger, Thief, Assassin
A favorite from vanilla, not changed yet due to hard coding on job and throw
Considered moving throw to a unique character and giving ninja ninjitsu skill set
Skills- ?


Samurai - Lvl 3 Solider, Monk, Dragoon, Marauder
Gained the Two Hands, Why didn't they have this in the first place? Adjusted skills and stats. Saw no major changes otherwise
  • Modding version: PSX

theultrawolf

I like that you gave Squires the Break abilities, did you have FFTA in mind with that?
And I like what you're doing with assassins. Are you going to keep vanilla Transparent's qualities or change them?
Also, I was under the impression that Samurai already HAD two hands as an ability. Do you mean having Two Hands innately? Or changing Katanas to make them two-handed?

I like your work so far. I'm curious as to what you're going to do with the dilemma of Calculators. :)
  • Modding version: PSX & WotL

Kib

November 13, 2015, 09:39:52 pm #12 Last Edit: November 14, 2015, 12:12:44 am by Toshiko
All the Final Fantasy where actually the inspiration for a lot of idea's some are more blatant than others some are subtle. For the samurai I actually played around with both idea's but I settled on giving them 2 hands as an innate, so that other classes can use katanas as one handed weapons. 

I would like to change transparent to be useful to AI as well as the player. Make it a 100% miss, until they perform an action.

The magical classes aren't finished yet, White,Black, Time Mages and Oracle still need a revamp. I feel like there is room for a lot of overlap with the magical classes, I really want to avoid that.

But I will post my work on Chemist, Mediators, Bards/Dancer, and Calculators

Alchemist

Chemist really didn't need much of a change, items got a rework but the class stayed the same

Items
Potion,Hi, X
Ether, Hi
Clarity - Vial of purified water - Cancels Berserk, Charm, Confuse
Panacea - Cancels Poison, Blind, Silence, Sleep, Stone, Don't Act/Move
Basilisk oil - Inflicts Don't Act, Don't Move
Sleeping Tonic - Inflicts Sleep
Bacchus Wine - Inflicts Berserk
Mafungus Extract - Inflicts Poison
Love Potion No.9 - Inflicts Charm
Pepper Oil - Inflicts Silence, Blind
Phoenix Down - Cancel Dead


Mediators - Inquisitors

Magical Bounty hunters, they use their magic restraint magic to limit targets stats and movements

Equips - Guns, Knives, Hats, Clothes, Robes, Accessories 

Skill - Restraint
Bind Movement - Stop
Bind Strength - Pa -1
Bind Speed - Sp -1
Bind Magic - Ma -1
Bind Spirit - Fa -5
Bind Courage - Br -5
Bind Spell - Cancel Reflect, Haste, Regen, Reraise, Protect, Shell


Bard + Dancer - Combined into Performer

I always felt like Bard and Dancers where great classes, but they were very situation and useless to the AI, my goal was to change that and I drew inspiration from previous games version of the Bard.

Traveler trained in the art of song, can cause chaos in or rally troops to their sides. All of their abilities affect the area around them. Hits both enemies and allies.

Equips Harp, Knives, Hats, Clothes, Robe, Accessories

Skill - Song
Lullaby - Sleep
Round -  Confuse, Berserk
Dirge - Doom
Chant - Haste
Madrigal - Protect, Shell
Hymn - Restore Mp
Verve - Restore HP


Calculator - Seer   

What to do with the most hated/loved class in FFT? Well instead of doing what everyone else did and slap the Lvl 2 spells on it, I decided to try something different.

Seers use a unique form of magic, that requires no MP and has crazy short cast times, because they only have to say a single word, for their effects.

Equip - Book, Staff, Wand, Hat, Clothes, Robe, Accessories

Skill - Speak
Power Word - Pain - Damage
Power Word - Fear - Straight to Chicken Status (testing needed)
Power Word - Stone - Petrify
Power Word - Miss - Blind
Power Word - Quiet - Silence
Power Word - Wall - Protect, Shell
Power Word - Life - Cancel Dead
Power Word - Null - Reflect
  • Modding version: PSX

theultrawolf

That's interesting. I seem to remember there being an ASM hack to change on of the reaction abilities to increase Evade, so I'm sure you could edit the formulas for transparent. Alternatively, you could just edit the Wall status a bit and you'd have what you're looking for.

I do like what you're doing with your Chemist edit. The idea of adding debilitating items is interesting. However, with the inquisitor, I don't know if it's me, (it might in fact be) but doesn't the idea of having a class solely built on debuffing stats seem a little bit OP? Still. This could just be me.

Again, I like your ideas for Performer/Seer classes. I especially like the use of buffing short-charged spells, but what are you going to do as far as JP costs for them?

Also, I'm interested with what you'll do with Poach/the Fur Shop. Do you intend to expand the role and use of these specific shops? Or modify the shops altogether to have different uses (like the ASM hacks that turn Fur Shops into Synthesis Shops/ETC or like specific event triggers that you could get from the "Bar" (you could relatively easily change event flags to allow bars to give "Missions" with some effort/help.
  • Modding version: PSX & WotL

Kib

I have the first chapter planned out, pending a more experienced editors overview. Monster Hunts will be featured heavily featured in my patch, they will both be a plot point to move the story and side missions. I hope to replace the rumors function for this.

As far as the fur shop, I am looking at the synth shop for that, I don't know exactly what I will do with it yet, but I think since hunts are a focal point, the fur shop will become a VERY important part of the game.

Thanks for the praise, I really liked how my chemist evolved too, I played with so many ideas for items, but these are the ones that won out in the end. With the Inquisitor, it will be a strong class, but it will have low hp and low mp and mediocre speed as a counterbalance. I want this class to cause a little bit of dread and I promise the party will have a counter to their abilities, if they take advantage of it. But to balance it as a generic some testing will be needed. The goal was to provide the player with the same abilities of a knight and mediator for stats since I both classes saw changes. JP is still up in the air, I am a fan of low JP cost in patches, and the overall difficulty for my patch will be considerably higher than vanilla. Almost every event fight will have a difficulty similar to some of the boss fights from vanilla. 
  • Modding version: PSX

theultrawolf

Quote from: Kib on November 14, 2015, 06:45:54 pm
I have the first chapter planned out, pending a more experienced editors overview. Monster Hunts will be featured heavily featured in my patch, they will both be a plot point to move the story and side missions. I hope to replace the rumors function for this.

As far as the fur shop, I am looking at the synth shop for that, I don't know exactly what I will do with it yet, but I think since hunts are a focal point, the fur shop will become a VERY important part of the game.

Thanks for the praise, I really liked how my chemist evolved too, I played with so many ideas for items, but these are the ones that won out in the end. With the Inquisitor, it will be a strong class, but it will have low hp and low mp and mediocre speed as a counterbalance. I want this class to cause a little bit of dread and I promise the party will have a counter to their abilities, if they take advantage of it. But to balance it as a generic some testing will be needed. The goal was to provide the player with the same abilities of a knight and mediator for stats since I both classes saw changes. JP is still up in the air, I am a fan of low JP cost in patches, and the overall difficulty for my patch will be considerably higher than vanilla. Almost every event fight will have a difficulty similar to some of the boss fights from vanilla. 

Have you started event editing yet? That will be crucial to get the story/side missions going.

I'm sure that by the time you post a demo or get close to the finishing point that you'll be able to get some people to help you out with ASMing for that if you can't do it yourself.

No problem! IMHO the Chemist could really use the addition of negative-status adding item or two. And well, I suppose if you balance it out well then its OP-ness could work. And well a big part of a patch is in fact the testing. I've been patching over and testing the one I've been working on for a couple of years now to get the feel down but since I'm a one man group it's taken a good amount of time. And well if you're looking to bring difficulty to the patch, just make sure you test it yourself, as I said, a lot of times in order to get the specific balance going for you. Especially because of events because if you're editing EVTCHRs, events and flags you really do need to see if those aren't going to make the game hang/glitch during play.
All the same, here's wishing you luck and if you're able to see this to completion, I'm pretty excited for the end product!
  • Modding version: PSX & WotL

Kib

Thanks for the encouragement.  I am learning to event, but between being a caretaker and a student and small business owner it is hard to sit down and learn anything properly. I am hoping I can cast Galaxy Stop and just chill for a few weeks.  :roll:
  • Modding version: PSX

theultrawolf

Not a problem man! The community may have dwindled down a bit but it's still being supported and so you never know! And well the best thing I can say is just test, test, test. The more you test, the more you'll know what works and what doesn't. And it would be nice, wouldn't it? Except Galaxy Stop is too OP for the player to have ;) I know the struggle of not having much time myself but pushing myself to complete a functioning patch is in itself an inspiration :)
  • Modding version: PSX & WotL

3lric

  • Modding version: PSX

theultrawolf

  • Modding version: PSX & WotL