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March 28, 2024, 09:20:57 pm

Various Questions

Started by Krendall, February 06, 2014, 08:52:32 pm

Krendall

February 06, 2014, 08:52:32 pm Last Edit: February 15, 2014, 04:39:31 pm by Krendall
I have a few things I want to look into doing and I wasn't sure if I should make a different topic for each or just put them all in one topic. Please let me know and I'll gladly change things.

Anyway, I'm looking for help on the following subjects. I'm not exactly looking for just the solution (though I would be grateful for it), I would like to know how each step of the solution was made so I could apply it to other, similar things. If someone would like to simply point to a guide(s) that tells me what I need to know, that would be fine, too.

:v/: 1) I like how WotL has the bonus battles with Algus returning. I'd like to add him to one of the undead battles in the PSX game. From what I've seen, it should just be a matter of creating a class with Undead innate and then assigning Algus's sprites to it, but I want to know if there's more to it than that.

2) I know this will be tricky, but I'd like to add a Turn Undead ability for Priests. So I need to know how to add (or replace) an ability, add a formula (I'd like it to hit only undead Faith% of the time and reduce the target's Brave by MA+Y), and set it so the Priest is in standard casting animation while the enemies hit have the effect of Holy Explosion (I'm not looking to add new animations at this point).

3) Is it possible to make Class Evasion apply to both physical and magical attacks?

:v/: 4) FFTPatcher has the Dark Knight abilities from WotL available in the abilities list. Am I able to just add them to a job's ability list or would additional hacking be needed?

:v/: 5) Is there a way to make the Charge attacks target a unit and only work when a bow, crossbow, or gun is equipped?

3lric

Quote from: Krendall on February 06, 2014, 08:52:32 pm
I have a few things I want to look into doing and I wasn't sure if I should make a different topic for each or just put them all in one topic. Please let me know and I'll gladly change things.

Anyway, I'm looking for help on the following subjects. I'm not exactly looking for just the solution (though I would be grateful for it), I would like to know how each step of the solution was made so I could apply it to other, similar things. If someone would like to simply point to a guide(s) that tells me what I need to know, that would be fine, too.

1) I like how WotL has the bonus battles with Algus returning. I'd like to add him to one of the undead battles in the PSX game. From what I've seen, it should just be a matter of creating a class with Undead innate and then assigning Algus's sprites to it, but I want to know if there's more to it than that.

2) I know this will be tricky, but I'd like to add a Turn Undead ability for Priests. So I need to know how to add (or replace) an ability, add a formula (I'd like it to hit only undead Faith% of the time and reduce the target's Brave by MA+Y), and set it so the Priest is in standard casting animation while the enemies hit have the effect of Holy Explosion (I'm not looking to add new animations at this point).

3) Is it possible to make Class Evasion apply to both physical and magical attacks?

4) FFTPatcher has the Dark Knight abilities from WotL available in the abilities list. Am I able to just add them to a job's ability list or would additional hacking be needed?

5) Is there a way to make the Charge attacks target a unit and only work when a bow, crossbow, or gun is equipped?


1) I already did this, look up FFT - The Lion War. It'll be out soon, and no you cannot simply add this stuff, there is no extra event space in Vanilla, we had to rearrange everything
several times to get everything to fit.

4) No, there is not ability space for this AND Dark Knight uses stuff that the PSX version doesn't have, like that cone shaped attack
  • Modding version: PSX

Krendall

Quote from: Elric on February 06, 2014, 09:51:46 pm
1) I already did this, look up FFT - The Lion War. It'll be out soon, and no you cannot simply add this stuff, there is no extra event space in Vanilla, we had to rearrange everything
several times to get everything to fit.

No, you misunderstood. I'm not looking to create an event, I just want to replace one of the undead units in a battle (like, say, Yuguo Woods) with an undead Algus.

Quote from: Elric on February 06, 2014, 09:51:46 pm
4) No, there is not ability space for this AND Dark Knight uses stuff that the PSX version doesn't have, like that cone shaped attack

I kinda figured this, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

3lric

Quote from: Krendall on February 06, 2014, 10:05:42 pm
No, you misunderstood. I'm not looking to create an event, I just want to replace one of the undead units in a battle (like, say, Yuguo Woods) with an undead Algus.


As long as you;

don't pass the sprite limit.
find sprite space in shishi.
make a new skillset and give it to Algus, (he uses someone else skillset with a unique name, like every other extra boss in WotL)
  • Modding version: PSX

Krendall

Quote from: Elric on February 06, 2014, 10:14:10 pm
As long as you;

don't pass the sprite limit.
find sprite space in shishi.
make a new skillset and give it to Algus, (he uses someone else skillset with a unique name, like every other extra boss in WotL)

What do you mean by find sprite space in shishi? Algus' sprites already exist in the game. Can't I just use those?

3lric

I assumed you'd be using the Algus Undead Knight sprite from WotL.

Quote from: Krendall on February 06, 2014, 10:05:42 pm
No, you misunderstood. I'm not looking to create an event, I just want to replace one of the undead units in a battle (like, say, Yuguo Woods) with an undead Algus.


The Algus in the game is not undead.

Yes, you can use that, but it will just look like normal Algus lol.
  • Modding version: PSX

Krendall

Quote from: Elric on February 06, 2014, 10:55:50 pm
I assumed you'd be using the Algus Undead Knight sprite from WotL.

The Algus in the game is not undead.

Yes, you can use that, but it will just look like normal Algus lol.


Well, I plan to make him floating and transparent like the other undead units you encounter in those stages. That's why I need to create a new job so I can set those all as innate.

Anyway, can I chose any blank job in FFTPatcher to do this or are there certain ones that cause problems?

Timbo

Elric isn't quite right here. Since you plan on replacing the Undead Humans you can insert Undead Algus' sprite via shishi. You could also replace the unused 3a or 3b job and inser your Algus sprite over thier corresponding unused Celia or Lettie slot in shishi.
  • Modding version: PSX
  • Discord username: Timbo

3lric

I like how I mentioned him finding space in shishi AND that undead Algus shares a previously
used skillset and somehow I'm " not quite right" even though I did that exact thing for TLW. LOL
  • Modding version: PSX

Krendall

Okay, let me explain how I thought setting this up would work, and someone please tell me what and why it won't work (unless it does, of course).
1) In FFTPatcher, under the Jobs tab, pick a blank job (3A was suggested and it is blank, so that works), make it's base skillset 1F (Algus' special Squire class), and make sure it has Undead, Transparent, and Float as innate attributes (as well as immunity to Invite and appropriate weapons & armor).
2) In the ENTD tab, go to the encounter I want him to appear in (say, Yuguo Woods 01AE) and replace an existing unit (such as one of the Wizards) by using Algus' Sprite Set (07) and set his job to 3A.

I'm not looking to add or alter any sprites at this point. I'm content to just have the purple glow from Undead and the Transparent effect.

BTW, I'm sorry if it seems like I'm being difficult, because I'm not trying to be. I'm trying to understand every how and why of the game's mechanics so I know what I'm doing when I try to do any fancy stuff.

3lric

Basically yes... But as I keep saying, that is the wrong skillset if you want an undead knight version. In WoTL he has a Job named
Death Knight, it uses skillset 27 Dark Sword.
  • Modding version: PSX

Krendall

I was really just looking for confirmation if adding a special job to an existing sprite set and then adding that to a battle was that simple, and it sounds like it is. Besides, it looks like "Deathknight" Algus had the same abilities as Gaffgarion, so if I want that I'll set 3A's default skill set to Dark Sword (20).

Yes, I know he won't have the same sprites as WotL. Maybe I'll work on that later, but I'm not too concerned about that right now.

Thank you for your help on this, though.

CONMAN

This reminds me that I had once considered creating undead/evil pallets for various special characters.  I mean why take up precious sprite space when you could give everyone gray/green skin and different colored clothes.  While facing against a team of doppelgängers is clichĂ© it's still fun.  Or say turning the deep dungeon into an actual underworld. 
  • Modding version: PSX

Choto

2) Formula hacks require ASM. Otherwise you can use the existing ones to get as close as possible to what you want. For the animation copy the flags in the animations tab in FFTP from an ability that does what you want. Change the effect to holy explosion

3) Yes but it requires some ASM. Shouldn't be too hard of a hack.

5) I'm assuming you mean follow the target unit once you start charging. The problem is if they move out of weapon range in the meantime. Since the charge abilities don't have those flags present in FFTP, it means it's hardcoded somewhere. Sooo... probly not. However you could use the ARH (ability requirement hack) to put the restriction of projectile weapons only.

Krendall

Quote from: Choto on February 09, 2014, 08:55:37 am
2) Formula hacks require ASM. Otherwise you can use the existing ones to get as close as possible to what you want. For the animation copy the flags in the animations tab in FFTP from an ability that does what you want. Change the effect to holy explosion

3) Yes but it requires some ASM. Shouldn't be too hard of a hack.

5) I'm assuming you mean follow the target unit once you start charging. The problem is if they move out of weapon range in the meantime. Since the charge abilities don't have those flags present in FFTP, it means it's hardcoded somewhere. Sooo... probly not. However you could use the ARH (ability requirement hack) to put the restriction of projectile weapons only.


2) & 3) I know they would require ASM hacking. I'm looking for help on how to figure out just what I need to do. Any of the guides I found weren't much help.

5) Crud, I was afraid of that. And I know about the ARH, but if the ability doesn't follow the target there's no real point.

Choto

The formula hack would be a bit involved... but completely doable. I would attempt this one last and I can explain more in depth what to do. It's hard for me to explain what to do without knowing where you are at in your desire/progress in learning ASM in general.

The class evade hack would be pretty simple. The code would literally be as simple as "load character's class evade"  --> "store character's class evade". The only trick is that you need to jump to free space, which is one of the basics of asm hacking, not too tough at all.

Did you ever try to finish that Weapon Guard hack? That one will be the simplest to start with since I laid it out.

Krendall

February 10, 2014, 07:21:36 pm #16 Last Edit: February 10, 2014, 07:35:04 pm by Krendall
Quote from: Choto on February 09, 2014, 11:24:17 pmDid you ever try to finish that Weapon Guard hack? That one will be the simplest to start with since I laid it out.

I haven't yet. Part of it is because I'd been working on other things and also because, well, I was confused by the first step of renaming an ability. Yes, I'm total moron, I know. Looking at it further, I'm still not sure how exactly to set it. Looking at the Battle Stats on the WIKI and the code you gave me, it looks like I would want to use:

lbu r2, 0x0092(r4)
nop
andi r2, r2, 0x0010

That points to a blank spot in the Support Abilities list. I think I've even found the slot in FFTPatcher (01E1), but I'm still not sure how to make it work like Weapon Guard. Also, will this guarantee it's not overridden by other Reaction Abilities?

Choto

Basically what that routine from which I took those commands does this:

Check if unit has weapon guard
Skip next section if not
*perform weapon guard functionality*

So whatever support ability you put in there will have the effects of weapon guard. And you correctly set the command up to function with a blank ability. Now you just put that ability in a skillset so it's learnable/equipable.

The andi 0x0010 command means it checks for ONLY the 0x10 flag. So if any other values are present, they'll be removed. This is how it checks for only that one support ability.

Seems like you're getting it, it just takes alot more learning. As you learn though light bulbs go off and it makes learning more much easier. The beginning is the hardest part :P Don't feel dumb if you can't do something that seems simple. Everybody starts with 0 knowledge. Ask Celdia, I didn't know my ass from FFTPatcher when I first started.

Lockeadon

Quote from: Krendall on February 07, 2014, 07:55:08 am
Well, I plan to make him floating and transparent like the other undead units you encounter in those stages. That's why I need to create a new job so I can set those all as innate.

Anyway, can I chose any blank job in FFTPatcher to do this or are there certain ones that cause problems?

you may want to give the job dark/evil looking status as well to make the sprite look different.

Krendall

Quote from: Choto on February 10, 2014, 10:05:16 pm
Now you just put that ability in a skillset so it's learnable/equipable.

I'm not quite sure how to do this step here. For starters, do I just use FFTactext to name the ability, or are there more steps? Also, was I correct that 01E1 on the Abilities tab in FFTPatcher corresponds to the same blank ability? If not, how do I set it up in a skillset?

Also, I didn't realize that I was basically remapping where Weapon Guard is checked. I thought I would have to clone it as a Support ability that just did the same function. I didn't realize that checking for specific abilities was part of the ASM script like that.

Quote from: Lockeadon on February 11, 2014, 10:16:53 am
you may want to give the job dark/evil looking status as well to make the sprite look different.

I was thinking of that, too, thanks. The weird thing is, I don't want him to stand out too much, if that makes any sense. I kinda think it's more amusing to have Aglus' ghost show up with no explanation and the characters don't even acknowledge him as anything more than just another enemy to fight. Yeah, I hate the bastard that much.