Notes on changing clan members names

[zompimalakae]

I've been browsing this site for awhile and have been trying to change the generic clan member names, but there doesn't seem to be much information anywhere about it. I was hoping this thread would help anybody else looking to do this, as well as ask for help on a few parts.

This is what I've got so far:

I came across this faq here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/gba/560436-final-fantasy-tactics-advance/faqs/40618 and got the original addresses for each clan member. I didn't know where to start so I messed around which changing the pointer rather than the actual names.

So I loaded up FFTA, and opened up Memory Editor and went to the corresponding address which in this case is character 4 for a Llednar (yeah I know).



Then I got the name value from this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be5pPHnHOYI which is in 32-bit, if you haven't noticed in the first picture I'm working in 16-bit. 32-bit flips the values, so I just had to convert it back to 16-bit like so:

32-bit=085512EC
to
16-bit=12EC 0855

I didn't think about taking a screen before I changed the name  so where it says 12EC 0855 is the area you would put the names value you are switching to.



After that I went back to check and...



Success!


Now here's where I need help, just saving the game with the name modded doesn't work. When I go to my party list and scroll to Llednar the name reverted.

So I converted it to a 16-bit codebreaker (hence why I was in 16-bit) really took screens at the last second

Player 4 Llednar Name Code
82000398 12EC
8200039A 0855

Also Sucess! lol

Now, with that code activated P4's name will remain as Llednar, but after saving the game, reloading, etc and scrolling to Llednar the name glitches out the screen or defaults back to the original name.

The only way I was able to get the name to stay was to patch in the cheat using GBAATM, but that's sloppy. 

So, what I need help with is getting the altered name to stay without having to patch a cheat to the rom.

I also saw this page http://datacrystal.romhacking.net/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Tactics_Advance:String_Tables which has the name tables, but I couldn't figure out how to locate the names to use them on other characters, I only found a bunch on empty values

Any help/pointers would be much appreciated, also if there are any questions about what I did here feel free to ask and I'll get back to you. Sorry if I wasn't clear while explaining some of this is was written pretty quick.

P.S. Only making a Llednar as a vanity character for anyone wondering, it goes with my Official from the judge missions.



Also a bit off, used Llednars player sprite using Darthatrons AIO Tool

[Darthatron]

Hello! Very good work. However, there is also a "Name Validity" byte in the Character data in the RAM. This byte is always 0x106 bytes after the start of the name pointer.

0x2000398 + 0x106 = 0x200049E

This byte needs to 01 for Static Names and 00 for random names, otherwise the game resets it. It will save fine if this byte is set. I hope this helped.

[zompimalakae]

Bingo! That did it thanks a lot  I had no idea there was that extra bit  any advice on how I'd use those name tables? I couldn't find the name values, I probably was searching the wrong way or something lol.

Also, not to "Off-Topic" this, but does your AIO tool show portraits? I get a "I can not display this image sorry"

[Darthatron]

I guess I never ripped the Static name pointers. I'm sorry.

http://datacrystal.romhacking.net/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Tactics_Advance:String_Tables#Random_Name_Strings

The value is in the "Text Offset" column is the value you need. Say you wanted to make it "Alek", the value for "Alek" is 0x00566A35. However, when you are changing the value, the 00 at the start needs to be 08 instead. This tells the game to read from the ROM, rather than the RAM.

08566A35 is "Alek"

And no. It's compressed and I do not have a decompression function written yet. I'm super lazy!

[zompimalakae]

Again thanks a lot I just realized that it went right over my head that the values I was looking for were the text offsets in that list     

And lol alright I was just making sure I wasn't missing something needed by your program.

[Darthatron]

No problem!

No you're not missing anything, I'm just super lazy.

Oh, and thanks for posting in such detail. It makes it easier to help you.

[zompimalakae]

no problem  my main posts are always detailed for that reason