How to edit text and fix names for generic characters (Solved)

[rrs_kai]

I have two questions in specific, if you answer A then ignore B.

A) How to fix names for the 4 generic characters you get at the beginning of the game? If there is a way to edit names after recruitment then that is also good.

B) If A is not possible (or reproducible), then is it possible to edit the name and class/skills of semi-generic recruitable characters like Eldena, Lini, Cheney, Pallanza and Quin?

*edit*
I tried to hex edit text following the offsets from ffta707's topic but the hex editor shows all text in latin symbols with one or two english alphabets.
An example from ffta707's offsets "00526650 - 00526670: Month's/ Moon Phases? (Look like, S#a#g#e#m#o#o#n#)" but I couldn't find any of those aplhabets nearby.

I also tried his text editor but it gives an error saying "component comdlg32.ocx or one of its dependicies not correctly registered" although the file comdlg32.OCX exists (tried changing capital OCX but didnt work).

*edit 2*
I got the text to display using the table file, but text editing is buggy.

*edit 3*
here is a way to partly edit skill names from the public version of the AIO 0.7.7.1 beta (this is great if you just want to re-assign skills, skill descriptions and skill names but not entirely type whatever you want)

-1-open the ROM in the AIO and go the the second tab in the job-editor
-2-click on the small pencil which says "edit ability data" (fig.1)
-3-reassign skill name and skill to whatever you like (fig.2, note: all sprites may not have the necessary frames for selected skill)
-4-you can also edit the skill descriptions from here (fig.4 shows an example of a skill changed along with its descreption)

-the advantage to this is that these changes are properly being reflected in the equipment that teach these skills along with the AP costs (fig.3)
-if you've been editing AP values in the a-ability editor then they wont reflect on the equipment
-I also observed that if different AP values are given for the same ability in the job-editor and the a-ability editor then the value set from the job-editor takes precedence, so edit AP costs in the job-editor

                 

[Mjolln]

In ffta707's text editor, you can find a table you can import to your hex editor. That way you will be able to see S#a#g#e#m#o#o#n# (and the other names too).

You can try to fix each unit name by using AIO. But, more likely, you will have to begin a new game for the changes to be displayed.

[bcrobert]

Actually, it will most likely carry over even if you're in the middle of a save. See, the game would have no reason to save the actual name since they're predetermined names anyway. It should just save the value assigned to that name.

Let's say for example that "Alexis" is name #48. If you replace "Alexis" in the ROM with "Erika" then when the game loads name #48 it should pop up as Erika instead. I'm 90% sure this is how it will work, since SquareEnix looks to have used as little space as possible in a lot of their work on FFTA.

[rrs_kai]

Actually, it will most likely carry over even if you're in the middle of a save. See, the game would have no reason to save the actual name since they're predetermined names anyway. It should just save the value assigned to that name.

Let's say for example that "Alexis" is name #48. If you replace "Alexis" in the ROM with "Erika" then when the game loads name #48 it should pop up as Erika instead. I'm 90% sure this is how it will work, since SquareEnix looks to have used as little space as possible in a lot of their work on FFTA.

Correct.

In ffta707's text editor, you can find a table you can import to your hex editor. That way you will be able to see S#a#g#e#m#o#o#n# (and the other names too).

You can try to fix each unit name by using AIO. But, more likely, you will have to begin a new game for the changes to be displayed.

I being noob didn't know how to import table files in HxD, so I used windhex. I don't know how to add '#s (#alphabet)' and replacing '#s' with 's' crashed the game.

[rrs_kai]

double post

the main post has been edited with a method to partly edit skill names (partly becaues it only allows re-assigning of skill names and not typing whatever you want, still quite useful)

[ffta707]

Characters displayed as "#s" or "#a" (etc.) are represented by 2 bytes. For example, for text displayed as #P#a#l#a#d#i#n, if you want to change the text you have 2 options.

1. Repoint the text to freespace in the rom - all pointer locations are displayed here, thanks to darthatron: http://datacrystal.romhacking.net/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Tactics_Advance:String_Tables. Find the pointer at that offset and enter the new, free space offset in reverse order.

2. Edit the text where paladin is, but don't go over 7 letters.

To see 2 byte characters, open the table file in notepad. It will show

80BC = A
80BD = B

(those aren't correct)

And so on. Hope I could help, don't have much time.

[rrs_kai]

Characters displayed as "#s" or "#a" (etc.) are represented by 2 bytes. For example, for text displayed as #P#a#l#a#d#i#n, if you want to change the text you have 2 options.

1. Repoint the text to freespace in the rom - all pointer locations are displayed here, thanks to darthatron: http://datacrystal.romhacking.net/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Tactics_Advance:String_Tables. Find the pointer at that offset and enter the new, free space offset in reverse order.

2. Edit the text where paladin is, but don't go over 7 letters.

To see 2 byte characters, open the table file in notepad. It will show

80BC = A
80BD = B

(those aren't correct)

And so on. Hope I could help, don't have much time.

Thanks.
I went for option 2. Read the file for values and replaced them accordingly.
I changed Mindbreak to Mana-Seep just didn't post it here.

Also, in windhex, these #P#a#l are in RED and others in plain white. The white text uses two bytes per character. Why is that so? whats the difference.

[ffta707]

Oh did I mix white and red up?

Are the white characters the ones with "80" in front of them?

I'm not sure about the color difference, I always just ignored it.

[rrs_kai]

Oh did I mix white and red up?

Are the white characters the ones with "80" in front of them?

I'm not sure about the color difference, I always just ignored it.

that clears it up.
#X text uses one byte and X text uses two bytes.
also, the white ones start with 80

[Victotem]

How do you edit the descriptions with your own letters?

Edit: i just found a awesome tool that allow to do that:
https://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=12433.msg227789#msg227789