Tutorial : Text editing to add custom skill names and change AP costs in FFTA

[rrs_kai]

Text editing to add custom skill names and change AP costs in FFTA.

The tools needed are:
-1- A hex editor that supports table files (ffta707 recommends windhex and it is used here)
-2- ffta707's table file found here Job name Editor the application didn't work for me but the included table file is what we want.
-3- Darthatron's A.I.O (ver 0.7.7.1 is used here)
If you just want to re-assign skill names and/or edit AP costs then skip to step 3.

---Step 1---
-Open the hex editor (windhex) and then open the ROM file in it.
-Next load ffta707's table file into it.
-You will now see a screen like this where I changed Dummy to Steel-Stance.

spoiler: hex-editor

---Step 2---
-Although we can edit the old skill names its better to enter new ones as there is some empty space in the vanilla ROM.
-Hit Ctrl+G (goto) and enter 00556030.
-This shows a lot of text as #D#u#m#m#y, all we have to do now is enter the new skill name in hex format.
-The #R#e#d alphabets are coded in hex as:
capital alphabets A to Z ---> B1 to CA
small alphabets a to z ---> CB to E4
space is 00
hyphen is FF

-I observed that the text-strings always end with bytes 00 and 01, if you want end a string just add 00's and finally 01.

---Step 3---
-Open the A.I.O and load your ROM. Now open the job editor.
-Select the second tab and hit the pencil icon which allows editing of skill-sets.
-Choose the ability you want to rename (here first aid) and click on the name dialogue box. This should show a list of all names in an alphabetical order.

spoiler: A.I.O job editor

           

Search for your new skill name and save it. Edit the AP costs if you want to.
The advantage to using job editor is that these changes are properly being reflected in the equipment that teach these skills along with the AP costs.
-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
-The A.I.O will re-assign the pointers and it will look like this:

spoiler: edited text and AP costs

           

[portalreaper]

When I try to edit the strings, I can't put in the # marks. Only text.

[rrs_kai]

When I try to edit the strings, I can't put in the # marks. Only text.

I am not sure if you can type in #x alphabets, I was editing text one alphabet at a time.
capital alphabets A to Z ---> B1 to CA
small alphabets a to z ---> CB to E4

Also, I should point out that adding names in place of dummy failed. The first couple of names showed but then the later ones did not
Editing existing names works fine though.

[portalreaper]

I am not sure if you can type in #x alphabets, I was editing text one alphabet at a time.
capital alphabets A to Z ---> B1 to CA
small alphabets a to z ---> CB to E4

Also, I should point out that adding names in place of dummy failed. The first couple of names showed but then the later ones did not
Editing existing names works fine though.

Okay, I see what you're doing, I was just typing in text and doing nothing with the hex lol. But can I still edit the first few dummies?

[rrs_kai]

Okay, I see what you're doing, I was just typing in text and doing nothing with the hex lol. But can I still edit the first few dummies?

Here's what I did
dummy-5 alphabets
I changed 2 dummy's to steel-stance the next few to sanctus-burst.
steel-stance came fine but for sanctus-burst only sacnctus would appear, after that nothing.

This probably means that start and end bytes are already coded. So you are still restricted to entering something with 5 alphabets (in place of dummy).