Noticed Something about the Engine...

[boomkick]

Well i noticed something, maybe not new, but i saw that once you select a target tile for any action, move or act, it is already predetermined once you select that tile. When i say predetermined, i mean that there would a few options or a different set effects it may have on said action.

To clarify, here is an example. Note that it is not 100% accurate.

Ramza attempts to attack a knight, Ramza has concentrate and Ice Brand, so evasion is ignored. Knight has counter.

Some possible actions may occur.
Ramza Hits target, Special Effect of Ice Brand goes off, Knight Counters.
Ramza hits target
Ramza hits target, Knight Counters
Ramza Hits target, Knight Counters, Ramza evades Counter.
Ramza hits target for critical
Ramza hits target for critical AND Knockback.
etc.

Only some of the above will be chosen to be possible effects.

4 possible effects
Ramza hits target, Knight Counters
Ramza hits target, Knight Counters
Ramza hits target, Special Effect of Ice Brand goes off, Knight Counters
Ramza hits target.

As you can see, I listed "Ramza hits target, Knight Counters" twice, because it is most likely to happen, thus it has a "greater chance."

Now let us do with status.

Black Mage casts Frog on a single target, target wears no evasion, but the chance of success is at 25%. The target has counter magic, where the chance of success is also 25% (Brave is 70).

Some possible effects
Frog fails
Frog succeeds
Frog fails, Counter Magic Frog fails
Frog fails, Counter Magic Frog succeeds

4 Possible effects
Frog fails, Counter Magic Frog fails
Frog fails, Counter Magic Frog fails
Frog succeeds
Frog fails, Counter Magic Frog succeeds

Everytime you return from the "Confirm Action" menu, the Possible effects are refreshed and new ones may be chosen. Heaven and Hell Knight Skillsets have a HUGE possible effect pool, but only some will be used.

All these examples are just some observations, im not eve 100% sure this is correct. I just wanted to express this because i felt the need to.

Save States were used to clarify this theory.

[philsov]

the RNG in this game is time-based.  Savestates also save the "time" the game uses, resulting in skewed figures if you use savestates and don't allow a second or two for it to re-randomize itself.  Going load state -> execute at the same rate multiple times will result in identical outcomes.

I don't understand what you're getting at between the "some possible effects" and "4 possible effects" listings though, as if there's a disparity between the two.

You are, however, correct that at the "check" phase (e.g. "Are you sure you want to move here?" for Teleport) that the time is already locked in.  However, for attack checks (damage prediction/success window), the time is set when you confirm the action, not when you select the target -- resulting in random results that should be the same rate as the actual actions if you do enough trials and chi squared.

[boomkick]

My button presses were somewhat set, meaning that were evenly timed in between, unless you are saying that the engine decides in milliseconds.

[Xifanie]

The RNG changes every 0.25 sec or so.

It was just a coincidence. Hell, on lower % skills it's pretty easy to have the next 2 seconds impossible to hit after savestating.

This is why I call it the "Random" Number Generator.