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Final Fantasy Tactics: Alternate Map Pack

Started by ArmoredKori, March 03, 2021, 12:43:40 pm

ArmoredKori

March 03, 2021, 12:43:40 pm Last Edit: August 30, 2022, 10:56:04 am by ArmoredKori Reason: Added mod file for JuraviS
Alternate Map Pack

Objective:
To replace the standard battle maps with alternate battle maps for every story mission in Vanilla FFT. This will be designed to be as plug and play as possible. My aim is to require no additional hacking beyond replacing the map files on an ISO

Uses:
Once completed anyone should be able to add these alternate battle maps to any hack they are creating. I am designing it to, like custom sprites, allow non-map makers to add new and exciting maps to their hacks.

The first pass of these is strictly to get them working correctly in game. I'll be revisiting them all to make texture adjustments and adjustments per feedback from play testing!
Progress:
Orbonne Monastery 1st Pass
Orbonne-Monastery" border="0
Magic City Gariland 1st Pass
Magic-City-Gariland" border="0
Mandalia Plains 1st Pass
Madalia-Plains" border="0
Sweegy Woods 1st Pass
Sweegy-Woods" border="0
Slums In Dorter 1st Pass
Slums-In-Dorter" border="0
Cellar of Sand Mouse 1st Pass
Cellar-Of-Sand-Mouse" border="0
Thieves Fort 1st Pass
Thieves-Fort" border="0
Lenalia Plateau 1st Pass
Lenalia-Plateau" border="0
Windmill Battle 1st Pass
Windmill" border="0
Fort Zeakden 1st Pass
Fort-Zeakden" border="0
Dorter Trade City 1st Pass
Dorter-Trade-City" border="0
Araguay Woods 1st Pass
Araguay-Woods" border="0
Zirekile Falls 1st Pass
Zirekile-Falls" border="0
Zaland Fort City 1st Pass
Zaland-Fort-City" border="0
Barius Hill 1st Pass
Barius-Hill" border="0
Zigolis Swamp 1st Pass
Zigolis-Swamp" border="0
Slums in Goug 1st Pass
Slums-In-Goug" border="0
Barius Valley 1st Pass
Barius-Valley" border="0
Golgorland Execution Site 1st Pass
Execution-Site" border="0
At the Gate of Lionel Castle 1st Pass
Gate-Of-Lionel-Castle" border="0
Inside of Lionel Castle 1st Pass
Inside-Lionel-Castle" border="0
Goland Coal City 1st Pass
Goland-Coal-City" border="0
Back of Lesalia Castle 1st Pass
Lesalia-Gate" border="0
Underground Book Storage 2nd Floor 1st Pass
Underground-Book-Storage-Floor2" border="0
Underground Book Storage 3rd Floor 1st Pass
Underground-Book-Storage-Floor3" border="0
Underground Book Storage 1st Floor 1st Pass
Underground-Book-Storage-Floor1" border="0
Grog Hill 1st Pass
GrogHill" border="0
Yardow Fort City 1st Pass
Yardow" border="0
Yuguo Woods 1st Pass
yuguo-Woods" border="0
At the gate of Riovanes Castle 1st Pass
Gate-Riovanes" border="0
Inside of Riovanes Castle 1st Pass
Inside-Riovanes" border="0
Roof of Riovanes Castle 1st Pass
Roof-Of-Riovanes" border="0
Doguola Pass 1st Pass
Dougla-Pass" border="0
Bervenia Free City 1st Pass
Bervenia-Free-City" border="0
Finath River 1st Pass
Finath-River" border="0
Church Outside of Town 1st Pass
Church-Outside-Town" border="0
Bed Desert 1st Pass
Bed-Desert" border="0
Bethla Garrison South Wall 1st Pass
Bethla-Garrison-South-Wall" border="0
Bethla Garrison North Wall 1st Pass
Bethla-Garrison-North-Wall" border="0
Bethla Garrison Sluice 1st Pass
Bethla-Garrison-Sluice" border="0
Germinas Peak 1st Pass
Germinas-Peak" border="0
Poeskas Lake 1st Pass
Poeskas-Lake" border="0
Gate Of Limberry Castle 1st Pass
Limberry-Gate" border="0
Inside Limberry Castle 1st Pass
Inside-Limberry" border="0
Limberry Castle Cemetery 1st Pass
Underground-Limberry" border="0
Inside Igros Castle 1st Pass
Inside-Igros" border="0
St Murond Temple 1st Pass
St-Murond-Temple" border="0
St Murond Temple Hall 1st Pass
St-Murond-Temple-Hall" border="0
St Murond Temple Chapel 1st Pass
St-Murond-Temple-Chapel" border="0
Underground Book Storage 4th Floor 1st Pass
Underground-Book-Storage-Floor4" border="0
Underground Book Storage 5th Floor 1st Pass
Underground-Book-Storage-Fifth-Floor" border="0
Murond Death City 1st Pass
Murond-Death-City" border="0
Lost Sacred Precincts 1st Pass
Lost-Sacred-Precincts" border="0
Graveyard of Airships 1st Pass
Graveyard-Airship" border="0

I am streaming my work every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9pm CST on twitch: Channel Page

If you have any ideas as to an alternate version of a map or questions about the process, I am more than happy to hear them! Speak your thoughts/ideas/questions on the Map-Editing channel on the FFH discord or drop a comment below!

Attached is both the PPF and the individual map files if you'd like to add these maps to an existing hack! The .ppf includes a special event created by Jumza. To see it visit the Thieves Fort during Chapter 2 or Chapter 3.

I have added a .zip file that contains a mod that can be used with JuraviS to add the maps to any existing hack. Please see this tutorial for how to do this. Thanks Xifanie for making such a wonderful tool!

Thanks to Jumza, Added a .ppf that can be patched over the top of other modded ISOs!

Updates:
Added 2nd Pass versions of Zirekile Falls, Lenalia Plataeu, Bariaus Hill, and Bariaus Valley
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

nitwit

March 03, 2021, 11:59:31 pm #1 Last Edit: March 04, 2021, 02:18:09 pm by nitwit
Ganesha seems like it needs a 3 dimension selection tool, so you can grab something and move it to the side for later.

RE sectors, see if you can use Cebix's psx tools to rebuild the disc image with a larger file and get the game to work. If you can do it freely, then why not increase more maps to the maximum x/y/z size?

For Sweegy, maybe go the Araguay Woods route? Make hills, put giant stumps that fade away to nothingness on top. Maybe a few stumps here and there to jump on as well, and a stump with a hole in it that you can hide in. I don't know about lighting, but it seems like Araguay is slightly darker, like the understory in a forest. More of a suggestion of a forest than an actual forest. Also consider making a winding road/bridge through the forest, and adding a flowing stream maybe down the incline.

https://www.cavesofnarshe.com/fft/maps/mapsingle.php?mapid=080

Speaking of Araguay, two of the trees there serve no tactical purpose and just take up space, while a third does very little tactically. Move them away from the edges of the map and they can do a whole lot more.

Here are some ideas from a mod I'm planning, do as you like with them (or not). I want random battles everywhere, and all terrains to be present at roughly the same rate (not necessarily on every battlefield), hence the oddities. Your efforts are going a long way towards me eventually doing all this.

Used maps:
  • Change thieves den to a swampy area with a rock formation and carved columns shaped like vanilla map, swamp in between us and them, and some narrow (1 or 2 tiles in width) 1 and 2 depth channels.
  • Fort Zeakden to a smaller building on a snowy hill, to explain why it still exists despite being blown up. Otherwise keep it the same, but add some paths up to the top and more bridges.
  • Golgorand to a forested area in ruins, with a small stream running through it.
  • Nelveska Mount Bervenia is fine, I guess. Maybe a bridge between the small hill and the volcano, and something around the edges so you have a reason to go those ways. Maybe you can play keep-away there. I haven't seen Nelveska used in random battles so I have no idea what I'd do with it (the temple seems like a waste IMO).
  • Deep dungeon battles all 100% lit, with greater variations in terrain (volcanos, water, maybe some moss, swamp, salt water). The empty areas where you never move around 1/3 of the battlefield could just become water instead.
  • Add more terrain and height variation to existing maps, and make the less used areas of the maps more viable. I also want to have fewer perfect bottlenecks (Mandalia has like 4 for a single person, more if you have a team), and more imperfect and 1-way bottlenecks. Oh, and indirect fire hidey-holes with raised edges to protect from direct fire (but you're screwed if you get in melee range)

Unused maps:
  • Unused gate of Limberry Castle - becomes a hot springs in a lake. Lava, water, ice, snow, running water.
  • Hospital in slums - becomes an ancient machine room.
  • Inside castle gate at lesalia - to Zeltenia slums.
  • Outside castle gate at lesalia - not sure?
  • Main street of lesalia - fix it for random battles. Think it's just missing black polygons from some views, should be a low effort fix.

ArmoredKori

Definitely had the same ideas for Sweegy as you did and went with hills:
Sweegy-Woods" border="0

Only got the geometry done tonight, so moving onto terrain and testing on Friday. Hoping everything works out and I'll add the map if testing goes well!
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

nitwit

When you stream, let us know your thoughts on best practices for things such as how to shape terrain to make the most of what limited resources you have. It's hard to know the best way to do something until you're elbow deep in it; theory only goes so far.

Off the top of my head, you might free up more polygons if you have inclines rather than steps.

CONMAN

This is awesome ArmoredKori!  Map making definitely takes some patience.  I've made a couple ,but I've wanted to make several more!  I've had some big ideas only to stop and start a different one that I think would be easier to pull off.  I made a "home front" out of the thieves fort and tried to make bervenia into something of a volcano peak: https://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=9333.msg223776#msg223776

I have long thought that it would be cool to have a royal garden or a badass throne room for Lesalia (or fuck the one from game of thrones.) Really anything Lesalia centered.

I'll be checking this out!
  • Modding version: PSX

RetroTypes

Quote from: CONMAN on March 05, 2021, 12:37:44 pmThis is awesome ArmoredKori!  Map making definitely takes some patience.  I've made a couple ,but I've wanted to make several more!  I've had some big ideas only to stop and start a different one that I think would be easier to pull off.  I made a "home front" out of the thieves fort and tried to make bervenia into something of a volcano peak: https://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=9333.msg223776#msg223776

I have long thought that it would be cool to have a royal garden or a badass throne room for Lesalia (or fuck the one from game of thrones.) Really anything Lesalia centered.

I'll be checking this out!

I was just talking to Kori in the discord about making something very similar to that volcano map, never saw your version of it before! That's awesome lol. I might DL your version and modify it instead of the base map, if that'd be cool with you?
  • Modding version: PSX
  • Discord username: RetroTypes

ArmoredKori

March 06, 2021, 01:19:37 am #6 Last Edit: March 07, 2021, 12:11:00 am by ArmoredKori
CONMAN, Jumza is actively updating Ganesha to clear a bit of the tedium from map creation! Come join us in the map-editing channel in the FFH discord to throw your ideas for improvements our way.

Made more progress tonight, here is the Slums in Dorter map:
Slums-In-Dorter" border="0
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

ArmoredKori

Milestone Reached!

We have completed the first pass of all the Chapter 1 story maps. A ppf file and the map files are included in the original post. Please playtest and let me know how you feel about them. If you stream ping me in the FFH discord as I'd love to watch you play!

Here is the edit of Fort Zeakden:
Fort-Zeakden" border="0
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

ArmoredKori

I updated the ppf and the individual map files to correct the following:

  • Adjusted the ATTACK.OUT for the Cellar of the Sand Mouse map due to when you placed a unit in a specific tile it wouldn't spawn
  • Added QoL stuff for playtesting (Xskip and Smart Encounters)
  • Corrected terrain on the Thieves Fort map (however there is still an issue with the event at the end where Miluda leaves via underground)
  • A tile was not appearing correctly at a specific camera angle on Mandalia Plains, adjusted the polygon so it renders now
  • Teta didn't show up on the event after beating Fort Zeakden, she should now spawn

Please re-download if you downloaded before! Also we are moving right along into Chapter 2, here is the preview of Dorter Trade City:
Dorter-Trade-City" border="0
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

Celdia

Had an absolute blast puttering around in Vanilla with these. :D

Also, I was thinking about it and I feel like I judged Mandalia too harshly at first. Not-Saving Algus battle didn't feel really any different but when I came back for a random from the Thieves' Fort side, that felt a lot more interesting to play on.
  • Modding version: PSX
  • Discord username: Celdia#0

ArmoredKori

Sorry for the delay in updates, been falling behind on outside of stream tasks. I had an issue where I edited Zirekile Falls, but did it on the wrong state so it does not load when the story battle occurs. I'm gonna have to work on fixing that, but here is a preview in the meantime:

Zirekile-Falls" border="0

We have through Araguay Woods playable (map can be found in the main post) and edited Zaland Fort City last night. Will work on getting it playable soon, but here is the preview of that as well:

Zaland-Fort-City" border="0

Though Zirekile gave us trouble we're going to continue to edit more Chapter 2 maps! Hopefully I can catch up and consistently update this further!

  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

ArmoredKori

After over 3 extra hours of work, Zirekile is fixed and Zaland is playable too! Check the main post for the .zip of all the individual maps if you want to give them a try yourself. I'll be streaming changes to Barius Hill tonight. Feel free to drop suggestions here or on the FFH discord #map-editing channel
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

ArmoredKori

Definitely keeping on pace via stream, but haven't had the ability to update this post. We are now through Barius Valley (though Agrias does gain fly for a bit during the event!). Only 3 maps left for Chapter 2 and we're doing the Execution Site tonight on stream!

Preview of Goug:
Slums-In-Goug" border="0
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

ArmoredKori

Milestone Achieved: Chapter 2 maps edited

21 maps... The ppf and the individual files have been added to the original post. Please play test the heck out of them and let me know if you're streaming so I can come see!

Gonna be taking a break to create my first custom map, but then we'll get back at this thing! See you next time!
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

Tails_Doll_Prower

Some Alt maps? this is interesting. I know Restructuring isn't as easy. But I do run a small YT Channel. I might post some vids about these so I'm play em. I'll fine a time of when I can get them up. (and sadly my gramps switched from cable to hulu so they might complain if I live streamed. But I'll fine a time to post up some videos.)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU17dnvk6YBywBRNDHfjKeQ/videos
I'll leave this here in the mean time.

Tails_Doll_Prower

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFLCj7NEUUY

I was gonna do first half of chapter one, but didn't want it to get too lengthy.

However first 3 maps.

ArmoredKori

Took about 15 hours, but below is my first custom map: The Prison
Prison" border="0

We'll be back to working on the Alternate Map Pack on Friday!
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

Nyzer

  • Modding version: Other/Unknown

ArmoredKori

Damn, we've made so much progress in the last week and a half I'm struggling to finalize everything and post here. We're all the way through Yuguo Woods in Chapter 3. Just the Riovanes maps left and it'll be done so I won't be releasing anything until it's done.

In the meantime, here's a preview of Yuguo we finished last night:
yuguo-Woods" border="0
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori

ArmoredKori

So edits to all Chapter 3 maps are done, just need to test them and then I'll release them!

Meanwhile, here is a preview of The gate of Riovanes Castle:
Gate-Riovanes" border="0
  • Modding version: PSX
I make FFT maps!
twitch.tv/armoredkori
  • Discord username: ArmoredKori