Souls of Destiny: Full 4 chapter update patch

[3lric]

I didn't expand via shishi.  I tried follow the video- but using windhex I expanded the .bin rather than adding 00's to the end of the file (i didn't see the option Xif used) I am hoping that this is the source of the sprite issues, if not some more....

This HERE You have to pad the bin with the 00's bytes to make this not happen. If you are still having issues after this, lemme know and I'll help ya out.

In deed too much jumping... Dialogue length is squirrely -I meant that I had a habit of reusing the same variable for the type of dialogue box- I usually would just use 10? which should be above the character, but end up on top of them (which might be fine if I had the camera set better.)

x11 for above the character, x12 for below the character

I'll take a look- I didn't think that was so simple. I changed it in several places, but I don't think the quick edit option in tactext hits them all.  Is it possible to change the default name in the name-selection screen at the begging of the game?- is that what you are saying?

Yes, Ramza's default name is in tactext, you can open your tactext patch in notepad instead, it's actually a lot easier to edit that way since you can just CLT+H and replace all {Ramza} with whatever you want. Just keep the brackets where they are.

I guess I can change the openbk images (PNG) , but opentex is a gif.  My Graphics Gale won't allow me to edit those...

I'll see if I can find something to help you out. I do still have that portable version of Photoshop if that would help?

I have no idea about the inventory thing..

Raven should've explained this one, IIRC this is due to one command CallFunction 01 (or {43}) remove this from that script and it should fix that issue.

I have tried to figure this one out over and over... I might post the script later in the event forum.  Nothing in her actual text or the dialogue spot seems off to me....

Post this event in a spoiler, I'll show you where the issue is that is causing this, it happened to me before as well, but it's easier to show you than to explain.

[CONMAN]

Still working on this thing despite not posting in a while.  I've adjusted several battles and done little things like patching uwentries so that Zalbag properly shows up in the formation screen.  I adjust the attackout so that a full team can now be deployed in the story battles.  The beginning of the game no longer sets "ramza" as the default name.

I've switched up the skill sets  of the main four so that they are more unique and promote growing out into other jobs.  Chelsea lost the aim abilities and  gained "witch blade", an ability that deals extra damage to those with protect/shell (and cancels).  "Connor" lost spin fist.  Jenna loses ultima and the breaths; gains mystic blast (non-elemental breath-like abilty with a charge time) and pray -revives ally (100% but only heals 1...9).  LaLa loses thief skills; gains tranquilize (weapon range: seperate sleep/slow- aim formula) and interceptor (extra damage to charging/performing units).  (Zalbag gains the control flag and becomes useful but not overpowered).

I'm having a lot of fun switching up random battles (which I really had done much of previously).  I attempted to edit the main screen, but I'm pausing on it because I think I should change the name of this patch. 

I'm going to hold off on editing the initial post/ppf until I have properly gone back through easyvent and patched the cryalization hack.  I expect that mistakes will still slip through- but fixing the cameras will be the number one priority.

oh, also:

spoiler

Offset(x0003A000)
//Remove the previous line if you wish not to override the offset in CONFIG.INI.

UnitAnim(x01,x01,x02,x00,x00)

{63}(rC9)
Camera(+00160,-00208,+00000,+00318,+03776,+00000,+04096,+00001)
{4D}(r78)
WaitForInstruction(x04,x00)
Wait(00400)

BlockStart()
WaitForInstruction(x08,x00)

UnitAnim(x01,x00,x35,x00,x00)
UnitAnim(x04,x00,x35,x00,x00)
UnitAnim(x07,x00,x35,x00,x00)
BlockEnd()
WaitForInstruction(x08,x00)

Focus(x08,x00,x08,x00,x00)

DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0001,x08,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)

Focus(x07,x00,x07,x00,x00)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0002,x07,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
Focus(x08,x00,x08,x00,x00)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0003,x08,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
Focus(x07,x00,x07,x00,x00)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0004,x07,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
WalkTo(x08,x00,003,007,x00,x00,+008,x01)
WaitWalk(x08,x00)

UnitAnim(x08,x00,x02,x00,x00)
Wait(00030)
RotateUnit(x08,x00,x0F,x01,x01,255)
WaitRotateUnit(x08,x00)
Wait(00030)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0005,x08,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
Wait(00060)
WalkTo(x30,x00,001,005,x00,x00,+008,x01)
WaitWalk(x30,x00)
UnitAnim(x30,x00,x02,x00,x00)
Wait(00060)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0006,x30,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
WalkTo(x82,x00,001,004,x00,x00,+032,x01)
WaitWalk(x82,x00)
Wait(00060)
UnitAnim(x82,x00,x29,x00,x00)
UnitAnim(x30,x00,x1C,x00,x00)
WaitForInstruction(x0B,x00)
Wait(00060)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0007,x04,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
UnitAnim(x30,x00,x02,x00,x00)
WaitForInstruction(x0B,x00)

DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0008,x30,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
Wait(00120)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x0009,x08,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x000A,x01,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x000B,x08,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
DisplayMessage(x10,x11,x000C,x07,x00,x00,+00000,+00000,+00000,x03)
WaitForInstruction(x01,x00)
CallFunction(x01)



{6A}(r052300005F)
{3E}(r02000000FFFFFF6000)
WaitForInstruction(x0C,x00)
ZERO(x006E)
ADD(x006E,x0004)
ZERO(x006F)
ADD(x006F,x0002)
ZERO(x01BF)
ADD(x01BF,x0001)
ZERO(x01C0)
ADD(x01C0,x0001)
ZERO(x0269)
ADD(x0269,x0001)
ZERO(x03EF)
ADD(x03EF,x0001)
EventEnd()

//INSTRUCTION SECTION END -  TEXT START
//Message x01
{font:08}Zalbag{br}
{font:00}Welcome guests. I am sorry{br}
,but Ramza is unavailable at the{br}
moment.  Lala, my brother speaks{br}
well of you.  May I ask why you{br}
have come?{end}


//Message x02
{font:08}Lala{br}
{font:00}We came seeking news{br}
of a growing threat in Ivalice.{br}
Someone is gathering men{br}
for rebellion and is recruiting by{br}
force.{br}
My brother, his family, myself, and{br}
the knight Weigraff have all faced{br}
recruitment at the end of a blade.{br}
They don't seem to take no for{br}
an answer...We wished to find{br}
out their motives and hoped that{br}
Ramza would have the resources{br}
to uncover this for us.{end}


//Message x03
{font:08}Zalbag{br}
{font:00}Ha!  I wish Ramza was more{br}
concerned with this threat you{br}
speak of.  He still acts as more of a {br}
child than he should.  As a Beolve,{br}
he should take a leading role in these{br}
sorts of matters......................{br}
I have been trying to{br}
uncover this myself.  {end}

//Message x04
{font:08}Lala{br}
{font:00}So, then you know who{br}
is behind this movement?{end}

//Message x05
{font:08}Zalbag{br}
{font:00}Actually, I thought I would{br}
by now.  I have, or rather I had a {br}
man on the inside.  I sent Ramza's{br}
close friend Delita out to gather{br}
information.  I had him join up with{br}
these rebels, but he seems to have{br}
been found out recently.........{end}

//Message x06
{font:08}Alma{br}
{font:00}Pardon me, but I must say{br}
that your little girl is adorable.  I can't{br}
wait until I find a good man and{br}
have a beautiful child.  I can see{br}
it like a dream, even now.{end}

//Message x07
{font:08}Chelsea{br}
{font:00}Jenna! Behave yourself!{br}
I'm sorry, she's eager to please.{end}

//Message x08
{font:08}Alma{br}
{font:00}Don't apologize.  It's just{br}
what children do!{end}

//Message x09
{font:08}Zalbag{br}
{font:00}Back, to our discussion.{br}
I was considering having Ramza{br}
join me on a mission to retrieve{br}
his young friend, but seeing as{br}
this is a mutual goal.... Why don't{br}
you accompany me?{end}

//Message x0A
{font:08}{Ramza}{br}
{font:00}Thank you.  We are{br}
honored to join you on this{br}
quest.{end}

//Message x0B
{font:08}Zalbag{br}
{font:00}I assume you must have{br}
some talent if they sought you{br}
out.  I love the inherent irony that{br}
they wished to hire your blade {br}
only to find it in their belly!{end}

//Message x0C
{font:08}Lala{br}
{font:00}Uhmmm......yeah.{br}
It's hilarious....their uh..{br}
murder that is....{end}

[TigerBlade]

Awesome, keep up the good work!

[CONMAN]

mini update on slow progress:

*added gameover hack for non-main hero crystalization... keep forgetting the un-boot-able hack for them.

*Figured out and partially implemented world map drawing etc. for third chapter.  (I always wanted an epic battle series at the capital.)

*Did some touch ups on some early events and made the the first two events for chapter 3.  (Also realizing that I will abuse the hell out of {43}callfunction 0F/10 for mid battle transformations)

*Thinking I need to get a new hex editor to properly pad my original file to make a better ppf.

Curious if anyone can suggest a good alternative to camtasia- I would like to throw some videos out, but I don't want to drop $299 to do it.

[3lric]

*Thinking I need to get a new hex editor to properly pad my original file to make a better ppf.

TinyHex works great, as does Winhex

Curious if anyone can suggest a good alternative to camtasia- I would like to throw some videos out, but I don't want to drop $299 to do it.

Find me on IRC

[fin7710]

Just played through the fist two chapters, this is great.  Just wondering if this is still being worked on.  I see this thread hasn't been updated in a couple months. 

[CONMAN]

Just played through the fist two chapters, this is great.  Just wondering if this is still being worked on.  I see this thread hasn't been updated in a couple months.

It is still being worked- Sorry I have put out an update, or uploaded a newer version of the mod.  I have actually been slowly cleaning up events and stuff. 

I'm slowly working on the third chapter.  The map paths and story are going further off the rails as I move forward.  I really hadn't been motivated to update in a while- I'll try do so soon

[CONMAN]

Thought I would post a little update on where I am with this patch.  I'll have a couple weeks of furious progress and then months of inactivity.  Anyway, as this is mostly a story patch (Main characters changed but not giant job changes like in other patches) I thought I would post how far I am.  The ppf on the initial post hasn't been altered and only goes up to the loki battle.  I still need to make attack battle event changes on these later events (switching kill'em alls/boss fights as well as target id of save the esper battle)

spoilers ahead, but what the hell!

spoiler

Event Progress

ORIGINAL:    ALTERED

orbonne prayer: intro/home
orbonne battle: Homefront battle
Military academy: Magnus intro
Gariland battle: save Lala
Balbanes death: Lala's house
Mandalias plains (Algus):Mandalias plains (Weigraff)
Igros: Join up with Zalbag
Sweegy woods: near identical
Dorter trade city: near identical
Interrogation: Magnus visits Alma
Sand rat Cellar: trap battle
Gustave V Weigraff: save Delita+ revisit Weigraff
Larg's Praise: Return Delita to Igros
Miluda 1: Rebattle Beatrix at homefront
Release Miluda: Murder...
Attack on Beoulve: Magnus kidnaps Alma
Meet with bedridden Dycedarg: near Identical
Expelling Algus: Meet/Recruit Ramza
Reed Whistle: Magnus defeats Weigraff
Miluda 2: Battle Elidibs Avatar
Weigraff Berating Golagros: Magnus woos Alma
Windmill Battle: Defeat Alma
Finding Teta Missing: (removed) turned into chap.1 Rumor battle
Fort Zeakden: Magnus Battle
Partings: Alma.......

Chapter 2

Orbonne: Recruit Isabella and Simon
Dorter 2: Near identical
Araguay Woods: Incredible Hulk battle (Thanks Jumza!)
Zirikile Falls: Save Weigraff from Delita
Ovelia Joins: Words with Weigraff
Zaland fort City: Battle as Weigraff to save Esper
Ramza, Mustadio, Agrias & Ovelia meeting: Weigraff meets Izlude
Ruins of Zaland: similar-Hero speaks with Simon
Bariaus Hill: Battle Phantom Thief Zero
Dycedarg & Gafgarion Reunion: Dycedarg conspires with Vormav
Gate of Lionel Castle: virtually identical
Meeting with Draclau: similiar..
Besrodio Kidnapped: Mustadio kicks Rudvich butt
Zigolis swamp: battle Goug scum with Rudvich
Goug City: battle Mustadio and mechsuit troops
Besrodio saved: recruit Mustadio
Warjilis Port: Meet Elidibs
Draclau hires Gafgarion: similiar
Bariaus Valley: Defeat Evil Agrias
Gologorand site: very similiar
Substitute: Simon and Draclua discuss the stones
Lionel castle gate: battle human Draclua
Inside of Lionel castle: suped up Quecklain
Gelwans Death: High Priest Funeral Plots

Chapter 3
(event compression and real map path alterations begin)

*Event compression: rumor battle against lizardmen

Chapter 3 Start: similiar-Goltana officially begins the lion war
Goland coal city battle: Zaland fort battle with Loki and Frost giants
Goland Post Battle: Magnus returns
Talk with Zalbag: Weigraff becomes official shrine knight
Outside Castle Gate in Leaslia: Goland battle against ramza
Outside Castle Gate in Lesalia; Talk with Alma: Re-recruit Ramza

*Orbonne Battle series becomes Lesalia Capital Series
Orbonne monastery: Front gate of Lesalia
Underground Book Storage First Floor: Side gate of Lesalia (unused Limberry2 map)
Underground Book Storage Second Floor: Defeat baron Grimms and save Ruvelia
Underground Book Storage Third Floor: Back gate of Lesalia-battle Orlandu
Meet Velius: Thanks and War stategies with Ruvelia

*Malak and the Scriptures: reordered into later battle
Delita swears allegiance to Ovelia: Weigraff and Izlude prepare for battle
Grog Hill: Battle Magnus as Weigraff.......
Meet again with Olan: Vormav introduces himself to Weigraff
Rescue Rafa: (Moved to Dougla Pass) Rescue Esper/ defeat Izlude *in Progress
Exploding Frog: *Not started
Yuguo Woods: (moved to Bervenia Free city) Demon Children Battle *In progress

*Malak and the Scriptures: Finath River Battle *Not started

*Riovanes Castle Battle Series becomes Zeltennia Castle battle series *Not started

[DeJ]

Conman --

I began playing your patch a few days ago and let me say that it's a great patch! I love the character changes and minor job/ability tweaks you have come up with so far. Your patch is on my watch list and I will be playing all versions as they're released. Please stick with this project and post another Beta version if you can.

Also, not sure if others experienced this, but at the beginning of the game, after the Mandalia Plains fight - when you go to Igros and an event occurs with LaLa and the party at the front castle gates. Once the event and dialogue conclude, it started my game over again (from the Thieves Fort battle). It basically 'reset' my game and I was unable to do anything at or beyond Igros. I am using PSXfin 1.13. Could you maybe look into this and address with next update?

thanks man, keep up the great work!

[CONMAN]

Thanks for the heads up.  I'll check this out to see what happened.  I assume something got funky when I condensed the first chapter to make event space.... Hopefully, it shouldn't be hard to fix.

[DeJ]

Sounds good, thanks Conman!

Please keep us updated on this great patch.

[CONMAN]

Sorry man, I thought I had rechecked the first chapter (probably from a later point).  I caught where this mistake happened- due to faulty event compression..... anyway the updated patch is on the first page!

[DeJ]

Thank you very much good sir! I'll be playing this tonight and will let you know my thoughts if you'd find them valuable.

[Guru]

Conman! This was an awesome patch man!! I was a little hesitant at first because it was a alternate timeline/story kinda thing and I usually have trouble getting into them but I had no trouble getting into this at all. I enjoyed it very much and I didn't realize how far along your mod was but it had plenty of content and kept me busy for quite a while  . The story was great and I like the new characters you added. I also like the skills and new jobs too. I thought the difficulty was a little low though. I have been playing quite a few mods the last few months so I definitely kicked all the rust of off my fft skills a while back. I would like to see the difficulty increased on your next chapter though. But that's just me I love a challenge. Either way the story is good and will keep me interested.

Now on to glitches/bugs.

I only noticed one bug honestly

spoiler

The battle at grog hill lucavi vs magnus repeats every time you go over grog hill

There was tons of graphical glitches. The only one I would say affected game play was the glitchy attack sprites. Other than that these didn't affect gameplay but still very noticeable: Blue character faces, almost all battle conditions are incorrect(save algus, save rafa, and etc.), and portraits are glitchy(black spaces or empty spaces on faces).

There was also a lot of minor typos and such.

also

spoiler

The queen has no portrait and there is a scene with rafa(where malak the frog comes) from vanilla towards the end that is out of place

Most of the typos and graphical glitches are very noticeable so I won't post em here but I did take a lot of screen shots. I'll post a few so you have examples and I can PM the rest to you if you want. But yeah keep up the work CONMAN you got another fan now  Hope to see more sometime in the future!!

**edit**

spoiler

Actually everything after the lucavi battle repeats itself and even got me two esperellas lol. During the esper battle the esper has the no crystal status with the stars but she can still die. Matter a fact even after reviving her she still can die  :evil: was really irritating. Guess I got lucky on my first battle

[CONMAN]

Conman! This was an awesome patch man!! I was a little hesitant at first because it was a alternate timeline/story kinda thing and I usually have trouble getting into them but I had no trouble getting into this at all. I enjoyed it very much and I didn't realize how far along your mod was but it had plenty of content and kept me busy for quite a while 

Wow, I had no idea anyone had played that far!

I would like to see the difficulty increased on your next chapter though. But that's just me I love a challenge. Either way the story is good and will keep me interested.

This definitely needs an eye.  I'm pretty much the only one play testing, hence my style of play/ lack of grinding definitively contributes.

There was tons of graphical glitches. The only one I would say affected game play was the glitchy attack sprites. Other than that these didn't affect gameplay but still very noticeable: Blue character faces, almost all battle conditions are incorrect(save algus, save rafa, and etc.), and portraits are glitchy(black spaces or empty spaces on faces).

There was also a lot of minor typos and such. 

I believe most of these graphical glitches are due to me screwing up the ppf patch creation.  Editing the battle conditions are something I have struggled with- Every time I have attempted to change them I apparently create a file too big to re-insert....  The Queen didn't actually have her portrait on the sprite because I'm still working on it   I believe some other port mistakes pop up because I reused old dialogue commands and didn't catch every time they have a Wildface port forced over it. The typos are the bane of my existence!  I know the spacing has thrown me off...

I enjoyed it very much and I didn't realize how far along your mod was but it had plenty of content and kept me busy for quite a while

Yeah, my plan of attack on this mod has been to create one giant sketch, rather than a few perfect picture (it really shows).  As for the glitches around the Lucavi battle- that's pretty much where my work has stopped. It needs to be fixed up- I didn't think anyone would have played that far!

Thanks for your support!  I'm actually going to post a couple videos for other people to view.  I'm using camstudio and the videos it outputs I can't open with my video editor (which I don't even know how to use yet!). I either need to find afile converter of some kind, or something....   

[Guru]

Give me a shout if you ever want me to test anything. I'm not sure I'd be able to give suggestions on balancing or anything but I can at least give you a rating on how easy it is or something along those lines  And I can always point of any glitches/bugs I find. Always good to get a different perspective!

Hey sorry for posting this here...but I figured I was posting here anyways so I'd ask. Still planning on doing a frankensprite tutorial someday? That would be extremely helpful to people like me, who have 0 artistic ability  

[fin7710]

Is this new version backwards compatible?  I'd love to use my save data from the end of Chap.2.  It seems to work so far, but I'm only in the first battle of Chap. 3.

[CONMAN]

Is this new version backwards compatible?  I'd love to use my save data from the end of Chap.2.  It seems to work so far, but I'm only in the first battle of Chap. 3.

I assume that you are using the original download. Yes-As long as you're save is from chapter 2 on.  Unfortunately you don't have a whole lot of battles completed left- but they should be real good.

Still planning on doing a frankensprite tutorial someday? That would be extremely helpful to people like me, who have 0 artistic ability

You've got me thinking about it- It probably wouldn't be a video, more like a ten screen shots with some explanations.

[Guru]

Hey conman I found some of my notes I had typed for your game(I think its for souls anyways....) and I forgot to mention one of the battles.
It's hard to recall exactly but wanted to post anyways.

spoiler

The dragon battle was ridiculously easy. Not sure if the generic dragons were supposed to attack the "boss" dragon but they did and they killed him before I could even get over there. I actually remember having to reset a few times and try again because I wanted to try and tame him(which didn't work but I'm sure that was intentional so I just poached him)

Also Lich summon says Rich. I believe it can be translated to either of these(?) but it says Lich on the skill list and says Rich when you summon

I'm pretty sure I mentioned this one already but just in case.... The battle with esperella is bugged, Now I only noticed it after i fought that battle a second time (because the game loops at the end) so I'm not entirely sure it happens on the main battle... but she would die and I revived her and all was going well then all of a sudden she randomly dies and game over. 

*edit* I had this written down as well but can't remember what the skill does.

mystic blast in description says all allies

[LastingDawn]

That is an impressive opening! I enjoyed the esoteric speech between the ?Heavens? and the Spirit, beyond that I have to wonder where you got that matching font for the place names, this is definitely a promising work.