FFT: Anonymous Heroes - Test Patch Beta

[Fusso]

Concept: The real heroes of a war are not the ones making the victory speech, the real heroes are those who bleed on the battlefield, that fight for honor, for some ideal, for a better future, and not those who fight for a name or a title. Now, it is time for those heroes to rise. There's a new war, and your are only one more.

Goal: One of the problems that i had with the original FFT was the special characters relevance. By the time you got to the fourth chapter, you had maybe 2 of the original generic characters you started with. By the time you get Orlandu you can pretty much don't use any generic char at all. I changed this.

Base Hack: This patch was created with FFT 1.3 easytype as a starting point, mostly because i think that it have a reasonable amount of challenge and it is a good canvas for any other hack.

Changes: Special characters will only stay with you as long as they are relevant to the story. And they will only be with you as guests. The will never be a part of your party and formation screens and they will level with your group. So they will be relevant even if you power level. There will be no special classes available for you, not even for Ramza. Everytime a special character would join you, you will get a rare item instead, Orlandu will give you his sword, Agrias a ribbon and so on. Some classes have changed also, since we will have less power by the end of the game all the classes got some kind of buff. Also, the requirement for some classes have changed. More on this subjects later.

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[center:3m4xsv9m]Click here to download![/center:3m4xsv9m]

Class changes
Fighter (Squire)
Higher PA and "ruin" abilities. Got Tame

Knight
Higher HP and new skillset. Now he is the party leader, with great support and buff skills.

Archer
Higher Speed and new skillset, with some old knight and engineer skills.

General changes
- Two hands and two swords are no longer available for purchase. Only Samurai will have two hands and only ninja will have two swords. Other classes have been buffed so it won't make that much of a difference (but still do, that's the point).
- Only enemies have counter-attacks. So the battle will be less random or luck based.
- Only Knights and Red Mages can use Shields without the support skill.
- Spears now force two-hands.
- Only Knights can use Knight Sword.
- Axes, Maces and Spears got buffed.

New class
Red Mage
Warrior/Mage hybrid with good PA and MA, low hp, high mana. Uses "soul" skills, all have 100% chance of hit and consumes no mana, but are not very powerful. Can purchase Mana Shield. Can use swords, shields and light armor. Requires Level 3 Black Mage and Level 3 White Mage.

Know issues
- Only the chapter 1 battles (random and story) are finished. The others can still be too hard, since i didn't playtest them.
- Red Mage still uses the Mediator sprite. Needs to be changed.
- Some of the new skills can be overpowered or underpowered.
- Some of the texts dont make much sense now. "I will join you now, Ramza" said Agrias, but she never did (women, always playing with our minds).
- Some of the skill and job descriptions are a little off. Most of them are accurate though.

Enjoy
Any feedback will be great.

[Mari]

Patch ideas go in the Patch Proposals/Ideas Thread.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2214

[Fusso]

I thought about that thread, but i created a new one for a simple reason

im not asking someone to make the new patch. im the one who will make it. i have some experience with the hacking of the game, i helped to create the easytipe.

i created this thread only to ask if it is possible (engine-wise) to make those changes

[PX_Timefordeath]

Exactly why it goes into the patch proposal/idea thread

Only make a new topic if you have enough of the patch completed to show off some of it.

[philsov]

Quite frankly the proposal megathread doesn't foster new ideas well.

The special character thing is balls easy... just find the event when they join up and simply uncheck the join after event box.  Character-specific gear can be given as a battle trophy for the preceding battle.  You may want to event edit to change the script to something like "well, good luck.  See ya", but editing at that level is very easy.
 
The skillset and item changes are balls easy and just need patcher to do.

I'll post later about how to rig up blue magic

[Fusso]

One of the problems i had with FFT 1.3 was the itemization of the enemies. I guess that a lot of that was random, so if you over-leveled your chars, and not by much, the game would kick your ass HARD. Easytype addressed those problems quite well, but i guess that without the special chars, it would still be a little harder. I don't have ambitions to make a hard FFT, not even close.

So i will make all enemies equip be limited for what is availabe in the shops at the moment of the battle. The only way i know to do this, is to set the equips manually. But i could be wrong. There is a way to limit the random equip for what is available? If not, someone have a spreadsheet with info about the shop changes through the game?

Also, there's a way to trigger the Cloud event without Mustadio on the party?

--

Question: I'm the only one that thinks that Squire is a bad name for the class. Something like Fighter or Warrior would be more accurate?

[philsov]

There is a way to limit the random equip for what is available?

Nope.  Enemies are equipped back on their levels and the "enemy level" parameter of items, which is independent of storyline/shop progression.  You can limit enemy levels and fine-tune the corresponding items, maybe.  

But....

spoiler

[9]Equipment list - What's available when?

By (once again) Ex Soldier Cloud:

Checkpoint 1: [Gariland Magic City]

[Swords]: Broad Sword
[Knives]: Dagger
[Staves]: Oak Staff
[Rods]: Rod
[Headgear]: Leather Hat
[Body]: Clothes
[Items]: Potion, Antidote, Eye Drop, Phoenix Down.

Checkpoint 2: [Igros Castle]

[Swords]: Long Sword
[Knives]: Mythril Knife
[Crossbows]: Bow Gun
[Shields]: Escutcheon
[Headgear]: Feather Hat, Leather Helmet, Bronze Helmer
[Body]: Leather Outfit, Leather Armor, Linen Cuirass
[Accessories]: Battle Boots
[Item]: Soft, Maiden's Kiss, Echo Grass

Checkpoint 3: [Sand Rat Cellar]

[Swords]: Iron Sword
[Knives]: Blind Knife
[Staves]: White Staff
[Rods]: Thunder Rod, Ice Rod, Flame Rod
[Bows]: Long Bow
[Shields]: Buckler
[Headgear]: Red Hood, Iron Helmet
[Body]: Leather Vest, Linen Robe, Bronze Armor
[Accessories]: Small Mantle
[Items]: Hi-Potion

Checkpoint 4: [Lenalia Plateau]

[Swords]: Mythril Sword
[Knives]: Mage Masher
[Crossbow]: Night Killer
[Bows]: Silver Bow
[Axes]: Battle Axe
[Shields]: Bronze Shield
[Body]: Chain Vest, Silk Robe, Chain Mail

Checkpoint 5: [Chapter 2 Start]

[Bow]: Ice Bow
[Spear]: Javelin
[Shield]: Round Shield
[Headgear]: Jeadgear, Barbuta
[Body]: Mythril Vest, Mythril Armor
[Accessories]: Spike Shoes, Leather Mantle
[Items]: Shuriken, Holy Water

Checkpoint 6: [Zirekile Falls]

[Swords]: Coral Sword
[Knives]: Platina Dagger
[Staves]: Rainbow Staff
[Rod]: Poison Rod
[Stick]: Cypress Rod
[Headgear]: Triangle Hat, Mythril Helmet
[Body]: Adaman Vest, Plate Mail
[Accessories]: Power Wrist

Checkpoint 7: [Lionel Castle]

[Katanas]: Asura, Koutetsu
[Sticks]: Battle Bamboo
[Crossbows]: Crossbow
[Bows]: Lightning Bow
[Spears]: Spear
[Dictionaries]: Battle Dictionary
[Harps]: Ramia Harp
[Guns]: Romanda Gun
[Axes]: Great Axe
[Shields]: Gold Shield
[Headgear]: Green Beret, Gold Helmet
[Body]: Wizard Outfit, Wizard Robe, Gold Armor
[Accessories]: Rubber Shoes, Defense Ring, Defense Armlet, Wizard Mantle, Reflect Ring
[Items]: Fire Ball, Lightning Ball, Water Ball, Ether, Remedy

Checkpoint 8: [Bariaus Valley]

[Katanas]: Bizen Boat
[Staves]: Wizard Staff
[Flails]: Flail
[Headgear]: Cross Helmet
[Body]: Brigandine
[Accessories]: Diamond Armlet

philsov | Posted 3/18/2005 1:39:03 PM | message detail
Checkpoint 9: [Chapter 3 Start]

[Swords]: Ancient Sword
[Katanas]: Murasame
[Ninja Swords]: Hidden Knife
[Spears]: Mythril Spear
[Sticks]: Musk Rod
[Crossbows]: Poison Bow
[Bows]: Mythril Bow
[Bags]: C Bag.
[Shields]: Flame Shield, Ice Shield
[Headgear]: Twist Headband
[Accessories]: Feather Boots, Magic Gauntlet, N-Kai Armlet
[Items]: X-Potion.

Checkpoint 10: [Lesalia Imperial Capital]

[Swords]: Sleep Sword
[Knives]: Main Gauche
[Sticks]: Iron Fan
[Katanas]: Heaven's Cloud
[Ninja Swords]: Ninja Knife
[Dictionaries]: Monster Dictionary
[Cloths]: Persia
[Axes]: Slasher
[Flails]: Flame Whip
[Guns]: Mythril Guns
[Shields]: Aegis Shield
[Headgear]: Holy Miter, Diamond Helmet
[Body]: Judo Outfit, Chameleon Robe, Diamond Armor
[Accessories]: Germinas Boots, Jade Armlet, Elf Mantle
[Items]: Magic Shuriken

Checkpoint 11: [Orbonne Monastery]

[Swords]: Diamond Sword
[Knives]: Orichalcum
[Rods]: Wizard Rod
[Staves]: Gold Staff
[Sticks]: Gokou Rod
[Ninja Swords]: Short Edge
[Spears]: Partisan
[Crossbows]: Hunting Bow
[Bows]: Windslash Bow
[Dictionaries]: Papyrus Plate
[Harps]: Bloody Strings
[Bags]: P Bag
[Shields]: Diamond Shield
[Headgear]: Black Hood
[Body]: Power Sleeve, White Robe
[Accessories]: Magic Ring, 108 Gems
[Items]: Hi-Ether

Checkpoint 12: [Yardow Fort City]

[Sword]: Platinum Sword
[Katanas]: Kiyomori
[Ninja Sword]: Ninja Edge
[Cloths]: Cashmere
[Flails] : Morning Star
[Headgear]: Golden Hairpin, Platina Helmet, Circlet
[Body]: Black Robe, Platina Armor
[Accessories]: Sprint Shoes, Bracer, Dracula Mantle

Checkpoint 13: [Chapter 4 Start]

[Swords]: Ice Brand
[Knives]: Assassin Dagger
[Ninja Swords]: Spell Edge
[Katanas]: Muramasa
[Shields]: Platina Shield
[Body]: Earth Clothes, Carabini Mail
[Accessories]: Angel Ring
[Items]: Yagyu Darkness

Checkpoint 14: [Bethla Garrison]

[Swords]: Rune Blade
[Knives]: Air Knife
[Sticks]: Octagon Rod
[Katanas]: Kikuichimoji
[Crossbows]: Gastrafitis
[Spears]: Oberisk
[Bags]: H Bag
[Shields]: Crystal Shield
[Headgear]: Flash Hat, Crystal Helmet
[Body]: Black Costume, Light Robe, Crystal Mail, Reflect Mail
[Accessories]: Red Shoes, Feather Mantle

Checkpoint 15: [Limberry Castle]

[Headgear]: Thief Hat

As for cloud, the easiest thing to do is probably prompt the battle the first time you're in Zahfgnjerkj Trade City (instead of the flower girl scene), which should be doable with the attack.out editor.

[Fusso]

I think that for a first patch i will not make availabe the Cloud battles. I hope that it won't be that big of a deal. After all the rest is ready i will see what i can do to make it make sense. Mostly because i still don't know what the reward for those quests would be. Put Cloud in the team would kill the idea of the hack, but maybe, make the soldier class available for all the chars wouldn't be that bad, since we will have only one Materia Blade, we won't see a team of five soldiers.

[Fusso]

BTW... thanks for the list

another thing
when the random battles change? it's every chapter or do they also have a checkpoint?

[philsov]

every chapter is the rule of thumb, but there's so many exceptions we have yet to bother with any sort of concise list.

[Vanya]

9. Remake the Mediator class. My idea is to make something like a Blue Mage, but i don't know if it is possible.

It is quite possible. The framework already exists in the game for blue magic style skills.
It is, in fact used for learning Ultima, Zodiac and the level 4 black magics.
My theory is that they were planning to make a blue mage job, but ran out of time/space.

At any rate, I'm working on a small patch for vanilla FFT that re-balances the generic monster MA Growth & Multipliers to fall more in line with the rest of the jobs in the game so that a human can use Monster abilities without them being terrible under powered. Once my patch is applied the only barrier to a blue mage using a monster ability is animation compatibility.

[philsov]

vanya - make sure to make sure the pre-raw stats of monsters is set to the same as humans with no variance, or you're in for a tough time at low levels

[Fusso]

i think that the weirdest aspect of the "blue" mage, is that if i don't change the sprite, he will be using pink and gray

there's already a good blue mage sprite somewhere?

[Vanya]

Thanks for the reminder, philsov!

@Fusso: Check around the sprite forum. I know there's been a male and a female blue mage floating around for a couple of years now, but I don't know if they were ever finished.

[Fusso]

Just finished the first chapter, the text and the class changes, except for the blue mage, i still dont know how to proceed with this one

ill post the patch a little later

[Fusso]

Double post

i scrapped the blue mage idea

would be too much work for a not so good class... instead a made a red mage with some monster skills... i tried to make it like a weak black mage with strong melee...

i will try to post the patch later today

[Vanya]

That sounds like a blue mage to me.

[Fusso]

The main difference is that you learn it with job points and that i tried to keep the abilities "elemental" like.

There is a fantastic female Red Mage sprite and a not so impressive male one. All good, but i can't change the sprite in the party menu and job change screen. The tutorial isn't helping me either. There is another way to do it?

I must also note that i use linux, so i'm using a Virtual Machine to work with the patchers, maybe i dont have some required dlls

[Fusso]

This is very weird... I gave to the archers the abilities Rend Helm, Rend Armor, Rend Shield, Rend Weapon, Leg Shot and Arm Shot... but they don't work... at all

when i confirm the action, it shows me the damage it would cause. But when i confirm, it does nothing

anyone knows why?

[Vanya]

Did you change the Archer's menu type to 'Default'?

Also, look here for the formation sprite stuff.