FFVI Advance on SNES Project

SCRIPTS:
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Dialogue Script - Completed
Dialogue Expansion & Insertion - Completed

Battle Big Script - Completed
Battle Big Expension & Insertion - In Progress

Battle Small Script - Completed
Battle Small Expansion & Insertion - In Progress

Battle Lines - Completed
Battle Lines Insertion - Completed


ABILITIES:
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Magic - Completed
Magic Descriptions - In Progress

Espers - Completed
Esper Descriptions - In Progress

Bushido - Completed
Bushido Descriptions - In Progress

Blitz - Completed
Blitz Descriptions - In Progress

Lores - In Progress
Lore Descriptions - In Progress

Dances - Completed


ITEMS:
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Items - In Progress
Item Descriptions - In Progress
All Item Description Expansion - In Progress

Weapons - In Progress
Weapon Descriptions - In Progress
Weapon Types - Completed

Shields - In Progress
Shield Descriptions - In Progress

Armor - In Progress
Armor Descriptions - In Progress

Helmets - In Progress
Helmet Descriptions - In Progress

Relics - In Progress
Relic Descriptions - In Progress

Tools - In Progress
Tool Descriptions - In Progress

Skean - In Progress
Skean Descriptions - In Progress


GRAPHICS:
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Uncensored Japanese Graphics - Completed
FFVI Title Screen - Completed
Custom Dialogue Font - In Progress
Custom Menu Font - In Progress
Cafe to Pub - Completed
Custom ATB Gauge - Completed


MISC:
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Commands - Completed
Characters - Completed
Menu Text - Completed
Enemies - In Progress
Enemy Skills - In Progress


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Pretty much everything is finished, I just have a bit to do on the main dialogue, and fix some item names.

For the item names, I was wondering which would be better. Should I use the GBA names that fit, and use the SNES names when the GBA names are too long? Or would it be better to go with only GBA names, and just try to abbreviate them if they don't fit?

Now for the harder part... the battle dialogues don't fit. Even after removing the lines that are not used in the game, there is still too much data.

Now, I have an idea of how to move the data to another bank, but I don't have much practical experience with this. I'm gonna look over the disassembly docs as soon as I finish the script, but if anyone is able to (and would like to) try and nudge me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated

The battle dialog are originally stored here (Header is taken in account). There is the pointers and the dialog data (for two Banks):

Code:

0FE1E0    0FE3DF    PTR    No    Pointers to Battle Dialogue (Bank 2) (+0F0200)    7/16/2002
0FE3E0    0FF64F    TXT    No    "Battle Dialogue (Bank 2) (256 items, variable length)"    7/16/2002

10D200    10D3FF    PTR    No    Pointers to Battle Dialogue (Bank 1) (+100200)    7/16/2002
10D400    10FEFF    TXT    No    "Battle Dialogue (Bank 1) (256 items, variable length)"    7/16/2002

The next two routine is where the pointers are loaded. One is for bank 1 the other bank 2. There might be other data to change but I believe only battle event command 10 do that job, not sure though:

Code:

C1/981A:    A9D0        LDA #$D0        (from C1/96CA, C1/970F)
C1/981C:    8DD988      STA $88D9
C1/981F:    A00100      LDY #$0001
C1/9822:    B78F        LDA [$8F],Y
C1/9824:    C220        REP #$20
C1/9826:    0A          ASL A
C1/9827:    AA          TAX
C1/9828:    BF00D0D0    LDA $D0D000,X    (pointer to battle dialogue, bank 1)
C1/982C:    8DD788      STA $88D7
C1/982F:    E68F        INC $8F
C1/9831:    7B          TDC
C1/9832:    E220        SEP #$20
C1/9834:    60          RTS


Battle Dynamics Command 10

C1/9835:    200F98      JSR $980F        (from C1/956B, X = 10)
C1/9838:    A9CF        LDA #$CF
C1/983A:    8DD988      STA $88D9
C1/983D:    A00100      LDY #$0001
C1/9840:    C220        REP #$20
C1/9842:    B176        LDA ($76),Y        (parameter 1 for command 10)
C1/9844:    0A          ASL A
C1/9845:    AA          TAX
C1/9846:    BFE0DFCF    LDA $CFDFE0,X     (pointer to battle dialogue, bank 2)
C1/984A:    8DD788      STA $88D7
C1/984D:    7B          TDC
C1/984E:    E220        SEP #$20
C1/9850:    9CAC62      STZ $62AC
C1/9853:    8025        BRA $987A

Without a long explication you would have to change the values at C1/981A (this might or might not be the bank), C1/9828, C1/9838(this might or might not be the bank) and C1/9846 I think.

I don't know the difference between bank 1 and 2, one might be the big quotes and the other the small quotes but you should make sure when you move those dialog to keep the pointers right before them and like just change the value of the bank so it would mean as an example something like F6E3E0 for bank 2 and F6E130 for the pointers...It's just a suggestion.

And after that you won't be able to edit them with FF3usME.

Edit: Well after a second look here is the battle messages:

Code:

11F200    11F99F    TXT    No    "Battle Messages (256 items, variable length)"    7/16/2002
11F9A0    11FB9F    PTR    No    Pointers to Battle Messages (+110200)    7/16/2002

and where the pointers are loaded (change C1/98FE(not sure again) and C1/990C):

Code:

C1/98FE:    A9D1        LDA #$D1
C1/9900:    8DD988      STA $88D9
C1/9903:    A00100      LDY #$0001
C1/9906:    B176        LDA ($76),Y        
C1/9908:    C220        REP #$20
C1/990A:    0A          ASL A
C1/990B:    AA          TAX
C1/990C:    BFA0F7D1    LDA $D1F7A0,X    (Load pointer to battle message)
C1/9910:    8DD788      STA $88D7
C1/9913:    7B          TDC
C1/9914:    E220        SEP #$20
C1/9916:    60          RTS

I think that's all. If there is more to change you'll know when your ROM crash or glitch...

Wow! Thank you Madsiur! This is much more than I expected

I think I will keep the address the same for now, and just change the bank, until I get more comfortable with this. Thanks for the suggestion. Would I move the pointers also (0FE1E0-0FE3DF) or just the text (0FE3E0-0FF64F)?

usually pointers if they are 2 bytes refering to data in the same bank except a few exceptions. I will check what they look like right now.

Edit: One thing is sure, you have to keep the same offset for the middle and low byte of where you move the data.

Example: The data for bank 1 start at D0D200. The pointer are 2 bytes each from D0D000 to D0D1FF. Here are the first few: 00 D2 43 D2 4D D2.

So 1st ptr = D200, 2nd ptr = D243 and 3rd D24D. I don't know if the game use the value in $88D9 for the bank byte but it would make sense...

Code:

C1/9838:    A9CF        LDA #$CF
C1/983A:    8DD988      STA $88D9

Most of the time it'S a Hi-ROM or RAM bank offset that is loaded in $88D9 but I didn't really looked where it is used...

The value of the pointer is stored in $88D7. If you move your pointers you have to change this value (it would become BFE0DF??):

Code:

C1/9846:    BFE0DFCF    LDA $CFDFE0,X
C1/984A:    8DD788      STA $88D7

Make some tests and see the result!

Make some tests and see the result!

LOL, I will when I figure out what you just said haha

So the script is finally completed, almost 2 months late, but still...

Anyway, now on to the font. I'm just looking for some input... The original punctuation marks are large, and while I want this hack to be as faithful to the GBA version as possible, I'm not sure if I should change them to match the rest of the font. Thoughts?

Here is a screenshot of what I'm talking about:

Anyway, now on to the font. I'm just looking for some input... The original punctuation marks are large, and while I want this hack to be as faithful to the GBA version as possible, I'm not sure if I should change them to match the rest of the font. Thoughts?

From the screenshot I see I would make the punctuation thinner but it's just an opinion...

Are you using Poco's GBA font or is it a font that match exactly the GBA version? If Poco font match exactly the screenshot I see, I will probably make the punctuation smaller in my hack ...One thing I noticed though are the numbers which are larger than the letters and I will most likely make them thinner.

Yeah I think I will make them slimmer, thanks for the input. My font is very similar to Poco's, but there are several differences (besides the punctuation). Some of the letters are different, and I altered the numbers to be all the same height.

You're almost done! Congratulations!

Thanks Angelo! The most time consuming part is done, once I get the last of the data moved and expanded, I'll give it a quick play-through before releasing. Hopefully I can make some real progress tomorrow