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Creating An Additional Learnable Menu of Spells?

#1
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One of the major aspects of my patch involves expanding FFVI's events to tie up some loose ends. I plan to do this by adding two playable characters to the game allowing the player's to explore their narratives. I specifically plan to move Umaro and Gogo to guest slots where they can be recruited in the WoR. The new characters which we will call Character 0C and Character 0D will take their place. To accommodate the extra characters I'd like to create at least one extra command menu. Now I know how to make the out of battle skill menu option using GrayShadows' Expanded Skills Menu and point it at the Command Skill in question. I also know how to replace Relm (08) for Character 0C and how to modify the individual spells using his Natural Ability Extension hack. 

Here's what I don't know: 

  1. Can I use Catone's Possess Command Menu hack to change Possess into an 8 "Spell" menu by pointing GrayShadows' Expanded Skills Menu at Possess, to make the battle menu?
  2. If the above works, can I use GrayShadows' Natural Ability Extension Hack to add level up based learning to those "spells"?
  3. If the above works, how do I add menu descriptions for spells that don't normally have them?
Here are links to the Hacks in question:
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#2
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Yes and no, you're going to miss a few things. Catone's patch is probably fine on it own and usable for your purpose. However, Grayshadow's code only add a menu entry in main menu. It doesn't have the logic of the sub-menu coded. If you only want to display the spells / descriptions, you'll need to relocate the C3/20A5 jump table and add an entry for your skill. From there, you'll need an init function, sustain function, cursor positions (you could point to C3/4BE4), list building function (could maybe reuse the dance / blitz code at C3/5623), drawing functions. In short, apply everything the other skills have in bank $C3 except Grayshadow's code, the closest example being Dance. It's kind of a lot of work and a somewhat big first ASM project in my opinion.

As for descriptions, you'll need windhex and the correct table file. The process is easy except if the description is variable length with pointers. I don't really remember what applies here. I think I've seen a thread a while back about expanding spell descriptions.
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#3
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Here's the thing. I don't make compromises with my patches. If it seems like anything less than professional, I don't do it. While Catone's patch adds the skills, it doesn't add the spell learning or the menu display. Though I just had an idea. What about something similar to tools? Could Catone's code be linked to inventory items the way tools is?
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(03-28-2017, 02:38 PM)Timbo Wrote: Could Catone's code be linked to inventory items the way tools is?

No. Catone code use partially Magitek's code, at the point of modifying the patch to make it behave like Tools you better start from scratch and use portions of Tools code if possible. Tools is more complicated, you have to reserve some RAM for the owned tools (or look items each time Edgar use the command). If you want to use spells like Flash and without special effects like some other Tools, you'll need to expand the $C2 Skean / Tools spell IDs table. If you want special effect you'll need another table similar to the Tool table in bank $C2. I'm not really familiar with the battle menu code, how to hook a new skill to existing menu or do one from scratch so I'll stop here.
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[-] The following 1 user says Thank You to madsiur for this post:
  • Timbo (03-28-2017)

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Thanks Madsiur. While the answers to my questions are frustrating, your assistance in understanding these limitations is incredibly​ helpful in that it allows me to move forward. As always, I'm grateful for your help.
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(03-28-2017, 04:17 PM)Timbo Wrote: Thanks Madsiur. While the answers to my questions are frustrating, your assistance in understanding these limitations is incredibly helpful in that it allows me to move forward.

There's no easy way to add a new skill. Regardless of the path chosen, you'll have at least some menu work to do, in a battle menu and field menu. I'd suggest you try your hand at it once you get a bit of ease with ASM. You'll learn a lot!
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