MMMMMMMagic update

Ok, good good good stuff happening.



But I'm at an impasse on what to include in the patch release, and what to leave up to the modder...

First: For useage of the 10 additional spells, reordering the spells is a pretty simple ASM task, just updating the table with the correct order, editing espers to reflect the change, and changing the offset values for each list order in C2/574B... it sounds complicated, but its actually relatively simple. However it is something that would need to get done if someone was going to customize the new spells. This can't be pre-worked unless we set specific spells in specific slots.

Second: Startup animations for the new spells won't be automatically set. Again, if people are making their own lists they may decide to use Summons (which already have their own animation), or a physical set (with no animation), or brand new Black/White/Gray magic... So that means adding code if you need to use the magic startup animations, since they are hardcoded for the current spells only. Again, this can't be pre-worked unless we set specific spells in specific slots. Tho what I could do is set up the code, and set it up so all the hacker would need to do is set up the values of the additional spells for each startup animation type they want.

Now, with both of these things in mind, I could, for the official patch, do this work for them. My plan would be to use a specific set of new spells, built over the Desperation attacks, and remove the desperation mechanic from the game, then do all the work of reordering and setting up startup animations. I recognize most people wont go through the effort to do the ASM to make it totally custom, so there should be an option for non-ASMers. What that would do, however, is exclude the possibility of people using non-standard magic types, like Summons or even Blitz' in their additional magic. So it loses flexibility for something more plug-and-play.

I guess I could release multiple versions of the patch, one for people who want to customize it, and one for people who want plug-and-play.

Anyone who is interested in this patch have any comments or suggestions? How would YOU like to see it when you patch your ROM?