Mass Sprite Sheet Expansion Battle & NPC

Less an update or "notification of advancement of project", more of a "write it down before I forget what I'm thinking". Also, posting the idea gives somebody the chance to inform me if I'm obviously barking up the wrong tree, like a dog that's been sniffing to much glue.

After analizing C3/1632 again (thanks for the suggestion m06 btw) and tracing out some subroutines/filling in some blank comments/smoking half a pack of cigarettes... I "think" I can, possibly cut into the subroutine of the subroutine that checks if Locke is dressed as a Soldier (possibly voiding the need for this code that is run during ever single character load on the save screen) and somehow make it load the needed sprite (which is already loaded from the save games here) into Vram, using the normal table of vram addresses, then instead of showing the correct sprite number on the screen, simply load OAM data for sprite 1-12 in custom order in the proper places on the save game screen. (Meaning Save 1 would show OAM data for sprites 1-4, Save 2 show 5-8, etc).

In theory, this might work if the correct sprites are loaded, in the required order, in VRAM (if I'm correct, OAM data blindly looks to a location in VRAM for a standard PC sprite sheet, not checking WHAT sprite is in that location).

This plan (if I can do it) would allow 12 sprites loaded, 12 sprites displayed for three saved games. This still leaves an issue with palettes...

I'm not sure if it is even possible, BUT, since I'm only using the first 12 sprite sheet spots, I have to wonder why I can't use the unused VRAM (that would normally contain the other 10 possible sprites) as well as the vram normally used for PC palettes (5 palettes worth?) To load 12 palettes, in the required order to match the custom loaded sprites, from the battle palette table (which already contains one palette for each character) then display all 12 save screen sprites, in order, with their own battle palette, again in order 1-12.

If any of this actually works, then it should allow any sprite assigned to a PC to show up correctly on the save screen.

If anyone knows why this is doomed to fail, speak up. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try it sooner than later. Course next comes shops/character select which I'm not looking forward to any more than this part.