Battle command pointers and general question

Hello smart people, I think I could use a bit of guidance.

First question is actually, well regarding the implementation of a modification purposed in this post. I did accomplish removing the failed steal messages, however I haven't managed to edit the animation pointers for any command. I THINK I found the right location, however none of the functions in my ROM are equal to an unedited ROM (for instance CDBE that should refer to "Fight" isn't in the location it should be, the code around it is the same, but not the part that should say "CDBE". I actually found an unheadered unedited ROM for reference to get around most issues like this, not overly productive but it does a certain challenge) The biggest problem though, is I've yet to figure out where the value part of those functions are. I started changing things and didn't get any result at all, not even a crash strangely enough.... so some guidance on this issue would be helpful. Would also like to redirect the "Row" command to do something like open the item menu, not sure if that is possible with the same sort of editing though.

Which also leads into my second question. During my random browsing of all the brilliant ideas purposed around here, I came across one that suggested using the Magitek menu to give instant access to Swordtechs (don't remember who actually said it, but was a good idea for the purpose). This made me wonder though, what if you utilized the Swordtech Charge bar to replace standard Magictek menus? Instead of just having instant access, it would have to charge... The question part of this is, would it be possible by just redirecting some attack functions to swap the two, or would it be a major overhaul? Probably over my head regardless, but it left me wondering.

Another rather odd thing I ran into while swapping in a sprite made by one of the many talented spriters around here. Installing the sprite with the editor is simple enough, and was effective (replaced Shadow's sprite), I didn't change color palette 4 that he normally uses but changed it to use palette 1 for the battle palette. Now I DID do the hex editing for overworld palette use as well, but that's not the odd part. After switching to palette 1 for battle colors, I modified the two red-ish colors from palette 1 to be a bit more red. I done this in gimp on the palette of the sprite and imported it. The strange thing was after I loaded the game, in battle, the two red colors came back white instead of red... not sure what I jacked up with that one....

Thanks for any assistance/help/information provided in advance. I also tend to ramble, alot, if clarification is required let me know.

I don't have time to go into your first question now, but I've got quick answers for you other two.

For the Magitek/Swdtech mechanic swap: yes. it is doable by moving pointers. I would have to work through it to make sure everything affected was taken care of, but definitely yes. What should work is to first find the command pointers and swap the two, then in the individual command codes, change the pointer for the first ability. Then swdtech should be set unless you want to reorder the spells in an order that makes more sense to the chargin mechanic. In the new swdtech you will have to build a command list based off the first ability pointer, its all in the dissasemblies. Search for Magitek in C1 or C2 (forget which right now).

For this, I would say just edit the palette from the editor rather than trying to use an external program. I forget if FF3usME does this, but SpriteEd definitely does.

Seems like switching the skills around would be tedious but not difficult, although that still leaves the concept of how you learn Swdtechs, wouldn't switching the pointers leave that code to try and let Cyan learn what would effectivly be Magitek skills? I would think it simpler to just bypass learning and leave the created newly Swdtech menu full from the start, but how would you get past the game trying to make you wait for Cyan to come along and start learning would would now be Mtech skills? Or could that learning code be told to drop Swdtech's into the old Magitek menu?

Far as the palette thing, I'm starting to think it has something to do with the fact I used a different palette set, not a full color edit, and its not loading the new one from the save games I'm testing from. Plan on just waiting till I start a playthrough and see what happens. Might just leave the little bugger with his color crysis... least it would be something... different... I guess.

Right, forgot about the learning and availability. Yes, you could make them all available from the start. Besides that, it would take some real ASM hacking to get properly working.

Okay, after a night of intoxicated button mashing and a days worth of cussing, I've somehow accomplished most of what was in that first paragraph... except turning Row into Item.

I've retargeted ever instance of Row I can find in C1 and C2, mutilated the Row cluster of code to make it go to the same block Item goes to and....

I get the throwing hands in the air, open text box where it should say what I just used and nothing else. Where the heck is the part that tells "Item" to open the menu and let you pick an item to use? I could really use some direction on this one, from what I understand it should have been in C2...

Can I ask you what your end goal is for making Row open the Items menu? Cause it might be easier to simply replace Row with Item instead of trying to make Row act like Item.

The intended end goal would be effectivly adding a 5th battle command ,without rewriting the menu, allowing 4 normal commands to be assigned in the standard easy way. Yes, it would be easier and safer (not sure what, if any, monster attacks access the code for row) to just edit the battle menu to drop the Item command in place of Row, however, I've had just about as much luck finding that as I have finding the part that opens the item select menu and making it work.

Granted, it has been a good time waster and a learning experiance to try and rewrite Row to work as Item... but I'm starting to have nightmares in hex... not about hex, I mean IN hex. Thats just creepy let me tell ya.

Granted, it has been a good time waster and a learning experiance to try and rewrite Row to work as Item... but I'm starting to have nightmares in hex... not about hex, I mean IN hex. Thats just creepy let me tell ya.

I have been in the same boat learning about abilities and magic. I'm no more than a few weeks ahead of you as far as hacking time is concerned... and yes, those dreams are scary, I'm pretty sure I saw a "G" in there once.

If I get the time today, I will try to find the code for the battle menu and see if I can't replace Row with Item. I would expect to find it in C1 since that's where most menu's are drawn. But it might be C2.

lol, G... that defiantly qualifies as a nightmare.

Anyway, I would think since Row is listed like all the other commands in C2, that yeah, the code to place Row as selectable would be in area that handles menus. Not sure, but I would also think it would be close to the part that handles placing the normal 4 character commands... maybe... Not thinking to straight tonight, to much work seems to make it hard to follow stuff. I'll look at C1 again next time my brain is functional though.

Have to wonder though, if you can actually drop a command like Item on the side menu where Row is, what is to stop you from putting any command there? Without a large amount of effort that is, hrm... sounds like fun. Although, like anything to do with this stuff, have to find it first. Not tonight though, sleep is needed.

Appreciate the help, btw, And good luck with that magic editing stuff. I know I'm headed there eventually, but I'm not sure if I should be excited or afraid.

Har har, found me a pointer... I think.

C1/7C14 is the line that makes the jump to the Row command from battle menu selection (think I said that right). If you redirect it to the Item command line, 5769 instead of 5631, it will open the item selection menu then allow you to select, target, and prepare to use the item.

Then it comes to a grinding halt and crash. From my playing in C2, and rewriting the Row command section to reroute over to Item (at the time I thought was just the animation portion of it) everything to do with actually using the item selected from C1 seems to be handled in C2.

What I still can't figure out is how, or where, it links from C1 selection to C2 execution... apparently it is not sent over from the Item command section of C1 though.