Editing the "Feed Cid Fish" event.

Hey gang, I was wondering if I could get a little help in editing what is (in my opinion) the most annoying part of FFVI, the beginning of the WoR where you either have to feed Cid fish or let him die.

In my opinion, it's a complete and total time-waster (Cid's not an important character...if he were a party member, I could understand putting forth the time and effort). What I wind up doing is fast-forwarding my ROM for a while until he just doesn't move anymore.

But, he's a good guy, I like him, so I'd like to be able to save him without having to waste an hour of my time trying to do so.

Keep in mind that I'm still (slowly) learning how to hex edit, and my event hacking skills are negligible at best. So any answers/help I get that are put in layman's terms so this noob can understand them would be greatly appreciated.

That said, here's what I've figured out. I know that the various fish have a set value; i.e., +2 for a yummy fish, +1 for "just a fish", -1 for "fish", and -2 for a rotten fish. Those numbers may not be exactly accurate, but I understand the correlation between a yummy fish making Cid's condition improve and a rotten fish or not feeding him at all making his condition worsen. I figure there is a certain "point" value per things he says (i.e.; "I can't bear this anymore" is one step worse than "Hackack! I feel a little better!"). What I'd like to do is to either try to boost the values of the various fish so that it takes fewer fish to save him, or turn them all into yummy fish.

Please, correct me if I'm wrong on any of those assumptions.

Either way, I want off that island with my afternoon/evening still intact. XD

At CA/53C2 (CA/55C2 with the header), you'll notice the commands 4B 8A 08, this is the text box that comes up right before it checks what "HP" Cid has. After that:

CA/53C5: EB (compare the next value to a specific number)
CA/53C6: 07 (this is Cid's "HP", which will be compared to...)
CA/53C7: 00 01 (the hex number $0100, which is 256)

If Cid's "HP" is higher than the number at CA/53C7, Cid will be fully healed. So if you make the number smaller, Cid will be healed more easily. For example, if you change it to 5A 00, it will check if his HP is higher than $005A, or 90 (he'll probably be healed after the first fish).

I haven't actually tested any of this, but I think it's right. If it isn't, feel free to come to my house and write profanities across my door.

While the approach Lockirby is most certainly what you are looking for, there is another way to do this.

You could just place celes on the raft, and have her land close to Tzen in the WOR. Though that will take care of the cid scene, you might want to check whether palidor appears or not later in the game at that beach. Maybe there is an event bit at that scene that triggers the appearance of palidor at the beach later in the game..