Return of the Dark Sorcerer

Right in time for the new year... Version 1.7 is out!
(links on page 1)

Notable changes include:

- implemented a music player in the menu. (thanks & credit to Madsiur)

- implemented a 4th difficulty setting. (thanks & credit to Madsiur)

- implemented an alternate font selection in config menu. (thanks & credit to Madsiur) (credit to Dragonsbrethren for the alternate large menu font)

- all new and improved portraits. (thanks & credit to James White) The 'old' portraits are now available with a patch included in the extras folder.

- new/improved Kefka monster sprite, as well as many other improvements in the monster sprite dept. and a new sprite replacing the Gigas/Colossus. And a cool new Skeleton. (thanks & credit to James White)

- fixed an issue with the HP & MP curves not working correctly. (thanks & credit to Madsiur)

- fixed an issue of some newly recruited characters experience needed being absurdly high. (thanks & credit to Madsiur)

- fixed a possible event freeze from the original game in the Returner's Hideout. (thanks & credit to Madsiur)

- added a bunch of new item icons. (credit to the Pandora's Box team for the icons)

- added seibaby's 'Smart Cover' patch that makes True Knight users a little smarter. (thanks & credit to seibaby)

- fixed an issue with Runic where it would not bypass Reflect status for Arc, like it should, and re-worked the formula a bit - now it heals Arc for exactly what the spell would have damaged him for. Non-damaging spells like Death will heal him for nothing.

- fixed a certain NPC being called the wrong name.

- fixed a possible issue with the splash screen messing up graphically.

- fixed a possible issue of Ronan not having Galick Gun upon recruitment.

- fixed an issue with a couple rare monster encounters having songs that would prevent the map music from coming back in after.

- fixed two fusoya palette issues in avalon's dream sequence.

- fixed a very small graphical issue with a map tile going through a character during an event.

- fixed an issue of the timer possibly being removed from the crumbling house event.

- prevented Astral (doll item/guest character) from being used during Avalon's dream event.

- corrected a wrong palette for Summon animation.

- applied patch to fix issue with Throw taking a step back if enemy jumps. (credit to LeetSketcher)

- brought back a flute instrument that was somehow erased.

- gave Aerith a Relic to prevent instant death, which could possibly happen to her in her Flashback battles.

- added 4 more Rare Items, with no real use, just for story-related reasoning.

- changed some of the spells that Runic can absorb. For instance Hyperdrive can no longer be absorbed.

- removed the extra flashes from Ronan's Guillotine Flash animation to hopefully cut back on the seizures.

- Nerfed Osmose.

- applied Status Unknown patch by LeetSketcher (credit to him)

- made Float spell single target only. Muahahaha, deal with it!

- made Sylph esper cast float on the entire party as well as heal HP.

- removed random encounters from Owzer's Mansion basement after that event is done.

- edited a bunch of dialog.

- applied a Rage reset code made by Think0028 so monster status does not stack on death. (thanks and credit to Think)

- fixed an issue of instrument overflow causing song glitches for Undertale Bonetrousle.

- fixed an issue with Tritoch sprite missing a piece of it's tail. (credit to bydoless)

- fixed an issue with chocobo sprite in Auction House being blocked by other sprites.

- Tentacle can be dodged now.

- Arise and Curaga can also be learned from Odin.

- added FF6j Relic indicators (credit to Novalia Spirit)

- touched up a few songs.

- Cerburus is now included in the ending scene, if Oboro was re-recruited in the WoR.

- Changed 2 of the custom wallpaper/window backgrounds to FFV and FFMQ ones. (credit to James White) Also, added a patch in the 'extras' folder that will swap in 7 different window backgrounds.

- Simplified (hopefully) some of the Combo (Blitz) input commands. Sorry to those of you who've memorized them...


A huge thank you to both Madsiur and James White for many of the nice features this latest version has to offer! Madsiur with the assembly coding of some really nice additions as well as fixes, and James' excellent spritework. This is a nice way to start of the new year indeed. Thanks for playing and let us know how you enjoy this latest version or report any issues etc.


Thanks,
Mike (Gi Nattak) & Team.

Ok, i noticed in the intro(3 mechas walking toward Narshe) JCE3000GT was displayed in a weird way, check it out:
i think it was instead JCE3MMMGT

Yeah unfortunately digits cannot be used for the intro & outro credits, so this is Roman Numerals lol.

ok, btw you might expect in the next days i'll stream an attempt to do hell mode(no NG+, of course), sounds appearently feasible.
in the worst of the cases i'll stop before i see new Cloud's portrait 

Can you confirm that enemies at the very beginning in hell mode deal ~40 damage to allies in back-row? (they have 800-900 HP)

Yes that would be the Insane difficulty mode, for sure lol. You can always check out the info provided with the hack package that shows the monster data to be sure. Honestly I don't think it can be done without New Game +, that first Pincer battle is too much... unless some serious luck, and then who knows beyond that! The Hard Difficulty from the start is still something to brag about if you can muster it, I would think.

hey Mikee

i would like to request 1 day to put force field on that 1 door on kefka domain please, so people have to fight atma weapon to break the force field

Don't worry, i'm not used to gather knowledge from extra files, in exchange i'll use scan and savestates right before the battles
that pincer attack sounds like a trouble, still i'm more worried about Tritoch, which i feel he will one-shot me with some AoE if i don't grind inside the cave

Re-uploaded the hack due to a blunder causing an Aurora clone to show up during the Kefka flashback. So early since release still not going to bother with a v1.7.1, fts lol.

1.7.1 update is out. Download on page 1.

v1.7.1

- fixed a nasty bug where there could be 3 aurora objects to start the game if there was srm data present.
- fixed a horrible mistake of the game black screening if Oak dies.
- fixed an issue of wrong formation of monsters used on the WoB triangle island.
- fixed Oboro not merging correctly into the party in Rampart pub if hired.
- fixed a bug with Mithril Pike and Handcannon not optimizing correctly. (thanks Madsiur for help)
- fixed an vanilla issue of Aurora & Cloud not showing up for a second in Returner's Hideout, after speaking with Astral event. (thanks to tenkarider for noticing this)
- fixed a bug with Leo repeating some text and taking a step backward on the ship after Levy if talked to again.
- fixed a wrong NPC in Jericho when Kefka attacks.
- fixed a song/music player entrance event issue in Jericho.
- fixed a game freezing bug and other weirdness at the end game scenes if certain people were not recruited.
- fixed a nibble issue with the Stone Queen being released.
- fixed an instance of Intercepter being on the Airship deck before going in the Phoenix Cave.
- corrected a positioning error of the airship and character on the overworld after the Phoenix Cave.
- corrected a small blunder in Kefka's Tower with an event trigger I moved for testing -_-
- applied Muddle Cancel patch. (credit to Seibaby)
- applied Independent Stop patch. (credit to Seibaby)
- bettered the ugly reflect graphic byproduct of color coded digits.
- moved the WoB Durandal castle up just a bit on the overworld for a smoother, more accurate underground movement path.
- touched up the Skull Train outside tiles.
- touched up the WoB Minimap graphic.
- lowered overall monster encounter rates.
- changed Volcano (Fire 3) spell graphic/animation back to original because it had some issues and went on too long.
- made it so no exp. is gained for the Aerith flashback battles.
- made the T'ai Chi Cap and Bard's Hat equipable by some, not everyone.
- edited various regular monster AI & stats for the different difficulties.
- added a few new NPCs.
- some small event edits.
- the usual dialog and song touch ups.

oh, so there's also extra content, aside the fixes?
- can i change from 1.7.0 to 1.7.1 without any issue?
- if i do it, is there any extra content that i won't see because i already surpassed it, in the storyline?