Patch: Esper Commands 1.0

Patch:  Esper Commands 1.0
Target: Final Fantasy 3, version 1.0, english, with header
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In the default game, all actors have a fixed setup of four commands by actor. The patch allows extra commands to be setup for the default actors based on the equipped esper.

The setup of the commands is based on the system used in the status screen for Gogo. Instead of only Gogo, all default actors can setup commands.

The available commands are determined by the default commands for the actor and the default commands for esper. The default commands for the actors always will be available, independently of the equipped esper.

Please, check the included file for details.

This could be very interesting, particularly if Espers are restricted by character as well. I feel like an entire hack could be balanced around this patch at its core.

Wow, really neat! It reminds me of the GF system in FFVIII. I'll dick around with it for a bit to see how it works.. I think something really interesting could be made with this.

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I'm getting errors from xkas when I assemble the .asm file, although the patch still seems to work so I guess they're just warnings.

Code:

warnpc() value >= pc

Every instance of warnpc seems to throw this error. I'm not exactly sure what warnpc is supposed to be used for but it seems that the offsets given as parameters for it might be set set one byte short?

Lockirby2: yeah I was thinking the same thing, that it would pair well with Synchysi's esper restriction patch.

Maybe even Hatzen's own Imbued Magic patch would play nicely with this. Although I would prefer being able to have magic learning intact, for the characters who learn magic naturally (Terra & Celes, and Relm with the Natural Ability Extension patch).

Hatzen08: would it be possible to make a version of Imbued Magic that retained the learned magic lists, so it essentially just instantly gives you access to the spells when you equip an Esper (or item) regardless of learn%, but still allows you to keep the spells if you've learnt them 100% via Magic Points or natural magic? I realize you gutted the magic code to make room for that patch, but perhaps it would be possible to relocate the code to free space.

That makes come into my mind 15th man project somehow (fusion command references)

I'm getting errors from xkas when I assemble the .asm file, although the patch still seems to work so I guess they're just warnings.

Every instance of warnpc seems to throw this error. I'm not exactly sure what warnpc is supposed to be used for but it seems that the offsets given as parameters for it might be set set one byte short?

I used asar to compile the asm file. The warnpc argument is different between xkas and asar. From the manual.txt file in the asar folder, i found this:

Code:

- warnpc has been changed. In xkas, org $00F606 : warnpc $00F606 fails; however, I belive this makes
  no sense. Therefore, I have made Asar accept this code. org $00F607 : warnpc $00F606 will
  obviously still fail. The argument is meant to be the first byte you want protected.

In asar, the warnpc argument is the first byte address which must be protected. I don't know about xkas, but it looks there is the difference of one byte, for the warnpc argument, when compared with asar.

Hatzen08: would it be possible to make a version of Imbued Magic that retained the learned magic lists, so it essentially just instantly gives you access to the spells when you equip an Esper (or item) regardless of learn%, but still allows you to keep the spells if you've learnt them 100% via Magic Points or natural magic? I realize you gutted the magic code to make room for that patch, but perhaps it would be possible to relocate the code to free space.

The imbued magic hack was designed to free the addresses areas used to store the learned spells for the default actors. The primary concept was to free these addresses area for other purposes. Because they should be preserved against modification from the original code, the original code related to update/store the actors learned spells was erased in the patch.

Because the learned spells area was erased, it is not possible to add it again without a new redesign of the patch. As it is now, the patch isn't compatible with the learning rate methodology. It should be necessary to analyze the original code, related to the learning/update of spells, which was erased, and the actual imbued magic code. Then, they must be redesigned to be compatible with each other. After it, a hybrid patch between the imbued magic hack (esper/equipment spells methodology) and the original learning of spells related code (learning rate methodology) must be implemented.

Sorry, but I have no interest in it. It isn't a small update or modification. It is a full redesign of the patch.

Thanks for the explanation, I understand the reasoning behind the patch now. Since you released the code I can look into it myself.
So, if you don't mind me asking, are you planning to do with all that free SRAM?

Regarding the warnpc issue, you might want to throw in a note in the documentation about the discrepancy between how xkas and asar handles the warnpc command.

So, if you don't mind me asking, are you planning to do with all that free SRAM? 

It has low priority now because i have another more important hacking projects, but I plan, in the future, to use a piece of it as a expansion of the actor RAM data, the structure that begins at $1600. It has $25 bytes by actor but i fell i may need a little more space.

Regarding the warnpc issue, you might want to throw in a note in the documentation about the discrepancy between how xkas and asar handles the warnpc command.

Yes. I also will explore the opportunity and make a generic technical faq to append in all future patches. As example, it should include the subjects:

• What is a header? how do i add/remove it?
  
• What is the ips file? how do i apply it?
  
• What is the dua file? how do i apply it?
  
• What is the asm file? how do i compile it?
  
• ...more subjects...