"Activating" the dummy actors?

I am working on a script change, and as an alternative to modifying the battle script to allow for more space, I had the idea of using the extra unused actors (#48 and onward, the ones with random names) and renaming them to NPC names (Vargas, Ultros, Gestahl etc) and referencing them to save space in the battle script text, and allow me to continue using ff3usme. I'm using Zone Doctor to edit the events - I'm aware of the issues, but I have created space for new event flags by removing the character rename input and the fade/refresh. However, I don't seem to be able to figure out what allows the actor to get its name active. I know other NPCs do this, like the various Kefka actors that sometimes have a name when you reference them, and don't at other times. There is a "Change character name" event, but when I add one during the Locke intro scene - "Change character $31's name to $31 (Ultros)" - it changes LOCKE's name for some reason, even though he is referred to as character $01 above. Obviously I'm missing something but I'm just doing trial and error. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions as to the way this stuff works it would be appreciated

It's because the character is simply not recruited or set up/loaded rather (event code). Testing with the first battle event dialog (Whelk) if you try loading Vicks' name as say,
Sabin < A$05 >, it shows as blank. But if you load Vicks as < A$21 >, which is VICKS, it shows up correctly, because his name's been loaded at the start of the game:
CA/5E5A: 7F Change character $0F's name to $21 (VICKS )

Along with his other properties. It might just be the name loading that does it for the battle dialog, but I'm not positive. I'm not too sure offhand if you could possibly load up all the unused characters in order to have them all activated for battle dialog, without effecting the playable characters and whatnot.

There is a "Change character name" event, but when I add one during the Locke intro scene - "Change character $31's name to $31 (Ultros)" - it changes LOCKE's name for some reason, even though he is referred to as character $01 above.

yes it is here:

Code:

CC/A6CA: 7F    Change character $01's name to $01 (LOCKE )

What you want to do cannot work. Characters and actors are not the same thing. Both usually match for the main cast but character refer to the 14 games characters and 2 guests (0E and 0F) while actors are the 64 entities editable in FF3usME. Characters $31 doesn't exists and cannot exists because he would require a memory block for stats names and learned magic and there is only room for 14 (simply put, in fact entity $31 is used in event but it's an generic active party member, it does not refer to someone in particular).

In details, if your first parameter of command $7F is below $31, it will multiply the parameter by 37 (size of a character memory block). Anything above 7F 0D XX is out of bound in memory for this purpose (storing a name in RAM). If your parameter is $31 or above, the game does other stuff because $31-$34 are party members I think and camera is $35 (?). Command $7F details are at $C0A03A, see also $C09DAD that is the first thing called and does the calculation of memory offset to store the character name.

It's starting to make more sense, thanks. Looks like the only place I'll be able to use this trick is during the Floating Continent sequence when Gestahl is shown in battle, it seems he takes the place of Kamog since that name is available during this battle event. So in theory I should be able to change his character name before the event runs, unless I'm mistaken.

Looks like the only place I'll be able to use this trick is during the Floating Continent sequence when Gestahl is shown in battle, it seems he takes the place of Kamog since that name is available during this battle event. So in theory I should be able to change his character name before the event runs, unless I'm mistaken.

I'm not sure where you got this info but I don't think it is correct. Gestahl is an NPC ($1C) in the event and no properties can be set to a NPC like a name (see $CAE075 in event dump and around). For the battle event, Gestahl name is hardcoded in the dialogues and for animation purpose Locke serve as a placeholder for Gestahl and Terra for Kefka:

Code:

D0C844: 03 01 DF C9   Animation for character 1(LOCKE) at $D0C9DF
D0C848: 0F            Excecute animations
D0C849: 01 D9         Display long battle dialogue $D9 at bottom of the screen
                         "GESTAHL: Kefka! Are you nuts?!"