FFVI: Divergent Paths

[Sarah-ga]

RIP this bug is still a thing lmao
This bug has been plagueing the hack for a while now.

I get that, my mod Arcana - Seal of Rimsala has been plagued with issues from a patch whose author vanished years ago   Pretty sure we got most of them though.

[PowerPanda]

My current thoughts on the Mog Sprite Glitch:


I've tried everything I can think of. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

[C-Dude]

Insert a subroutine at the start of the scenario split code, right before the screen fade but after Mog is spawned as an object.
Add an action queue that pauses event execution until completion.

In this action queue, make actor $0A do the following (Mog is still actor $0A, yes?)

> Set movement speed to normal
> Set layering priority to 0
> Set to walk while moving
> Set action to $00
> Set to face down

Code:

{0A-87}               Begin action queue for character $0A (Actor in slot 10), 7 bytes long (Wait until complete)
{C2}                  Set event speed to normal
{C8-00}               Set object layering priority to 0, (low nibble 0)
{C6}                  Set entity to walk when moving
{00}                  Do graphical action $00
{CE}                  Turn object downward
{FF}                  End queue

That should at least clean up the animation trouble whenever the scenarios pop up.  The other place it happened was on the airship... not sure what you could do there.

EDIT: You didn't mess with ram addresses $09F8 or $0A11 did you?  Those could mess with Mog's field display, the latter especially for his lower body.

[PowerPanda]

Insert a subroutine at the start of the scenario split code, right before the screen fade but after Mog is spawned as an object.
Add an action queue that pauses event execution until completion.

In this action queue, make actor $0A do the following (Mog is still actor $0A, yes?)

> Set movement speed to normal
> Set layering priority to 0
> Set to walk while moving
> Set action to $00
> Set to face down

Code:

{0A-87}               Begin action queue for character $0A (Actor in slot 10), 7 bytes long (Wait until complete)
{C2}                  Set event speed to normal
{C8-00}               Set object layering priority to 0, (low nibble 0)
{C6}                  Set entity to walk when moving
{00}                  Do graphical action $00
{CE}                  Turn object downward
{FF}                  End queue

That should at least clean up the animation trouble whenever the scenarios pop up.  The other place it happened was on the airship... not sure what you could do there.

EDIT: You didn't mess with ram addresses $09F8 or $0A11 did you?  Those could mess with Mog's field display, the latter especially for his lower body.

The scenario split already accounts for that at CA/AD9C. I am also trying to puzzle out that I didn't change any of the event code regarding Mog, aside from switching him from character slot D to character slot A. In the other places where I have noticed it, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. Once was in the Gau's Father scene, where he was party member 3. Once was simply entering the menu and then exiting it when he was the lead character. I have not done anything with the listed RAM addresses either.

I'm thinking it might have something to do with the code for Everybody Gets a Chocobo, but again, that code doesn't touch Mog's sprite or any of the code near it.

[C-Dude]

Hmm... I made the same change in my hack (using Mog's profile instead of Umaro's for the scenarios), which is built on yours, and I have never encountered this visual bug. Perhaps the difference is that I didn't let the game constantly re-initialize Mog in that spot. Let me pull up my code for that event.

Code:

CAAD4C: {5C}                  Pause execution until fade in or fade out is complete
CAAD4D: {D3-CC}               Clear event bit $1E80($1CC) [$1E99, bit 4]
CAAD4F: {F2-D0}               Fade out current song with transition time 208
CAAD51: {3D-0A}               Create object $0A
CAAD53: {41-0A}               Show object $0A
CAAD55: {C0-A4-80-8A-34-00}   If ($1E80($0A4) [$1E94, bit 4] is set), branch to $ CA348A
CAAD5B: {37-0A-0A}            Assign graphics $0A to object $0A (Mog)
CAAD5E: {43-0A-05}            Assign palette $05 to character $0A (Mog)
CAAD61: {3F-00-00}            Remove character $00 (Terra) from party
CAAD64: {3F-0A-01}            Assign character $0A (Mog) to party 1
CAAD67: {3F-07-00}            Remove character $07 (Banon) from party
CAAD6A: {3F-04-00}            Remove character $04 (Edgar) from party
CAAD6D: {3F-01-00}            Remove character $01 (Locke) from party
CAAD70: {3F-06-00}            Remove character $06 (Celes) from party
CAAD73: {3F-05-00}            Remove character $05 (Sabin) from party
CAAD76: {3F-02-00}            Remove character $02 (Cyan) from party
CAAD79: {3F-0B-00}            Remove character $0B (Gau) from party
CAAD7C: {3E-00}               Delete object $00
CAAD7E: {3E-07}               Delete object $07
CAAD80: {3E-04}               Delete object $04
CAAD82: {3E-01}               Delete object $01
CAAD84: {3E-06}               Delete object $06
CAAD86: {3E-05}               Delete object $05
CAAD88: {3E-02}               Delete object $02
CAAD8A: {3E-0B}               Delete object $0B
CAAD8C: {6B-09}               Load map $0009 ("Choose A Scenario") instantly, (upper bits $2400), place party at (8, 6), facing down, flags $40
CAAD92: {CA-21-80-1E-80-44-80-B9-AD-00}If ($1E80($021) [$1E84, bit 1] is set) and ($1E80($01E) [$1E83, bit 6] is set) and ($1E80($044) [$1E88, bit 4] is set), branch to $ CAADB9
CAAD9C: {31-85}               Begin action queue for character $31 (Party Character 0), 5 bytes long (Wait until complete)
   CAAD9E: {D5-08-03}            Set position to (8, 3)
   CAADA1: {CE}                  Turn object downward
   CAADA2: {FF}                  End queue
CAADA3: {41-31}               Show object $31
CAADA5: {96}                  Restore screen from fade
CAADA6: {5C}                  Pause execution until fade in or fade out is complete
CAADA7: {C2-21-80-1E-80-44-80-B4-AD-00}If ($1E80($021) [$1E84, bit 1] is set) or ($1E80($01E) [$1E83, bit 6] is set) or ($1E80($044) [$1E88, bit 4] is set), branch to $ CAADB4
CAADB1: {4B-6F-01}            Display dialogue message $016F, wait for button press (Show text with window) (At top of screen) "STRAGO and TERRA race towards ..."
CAADB4: {92}                  Pause for 30 units
CAADB5: {4B-8C-0B}            Display dialogue message $0B8C, wait for button press (Show text with window) (At top of screen) " Choose a scenario...kupo!..."
CAADB8: {FE}                  Return

(Disregard the world of ruin branch up there)

Basically, I initialized Mog's profile as early as possible (during the Save Terra event) and then disallowed repeated initializations at the scenario split. Maybe the scramble is tied to the game trying to level average and the event script pushing past it (since there's no pause)?

[PowerPanda]

If you look at Sarah-ga's screenshot, all the sets of characters are there. Since I use slot D for the initial Mog during the Moogle battle, hey screenshot is the very first time slot A has ever been touched in the game.

I don't think it has to do with event code at this point, but I can try to add in a refresh objects to be safe.

---

I have played in my own file through getting the airship. I then flew around to make sure that all of my new content was showing or not showing as appopriate. I noted that Maria's NPC was getting created during the World Destruction event... a carryover from when Molulu was recruitable. I found the offending code and removed it, then played through that segment again and confirmed that it was fixed. Maria now does not appear until you defeat the Dirt Dragon.

I am putting out RC3. Changes are:
 The Illumina now shows on the gravestone in the World of Balance, and approaching the grave in the WoB no longer softlocks the game.
 Based on my feelings while playing through, I have changed around several treasures that you can obtain late in the World of Balance. The affected locations/events are The Razing of Vector, The Imperial Castle, The Military Outpost by Albrook, and the Wounded Soldier sidequest. (For example, it didn't feel right that Gestahl gives you a Moogle Lure.) You will end up with the same items by the end of the WoB, but I changed around the locations where you obtain them. I also replaced one of the (3!) Back Guards with an Atlas Armlet, because nobody needs to get that many Back Guards in 30 minutes of playtime.
 "Gerad" now switches palettes back to normal when he reveals he was actually Edgar the whole time (who saw THAT coming?!).
 Lone Wolf and Ziegfried have traded the Rename Card and the Warp Stone in their Falcon shops, and the wandering merchant by Barren Falls in Sabin/Edgars scenario no longer marks up his goods.
 Maria doesn't appear until you defeat the Dirt Dragon.
 I've fixed about a half dozen typos, including some in the original script.

[Asmorano]

Hello!

I just wanted to say that I was so intrigued by this hack I downloaded it last week- I'm up to meeting Strago and Relm and so far I'm loving the storyline changes. In particular, having Edgar at the Imperial Camp with Sabin made so much more sense and gave them a much better repartee, and the changes you made to Tools, Rage, and Bushido make those characters so much more interesting to play. All of the plot changes seem very natural and I really like your philosophy of imagining what the developers would have done with a couple more months of polish. 

Saying all of that, there are three places I've noticed so far where it feels like you could have made a change and didn't. Here are my suggestions:

1) Stamina still does almost nothing in your hack, which feels really bad given that some of the initial Espers give it as a level up bonus. This especially feels incongruous as you fixed the evade bug so that evade does something, but you haven't changed anything to fix what is more or less another bug. Brave New World was practically built around making Stamina useful, and there's no reason to go that far, but I feel like you should either change stamina to do something useful, or you should remove the Esper bonuses that give Stamina to your party. 

2) At the imperial banquet, the grand prize for doing everything was...the Moogle Lure, a relic you gave at the very beginning of the game. Likewise, while fighting the espers, two of them give Moogle Charms, which are equally lame because we got them at the beginning of the game. Do you think you could change either of these to be something more interesting? 

3) Also, another small thing: The espers we fought with Celes and Leo seemed to have a little too much HP. A cool battle and a cool moment, but the fights dragged out a little too long, making them less impactful. Also if you're going to tease a Lich magicite, I feel really strongly that I should be able to get it later in the game. 

4) Finally, it felt like an oversight that you didn't rework the cutscene at the Gate to the Espers, at least a little. That whole cutscene has always felt to me like it was messed up and the developers never had a chance to do with it what they had planned: the game tells you "distract Kefka while Terra opens the door!" but one hit on Kefka and Terra immediately opens the door. There's no sense of actually distracting him. Brave New World adds a little battle here with a countdown, and given that your goal is to smooth out the storyline, having something like that feels really natural here too. Maybe just an unwinnable battle with a timer or something while Terra unlocks the door?

Anyway, other than these small things I'm having a great time. I just figured since I made an account here to download the hack, I might as well use it to provide feedback. I hope any of those ideas help!

[Sarah-ga]

I noticed a few inconsistencies playing RC2, but I forgot to write them down 
The ones I can still remember is that Poison Rod still "casts Poison", and the beginner school esper guy is still a ghost.

Is the Guardian in Vector supposed to spawn endless Lich? Neat way to get unlimited Gale Hairpins.

[PowerPanda]

Hello!

I just wanted to say that I was so intrigued by this hack I downloaded it last week- I'm up to meeting Strago and Relm and so far I'm loving the storyline changes. In particular, having Edgar at the Imperial Camp with Sabin made so much more sense and gave them a much better repartee, and the changes you made to Tools, Rage, and Bushido make those characters so much more interesting to play. All of the plot changes seem very natural and I really like your philosophy of imagining what the developers would have done with a couple more months of polish. 

Saying all of that, there are three places I've noticed so far where it feels like you could have made a change and didn't. Here are my suggestions:

1) Stamina still does almost nothing in your hack, which feels really bad given that some of the initial Espers give it as a level up bonus. This especially feels incongruous as you fixed the evade bug so that evade does something, but you haven't changed anything to fix what is more or less another bug. Brave New World was practically built around making Stamina useful, and there's no reason to go that far, but I feel like you should either change stamina to do something useful, or you should remove the Esper bonuses that give Stamina to your party. 

2) At the imperial banquet, the grand prize for doing everything was...the Moogle Lure, a relic you gave at the very beginning of the game. Likewise, while fighting the espers, two of them give Moogle Charms, which are equally lame because we got them at the beginning of the game. Do you think you could change either of these to be something more interesting? 

3) Also, another small thing: The espers we fought with Celes and Leo seemed to have a little too much HP. A cool battle and a cool moment, but the fights dragged out a little too long, making them less impactful. Also if you're going to tease a Lich magicite, I feel really strongly that I should be able to get it later in the game. 

4) Finally, it felt like an oversight that you didn't rework the cutscene at the Gate to the Espers, at least a little. That whole cutscene has always felt to me like it was messed up and the developers never had a chance to do with it what they had planned: the game tells you "distract Kefka while Terra opens the door!" but one hit on Kefka and Terra immediately opens the door. There's no sense of actually distracting him. Brave New World adds a little battle here with a countdown, and given that your goal is to smooth out the storyline, having something like that feels really natural here too. Maybe just an unwinnable battle with a timer or something while Terra unlocks the door?

Anyway, other than these small things I'm having a great time. I just figured since I made an account here to download the hack, I might as well use it to provide feedback. I hope any of those ideas help!

Sure, let's chat about it.

1. The Evade stat not being used was actually a bug. As far as I can tell, Stamina being underutilized is NOT a bug, just a design choice. I'll think about it, but I probably will not implement it at this point in the project unless some brilliant idea jumps out at me.

2. I see that you posted this before I put out RC3, though since it was your first post it was held back until a moderator approved it. I felt the same way, and changed it. I WANT the player to have 3 sets of Moogle Charm/Moogle Lure, so that they can use them at 3-party splits. However, I moved the 3rd set to be gained from the Wounded Soldier sidequest.

3. The Espers are where I want them for HP. If you equip the right Elemental Swords the fights can be over in 4 hits. As for the Lich magicite... I didn't have him turn into Magicite in RC1 and before for that very reason. However, comments on streams and the Discord channel showed confusion as to whether the Esper died or not, and I wanted to drive home that yes, Lich really did die. Turning him to magicite was the best way to show that. I'll let you decide what happened to the Magicite. Maybe the Empire acquired it. The 16th character comes already knowing the Bio spells, so maybe THEY got it.

4. Hmmm... maybe I'll take a look at that. Good suggestion.

---

I noticed a few inconsistencies playing RC2, but I forgot to write them down 
The ones I can still remember is that Poison Rod still "casts Poison", and the beginner school esper guy is still a ghost.

Is the Guardian in Vector supposed to spawn endless Lich? Neat way to get unlimited Gale Hairpins.

I'll change the description on the Poison Rod. As for the Guardian, my goodness!    I didn't know you could FIGHT a Guardian there. You've seen through my hacking, I fear. I overwrote the invincible Guardian because I thought it was only used in Thamasa, and I took out those battles. I'll fix that right away! Right now, it will give you infinite Tintinabars, which hey, makes the Stamina stat at least useful.

[Sarah-ga]

Neat. I'll replay from the beginning and write down more this time.
Oh yeah, the renamed Templar is still sorted into Templar's spot in the Rage menu. I guess the patch doesn't actually alphabetize, it just has a record of where the vanilla alphabetized names are.

And Kumama wastes Marshall's smug ass with an X-Meteor for 1400 damage. Did you know moogles could summon meteors?? I didn't.