Topic: Changing details of Dark Wave

[fedorajoe]

Hi!

No header and no patches applied, but I do make a lot of adjustments in my hex editor.  Yes, I've got the big block of FF's at 1F210.  :)

Edited to add:  I forgot to answer your other question.  I'd go with Option A:  command executes, uses up all gil, and deals damage corresponding to the amount spent.

[chillyfeez]

Um, isn't that option C?

[fedorajoe]

Yes.  ;)

My reading comprehension skills were apparently not quite up to snuff today.

[chillyfeez]

OK. Think I have everything I need to know.
Just to confirm, because I hadn't thought of it until Squall brought it up, you'll never be able to deal 9999 with this formula. You're at peace with that?

[fedorajoe]

Hee hee, I'm fine with that!

Scholars doing max damage sounds wrong anyway. (Looks for scholar emoji, fails.)

[chillyfeez]

So.... This was a much bigger project than I anticipated. Because the damage calculation was originally part of Kick, I couldn't just make some quick edits. I had to write the whole darn thing from the ground up.

Anyway, I've got it working, but there's one (hopefully insignificant) problem. I never realized this before, but apparently the process by which the bouncy numbers are set to appear on the party is entirely different than setting the bouncy numbers to appear on the enemies. It's quick and painless for monsters, but it's like fifty bytes and always slightly different depending on the command for the party.

So as it stands now, the command works great, as long as the player uses it. If a monster uses it, the damage doesn't appear on the screen. The target's HP is reduced, but no bouncy numbers (it may be worth mentioning here that I was able to make it so the party's gold total isn't affected when a monster uses the command).

So the question is, should I spend the time and ROM space on making it work properly for monsters? Or will this command never be used by monsters anyway so I shouldn't worry about it?

[Swordmaster]

If you really wanted a monster to use Coin Toss, couldn't you just make an attack and call it "Coin Toss"?  I'm far from an expert, but it seems to me more practical and takes less code.

  It just occurred to me that it might be interesting to have that monster give 0 gil/GP if it used this (hypothetical) skill.  Maybe even base the damage on how much gil/GP the monster gives.

[chillyfeez]

If you really wanted a monster to use Coin Toss, couldn't you just make an attack and call it "Coin Toss"?  I'm far from an expert, but it seems to me more practical and takes less code.

  It just occurred to me that it might be interesting to have that monster give 0 gil/GP if it used this (hypothetical) skill.  Maybe even base the damage on how much gil/GP the monster gives.

That wouldn't necessarily be easier or use less code, especially if the attack's strength was based on the attacker's dropped gil and/or made the enemy not drop gil.
Enemy attacks are just spells, so making one that was a coin toss would require cannibalizing one of the spell routines, unless you just used a straight damage routine, but even still, have fun getting the spell animation to look like something like coins being tossed...
I mean, my thinking is that monsters shouldn't have to use this skill. I can't think of a single monster in any FF game that uses a coin toss attack.

[fedorajoe]

Just speaking for myself, I  didn't intend for an enemy to ever use this ability.

[chillyfeez]

OK, great. I'll make the patch for you tomorrow. I'm at work this evening until 4:30 AM (ET), so it'll probably be sometime in the afternoon.

[Swordmaster]

At first (before the edit) I was sort of half-joking about just taking a pre-existing skill and only change the name.  Say, for instance, change "Emission" to "Coin Toss" and remove fire graphics.  "What is Emission?  I just threw money at you.  Use your imagination.  Maybe it was invisible money, I don't know!"  I have an odd sense of humor....

[Squall]

If its real money, toss them my way 

[chillyfeez]

If its real money, toss them my way 

OK, Squall, but I'll toss invisible money.
 

[chillyfeez]

OK, here it is.

Sorry it took so long, but I got a little fancy, as I tend to do.
I got into investigating the sound effects, which I hadn't planned to do because it was sort of uncharted territory.
Anyway, now instead of the "shink!" sound it usually makes when Cecil draws his weapon to do the attack, it makes the "obtained item" noise; and instead of the dark wave sound effect, it makes the "cha-ching" noise you hear when buying stuff at a shop. These seemed more consistent with a money-throwing attack.
 

Anyway, the command is called "Coin." I couldn't think of anything better to call it that was 5 letters or less, but you can change that to whatever you want with FF4kster.
As discussed, it will attack all foes for an amount equaling 30 x the user's level.
The total damage done to all foes combined is the amount of GP expended.
If GP < Lv x 30 x Total # Monsters, then instead the damage will be Total GP / Total # Monsters (and the user ends up with zero GP).
If the player has zero GP, the character will simply walk forward, fist bump the air, then return to ranks.

Apply this patch to an unheadered copy of Final Fantasy II (U) (v1.1) [!]

Enjoy!

[fedorajoe]

Holy crap, you're amazing.  And did you just apologize for "taking so long?"  Like, seriously?

You should get a Patreon so I can, you know, patronize you for your work!

I'll download and test and report how it goes!  Thank you so much!!!  I'm planning something very ambitious and this command ability was one of my biggest question marks.

EDITED TO ADD:  So, I just tested it, and it works perfectly.  In all seriousness, your work on this is so impressive.  Major attention to detail with the sound effects and all.  Thank you so much for making this!