Ryrumeli

I will be honest, I do believe this effect is hardcoded. You can give effect of Delphi Shield for any other item, I think that in the weapon ability 2 it was listed as the bit 0x40 for the the Delphi Shield's effect. The issue is yeah, it is hardcoded to work only for flying. To make it work for another effect which defends against terrestrial weakness, you would have to code your own and use a bit for it's use, or something similar to that. I don't think that without at least some ASM you would be able to make an item which protected against horseriding As for the effect, in the same weapon ability in nightmare, the bit 0x80 is labeled Negate Critical. While I do believe if you made an item which both negated criticals and horseslayers it would be quite a strong effect to use a single item slot for, I never heard of any conflict in between them both. To be honest I don't even know if those are the bits which work with them, I never even considered using those abilities in any item other than those 2. So if you can either corrupt the effect of Delphi Shield to make it work for horseback units, or make a new one for scratch for that, I honestly think the mixing would work perfectly.

Yup. To be honest the instant use I thought for it was to make a tool that allowed us to play the GBA FE games like we would the DS ones; Check for mouse position and allow moving and clicking trough menus with it. So playing our hacks with a touchscreen as an optional tool would be something else. But indeed, the hardware stops being the limit in our hacking. Quite something indeed. :) Too bad the GBA support for lua seems slightly limited still, but still I might take a further tried of it later; Might also find and join with lua programmers to make the aforementioned project whenever I have some free time in my hands.

Very interesting to hear about this. Then I suppose I would be interested in learning of how to use those scripts, they could aid our hacking even further. ^_^ They could even become an amazing resource to increase hacks even further, like adding online capabilities to them, and things the original hardware couldn't even dream of, all while using the legendary(And very brazilian yay) Lua script language. Just something basic like adding mouse-clicking support to a hack already would be pretty sweet, honestly. I really gotta research further into this, to see how can we use it in our aid. :) Celice, thanks for the info. Once again thanks for sharing a piece of your knowledge. :) Really glad to have you around, you really have a grand experience with game hacking, so I am very glad you can share it with us. :)

Word. :-/ Or that Nintendo decides to bitch at this and it becomes the next Temporal Flux. :-/ Still, very good that this is out! It was a childhood favorite of mine, the more editors like this that pop up the better. I know I would love to play with it for a bit. :)

What Kam said is very well said. Adding up to what he said, though, the difference is not only that. But also the fact of how it works in practical terms. It is easier to learn to "Open documents in notepad and reading the logic" and the language Ruby, which is a script-level language, than learning how to "Debug the game" and then learning Raw Assembly, and then abstracting all mathematical and binary operands in logic, and then editing it. And for example, not having to worry with the excessive details of Assembly like how every pointer should be aligned by 4, having to find out free space for every routine you need to expand, worrying about range limits for Bs and BLs, and even worrying about weather you use ARM or THUMB for hacking a specific routine... Languages like C were created so a programmer could worry less about details and more on logic, and script languages then were created so codes would be more powerful with even less worry on details. And if you're thinking by now "Oh but he only means of his technical stuff, Assembly and all.", keep in mind you also have to find free space, repoint, turn into binaries, create palettes and stuffs for every single other detail you do, be it a new background, song, map, event, in a romhack. Save for Text and Mugs, and all FEditor does. Until NM3 it will be a deadly flaw of romhacks. I do agree that right now FEXP is less advanced than FE is. But it is also easier to change. Not having to worry about free space, being able to fix glitches without demanding tons of debugging, having all the source open to you in every single change. If one considers just what is available right now FEXP loses easily. But if you consider that adding stuff for FEXP is easier, that many limits we learned how to live with in romhacking aren't that meaningful for FEXP, that you also have access to hundreds of Ruby codes created for generic RPG maker games which can be used as a base for new things for FEXP, comparing to the relative difficulty that is creating custom events, and that ruby is easier and more mainstream than raw assembly for sure, then I honestly can't see them competing equally for someone serious about what they are doing in the same span of time. Then again, I never said they shouldn't compete. :) I honestly think that a romhack could stand up just fine to a FEXP game, don't get me wrong. I do believe my hack will. I just think that development is, indeed, easier. I think everyone that plans on using FEXP should keep on considering such, it is a great tool, and it doesn't replace nor obsoletes romhacking. But separating the thing into categories wouldn't hurt new entries, since the final prize will still be the same, will create more prizes, and more prizes are always great, and will be a bit more fair for those that put a huge amount of effort in their projects, be them FEXP or Romhacks. :) I would be in for more categories, like funniest and stuff, even if it wasn't just technical categories. Tl;dr I still suggest 3 categories. I can understand if Marky doesn't want more categories for any reason of his own, but I still find it a better approach IMHO. This is just an exposition of my point of view, and nothing else. :) This contest rocks regardless.

I will be honest, we don't have any tutorials in editing the specifics of the palettes of maps. But we do have plenty of tutorials regarding the palettes in general. I do agree a tutorial on this subject in specific could be easily done by just compiling info from a generic palette editing tutorial and adding a couple of paragraphs on the specifics of this technique, so the existence of one or not is seriously just a matter of 1 hour of an able hacker's time. :) Plus, honestly, there are tutorials in subjects more important than a specific editing of a specific kind of palette of a specific kind of image, IMO. But said tutorial still would be a very nice idea because it would be quick to make, and as Celice said would make it so when this service is no longer available the technique will still be, so yeah. :) What I can gather from this is that KoT wants to provide the service, much like I provided people the service of making custom stat sheets many years ago, before there were programs specialized in doing those(Mine still looked better than the program's, modesty aside! :D) If there is or not a tutorial on the job, that doesn't make it less boring, and if KoT wants to provide said job to the community because he finds himself good at it and believes strongly in his technique, I say he should indeed do it. :) And KoT, I don't have the images now, but later can you help me with a specific project? I will customize a tile sheet later, and will be needing a new palette for it more likely than not, so would you be willing to help me with a slightly more difficult job later on then? :)

The idea is pretty sweet if you ask me. I honestly think today we don't have any extensive database of hacks. And as Celice pointed out, having a version of the patch in a database would make it so dead official links would pose as no barrier. Like corper said, no author of any of the current databases has managed in keeping the database up-to-date, and I can't blame any of them for that. We have some relatively nice, but drastically outdated databases, and beta hacks popping up out of nowhere. And in more than one forum. So a master list with no forum ties would indeed be a great idea. By "folder" I don't know if he meant something like a Zipped folder, so a huge file with all in, but a "Folder" in the sense of an online folder in which you can download any specific file into your HD is interesting indeed. And keeping it in the form of a list of hacks, original links, forum page links, and "cache links" would be beast. Maybe even with an image, version control and a small description(250 words tops) If the original link dies off, we would have cache links so the hack isn't forgotten in the sands of time, and questions could be asked in the topic of choice of the hack's team. And the wiki would be a great tool to keep it updated indeed, since even the creators could update it as soon as they released it. Maybe instead of the description the list could include a link to the wiki entry of each and every hack in the list. Which would make it completely pro. Thus, the suggestion of creating a small circle of users with the will to keep the wiki updated and the cache relatively updated would be awesome. And defining a specific server for cache versions, like a very specific DropBox account for that goal. And that group involving "people that can spell" or not, as long as they are interested in helping the community as a whole. :D I am very in for the idea, with small actions like this our community would grow drastically. :)

Hmmm, do you think it should be defined by rules when someone should make a hack's topic with requests? I mean, should we set specific rules in this section as to which is the minimum level of development a hack should have in order to earn a topic here showcasing and requesting help? I personally don't think there is any need for a set limit, some start up topics get helpers due to the concept alone, but judging on the reaction this topic received it doesn't seem like a bad idea. :) And I think people contribute to projects based on the credibility the whole thing passes. Like the people involved along with the showcased bits. So I believe maybe if you disclose who is the team working it might give your project a bit more of credibility on the spot, and the more credibility you have the easier to get more help, which provides more credibility and henceforth. Of course, unless it is part of your strategy to keep it hidden, I love well thought-out strategies. :) Regardless, this seems like a very ambitious hack. I personally don't have much patience for unambitious projects anymore, so if you ask me if you and your mysterious team can achieve what you promised it might be enough for me to want to take a look. ^_^

Lua Scripts? Like scripts in the language lua? For FE6? Pardon my ignorance, but how could you use a Lua script for a GBA game? As a replacement for a cheat code system like codebreaker? What app is even enabled to use Lua Scripts for a FE game?

May I say this? Since no one posted here I figured I should. Congratulations for a great job, really. :o The gameplay for this is very good, you made a 20 years old game shine brighter than their continuations with these. The new content is pretty sweet, honestly, having playable characters like that is pretty wicked, the songs work very well, and the fact you guys factored it to work on real hardware makes it even sweeter. :o Honestly, you guys should be proud of this hack, it is quite a grand work, a true show of what a hack can be. Clean execution and sweet gameplay. :) Thanks for posting it here for us, and for giving me something to play in my summer vacation. :3

First, if you allow me to say this, lol at the hack's concept. XD Love to see hacks that remember that when you replace all mugs, then the FE style becomes but a vague memory. :) And no need to ask, the world seems to be getting "ponyfied" lately. ;) Secondly, I am sorry to say this but Serra's mug is hardcoded in a way which makes she always seem a tile(8 pixels) higher in the stat screen than she actually is; It takes ASM(Very little but still) to make her show in that height. I did create at one point a patch to fix this for FE8, but I honestly don't remember ever working in an FE7 solution. The easiest solution would be to just mark which are the mugs with that quirk. I believe I posted a list at one point for FE8, and I *think* I posted one for FE7 as well with it. Emphasis on think. Were I you I would put Redheart's mug in another slot, and used that one instead of Serra's. And save Serra's slot for something non-pony like an antagonist of sorts, or a flying unit(Since in theory a flying unit could be higher than another non-flying one) or the like. That would be the easy solution. If I find that old post in which I discussed that, and if there is FE7 info in it, I could perhaps hardcode the game to work in a single way for you, but were I you I would use the fact some mugs are taller than others in my advantage. ;)(Or as class card slots at least. XD)

Then I will gladly explain what I meant. :) I just meant that it is simpler to use ruby(It was ruby that RPGMaker used to create custom scripts was it not?) that is a high level language than to use raw assembly or C and debug the game until you find a say 20 byte routine inside of a rom of 16 mbs and repoint it and recreate all related graphics in binary form and make the game which was not coded to run your command to do so. It is cleaner, smoother to make a hack in BWD's system than in a rom. Some hacks which sound simple in theory when reality strikes become really hard, due to the system never being created to think on a certain way. And if we judge on the final product instead of the changes from the original package, which is nothing but fair since this is a game design contest, then users of FEXP will have an advantage in technical terms. In other words, technically-wise it is easier to introduce gameplay-altering elements in BWD's system. Specially graphical systems like custom menus and stuff. And it is also ready for things such as custom skills, which I had a week-worthy of programming to make happen for my rom hack. It doesn't require hacking in the sense of debugging because we have a source to work on. And I believe that the presence of a source makes all a bit smoother. To the point that many software companies in the world charge more than twice of the original price of a program if it includes it's source code. And companies pay for it. I understand that he wants more entries in. But I don't know where creating multiple categories would affect that. I would even say, give a prize for best romhack, a prize for best FEXP game, and then a general prize, which is what this contest would have all along no? Just my reasoning, I really support this contest, albeit I just wonder if I will be able to join it due to time restrictions. ^_^'

After my hack is done and when I have time I might write a few chapters on a few techniques I developed for my own project, like custom menu making and animation making and stuff. So instead of making them stand alone I might donate them to the most extensive document on FEhacking, why not? :3 But as for taking it on I wonder if I would be able to. (Mainly because I will become more of a consultant of sorts when my own hack is done with XD) It would be grand to find someone both skilled and willing like yourself. :)

If I am not asking too much could I ask the reasoning behind this clause. I do believe that anyone without ASM knowledge will find competing in gameplay elements with a FEXP game very complex. And the complexity to make a custom gameplay element in BWD's system is infinitely smaller than of a rom hack. Hence I wonder if this specific rule would be honestly just for all people in the contest. At most I would find fair 2 different categories, one for FEXP and one for Rom Hack. Just curious on this honestly. Also, this sounds promising. Due to being away when both started I could not join any of these. Maybe this time I may form a team to join. :)

Well, can I say one thing then? Did any hack have post-game content yet? It is a new idea applied to this new ambient, the world of FE hacking. So it is in a sense his idea, since he didn't steal it off anyone else. He took something which exists around and decided to do something similar. And will be the first to implement it. There were games with post-game content even before I were born even, no one can claim to invent the concept of post-game stuff, but applying it to a hack in the current context is innovative in the sense it was never done before in a hack. Much like I believe I can use the word innovation for me applying voice acting to a FE hack, albeit games before the PS1 already had some level of it. Also, did he claim the idea his in the sense he was the first one to do post-game content? XD In my eyes he just did a innocent reference to a series he likes. And I am a relative fan of VP, so loving the reference. :) Can't wait for the finished Patch, Blazer. ;)

Let me be the first to shake your helping hand, Blazer. ;) Seriously, this is honestly the only tutorial around I even accept to use the tag "Ultimate". ;) It is so big I can easily say it is a book. 318 pages for the doc version, I mean, heck, it is a book. Blazer, you F'ing wrote the text book for FEhacking. The most extensive group of tutorials ever assembled, done by one of the most experienced and outstanding hackers this community has ever had the pleasure of working with, so it's credibility is also assured, with your known experience as a pillar. Those that want to learn how to hack, I recommend this tutorial very much, for how many topics it handles(Heck, 73 chapters, something there will be of help). Those that know already but just don't feel confident, I suggest at least a quick read before every new operation, or at least in bored times, so you don't forget basics. Those that know close to all there is to know, still consider this your GBATek-equivalent for times of need. :)

Indeed. Of course, those that are there because they can't afford college tuition, or those millionaires which are helping their groups behind the scenes(Or do you think poor people can afford to have a free journal like they do?), or those brilliant people with college and masters degrees going to the square just to preach to those hundreds of young people are all part of the "problem 20%"? Your theory of the "1% which leads 99% of mankind" is the theory of dependency of leadership, and proves a stance of a person that doesn't want to decide, and thus hopes for a 1% to help deciding. People that belong to this 1% had a father or a grandfather which decided to decide, instead of just believing this was a natural order of some sort. A person that just wants "Someone that is better than him/her calling the shots, so you don't have to worry about your own future." That is but the impression I get with these words.

Hey blazer, I am honestly busy today so I can't really make my character now; That being said, I really just wanted to post here my intended homage character(Plan on taking Thief class, maybe swordmaster or the like): Gonna make a hack-insertable version when time is less rare. :) (Hopefully with hat)

Yep, it wouldn't be hard at all to turn FE into a Visual Novel. And it wouldn't be hard at all to make brenches for stuff for way more than just decisions, you could even make the game brench based on how the player acts in his playtrough; Picture it like a karma system for example, or something akin to Fable. What I would do if I made a longer hack. :) But directly answering your question, as many as you want. FE6, 7 and 8 make no distinction like we do; Chapter 10a and 10b are just two different chapters which coincidently are called Chapter 10 in the rom's memory, so you could make Chapter 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and henceforth as you please. You could even go to chapter 12 and then 10 and then 5 and then 9 and so on if you're in a Suzumiya Haruhi mood.

Could you pass a list of steps you went trough to get to your current point? I am sorry for asking this, but you see, too many variables could be effecting it for us to just give you the answer you desire with the information you provided us. The more information the merrier, ok? :) Increases our odds of finding a way to help you.

I just came here in this topic to say I really appreciate the images here in this topic. Astelaine is one of the greatest spriters of this generation, and I can easily say the style of the works here is soothing to the eye and does make me generally happy to look at them. :) I appreciate the fact you maintain such a great gallery here. :) ...that being said, I just want to share my support for that OTP. :3 Takes talent to capture such a latent feeling perfectly. :3 That doodle owns. XD Look at seph's face and ask yourself that again. XD

@Zahl: Yep, it is interesting to see how sometimes "hackers" end up perfecting something that the original programmers didn't, and all while applying the beloved technique called common sense. XD Can't wait for your system to become more than just a demonstration. ^_^ @Kam: Good thing then, most people tend to be defensive regarding technicalities. Being able to read even if you don't understand all is already a competitive advantage. :) Oh you did? Nice. ^_^ Albeit I wonder if people will end up having problems with your method, since you explained it pretty well IMHO, it was a good idea. :)

You know, technical stuff like that at first sight can be a bummer, but believe me, the more you have patience to read every now or then a technical detail, the easier it is to later to use the system in a way no one has before, and create a better method for hacking. Like using APPs for ways they were never meant to. Like me for example, when I need to extract an uncompressed palette from the game I just use a tile editor to do it, since both a uncompressed palette and a 4bpp tile have the exact same amount of bytes; 0x20. To be able to better with what you have it is usually useful to know details. Even if you think you will never use them. Because when you start to grow in some different hacking areas you start to notice how those details start to become meaningful stuff. Not reading GBATek like you would a book, but just paying attention to details of how stuff works every now or then. Seriously, it helps a ton. The difference in between older and newer hackers in level is only because the older hackers had to do many things manually we do in a click, so they know more details like that. Which helps in times of crisis, hence why they tend to be the ones we look for in time of crisis. :) Great tutorial Kam, I always like to find new techniques to work with palettes. I personally dislike to do palettes a lot, which is weird considering I call myself a graphical hacker mostly. XD For most of my hacks I tend to finish everything and leave palette making for last, this is how my stat sheet making went all along. >___<' And Zahl, to be honest I find it funny they compressed those palettes regardless; I mean, since they want to just load one of the 4 palettes, for the side the unit is in, they have to first uncompress the palettes in the memory and then pick the palette they want and move it to the rightful place in memory, while if it was uncompressed you could just move it right away. Sure, they must have saved like 200-250 bytes if you think of all palettes saving say 3-5, but at the same time space wasn't an issue in any of the 3 FEs, since all of them have free space to be used(By us. :3). And in FE8's specific case, the fact that mugs are uncompressed in ROM(And I never saw a situation where they get only partially loaded into the memory, so I see little point of keeping them uncompressed) pretty much makes the whole space they gained with those palettes go puff. So yeah, fun stuff. XD

@Lumi: Of course, fair is fair! ...just of course women won't have that field for data! Because I say so! >___>' @Trent: To be honest while it is nice, I am more likely to implement my theory for a My Unit concept than that. XD Say after this project I joined a bigger hack, it would be a pleasure to add anything to give characters more data than growths and bases and a class and a mug and a name. But future is future. @Astra: Yes it is possible, the issue is obviously that the bigger they are, the fewer fit in a screen. Also the icons there use the same size as all the other icons in the stat sheet, as well as the texts use the same font. So making them bigger is possible, I just would need to mess with my ASM and make new tiles. Also, something which was an issue is that the GBA just doesn't have enough space in memory to fit all of the stuff I inserted. I seriously had to count tiles for every single new thing I added to the game, it barely was enough to fit all my ideas in. It was more luck than anything I could fit up to 7 skill slots and the tiles for all I did. If the memory was a tad smaller, I wouldn't be able to even do what I already did so. XD

To be honest the only issue about making a 5th screen with random data on the person like that would be the fact that the generics would have said screen, and there would be nothing to show in it. XD So it would be boring to go through all of the generics in the chapter and seeing a bunch of "???"s. It is perfectly do-able, just won't be profitable enough to be worthy the trouble or something like that. Maybe in a longer hack I could worry about that? :) I thought long about a 5th screen. I even considered doing a meter like Persona 4's character meter for the lord or something like that. I just am not going to implement anything like that for now due to having no inspiration to give a use to it, but I digress. :) Thanks a lot for the feedback, though, I love to be able to discuss things like this, and with opinions that projects grow. :3