Author Topic: [FF8 Steam] Refine ability editor - GFRefine 1.0.0  (Read 5077 times)

IonXi

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Hello all!

A short while ago I began modding my FF8, and today I'd like to share a tool I created to ease the process a bit. Please allow me to introduce GFRefine!

What is it?
GFRefine is an editor for altering what refines into what else within abilities like T Mag Ref and the others.

What does it do?
Sticking with the example of T Mag Ref, you can use GFRefine to make the 1 M-Stone Piece giving 5 Thunder into almost anything you like, such as 1 Screw giving 100 Apocalypse(you cheater :P)! It even works with the cards!

What doesn't it do?
GFRefine cannot change the rules of the refine abilities. T Mag Ref and the others follow the formula of [amount of item] [item] becomes [amount of magic] [magic].
Mid and Hi Mag are magic to magic, many are item to item, and card is card to item. To my knowledge, this cannot be changed.

GFRefine is currently incapable of editing refine descriptions. This is because it does not dynamically read where the information is in the mngrp.bin. For the initial release, all offsets are hard-coded, and any change to the descriptions can move information around and cause the editor to fail or behave erratically. As a side effect of this, GFRefine only works on the english mngrp.bin, and even then, only if mostly unedited.

To reiterate, GFRefine ONLY WORKS ON THE ENGLISH VERSION (for now, I'm working on it).

Mostly unedited?
If you have edited your mngrp.bin, don't worry too much. As long as you were careful enough to maintain the ability offsets in their original positions, GFRefine will have no issues working with your modified file.

How do I use it?
Download Deling, extract mngrp.bin from the [eng] folder of menu.fs, and open it with GFRefine. When you're done, replace the one in menu.fs with your newly edited mngrp.bin, and load your game. Presto! *NOTE:* Always, always, always back up any files you plan to edit. I am not responsible for any file loss or damage caused by your own recklessness.

Sounds awesome, gimme!!!
Alright, keep your pants on! You'll find the link to the download at the bottom of this post.

Plans for Future Updates
In no particular order:
  • Compatibility with other language files
  • A new Save As icon (the save icon on
         the right is actually Save As... Sorry!)
  • A new icon for the tool itself
  • Overall tool beautification
  • Dynamic offset locating
  • Pending the above, description editing
  • Several other features that have yet
         to make themselves apparent to me

In Closing
Thank you for taking interest in my tool, I hope it proves useful to you in your modding adventures! If you have any comments, criticisms, or advice on how to improve GFRefine, feel free to comment on the thread. I'd also like to extend the oppourtunity to PM me, but am unfamiliar with if or how that works on Qhimm Forums. Finally, if you wish to help make GFRefine better by contributing assets, code, functionality, etc., please feel free to speak up! I'm an amateur coder myself, and without opensource projects and documentation I would not have been able to make GFRefine. I would love to receive your help and hear your tips, ideas, and feedback!

Alright, here's your link: :P
DOWNLOAD HERE
« Last Edit: 2018-05-18 19:07:28 by IonXi »

gledson999

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Re: [FF8 Steam] Refine ability editor - GFRefine 1.0.0
« Reply #1 on: 2018-05-19 18:59:40 »
Nice work, You pretend put psx compatibility?

IonXi

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Re: [FF8 Steam] Refine ability editor - GFRefine 1.0.0
« Reply #2 on: 2018-05-20 16:01:39 »
I think it should be, as long as you can extract and recompile the mngrp.bin to the disc image. If I understand how the other tools on this site work, it should work for any English version of the game, but I can only test for the Steam version as that is the only one I have. I'm not very knowledgeable on the subject, so if anybody could test it out or shed some light on this, that would be great.

Kefka

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Re: [FF8 Steam] Refine ability editor - GFRefine 1.0.0
« Reply #3 on: 2018-05-21 18:28:55 »
Thanks for this tool, man! I can't wait until language compatibility and automatic description updating are implemented as well, those would be really helpful.

Quote
I'd also like to extend the oppourtunity to PM me, but am unfamiliar with if or how that works on Qhimm Forums.

I remember it was the same when I was knew to the forum. You must have made at least 5 posts before you can send/receive PMs, so just post a bit in some topics you like. Welcome to the forum, by the way.