Disable and remove PHS from the menu?

[Lazy Bastard]

I'm curious as to how one might disable and remove PHS completely. In the beginning of the game, it's not even an option in the menu; that's what I'd like to achieve, permanently. Is this something that's set per /FIELD/*.DAT?

I'm modding the PSX version, but if you have an answer related to the PC version, feel free to provide that anyway; it may lead me to the answer for PSX.

To clarify, I'm interested in disabling PHS after it's already been enabled, so simply killing the field script that enables it in the first place will not be sufficient (I could do that pretty easily).

[sithlord48]

this can be done by editing the save game . i think you will have to edit it twice since you get the PHS then later on barret holds it for you when you climb the junon tower. this currently can be done with black chocobo for any format currently supported. your only other option (as fas as i know) is to edit the field script for the two areas that enable the PHS.

[Cyberman]

If you are running the playstation version under an emulator their should be a game shark style code to enable and disable it. That would indicate the global variable it's stored in memory at.

The PHS data as indicated by sithlord48 is stored in the 'memory' save as well. You may be able to actively disable it during each load.

The game does require you to ocassionally change squad members you might want to check and make sure you aren't impairing some of the game play by doing this (they do have it for a reason).

Cyb

[Lazy Bastard]

This is for a mod with a complete story of its own, so it won't matter what happened in the original.

I'm starting the game in a field that is normally encountered much later in the game, and I've edited as little as possible to make the workload as small as possible, so I can focus on creating a good mod rather than a perfect script on the back-end. However, I think a GameMoment flag is probably enabling PHS, so I'll likely need to find what file allows it at all, and mod that file.

Using a GS code to identify a relevant offset in RAM and then finding that file is a good idea, so I'll go down that road, unless someone already has an idea as to where this data is stored. I think if I want to be lazy and leave GameMoment alone as much as possible (or whatever other flag is enabling PHS), I'll need to break the functionality itself (the menu), so PHS simply doesn't show up, whether the game "thinks" it's enabled or not...

Thanks for the tips, guys.

[nfitc1]

I could help you with the PC editing, but if you're looking for the event that enables it there are two, possibly three. After the Kalm flashback it appears in the menu, during the scene you get the whistle to call Mr Dolphin it gets disabled then renewables after you get on the boat to Costa del Sol, then again disabled during the "execution scene" until you get the Highwind. It might also be disabled during your first descent into North Crater, I never stopped to check. That might be the easiest event to check around to see when/how/if it gets disabled.

[sithlord48]

the PHS being enabled has nothing to do with the GameMoment variable . there are two variables that control the menu one that sets what items are visible and the other set what items are enabled. you can view them in the  savemap.

i can't check right now since my desktop (with all the data) is currently down cause my PSU decided to die on me.. but im pretty sure the script is toggling the bits on those two variables.

[Lazy Bastard]

Thanks; I found the problem. I was using MD1STIN as a launching point to the initial field for my mod (I have MD1STIN instantly loading the next field so it's not even perceived by the player), but apparently the game initially turns all menu options on (presumably, via KERNEL.BIN) and relies on MD1STIN to set them correctly, which I'd unknowingly circumvented.

In case anyone ever runs into the same thing, the variable in question is:

Var[2][28] (16-bit)

If your aim is to make everything visible except PHS, you'll want to set that variable to 767 (which is 0x02FF, in case you're using a debugger or watching RAM at 8009D2A4).

This sets visibility only. As sithlord48 mentioned above, there's also the Enabled/Disabled variable, but the game initially sets its value to 0300, which means only PHS and Save are disabled (until you hit a save point in the case of saves, or hit a save point while also in possession of the key item PHS in the case of PHS).

Edit: The variable number above makes more sense after looking more patiently at http://wiki.qhimm.com/view/FF7/Savemap. Savemap Bank 2, byte 28 is indeed this value. Byte 30 is the "menu locking mask", so presumably this is the variable to modify if you want to enable/disable a menu item.

[sithlord48]

just as a side note you should use the savemap on the black chocobo wiki . i have not updated the qhimm one in a long time so the newer stuff will be on the blackchocobo savemap (i think only the black chcoobo "team" edits the qhimm one)

[Lazy Bastard]

Noted. Although, it would be nice if someone from the Black Chocobo team would update the qhimm.com wiki to reflect anything new from the Black Chocobo one (since Black Chocobo is chiefly concerned with saves, and qhimm.com is concerned with all facets of game mechanics and modification). Alternatively, I could update it, though it might help to point out what needs updating since I haven't delved deeply into the savemap/etc.

[sithlord48]

Noted. Although, it would be nice if someone from the Black Chocobo team would update the qhimm.com wiki to reflect anything new from the Black Chocobo one (since Black Chocobo is chiefly concerned with saves, and qhimm.com is concerned with all facets of game mechanics and modification). Alternatively, I could update it, though it might help to point out what needs updating since I haven't delved deeply into the savemap/etc.

this will happen eventually . there is quite a bit of unconfirmed stuff on the Black chocobo wiki as well. this is what we tend not to merge back so fast, most of it is progression and item masks atm. other non questionable stuff i will update the qhimm wiki when my desktop is back up.

[Cyberman]

this will happen eventually . there is quite a bit of unconfirmed stuff on the Black chocobo wiki as well. this is what we tend not to merge back so fast, most of it is progression and item masks atm. other non questionable stuff i will update the qhimm wiki when my desktop is back up.

I remember doing the same for FF8 ...  the problem is you have to save a LOT in order to confirm each step. It can get monotonous and whats more crazy is you sometimes forget what you are doing and play the game for fun (OH MY GOD!)

Ahem FF7 has a lot of stuff in it. Some of the bit fields I suspect are for removed parts of the game such as the 1/35 size soldier thing.

As for your conversion game, hmmm, not sure what's easier in such a case.  Apart from enabling and disabling menu items. Do you plan on adding new field locations or modifying the existing ones? Seems too me you wish too do the later? (I remember the thread heh.)

Cyb

[Lazy Bastard]

I may add a few new fields, but for the most part, I'll be using existing ones.

I already have some interesting work done; just one thing at a time

[xLostWingx]

Looks like you may have figured it out, but I tried entering different values into the one menu code.



I was able to display all sorts of configurations of menu options.  The others would be blank.

[Lazy Bastard]

I don't think that would be retained after saving and restarting, when the code was not enabled.

[Jenova's Witness]

.

[Lazy Bastard]

Yeah, there's the USO menu (character select/swap, even if they're not in your PHS inventory yet), and one more thing...which I can't recall at the moment. KingEdgar0, of GameHacking.org, hacked access to them via GameShark code about 1.5 decades ago.

[halkun]

There is a menu for each MNU bank swapped into the PSX. (Some MNU files have more than one)

It should be in the menu section on the wiki, but I think the graphics were all eaten.