Removing the Back Row modifier from the damage calculation method ?

[Armorvil]

Does anyone know how to do this ? Allow me to explain why I need this change.

In my mod, each character has his own defence stat, but the row system kinda kills this variety (for many reasons - be it because a high defence character in the back row would be overkill, because a mage in the back would suffer even less damage than a warrior in the front, or because a back attack or pincer attack would have the potential to be an instant game-over in a team of mages).

I've looked through all the attack data modifiers, but sadly, there is no real "long-range" modifier I could add to all enemies' physical attacks (there is a "short range", by adding 20h in the targeting information, but even without doing this, the enemies' attacks are far from being real long-ranged physical attacks anyway ; as row data takes precedence over this value).

I've thought about a lot of ways to get around this (in order to keep my game balanced), and I came to this conclusion :

- Either I find a way to alter the physical damage algorithm to remove the back row check, or
- I give all enemies' attacks HellRider's ElectroMag Rod effect. Meaning that their attacks will change the target's row with each hit. And because your characters will change rows a lot of times during a battle, a player will stop bothering to change them (or chances are (s)he will waste numerous turns to stay in the back).

I could go with the latter, but it involves micro-managing the 256 scene files with a hex editor. And this is a pain (where is the Attack Data editor when you need it ?  I would make it myself, but sadly, I have no knowledge of these things). The former would not only be the faster way, but it would also allow physical damage to be constant at all times.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[nfitc1]

Akari would be the logical person to help you here. He's been decoding the battle engine and would be able to tell you how to undo this check. I'm sure it's not that complicated, but it might need to be done for all the physical damage calculations. At least upper calculation 1 and A.

I've tried to get Squall78's attention about integrating a Attack Data editor into Hojo, but he either hasn't noticed or isn't interested.

[Armorvil]

Thanks for replying, NFITC1 

Let's just hope that Akari, if he knows how to do this, sees this topic and has both the time and the will to reply. I guess that Terrence Fergusson might also have the knowledge since he wrote the awesome Battle/Party/Enemy Mechanics FAQs, but I'm not sure if he's still visiting this message board. Anyway, I'll do my "ElectroMag" idea if I still don't know how to edit the algorithm, when I'm heavily editing the scene files in the near future. I could always make a new version of my mod later, anyway.

I've tried to get Squall78's attention about integrating a Attack Data editor into Hojo, but he either hasn't noticed or isn't interested.

Maybe you're interested, after you're done with the magnificent Wall Market ? 
It's true that such an editor would be convenient if it was part of a more complete scene editor, but as of now, I'd be very happy with just a stand-alone Attack Data editor.

[Akari]

Thanks for replying, NFITC1 

Let's just hope that Akari, if he knows how to do this, sees this topic and has both the time and the will to reply. I guess that Terrence Fergusson might also have the knowledge since he wrote the awesome Battle/Party/Enemy Mechanics FAQs, but I'm not sure if he's still visiting this message board. Anyway, I'll do my "ElectroMag" idea if I still don't know how to edit the algorithm, when I'm heavily editing the scene files in the near future. I could always make a new version of my mod later, anyway.

I've tried to get Squall78's attention about integrating a Attack Data editor into Hojo, but he either hasn't noticed or isn't interested.

Maybe you're interested, after you're done with the magnificent Wall Market ? 
It's true that such an editor would be convenient if it was part of a more complete scene editor, but as of now, I'd be very happy with just a stand-alone Attack Data editor.

Just remove back row reducing damage by two.
In PSX this looks like srl    v0, v0, 1 so you need just replace 1 with 0
Problem is - you want to do this in PC version while I reverse PSX so I don't know where this is located.

[Armorvil]

Thanks for replying, NFITC1 

Let's just hope that Akari, if he knows how to do this, sees this topic and has both the time and the will to reply. I guess that Terrence Fergusson might also have the knowledge since he wrote the awesome Battle/Party/Enemy Mechanics FAQs, but I'm not sure if he's still visiting this message board. Anyway, I'll do my "ElectroMag" idea if I still don't know how to edit the algorithm, when I'm heavily editing the scene files in the near future. I could always make a new version of my mod later, anyway.

I've tried to get Squall78's attention about integrating a Attack Data editor into Hojo, but he either hasn't noticed or isn't interested.

Maybe you're interested, after you're done with the magnificent Wall Market ? 
It's true that such an editor would be convenient if it was part of a more complete scene editor, but as of now, I'd be very happy with just a stand-alone Attack Data editor.

Just remove back row reducing damage by two.
In PSX this looks like srl    v0, v0, 1 so you need just replace 1 with 0
Problem is - you want to do this in PC version while I reverse PSX so I don't know where this is located.

I was afraid I'd get this kind of answer 
Truth is, I have no clue what "srl    v0, v0, 1" means. The only thing I know how to do, is use a hex editor to change certain bytes at certain offsets 
What is the name of the file in which this data is stored, in the PC version ?

Anyway thanks for replying, Akari. If you can't give me an offset or at least a string of bytes so I can search for them, then no problem. I'll study the C language and come back in a few years, that's all   
More explanations would be welcome, but I don't want to become an annoyance.

[ARMs]

So uhh how do i remove that back row modifier?  I like the machanic but reducing damage by 1/2 is way too much.   Or can you tell us how to make it reduce damage by 20 or 25 percent.

[burnloungaz]

you cant with out messing with every othe battle commands/attacks. steal, manip, transform, ect they use the system to. so if your going to change it you will either steal all the time or never steal again. so i wouldnt recomend it