Author Topic: [FF7PC-98/Steam] gjoerulv's "Hardcore" mod (v1.0.7.2)  (Read 1079032 times)

The Skillster

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« Reply #25 on: 2007-06-28 09:41:24 »
Seems there maybe a reason to test drive this  :evil:

Kashmir

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« Reply #26 on: 2007-06-28 14:59:36 »
I just finished my first test run of the hardcore mod. First up and i would have to say that it certaintly lives up to the name... its more like a hardcore for cyborgs on crack mode.

This is my mini review of sections: No.1 Reactor(start) up to Sector7 Slums(second checkpoint in game)
- battle difficulty = Excellent but not perfect
- Creature speed should be lower because the player only has 2 party members in this part of the game.
- exp gained was much too low, it felt too much like a mmorpg level grind, it took me a 1hour and 30 minutes to complete just this section. However i probley wouldn't have cared about leveling if i could have just gained enough potions to go fight the boss already.
- potion drops should be set to 100% so the player can build up a collection of them easier... trying to collect 10 potions was the main reason this section took me so long
- Plume Bolt was a nice touch, a tactic i tried to use was to use the plume bolt just to gain another one, by doing so level up quicker, which didnt work because i couldnt get enough potions to keep me healthy. In the end having one came in real handy for escaping the reactor without dieing.
- grenades, considering this is the only part of the game where they can be usefull you probley should make them easier to get & from more enemies.
- assault gun: this can be bought in the very first store the player comes across, hence it should be removed from guard scorpion to give the player the choice of whether he wants to buy it or not... change the reward to something else, perhaps a tent or a couple of those bolt plumes would be handy.

ARMs

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« Reply #27 on: 2007-06-28 23:45:32 »
Nevermind.
« Last Edit: 2007-06-28 23:55:28 by ARMs »

twipley

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« Reply #28 on: 2007-07-02 04:32:13 »
I'm using Hay's reasonable mod, and so far it's working great. Just the difficulty I was looking for, and my personal recommendation for newcomers.

Kashmir

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« Reply #29 on: 2007-07-02 05:13:29 »
After the initial hard difficulty of the start of this one, it seems to get reasonable from after the section i was talking about.

gjoerulv

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« Reply #30 on: 2007-07-03 10:44:44 »
Thanks for the review Kashmir. you're statements seems very reasonable. I thought the 1st and 2nd reactor may have turned too hard and it can easily be fixed with more exp and higher drop rates.

Kashmir

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« Reply #31 on: 2007-07-03 13:43:15 »
Thanks for the review Kashmir. you're statements seems very reasonable. I thought the 1st and 2nd reactor may have turned too hard and it can easily be fixed with more exp and higher drop rates.

Another encounter you might want to change is hell-house. Trying to fight this thing with just cloud and aeries is dam hard. Currently it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to kill it, and if you have someone in the front row it can kill them in one go.

gjoerulv

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« Reply #32 on: 2007-07-03 16:31:23 »
Another encounter you might want to change is hell-house. Trying to fight this thing with just cloud and aeries is dam hard. Currently it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to kill it, and if you have someone in the front row it can kill them in one go.

Keep it coming. I'll jot it down. Is it total overkill or can you survive on full hp? I kinda wanted the Hell-house to be hard. I'll figure out some kind of reward for killing it this early.

One I think also may be too hard is Jenova Life. I'll wait for that.

Kashmir

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« Reply #33 on: 2007-07-03 17:15:49 »
Keep it coming. I'll jot it down. Is it total overkill or can you survive on full hp? I kinda wanted the Hell-house to be hard. I'll figure out some kind of reward for killing it this early.
You have to use cure almost every second round... even when you have 3 people later on its still a difficult encounter. I was expecting a bucket load of exp & gp for killing it, was so disappointed when i got virtually nothing. After the train graveyard you can cut off 1000hp of it by using a grav ball. I've lost against it twice, so yeah its definitely overkill.

I would've just run from it, but i use that particular area i gather gp to buy materia & items in the shops nearby.

A whole lot of gp might make it worth it... like 2000 perhaps? nobodys going to wanna sit there killing heaps of them.

One I think also may be too hard is Jenova Life. I'll wait for that.
Thats the encounter on the boat right? I'll look out for it, but i doubt it will be too hard... normally you have a fair amount of materia (elemental in particular) to play with by then, also its a boss, so its okay to loose against it a few times as long as its possible to beat.

gjoerulv

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« Reply #34 on: 2007-07-03 17:58:53 »
A whole lot of gp might make it worth it... like 2000 perhaps? nobodys going to wanna sit there killing heaps of them.

That sounds fair. A heap of gil would be worth it.

I had an odd idea though. If you win 500-1000 gil from it and a 3% chance of winning one of any source besides the luck and mind source. So it's a 12% chance of winning a source (just 1, never more). That would be ok 'cause the only time you encounter it it is this early in the game and after you acquire the sector 5 key. It would be pure luck to figure it out. And when you return you must kill between 5-10 of these to claim 1 source.

You could level up like crazy early just to get these, but that would make the game easy anyway and wouldn't be worth it imo.

Thats the encounter on the boat right? I'll look out for it, but i doubt it will be too hard... normally you have a fair amount of materia (elemental in particular) to play with by then, also its a boss, so its okay to loose against it a few times as long as its possible to beat.

I ment jenova birth. The one on the boat yes. And it doesn't have eny elemental attacks btw. Try sense on it the 1st time you fight it

Kashmir

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« Reply #35 on: 2007-07-25 05:57:48 »
Heya i only just noticed this had been updated :P

Could you explain why the following changes were made:
    * Flash commando is removed (could easily be brought back if you want this custom made lol).
    * Master Command works as Coin, and Coin command is removed from Throw materia (Could also be brought back).

    * MDef on equipment is fixed. Not by adding MDef but Spirit. : And how does this work in a bit more detail please.

gjoerulv

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« Reply #36 on: 2007-07-27 19:17:08 »
Heya i only just noticed this had been updated :P

Could you explain why the following changes were made:
    * Flash commando is removed (could easily be brought back if you want this custom made lol).
    * Master Command works as Coin, and Coin command is removed from Throw materia (Could also be brought back).

    * MDef on equipment is fixed. Not by adding MDef but Spirit. : And how does this work in a bit more detail please.

ok!

The reason for the 1st 2 points is simply cause I don't like those commands. However if you for any reason want my mod w these commands please let me know. I'll put up a alternative download.

Why don't I like 'em? imo Flash is kinda overkill and Coin gives you an easy win combined with Mime. And Master Command imo looks silly IMO. I know many people like this but I don't. Master Command gives you another Mime and Coin as well...

There is a MDef bug in the game (if you didn't know). No equipment gives you any MDef what so ever. Spirit = MDef. Thats why I added the same amount of Spirit bonus to defensive equipment as there should be MDef bonus.
For instance: Iron Bangle has a +2 MDef. But it doesn't add +2 MDef. It does, however, have a +2 Spirit bonus. The Spirit increases with 2 and thus the MDef does as well.

The Skillster

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« Reply #37 on: 2007-07-27 19:38:05 »
What is flash command again?

gjoerulv

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« Reply #38 on: 2007-07-27 20:14:09 »
Flash command is the command which kills all enemies in 1 go. If it works that is...

And BTW Master Command is now Flash! Not Coin as earlier. Kinda like an Ultimate Command lol.

Edit:

OK, I've tried something without success. Does anyone know how to alter the flash command so it appears as an own command and not just replace the attack command? Is it even possible? I guessed it had something to do with the 1st Kernel file 'cause there are 14 command materias and there seem to be 16x16 bytes there, where 2 are manifestly useless due to the 16 0xFF bytes.

Edit2:
Never mind. It's just 8 bytes actually. I recall 26 different commands (counting Summons, Magics, Enemy Skills and items as 1). So there are seemingly 6 or, more likely, 4 blocks with no use. Just gotta figure which one is the flash command. But honestly I don't think this can be achieved in this file.
« Last Edit: 2007-07-27 21:45:32 by gjoerulv »

Kashmir

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« Reply #39 on: 2007-07-28 06:00:52 »
There is a MDef bug in the game (if you didn't know). No equipment gives you any MDef what so ever. Spirit = MDef. Thats why I added the same amount of Spirit bonus to defensive equipment as there should be MDef bonus.
For instance: Iron Bangle has a +2 MDef. But it doesn't add +2 MDef. It does, however, have a +2 Spirit bonus. The Spirit increases with 2 and thus the MDef does as well.
Okay, sounds good.... i knew there was a bug with it, but i this is the first solution i've ever heard for it, well done :D

And i agree with the changes to materia, i never used coin and i always prefered to use 2x cut instead of flash.

Can i make a request for some changes to materia? currently the way in which materia effects stats is pitiful, for e.g.
Ice:
Strength -01
Magic +01
MaxHP -02
MaxMP +02

is it possible to change them so it becomes like this instead
Strength -10
Magic +10
MaxHP -20
MaxMP +20

The reason i would like everything multiplied by at least ten is because i like to equip different materia based upon the role ive assigned each character, for example.. barret is my tank, so his equipped with nothing but cover materia & put in the back row.. that way he takes all the melee damage in combat at half the value, and i only ever need to heal him. however the bonus to vitality is only +1 for each cover materia, at the moment his only got four... so +4 vitality, thats just lame... now +40 would be excellent.

gjoerulv

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« Reply #40 on: 2007-07-28 11:20:08 »
Well... The 9th section of Kernel.bin is the Materia "dump". It starts with 4x WORD which desides the amount of AP pr level. The next byte is the equiped effect. It's just one byte:

Code: [Select]
BYTE STR VIT MAG MDEF MAXHP MAXMP LUCK DEX
00
01 -02 -01 +02 +01 -05% +05%
02 -04 -02 +04 +02 -10% +10%
06 +01
07 +01
08 -01
0A +02
0B -01 +01 -02% +02%
0C +01 -02% +02%
0D +01 +01 -05% +05%
0E +02 +02 -10% +10%
0F +04 +04 -10% +15%
10 +08 +08 -10% +20%

13 possible options. The value 0x01 would give:
STR: -02
VIT: -01
MAG: +02
MDEF: +01
HP: -05%
MP: +05%

The Cover Materia uses 0x06:
VIT: +1

I belive the closest to your example would be from the standard low level materia; 0x0B. You could change that to any value listed above (e.g 0x10), but only those as far as I know. I don't know how to change the effect the different values represents.

And I'll be happy to do it for you. Just make a list (or something) of which materias you would like to change the equiped effect on, and which value you want on them (0x00 - 0x10 as you see in the list above). Then PM, Mail or post it and I'll make it. No prob  :-D.

And btw. The accesory Guard Ring has a +50 VIT in my mod. And the Tough Ring a +30 VIT SPR. Kinda to make the Guard Ring more usefull. There are more changed values on the rings as well, and mabye I should list 'em...

Kashmir

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« Reply #41 on: 2007-07-29 06:39:03 »
Not quite what i was looking for, by the sounds of it it inst possible so nevermind then.

gjoerulv

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« Reply #42 on: 2007-08-10 20:08:27 »
Sorry for the time I use on this one (if anyone cares :P). I'm currently done gametesting the 1st continent + boat. I have updated some enemies (see buttom 1st post). The game testing requires some time, but I'll try to be done next week. The complete mod will rock my balls!!

Kashmir

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« Reply #43 on: 2007-08-11 09:14:35 »
I never get around to playing it, because i hate the bit im up too... annoying slums bit, climb up to the tower, then run up a million stairs :(

gjoerulv

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« Reply #44 on: 2007-08-13 18:34:35 »
You're after the sector 7 pillar blast? Well if you use the debug room you can skip whatever you want. But this may cause weird bugs in the game and if you're a serious player you wont use that. Anyways I got 1 week before I go back to college to complete this. Not that I won't be able to then. but I obviously will get my hands full with other stuff. Thus I kinda yearn to get this done before I start...

Uhhh, just noticed... In this mod you can't sell previously sellable stuff. Like bangles and sh*t. Will fix that.
« Last Edit: 2007-08-14 00:06:52 by gjoerulv »

Darkever

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« Reply #45 on: 2007-08-18 00:27:12 »
I didn't try the mod, but will do as soon as I have some free time.
Just a couple of suggestions (maybe you already tought about them):
- Don't raise enemy's HP too much. That is ok for bosses, but for random encounters it is a pain, because they would last forever.
- I agree with removing the flash command, but that is because it is usually useless. Slash-All does most of the time the same results and also works on enemies immune to death. I also suggest of removing Coin: that blinking Throw/Coin voice in the menu just makes me headaches. Also the fact that throwing coins deals damage is very very lame (critical lame).
- I suggest of leaving the original Master Command. If you got it, it means that (A) you mastered all other commands or (B) you killed Emerald. The concept is that when a player obtains the Master Materias is because his/her character are almost-unstoppable death machines.
- Sometimes just adding a nasty status effect to some attacks may transform an inoffensive enemy into a destruction machine, at least until the pary obtains 3xRibbon.
- I suggest to allow the enemies to drop just few Star Sources (using a global variable, like it is done with Pandora's Box), to avoid Source farming.
- Is there some way to change the enemy AI? I would be glad to modify it to make the opponents a bit more intelligent. That would greatly raise the difficulty without even changing the stats.


gjoerulv

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« Reply #46 on: 2007-08-18 21:04:56 »
I didn't try the mod, but will do as soon as I have some free time.
Just a couple of suggestions (maybe you already tought about them):
- Don't raise enemy's HP too much. That is ok for bosses, but for random encounters it is a pain, because they would last forever.
- I agree with removing the flash command, but that is because it is usually useless. Slash-All does most of the time the same results and also works on enemies immune to death. I also suggest of removing Coin: that blinking Throw/Coin voice in the menu just makes me headaches. Also the fact that throwing coins deals damage is very very lame (critical lame).
- I suggest of leaving the original Master Command. If you got it, it means that (A) you mastered all other commands or (B) you killed Emerald. The concept is that when a player obtains the Master Materias is because his/her character are almost-unstoppable death machines.
- Sometimes just adding a nasty status effect to some attacks may transform an inoffensive enemy into a destruction machine, at least until the pary obtains 3xRibbon.
- I suggest to allow the enemies to drop just few Star Sources (using a global variable, like it is done with Pandora's Box), to avoid Source farming.
- Is there some way to change the enemy AI? I would be glad to modify it to make the opponents a bit more intelligent. That would greatly raise the difficulty
without even changing the stats.

This mod is generally made to satisfy me lol. And I consider myself a hardcore FF7 player. I don't think there would be many requests for customisation, so I'll make customized mods if requested. There are random encounters somewhat early in the game (after mythril cave and so on) that are impossible at that time. IMO this spices up the idea of random encounters. Considering this is "hardcore" you should figure out which enemies are worth killing, 'cause some are "die-hard", others just annoying and not worth the spoils received. This goes in general just for the 1st half of the game. Just swallow your pride and flee. I know this might seem frustrating but at least it is "hardcore". Most of the enemies (except 1st reactor, bosses, and towards the end) have 2x or 3x hp.

Coin and Flash are removed. IMO overkill attacks in this mod (if you have lots of gil that is).

The reason I removed Master Command is that it adds another Mime and Coin. I don't know how to remove those alone from it. And I've never liked it. It really won't make much of a difference anyway in this mod. I've changed it to be 1 single command: Flash. Perhaps Flash seemed useless in the standard game, but, trust me, it ain't in this. Towards the end, when it's likely you'll be able to defeat emerald, the enemies will get an HP boost. In northern cave they have at least 5x HP. Some have more than 10x HP. Flash can kill some of these in 1 go. And the battles in general will be much easier and shorter. Trust me! Still if you want it custom made please let me know. I'll be happy to bring it back!  :-D

Enemies aren't just harder by adding STR, MAG and HP. I've also added status changes, speed etch. IMO there is a nice balance.

There are no Source drops beside the standard ones.

And I don't have the slightest clue how to change the AI. I know where it is located but it's too complex to figure out. It would require time I don't have.  :-D

Darkever

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« Reply #47 on: 2007-08-19 01:04:25 »
I like the idea of some "impossible" encounters at low levels (Sense may get some uses), but without "normal" encounter it would be incredibly hard to level up ^_^'

Can you tell me where are located the AIs for monsters? I read Terence's Enemy Mechanics FAQ, and most of the AI codes there seemed quite simple. It was probably a simplified pseudo-code, but the original code should be very similar... or not? As long as there is a way to make it human-readable (not hex or binary or whatever) I may look into it.
« Last Edit: 2007-08-19 01:23:06 by Darkever »

Kashmir

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« Reply #48 on: 2007-08-19 04:25:58 »
There are no Source drops beside the standard ones.
It would be good if you could make source drops available on the world map on disk 3, but i don't thinks its possible. Having to morph sources from monsters is too much of a pain for me to ever want to do.

ARMs

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« Reply #49 on: 2007-08-19 05:21:22 »
Everyone likes to play their own way but the way i view it if its hardcore there shoudln't be any unlimited sources to make all characters exact carbon copies.

if you get enough sources to boost characters speed to 255 the speed ups on bosses and enimies just dont' matter anymore.   those 50 points in defense matters alot in the end game.   2x dragon force on a 255 character reduces damage to 2 digits attacks while at 212 bosses can still deal 1000 to 3000 damage.   Max luck is jsut as crazy, Double the damage every turn and increases evasion.