[FF7PC-98/Steam] Multiple mods and Modding Framework-The Reunion [R06f]

[DLPB_]

They do need to have colour,  The texture format supports pallettes. 

I can't preview the files in dropbox though...  think it's forcing me to have account?

[strife98]

That's....odd. I can on a different not logged in browser :/ Guess I'll upload elswhere (these both download the same thing):

Mega: https://mega.nz/#!OolWhKJB!nKfRdNGfZiUA32hj_MkGdgRDfMnme7PU82W4sCsgeTY

GDrive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QEsl2eKg-oVO-7ClRIjBmhPj7Ne4MFq4/view?usp=sharing

If it isn't obvious yet, I'm not quite sure what I'm doing

[DLPB_]

The format has to be correct and paletted properly or the colours will not work correctly. See the tex I sent. It's also important that the style of the buttons be basic like the ones we made for ps - otherwise they will stand out like a sore thumb.  If you can design them to fit in, Ilducci or someone could correctly format.  Otherwise, let me know how you get on.  I have zero idea how to make tex files.

[strife98]

Dang it I was gonna make a super basic version but thought against it haha. I don't know how to make them either I just used textool to convert it.

Edit:

So rereading what you've said I'm not 100% sure what's needed. I used the tex you sent to make the edit, and saw you said that colors were needed, yet the file looks like this:

Spoiler: show

I dunno if textool is making the png's monochromatic or if they are supposed to be that way, but if nothing changed, then I'll just replace △ ○ □ ✕ with already existing A B X Y in the fonts (would prefer to have the other .tex files with the rest of the upper case alphabet to make the font match perfectly with the rest.) I could change their color to be the matching button color as well just to make them stand out a bit if preferred.

[DLPB_]

The file is a texture file and has palette data to allow for colour.  I suggest you design them to fit in like the ones I have and PM Ilducci to fix them up for you.  I have no idea how to make palettes work.

Some tools will show you the different palettes.

[DLPB_]

@obesebear

Do you happen to have the Death fix and Knights of Round fix for interpolated 60fps battles?  If not I will check my backups.

[DLPB_]

Scrap that

Knights of Round works only when original files are present...  which is very weird.  Can only assume it's recalculating somehow.

 deathdat.a00  on other hand I cannot get working.  The original is too slow - and the one you supplied stays there and doesn't animate (may again be something internal).  Can you check this one for me again please?

[obesebear]

I'll check deathdat.  Knights of the Round should be done, but it originally had issues with the pause buffer used to make the battle 60fps.  I thought you had fixed that?

[DLPB_]

The truth is Knights of Round original files works automatically with full 60fps. 

[DLPB_]

So - Modpath now includes texture and file replacements - but global is checked first
and can supersede
it's looking like the finished article
global\Direct
global\DLL
global\File
global\hext
global\Texture
global\Movies :  not implemented yet
global\Music
global\SFX
and then modpath is

Custom\Mod_ID\Direct
Custom\Mod_ID\DLL
Custom\Mod_ID\File
Custom\Mod_ID\hext
Custom\Mod_ID\Texture
Custom\Mod_ID\Movies :  not implemented yet
Custom\Mod_ID\Music
Custom\Mod_ID\SFX

direct:  checked before LGP archives.  Any file inside archive superseded by the one in this folder.
DLL: load any dlls you need
File:  Default path to files - such as any normal file and lgp archives.  When direct fails - this is where it will check next.  This also allows scene.bin etc to be loaded from this folder.
hext:  Hext format binary changes - to change font spacing data this will HAVE to be used.
Texture:  PNG file replacements.
Music:  Game music in ogg format
SFX:  SFX in ogg format
Depending on options - BASE is used and supersedes global and custom if file exists>

Base\60i  : interpolated 60fps battles
Base\Closed_Mouths  : closed mouths on original models.  Will not work when Model_Overhaul selected.
Base\Model_Overhaul
Base\Movies :  I am still trying to add this to global and custom as well...   At moment does not work at all.
Base\Weapon

In the end, there is a hierarchy here that will allow for a full flexible modding experience.  BASE is purely for my own optional mods, which I have integrated into aali dll and my own dll.

Audio Replacement is mandatory.
Window.bin abolition is mandatory.
Certain fixes may end up being mandatory.
New frame limiter is mandatory - unless an issue crops up.

[DLPB_]

That pesky help menu flicker issue has been fixed.  I had to rewrite my auto size action box code. Really didn't want to.

Code: [Select]

0:  8a 4d 0c                mov    cl,BYTE PTR [ebp+0xc]
3:  66 8b 85 a8 fe ff ff    mov    ax,WORD PTR [ebp-0x158]
a:  66 ba 80 02             mov    dx,0x280
e:  66 89 d3                mov    bx,dx
11: 66 29 c2                sub    dx,ax
14: 66 d1 ea                shr    dx,1
17: 80 f9 19                cmp    cl,0x19
1a: 75 19                   jne    0x35
1c: 04 18                   add    al,0x18
1e: 66 a3 1c d2 91 00       mov    ds:0x91d21c,ax
24: 66 29 c3                sub    bx,ax
27: 66 d1 eb                shr    bx,1
2a: 66 ba 0d 00             mov    dx,0xd
2e: 66 89 9d 8c fe ff ff    mov    WORD PTR [ebp-0x174],bx
35: 66 89 95 a8 fe ff ff    mov    WORD PTR [ebp-0x158],dx
3c: 66 c7 85 98 fe ff ff    mov    WORD PTR [ebp-0x168],0xb
43: 0b 00
45: 66 c7 85 b8 fe ff ff    mov    WORD PTR [ebp-0x148],0x0
4c: 00 00
4e: eb 07                   jmp    0x57
50: 66 ff 85 b8 fe ff ff    inc    WORD PTR [ebp-0x148]
Quite proud of it. Not a byte to spare.

[obesebear]

http://www.mediafire.com/file/k99txxsjt29quy3/deathdat.a00 That's the 60fps deathdat.a00

I wonder what KOTR is doing that it won't allow interpolation...

[DLPB_]

It must be calculating the total frames and adjusting... somehow. If you use interpolated knights... it runs 4x slower, even at 60fps.  Assuming your files are correct.

btw thanks for the other.  I'll test tomorrow! 

[obesebear]

Well, if literally every other animation in the game is running at a smooth 60fps except for KOTR stuttering along at 15, I'll consider that a win

[MurdererFight]

When we can expect a new release? I see many lrogress here, I'm eagerly waiting to play for the first time FFVII with the new version

[DLPB_]

May be possible to work out how to make knights use the interpolation...  There's got to be something in the functions allowing for it.  Sadly... the sequences are all hard coded...  So each piece of the progression is there with a billion counters.  It's very annoying to follow.

[Kuraudo.]

Hi DLPB, I'll drop the bomb...

Is there a chance to see reintroduced as an option the Menù Overhaul?

I find it as a really important update for the impact it gives and the better visualization.

[DLPB_]

Nah - that's long gone.  It didn't fit in with the engine or original style and to be honest nearly all the graphical updates suffer that issue.  It was a good idea while it lasted, but the original engine and text is part of what FF7 is.

Changing the font and trying to polish a turd takes away more than what it gives - and it also means I have to add loads of code and time that I could be using elsewhere.

The Menu Enhancement is all I support now.

[Mako]

Ant chance we will see R06 this year? Read a thread on another forum (presumably by you) that pointed to a late 2017 release... Are you on track for 2018?

EDIT: Also, unless I'm missing something why not just use the button icons from the Menu Overhaul? They were clean enough and work perfectly?

[DLPB_]

The Menu Overhaul buttons are too high res and are intended for a high res font - and they don't use the original texture file. 
And the font spacing is different.   When I say that new buttons are needed if you want x-box support, I mean it. 

As for release time.  It will definitely be this year - and likely within a month or two.

[Mako]

Ah that was it, yeah all I did was download R05 and the menu overhaul, cut out the text. Seems to me to work perfectly. As for the "Higher Resolution" normally I'd agree (kinda), but in this one case the buttons actually break the immersion already and are symbols displayed to the player on what to press, they already don't 'belong' in the game world as we know it. As a too blurry icon, to tell what it is would defeat the purpose. But same could be said (rightfully so) about all UI elements. They don't belong to the game, and they where never meant to "fit in" the elements exist outside of the game world and are for the sole purpose of conveying information to the player. Your kind of taking a hybrid purist standpoint, but the work done goes against everything a purist stands for...

Ether way it's all good on my front, I am able to enjoy your work on the menu project with bare minimal effort to get it to work with the latest translation, for me its about function, and the menu overhaul was fundamentally better at doing it's job then anything produced with the newer translation. It offered removing limitations put in place by the PlayStation going past 9,999. It took up less screen real estate so I could enjoy being immersed. It displayed information to the player to better understand the battle and enemy HP to adjust tactics better.

/rant.

It's your work any way you look at it. Congrats! and thanks for the update!

[DLPB_]

The original PSX game had buttons.  This is absolutely no different.  They've been restored,  not added back where they weren't.  I'm not sure what point you are making?

The break 9999HP mod was and is ridiculous.  It is an addition that wasn't there originally - is limited to 32767 HP, which is again a silly number - and does absolutely NOTHING in terms of adding to game play. What it does do is break games - mean a LOAD more work for me and everyone else.  Honestly, decent modders should be steering clear of it.

The only reason I initially added the mod is because I was naive and because I felt compelled to do so, since aali's driver was wrecking the GUI when the option was on.  Since I am now making a totally optional and self enclosed set of mods (with my own update to Aali's dll) - I am doing it my way.

The progress here at Qhimm's is slow enough as it is without adding these needless dog and pony shows to all the mods - further creating confusion and breaking compatibility and leading, in the end, to less quality mods and more half finished gimmicks.

And that's precisely what R06 is setting out to change.

I made up my mind with this a long time ago.  There is no way I am spending months and months adding compatibility for useless additions that end up causing more problems than they fix. We need to move away from that - and start creating quality mods that actually get finished.

[Mako]

It is an addition that wasn't there originally

You admit that this can't really be a talking point right? It's pretty self evident why this logic is flawed.

I'm not sure what point you are making?

Well ya' seemed to get my point and come up with a counter argument didn't cha? Couldn't have been that hard.

is limited to 32767 HP, which is again a limit and a silly number

Hey I like that number, and this is going to sound crazy but 32767 HP is greater then 9,999. If your counter argument is "it's still a limit" it's less so, soo yeah.

and does absolutely NOTHING in terms of adding to game play

Anybody ever tell you use the word absolutely to much? It adds the ability to properly see the enemy's HP, not just "out there in the ether" until it hits 9,998. I'd say that's one thing. I'f you'd like more I can surely provide.

mean a LOAD more work for me and everyone else.

When you say load, do you mean hardly any work at all? Aside from a very select few (three by my count) through an entire play through it seems to work just fine. In fact it's so little work I'm surprised your still taking this stance. In comparison I could literally fly to everyone's house that downloaded this mod and set it up for them by the time R06 probably gets here. Not a knock on you, by all means take your time. But someone with your skill could even get it done faster.

Honestly, decent modders should be steering clear of it.   

Been using it I believe for the better part of a decade. At least it feels that way. I'll take your recommendation with a grain of salt, same ol' glass half empty Dan.

[DLPB_]

You need to stop bringing this up every 2 or 3 months in the vain hope that I will have some sort of change of heart. The break 9999hp mod breaks other mods. It cripples battle formulas that are meant for one type of mod.  And it means me having to mess around assigning different GUI values to various changes I've made.  If X then move this to Z.  If Y move this part to Q.  I am not messing about like that anymore.

And 9999 break HP mod does indeed add nothing to gameplay. It's a number.  You can achieve the same effect by scaling stats by a factor of 10 in the other direction and then adjusting.  Breath of Fire III did this perfectly.  In fact, there isn't even one single mod out there that utilizes the Break 9999 HP even remotely competently.  Only New Threat comes close at the moment to any kind of decent game play changer.

Rather than keep flogging a dead horse, spend your time creating a self contained mod.  You'll feel a lot better than this futile endeavour.


Dan


Additionally, I think modders should add in checks for 9999 break HP mods and cause a game over if it's active.  I will, of course, be doing with with my own Weapon mod.

[DLPB_]

http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=13696.msg191988#msg191988

For your perusal.

Hey I like that number, and this is going to sound crazy but 32767 HP is greater then 9,999. If your counter argument is "it's still a limit" it's less so, soo yeah.

Yeah, you might want to give up the trolling.  You're not good at it. That's the last response you'll ever get from me, so enjoy!