Battle Mechanics 101

[Terence Fergusson]

I'm really not going to say much about this right now, but figured it was due an update.

This is for physical attacks only, by the way.

First, know that the most important aspect of damage is the Base Damage.  It is derived from two stats: Attack and Level.  (And note that Attack = Strength + Weapon Attack modifier)

The formula used is:
Base = Att + [(Att + Lvl) / 32] * [(Att * Lvl) / 32]
(note that

• means the integer portion of x)

  Once you have the Base damage, most modifiers are placed on top of this.  Back Row damage halves it, for instance, while a Critical Hit (or Deathblow) would double it.  Also, modifiers due to the actual attack will be used here (example: the Braver Limit Break is 3x Base).

  (Note: Mini affects Attack only; it reduces it to 0)

  Once that's done, Enemy Defense is handled.  First, the Damage Modifier is worked out, then it is applied to the base damage:

Dam Modifier = (512 - Enemy Defense)/512
New Damage = Damage * Dam Modifier

(Note: Piercing Attacks ignore Defense)

Next, if the attack warrants it, random variation kicks in.  The variant gives a number between: [Damage * 15/16] ... (Damage - 1)

At this point, damage is sanity-checked: if Damage < 1, then Damage = 1.

Finally, multi-hit bonuses from stuff like the Yoshiyuki, Master Fist and Goblin Punch are added if they're needed.  The damage is again sanity-checked: this time, if Damage > 9999, then Damage = 9999.

(Note: Not sure of the order some of these things are done in, especially that last... need to test a few more special cases)

Whatever number you end up with is your final damage.

HTH.  HAND.

[The SaiNt]

Yes!
Terence, I was just gonna ask you to help me with that.
You see, Qhimm needs some people to help him to find out the direct formulas for calculating battle damage, magic damage, limit damage, etc etc. Since I'm already pretty busy with the memory address's, would you mind helping him out there?

[The SaiNt]

Hahaha
Since I have control over changing the weapon attack %, I did you a favour and checked to see if it what influence the attack % on the weapon made.
What a surprise it was when I found out it had no effect!
Even if the weapon's attack % is 0, the weapon still manages to hit my enemy!
Puzzled with this, I put all my stats to 0 and tested them one by one.
It seems that dexterity effect the success rate of deathblows.  
Maybe attack % does affect the chance of hitting but I'll need to check a little more first.

BTW, the offset for the
Buster Sword Attack Power is 00DAFD1C
Buster Sword Attack % is 00DAFD20

Add hex 2C to each address to get the following weapon. (It follows the FF7 weapon list)

[Srethron Askvelhtnod]

Ok, now *this* is going to be an interesting new direction to explore.  

Terence: Thanks for the info. Just one question. Are spells that affect attack or defense also considered modifiers? (For example: Barrier/Wall/Big Guard.)

The SaiNt: Like I said, this should be fun.  

[This message has been edited by Srethron Askvelhtnod (edited May 16, 2001).]

[Terence Fergusson]

Srethron> Yes, but in the same way Sadness is considered a modifier.  I still need to find out the order some of these are figured out in though.  I know that Elemental Weaknesses, Goblin Punch and the Yoshiyuki are all figured out after RV, but Elemental Strengths (Half Element) follows slightly different rules (I was getting strange values out of it that, although they looked like half, seemed to ignore part of the RV....)

[Srethron Askvelhtnod]

Does that mean that spells are modifiers as well? I guess that follows *if* FF7 sees status/spell as roughly equivalent and lumps their calculations together.

[This message has been edited by Srethron Askvelhtnod (edited May 16, 2001).]

[Terence Fergusson]

Not really.  Barrier/MBarrier are *Statuses*.  It's just that the spells inflict those statuses on the player.

Spell modifiers (for damage) are done first to the base damage, or use their own independent formula.

Later on, we look at modifiers from statuses, back row, defense, and so on.  If a spell causes a lasting effect, it's generally a status.  Spell damage modifiers are different and factored in first (they're always factored in when you use the spell).  Statuses may not always have an effect, though (Barrier won't protect against Magical Damage, for instance).

[Srethron Askvelhtnod]

Ah, I get it. Thanks for the info.

New question: Critical hits. Do you have any idea what the modifier that determines whether or not a critical hit takes place instead of a normal hit is? Is it just something simple like a 1 in 15 chance?

[Terence Fergusson]

Since I strongly suspect Luck has some factor in it, I am in no position to try and dig out any sort of Critical Strike formula.

(I'm also in the unique position of questioning my entire theory on Critical Strike, since I *once* saw a strike that *seemed* to do 4x damage rather than 2x.  I've not seen it again, and it was during the use of a certain Enemy Skill (which one exactly I can't remember).  Since I can't confirm it or remember the exact details, I'm ignoring it until I see it again....)