[FF7PC-98/Steam] gjoerulv's "Hardcore" mod (v1.0.7.2)

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Yo!

So I started working on the final version some days ago.
1st the good news. It'll be a patch that will work with any mod... Well... More correctly it will overwrite any scene, kernel and any field file I've tweaked. Which means every scene file, every kernel file and 'bout 30+ field files. In other words, it will be exactly like the current version (+ some bug fixes,other tweaks and a new boss), except you don't need the original files any more to install the mod. This patch will basically update any flevel.lgp and battle.lgp without ruining anything (or too much  :-P) to your current tweaks.
Keep in mind that if you added some enemy models yourself (battle.lgp) and still want this mod, you basically have to adjust it to this mod concerning the scene.bin. And, of course, if you removed some of the original field files included in this mod it won't have any effect on your own mod.

The bad news is that I don't know when it'll be released. I don't have much time to spare these days.

BUT, my real deal with this post is: What's up with the AKAO part in the field files? Does the game read the midi only from the filed files? Is the akao section actually a midi? The reason I ask is that I made a crappy program that can import "akao files" into any field file. So if the akao part of the field files are similar to the midi files it'll be much easier to import 'em into any filed file so it can be used for battles etch. (the reason there is no boss battle music in my mod is 'cause there aren't the appropriate akao parts in the given fields).

EDIT: And here are the field files I've moded.
Code: [Select]
Code: 
anfrst_2anfrst_5blin65_1bugin1b*canon_1 (I've listed it, but I don't see any changes. Still I put in here just in case.)convil_4elmin4_2*farmgnmk*hyou5_1**hyou13_2**jtmpin1***junpb_2****las2_3las2_4las3_2las3_3las4_0*lastmaplosinn****md8_32nvdun1nvmkin21*qdslfrst_2trackin*trnad_2zcoal_2zz3****zz5zz6zz7zz8
*May disturb translation projects (English). In other words: contains some actual dialogue.
**Bug fix from the original files (there might be more files with bugs. please tell).
***I may not include this one. A minor translation "fix".
****Removed Enemy-Skills materia from these. It'll be optional to include 'em in my mod.
 
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I remember doing a bit of research into that AKAO part of the field files about a year ago. Here's the thread.

AFAIK, the bytes after AKAO point to MIDI files in the order in which their names appear in ff7.exe. I remember having the Cosmo Canyon music play in Sector 6 (mrkt2) by changing 0xEBE to 1A. The bytes after the opcodes such as MUSIC point to bytes after AKAO, so if you have MUSIC 00 and AKAO 25 1A 02, the game will play the first song pointed to by AKAO, which, in this case, is "rocket" AKA "oppressed people".

That was a hideously bad explanation of what I can remember finding and some of it might be inaccurate, but that's basically what AKAO does.
 
I remember doing a bit of research into that AKAO part of the field files about a year ago. Here's the thread.

AFAIK, the bytes after AKAO point to MIDI files in the order in which their names appear in ff7.exe. I remember having the Cosmo Canyon music play in Sector 6 (mrkt2) by changing 0xEBE to 1A. The bytes after the opcodes such as MUSIC point to bytes after AKAO, so if you have MUSIC 00 and AKAO 25 1A 02, the game will play the first song pointed to by AKAO, which, in this case, is "rocket" AKA "oppressed people".

That was a hideously bad explanation of what I can remember finding and some of it might be inaccurate, but that's basically what AKAO does.
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I pretty much know how to set music and battle music for a field, but you need the appropriate AKAO in the field file to play the midi you want. That's why I made that proggy to insert any "AKAO file" in any field file. Now if the "AKAO files" are similar to the midi files this would make things easier. I could just check of course :P, but if anyone knows it would be great.

If what suspect is true (they aren't similar) then I would like to know how important the whole AKAO part is. As I've seen some dude (don't remember who) posted in another thread you only need to change that one byte to change the entire song and the rest pretty much doesn't matter. This doesn't sound correct, but if it is, the only thing one need to do to insert a song is to insert one byte (or as many the ID reqiures), and then update pointers. But, as I said, I doubt this is true, 'cause the AKAO part is pretty much similar to a script; with opcodes and stuff.
 
Perhaps there is a list of songs set to play for certain ID's?

In wallmarket any ID gives a list of possible animations based on its poisition to other ID's

so 1A in any ID would give a much different animation than it would in a seperate one

(i think)
 
The IDs correspond to the order of the songs in the .exe

It seems that I didn't make myself clear in my last post, but replacing the IDs after AKAO will change the song being played, and the IDs after AKAO are the IDs of the songs in the order in which they appear in the .exe.
 
The IDs correspond to the order of the songs in the .exe

It seems that I didn't make myself clear in my last post, but replacing the IDs after AKAO will change the song being played, and the IDs after AKAO are the IDs of the songs in the order in which they appear in the .exe.
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Yes that makes sense. The field opcodes are relevant to the AKAO in the field, and the AKAO ID is relevant to the .exe.
But maybe I weren't clear... what I need to know is if all of the AKAO section is necessary to play the song or just the ID. If you just need the ID it'll be much simpler to add songs to fields. Then all we need to do is to insert five bytes (or AKAO + the ID bytes) to a field file to add possibilities to play new songs in that field, then update the pointers. I've successfully added some AKAO files in some fields with my "AKAO proggy"; I guess I'm in the best position to test this.

If what I expect is true (you do need the entire AKAO section), that means you'll need to extract the AKAOs you want in a field from another field where that AKAO exists. That's why I initially asked if the AKAO section is similar to other files easier available. You know, to add boss music.

EDIT: Hmmmm... It actually looks like you only need the ID. SCORE!
EDIT2: Yup, seems like you only need the ID (1 byte) preceded by "AKAO" (5 bytes total). But then what are the rest of the AKAO section there for if the opcodes aren't used? ??? Well it doesn't matter much now; I've already added some boss music and fight music where I wanted. If anyone are interested in the program I made just pm me. I don't think I need to release it.
 
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Any updates? Will the final version be downloadablw soon? :mrgreen:
 
Any updates? Will the final version be downloadablw soon? :mrgreen:
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I'm working on it, but, as I've stated earlier, I'm quite preoccupied with other stuff. Can't promise any release date.
 
hey i have a question is the three people you fight (sorry forgot there names) at the shinra building and on a train posible to beat on your videos on youtube they kill you and i had to cheat to get past it  :-D
 
Question. Is this mod practical without the 9999 limit breaker patch? Or is that just insane?
 
Question. Is this mod practical without the 9999 limit breaker patch? Or is that just insane?
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I don't think you'll last very long without it lol.
 
Been playing this mod for the past week (and boy is my wife pissed at me  :-D) and I have to say:  Well done!!!  This is taking one of the greatest games of my childhood and made it into a fantastic RPG.   The challenge so far has been fantastic and at some points very #$%^ing frustrating.  I am ashamed to say that I did cheat when dealing with JENOVA BIRTH and DEATH.  I managed to get Birth down to next to nothing time after time but it would always kill me - jenova death was just a slaughter.  I managed to kill the Golden Dragon guarding the Neo Bahamaut Materia, but DEATH just annihliated me time after time (probably because Tifa insisted on coming along and I never touched her).  I even tried cheating facing the Trio on the last car of Mt. Corel Huge Materia but after my first KotR summon 2 of them became invulnerable.  No big loss (except for half of their tents when the train crashed). 

I just got Cloud back and will be heading to pay that dragon on mt. nibel a visit :).    LOVE the challenge and strategy involved here, and I had some fights that kept me on the edge of chair, and a few that almost ended with a smashed monitor (jenova birth).  I love that items actually have a use now, and running out of phoenix downs and ethers and gil is an ever present fact of life here. This is also the first game I ever used Aeris and got her lvl 4 limit - man she is a necessity for this mod! Absolutely loved getting her limit up ready for a battle with those impossible monsters, stealing like a madman and running away! 

I can write pages about what a great mod this is and how much fun I've been having and am up to the Junon reactor with Cloud, Cid, and Nanaki (only trying to get Nanaki's limits up past lvl 2).  Or maybe I'll finally get Yuffie to beat Godo - something I gave up on way back when).

Excellent job again!
 
Don't mean to double post, but had a quick question - which program can I use to edit a weapon?  I would like to change Yuffie's final weapon strength back to the original strength.  I love using her and after getting the Conformer she is pretty crippled and would like to restore it to what it used to be.  Morphing isn't really the issue here (since those Unknowns just rip me to pieces anyway), I just really like using her for some reason:)

Thanks
 
Don't mean to double post, but had a quick question - which program can I use to edit a weapon?  I would like to change Yuffie's final weapon strength back to the original strength.  I love using her and after getting the Conformer she is pretty crippled and would like to restore it to what it used to be.  Morphing isn't really the issue here (since those Unknowns just rip me to pieces anyway), I just really like using her for some reason:)

Thanks
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The damage formula of that weapon is based on the target's level. The higher the enemy level; the higher the damage. If you want to change it, try Wall Marked.
Thanks for for trying it and for the feedback. All the jenovas (except the very last one) are weak against Cloud's normal attacks. I realize that's kinda impossible to grasp, so I was thinking of simply making 'em weak against physical attacks.
 
Ok as usual, when I want to install a mod, I have a problem -_-"
Well, first of all, I'm french, so I have the french version of FF7, then, when I try to install it, it says:

Below log created: 01/01/2010 at 19:18:51
PROGRESS:
Checking files.
 File check-> D:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\Data\battle\scene.bin
 File check-> D:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\Data\battle\battle.lgp
 File check-> D:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\Data\kernel\kernel.bin
 File check-> D:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\Data\kernel\kernel2.bin
 File check-> D:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\Data\field\flevel.lgp
Patch starting.
Patching: D:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\Data\battle\scene.bin
L'accès au chemin d'accès 'D:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc\Final Fantasy VII\Data\battle\scene.bin' est refusé.
Patch finished.
Time spent: 0:08


(l'acces au chemin d'accès est refusé = the acces to the "acces way" ? is denied.....)

So what the hell am I suppose to do ??

I'm under windows seven, but I tried on 2 other computers which are under xp and it says: "The application couldn't initiate correctly (0xc0000135). Click OK to stop the apply.

So... If you have answers, be my guest.
Btw, if there's no way for me to use this, well could you give me the changed files directly ?

Thank you very much, can't wait to try it :lol:


Edit: In fact, it looks like the acces is denied for every ticked thing such as "scene.bin ; kernel.bin ; kernel2.bin ; battle.lgp and flevel.lgp"
Btw I don't even have a flevel.lgp, only a fflevel.lgp...

What should I doooo ??  :cry:
 
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Sounds like User Account Control to me. Windows 7 doesn't like you editing any files in the "program files" folder. Go to the control panel, user accounts and turn account control off. Also, it might be a good idea to right-click on the patching program and select "run as administrator" if possible.

Fortunately, UAC in Windows 7 is easier to get rid of than UAC in Vista :3
 
Well I did what you said, and it still doesn't work :-(
I turned off the UAC and ran as admin and it still said acces denied for scene.bin....

And also, when I move the data folder on the desktop, it still doesn't work --''
 
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well, something doesnt smell right.
You can try changing attributes of the file. Right click scene.bin and uncheck 'read only' if applicable. Then click on the security tab and check all permissions under your name. This isnt a problem dealt by the gods of default settings, you might want to try reinstalling ff7 as something may have messed up the scene.bin.
 
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