[FF8PC-Steam] Ragnarok Rebalancing Mod (v1.2.3 & v1.1b)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Callisto
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Any help with this would be much appreciated guys. I'm now on Disc 2, but would love to play the rest of the game without the draw cap  :'( :-D
 
Disregard. I hadn't patched the EFIGS.dll. It works just fine now, spell damage is much, much more noticeable after patching it too, caught me off guard a little lol
 
Any help with this would be much appreciated guys. I'm now on Disc 2, but would love to play the rest of the game without the draw cap  :'( :-D
Click to expand...
You can use my Cronos mod which allow for specific little change like this, but be aware  as ragnarok might modify the same thing.
 
This mod looks awesome. I have the 2019 version. I notice there's a few parts of the mod that aren't quite finished for 2019 compared to 2013. What I'm not sure on is what the actual impact of these differences are. Is there anything I should keep in mind when playing 2019 Ragnarok to keep it in line with Callisto's intention?
 
This mod looks awesome. I have the 2019 version. I notice there's a few parts of the mod that aren't quite finished for 2019 compared to 2013. What I'm not sure on is what the actual impact of these differences are. Is there anything I should keep in mind when playing 2019 Ragnarok to keep it in line with Callisto's intention?
Click to expand...
It's nothing too major. The overall experience should be identical between both versions. Few things to keep in mind when playing the 2019 version though:

- Rinoa's Angel Wing mechanics are similar to those found in the base game, so it's possible to cheat a little with endless Meteor spam, even though the damage multiplier has been reduced to 3 to compensate (in 2013, where spell selection mechanics are different, it's set to 4).

- There is no attack type that does damage in addition to removing status effects.

- Enemies have no real resistance to the Vit 0 status effect; they are either fully susceptible to it, or completely immune (they can still block it with a high Spirit stat if not immune).

- The EXP-None character ability is currently absent in 2019.

- ATB doesn't stop when selecting targets and ATB speed is too fast on the highest setting; leaving it at default value or lower is strongly recommended when playing 2019.
 
Great. Thanks so much, I'm just finishing a vanilla run and will play with this mod next. Really looking forward to it!
 
@Callisto - is there an expected release date for the 1.3 update - or perhaps a beta?
A lot of the 1.3 features listed as 100% completed for 2013 version sounds *awesome*  :) - if you need any help testing, I'm definitely up for it.
 
@Callisto - is there an expected release date for the 1.3 update - or perhaps a beta?
A lot of the 1.3 features listed as 100% completed for 2013 version sounds *awesome*  :) - if you need any help testing, I'm definitely up for it.
Click to expand...
Version 1.3 will be skipped; a 2.0 for Steam 2013 is currently being worked on which contains everything mentioned in the 1.3 progress report on the first page in this topic, and much more on top of that, including a third difficulty option. I'll do my best to release it by the end of this year, thank you for asking.
 
That sounds awesome Callisto - very glad to hear that you're still working both on the mod, and on the 2013 version :)
Just my personal take, but with Junction VIII + ffnx working as good as it now does, I can't imagine myself ever preferring the 2019 release.

And as a last note - I hope you will consider putting the mod on Github sometime after the 2.0 :) Getting into gameplay modding for a game like FF VIII, still (to me) seems somewhat daunting - but having a 'sample' mod like Ragnarok would help a lot with understanding the different aspects.
Thank you again for the massive work you've put into the mod!
 
That sounds awesome Callisto - very glad to hear that you're still working both on the mod, and on the 2013 version :)
Just my personal take, but with Junction VIII + ffnx working as good as it now does, I can't imagine myself ever preferring the 2019 release.

And as a last note - I hope you will consider putting the mod on Github sometime after the 2.0 :) Getting into gameplay modding for a game like FF VIII, still (to me) seems somewhat daunting - but having a 'sample' mod like Ragnarok would help a lot with understanding the different aspects.
Thank you again for the massive work you've put into the mod!
Click to expand...
If you want to do some gameplay mod, you can join cronos team on discord, we are several modders that focus on making a new gameplay mod :)
https://discord.gg/bJhpVDdP
 
Version 1.3 will be skipped; a 2.0 for Steam 2013 is currently being worked on which contains everything mentioned in the 1.3 progress report on the first page in this topic, and much more on top of that, including a third difficulty option. I'll do my best to release it by the end of this year, thank you for asking.
Click to expand...
Callisto will 2.0 still be released this year? I can´t wait to play it :D
Thank you in advance for your great work!
 
Well, apparently I'm a bit slow.  I followed the instructions step by step, and the game launches but none of the mod changes are there. 

Bummer, was really looking forward to this with the wife.  I'll just wait until there's a proper installer, and if that doesn't happen I'll just stick to the fantastic moguri mod for FFIX, it's a much more streamlined and polished install process.
 
Callisto will 2.0 still be released this year? I can´t wait to play it :D
Thank you in advance for your great work!
Click to expand...
Sorry, it's not quite finished yet. Needs some more weeks, as it still misses a few things, such as ways to obtain the new items that teach new abilities, as well as a full implementation of Casual difficulty mode. In the meanwhile, feel free to check out what other features to look forward to (or frown upon :-\), by having a look at this gallery.


Well, apparently I'm a bit slow.  I followed the instructions step by step, and the game launches but none of the mod changes are there. 

Bummer, was really looking forward to this with the wife.  I'll just wait until there's a proper installer, and if that doesn't happen I'll just stick to the fantastic moguri mod for FFIX, it's a much more streamlined and polished install process. 
Click to expand...
Have you tried the Junction VIII Mod Manager? If you are playing the 2013 version, this should be the easiest way to go.
 
Looks awesome Callisto ? Really looking forward to having another 'fresh' playthrough!

@poodaddy - will echo what Callisto suggested - the Junction VIII manager should make the process very straightforward, once it's installed.
You would also be able to pick and choose what mods, if any, you want installed alongside Ragnarok.
 
Hello all, old player new forum member here.

First of all, i`ve played FF8 at least 15 times by now since the start of the early 2000's so i know most of it's ins and outs by now. Ragnarok mod was the first i used a couple of years ago (played the 1.2b version) and thought i`d give it another go with the 1.2.3 version and see what's changed. Btw @Callisto, it would be nice to have a changes log for versions to know what's different.
Anyway, not important.
I've been lurking these forums for many years, since McIndus started to create mods for the game, and was doing so today reading through all pages of this thread. At around page 30 i just couldn`t take it anymore, i had to make an account here, seeing the constant complaints about the same stuff; basically "shoot yourself in foot then complain about the pain" posts:
- always same complaints about Mag being OP via Double/Triple compared to Str. Nobody, and i mean NOBODY is forcing you to go that path of OP Mag. This one reeks of the OG complaints about Card refining being able to break the game early on Disk1. Once again, it's a voluntarily choice that THE PLAYER MADE.
- complaints about characters being unbalanced in output/damage/power. NOT A SINGLE FF title in history has that "all rounded and balanced characters" (and i played them all from FF7 to FFXV including the MMOs); it's always a certain set-up of characters that outshine others, some are the main damage dealers while others are delegated to support role. This is intentional by the devs to allow players to opt for a sub optimal team to challenge themselves in completing the game.
- the "some fights lasts too long and are boring and repetitive" or "boss does too much damage and one shots me". You're playing a game mode that states it is HARDER than the original, and also has an even HARDER hard mode, yet find something to complain about. Just like the OG complaints "game is too easy".

Many thanks to the people that bring up valid arguments about issues with the game/mod and are trying to help flesh out a better experience. A huge THANK YOU to @Callisto, and others that are helping, for putting the time and effort FOR FREE in making this awesome game an even better experience.
Last time i played with the Ragnarok mod enabled (1.2b version a few years ago) i don`t remember encountering any bugs or crashes; i`ll keep an eye out on the latest version and see if i can bring any form of valid input during my playthrough.
Looking forward for that 1.3 !!
 
Sorry, it's not quite finished yet. Needs some more weeks, as it still misses a few things, such as ways to obtain the new items that teach new abilities, as well as a full implementation of Casual difficulty mode. In the meanwhile, feel free to check out what other features to look forward to (or frown upon :-\), by having a look at this gallery.

Have you tried the Junction VIII Mod Manager? If you are playing the 2013 version, this should be the easiest way to go.
Click to expand...
Wow! That looks very promising. Love all the new things you're adding for sure. Keep us posted.
 
feel free to check out what other features to look forward to (or frown upon :-\), by having a look at this gallery.
Click to expand...
DUDE, that... that looks insane! I was thinking about starting a new playthrough of FF8 Ragnarok soon, but if this is what is in store, I will happily wait. Glad to see that you've made so much progress! How long did all of that take?
 
I've been lurking these forums for many years, since McIndus started to create mods for the game, and was doing so today reading through all pages of this thread. At around page 30 i just couldn`t take it anymore, i had to make an account here, seeing the constant complaints about the same stuff; basically "shoot yourself in foot then complain about the pain" posts:
- always same complaints about Mag being OP via Double/Triple compared to Str. Nobody, and i mean NOBODY is forcing you to go that path of OP Mag. This one reeks of the OG complaints about Card refining being able to break the game early on Disk1. Once again, it's a voluntarily choice that THE PLAYER MADE.
- complaints about characters being unbalanced in output/damage/power. NOT A SINGLE FF title in history has that "all rounded and balanced characters" (and i played them all from FF7 to FFXV including the MMOs); it's always a certain set-up of characters that outshine others, some are the main damage dealers while others are delegated to support role. This is intentional by the devs to allow players to opt for a sub optimal team to challenge themselves in completing the game.
Click to expand...
Sounds like there's possibly some wires being crossed here. You could make the same arguments for the original game, in which case, what's the need for a mod in the first place? Notice that this is a reBALANCE mod; core to its identity is to offer a more robust, tailored & calibrated challenging gameplay experience compared to the original, so obviously discussing & offering critique re: balance is relevant - it's literally the raison d'être of the mod itself. The creator of the mod isn't getting any useful feedback in order to further fine-tune the mod from non sequiturs like "you don't have to use the OP stuff" or "unbalanced characters were always a feature of Final Fantasy", when it's expressly the very thing that's being optimized against.

@Callisto: did you ever get around to axing triple? I know you talked about it some years ago... but I'm definitely looking forward to whatever is next for Ragnarok. I suppose it'd be nostalgic as well at this point to return to the mod, over 7 years since I first played it and posted in this thread(how time flies nowadays...).
 
Last edited:
DUDE, that... that looks insane! I was thinking about starting a new playthrough of FF8 Ragnarok soon, but if this is what is in store, I will happily wait. Glad to see that you've made so much progress! How long did all of that take?
Click to expand...
Been working on it on and off since around mid 2022 when I started to put into practice what JWP had taught me earlier about hijacking functions and creating custom code. I just felt the balancing is still lacking in some ways, and what I could do with the existing FF8 tools was pretty much exhausted, so further adjustments could only be achieved by altering game code.

For example, it has always been baffling to see how far one can get by just spamming the same first three GF over and over, even on Lionheart mode, so I made it so that GF can be summoned only once per battle, mainly to shift the focus to all the other GF than just the first three (+Diablos) when going for an GF approach. The same goes for Limit Breaks; being able to use them over and over, despite enemies being more threatening, just isn't healthy to the game's balance and could still be abused to some degree, so there will be a simple cooldown on most of them, which in turns makes some of the harsher nerfs redundant (Zell, Irvine).

Besides that, Gravity damage missing on so many enemies can be frustrating for sure (especially after sitting through long attack animations), so there will be no Gravity immunity in 2.0, just damage reductions depending on the target (1/2 to 1/256).

As you can see, there were still some things left do, and 2.0 will hopefully sort most things out. I hope for a release in March. Thank you.

@Callisto: did you ever get around to axing triple? I know you talked about it some years ago... but I'm definitely looking forward to whatever is next for Ragnarok. I suppose it'd be nostalgic as well at this point to return to the mod, over 7 years since I first played it and posted in this thread(how time flies nowadays...).
Click to expand...
Yes, in 2.0, Triple will no longer be available for the player party and replaced with a second water-elemental spell. The only way to further increase magic damage output (besides Double) will be summoning Cerberus for a +25% boost, having certain weapons or GF equipped, through Selphie's Slots or Rinoa's Angel Wing.

Characters that aren't supposed to be proficient as casters will also have trouble accessing powerful magic, as there will be casting restrictions depending on the user's Mag stat (for example, a minimum Mag of 150 is needed to use Full-life, 200 for Ultima etc). In addition, stat-ups from items and devoured enemies will be limited throughout the game (Forbid Med-RF will be replaced with Blue Mag-RF), which will likely lock out certain characters from high-tier magic entirely.

This might sound harsh, but there should be plenty new options to increase the incentive to use physical attacks more often, such as the aforementioned Lucky 7 ability on Irvine's Bismarck, which works similar to Zidane's ability of the same name in FF IX (randomly adds either 7, 77, 777 or 7777 damage as fixed damage to the final damage output), when choosing the Attack command; some of the "Killer" abilities will also be back as passives slapped onto weapons and do additional damage to certain enemy types (beasts, demons etc), and Aura will increase physical damage output by 25% instead of granting a massive boost to Crisis Level, with its availability generally being more common than before.
 
I saw some people asking where to find Adamantines, I just found mines:Spoiler: show
Get the Squall card from Laguna in the Ragnarok
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top