Except maybe kicks should somehow miss sometimes...? >.<
Yes! Definitely, yes!
Or maybe use MP...
No! Definitely, no!
And what should the formula be for steal success? Something to do with thief speed vs. enemy evasion? But I don't really know how to smash the two numbers together and decide what creates a win state.
I can help with that actually. I have compiled a lot of research into the mechanics of many of the FF games. Let me look through my notes and I'll get back to you on this tomorrow at a more decent hour.
About the number of skill commands.
One each is what I was thinking as far as staying in line with the early FF games.
Ultimately, and ideally, I'd like it to function more like FF3.
It would definitely be useful to others to be able to have unconventional set ups for each job; like how the Black Mage in FFX-2 has no FIGHT command and instead must rely on magic entirely.
Hmmm... I do have one criticism of the current set up, though.
Having a command that just contains another single command is a redundant.
It's basically just an extra step.
Taking into consideration the goal of this project and our own personal goals, with regards to what we want to do with it in our own branches, I recommend updating the command window to support command configurations on a per class basis.
And instead of having a skill command, each class can have it's own command that can either have a single direct use or pull up a short list of individual skills (Maybe 4 skills max to allow for longer names).
About the equipment screen...
Yeah! I saw the icons.
They're pretty cool, but I don't think I prefer them replacing the slot text.
Actually, I just noticed that the item names are still the same length as in the original game.
Can these be expanded to 10 characters?
The shops would have to be modified a bit, but everything should fit.
The Gear command window would definitely need to be widened.
EDIT:
OK.
I looked through all the documents I have on the mechanics of the first 6 FF games in reference to the Steal command's workings.
Except for FF5 they all pretty much work based on the thief's level vs the target's level.
FF5 is different because it is a Hit% check with a flat 40% chance of success (or 80% if using the Thief Glove).
Before I give a recommendation, let's talk about the relevant stats in FF1.
Agility is used For exactly 2 things.
It factors directly into Evade%.
And it factors into the chance's of getting Ambushed or a Preemptive Strike.
Luck was originally only factored into FLEE and Ambush/Preemptive.
The chance to run is bugged.
IIRC you used Luck as a factor in turn order and that is why you renamed it Speed, correct?
The way Ambush/Preemptive works is based partially on the lead character's Agility and Luck/Speed.
The document I use calls this Initiative.
Initiative = (Agility + Luck)/8.
It might better to have this value displayed on the status screen and to use it for turn order instead of just using Luck/Speed.
I recommend a bit of an overhaul to how these starts are used and what they are named:
Agility -> Dexterity
- Instead of directly factoring into Evade%, it should factor into Hit%.
(This will probably require that each class's fixed increase to Hit% be reduced.)
- It might be a good idea to have it factor into spell Hit% as well.
Luck/Speed -> Agility
- Have it factor into M.Evade% (aka Magic Defense).
(This will probably require that each class's fixed increase to M.Evade% be reduced.)
- Fix bug and have it properly factor into the Run command.
- Have it factor into Evade% instead of the old Agility stat.
N/A -> Initiative
- Use the same formula as in the Ambush/Preemptive calculations.
- Use it as a factor in turn order instead of Luck/Speed.
- Use it in the Ambush/Preemptive calculation.
Now as for the Steal command, I recommend using the existing Accuracy calculation.
- If the target has no item, end the routine and show the 'has no item' message.
- If the target has an item, make an accuracy check to see if the thief can get passed the target's defenses.
(Use the standard accuracy calculation; Attacker Hit% vs Target Evade%.)
- If the accuracy check fails, end the routine and show the 'failed to steal' message.
- If the accuracy check succeeds, then do a skill check to see if the theft succeeds based on the attacker's level and or thief level.
- If the skill check fails, end the routine and show the 'failed to steal' message.
- If the skill check succeeds, add the item to inventory and show the 'stole X item' message.
The skill check itself would be based on either character level*2 or (character level + thief job level) vs a random [0...99] roll. If skill check < random roll, steal succeeds.
There are probably quite a few things that could be done in the battle code to modernize and probably simplify how certain things work. Status immunity for example.
Here is a link to the reference document I use for FF1:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/nes/522595-final-fantasy/faqs/57009