Mega Man X5 Improvement Project Addendum (v2.1.4)

[Piotyr]

Thanks for all the hard work!

[acediez]

I tested (an completed)  X4 v1.13 X5 v2.0.2 and X6 v2.6.1 on Modded PlayStation Classic and they work perfect for me! no issues found

Thanks, it's nice to get a few success stories too 


August 27, 2021, 08:30:08 PM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)


v2.0.3
- Minor script formatting changes.
- Base code for new optional hacks (Fourth Armor nerfs)

(already available on the archive.org download page)

These last couple of days I've been playing the game probably more than I ever played it while working on v2.0 (I mean actually playing it, not just bug testing). One thing that keeps bothering me is how OP the Fourth Armor is. There's really not much incentives to use the Falcon/Gaea armors other than to get collectibles, and arguably not even the Ultimate Armor (which, besides the Nova Strike, it's the same thing). It wouldn't be fun to remove it completely either, so I thought of nerfing it in a way that makes it a balanced alternative on par to the other armors. I'm testing out this set of changes:
- Disable damage reduction
- Disable knockback reduction
- Disable buster remnants
- Can't equip Parts

With no Parts, and no defense bonuses, you will have to play more carefully with it (no Parts also means no defense bonuses from Shock Buffer). It's still the strongest Buster and the only armor able to use charged special weapons, so it makes sense for it to have some defense downsides. It makes it the "all offence" option when compared to the Falcon (defense + mobility) and the Gaea (defense + offence. I would add to that, to allow it to equip at least 2 parts)

All of this, without affecting the Ultimate Armor, which should be as OP as it is. So I didn't touch damage tables (which are shared between both armors, and setting up separate damage table entries would be a lot of work). Instead, to set them apart even more, I'm taking away the buster remnants from the Fourth Armor. It took a bit of work extra code to separate it from the Ultimate Armor (the main reason why I'm updating), but it worked. They can be modified separately in this version.

None of this is actually included in the patch, I'm just testing out ideas myself. I may or may not consider include it in future updates based on these tests and your feedback. As I've mentioned, I am considering future updates focusing on balance (including boss attack damage/speed and health bar sizes in the future).

If you want to play with it, it's all in the readme:

Code Select Expand

Change number of Parts equipables by armor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
X (Fourth Armor)
BIN Address: 177049
HEX Data Original: 02
HEX Data Modified: 00

Fourth Armor - Armor Skills Nerfs
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fourth Armor: Disable Damage Reduction
BIN Address: 34B60
HEX Data Original: 14006210
HEX Data Modified: 15006210

Fourth Armor: Disable Knockback Reduction
BIN Address: 34F4C
HEX Data Original: FFFF42240400422C
HEX Data Modified: FEFF42240300422C

Fourth Armor: Modify Charged Shot Remnants Duration
(This won't work on vanila. I wrote custom code to not affect Ultimate)
BIN Address: 101E0
HEX Data Original: 5A  Remnants hit ~5 times.
HEX Data Modified: 00  Minimum. Looks off, because the Charged Shot passes through.
You're used to see something collide.
04  Just enough to see the remnant end animation (recommended)
08  Just enough for the remnant to hit 1 time.

Ultimate Armor: Modify Changed Shot Remnants Duration (Bonus)
BIN Address: 101E4
HEX Data Original: 5A

(Now I wish I could give the charged Special Weapons to the Gaea Armor too )

[Aceearly1993]

Honestly I don't see X5 Fourth Armor too OP to be a balance problem in its original form. The plasma and sphere might look powerful but some stages are actually designed with the plasma in mind (the mini missile launchers at submarine's tail, necrobat's bat summon attack, etc.). Although it's neat that the sphere's duration can be somehow adjusted to further divide it from Ultimate's version.

(Now I wish I could give the charged Special Weapons to the Gaea Armor too )

So there is major breakthrough on compressed graphic format?  Yeah!!

[acediez]

some stages are actually designed with the plasma in mind (the mini missile launchers at submarine's tail, necrobat's bat summon attack, etc.).

I wouldn't consider blasting through attacks or enemies to the point of making them irrelevant a proof that it was "designed for it" 😅
But I guess that's just my take on it.

So there is major breakthrough on compressed graphic format?  Yeah!!

Not really    ... just wishful thinking.
Although I have been taking a look at how the compressed graphics file is structured, and the good news is that the sprites for each attack are stored separately, so it should be possible to add them to the Gaea Armor's graphics pack without having to edit the compressed files themselves. Still a lot of work though (they're packed in a different format, so I would need to write new scripts to handle them)

[Aceearly1993]

Not really    ... just wishful thinking.
Although I have been taking a look at how the compressed graphics file is structured, and the good news is that the sprites for each attack are stored separately, so it should be possible to add them to the Gaea Armor's graphics pack without having to edit the compressed files themselves. Still a lot of work though (they're packed in a different format, so I would need to write new scripts to handle them)

Well OK...Hope it won't use up available space of the game, although it would be inevitable to also import corresponding palette to make it not look weird when loading them

[Piotyr]

I have a suggestion if you are still working on this. Basically when you select parts after a boss fight add a third option of "none" for challenge runs. Heck you could make another option for "both" so you can revert to the original way of selecting health vs energy and those who don't want to "cheat" by getting every boost can choose as they like.

[injoon84]

Finally have the time to play around with the new stuffs. This is just my personal opinion though.

- Disable damage reduction
- Disable knockback reduction
Just not my thing but others may appreciate it. Somehow, it gives me the impression this can be done on X4 Black Zero.

- Disable buster remnants
I just reduce the remnants duration while disable the invincible frame of Plasma Shot Remnant. I set Fourth duration in between 00 to 04 while Ultimate in between 08 to 0F. Overall, still very powerful and has a little bug on Axle The Red as the clone will still be there if keep on getting hit by the invincible frame of Plasma Shot Remnant. I mean this:
Invincibility Frames (Plasma Shot Remnant)
BIN Address:       82382
HEX Data Original:    FF00
HEX Data Test:       0001

Also, kind of curious what is the typo in v2.0.2?

I have a suggestion if you are still working on this. Basically when you select parts after a boss fight add a third option of "none" for challenge runs. Heck you could make another option for "both" so you can revert to the original way of selecting health vs energy and those who don't want to "cheat" by getting every boost can choose as they like.

I think it's a great idea for someone who likes it harder. But I see it in different approach. Instead of getting a third option, I would suggest providing the modified value so that it behaves like easy mode of not getting the health, energy and parts. That way, you can save space for other thing in the future.

August 29, 2021, 12:56:10 AM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Oops, I forgot to mention Zero might still get stuck and need to use "exit the stage" during the alternate route in "Axle the Red" stage even with F-Splasher. That is if you're dumb enough to lineup 4 V-Blocks together as a square pattern.

[Piotyr]

If he adds the third or even fourth options then it will save people hex editing and allow people to tune the difficulty as they like on the fly. Don't want most of the power ups but can't live without one or two? Select those and none for the rest, want to only get power ups at a certian boss level? Manually choose none till said boss level no hex editing required.
I think this improvement will not only allow for challenge runs with no parts but save hex editing for the layman.

[acediez]

Ideally, in the future I would like to come up with a better way of earning Parts... Not just getting them automatically, but also not making them permanently missable as they were originally (I have a couple of ideas, but I'm not actively working on it yet)

Menu option hacks are rather complex and time consuming, so I wouldn't spend time on something like that considering the current implementation might change in the future. And as injoon says, space for custom code is a worry, so I have to be more selective about which things are worth adding.

If it's just for the sake of challenge, I would be more inclined to work on an optional hack to completely skip Parts and upgrades when playing on Xtreme mode. How does that sound?

[Piotyr]

Ideally, in the future I would like to come up with a better way of earning Parts... Not just getting them automatically, but also not making them permanently missable way as they were originally (I have a couple of ideas, but I'm not actively working on it yet)

Menu option hacks are rather complex and time consuming, so I wouldn't spend time on something like that considering the current implementation might change in the future. And as injoon says, space for custom code is a worry, so I have to be more selective about which things are worth adding.

If it's just for the sake of challenge, I would be more inclined in adding an optional hack that completely skips Parts and upgrades when playing on Xtreme mode. How does that sound?

Sounds good

[niuus]

If it's just for the sake of challenge, I would be more inclined to work on an optional hack to completely skip Parts and upgrades when playing on Xtreme mode. How does that sound?

Sounds like a cool challenge for the seasoned veterans.

[Red Soul]

Hopefully the changes to the Fourth Armor, if any end up implemented, stay as an optional patch.
Also, it would be amazing if the non-plasma arm part it has on MMX4 could be reinstated somehow, as I always preferred that part and in my headcanon it is the correct part to use with it; plasma seems borrowed from Ultimate and, to me, it doesn't fit.

[Razieldemon]

Ive just been getting back to the forums. I was wondering if you guysh wve managed to make it so all the X and Zero parts can be acquired?

I can't remember if that was one of the goals or not

[G30FF]

Ive just been getting back to the forums. I was wondering if you guysh wve managed to make it so all the X and Zero parts can be acquired?

I can't remember if that was one of the goals or not

The base patch will give you both parts from each boss, regardless of the boss's level, and regardless of whether you choose Life Up or Weapon Up. Life/Weapon Up and Heart Tanks are shared by both X and Zero, regardless of who obtains it. There's also an optional mod in the README that will give you both Life Up and Weapon Up for each boss, no matter what you choose, so you can have a game save with 16 life ups, 8 weapon ups, and all 16 parts unlocked.

[onepkvn1]

So, I know the graphics are broken, but if I really want to charge the special weapon with Falcon armor's arm part, is there a way to hex edit that into the game?

Also, is there a way to make the sigma virus accumulate throughout the entire stage(without resetting every time you dies)? So it actually post a threat to the player for once.

[acediez]

So, I know the graphics are broken, but if I really want to charge the special weapon with Falcon armor's arm part, is there a way to hex edit that into the game?

I can't pin it down to Falcon without adding custom code, but removing a single check will make it available for all armors (and make Gaea's Buster very broken when used with the Special button as a bonus lol).

Code Select Expand

BIN Address:         43F8C
HEX Data Original:   25006214
HEX Data Test:       00000000

Also, is there a way to make the sigma virus accumulate throughout the entire stage(without resetting every time you dies)? So it actually post a threat to the player for once.

Sure, sounds like you'd only have to remove some of the lines of code that make it reset to 0 (when you die, when some time passes, etc.). But I don't have any of that documented at the moment. I'll keep it in mind.

[onepkvn1]

I can't pin it down to Falcon without adding custom code, but removing a single check will make it available for all armors (and make Gaea's Buster very broken when used with the Special button as a bonus lol).

Code Select Expand

BIN Address:         43F8C
HEX Data Original:   25006214
HEX Data Test:       00000000

I still prefer to have it tied to the Falcon Armor's hand parts, but this will do for now. In addition, I reckon the Fourth armor is still a bit too OP, can you maybe remove its ammo reduction feature as well? Thank you for all the hard work mate

[Aceearly1993]

Hello acediez. After dealing with several unrelated game projects, back again.
Is there a way to actually adjust the "speed" of the necrobat slow effect without turning it off? Or is it really bonded to only an on/off switch and not fully customizable for its speed?

[acediez]

(Just to clarify, everyone: as I'm not actively working on this these days, I'm answering questions/requests based on what's already implemented and documented. If it's related to something already well documented and can be done modifying a line or two, I'll help, but if it's something that requires new custom code, then no.)

adjust the "speed" of the necrobat slow effect without turning it off?

It might be possible, but I didn't dig into the effect's code, I only looked for a way to skip it.

can you maybe remove its ammo reduction feature as well?

Not possible with the current code. Vanilla code works the opposite way (it filters out unarmored X from ammo use reduction, any other armor gets it).

But I am considering armor balance ideas for later on.

[onepkvn1]

(Just to clarify, everyone: as I'm not actively working on this these days, I'm answering questions/requests based on what's already implemented and documented. If it's related to something already well documented and can be done modifying a line or two, I'll help, but if it's something that requires new custom code, then no.)

Hmmmmm, ok, I know I'm asking a lot, but is it possible to get the free move on Falcon armor as soon as I get the leg parts? I totally understand if that's impossible without adding custom code.