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**********MUSIC**********
Fire Emblem: Engage – Enforcer of Knowledge (Frenzy) [Dethraxx’s Remix]
See the original cover here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di_Kzvw_JCI
**********OTHER**********
Here is the result of about four days of AI modding a party member AI in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. As stated before, AI is one of the most fascinating things for me when it comes to programming, and being able to program something like this is why.
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix has a Summon system in place normally, which I actually hijacked to summon a party member instead. This is what I have called the D-Link system for a while now, and has been in the mod for years at this point. However, what’s different about it now is that I made the AI far more intelligent and capable of executing more than basic attacks.
So let’s get something out of the way right now. Party members in Kingdom Hearts II are actually extremely weird with their coding. There exists a general main branch somewhere in the game that every party AI utilizes, and I’m unsure of the exact location. This means party members can actually function without an AI file in their MDLX. MDLXs are the models in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, and they have an AI file written into them normally. What’s extremely bizarre is that Kingdom Hearts II party members do have an AI in their MDLX, but all it contains is a bunch of placeholder data, and then the functionality for their specific abilities. The trigger ranges for these abilities all exist in the main branch though, so it doesn’t even fully contain the ability logic in that regard. Regardless of this, once the main AI activates an ability, this is where our magic comes into play.
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix’s AI system uses pretty much the same exact logic for all of its syscalls across every mob in the game, with the only exceptions really being adjusting a couple of values to reference things in templates. This essentially means we can rip any action out of any Kingdom Hearts II AI and throw it into any other Kingdom Hearts II AI file we want. Alright, so now that we’ve actually established all this, what did I do to make Ventus insane?
First off, I needed a good AI with adaptable trigger ranges based on the range of the opponent. Luckily, Kingdom Hearts II’s Jack Sparrow AI already has really good ranges, which is what I use for the Ventus and Terra D-Links anyways. Because the main branch temporarily gives up complete control to the AI file of the ability’s user, this means we can have our Kingdom Hearts II party member execute any code we want. With this in mind, let’s get into the fun details.
This Ventus is now a combination of the party member main branch, Lingering Will, Shadow Roxas, and Anti-Sora. I’ll go over the functionality of each of them.
Main Branch: Approaching, trigger ranges, out of combat following, and two basic attack commands both on the ground and in the air.
Lingering Will: Sets up an RNG table to execute the corresponding code based on what number in the table is picked. Kingdom Hearts II then chooses from values 1-5, but can have as many added to it as desired. This was from how he chooses a mode for his first two phases at the beginning of his fight, although that was only values 1-4 originally.
Shadow Roxas: Adapted the code base of pushing animation motions in a sequence back-to-back, essentially creating a combo. Additionally, uses this to check for animation cancel windows by searching for timers that I manually put in the character’s MSET (moveset) file.
Anti-Sora: Takes the extremely intricate tracking system when the target is airborne. There is also a Jump and Gravity system that allows it to elevate or sink itself downward based on the target’s height relative to the user, adjustable with another timer in the MSET file. Finally, the logic base for checking if it should do a ground-based sequence or air-based sequence depending on said height relativity.
Once all of the timers had been manually set up in the moveset file, it was just a matter of giving the AI extreme awareness of its capabilities. Ventus now has five ground and five air sequences written into him, with additional intelligence added on by teaching it that it is also allowed to immediately launch into another combo sequence optionally. To do this, I allow some of its combos to reset the RNG table and immediately make it execute for another round. The result of all my mental labor is a baseline system I can reuse for the other D-Links too!
#KH2 #KingdomHearts #jrpg #KH2FM #Aqua #ProjectAqua #Mod #Mods #Gaming
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Here is the result of about four days of AI modding a party member AI in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. As stated before, AI is one of the most fascinating things for me when it comes to programming, and being able to program something like this is why.
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix has a Summon system in place normally, which I actually hijacked to summon a party member instead. This is what I have called the D-Link system for a while now, and has been in the mod for years at this point. However, what's different about it now is that I made the AI far more intelligent and capable of executing more than basic attacks.
So let's get something out of the way right now. Party members in Kingdom Hearts II are actually extremely weird with their coding. There exists a general main branch somewhere in the game that every party AI utilizes, and I'm unsure of the exact location. This means party members can actually function without an AI file in their MDLX. MDLXs are the models in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, and they have an AI file written into them normally. What's extremely bizarre is that Kingdom Hearts II party members do have an AI in their MDLX, but all it contains is a bunch of placeholder data, and then the functionality for their specific abilities. The trigger ranges for these abilities all exist in the main branch though, so it doesn't even fully contain the ability logic in that regard. Regardless of this, once the main AI activates an ability, this is where our magic comes into play.
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix's AI system uses pretty much the same exact logic for all of its syscalls across every mob in the game, with the only exceptions really being adjusting a couple of values to reference things in templates. This essentially means we can rip any action out of any Kingdom Hearts II AI and throw it into any other Kingdom Hearts II AI file we want. Alright, so now that we've actually established all this, what did I do to make Ventus insane?
First off, I needed a good AI with adaptable trigger ranges based on the range of the opponent. Luckily, Kingdom Hearts II's Jack Sparrow AI already has really good ranges, which is what I use for the Ventus and Terra D-Links anyways. Because the main branch temporarily gives up complete control to the AI file of the ability's user, this means we can have our Kingdom Hearts II party member execute any code we want. With this in mind, let's get into the fun details.
This Ventus is now a combination of the party member main branch, Lingering Will, Shadow Roxas, and Anti-Sora. I'll go over the functionality of each of them.
Main Branch: Approaching, trigger ranges, out of combat following, and two basic attack commands both on the ground and in the air.
Lingering Will: Sets up an RNG table to execute the corresponding code based on what number in the table is picked. Kingdom Hearts II then chooses from values 1-5, but can have as many added to it as desired. This was from how he chooses a mode for his first two phases at the beginning of his fight, although that was only values 1-4 originally.
Shadow Roxas: Adapted the code base of pushing animation motions in a sequence back-to-back, essentially creating a combo. Additionally, uses this to check for animation cancel windows by searching for timers that I manually put in the character's MSET (moveset) file.
Anti-Sora: Takes the extremely intricate tracking system when the target is airborne. There is also a Jump and Gravity system that allows it to elevate or sink itself downward based on the target's height relative to the user, adjustable with another timer in the MSET file. Finally, the logic base for checking if it should do a ground-based sequence or air-based sequence depending on said height relativity.
Once all of the timers had been manually set up in the moveset file, it was just a matter of giving the AI extreme awareness of its capabilities. Ventus now has five ground and five air sequences written into him, with additional intelligence added on by teaching it that it is also allowed to immediately launch into another combo sequence optionally. To do this, I allow some of its combos to reset the RNG table and immediately make it execute for another round. The result of all my mental labor is a baseline system I can reuse for the other D-Links too!
Ven is goin pork
Could there be a Vanitas Party member?
Out of curiosity, will you be adding voices to the summons? It is a little weird to hear them completely silent as they send the enemy to kingdom come.
I see ventus downloaded the BBS animation cancelling mod as well. Also love to see the basis for his AI, mods always end up with Frankenstein amalgamations of code and it's delightful
He was asleep for the entire KH series just to wake up this rested and refreshed?
I need a nap like damn
he downloaded better battle system
Aqua is me watching experienced DMC/Bayonetta players go combo mad
Would love to see more of your follow ups to ventus's combos like the last bit!
Hey Xadd sorry if this is weird to ask but is this mod going to also be available in JP text as well or only English?
I’m unaware if the Vanitas Mod is available in JP as well but since I’ve been re learning JP I was hoping if this mod would have support for it!
The better battle system mod totally evolved Ven into a DMC character I see
seriously every video for this project makes me more excited for it. you and your team have done some absolutely stunning work, i'm amazed by what you all have managed to do with this game and i can't wait to be able to experience it when it's all done
Is it possible to give Ven like, a couple more SFX? Fire Surge having no Fire SFX is disconcerting, and Ven having only a single hit-sound, the wind-box hit SFX, makes watching him go to work very flat as well despite his exceptional efforts, I know Memory Allocation is a concern due to how phat Aqua and many boss's files are, but even like, having the hit sound of his Keyblade added would be nice
Wow, he’s aggressive! Then again, a summon better be at least that deadly if we’re going to be foregoing one of those awesome drive forms!
Aqua summons DMC style player
Really cool bro! These summons must be one of my favorite additions!
I will say, the aqua model looks slightly more blurry and less saturated than the Ventus one.
Keep up the great work.
Now i wonder, did you change some aspects of the final xemnas fight? Is riku now terra? I mean, riku is probably mandatory for final xemnas to work, right?
Wait, is atlantica a playable fighting scene in this mod?!