Talk:Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden (Neo Geo CD)
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Under the Hood Workings
By jeffnussbaum716.
---Stats---
The game shows 6 stats to the player on the status screen, though to some extent there's only really 3, and the rest are derived from the others plus a base value:
Attack = Strength x 2 + Equipment + Weapon Level Bonus
Defense = Speed x 2 + Equipment
Luck = Evade * 0.5 + Equipment (equipment actually effects the Evade stat in this case, but luck is still the stat that matters)
Strength, Speed, and Evade are stats that have a fixed starting value based on the character, and increase a various amount each level, also based on the respective characters. They can also be increased by one point each using limited items found throughout the world, and also have a maximum value of 99, each.
The output of the above formulas is how the game determines outcomes of of various sequences in a battle.
"Attack" is the base value the game uses to calculate every attack performed by a character including specials
"Defense" subtracts from the initial incoming damage by 1 point of defense for every 2 points of damage, after the adjustment based on attacker / defender Character Level.
"Luck" (need to confirm) affects certain special conditions on hit, such as if you evade, and possibly whether status ailments get applied.
---Versus Input vs Menu Select---
These options change a handful of things in battle, from obvious, to not-so-obvious.
Menu Select:
--All specials are visible in a multi-screen menu, with costs and descriptions.
--Evade / Counter-Attack has a 60% chance of being calculated on any attack.
--If the first check is passed, the game then determines if you counter attack or Evade.
--If Evade, the game then does a calculation based on your Luck as to whether or not you will succeed (40 to 60% probability of success).
--Just Defend, if the check to see if the above can be calculated fails, then runs a check to run with a 60% probability.
With this in mind, it means that probability by default to have any of the defensive schemes come out on a hit is about 48% with the Menu system. If you're not confident in your input timing, or just don't feel like doing it, this can be a very solid way to play.
Versus Input:
-All specials are not visible on the special screen, and what is visible are just their inputs
--Any unlocked special can be input without having to navigate menus.
--You have unlimited time to input the special, but if you enter enough wrong inputs, you'll just do a regular attack
--You will never automatically Evade, Counter-Attack, or Just Defend.
--Instead you can do an input to engage the feature on every potential attack, except those from items.
--Evade / Counter-Attack can be triggered by pressing the A button before an incoming attack (Evade calculation will still apply)
--Just Defend can be triggered by pressing the Back direction before an incoming attack
Essentially, Versus Input gives you more control over the battle in certain aspects, and rewards in others, but offers more challenge that could easily result in a worse outcome overall.
Of special note is the hidden Active Time battle timer, which will time you out if you sit on the main selection wheel just long enough. Pressing any input restarts the timer until you select an option, though it does have an eventual kill timeout after enough time, and this applies to both battle methods. The timer is only disabled in the first turn when you Surprise an enemy. Letting it time out will result in an instant enemy attack, and then your character will get their turn again. It's basically just a punishment for not keeping on your toes.
Reading inputs:
The game reads input based on when you have pressed a button. You can jiggle the stick as much as you want, and it will only interpret those after you have pressed a button. Pressing a button triggers the motion parser, and if it doesn't detect a a valid input, it will tick down a failure counter, which by default is 2.
The game actually isn't attempting to read any inputs when the special input command screen comes up. It is waiting for any input from you, and the reason for this is it's also detecting if you just wanted to back out quickly from this menu. The drawback to this mechanically, is that this can cause your first or second directional to be dropped, if you motion fast enough, causing a situation where you may fail the first input check, or you may get no feedback whatsoever, if you're really quick. So take your time with the inputs, and be deliberate, and they'll come out easier.
---Evade / Counter-Attack---
Evade and Counter Attack share a common slot, but offer different functionality. The main factor that determines whether you do one or the other is dependent on the character's "Spirit". If you have more "kindness" you will evade, and if you are "hardened" you will Counter-Attack. This concept is out of scope for this document, but this "Spirit" system flows as you'd expect across characters. For example, Nakoruru is the most "kind", and Genjuro is the most "hardened".
--Evade:
Has a conditional trigger dependent on the battle system type, but once triggered, it will then calculate whether it will succeed or not, and this is dependent on whether you can beat random stat check against Luck. Your Luck will increase the rate at you succeed based on three thresholds:
0-20 = 40% chance
21-40 = 50% chance
40 and above = 60% chance
Evade has the benefit of completely avoiding all damage and status ailments, but the risk of taking all of it, including status ailments. In the Menu System, it's a nice benefit when it occurs, but in the Versus Input method, the player has the choice to go for this all the time. The actual calculation for the input will check against whether A was pressed (not held) in the last 8 frames, and it won't throw out the trigger if it detects inputs on frames prior to that, so one can mash the A button (or use a rapid-fire controller) to trigger the Evade calculation.
--Counter-Attack:
Same trigger as Evade, but does not do a stat check. It will just always fire, provided it's not an item attack.
Once activated, you will take damage according to the standard damage calculation, including status ailments, but you will also return damage based on the standard damage calculation.
Since it shares the same trigger mechanism as Evade in Versus Input mode, it is possible to mash the button and always get the Counter-Attack, since there's no status check. This would give you free damage, every single turn, and is a great reason to become "hardened".
---Just Defend---
Just Defend is a mechanic like Evade / Counter-Strike, which is calculated just before hit, but it is separate in that you cannot really attempt for both simultaneously. You can only get one or the other, with Evade / Counter Strike taking priority.
Just Defend will apply a -25% damage reduction to the total damage calculation, which makes it effectively half as effective as guarding, but it doesn't waste a turn guarding. It does also negate status effects.
With the Menu system, Just Defend is a 24% possibility after any attack, but with Versus Input mode, with proper timing, you could Just Defend after any attack, even ones that hit multiple party members, with the appropriate timing.
The timing for Just Defend in Versus Input mode is tapping back (not holding it) within 8 frames in a 16 frame window (the lowest frames being closest to when the game runs the check) before being hit. If you tapped or pressed back anywhere from 9 to 16 frames before being hit, it will actually fail the input check. As such, you cannot mash this input. It must be tapped correctly, but the reward can be valuable against enemies with high status effect probability, or significant damage output over you, especially since it's guaranteed if input correctly.
---Weapon Level---
Weapon Level provides a fixed added amount of attack per level, and works out the same for every character. Here's how the Levels break down.
01: 10 Attack, 0 GP
02: 20 Attack, 500 GP
03: 30 Attack, 1000 GP
04: 40 Attack, 1500 GP
05: 50 Attack, 2000 GP
06: 60 Attack, 2500 GP
07: 70 Attack, 3000 GP
08: 80 Attack, 3500 GP
09: 90 Attack, 4000 GP
10: 100 Attack, 4500 GP
11: 110 Attack, 5000 GP
12: 120 Attack, 5500 GP
13: 130 Attack, 6000 GP
14: 140 Attack, 6500 GP
15: 150 Attack, 7000 GP
(This is the max for Amakusa Chapter, at least)
In short, each level adds 10 damage, but you'll be spending in total a lot of cash to get up there. That said, At max Strength 99, your damage will be 198, unmodified, so this can be an effective way to increase your base attack value, if you've got money to burn.
Notably, later characters you meet will have a level 17 weapon level at 170 Attack.
---Character Level---
Character Level itself does not directly affect your core stats, apart from applying additional values to stats on level up, but it does apply an adjustment to incoming damage, based on the relative difference between the attacker and defender
Generally speaking, for each level of difference in either direction, up to 10 levels, the game applies a 10% modifier to the base Attack value to appropriately adjust based on perceived character power. So if you're 3 levels above the enemy, you'll do an additional 30% damage, and if you're 7 levels below an enemy, you'll do an 70% damage less.
At most, the system can add an additional 100% damage (2x damage), and at minimum, it will reduce the damage to 10% of original value.
Defense calculation comes after this, so a high defense can further protect against am enemy who has over-leveled you.
---Elements---
There 7 elements in the game, including the lack of an element, including the lack of one. You can have a different element on your attack and on your defense, if you so choose. Elements apply a percentage modifier to the outgoing or incoming damage. The calculation function is the same in either case, and also applies equally to monsters and player characters on defense or offense.
There are 4 possible modifiers:
Normal = No damage modification
Clash = -50% damage
Weak = -20% damage
Strong = +100% damage
Here's an outline of how these are applied to the elements based on Attacking (which is how the game calculates it):
None -> Normal against None, Weak against all others
Fire -> Strong against None & Ice, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Ice -> Strong against None & Fire, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Wind -> Strong against None & Fire, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Elec -> Strong against None, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Light -> Strong against None & Dark, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Dark -> Strong against None & Light, Clash against self, Normal against all others
There is technically room for an 8th element in the game code, but it doesn't seem to use it.
The game describes these relationships explicitly to the player, and it adheres to that fairly strictly. None is a fairly weak Element for attack as it almost always has reduced damage, and it should likely never be used on Defense. Wind pretty much explicitly becomes the best element to equip for defense and for offense, and if coming up against Wind enemies, using an Dust of any other element will solve its drawbacks.
Special Moves will actually specify their own element, regardless of the equipped weapon element, and will override it during damage calculations.
A player can identify if a special has an element in the Menu description.
Elements and their relations also play factor In the Critical Strike calculation.
--PS1 / Saturn
In the English hack of the game, the PS1 / Saturn Element rules are applied if playing with US / EUU region or bios DIPs settings, but can be toggled if you have access to DIPs, or their standard stored location in Neo Geo memory.
Here's how the balancing is different:
Normal = No damage modification
Clash = -50% damage
Buffed = +20% damage
Strong = +100% damage
The player can identify which of these takes effect during an attack beyond just watching the numbers, as it will change the size of the hit effect to reflect it.
Here's an outline of how these are applied to the elements based on Attacking:
None -> Buffed against None, Normal against all others
Fire -> Strong against Ice, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Ice -> Strong against Elec, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Wind -> Strong against Fire, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Elec -> Strong against Wind, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Light -> Strong against Dark, Clash against self, Normal against all others
Dark -> Strong against Light, Clash against self, Normal against all others
In theory this is a little more well rounded. With None, you are neither good nor bad, and now you're not at a distinct disadvantage all the time. Missing out on 2x damage can be pretty tough sometimes, though, especially when enemies have a good level advantage on you, and in this mode you do have to consider coming up against normal attacks. You take a risk equipping an element on either a weapon or armor, in that you may take +100% damage in exchange for the chance that you'll take -50% damage in other situations. If played strategically, you stand to win big, but if played poorly, you can lose as well.
The English patch also contains an additional Remix mode for those interested. It accessible only via the Dips menu. It's element layout is mostly the same as PS1 / SS, but with these differences:
Normal = No damage modification
Clash = -50% damage
Weak = -10% damage
Strong = +50% damage
Here's an outline of how these are applied to the elements based on Attacking:
None -> Strong against None, Weak against all others, and better at causing / more susceptible to status afflictions
Elements, Weak to None, and otherwise the same as PS1 / SS
None, similarly to the original balancing, has a disadvantage to using an element in that it does less damage, but now the damage reduction isn't so bad, and it is actually strong to None, so you can have an advantage especially in earlier areas, if you use it. The Strong modifier has reduced the bonus some to apply the same amount of damage as one would lose if it Clashed. It's still a good idea to use the elements though, especially later on in the game. Additionally, None is both more susceptible to and better at causing status afflictions. This helps balance a situation where you are either dealing slightly less damage all the time, or taking in reduced damage most the time (though it never is great at minimizing big element attacks, and takes large hits from any Normal attack)
---Critical Strike---
Before each attack, the game determines whether it will be Critical Strike or a regular attack. The attacker's weapon element and the defender's element play a direct role in influencing this, with Normal offering no influence, a Clash negating the chance completely, a Weak making it more difficult to obtain, and Strong making it more likely.
After the element calculation the game then adds in the different between the attack and the opponents level (if the defender is higher level, there's no chance for a critical), and then compares this with a random positive value to determine if a Critical will happen or not.
---Special Attacks---
Special attacks have their own damage percentage modifier, plus a fixed added attack value, and some also have status ailments they may apply (with a certain percentage value assigned based on the special, it seems)
Each special attack also can have its own Element assigned to it (noted in the menu if it has an element), and this takes precedence over the weapon element when performing the element calculation in what seems like all places. The way specials are set up, it is possible to have characters have specials of various different element types, but this is not confirmed if it's implemented as such.
Special moves can be acquired by leveling up, or by visiting trainers.
Some special moves like a characters Ultimate technique and Desperation move are locked behind special conditions.
---POW & Desperation Moves---
POW builds up as a receive damage, carries over between battles, and once active, lasts a few times turns of battle. It applies a great damage increase to your base damage, and when triggered, removes any other status ailment.
It also grants access to your Desperation move, which uses a certain amount of SP and consumes the entire POW gauge. It must be unlocked before it's available to a character.
The Desperation move is unique to each character, but generally is significantly damaging attack applied either to a single or all targets. The Desperation move can be viewed in the Character menu under Specials when available, but it will not be visible are available for use until the character has entered POW status. Once in POW, in Menu Mode, it will become visible in the VI slot on the bottom, and in the bottom right of the inputs in Versus Mode.
In Versus mode, you must press all face buttons simultaneously to activate. This can be tricky on hardware that polls inputs as fast as possible, as if you're a few milliseconds off, the input won't count, and the game will determine this as an input failure. However, if you just press and hold all of the buttons, on the next time the game runs the polling, it will appropriately trigger the attack.
The Desperation move also lowers your "Spirit" rating into the negative, leaning you more toward hardened, though only an 1/8th of a point.
The Desperation move can be evolved two times, based on how many times you've used it, and this varies between characters. Here is a list by characters with the number of times their Desperation Move must be used to unlock Form 2 and Form 3 respectively.
Haohmaru: 8, 15
Nakaruru: 5, 10
Galford: 5, 10
Ukyo: 5, 10
Genjuro: 10, 20
Cham Cham: 5, 10
Reon: 10, 20
Charlotte: 12, 22
Kyoshiro: 7, 12
Rimiruru: 8, 18
---Threaten (and Flee)---
The final battle menu option on the top right, which looks like an angry face in English, and says something to the effect of "Drive Off" in Japanese, is rather strange, but you can consider it as an alternative to the Flee command. Both have a calculation that determines whether they succeed, and both result in the same effect of cutting the battle short in some way and leaving no XP, but they are slightly different.
Fleeing, seems to be a chance roll, depending on the enemy and possibly the level factor, but after the roll, you will immediately end the battle
Threatening performs a different calculation, possibly based on your Spirit level and other character traits, and then each enemy will then either leave or attack you. Each character behaves a little differently with this move, such as Nakaruru looking like she's praying, and you can perform it multiple times in a battle, with a chance of enemies either attacking you or running. Each time you perform it, the game will increase your "Spirit" level by an eight of a point. This somewhat leads me to believe this may have originally been intended as a "Mercy" option, sort of similar to the other "outside-the-box" fighting mechanics that SamSho games have been know to have in the past (tapping taunt 3 times to throw down the weapon, etc.)
---Damage Calculation---
For each time an attack is to strike a player or an enemy, this is the formula for determining the the actual damage:
Character Attack Value
- 25% Damage if not either: a Special attack, attacking a Player character, or Computer controlled
x 2 Damage if ??? (Might be specific to certain enemies / attacks)
x 2 Damage if in POW
+/- 0 to 100/90% Character Level Difference
x 2 Damage (always)
- Defense of recipient
+ 1 to 10% Damage (random)
+ 50% Damage if Critical Attack
+/- 0 to 100% Damage if Item or Special, and their specific attributes
+ Fixed Item or Special Damage value, as above
+/- Element Calculation (Weapon or Special)
÷ 2 if Guarding
- 25% Damage if Just Defense
Then the game checks to make sure that the damage is not 0 or less than 0, and randomly assigns a damage value 1 through 5. It also checks that you haven't exceeded 9999 damage, but if so, sets it to 9999.
---Battle Items---
--Using Items in Battle
Most items are single battle use only, notably for those that alter stats. At the very least, they do not seem to wear off. Stat improvement items apply an additional 10 in their respective category.
Attack items typically nullify your characters attack damage value, and just apply their own fixed value.
--Obtaining Items from Battle
The game will randomly determine as to whether or not to do an item dispersal for you (with high odds in your favor), but the items you can receive are based on the enemies you fight, and they are always the same for each enemy variant.
The way the game determines which item to give you is based on which enemy you slay first. If that enemy has an item they can give you, they will always a lot that item as the potential item to give you at battle end, providing you are not already at the maximum capacity of that item. Defeating any other enemy after this will not overwrite this item.
So essentially, note what enemy you slayed first in battle and what item you received, and you will now know how to farm this item reliably.
ReyVGM (talk) 00:18, 30 August 2024 (UTC)
Hidden Spirit Stat
by Justin Gibbins
The Spirit stat isn't stored in a particular location in RAM, though it is something that is in a fixed location of the SAVERAM.
It's an unsigned word (4 bytes), which means 0x0000 is is 0, 0x7f00 is + 0x7f00, and 0x8000 is - 0x7fff.
This means if your value is 0 to 0x7fff, you're a benevolent Samuraiand if your value is 0x8000 to 0xffff, you're a ruthless Samurai
Starting values for characters, from memory is like this:
Haohmaru: 0x0000 (neutral, but the game treats this in the positive)
Nakaruru: 0x7000 (Very good)
Genjuro: 0x8000 (Very bad)
Galford: 0x4000 (Moderately good)
Ukyo: 0xA000 or 0xC000 (Moderately bad) (I think this might vary by chapter)
Cham Cham: 0x2000 or 0x5000 (Moderately good) (I think this might vary by chapter)
To influence these in game one way or the other, You need to answer people's questions either helpfully or without concern for them (or make very bold decisions, such as against certain enemies). Each option will either increase or decrease 0x2000. There's not a ton of these prompts, but there's enough to get you changing sides relatively quickly.
If you do DM's in battle, this will lower your Spirit by 0x0200, and using the Taunt/Mercy command (I believe in the translation it's called Threaten), this will increase it by 0x0200.
There are two hidden items in he game that can also change the value by 0x1000 in either direction, and these ignore the typical blocks that would prevent you from overflowing 0x7fff into 0x8000 and vice versa. Atlas Tear (good) and Hair Crab (bad). They can only be obtained once in either playthrough. Hair Crab is in Nakoruru's forest and Atlas Tear is gifted by Poseidon.
The location is Save RAM will be offset 0x208 from the start of the location of the SAMURAI SHODOWN RPG save (which is 0x548, if it's your only or most recent save file). Editing the save RAM will mean you have to update the CRC16 of the SSRPG save page at the end of said page, otherwise it will delete your save (I actually can't remember if I deleted that check in the hack or not).
In terms of what this affects, not too much. It absolutely affects the Amakusa chapter Ending. Those will be totally different depending on that value, starting from when you first face Amakusa. The Mizuki ending is not affected apart from when the spirit of Bizuki revives you, where she changes her comment about you.
Mechanically these influence whether your character Dodges or does a counter attack in battle when you press the A button in time with an enemies attack. A counter attack will activate 100% of the time if you time it right, but the Dodge is like a 50% chance depending on your Luck, if you time it right (you'll never dodge if you mistime it). This applies specifically to the non-menu battle system, in regards to button presses. You'll still do a dodge or counter attack depending on your spirit in the menu system, but the game chooses randomly whether it will actually try to do them.
That's the best way to know if you're good or bad in my opinion, but if you talk to the fortune tellers, they will also tell you whether you are benevolent or vengeful in their fortune.
