"Fixing" Shadowrun on the Genesis

[MethidMan]

I read from a post on GameFAQs that you can change the hidden 'reaction' attribute to increase the combat speed without getting Wired Reflexes cyberware, thereby bypassing the melee vs. melee OHKO glitch. Someone by the name of Dragoon ZER0 posted that the RAM address for it is FF017D.

Problem is, I don't know how to use this code as I don't know the modifiers. I know next to nothing about modding games and I can't for the life of me figure it out and I've tried lots of random numbers. I've already posted in that board but with the way it's slowed down lately, I'm not sure I'll ever get a response. Can someone help me here?

Also, I'd like to ask if there has ever been codes that have been used for bugfixes? There's another bug in this game where computer-controlled magic users switch to bare hands or another spell or weapon as soon as they start battling. I'd like to know if a code can fix or work around this too.

[MethidMan]

I thought I'd bump this post. Can anyone at least tell me how I can figure this out on my own? Again, I already have the RAM address (FF017D), I just need the modifier code(s) to go with it.

[Tony H]

It's going to take someone that is VERY familiar with Shadowrun to help you. I read the first sentence and had no idea what you were referring to. I don't know what any of these are: hidden 'reaction' attribute, Wired Reflexes cyberware, or melee vs. melee OHKO glitch.

And as far as codes being made to fix bugs... yes.

[MethidMan]

Very well, I apologize for not realizing that I was going too fast with this. I'll take the time to explain a few things here. Not sure if it'll make things any easier for anyone who may want to dabble with this, but here goes.

In the game, there are stats called skills and attributes that allow you to slowly level up the characters, such as Body, Quickness, Sorcery, Firearms and Reputation to name a few. There is one stat, however, that is hidden and not listed in-game (so-called 'Reaction' by a few posters in the GameFAQs board) that is said to control the combat speed of the characters, allowing them to punch, shoot or cast spells faster the higher it is.

One definite way to increase this stat is to purchase a certain type of cyberware. Cyberware are basically upgrades you can purchase for your characters that enhance certain aspects of their performance during combat. The one called "Wired Reflexes" allows you to attack much faster as it increases the reaction stat. Again, since this is a hidden stat, the bonuses this cyberware gives you are not visible on the stat screen.

Trouble is, getting this upgrade triggers a glitch where any character that has Wired Reflexes and attacks bare-handed gets killed in one hit by a single punch from an enemy. It's enough to discourage melee fighting. Altering the reaction stat through modding basically allows the character to have the same benefits Wired Reflexes gives.

It's only the WR upgrade that triggers the glitch so artificially increasing this stat without having to permanently don this cyberware therefore solves the problem by bypassing it. It's really the only other way of increasing Reaction.

There are already a few people in the GameFAQs Shadowrun board who know about this trick, but have only vaguely posted part of the PAR code. I've posted in that board already, but it has kinda died recently and I haven't been able to reach those who know about this code.

I thought I'd find out for myself a little more about it so I could make it public knowledge for other Genesis Shadowrun fans. I think it's a shame for a game like this to have any gameplay-hampering bugs as I think it's a really great game otherwise.

[Hybrid]

so what your saying in short is go into battle with wired reflexes and no weapon and you will die

[MethidMan]

Precisely. You can see that happen at 17:50 of this LP video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CvpIMikvow

[Tony H]

Here's some info that might help. You posted a RAM address (FF017D) and said it affects the hidden 'reaction' attribute. In the Genesis hacking community, we have a little bit of a problem when it comes to RAM addresses. If you do a RAM search with one popular emulator (Gens), you'll get one address, and if you use another popular emulator (Fusion), you'll get a slightly different RAM address. You had mentioned that you tried several different values for that RAM address but nothing seemed to work. Try using the other emulator and see if that works (ie. if you were using Kega Fusion, try Gens hacking version instead or vice versa).

If you still can't figure it out, let me know and I'll take a look at it. I'll need a save state where you are about to buy or equip the Wired Reflexes. I use Gens, but I think a Kega Fusion save state will work. It's entirely possible that an assembly mod/hack can be made to fix or work around the problem.

[Helder]

Using this code FF0190:40 will give you the Cyberware but I see no increase when I buy the Cyberware since its in the shop right in the beginning. I used Regen emulator with its ram viewer so I could see changes in realtime and saw nothing. Also I bought the cyberware and attacked bare-fisted and didn't die in one hit so I don't see this glitch working on my end.

[Tony H]

You were watching the FF017D area of RAM when you equipped the Wired Reflexes and nothing increased? Interesting. I looked in our db and some of the other stats (Karma, Essence, etc) are nearby that address.

[MethidMan]

Here's some info that might help. You posted a RAM address (FF017D) and said it affects the hidden 'reaction' attribute. In the Genesis hacking community, we have a little bit of a problem when it comes to RAM addresses. If you do a RAM search with one popular emulator (Gens), you'll get one address, and if you use another popular emulator (Fusion), you'll get a slightly different RAM address. You had mentioned that you tried several different values for that RAM address but nothing seemed to work. Try using the other emulator and see if that works (ie. if you were using Kega Fusion, try Gens hacking version instead or vice versa).

If you still can't figure it out, let me know and I'll take a look at it. I'll need a save state where you are about to buy or equip the Wired Reflexes. I use Gens, but I think a Kega Fusion save state will work. It's entirely possible that an assembly mod/hack can be made to fix or work around the problem.

That's interesting to know. If that's the case, then that's one other bit of information left out by the GameFAQs posters.

I'll see if I can come up with something on my own. I might as well dabble with tracer utilities for the sake of curiosity. If not, I'll give you the green light to check it out.

Using this code FF0190:40 will give you the Cyberware but I see no increase when I buy the Cyberware since its in the shop right in the beginning. I used Regen emulator with its ram viewer so I could see changes in realtime and saw nothing. Also I bought the cyberware and attacked bare-fisted and didn't die in one hit so I don't see this glitch working on my end.

The code I'm looking for is for the attribute rather than the cyberware, unless this code happens to provide something a little different from the store-bought one, in which case I'll try it out anyway.

Were the enemies punching? If they were shooting or spell-casting, those types of attacks don't insta-kill, hence why they call this the "melee vs. melee glitch".

BTW, I appreciate everyone's efforts to help me with this. I was beginning to think this post would fade and die.

[Helder]

I bought it and went with just my fist and went melee to melee with another enemy and I died after about 3-4 hits so I don't see an issue on my end. If you could provide a detailed guide of how and what you did to cause the glitch and where in the game it might make it easier for us to track down. In the end all you need to do is have it where it's causing the one hit death then run a trace log on the health address so you see what triggered the one hit death.

[MethidMan]

I think you're using the wrong cyberware. I used the code you posted (FF0190:40) and it gave me Muscle Replacements, not Wired Reflexes. It seems to be a mixture of different cyberware or maxing out certain ones that cause the glitch, or at least having level 2 Wired Reflexes as I'm now finding out. I always try to get higher than level 1.

I'd also like to note that when I begin a new game I use the 'shop items are free' code (TF7A-LE1N) so that I can buy Wired Reflexes right away instead of spending the time building up the money to by it normally. Will this mess anything up?

Also, how do you run a trace log? I've only now started delving into this modding stuff. I already have Gens Tracer and Gens Hacking Version downloaded. I know there's something I have to do with the hook log document, but what exactly do I do with it?

[Tony H]

I think you're using the wrong cyberware. I used the code you posted (FF0190:40) and it gave me Muscle Replacements, not Wired Reflexes.

I'd also like to note that when I begin a new game I use the 'shop items are free' code (TF7A-LE1N) so that I can buy Wired Reflexes right away instead of spending the time building up the money to by it normally. Will this mess anything up?

Also, how do you run a trace log? I've only now started delving into this modding stuff. I already have Gens Tracer and Gens Hacking Version downloaded. I know there's something I have to do with the hook log document, but what exactly do I do with it?

As far as I know, the "Shop items are free" code shouldn't mess anything up.

I wrote a guide on how to use gens Tracer: http://codehut.gshi.org/GensTracerGuide.txt

In short, to make an assembly trace log, press"/" to start and stop the log. It will output it to a file called "Trace.log". To do memory (RAM) logs, you'll have to setup the "hook_log" file. Press "," to start and stop the log. It will output the info to a file called "hook.txt".

I'm very familiar with Gens Tracer, so let me know if you have any other questions.

[Helder]

Since you're using Gens Tracer why not make a save state right before the glitch occurs and post it here so Tony can have a look at it.

[MethidMan]

Here you go. I was gonna see if I could take a look at it myself first to see if I could maybe figure it out on my own, but this stuff seems confusing for me... I could always learn another time.

Anyway, I included two save states for possible extra analysis purposes just in case. The first save state (gs1) was made right before purchasing Wired Reflexes at Little Chiba's Chop Shop. The second one (gs2) was made just before the insta-kill.

Oh yeah, I also realized something: the glitch seems to happen when you have level 2 or level 3 Wired Reflexes, or at least a combination of any Wired Reflexes along with other cyberware such as Dermal Plating and Muscle Replacements. This post in GameFAQs goes into more detail about it (scroll down to Phexar's post): http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/36685...owrun/66481799

But the glitch definitely happens in save state gs2 with just level 2 Wired Reflexes.