[PS2] A couple of newbie questions... Reverse Joker Command? Merging codes?

[gamer89]

I googled and found pretty much nothing on either.

1. I know what joker commands are, obviously, but I see something else called reverse joker command, and max reverse joker command, but it offers no explanation as to what it is. Maybe because it is obvious to everyone else but me. Does 'reverse' simply mean 'off', meaning to turn off codes, or something else?

2. If I have 2 one-line codes. Let's say one for Infinite HP, and another for Infinite MP. How to combine them into one, single line code for both effects? Can someone explain, or is there a guide somewhere?

Example:
Infinite HP 2AA31340 0001869F
Infinite MP 2AAF1340 0000270F

Or what if they were 2 two-line codes such as?:

2AE3389B 2402270F
2AEF389B AC62027C

and

2ADF389B 2402270F
2ADB389B AC620280

Or maybe if I wanted to combine a one-line code, with a two-line?

[Pyriel]

None of those codes can be compressed to fewer lines. It's the relationship between the addresses, and the size of the values that will dictate how much can be done. In the first case, one of the values needs 32-bits, and in the last two both values use 32-bits. If we're being ridiculous, they can be turned into one multi-address write code, but it would be two lines long.

The Reverse and Max Reverse terms just refer to how the button mask is set. What people consider a "normal" joker is one bit on per button depressed, i.e. the cross (X) might be 0001. The reverse joker has one bit off for every button depressed, so the cross would be FFFE. Most pad activators you'll see for the PS2 use the "reverse" mask. I don't recall what all the "Max" crap has to do with anything. It's just invented terminology anyway.

[gamer89]

so is there no certain situations where one would benefit from using either normal/reverse over the other?

[Pyriel]

Within typical cheat codes? No, not really. Most devices don't include the kind of comparisons that would make the choice meaningful. So using logic like that in codes means hooking custom assembly into the game—which requires a better justification than wanting to check the pad mask in a particular way—or using code types with limited compatibility.

There's some value to developers, though. It's primarily a matter of convenience. Certain operations are simpler or more understandable when done with the normal mask, and others benefit similarly from the inverted (reverse) mask.