Crystalis QOL & Ungrind

Original game : Crystalis

Platform : NES

Author : Mentil

Release date : 01 January 2022

Category : Improvement

Patch version : 1.01

Modifications : T, P

Downloads : 1556

ROM Information

Database match: Crystalis (USA)
Database: No-Intro: Nintendo Entertainment System (v. 20210216-231042)
File SHA-1: FD0DCDE4F1708B30D5C3DE1E463F1DDE89C5CB64
File CRC32: 1BD39032
ROM SHA-1: 8A49FE60B6A151C055A63639894CD366935A7EE9
ROM CRC32: 1335CB05

Hack description

This is intended to be a general quality-of-life hack for Crystalis, with the option of making it less grindy and unfairly difficult at points. It also comes with a version compatible with ROMs patched with Stardust Crusaders' translation for God Slayer.

Changes:

Equipping orbs and bracelets is no longer necessary. Upon exiting the inventory screen, the respective Power will go into effect for your equipped sword.

Attempting to cast a spell with insufficient MP now leads to a single error beep and no interruption of gameplay, rather than a pause and a window opening up.

There is now an additional way to get Tornel to return home, that is a more reasonable prerequisite. In the God Slayer version of this patch, Stom now gives a hint to this instead of a red herring; a hint was also changed for how to progress at Mt. Sable to reflect a different stumbling block.

Dialog boxes should no longer cause screen wobbling on certain emulators (credit to steve_hacks for inspiration/vector). Running on Fceux/Mednafen is confirmed fixed, at least. If your emulator of choice (such as gnes) now has wobble or other issues when it didn't before, use the respective anti_antiwobble IPS for your ROM version.

Fixed a bug preventing one from using level 3 charge attacks when current MP was exactly equal to their MP cost. Additionally, level 3 Bolt had its flashing toned down (it couldn't be fully removed yet still display the associated graphics).

Fixed the Skeleton so that it now has paralysis immunity instead of poison, and shoots bones instead of webs. (I suspect someone typed in data from the line above in the spreadsheet (Blue Spider) here.)

Additionally, in the ungrind patches:

Most enemies had their gold and XP rewards increased to 200-300% of their original values, so almost no grinding should be required in order to progress or complete the game, if you defeat every enemy that crosses your path.

Several enemies had their damage nerfed to more-reasonable levels, and some damage sponges were adjusted so that they should no longer require more than ~6 hits to defeat (at expected levels/equipment). A few enemies had their elemental resistances modified.

Bosses had their level requirements lowered to 1, so there should be fewer cases of encountering a level gate. Note: despite this, late-game bosses have high defense that is insurmountable at too low a level, which isn't fixable without substantially nerfing them (or some recoding effort that'd have broad balance implications). This precludes completing the game below approximately level 14.

Halved MP costs for level 3 charged sword attacks. They should be more useful relative to other spells now.

Contributions

Contributor	Type of contribution	Description
Mentil	Hacking	Hacking, text changes, bug fixes

Reviews

Love it	Greyfox	2023-10-30	Version 1.01
We live in a busy era right? So, for me it's always nice if I can enjoy a game with less grinding, even when people could tell that this game is easy. What I like: No need for constant exp grinding. No need for constant money grinding. Some Quality of life improvements. No negative points were found by me so far on this hack.

An Excellent Refinement for an excellent game!	lexluthermiester	2022-08-09	Version 1.01
This project refines the Crystalis experience in a way that calls to my teenage self. Many annoyances are removed and problems resolved. While I never had much of a problem with the effort needed to gain levels, it is nice not to have to grind nearly as much. It's also a strange challenge to fight bosses and stronger enemies at lower levels. Well done this! If you're a fan of Crystalis or even a new player, this is an experience not to be missed!

Overdone hack that makes an easy game even easier	Haniel	2022-08-08	Version 1.01
I do not like this hack at all. It makes an easy game WAY too easy and dramatically alters the game playing experience. You can blow through the game in a very short time with this hack, making the game almost arbitrary and forgettable now. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this game is the combat and leveling up. It is a lot of fun running around blasting stuff, using the rabbit boots, and trying new techniques of destroying enemies. This hack makes it so that you are so overpowered early in the game that it really doesn't make sense to continue playing, because it is a foregone conclusion that you beat the game. I'm sorry, but being fully powered up with 50% of the game left makes...no sense at all. There are other patches that work at rebalancing some minor aspects of the game that I would recommend over this. If you aim is to race through the game and do as little fighting as possible, then this is for you. Outside of that, I can't recommend it.

Perfect	CrystalMethionine	2022-08-02	Version 1.01
The whole game has a smoother flow now and is more replayable. Thanks.

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