Download Better Dice ROM Hack

Final Fantasy 3 (US/SNES), Final Fantasy 6 (JP/SFC)
Better Dice patch

CONTENTS:
FF3-BetterDice-H.ips: The fix patch for a headered SNES ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDiceN-H.ips: The alternate fix patch for a headered SNES ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDice-HR.ips: The reverse patch for a headered SNES ROM file. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
FF3-BetterDice-N.ips: The fix patch for a non-headered SNES ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDiceN-N.ips: The alternate fix patch for a non-headered SNES ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDice-NR.ips: The reverse patch for a non-headered SNES ROM file. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
FF3-BetterDice-HC.ips: The fix patch for a headered SNES ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDiceN-HC.ips: The alternate fix patch for a headered SNES ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDice-HCR.ips: The reverse patch for a headered SNES ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
FF3-BetterDice-NC.ips: The fix patch for a non-headered SNES ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDiceN-NC.ips: The alternate fix patch for a non-headered SNES ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF3-BetterDice-NCR.ips: The reverse patch for a non-headered SNES ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
FF6-BetterDice-H.ips: The fix patch for a headered SFC ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDiceN-H.ips: The alternate fix patch for a headered SFC ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDice-HR.ips: The reverse patch for a headered SFC ROM file. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
FF6-BetterDice-N.ips: The fix patch for a non-headered SFC ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDiceN-N.ips: The alternate fix patch for a non-headered SFC ROM file. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDice-NR.ips: The reverse patch for a non-headered SFC ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
FF6-BetterDice-HC.ips: The fix patch for a headered SFC ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDiceN-HC.ips: The alternate fix patch for a headered SFC ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDice-HCR.ips: The reverse patch for a headered SFC ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
FF6-BetterDice-NC.ips: The fix patch for a non-headered SFC ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDiceN-NC.ips: The alternate fix patch for a non-headered SFC ROM file with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch applied. Apply to improve the damage algorithm.
FF6-BetterDice-NCR.ips: The reverse patch for a non-headered SFC ROM file. Apply to reverse all changes made by the previous 2 patches.
readme.txt: This file.
Better Dice.asm: An assembly format index of the code changes.
Better Dice.rtf: A text format index of the code changes.

ALL PATCHES WORK ON VERSION 1.0 OR 1.1.

URGENCY:
Medium to high, if you actually use Setzer's Dice weapons at all.

PURPOSE:
Setzer's Dice weapons have a few interesting anomalies. Most of all, its damage algorithm is different from the norm. The damage from the Dice is twice the product of all the dice rolls times Setzer's Level. If all the dice match, the damage is multiplied again by the matching number. There are two varieties: the Dice (2 dice) and the Fixed Dice (3 dice).

There are three problems with the damage algorithm. First, the intended match bonus only applies to the Fixed Dice, not the regular Dice. Second, the probability distribution for the dice is a little uneven; for the first two dice, the probability of rolling each number between 1 and 4 is 3 in 16 and the probabilities for 5 and 6 are 1 in 8. If the Fixed Dice are used, the third die has an even probability distribution; all numbers have a 1 in 6 probability. Third, the Offering relic does not halve the damage as it should.

This patch does four things to improve this algorithm. First, it ensures the matching bonus is applied to the regular Dice as well as the Fixed Dice. Second, it ensures that one die will always have an even probability distribution regardless of how many dice are rolled. Third, it improves the probability distribution for the other dice from 3 in 16 and 1 in 8 to 43 in 256 and 21 in 128. And fourth, the Offering relic now correctly halves the damage.

I have also included alternate versions of the patch that do not apply the matching bonus to the regular Dice. This is the more puristic choice, but whichever one you use is entirely up to you.

VERSION HISTORY:
v1.3 (April 23, 2016): Added the Offering bug fix.

v1.2 (March 6, 2016): Added the alternate patches. See "Purpose" for details.

v1.1 (March 4, 2016): Added compatibility with Assassin's "Recapture the Glory" patch.

v1.0 (March 3, 2016): Initial release.