Series · part of Mario

Paper Mario

Intelligent Systems' role-playing series with Mario, begun on the Nintendo 64 in 2000.

Paper Mario is a role-playing series in the Mario franchise. It began with Paper Mario.

Games

Mechanics

Mechanic	Paper Mario 2000
Action command	Timed pressHold and release
Damage formula	Attack minus defense, no roll
Timed guard	Reduce · MarioNegate · partners

A marked cell changed from the game before. “Uses” means the game has the mechanic, with no variant recorded yet.

Every claim, by mechanic and game

Concept	Paper Mario 2000
Action command	In the US version of Paper Mario, the jump action command (`action_command_jump`) is one press of A timed to the stomp, and runs only once Mario has learned action commands (not `AC_MODE_NOT_LEARNED`). The basic Jump (`EVS_UseMove_Basic`, the script for menu level 0) computes the jump's length as `(distance - 20) / 10.588 + 15` from Mario to the target, gives that count to `PlayerBasicJumpToGoal`, and passes the same count to the command as `prepareTime`, at difficulty `AC_DIFFICULTY_STANDARD` (index 3 of 8). Each update the command counts `prepareTime` down until it is no more than the window size, `actionCmdTableJump[difficulty]`, which is 4 at standard in a table running 7 down to 0; it then sets the window timer to that size and counts it down to 0. A press of A while `prepareTime` is still counting sets `wrongButtonPressed`, and the window then takes no press; the update in which the count reaches the window size runs that early-press test before falling through into the window, so a press there is early too, and a press counts only while the timer runs from 3 to 0, 4 updates at standard (computed), the last of the command's updates. When the partner isn't acting, `adjust_action_command_difficulty` lowers the difficulty index by 3 for each Dodge Master badge equipped, clamped at 0, so one badge widens the window to 7 updates (computed). A good press makes the basic Jump's first stomp a nice hit, and the script then bounces Mario into a second stomp; each stomp passes a damage of 1. A missed press ends the move after the first. Code In the US version of Paper Mario, the hammer action command (`action_command_hammer`) is a hold and release of the stick to the left. When action commands are learned and the Berserker badge isn't equipped, the hammer script (outside the tutorial and auto-success) waits up to 45 updates for the stick to be held left, then starts the command with a duration of 51 (45 plus 6) at `AC_DIFFICULTY_STANDARD`, whose table value `actionCmdTableHammer[3]` is 8 without a Dodge Master badge. The command's timer counts up from 0 each update. Its look-back count is the table value minus the updates left (`duration - stateTimer`) plus 3, at least 0: while it is 0, a stick not held left fails the command at once (`ACTION_RESULT_EARLY`), and once it is above 0 the command succeeds if any of that many latest entries of the held-button buffer has the stick not held left. That opens the release window at timer 41 and keeps it through timer 51, 11 updates (computed); the command marks ready (`HES_TimingReady` and its sound) at timer 42, one update after the window opens (computed). A stick still held when the timer passes 51 fails. With the basic hammer, a success passes a damage of 2 and a failure 1 (comments in the script call them "good input dmg" and "bad input dmg"). Code
Damage formula	In the US version of Paper Mario, `calc_player_damage_enemy` works out Mario's damage to an enemy by subtraction. A forced immune hit (`BS_FLAGS1_FORCE_IMMUNE_HIT`) skips the calculation, and some hits return before it: an illusory, transparent, or buried target (buried unless the attack is a quake) is missed; a stone target takes nothing; a jump on a spiky top without Spike Shield, a contact attack on an explode-on-contact part, on a fiery part without Fire Shield or Ice Power, or on the alternate spiky flag without Spike Shield backfires; and a fire attack that sets off a part that explodes on fire returns before damage. Otherwise it starts from the move's damage (`curAttackDamage`, which the move script passes), adds Power Plus badges (`count_power_plus`), and adds or takes fixed amounts for Merlee, the jump and hammer charges, other badges, and statuses (L456-L535). A missed All or Nothing sets the damage to 0, and outside the Japanese build the defense too; a shrunk Mario's damage is halved, but stays at least 1; a blast on a part that explodes on ignition sets the damage to the target's HP and the defense to 0; and `DAMAGE_TYPE_STATUS_ALWAYS_HITS` sets both to 0. The total is capped at 99, and the target's defense is then subtracted: `get_defense`, plus the defense boost unless the attack ignores defense, plus 127 for a part flagged extreme defense, or 0 when the total is below 0. A result below 0 becomes 0, and a Power Bounce then adds its counter, keeping a hit above 0 at least 1. The function's one `rand_int` call, the `DAMAGE_TYPE_FEAR` scare-away test, runs after the damage is taken off the target's HP. Code
Timed guard	In the US version of Paper Mario, an enemy's hit on Mario is guarded when A was pressed shortly before it lands. `calc_enemy_damage_target` calls `check_block_input(BUTTON_A)` when Mario's debuff is none or one numbered at or after `STATUS_KEY_POISON` (so not dizzy, paralyzed, asleep, frozen, or stopped), he isn't stone, and the attack isn't `DAMAGE_TYPE_UNBLOCKABLE`; with the Berserker badge, `rand_int(1)` decides instead. The check returns false before action commands are learned and in demo battles, and returns a guard with no press in the tutorial battle while the mode is `AC_MODE_TUTORIAL_BLOCK`. It guards if a fresh press of A is in the last 3 entries of the battle's pressed-button buffer, which `btl_update` writes once per battle update (5 entries with a Dodge Master badge, when the partner isn't acting), unless A was also pressed in the 10 entries before those. A guard takes 1 from Mario's damage, plus 1 for each Damage Dodge badge equipped. A guard by the partner, checked the same way when the partner isn't stone or knocked out, sets the damage to 0. Code