The Archipelago (AP) system is a multi-world, multi-game randomizer that allows players to roll up and create seeds in a variety of game randomizers (with more and more randomizers getting added to the system every update). FFR is one of the games in that system but, unlike how a number of games are handled in Archipelago – either via a fork of the code from the original randomizer ported into AP or via an entirely new version of the randomized game being programmed specifically for AP – FFR handles AP seed generation from our site. This means that, when playing FFR AP you’re getting the pure FFR experience with the same flags, the same gameplay, and the same implementation of the code. There is no difference between an AP game of FFR and a standard game, outside of the AP-specific items that are generated for the seed.
The way AP works is that every AP incentivized item (which, for FFR, can include shards, gold, consumables, and equipment) is pulled into a big pile out in the cloud and then the various “AP Items” are sent out to all the players. The AP cloud handles what items go where, and when you play you connect to the host and go item hunting in your seed. When you find an “AP Item”, it gets sent out to the cloud, and then the appropriate item is dropped over into the right player’s seed so they can continue making progress.
When making your seed in FFR, the randomizer will provide you with two files: the seed rom and the AP yaml file. The yaml is what’s needed so your game host can generate the AP game across all the various games and seeds. Then you play on the rom, connect to the server, and get to running your gfame.
Please note that when you’re making an AP FFR flagset you need to make sure you have the Treasures flag under “Item Shuffle” (on the Treasures tab) clicked on (not off or tri-state). Shuffled treasures is a fundamental flag for FFR and half the features in the game (not just in AP) rely on this flag. Always have it set to on for AP or it’s very likely you will get errors during generation of your FFR AP seed.
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