Bug: Opponents using Baton Pass while behind a Substitute causes graphical issues on the opponent's sprite

[SoupPotato]

If an opponent who is behind a Substitute uses Baton Pass to switch to another party member, that party member produces garbled graphics when they switch in and attempt to animate the front sprite.

This only effects the opponents side as the player's side does not have animated backsprites.

Baton.Bleck.webm

[Rangi42]

We should see if this happens with Fly as well.

[Grate-Oracle-Lewot]

Could it potentially be fixed by not playing the entry animation if you have a Substitute?

[Grate-Oracle-Lewot]

I did this in engine/gfx/pic_animation.asm:

AnimateMon_CheckIfPokemon:
+	ld a, [wBattleMode]
+	and a
+	jr z, .notinbattle
+
+	ld a, BATTLE_VARS_SUBSTATUS4
+	call GetBattleVar
+	bit SUBSTATUS_SUBSTITUTE, a
+	jr nz, .fail
+
+.notinbattle
	ld a, [wCurPartySpecies]
	cp EGG
	jr z, .fail
	call IsAPokemon
	jr c, .fail
	and a
	ret

.fail
	scf
	ret

...and it makes it so that the entry animation is not attempted if the mon has a Substitute, and doesn't appear to cause any other issues. But I guess getting the animation to actually play right would be a more proper solution for the bug docs.

[mid-kid]

A PR for this would be utmost welcome!

[Grate-Oracle-Lewot]

Sour has found that this bug affects Minimize as well. Thus:

AnimateMon_CheckIfPokemon:
+	ld a, [wBattleMode]
+	and a
+	jr z, .notinbattle
+
+	ld a, BATTLE_VARS_SUBSTATUS4
+	call GetBattleVar
+	bit SUBSTATUS_SUBSTITUTE, a
+	jr nz, .fail
+
+	push hl
+	ld hl, wPlayerMinimized
+	ldh a, [hBattleTurn]
+	and a
+	jr z, .ok
+	ld hl, wEnemyMinimized
+.ok
+	ld a, [hl]
+	and a
+	pop hl
+	jr nz, .fail
+
+.notinbattle
	ld a, [wCurPartySpecies]
	cp EGG
	jr z, .fail
	call IsAPokemon
	jr c, .fail
	and a
	ret

.fail
	scf
	ret

I still feel that this is a little awkward with Substitute. With Minimize, the incoming mon is already shrunken, so there's not much of a logical way to make them play their entry animation. But with Substitute, you could have the sub slide out and back in as usual. I just don't personally know how to do that. Also, my solution here means the entering mon doesn't play its cry. If we want to add this as a quick fix, that's fine, but I think there's room for improvement.

Rangi, I am not sure what you mean about Fly. It's not possible to use Baton Pass while in the air, since you're forced to use Fly next. I don't think that Roar/Whirlwind works on an airborne target either. Same with Dig. I could see hackmakers changing Whirlwind to work on a Flying target, though, since Gust hits.