feat(gen2): expose stock ball catch previews

src/battle/gen2/BattleAPI.lua

@@ -39,6 +39,21 @@ local function messageCopy(screen)
   return #lines > 0 and lines or nil
 end
 
+local function itemCopies(game, screen, catchable)
+  local out = {}
+  for id, count in pairs((game.save and game.save.inventory) or {}) do
+    local def = game.data.items and game.data.items[id]
+    if count > 0 and def and def.pocket == "BALL" then
+      out[#out + 1] = { id = id, name = def.name or id, count = count,
+        ball = true, needsTarget = false,
+        catchChance = catchable and screen.catchChance
+          and screen:catchChance(id) or nil }
+    end
+  end
+  table.sort(out, function(a, b) return a.name < b.name end)
+  return out
+end
+
 local function signature(game, screen, top)
   if not screen then return "none" end
   local battle = screen.battle or {}
@@ -56,6 +71,9 @@ local function signature(game, screen, top)
     parts[#parts + 1] = tostring(mon.hp)
     parts[#parts + 1] = tostring(mon.status)
   end
+  for _, item in ipairs(itemCopies(game, screen, false)) do
+    parts[#parts + 1] = item.id .. "=" .. tostring(item.count)
+  end
   return table.concat(parts, "|")
 end
 
@@ -111,9 +129,9 @@ function BattleAPI:snapshot()
     player = monCopy(game.data, battle.player, true),
     enemy = monCopy(game.data, battle.enemy, true),
     party = party, moves = moveCopies(game, battle),
-    -- Gold's PACK is pocketed and target selection is screen-owned.  Omit it
-    -- until the engine can expose the same semantic item records as Gen 1.
-    items = {} }
+    -- Targeted medicine remains screen-owned, but balls are complete semantic
+    -- records and can safely expose the same read-only preview as Gen 1.
+    items = itemCopies(game, screen, battle.wild and not screen.tutorial) }
 end
 
 local MENU_CHOICES = { fight = true, party = true, item = true, run = true }

src/battle/gen2/Catching.lua

@@ -305,6 +305,15 @@ function Catching.rate(opts)
   return math.min(255, rate), false
 end
 
+-- Exact stock catch probability for read-only previews.  A catch.rate hook
+-- may replace the roll entirely, so nil is safer than presenting a guess.
+function Catching.chance(opts)
+  if Runtime.wantsHook("catch.rate") then return nil end
+  local rate, guaranteed = Catching.rate(opts)
+  if guaranteed or rate >= 255 then return 100 end
+  return rate * 100 / 256
+end
+
 -- The status half of the rate, off the merged `statuses` record the same way
 -- src/battle/Catching.lua reads record.catchBonus on Gen 1.  Gold's records
 -- live on src/battle/gen2/Battle.lua (Battle.STATUSES) and carry BOTH numbers:

src/ui/gen2/BattleState.lua

@@ -2945,6 +2945,37 @@ function BattleState:openDexEntry(species)
   })
 end
 
+function BattleState:catchOptions(itemId)
+  local data = self.game and self.game.data or {}
+  local battle = self.battle
+  local enemy = battle and battle.enemy
+  if not enemy then return nil end
+  local enemyDef = data.pokemon and data.pokemon[enemy.species]
+  local dexEntry = data.gen2Pokedex and data.gen2Pokedex[enemy.species]
+  local evolveItem
+  for _, entry in ipairs((enemyDef and enemyDef.evolutions) or {}) do
+    if entry.method == "EVOLVE_ITEM" then evolveItem = entry.item end
+  end
+  local player = battle.player
+  return {
+    battle = battle, mon = enemy, def = enemyDef,
+    maxHp = enemy.maxHp or (enemy.stats and enemy.stats.hp), hp = enemy.hp,
+    catchRate = enemyDef and enemyDef.catchRate or 45, ball = itemId,
+    status = enemy.status, random = battle.random,
+    weight = dexEntry and dexEntry.weight, level = enemy.level,
+    playerLevel = player and player.level,
+    fishing = battle.battleType == "fish", species = enemy.species,
+    gender = enemy.gender, playerSpecies = player and player.species,
+    playerGender = player and player.gender, evolveItem = evolveItem,
+  }
+end
+
+function BattleState:catchChance(itemId)
+  if self.tutorial then return 100 end
+  local opts = self:catchOptions(itemId)
+  return opts and Catching.chance(opts) or nil
+end
+
 -- Items in battle: balls try a catch, the stat items apply their stage, and
 -- everything with a ported party effect runs the same item_effects.asm routine
 -- the field pack runs.  Anything else reports that it cannot be used, which is
@@ -2974,7 +3005,6 @@ function BattleState:useItem(itemId)
       return
     end
     local enemy = self.battle.enemy
-    local enemyDef = data.pokemon and data.pokemon[enemy.species]
     local caught, rate
     if self.tutorial then
       -- `ld a, [wBattleType] / cp BATTLETYPE_TUTORIAL /
@@ -2988,35 +3018,8 @@ function BattleState:useItem(itemId)
       caught, rate = true, 255
     else
       -- The specialty-ball conditions (BallMultiplierFunctionTable): each one
-      -- is something this screen already knows.  Heavy Ball reads the dex
-      -- weight, Moon Ball the species' stone row, Love Ball both genders,
-      -- Level Ball the two levels, Lure Ball wBattleType.
-      local dexEntry = data.gen2Pokedex and data.gen2Pokedex[enemy.species]
-      local evolveItem
-      for _, entry in ipairs((enemyDef and enemyDef.evolutions) or {}) do
-        if entry.method == "EVOLVE_ITEM" then evolveItem = entry.item end
-      end
-      local player = self.battle.player
-      caught, rate = Catching.attempt({
-        battle = self.battle,
-        mon = enemy,
-        def = enemyDef,
-        maxHp = enemy.maxHp or (enemy.stats and enemy.stats.hp),
-        hp = enemy.hp,
-        catchRate = enemyDef and enemyDef.catchRate or 45,
-        ball = itemId,
-        status = enemy.status,
-        random = self.battle.random,
-        weight = dexEntry and dexEntry.weight,
-        level = enemy.level,
-        playerLevel = player and player.level,
-        fishing = self.battle.battleType == "fish",
-        species = enemy.species,
-        gender = enemy.gender,
-        playerSpecies = player and player.species,
-        playerGender = player and player.gender,
-        evolveItem = evolveItem,
-      })
+      -- is also used by the read-only preview, so both paths stay exact.
+      caught, rate = Catching.attempt(self:catchOptions(itemId))
     end
     -- wWildMon carries the answer through the animation, and
     -- wThrownBallWobbleCount is the counter GetPokeBallWobble bumps once per