[2003] Effect Rating and others?

[Mushroom Panda]

I have some database / skill questions:

What is:

Effect rating?
Variance?
The attribute things (what does it have to do with anything)?



And is it possible to have more than 4 characters in your party in 2003? I'm making a game like Fire Emblem (not the tactical part, but with many party members, and you can choose like 8 to fight in a certain battle.



I'm just starting up with 2003 so that I can be well rounded. Plus, I want some features of 2003, and I don't need most of the features of XP for this project, so yeah.