HOW TO MAKE A CHARACTER SWITCHING SYSTEM
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9:53 Central, July 9, 2000, -Shadowtext (shadowtext@hotmail.com)
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There've been several people asking about this, so I made a tutorial.
My system's not the only system, though, so download other games and
see how they do it. Customize this however you want.
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*Note: I have written this in a style similar to the programming
language "Visual Basic". It should be easy enough to
*understand. Generally, though, a decimal after a word
represents that this is a property or method of the previous word.
*Thus "Item.Remove" Would mean to remove from the items
(Using an Add/Remove Item Command) or
*
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Make an item (henceforth: "Warp Pendant") which summons
the event "PartyChange." Here's what that does:
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EraseScreen
Item.Remove "Warp Pendant"
MemorizePosition (Three variables reserved for this purpose)
RemoveFromParty (Here I just do this for every member possible
except the main character.[To change the main character,
just add to each character later the choice
to be Main character.)
Teleport to CharacterSwitch (A room I made for this Event)
ShowScreen
Msg.Style = Trans, Up
Msg = "Select a party \|\|\^" (these three commands at the
end make it wait a few seconds and close)
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Now I made an event with each character,
active only if that character's "Joined" switch is on.
(Has that character joined?)
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Each character asks "Would you like me to come along?"
or something appropriate. On the Yes Event
I add that character to the party, then use a
Move event to change the graphic to an invisible sprite.
You can make sure that more than four don't join
(they CAN join, just not participate) I add:
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Variable vPartySize = Hero.PartySize
If vPartySize = 4
Msg: "Too many people are already present."
(Here you could add a RESET event. Do NOT simply
recall the WarpPendant it WILL make the character stuck here
eternally.)
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Have a teleport square somewhere...
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If vPartySize = 4
GotoMemorizedPlace(those variables once again.)
AddItem WarpPendant
Else
Msg: "Not enough members." (This isn't necesary.
You can make it teleport with
fewer characters if you want.)
End if
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Place that event in a normal (NonConditional) EventPage.
Make one page a piece for each Character. Have its condition
be that the "Required" switch for that character
("Is this character required?") on.----------------------------------------
If Hero.(place character here).IsPresent
if vPartySize = 4
GotoMemorizedPlace(those variables once again.)
Else
Msg: "Not enough members." (This isn't necesary.)
End if
Else
Msg: "(Place Character Here) is required.
(Now call a RESET event)
End if
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That RESET event should be:
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Erase Screen
Remove (All characters)
Teleport to CharacterSwitch
Show Screen
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That's pretty complex, though, so it might
be wise to use variables instead of switches.
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For an example of this system in action, download my demo:
http://members.xoom.com/Shadowtext/zrg_half.zip
The room should be at the bottom of the availavble
maps (it's not a child map.) The common event should
be easy enough to find. (It'll take some time to *get*
the WarpPendant, though. At least until you have four
characters. Unless you cheat by turning on the debug event.
It's next to Castle Acar. Just turn off it's conditions in the map.)
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That should just about do it, but post to the message board,
and I'll help if I see it there, and someone else will
mostlikely help if I don't.
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