Scripts/Scriptlets Updates - Victory Count/Map Location

Several scripts have now been updated for both RMXP and RMVX, so in many cases there are two versions of each. ("Anonymous" pointed out I should alias, something I'm not in the habit of doing, so yeah, more aliased methods.)

As always, place them below Materials for them to work. They are mostly plug-and-play so should automatically function.

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What Happened To The Gladiator Project?

This is a question I'm asked frequently - especially lately - and it is one for which there are multiple answers. In order to respond then on why TGP was put on hold, I'd like first to delve somewhat into its history.

Origins and History

When TGP was first conceived, back when RM2K was all the rage, I started creating a simple game based around fighting in a gladiatorial arena. Back then it was simply called Arena. The project was quickly abandoned due to RM2K's limitations; there was just not enough scope - even with advanced eventing - to achieve precisely what I wanted to achieve.

With the advent, and subsequent (unendorsed) translation of RM2K3, my interest in TGP was rekindled. The project title was changed to Arena Gladiatorium, which was an expanded version of its original hack-and-slash concept. It had a sense of renewed purpose, fuelled primarily by RM2K3's rich features and versatility. I also had a clearer vision on its direction.

Arena Gladiatorium was halfway finished - replete with customised graphics, a unique Custom Menu System and a fertile storyline - when disaster struck. A virulent, insidious virus attacked my system that eventually destroyed my hard drive, and I lost it all! Or so I thought at the time. Suffice to say that the project died, along with my interest.

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Happy Christmas 2010

Wishing all my visitors a Happy Christmas, wherever you are in the world.

I won't be doing too much on the RPG Maker scene until the New Year now. I'll be continuing work on Ars Magia 1: Genesis, trying to get a playable demo. The tie-in novella should be finished by March, which will be purchasable from the weblog or this blog.

I'll be changing the layout to this blog as well, either using another template or (most likely) designing one from scratch. It's time for a new look, as this one's been up for close to a year now.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
~Companion Wulf

Zelda Forest Maze Tutorial - RMXP/VX

Zelda Maze Demo RMXPEDIT (9 Dec 2011): Demo now available. Checked for viruses using Comodo Antivirus.

Continuing with the Fun With Variables theme and as an expansion to the Simple Event-Based Random Teleport tutorial, here's something a little different. It's designed for RMXP but can also be adapted work on RMVX (though not the same way on RM2K3 without some tweaking).

For those of you familiar with the "infamous" Forest Maze in The Legend of Zelda (for the NES) will know all about it. For those unfamiliar with it - shame on you for not playing this classic! - the aim is to find your way through the forest using specific directions. If you don't, you'll just be wandering aimlessly and won't find your way out. That's the foundation of this tutorial.

This is a rather long, but not overly complex, tutorial, so take the time to read it and go through step by step as necessary.

Pre-Setup

To begin, we'll need the following:

• 4 Variables: 0001: Randomize, 0002: Map ID, 0003: Coord-X and 0004: Coord-Y.
• 1 Common Event: Teleport
• 2 Maps: Maze Map and Congratulations!
• At least 5 events for the map, although I've used 9 in total (some just for effects).

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AMG Video In-Game Features Demo

This is a video demo of some of the in-game features, including the intro through to the Status Menu. The intro will be changed later, however. Don't forget to read the footnotes below too.

Revision Edit:
5 December, 2010

The video has been truncated from its original. I also added some annotations to better explain the features.

Most of the scripts have been tweaked to integrate properly into the AMG system. The characters' profile information is incomplete yet, as is the "Extra Stats" page. A complete list of scripts is available here, updated as other in-game scripts are updated.

A playable demo will be released soon - though no sooner than next year - and I'll upload it then. Watch this space, I guess!

Simple Event-Based Random Teleport Tutorial - RMXP/VX

As a continuation of the Fun With Variables tutorial, I thought I'd try something a little different.

What if you wanted to create a simple but effective event-based map teleporter? Of course, a more complex teleport system is possible using scripts, but for the purposes of keeping things simple, events are better.

This will work in RMXP and RMVX, although not the same way in RM2K3.

Variables Setup

To achieve this, we'll need to create 4 variables:

• 0001: Randomize
• 0002: Coord-X
• 0003: Coord-Y
• 0004: Map ID

Map Setup

Next, we'll need our maps to teleport between. For this tutorial, we'll be using two maps and teleporting (randomly) between the two. Let's create the first one, setting the dimensions to their minimums - 20x15 (RMXP) and 17x13 (RMVX). Make a note of these numbers (the maximum x-value and y-value), as we'll need them later.

In the centre of the map, create an event (called Teleporter or something similar) with an appropriate graphic for the Teleporter event. This can be a path tile or animated event graphic, or it can be blank for the element of surprise. Set the "Trigger" to "Player Touch". In RMVX, you might want to set the "Priority" to "Below Characters" as well. Leave the Event Commands blank for now; we'll come back to that shortly.

You might also want to place a flower tile or event or other feature to distinguish this map from the second one. Simply copy and paste this first map, then change the flower tile, event or feature to something else. That way when teleporting between the maps you'll know which one you're on.

Teleport Setup

In the Database, create a Common Event, called something like Teleport. In the Events Commands, we'll need the following:

• Set the variable Randomize to a number between 0 and the maximum x-value (from earlier), subtracting 1 because the coordinates actually start at 0, of the map. (If in doubt, in the Events Mode click on any of the right-most squares and note the first number.)
• Set the variable Coords-X to Randomize.
• Set Randomize to a number between 0 and the maximum y-value from earlier, again subtracting 1, of the map. (If in doubt, in Events Mode click on any of the bottom-most tiles to note the second number.)
• Set Coords-Y to Randomize.
• Finally, "Transfer Player" to their corresponding map and x/y coordinates. Select "Appoint With Variables" (RMXP) or "Designation With Variables" (RMVX). "Map ID", "Map X" and "Map Y" is set to their corresponding variables (i.e. 0004: Map ID, 0002: Coords-X and 0003: Coords-Y respectively.

Finalization

Before we can do anything, we'll need to go back to the Teleport Events on both maps and in the Event Commands, add a "Call Event" set to our "Teleporter" event from the Database.

When the game is run, every time the player steps on the "teleporter" it will transfer him to a random location on either map. If you added a distinguishing tile or feature to the map, you'll be able to tell which map you've been transported to.

One possible application for this could be for a maze-like series of maps, adding switches to the Event Commands according to which map you're on to trigger other events. In the next Fun With Variables tutorial - whenever that will be - I think I'll expand on this idea and create a map maze similar to the ones used in several Zelda games.

AMG Demo Release Date

I was asked recently on the Ars Magia: Genesis blog when a demo will be available.

The answer is: Soon! Edit: 1^st December, 2010 - Video Demo.

With Version 0.9 Private Release, the current version, I'm putting the finishing touches to the menu system, working industriously on script integration and overall aesthetics. Once that's done - and I'm satisfied with it - I'll upload a movie clip demonstrating this part of it, along with some additional screenshots. Version 0.9 also does not have any content yet because I've been working on that as another, separate project prior to putting the whole thing together in Version 1.0 Public Release.

Version 1.0 is nearing completion, with some of the maps already in place. I'm in the process of customising some of the graphics and fine-tuning the map scripts, as well as two minigames. Events take place immediately after the eponymous novella (almost finished) ends. When this version is released, which I'm estimating will be around Christmas or New Year (time permitting), it will be a playable demo.

RMVX Character Sets #1

These two charsets for RMVX (originally for RM2K3 but converted to RMVX format) were actually requested by a friend of mine. I tried creating my own, but my "artisty" skills failed me miserably. Anyway, here they are.

Animals	Vehicles

There are some awesomely talented people out there, so the next update on resources (chipsets, charsets, etc.) will be in the form of links.

Fun With Variables #1 - RM2K3

I was bored! What can I say? So I started playing around and decided to have some fun with Variables! And why not? Better than advanced algebraic equations, which I was never any good at anyway!

Random Colours In Messages

What if, for whatever reason, you'd like the character's name to be a different colour each time you speak to an NPC?

You'll only need one variable (let's call it Randomize) and one NPC event with two Command Events in it, thus:

<>Variable Oper:[0001:Randomize] Set, Rnd[1-19]
<>Message: Heya, \c[\v[1]]\n[1]\c[0], how's it going?

The first line sets up the random number for the colour. Under "Variable Operations", set the "Single Variable" to Randomize, which is then "Set Equal To" a "Random Number Between" 1 and 19. (The colours are based on the 20 colours in the current System Set. Zero is the "default" colour, but we won't use it in this example.)

The second displays a message with some "control characters" inserted. Control characters are letters or punctuation marks preceded by a backslash - there are 12 in total, which I may expand upon in a later entry. The ones we need are for inserting the colour (\C), the name (\N) and the variable containing the random number (\V). The basic format, for example, would be \N[1], which would display the name of the first Hero in the Database.

We'll be using "nested control characters" (control characters contained within control characters) to display the name of the first Hero in the list (in the Database) in the randomly selected colour.

The emboldened part is how the nested control characters fit together, split into four parts:

\C[ \V[1] ] \N[1] \C[0]

There are no spaces in between; it's just easier to read. The variable control character is contained in the colour control character, generating the random colour each time the Hero talks to the NPC. The name of the Hero is then displayed in that colour. Finally, the text colour is set to its default colour so the rest of the text isn't the same as the name.

Of course, this can be done with other things too, as long as the same format is adhered to. This will also work in RMXP and RMVX, but the default colours will need to be added to in RMXP via script (in Window_Base under the text_color method).

RMVX Character Sets #2

Here are four RMVX charsets, two of which might fit a battlefield or warzone scene and two of which are monster types. These were created at the Charas Project website.

Injured Soldier #1	Injured Soldier #2
Lamia	Slime Muck

Clicking on the images will display them full sized (in a new window). Right-click and save them. Later, when I have the time to create some more, I'll put them all in a convenient full charset sheet.

EDIT (8 Mar 2011): I uploaded the RMVX versions instead of the RM2K3 versions, which did not convert properly anyway. I will address this soon. So apologies on my bad, bad oversight (but thanks to Anonymous for pointing it out!)