Few questions, as usual!

[ncw64]

It seems like all I ever do is ask questions- sorry about that!

Anyways:

-How big is too big? My current step count between points of interest is 20-30 steps on the World Map. Is that too much space, do you think? I figured that's 2 to 4 battles on average between towns or town-cave travel.

-What, exactly, does BOSS status do? I know this is probably answered on the OHR homepage, and I'll probably go check it once I get a chance, but I was just wondering! (Does it prevent death attacks, or should I prevent that separately with elements; does it prevent running?)

-This one isn't so much a question, but a request. Does anyone have tips on how to effectively draw walkabouts or attacks? Honestly, I'm not aiming for great, just passable. If any of you played my previous game, you'd understand!

Thanks a lot for your time, and I'll continue posting here with other questions that arise! I think I've finally reached a break-through and want to really go on with this game for the Heart-012.

[FnrrfYgmSchnish]

"Boss" bitset means that it's counted as a boss for the purpose of "dies without boss" enemies. That way you can make minions that die along with the boss, or a boss with multiple parts where all of them die even though only one can be attacked (useful for making extra-large enemies that fill up more than 80x80 of space.)

It doesn't protect from insta-death (need to use elements to get that effect) or prevent running (the "unescapable" bitset handles that) or... much of anything else other than preventing "dies without boss" enemies from dropping dead as long as the boss is still alive.

[Mogri]

I believe Boss also makes the battle end as soon as there are no non-Boss enemies alive, but I would need to double-check that.

[Meowskivich]

Big is too big? I'd say it really depends. Points of interest, I'd assume meaning towns/dungeons/parallel dimensions. I say it matters from encounter rate to distance ratio with a scenery and content variable.

For instance, say you have a big green and empty expanse. It's about 100 steps to point B from, obviously, point A. No scenery means less interest. High encounter rate (say, 4-10 steps) will become tedious, especially if the battles are either: A: tediously long with enemies having more HP than needed,
or B: tediously repetitive due to too short and easy battle.
This case, being of one of the understandably "worst case scenarios" which actually exist in a few games. However, I can bet you're not going to be making this happen.

But you can make the distance of 100 steps much "shorter" by having lessened encounter rates, more scenery and diversity in the ground tiles, and perhaps even some enjoyable music. For some reason I think I've got off track.

Um, well, as for whether 20 - 30 steps between place as interesting, I'd assume world map, and I suppose it's dandy? Just try out the encounter rate yourself, and have friends and internet friends test the game and let you know your specific questions...um, answers. Yes. Ask me nicely and I could, perhaps, give thy game a whirl. I do pretty in-depth looks when it comes to testing, though me being fairly new to _this_ site, it's not evident here. I enjoy helping others improve their games.

Point 2, boss status, from what I can discern, is used pretty much for certain bitsets. Like enemies that have the "die without boss" bitset, which can be used for, say, bosses that are made of multiple sprites that when you knock his block off that his arms melt or something wacky like that. Also, this can be used for bosses with minions, so that you don't have to wipe out everything yourself after you get through barely surviving taking down Big Blubba or something. There's more stuff you can do, but that's up to your imagination ;)

As for point 3, attack and walkabout graphics, I say trial and error is a good bet. It can take you a while or a moment to manage to get happy-enough results, but in the end it'll become easier. Trust me, much practice makes for improved skills. If practice is too monotonous to you, I'd advise watching some internet videos, like let's plays. Especially of RPGs (unless you fear it leaking too much into your game). Here's a grand site that I frequent: http://www.lowbiasgaming.com
Watch anything by Jason, he's basically the king of the site. Also, he's the guy who made it anywho.

Hope this helps!

[guo]

Rinku's guide has lots of content you should find useful:

Walkabouts etc,
http://rinku.castleparadox.com/Septa/oh ... na04b.html

Map design,
http://rinku.castleparadox.com/Septa/oh ... gna08.html

[ncw64]

Thanks to all of you! I had completely overlooked the whole "dies without boss" thing, even though I used it in Hero a bit. That's good to know, and the rest of the concerns are easy to do accommodate anyways.

@Meow- I appreciate the offer to playtest, but I'd like to keep it as fresh an entry as possible. Plus, I'm at college, so all the playtesting I could need is a couple meters in any direction! Very much appreciated though!

Another question, which I think I had seen people talking about, is: is it possible to have a taunt system? I feel like I've heard people talking about using one, and I was interested in knowing how you could influence enemy preferences mid-battle!

Thanks again for your consideration and answers!

[Meowskivich]

Taunt, as in trying to get the monsters to focus more, mostly, or only on a creature?

I'm a bit tired at the moment (late night and whatnot), but I'll try to come up with some ideas here. What my base thoughts are of counters, perhaps switching up enemy AI (done through monster "transformation"), and perhaps the "revenge" or "thankvenge" attack targets.

Well, here's a first thought, pertaining to the "only" category:
If your party is set to be a defined order, not able to be changed (much like Earthbound, Ness is first, Paula second, Jeff third, and Poo last, unable to change order), then you can have the specific guy hit them with a specific element, say "taunt-steve" (assuming guy taunting is steve), and have it, if it hits (perhaps do something via chain, I don't know if counters work against misses or not, as I have not tested that out), make the monster "counter" said element to be a "taunted" creature, with a cloned attack set that instead ONLY targets his slot in the party. Mayhaps set something up that will revert the monster after a short bit, like make the beast have a chance to revert to normal via an attack on its taunted form.
Hope this isn't too confusing...

Another idea is create said "taunt" element, and make the monsters counter with a different type of move. This will be for a "more" category of focus.
Have one move in the monsters set that only enables them to target with that skill if they've "stored their target" first. Next, create a move for the monster that enables them to store said target (gander in your attack bitsets, it's in there somewhere). Set this to be the attack the monster counters with. Perhaps have the game say "taunt successful" or something less generic when it's used. This is probably better, as then all characters could do it regardless of position, and the monster will recognize the person who last successfully taunted. Though, in the end, this may be a bit of an annoyance to figure in, since this IS taking up one of the five slots given for monsters to attack with.

Also, as a little "icing on the cake", I'd suggest putting in for the taunt element a move for guys unable to be taunted to say something to the effect of "(S)He(it?)'s above succumbing to taunts."
These are just some suggestions, I hope the deciphering won't take up too much of your time, as I'm so tired my vision is kinda very blurring at random, if you know how that goes. And my offer still stands for testing if you change thy mind, just PM me. Just remember: more feedback means more data on how to improve your game. Don't forget to be willing to take heavy criticism, and be sure to encourage your close friends to do so, if they're those "(Man, this sucks, but I don't want to let him down...) It's awesome! *pain-filled forced smile* " people. See you around!

P.S. If this doesn't work out so well, I'll try to think of something or some way else to try and help tomorrow.

[ncw64]

Thanks, Meow, but I can't really do the first option, and how would the second concept work? Wouldn't that mean that as long as the enemy hasn't used that Taunt-Counter, it won't attack anyone since no-one is stored as its target? Either way, I really appreciate the continued help

Also, how does missing work? Like, let's say I attack with 10atk vs. 10 def (strictly attack-def formula). Do I deal 1 damage 50% of the time, and miss the other 50? I'm hoping to use this kind of thing for my steal rates, so thanks again for any help!

[TMC]

How is the attack dodge rate calculated?

[Meowskivich]

Thanks, Meow, but I can't really do the first option, and how would the second concept work? Wouldn't that mean that as long as the enemy hasn't used that Taunt-Counter, it won't attack anyone since no-one is stored as its target?

Only if all your attacks use the "recorded target" target commands.
Your target commands are:

Self - can only use this attack on the user of said attack.

Enemy - can only use this attack on the enemy of the user of this attack.

Ally - can use only on user and their party members, as long as they're alive.
Ally Not self - can use only on the user's party, not the user itself.
Ally (Including Dead) - Same as Ally, only it also works on them when they're dead. Good for reviving moves.

Dead Allies (hero only) - Only able to be used by the player, this move can only target party members who's "HP" is 0. Pretty much made only for reviving moves, but feel free to use your imagination with it.

All - Anything can be targeted with this.

Revenge (last to hit attacker) - Only targets the foe who last hit the user. Doesn't target party members, so no worries.
Revenge (whole battle) - Can target any foe who's hit the user the whole battle. Still, party members don't count.

Thankvenge (last to cure attacker) - Same as Revenge (last to hit attacker), only it works for party members only.
Thankvenge (whole battle) - Same as Revenge (whole battle), only, as well, just for party members who's done anything to the user.

Previous target - whatever that last move the user hit, this move hits. only the previous target, as stated by it's name.

and finally,
Recorded target - any target the user has hit with a move with the bitset "store target" with can be hit.

Now, as you should be able to tell (hopefully, as long as this isn't too confusing), the recorded target attack will not hit any one that isn't stored first, BUT that doesn't make all the moves of the bad guy a "recorded target only" set as long as you also have him with moves that just target "enemy", or related. You can press F1 in the editor to read up on what individual things mean, if you're confused on it. Also, I suggest, perhaps, making a test "game", in which you make a move type you want to test out yourself. It'll help you out in the end, trust me. Hope this helps!

Also, how does missing work? Like, let's say I attack with 10atk vs. 10 def (strictly attack-def formula). Do I deal 1 damage 50% of the time, and miss the other 50? I'm hoping to use this kind of thing for my steal rates, so thanks again for any help!

Errmmmm, well, I use mostly just the Aim% or Never miss functions for my game, so I sadly can't give you much help on the calculations. I suggest you look at TMC's link above here to get an idea, hopefully you can make heads from tails about it, I haven't much time to figure out and simplify it in terms at this moment here right now.

edit: by a brief look at things, the % based calculations are the simplest, while the "normal" calculations were rather.....insane.

[msw188]

He doesn't want dodge rates. He wants damage calculation and randomization. I talked to him briefly; the idea is that he wants a separate stat, called Stealth, to act as both aim-stat AND dodge-stat for the stealing skill. He was going to do it by having an attack that pits Stealth against Stealth, and so if the enemy's Stealth is higher, the given damage would be zero "most of the time". It's that "most of the time" that he's trying to work out. Then the stealing attack would run ONLY if the Stealth vs Stealth attack successfully applied damage.

I don't think there's any reasonable way to do taunting at the moment, if all of the stats are already being used for other purposes. The only thing that comes to mind for me is that IF the taunting hero has no use for the Stealth stat (or some other stat), have the taunting attack ramp that stat up to some ridiculous number that is impossible to obtain otherwise, and then cause the enemy to transmogrify itself into an enemy whose attacks prefer to target those with this stat high. Regardless, this means that every 'tauntable' enemy will need to have two copies defined in custom (one who targets normally, and one who targets "the stat").

[charbile]

re: points of interest

I'd view it in terms of the screen size rather than the player's step count. You want there to be something interesting on the screen at all times, ideally. If not, no more than a screen's space between.

The same applies to random battles. The frequency depends on if there's anything interesting to do or find in them. Would always assume 'less is more' with them.

(edit: less frequency)

[ncw64]

msw is right! If there is a way to explain how the missing would work, that'd be great, but if not I'll try and think of another way around it. Thanks again!

[ncw64]

Hey guys, was just wondering how to make it so a script is constantly running. I just want it to always be checking if a "two handed" weapon is equipped, and if so to force-equip an <empty> item into the shield slot.

Thanks a ton in advance!

[KF Harlock]

Hey guys, was just wondering how to make it so a script is constantly running. I just want it to always be checking if a "two handed" weapon is equipped, and if so to force-equip an <empty> item into the shield slot.

Thanks a ton in advance!

You can do this kind of thing with a conditional that is always true, such as:

while (1==1), do,
(
do the forced equipping stuff
)

It's worth noting, however, that you could accomplish this with a script that runs whenever you close out of the main menu, since that's the only time someone could have altered their equipment. I'm doing the exact same thing in my current game.