Hey all. Some of you might know me from AGES PAST; some might not; some might but wish they didn't. Whatever the case, I've been meaning to join up with Slime Salad for a while now, and the new release of the OHR seems like a good opportunity to do just that. So... hi.
Besides that, though, I'm wondering if anyone has done much experimentation yet with the custom menus that are available? I haven't really had the time to delve into it much, and it doesn't seem like it's been documented yet on the Wiki, so... what exactly are they capable of doing now? Can we create totally unique and customized menus, or is it just more about adding extra options to the present menu? If the latter, exactly what level of customization are we looking at here?
Sorry if I come off as someone looking for a handout; it's more like I'm just trying to get a feel for whether or not it'll be worth my while (in the context of the game I'm working on) to bother with custom menus or not. Thanks!
Custom Menu functions in the new OHR?
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KF Harlock
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Custom Menu functions in the new OHR?
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The Wobbler
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You can add options to your menu that trigger text boxes or scripts, which allows for pretty much anything. Options can be enabled by tags, hidden when not available, and resorted pretty easily. You can also remove options from the default menu, resize it, reposition it, or not use it at all. I'm currently using a custom menu as an appendix of important things encountered in my game, and I plan on using them in place of choice boxes, so that the player has more than just two options. It's been the most fun I've had with a new feature in a long time.
I should point out, if you didn't already gather from Surlaw's post, that you can create your own menus, not just alter the existing one.
I've only used custom menus once, in Timpoline, but that was plotscripting-generated. I've barely touched the editor interface, but I can already tell you that whatever you're trying to do, it can do it, and it can do it more easily than a fully-plotscripted workaround or whatever else you're probably thinking of.
I've only used custom menus once, in Timpoline, but that was plotscripting-generated. I've barely touched the editor interface, but I can already tell you that whatever you're trying to do, it can do it, and it can do it more easily than a fully-plotscripted workaround or whatever else you're probably thinking of.
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Kizul Emeraldfire
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I'm planning on using them for spells in my new game — since you can have twenty items on a menu, that'll be plenty for what I want! 
2 menus for spells × 20 (both menus with the maximum amount of items on them) = 40 spells all-total. So yeah — I'll be happy.
Of course, I'll also be using them for some choiceboxes — for example, when you select a spell, I'll have the item kick up a choicebox asking you if you want to Use the spell, Equip the spell (for easier use — you won't have to go to the menu every time for a spell), or Cancel and go back to the Spells menu that you were looking at.
2 menus for spells × 20 (both menus with the maximum amount of items on them) = 40 spells all-total. So yeah — I'll be happy.
Of course, I'll also be using them for some choiceboxes — for example, when you select a spell, I'll have the item kick up a choicebox asking you if you want to Use the spell, Equip the spell (for easier use — you won't have to go to the menu every time for a spell), or Cancel and go back to the Spells menu that you were looking at.
Last edited by Kizul Emeraldfire on Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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KF Harlock
- Slime Knight
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Ah, thanks, I get the idea now. It does seem versatile, and I can think of at least one use for it right now.
After that, next stop I guess, for me, is finding a way to add portraits to a menu.
After that, next stop I guess, for me, is finding a way to add portraits to a menu.
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I've done quite a bit with custom menues. I feel I should point out a couple of things:
1. Custom menues right now have NO direct use in regards to the battle system. So even though you might make custom item, spell, and stat menues, that will not help the menues in battles.
2. Custom menues can be generated on the fly using plotscripting. It is somewhat tedious coding-wise, but it is fully possible to make a shop that, say, changes its store prices every so often, renews its stock, and changes its contents based on what it is sold, if you are willing to learn enough plotscripting to make the shop a custom menu. Similarly, spell lists for heroes, if done using custom menues, are easily made dynamic.
3. Custom menues work alongside text boxes quite easily now (they didn't used to) to allow for quite complicated dialog involving multiple choices. This is fairly easy to do with minimal plotscripting.
4. All plotscripting with custom menues is done via slot references, NOT the contents of a menu slot itself (like hero commands that take the party position, NOT the hero himself). There is, however, an option to associate "extra data" with each menu slot in custom, that can be read by a plotscript. I have found this VERY helpful.
1. Custom menues right now have NO direct use in regards to the battle system. So even though you might make custom item, spell, and stat menues, that will not help the menues in battles.
2. Custom menues can be generated on the fly using plotscripting. It is somewhat tedious coding-wise, but it is fully possible to make a shop that, say, changes its store prices every so often, renews its stock, and changes its contents based on what it is sold, if you are willing to learn enough plotscripting to make the shop a custom menu. Similarly, spell lists for heroes, if done using custom menues, are easily made dynamic.
3. Custom menues work alongside text boxes quite easily now (they didn't used to) to allow for quite complicated dialog involving multiple choices. This is fairly easy to do with minimal plotscripting.
4. All plotscripting with custom menues is done via slot references, NOT the contents of a menu slot itself (like hero commands that take the party position, NOT the hero himself). There is, however, an option to associate "extra data" with each menu slot in custom, that can be read by a plotscript. I have found this VERY helpful.
I am Srime
The extra data performs the duty of three arguments, but I'm not sure if it is sent via any arguments. I'm pretty sure you have to read it with a separate command:
By the way, I made up "read extra menu data". The plotdictionary has the real command.
Code: Select all
variable(Nice)
Nice:=read extra menu data (0) #for data slot 0 out of 0-2
I am Srime
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Bob the Hamster
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The actual command is <a href="http://hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce/doc ... extra">get menu item extra</a>
I was just looking over at the plotdictionary, and I was wondering what resets plotscripted menu extra data. Say I change the menu extra data for a certain menu item. Is that change saved in the sav file? Is it even preserved if the menu is closed and reopened? Or when another menu is brought up on top of the current one?
The answer should be made clear on the plotdict page, I think.
The answer should be made clear on the plotdict page, I think.
I am Srime