Envision, Create, Share

Welcome to HBGames, a leading amateur game development forum and Discord server. All are welcome, and amongst our ranks you will find experts in their field from all aspects of video game design and development.

Just a few questions

Tenmou

Member

Hi!
My friend and I are new to RPG Maker VX and we're struggling to find help on some of the basics such as;

  • How to gain an item from a specific event/character/NPC and being able to pass it on to another character/NPC. For example when an NPC asks you to take a potion to another NPC.
  • Start with just one character like in typical RPG's and recruitment of Party members as the story progresses.
  • To make sure an event only happens once and is not repeatable again, for example in one off/special events.

 

poccil

Sponsor

To receive an item, use the Change Items event command like this:
Code:
  @>Change Items: [Potion], +1

To give an item to another character, you would first check for the item, and then remove it from inventory.  Use event commands like the following:
Code:
@>Conditional Branch: [Potion] in Inventory
  @>Text: Oh,  you have the Potion.  Let me have it.
  @>Change Items: [Potion], -1
  @>Text: Thanks.
  @>
 : Else
  @>Text: I'm looking for Potion.  Let me know if you have one.
 @>
 : Branch End
@>

To make the game start with one character, go to the Database and click the System tab.
In the section "Initial Party" on the upper left corner, you can delete party members by
pressing DELETE or double-click on party members to edit them.

For events that happen only once, you can use switches and self switches.  Here is an example of such an event:

Event Page 1

Conditions: None [leave the conditions alone]
Event Commands:
Code:
@>Text:  This is a one-time event.
@>Control Self Switch: A =ON
[Note the Control Self Switch event command here, which sets a self switch
to activate event page 2.]

Event Page 2 [click New Event Page to create event page 2]

Conditions: Self Switch A is ON [activate the Self Switch box under "Conditions"]
Event Commands:
Code:
@>Text:  You've missed the one-time event.
[This event page activates after the one-time event occurs.]

Here, you could also use the Control Switches event command and activate a named switch instead.  The condition would then read, "Switch XXXX: is ON".  Whereas switches apply to the entire game, self-switches apply only to a single event.
 
Just a few questions, indeed.  I'll start with the quickie version, then, when I confuse you, you can ask for more details.

The fortunate thing is that I can actually cover more than one question with a single example.

Oh, this is XP, not VX, but all the commands exist in both.

Stand by for screenshots.

Here's the first step, where Romeo asks you to take a potion to his beloved fishwife.
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee103/UnkaJosh/Flowers1.png[/img]

Note that when you agree to deliver the flowers, a switch is activated, plus you get the flowers.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee10 ... owers2.png[/img]

Now that the switch is on, the event runs page two.  Events run the highest number page that the conditions are true for.

Okay, so let's take the flowers to the fishwife, and see what she'd got to say.
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee103/UnkaJosh/Flowers3.png[/img]

If I wanted to remove the flowers from your inventory, I could do it with the same command that I used to add them.  She can't accept his love until he proves himself, though.

This time I use a global switch instead of a self-switch, because it's going to affect more than one event.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee10 ... owers4.png[/img]

Note that it works the exact same way as for Admirer, but with a different kind of switch.
So how does Romeo take the bad news?
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee103/UnkaJosh/Flowers5.png[/img]

Why, by joining your party, of course.  Note that the "Change Party Members" command has the Initialize activated.  This means that Romeo is joining at whatever his starting condition is.  If I have Romeo leave and rejoin you later, I'll turn off Initialize, so he can keep the benefits of all the grinding that you did.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee10 ... owers6.png[/img]

Now that Romeo has joined you, he's not on the screen to talk to anymore.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee10 ... owers7.png[/img]

...and now that Romeo has joined you, the Fishwife wishes him luck.
Was that clear?  Was that helpful?  Did you need a further explaination?
 

Tenmou

Member

Thanks guys, those answers have been really helpful! They were all clear and we've managed to do them successfully. :smile:

Another question for you; is it possible to change the sprite used for the same character? By this I mean could I change the sprite of my main character whilst retaining all of their levels and stats?

Thanks again! :smile:
 

Tenmou

Member

Unka Josh":1o1an1k4 said:
Yep.  There's a command for Change Character Graphics.

Ok cool, thanks. I'll try and find that.

Another question here for you; I made a face in photoshop and imported it into RMVX. When I come to use it I'm only able to choose a very small fragment of the image I made. Is there any way I can get around that?

Thanks. :smile:
 

Tenmou

Member

Hmm I tried that and it still only allows me to choose a small fragment of it. Any other ideas?

Also where is the command for Change Character Graphics? I haven't been able to find it, haha.

Thanks for all of your help! Hopefully I'll stop being so noobish soon and actually manage to figure some stuff out.
 
Sadly, I dunno about the faceset-- my VX fu is very weak.

You can tell, because otherwise I'd have known that Change Character Graphic is only a separate command in RMXP.  In VX, it looks like you're stuck with "Change Graphic" as a command under "Set Move Route," which is on page 2, under "Movement." 
 

Tenmou

Member

Oh thanks, the graphic change thing has been helpful! :smile:

I'm begining to think I should have chosen XP over VX now, hehe. Sorry for all of the questions by the way! Don't mean to be a hastle.
 

Tenmou

Member

Ok, I have another problem, haha!  :lol:

I'm attempting a cut scene at the beginning of the game. I'm having two issues with this.

  • At the beginning of the cutscene, I've made it so the screen fades out to black so I can tell a bit of the story. Before it goes black there is a quick flash of the first map. Is there any way to make it go straight from the 'New Game' menu to a black screen?
  • My second problem is more annoying, I'm scripting this cutscene and when the event gets to the end of my first event page, it begins to repeat itself. I've posted the evnts I'm using below, can you see what may be causing it?

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/6465/scriptproblembq6.png[/img]

Any help on this one would be much appreciated! :smile:
 

regi

Sponsor

When you're tinting the screen to black, you should use Parallel Processing instead of Autorun.
If you want to use Autorun for later cutscene, then just have:

Page 1, Parallel Processing
Code:
@>Tint Screen Effect
@>Control Self Switch: A = ON

Page 2, Conditions Self-Switch A == ON, Autorun
Code:
Main cutscene processing here

As for your event looping, it shouldn't if you create a New Page with the Conditions "self-switch A" checked, which it looks like you have. If you could post screenshots of the other pages it would help.
 

regi

Sponsor

Before Page 2 with the Conditions "self-switch A" and switches 10 and 11, you should create another blank Event Page with only the Condition "self-switch A" checked.

Because although you've turned on self-switch A after the first event page finishes, I'm assuming the other two switches aren't on, and since there are no other pages with Conditions reached, it stays on the first page and loops.
 

Tenmou

Member

Sorry for double posting, but I have another (yes, another! :dead:) problem.

During my cutscene my character talks to someone and then it is supposed to fade out, I have a switch turned on that is made active after the person speaks but nothing happens. I've made sure the switch is requied for the next part of the event and it is set to Auto run. I cant see anything wrong with it.

Any ideas?

Edit: Added Screens:

 

Tenmou

Member

Regi":2b7c4lg8 said:
Ehh? Nothing happens because you haven't used any event commands on the 2nd page. Or am I missing the question?

When the main character has spoken to one of these NPCs, the switch [0011:mom dad go] should set off another event which will fade the screen and carry on to another part of the story. But when I speak to the NPCs, they say their dialogue and then nothing happens.
 

regi

Sponsor

Ahh, I see. Both your mom and dad events (ID 26 and 27) have a 2nd page on Autorun. Change it to Action Button. The reason is, your Cutscene Event has an ID of 20, which is lower than 26 and 27 (and is therefore overridden until events 26 and 27 finish).
 

Thank you for viewing

HBGames is a leading amateur video game development forum and Discord server open to all ability levels. Feel free to have a nosey around!

Discord

Join our growing and active Discord server to discuss all aspects of game making in a relaxed environment. Join Us

Content

  • Our Games
  • Games in Development
  • Emoji by Twemoji.
    Top