Technical Implementations. Also V0.5.0 Patchnotes!

Sometimes, I don’t know how to do something, but I want to do it anyway. So, how do I do it?

I try to do it, and fail. Usually multiple times in a row. Let’s take one thing from the latest update as an example.

Potion-making is fun, yes, but it’s not… perfect yet. I want it to take a more active role in combat, perhaps even become it’s own combat class!

So, this update I added a “Poison Flask” Skill. When used, it deals a low amount of AOE fixed damage to a small area in front of you, then inflicts a low poison for a few seconds on everything in the splash zone.

It costs a single poison flask (you gain 5 each craft) and has no mana cost.

So, implementation. First I decided to get the basis down, no flask cost, just skill.

I stole a skill from last update (Splash wave) for the basis, modified it to deal fixed damage, modified the area (smaller aoe) and threw it in front of you, instead of around you. I also nerfed the knockback from it.

I got a poison state working (also from the last update!) and then tested, and it worked! Job well done, now all that’s left is to make it activate based on poison flasks in inventory.

Well, that’s where I hit a snag. I originally intended to use the code from rebinding skills in the skill menu. It’s set up to grab the skill ID from when you use it from the menu, but of course… It didn’t work!

I quickly (1 hour of testing quickly, at least) realized that it was only grabbing the skill ID from menu use, which won’t do at all for grabbing it during combat.

So, I put on my robe and wizard hat (standard-issue for all game programmers) and started digging into the code. I started with my own script, tried a few things, then stopped, and thought.

“There’s no way that they combat script (QABS, if you’re wondering) isn’t grabbing the skill ID… Why don’t I steal it from there?”

Now’s where previous experience comes into play. The way I set up the skill rebinding is that it grabs the skill ID each time you use a skill from the menu…. and exports it to an RPGmaker standard variable.

This, unfortunately, means that variable can never really be used in other situations (it’s changing each time you use a Skill from the Menu.)

But that makes it perfect to use in, for example, a standard conditional branch event call!

So, I grabbed the skill ID, threw it into a common event, conditioned it to run only when skill 35 was called, and… BAM, it works!

If this sounds like a lot of work… It was, but it has some added benefits that I liked, particularly the fact that it’s now set up so that one common event can now handle all new skills that require special eventing to function. This can replace much of my previous code for, say, the enhance skill, or others like it.

And, of course, more skills with fun ammo types!

And of course, V0.5.0 is released! Find it on the downloads page, the changelog is below.

ChangeLog V0.5.0

-Updated and added Andrew as a datable character!
-His base Storyline is available to see! Spend time with him in the afternoons to build up your relationship with him!

-Added the Floor 3 Gymnasium, changing rooms, and Pool! – These will be used for various physical-related activities, sports clubs and gym classes mostly

-Added Basic and Intermediate Gym Class(Aerobics)- Work out to improve your endurance faster! Also unlocks some interesting scenes for more pure characters…

-Added multiple new facial expressions to the main character- Currently mostly used in the new scenes (gym classes and Andrew’s Storyline).

Added – Poison Flask, Magic Laser 2 as new skills
Added – Sleep as a new non-combat skill
Added – Poison Flasks as a craftable recipe

Added New Classes- Basic Aerobics, Intermediate Aerobics, Magic Laser 2, Potions 3, and Sleep

-Revamped gardening club! It works completely differently now, with different reward tiers for visiting multiple times. Plants can be harvested anytime starting the second day after planting… but you have to be careful and water them each day, at least to start…

-Added 5ish new sex scenes! (ish because Andrew’s storyline’s a little spicy) – 3 for Andrew’s storyline, 2 for Gym Classes

-Changes-

-Improved the male dorms! It’s now actually traversable!

-BugFixes-

• Fixed standing students forgetting they were at school and not at the bar while on the school’s second floor
• Fixed Menu Access errors after Tavern PTJ and from another, unknown source -Fixed broken event flow when fainting in prostitution minigame -Fixed picture getting stuck in prostitution minigame upon fainting
• Fixed hitboxes on multiple objects in your bedroom and in the tavern minigame.

-Fixed a glitch preventing you from entering some classes from the bottem doorway of the Mana Manipulation classroom

-Fixed saving and added it back to the menu!
It may be a little different, and I’m not entirely sure it works 100% with no crashes (only a few hours of testing so far) So report any issues you have and try to mix it up with save-point saves in your room to be safe!

KNOWN ISSUES-

Saving in front of NPCs can cause you to glitch into said NPCs, getting you stuck.

WORKAROUND- Encyclopedia now has an emergency escape option. Works just like using the map to travel back to the dorms (takes a time period) but doesn’t need map access to work. 

And don’t save right in front of NPCs is also good..