Noob series 2: The switch

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Author: Ramza
Posted on 08/02/2004
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W

elcome to the second in a series of tutorials designed by Ramza for the use of noobs, or other such people who have just begun using rm2k3! This one deals with the ever illusive 'switch'! If you don't know what a switch is, or you don't quite know how to work it... read on!

disclaimer and such:
You cannot use this tutorial, or any other 'Noob Series' Tutorials on your site without the permission of the author (Ramza). I will probably let you put the tutorial on your site if you ask for it, but if you don't ask first I will hunt you down! I do not have anythign to do with ascii/enterbrain, nor am I responsible for any rm2k or rm2k3 translation. If you happen to have a seizure or something from looking at the pictures in the tutorial, I have no responsibility. If you are offended by somethign here, that's your own problem not mine. That ought to do, so on to the tutorial now!

What is a switch?:
A switch is a function in rm2k(3) that is either turned on or off. Using switches, you can make different things happen based on what you've done in the game thus far. The most common application for a switch is for a simple treasure box. A character opens the box, and gets a treasure item from it. but what prevents them from getting that item over and over again? A switch! A switch is turned on at the end of the treasure box event, and then a second page is added to the event. This second page is triggered by the switch that you turned on earlier. All will be explained further, later in this tutorial. So if you didn't understand that, read on.

<img src=http://www.blade2k.net/manaconquest/noobseries/NS2-4.jpg></img>
This is a screenshot of the main event editor window, You get to it by double clicking anywhere on any map when you're in 'event editing mode' I will describe the parts of it here... This is so that you know what I'm talking about when I point you towards a certain button or whatever else.

Up in the upper left corner is the event's name. If you give the event a name, it will be easier for you to remember which event is which. This comes in handy for making move event commands, which I talked about in the last 'Noob Series' Tutorial.

To the right of this is a button that reads 'New Page'. This is very important for making switch activated events. This is one of the major buttons that you must learn to master in order to master the use of the switch.

Further right, beside the 'New Page' Button is another button, it reads 'Copy Page'. If you click this button, it will copy the event page you are currently viewing. You can then paste the page using the 'Paste Page' button further to the right. The pasted page will be the page number that comes right after the page you are viewing when you clickt he button. Meaning if you click 'Paste Page' when you are viewing page 3, the newly pasted page will be numbered 4. This will happen even if there is a page already comign after the page you're on. Be very careful pasting pages, if you screw up the order, you'll mess up the whole event.

Beside the 'Paste Page' button is a button labelled 'Delete Page'. As you may have guessed, this button will delete the page you are viewing. It will not do anything if there is only one page in the event. If you delete a page that is in between two other pages, the page after it will take it's number. Meaning if you have pages 1-3 used, and you delete page 2, page 3 will now be called page 2. Only delete a page if you're sure that you don't need it anymore.

Below the event name is the page number tabs. There will only be one if you only have one page. Other pages get their own tab. Click on the tab to view the page.

Below the page tabs, are the event conditons. These are also very important for using switches to do things. The first box is a switch box. Click the little checkbox to make the event activated bya switch, then click the '...' button and choose the switch that you want the event to be activated by. The box below it is also a switch box. Using the second a first switch boxes, you can make an event that only occurs when two conditions are met. In this case, when two switches are turned on. The box is a variable. I'll get into variables some other time. The box that says 'item' is next. Check the checkbox and then choose an item that the player must have for the event to happen. This works much int he same way as a switch does, since you either have the item or you don't, much like how a switch is either on or off. The next box is for hero. If you check this box, and then choose a hero, the event can only happen if the hero you've chosen is in the party. The last box has to do with timer operations, they're a bit like variables, so we'll just leave them be for now.

Below the event conditions is the event graphic. Click the 'set' button to change the event's graphic. To make the graphic blank, click 'set' and then choose 'chipset 1' and the upper left corner square. (The transparent tile).

Beside that is the event start conditions dropbox. These have little to do with switches, but I'll explain them anyway.

push key:
When the hero 'talks' to this event, it will begin. Pushing the 'ok' button infront of an event with a graphic, or when you're on top of a blank event will cause it to happen.

on hero touch:
The hero must touch the event for it to happen. If the event is below the hero, he must walk on it, if it's the same level as him, he merely has to bump into the event for it to occur.

On touch (event, hero):
This is quite similiar to 'On hero touch' except now, the event can touch the hero as well. If the evetn is chasing the hero, it only has to touch him for it to occur. Also, now if the hero is moved into the event by a move command, the event will go off as well.

auto start:
If the event is set to auto start, when the conditions are met (ie: when the switch is on, or the hero is in the party) the event will begin automatically. If there is no switch stopping the event at the end, it will repeat itself forever. While an autostart event is going, the hero cannot move. The menu can not be opened. And all moving events are stopped, unless they are moved by the autostart event. Multiple autostart events will freeze and crash rm2k. It is important that when you stop an autostart event with a switch, you remember to change the second page to 'push key'. If you do not, an event will repeat nothing, and freeze the game.

parallel process:
Much the same as auto start. Whent he condtions are met, the event will begin automatically. The difference lies in the fact that other events continue when this event is a parallel process. The hero can move, and open the menu, unless dialogue occurs. When dialogue pops up, everything stops regardless of what's going on.

Below the event start conditions drop box, is another one labelled 'Position'. This one has three choices in it. I will explain them all.

Below Hero:
The hero can walk on top of this event. If the event has a graphic, the hero will walk over it. By default, if you set the graphic to a chipset chip, the postion will go to 'below hero'.

same level as hero:
The hero will bump into this event and not be able to pass. Regardless of whether the event has a graphic or not, the hero will not be able to pass.

above hero:
The event is above the hero's head. If it has no graphic, this is no different than the first one. However, if the event has a graphic, the hero will walk underneath this event. The hero can pass through the event in any direction, just as if it was set to 'below hero'.

The checkbox below that says 'do not allow event overlap'. If you check that box, the hero will not be able to walk on top of or underneath this event. Other events will not be able to move through this event either.

The other boxes on the left have nothing to do with switches, so I won't bother explaining them.

The Event commands box!

located to the right of the event conditons section, the evetn commands box looks like a wide white open space, until you put some script in it that is.

Double click on the mark in the upper left corner of the window. A window like this will pop up:
<img src= http://www.blade2k.net/manaconquest/noobseries/NS2-1.jpg></img>
For now we're going to focus on the switch, so click the button that says 'change switch'. In the screenshot, it is highlighted.

<img src=http://www.blade2k.net/manaconquest/noobseries/NS2-2.jpg></img>
A window that looks like the above will pop up. I will describe the different parts of the window to you. To help you understand what it all is.

Starting from the bottom left. The 'OK' 'Cancel' and 'help' buttons are in every window. By now you should know what they do. Above them are three check boxes. Only one of these can be checked at one time.

They read 'on' 'off' and 'on/off trigger'.

If you check the 'ON' box, then you will be turning the selected switch ON.
If you select the 'OFF' box, you will be turning the selected switch off if it is on.
If you select the 'ON/OFF trigger' box, the switch will be turned ON if it is OFF, and OFF if it is ON

Above those three boxes, are three more fields to fill. Each one as a check box beside it. You can only check one of these at a time as well. From top to bottom they are: 'One' 'Range' and 'Variable'. These are all fields that you must pick to select the switch or set of switches that you will be turnign ON/OFF with the fields below.

One:
A single switch is effected. If you click the '...' button after checking this box, a window like this will pop up:
<img src=http://www.blade2k.net/manaconquest/noobseries/NS2-3.jpg></img>
You are to select a single switch to turn on or off. You can give a switch a name, or change the name of the existing switch by clicking it, and then clicking the name box and typing it in. I recommend giving all your switches appropriate names, so that you can understand what you used which switch for. Every switch has a number as well.

Range:
If you select this one, the boxes directly to the right of it become selectable. In these, you put in two numbers, and any switches that have a switch number that is on or between the two selected numbers will be turned on. Lets say you put in 1 and 3. All the switches from 0001 to 0003 will be turned on or off.

Variable:
If you select this, you will have to select a variable as well. The number inside the variable will be used to determine which switch is turned on or off. A variable can be any number, so in some ways, using them to turn on switches may be easier... but it may just confuse you more.

Now lets go through the things you have to do to make a successful switch event.

Basic Treasure box:
Start by giving the event a name. Call it treasure 1 or something. Give it the graphic of a treasure box. Now in the event commands, put the folowing:

-A move event that makes the box open
-A 'wait until moved' or 'move all' command
-Maybe a sound effect
-Dialogue that tells the player what he's found
-The actual adding of the item
-Change a switch. Make a new switch, give it a name and turn it on.

Then add a new page. Give it the graphic of an open treasure box. Make it's only event condition that the switch you turned on has to be on. Make some dialogue that says the box is empty.

Congratulations! You've just used a switch to make a treausre box. Using your new found knowledge, practise until you remember exactly what to do and when.

That's all for today's tutorial kiddies! I'll make another one soon!

~Ramza out!

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