The RPG Maker Resource Kit

RMRK RPG Maker Creation => General Tutorials and Eventing => RPG Maker General => Tutorials Database => Topic started by: Grafikal on December 15, 2008, 08:07:43 PM

Title: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Grafikal on December 15, 2008, 08:07:43 PM
How to Make a Clean Character Selection Page

Summary
Teaches you how to make an effective character selection page for the beginning of your game.

Requirements
1 Global switch
2 Custom character sheet graphics [attached at the bottom]

Screenshot
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.tinypic.com%2Frt0nxw.jpg&hash=1212e824bddc5fd6029052a2eda6f38257f13e59)


Tutorial

1. To start, make the smallest map that you can. [17x13]

2. Create a map that looks like this:
[spoiler]
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi38.tinypic.com%2F1o37n9.jpg&hash=5a81a2c6346db6eda01541ac825c946c5ccd18e3)
[/spoiler]

3. Use the impassable 'full shadow' tile for the 'borders' of the walking space.

4. Also, change the passability of the 'background' tile [the checkered transparent tile] to passable, or O.

5. Use the custom graphic, of a white dot, as the graphic for the event just before each character.

6. Leave the actual character event pages blank. The events are held within the white dot events.

7. Each page for the 'white dot' graphic event should look like this:
[spoiler]
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi35.tinypic.com%2Frlxdeo.jpg&hash=715f47b539a11cd1735b78ae9efdb9d36be37871)
[/spoiler]

8. That event must be 'below characters' and 'action button'.

9. Make sure that each 'Change Actor Graphic' is changed for each different instance. Also, take note of the first 'Change Actor Graphic' event command 6 lines down. The 'cursor' image is STILL the character graphic but the 'FACE IMAGE' is changed. That is because the next process is a name input and during the name input it shows a face graphic. It's necessary to see it then. The second 'Change Actor Graphic' event command 17 Lines down is where you will change the actual character graphic. The graphic will change in process of teleporting your character to your 'first' map of the game. It looks very clean.

10. Looking back at this image: [spoiler](https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi38.tinypic.com%2F1o37n9.jpg&hash=5a81a2c6346db6eda01541ac825c946c5ccd18e3)[/spoiler], you'll notice 5 events in the upper left corner of the map. Take a look at the demo for these event page. These are the controls of the cursor. They override your movement, so that each step you take will make the 'cursor' sound effect giving you even more of the illusion of a cursor. Each event [of the first 4] in the upper left corner separately control each direction of the cursor. The 5th event is just the switch that autoruns before all this to turn on the effect. You'll notice that in this image:[spoiler](https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi35.tinypic.com%2Frlxdeo.jpg&hash=715f47b539a11cd1735b78ae9efdb9d36be37871)[/spoiler], that the switch is turned off at the beginning and on if you reselect characters. If the switch remained ON, then you would still be capable of moving while the messages are being displayed. Very buggy looking.

Finished

Conclusion
The demo, in my opinion, is more explanatory and you'll be able to see all of this in action. It's pretty simple. Take a good look at it. Also, if you have any problems with this or are confused about anything, post in this topic or feel free to PM me.

Credits
Credits are unnecessary, but welcome. If you do, you can credit be by Grafikal, Grafikal006, or Grafikal007.
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Snailer on December 15, 2008, 08:21:20 PM
haha, this is acctually really cool!
this gave me loads if ideas. Simple to implement and use, didnt think of it this way and should help new people allot!

Good job
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Grafikal on December 15, 2008, 08:22:11 PM
thanks ^_^
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Leventhan on December 16, 2008, 03:07:14 PM
Great tutorial grafikal, love it. :3
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: ShadowOD on December 16, 2008, 10:29:28 PM
Nice to see peeps doing tuts for VX.  Kudos :D

:blizj:
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Grafikal on December 16, 2008, 10:36:52 PM
Thanks :3

I don't often do Tutorials. Eventsystems are easier to explain instead of: Screenshot, upload, screenshot, upload, screenshot, upload, talk, talk, talk, screenshot, upload, finished demo, upload that, etc.
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: ShadowOD on December 16, 2008, 10:55:29 PM
LOL! YOu actually have a point there.  Nice demo btw, made things clearer also. Thanks for the inspiration! =]

YOu made or currently doing any games atm?
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Grafikal on December 17, 2008, 01:10:24 AM
I've made a couple games, all unreleased. I had one demo a long while ago for XP, and yes. I'm working on a game at the moment. There's a lot of graphics that need to be worked on for it. I posted it's title screen in VX resources a couple hours ago.
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Darico on December 20, 2008, 01:16:47 PM
Very nice tut - I was actually looking for this very thing! Great job!
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Vibliribland on May 22, 2009, 12:28:31 PM
How would you go about giving the different characters different Parameters for str, dex etc?

Since one of the chars will probably be a warrior with lots of str, and one a mage with lots of int.


Noticed a change paramters event, however the values there are quite confusing. Increase 1 constant.
What does that acctually do? How much will str troughtout the game be affected?

Nice character selection mate, made one myself before I found this one. I'll borrow your cursor graphic :)
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Grafikal on May 22, 2009, 03:12:53 PM
You'll have to look at the help files of the RPGM for that. It tells you the math as to how damage is calculated with your str compared to an enemy's def and so on. So, the effects of your character's str will be different from other games. I can't answer that for you.
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Wolfram77 on May 24, 2009, 08:10:33 PM
This is great! better then the one I made myself for sure...
The only thing is that you can't use face graphics for the main char... or can you?
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: Grafikal on May 24, 2009, 08:51:15 PM
When you change an actor's graphic you can set the corresponding face graphic at the same time. If you mean select them by their face graphics instead of by the sprites, you'll have to crop out each face graphic and place 4 (or more if you want more selection of characters) pictures and align them in the correct positions. If you still want the cursor you should make the cursor graphic as large as the face graphic and align it correctly too. It's more work and requires some precision alignment, but you can do it.
Title: Re: [Tutorial] Making a Clean Character Selection Page
Post by: modern algebra on May 25, 2009, 12:48:14 AM
I assume he means in message boxes though. For that, you would either need a conditional branch for every message and set the face graphic accordingly. Better to grab a script from the Database called Swap graphics or something, by Yanfly. That script would allow it easily enough.