Here are a bunch of questions I have come across while 'experimenting' with Coldstone, and I would like to see if anyone had found any good workarounds for any of these questions, or reasons for some of them. Well, here goes.....

Is there a way to display a different 'hurt' animation when the enemy or
main NPC is attacked?

Is there any way to 'attach' a sound to an object or animation in the game,
and while in the game, it can get louder and softer as you leave it and get
closer?

How do you get transparent and solid colors shown at the same time, in any
screen?

Is there a way to change the colors for the numbers and words that pop up
during battle (Font or color)
or picking up an item?

Is there a way to use flash (the program) for the map interface bar a the
bottom of the screen and make the game buttone 'rollover buttons'?

Is there a way or a reason why not for not being able to have multiple
people (parties), with HP, magic, and the like?

Can there be multiple scrolling windows (With scrollbars) within a single
screen?

Can you send a certain item, say a rare one, to a certain to another
inventory screen aside from the normal items? Can they be sent to a
diffrerent screen altogether?

Can you have the game on a day and night timer, and have the graphics change

accordingly?

Can the map interface be altered multiple times times during the course of
the game?

Can there be a health meter instead of just numbers for HP?

Can the 'HP bar' that appears under NPC's be 'turned off'?

Is there a way to change all button configurations for the game, including
changing the X and Z for Attack and Block, say to J and K instead?

Thanks for your help, an I look forward to the answers you guys come up with.

-The Zerowarrior

Here are the one's I have answers to:

Is there a way to display a different 'hurt' animation when the enemy or
main NPC is attacked?

I don't think so. You can give all your weapons a spell that does nothing but place a blood splash animation over your targets (this works for ranged weapons too: just give the animation a couple frames of blank to give the missile time to visually rreach its victim) but there are no "flinch" animation options in CGE's animation system.

Is there any way to 'attach' a sound to an object or animation in the game,
and while in the game, it can get louder and softer as you leave it and get
closer?

No. The best you can do, as far as I have figured, is treat the sound in question as music, and place event tiles of "set music volume" actions at decreasing volume levels in pond ripples around the object.

Is there a way to change the colors for the numbers and words that pop up
during battle (Font or color) or picking up an item?

No. I have a faint hope, though, that if the Marathon:Evil people were able to change the font in a mod of that game with a little hack several years ago, font options are somewhere in the future. Be warned that I am constantly chided for my optimism.

Can you send a certain item, say a rare one, to a certain to another
inventory screen aside from the normal items? Can they be sent to a
diffrerent screen altogether?

Make a Main Location for your Special Items screen and use stamps to represent your items. The only way to catagorize item types in the inventory screen is with your own naming scheme.

Can you have the game on a day and night timer, and have the graphics change
accordingly?

There's a timer in the add-ons section I think. But CGE can't change color tones or brightness levels. You will have to make a sperate map for day and night, or use an "above all" transparent stamp to darken the screen, which will seroiously affect your framerate.

Can the map interface be altered multiple times times during the course of
the game?

Only cosmetically, and only if you don't mind using the Player Portrait to do so. The problem with that is you can't change the positions of the statistic fields.

Can there be a health meter instead of just numbers for HP?

Yes, by using the Player Portrait, and ample "Change Portrait" and "Refresh Screen" actions placed in the "Hit" event of every weapon every NPC uses.

Can the 'HP bar' that appears under NPC's be 'turned off'?

No.

Is there a way to change all button configurations for the game, including
changing the X and Z for Attack and Block, say to J and K instead?

You can add buttons, but you can't change the ones that already exist.

myshkyn

edit: I suck at html
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"I'll give the fans just what they want, and nothing else at all."

(This message has been edited by myshkyn (edited 07-25-2003).)

I think that the closest you can get with the first question you asked is doing 2-5 different files of the same NPC_but a different "hurt" animation and create 2-5 different NPCs.
now...
In the first NPCs death part put an NPC control to add the 2nd NPC and do the same thing and change it with the 3rd,4th and 5th NPC.

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I know there's got to be a logical way of doing the 'Hurt' animation, because I have seen a QT movie from Stark Bledfast that has shown pretty much exactly what I'm talking about. Does anyone else know about it? Any other answers to my questions? I haven't been able to check this forum out lately, due to the fact that I have to study for a huge test coming up, and I have begun a massive game that I want to do on Coldstone, but I want to make sure that I can do everything I want to put into the game first, so sorry if you don't see my face too much .Off to tackle some Chemistry.

-The Zerowarrior

(This message has been edited by zerowarrior150 (edited 08-05-2003).)

Oh, and one other thing.....
I don't know if anyone has created a working mutiple character coding yet, and I have tried a few I have seen put up here. In regards to Efeion's post quite some time ago about his multi character idea, I have tried this, and for some reason when you walk next to your buddy NPC, he dies! It's very weird, and I don't understand why it's doing this. If anyone has found a good way to have a multi-character party, or even a way so that the characters follow you and you can switch between them and be them one at a time, PLEASE, let me know about this. This game I'm creating depends on this function.
-The Zerowarrior

(This message has been edited by zerowarrior150 (edited 08-05-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by myshkyn:

Can the map interface be altered multiple times times during the course of
the game?

Only cosmetically, and only if you don't mind using the Player Portrait to do so. The problem with that is you can't change the positions of the statistic fields.

Can there be a health meter instead of just numbers for HP?

Yes, by using the Player Portrait, and ample "Change Portrait" and "Refresh Screen" actions placed in the "Hit" event of every weapon every NPC uses.

myshkyn

(/B)

I didn't understand what you meant by these two answers.....can you or anybody else that wants to explain these better or differently? Thanks. Later.
-The Zerowarrior

If you want to have a health bar, you make up the graphics in something like photoshop, graphic converter, even Appleworks would be sufficient (these graphics need to be a full, 7/8, 3/4, 5/8, 1/2. 3/8, 1/4, and 1/8 health bar. Place them in your pictures folder ie. miscellaneous. Next open up all of your NPC weapons (you need to create a different set of weapons to make it work right. Label them like NPC_Axe). Then put in the player contact event a change global ie. gb_stamina=stamina. Then the hit would have a change globals for gb_stamina-stamina then another change globels for gb_newstamina=gb-stamina, then a conditional grouping that would change the map portrait to your health bar. whew.

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Whose cruel idea was it to put an 'S' in lisp?

Uh, yeah. Except I think the graphics have to be in the Portraits subfolder in the Player folder.

As for the other thing, sorry. When people ask directions I tend to just point, because it's better if they find their own way. But sometimes ah don' point so good.

Basically (and this is untested in the sense that I know it will work, but I don't know how it will affect your game's performance), you use the player portrait as the interface graphic. In the options menu, arrange the statistics fields where you want, and enlarge the portrait field to encompass the entire screen. Make an interface graphic that does nothing but provide backgrounds for your numbers, and a corresponding interface mask, and select them in the options menu. Now make as many full-on interface graphics as you like and place them in the Portraits subfolder in the Player folder. When you start your game, use the Player Portrait event to assign whatever interface graphic you want your player to start with. Use the same event later on to change the interface. Cosmetically.

Because, you see, the statistics fields can't be added, moved, or deleted. You set them in the Game Options, and that's the way they stay. The only thing you can change is its appearance.

The other reason I just vaguely point is I'm just not very good at directions. Let me know if I still have not been clear.

myshkyn

edit: ah don type so good neither
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"I'll give the fans just what they want, and nothing else at all."

(This message has been edited by myshkyn (edited 08-07-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by myshkyn:
**

The other reason I just vaguely point is I'm just not very good at directions. Let me know if I still have not been clear.

myshkyn

edit: ah don type so good neither**

No, you're doing a great job!!! And I really appricate it too....It's probably my fault due to the fact that I haven't exposed exactly where I'm trying to go with this, and I thank you for your patience. Here is what I'm looking to do, without giving away too much on game ideas or 'stratagees' ( ) But here it goes:
The game I'm creating is really based on multi characters, and finding out where to 'recruit them' in the game. Think back in the days of the glorious SNES. My game in development is very similar to that of the great RPG's of that era: Secret of Mana, Crono Trigger, etc. I don't know if you played them, but basically what happened was one character could do one thing that another could not, and making that person valuable. That's sort of what I'm trying to do (or going to do if my successful trial and error of programing keeps on being successful). In this game, you have to go around fighting the not-so-good and other friends and companions join you. I would only be 4 players/characters, so ther would be 4 status boxes on the screen at once. There are 2 different kinds of screens that I am trying to move around, a large and a small. The large is for the active player, showing health, 'magic', etc.The NIA (Not In Action) characters have a abbriviated status box at the top of the screen, just showing HP and 'MP'. Each screen is 'colored; different, but look the same. Basically what I am asking is: is there a way to switch between big and little screen? I am also working on a working multicharacter party-like coding, but to little avail. I NEED a good multiple character scheme, and I'm to the point that everything I want to do is somewhat custom to what I see, and I end up coding before I code, if you know what I mean. I thank you for all of you help thus far, and if my game ever sees the light, I am going to try to put out some sort of report of stuff I found out, or custom programing, etc. anything that could help designers like us better and our games more appealing.
-The Zerowarrior

Quote

Originally posted by BlackLite:
**If you want to have a health bar, you make up the graphics in something like photoshop, graphic converter, even Appleworks would be sufficient (these graphics need to be a full, 7/8, 3/4, 5/8, 1/2. 3/8, 1/4, and 1/8 health bar. Place them in your pictures folder ie. miscellaneous. Next open up all of your NPC weapons (you need to create a different set of weapons to make it work right. Label them like NPC_Axe). Then put in the player contact event a change global ie. gb_stamina=stamina. Then the hit would have a change globals for gb_stamina-stamina then another change globels for gb_newstamina=gb-stamina, then a conditional grouping that would change the map portrait to your health bar. whew.

**

And thank you too BlackLite. I know you guys don't really like re-explaining things, or just aren't typically good at it (myshkyn ) but I understood the whole different picture aspects of the bar, but what do you mean by NPC weapons? Make different weapons with NPC 'format'? And forget abou the globals: I'm totally lost when it comes to using them. Could you elaborate more on the programing portion of this (stamina=stamina, what?)? I'm sorry for asking for so much. I've been totally burnt out fron Chemistry review, and I've got to pass this test. I'm also just getting a feel for Coldstone, and once I have a good handle, I won't be such a bother. Later.

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-The ZeroWarrior

i have a quesiton. why can't u put more things in a stat window? when i tried it b4 it wouldn't let me out more stuff, like they have it in zelda, with all the items in different spots......
anybody know?.......
p.s. i'm neu at this...... :redface:

(quote)Originally posted by nitemime:
**i have a quesiton. why can't u put more things in a stat window? when i tried it b4 it wouldn't let me out more stuff, like they have it in zelda, with all the items in different spots......
anybody know?.......
p.s. i'm neu at this......

------------------
-The ZeroWarrior
**

i'm doing a scrolling game, like ferazel's wand. i want to do a status bar, like zerowarrior. it can't be that hard, they did it in ferazel. how they do it in that one? how they do the sidescroll, i thought coldstone said no?

how do u work with globals, and set them to multiply and equal and stuff? i'm a newbie, can't u tell?
thankx.

use the "change globals" event action

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(url="http://"http://www.ledorax.da.ru")www.ledorax.da.ru(/url)

(quote)Originally posted by Ledorax:
**use the "change globals" event action:)
**

Quote

Originally posted by nitemime:
how do u work with globals, and set them to multiply and equal and stuff? i'm a newbie, can't u tell?
thankx.

Hi nitemime. Welcome to the boards. Yes, the most obvious way of knowing you are a newbie is that you don't use English. AOLspeak is frowned on here. Please make your posts easy to read without translation.

To your question: The first step is to define the global. From the "Project" menu select "Plugin Options" and then click the tab for "Globals." Click "+" and give your global a name (no spaces) e.g. "nitemine_1" or "nitemine". "nitemine 1" will not work. Then from an event editor select "Change Global" and drag it into the event list. Now when you open this it will let you set the global to a fixed function or a mathematical function.

You use "conditionals" to check whether the global is equal to whatever you wish to perform the next action. Following is an example of how it might work:

Contact NPC_nitemine. Conditional = If gb_nitemine < 1, then dialogue #1.
Dialogue #1 sets gb_nitemine = 1.
Contact NPC_nitemine. Conditional = If gb_nitemine = 1, then dialogue #2.
Dialogue #2 sets gb_nitemine = 2.
Contact NPC_nitemine. Conditional = If gb_nitemine = 2, then dialogue #3.
Dialogue #2 sets gb_nitemine = 3. And so on.

To avoid having your NPC say all his dialogues one after another, in the NPC contact event you list the conditionals in reverse order like this:

If gb_nitemine = 2, then dialogue #3
If gb_nitemine = 1, then dialogue #2
If gb_nitemine < 1, then dialogue #1.

I hope that helps. ~RD

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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG.

Quote

Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
**Hi nitemime. Welcome to the boards. Yes, the most obvious way of knowing you are a newbie is that you don't use English. AOLspeak is frowned on here. Please make your posts easy to read without translation.

To your question: The first step is to define the global. From the "Project" menu select "Plugin Options" and then click the tab for "Globals." Click "+" and give your global a name (no spaces) e.g. "nitemine_1" or "nitemine". "nitemine 1" will not work. Then from an event editor select "Change Global" and drag it into the event list. Now when you open this it will let you set the global to a fixed function or a mathematical function.

You use "conditionals" to check whether the global is equal to whatever you wish to perform the next action. Following is an example of how it might work:

Contact NPC_nitemine. Conditional = If gb_nitemine < 1, then dialogue #1.
Dialogue #1 sets gb_nitemine = 1.
Contact NPC_nitemine. Conditional = If gb_nitemine = 1, then dialogue #2.
Dialogue #2 sets gb_nitemine = 2.
Contact NPC_nitemine. Conditional = If gb_nitemine = 2, then dialogue #3.
Dialogue #2 sets gb_nitemine = 3. And so on.

To avoid having your NPC say all his dialogues one after another, in the NPC contact event you list the conditionals in reverse order like this:

If gb_nitemine = 2, then dialogue #3
If gb_nitemine = 1, then dialogue #2
If gb_nitemine < 1, then dialogue #1.

I hope that helps. ~RD

**

i'm confused about 'conditionals'.? how would they work in my situation? how would you do that? sorry about my typing.
its not aol, i always type like that, i'm lazy
thankx rd.

Quote

Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
**

Now when you open this it will let you set the global to a fixed function or a mathematical function.

You use "conditionals" to check whether the global is equal to whatever you wish to perform the next action. Following is an example of how it might work:

**

Nitemime, RD means that conditionals will 'look' to see if you 'worm' is attacked. You use a conditional to check against your programmed options. if a red bee attacks you, its a certain amount. if a blue bee attacks you, its a different amount and the event checks for that. I'm not sure exactly how to code that in though maybe Rubber Ducky knows. All I know right now is that I have a Chemistry final tomorrow. I hope I have been of some service.

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-The ZeroWarrior

Quote

Originally posted by nitemime:
i'm confused about 'conditionals'.? how would they work in my situation? how would you do that? sorry about my typing.
its not aol, i always type like that, i'm lazy
thankx rd.

I don't know what your situation is and what you're trying to do. If you give us a brief description of what you want to do then perhaps we can help.

P.S. "thanks" takes no more effort to type than "thankx" but takes a lot less effort to read. Thanks. ~RD

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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG.