CMS Question

[Shadriss]

I've been poking around in the DMS all night, and have a good start on a CMS for the game I'm working on. Many of the tutorials here have been very helpful, and I actually am beginning to understand some of what I'm seeing in the script window.

However, there is one thing I've tried to find, though with no luck. Well... three things actually... for the moment.

(As a note - I'm not using the SDK for this, partly because I've barely glanced at it, but mostly because even if I had, I wouldn't understand it. Also, many of the scripts I'm using don't play well with it.)

1) Looking in Scene_Map, I see where the Menu Call is made, and it's reference back to Game_Temp. However, even looking in there, I can't seem to find where the actual command is that directs the engine to use Scene_Menu when the "B" button is pressed. If I do a pure custom menu (not a DMS edit), I'm going to want to direct it right at my custom Menu scene... not the default one.

2) Adding in a bitmap is an easy thing (now that I've done it a few times). There are two things the tutorials I've looked at DON'T cover. First is how to show a bitmap without putting it in a window (IE, just the picture, no border or windowskinned area surrounding it). I could do without this, but the menu would look better in one particular area if I could.

3) How would I (if it is possible, which I'm sure it is) use in-game switches to determine if "Bitmap A" is used, or "Bitmap B" is used? IE - Prior to a switch being turned on, Bitmap A is shown on the menu. After that switch is turned on, Bitmap B would show instead. Similar to the 4-Crystal display used in the original Final Fantasy Menu. I think I've seen a CMS system out there that does something similar. If a switch won't do it, could this be set up to run from an in-event script command?

Thanks for all the help, both those who wrote the tuts that got me this far and those who will continue to help with these issues.

 

[Mac]

1. On line 200 of Scene Map you will find this:-

  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  # * Menu Call
  #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  def call_menu
    # Clear menu call flag
    $game_temp.menu_calling = false
    # If menu beep flag is set
    if $game_temp.menu_beep
      # Play decision SE
      $game_system.se_play($data_system.decision_se)
      # Clear menu beep flag
      $game_temp.menu_beep = false
    end
    # Straighten player position
    $game_player.straighten
    # Switch to menu screen
    $scene = Scene_Menu.new
  end

2. To place an image over a window you must use .ox and .oy instead of x and y e.g.

command_window.x = 120

Would become:-

command_window.ox = 120

3. Simple enough just replace the number in this:-

if $game_switches[1]
  # put the bitmap image code for the image you want when its on
else
  # put the bitmap image code for the image you want when its off
end

 

[Shadriss]

Sweet. Even faster reply than I'd thought! I'll give these a shot. If I have more issues, I'll let you know.

EDIT :
OK, I've got parts 1 and 3 down. Thanks for that. Part 2, however, still has me confused.

Are you saying that I create a window (as normal), and then in the Menu scene, call the bitmap and use those commands? Remember - I'm still pretty new to this RGSS stuff, so I think you made a few jumps in logic (or knowledge) there that I couldn't follow. I'll be trying in the meantime, of course, but some clarification would be great.

Now that I have the bulk of the CMS done (initial draft wise, anyhow), I do have another scene I'll be adding. Again, I'm pretty sure it can be done (what I want to do, I mean), but am unsure as to how to go about it. So, the explanation:

There are three standard playable characters... and the CMS main scene is set up to display only them. However, one of them will be a summoner. During the course of the game, he will learn to summon around 10 or so different creatures, all of which have thier own stat progression, weapons, armor, etc. However, because of the way I'm setting up the battle system, the summons will never physically be in the party, thus I can't change out their equipment via the equip scene.

So, what I want to do is this : set up a scene that will, when called, remove the main three members of the party and add the summons. This will allow me to create a scene similar to the main scene, but for the summons instead, which would allow me to alter their equipment, view stats, etc. Which ones would be in the party would depend on switches in game (which the previous questions basically showed me how to do... thanks for that).

Is it possible? Is there a better way, perhaps?

Also - instead of editing the Scene_Map to redirect the Menu_Call, is there a way to overwrite it with another script? This way, the CMS becomes much more plug-and-play, which would be optimal.

I await edification

 

[Shadriss]

Figured out the bitmap placement issue (thanks to a thread that illustrated the use of the Sprite class). So that part is done.

Still need to know how to change party members via script, however. I figure it has to be a simple command, and I could really use it here.