How might I create a harmless event-based projectile?

[Lunarhound]

This is probably a strange request, but I'd like to know if there's a simple way, using events (I'm using RMVX), to cause the hero to fire a projectile when a button is pressed while walking around normally. I don't need this projectile to actually do anything other than simply fire out from the hero, travel a few tiles forward, and vanish. I've done a bit of searching for this, but the only things that come up are threads about entire ABS systems, which I don't need. I've tried rooting through these to see if there's a simple way to do what I want, but since instructions for projectiles are intended for entire battle systems, it's difficult to find a way to get it to work. I'll continue to try figuring this out on my own as I wait for a reply, but any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Despain]

input button processing (or whatever its called)
condition branch - facing up
  show battle animation (shoot up)
condition branch - facing left
  show battle animation (shoot left)
condition branch - facing right
  show battle animation (shoot right)
condition branch - facing down
  show battle animation (shoot down)

 

[Lunarhound]

RMVX doesn't have the input button processing command, does it? That's what the searches are saying, anyway, and I definitely can't find it in the program. I know there's something in the condtional branch command that's supposed to do more or less the same thing, but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work this way.

Also, the "show battle animation" command only seems to work when in battle. I can't get it to work on the actual map, which is where I need it to.

Here's what I've been thinking: Do you think it's possible to, when a button is pressed, somehow get an event to appear in front of the hero? If I could do this, I could just set the projectile graphic for it that I need, then get it to travel a few tiles away from him and vanish. Basically, use an event as the actual projectile.

 

[Beran]

Alternatively to that, you can call a script in your event and set it up something like this:
For simplicity, make your event go through anything, set its standard speed and frequency to the max, and have the move route option "custom" and just have "move towards player" in there
Then anywhere on the map, have your event parallel process.
to simplify things, I'll add a screenie now, cuz I don't feel like writing all this out.
Here is my beautiful screenie (it took more time editing this in paint than it took setting up the event :P)

Spoiler

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1816/projectilesystemattempteh8.png[/img]
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/32/p ... mpttt2.jpg[/img]
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/8223 ... mptwr1.jpg[/img]

Keep in mind that you can make the projectile do anything you want after the graphic changes, and that the variable numbers, switch numbers and graphics are entirely up to you of course.
In the little scriptlet, Change the C and B to game controls (find them in the manual I believe) that you want, or leave them as C and B to have it work for ENTER and ESCAPE. You can also add more commands in the manner you see in the scriptlet, or remove them.
The number in $game_switches[1] is the switch number you use to trigger the event, and you can remove the last event command to only have the event happen once...Hope it helps, I find it to be a bit of a clumsy event, but it worked for me.

EDIT: That's better, I changed the file into 3 separate pictures and uploaded the 2nd and 3rd ones as jpeg because uploading was taking a bloody year. It should be pretty clear now

 

[Lunarhound]

Thanks for taking the time to help me out. I'd love to try this, but I can't actually see anything in the screenshot. It's too small, and zooming in just shows a lot of blurs.

 

[Beran]

EDIT: right...stupid me, I uploaded the wrong thing, I'll re-upload it for you so you can see it properly I'll update when It's uploaded...my internet's playing up
UPDATE: look in my original post to see the new and improved picture  :thumb:
EDIT2: Since I'm waaaay too lazy to make a new 3-part picture, I'll give you quick instructions on a problem I found. Instead of putting the conditional branches for directions one after the other like so:

Conditional Branch: Player is facing down
  Do stuff
else
  >
Branch end
Conditional Branch: Player is facing up

etc...
Put them one inside the other, like so:

Conditional Branch: Player is facing down
  Do stuff
Else
  Conditional Branch: Player is facing up
    Do other stuff
  Else
    Conditinal Branch...

etc...
Otherwise, if you turn while the projectile fires, it'll fire again

 

[Lunarhound]

Thanks a lot for going to so much effort with this. I'll try it tonight after work, if I have time.

 

[Beran]

no worries...I was bored anyway :P