PKMN Soukoban

[death by moogles]

PKMN Soukoban!
Last Updated: November 2, 2010

I took a break from writing Castlevania: Moonlight Requiem for a while and, in my spare time, worked on this silly project. It has a simple premise: a soukoban game that, instead of progressing level-by-level, employs the build of an adventure game. I decided to go with a Pokemon theme mostly because of the abundance of resources and the ease by which I could rip and compile my own.

Story:
There's very little, so I'll keep it concise. Oak and Elm made a MACHINE. Elm breaks the MACHINE, messing up all of the engines and servers, resulting in all colour being drained from the world. You have to go around and push all of the engines into the servers in order to fix the MACHINE and consequentially restore the world's colour. Elm gives you a Pikachu to aid you on your quest.

The game is nowhere near complete, and all you'll be treated to upon fixing all of the servers is a two-line OMG THANK YOU from Prof. Elm. If the project happens to work out, then I'll event some sort of ending sequence and probably a New Game+ thing.

I've done extensive research into soukoban level design and difficulty, but none of that really applies here because of the fact that I've changed one of the core principles of soukoban, namely that you can't walk over the server tiles until after they have been solved; this is the absolute opposite of the original soukoban rules, which define that you can walk over the "server" tiles before they are solved but not after.

Spoiler: SCREENSHOTS

Spoiler: DOWNLOAD

At just 11mb, why not?
http://www.flameupload.com/files/0RXX2LPH/PKMN_Soukoban.zip

Spoiler: README

(This is a copy of the README which comes with the game.)
First of all, thanks for downloading PKMN SOUKOBAN!
This is a very simple game, but I had a lot of fun working on it, so I hope you enjoy it.
If you have any questions, concerns, or criticism, you can visit the game thread at viewtopic.php?p=797770#p797770.
Or you can email me directly at deathbymoogles@yahoo.com


HISTORY:
- v1.0 Oct 29, 2010
Initial Release
- v1.1 (Yet Unreleased)
Server Count bug fix
Item scene bug fix
Server reset bug fix
Pikachu Cut Passability bug fix
Wachunga's Auto Font Install included


ABOUT PKMN SOUKOBAN:

PKMN SOUKOBAN is silly. I know. If you don't like it, then that's okay.
I had the idea awhile back, but the idea then was for just another Sokoban game.
There are enough of those already, most of which have much better levels than I could design,
so I gave up on it. I added in a slight feeling of exploration and character development,
mixed that up with a nice, recognizable theme, and this is what came of it.
Anyway, here are some hints and things.
You don't really need to read these at all if you plan on watching the intro.
I encourage watching the intro on your first playthrough, but I won't be upset if you don't.
1. Push the Engines into the Servers.
- You can determine which kind is an Engine by attempting to push each of them.
2. You can't pull Engines toward you.
3. 'R' resets the current map.
4. 'P' speaks with Pikachu.
5. WASD controls Pikachu.
- To make him/her follow you, approach him/her or have him/her approach you.
6. The Shift button is the "Pikachu Button". It controls all of Pikachu's actions.
- The function of the button changes based on contextual clues picked up from the area.
7. Elm will pay you for each Server that you reconnect.
8. Note: There is no longer any EXP. The leveling system has been simplified to using the money gained from fixing servers to buy HMs, TMs, and other items.
9. Damage done by the Poison status effect is based on steps.
Damage done by the Burn status effect is based on time.
This makes Burn very, very dangerous.
A Red Ghost can easily take a low-leveled Pikachu down in one hit.

Spoiler: CREDITS

- Pokemon names, characters, and locations (c) Nintendo
- Writing, Eventing, Scripting, Development, and LULZ by Death By Moogles
- Universal Message System by Ccoa
- Glichfinder's Key Input Module
- Wachunga's Auto Font Install

 

[Glitchfinder]

All right. I have to say, this was a fun game, even if there was so little to do. I have a few issues, though. First and foremost would be the error below, which occurs when I try to access the item menu:

Next, I thought you might like to know that your project was completely uncompiled. Specifically, when you double click the executable you uploaded, it results in a full project, as opposed to a simple game. Also, there is an auto font install script way back at the beginning of either the script archive or the main script forum (As in, quite literally the last page, last time I checked) that might be of some help to you.

Finally, thank you for using my script, although I have a question for you. I've seen you and a couple other people do this, and I'm curious as to why. Specifically, the "Glitchfinder's X by Glitchkey" bit. I'm curious as to where the "by Glitchkey" portion came from, since I never actually added my site into the license aside from being one of the places where my scripts can be posted. Now, this isn't meant to be taken in any light aside from inquiry, since I honestly don't mind so long as the license is being honored (Which is rare enough these days).

Oh, and one last thing. After I had managed to get all but one of the servers I found put back together (ironically, it's the one hiding the item), I talked to Elm and he said I had -2 servers left to fix. I assume it was a mistake, rather than Elm telling me to somehow break the servers again.

 

[death by moogles]

All right. I have to say, this was a fun game, even if there was so little to do. I have a few issues, though. First and foremost would be the error below, which occurs when I try to access the item menu:

I'm glad that you enjoyed it! The initial upload wasn't meant to be complete; I want to see how the game is received and test the systems on a few different computers before I continue development. The item menu is incomplete, as I haven't implemented items yet anyway. It's on my to-do list. I didn't know that it was game breaking though, so I'll get on that in just a second.

Next, I thought you might like to know that your project was completely uncompiled. Specifically, when you double click the executable you uploaded, it results in a full project, as opposed to a simple game. Also, there is an auto font install script way back at the beginning of either the script archive or the main script forum (As in, quite literally the last page, last time I checked) that might be of some help to you.

This was intentional. I'd like some cc regarding my eventing. It's the largest eventing system I've ever made, and I'd like some critique about how I can cut down on lag and just better ways to improve the project in general. I'll see if I can find that auto font install script right now. That would be wonderful, thanks!

Finally, thank you for using my script, although I have a question for you. I've seen you and a couple other people do this, and I'm curious as to why. Specifically, the "Glitchfinder's X by Glitchkey" bit. I'm curious as to where the "by Glitchkey" portion came from, since I never actually added my site into the license aside from being one of the places where my scripts can be posted. Now, this isn't meant to be taken in any light aside from inquiry, since I honestly don't mind so long as the license is being honored (Which is rare enough these days).

I should be thanking you! It's a wonderful script and was very easy to understand. I don't actually remember where I came upon the "Glitchkey" name, as it's been a few months since I compiled the list of credits. I remember that I definitely took the script directly from your website though, so that might be some clue.

Oh, and one last thing. After I had managed to get all but one of the servers I found put back together (ironically, it's the one hiding the item), I talked to Elm and he said I had -2 servers left to fix. I assume it was a mistake, rather than Elm telling me to somehow break the servers again.

Ah! I'm glad that you called this to my attention. The bug lies in the system that resets the map. The amount of servers fixed isn't currently reset upon resetting the map, so you could potentially fix all of the servers without ever leaving Oak's lab simply by fixing the server and resetting the map over and over again. It's a simple fix.

EDIT: Also, regarding the fact that you didn't have Cut and could therefore never fix all of the servers, Pikachu learns skills at specific levels. At level 3, Pikachu learns his/her first move, which the player chooses from a list of all of the HMs, after which a simple algorithm determines when the next move should be learned. There isn't really much opportunity to get to level three in the concise first demo though.

EDITA: Also, the lag that I referred to in my original post only shows up once Pikachu learns Thundershock. If your Pikachu never learned Thundershock, you would not have encountered the lag at all. I guess I should have mentioned that.

EDITGA: I think it's too early for a bump, and not quite important enough anyway, so I'll just edit this little bit in here. I eliminated ALL of the lag. It was all in the means by which I displayed on the HUD what function Shift had. I'm currently looking for another, less laggy way to implement this feature. No luck so far though. I've also solved a problem that I had regarding transferring between versions! As I add content between releases, the server count will obviously go up. The issue is that the server amount was previously set only once when the game begins, meaning that, in order for the game to function properly, one would have to start a new game each time a new version was released. It's all fixed now though, and the server amount updates perfectly!

 

[Fustel]

Good... but no need to Event each and every screen. Look at this one:
http://www.arpgmaker.com/threads/61550.
It is one of my first tries a RPG Maker. I don't remember if the game was encoded or not. Just ell me.

 

[death by moogles]

Yeah, SokoVX is encoded. I should note that I have very, very little RGSS knowledge. I couldn't think of any other way to produce the results that I wanted without eventing each map. Do you have a suggestion as to how I can produce the same results without eventing each map? If it involves RGSS, I'll need some help understanding it; I'd rather not have something to just plug-and-play. I want something that will teach me. I couldn't see how you did it because, as I said, SokoVX is encoded.

I'd appreciate any help!

 

[Fustel]

Here is a link to an unectypted version of SokoVX :
http://www.mediafire.com/file/85jrfrr24d4qpxb/SokoVX v1.0 - unencrypted.zip

As I said, it is one of my first tries with RPG Maker, so it is far to be as perfect as my current scripts... :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: .
Also, as its name implies, it is writen for RMVX. If you are on RMXP, we'd have to sort it out. But most of the script may be used in both version. Its may part is about text file parsing.

And last, but not the least, is anyone wnats to use part of this thing, do not forget to give cedit...

 

[death by moogles]

Ah, thanks! That would work wonders if I didn't have the second controllable character, but I don't think that it'll work properly because of the means by which PKMN Soukoban tracks each event and the interactions between each event and Pikachu's event; it's the very core of the system.

Thanks though! I had a lot of fun toying around with it!

 

[Fustel]

No chrege.. :shades:
An do not hesitate to borrow your favorite levels. They are free stuff I found in the net.

 

[death by moogles]

I recognized most of them ;3

I can't actually use regular sokoban levels though; the rules are changed in PKMN Soukoban.

 

[Fustel]

Err... In fact, I didn't really tried the game yet. I still have to do some editing (with your permission) to make it a little darker, and do not be literally blinded (In fact, I'm already near-blind... really near-blind) with too much brighness (Bright pictures if Light. Light blind poor Fustell. Bright pictures bad thing ).

But your ReadMe is giving me the feeling of it. I'm certain ther is always some scripting to be done...

See ya (much, much) later

 

[death by moogles]

The game is too bright? That wasn't an issue here. It's probably due to a difference in monitor settings.

Play at your own convenience! I'll have v1.1 up soon.

 

[death by moogles]

Update for v1.1, which is mainly just a few bug fixes and an HUD edit which cuts down on lag.