Castle Paradox

Mariel · Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Posts: 78 Location: In your dreams

I think I saw someone doing this recently, so I thought I'd see if anyone had any ideas on how to implement it. Ideally, when a character levels up, I'd like the player to be able to put stat bonuses where they want them so the character can concentrate on different things instead of following one set path.

I had an idea to do it using items, adding a number of neutral items every level that can be traded in for stat-specific permanent enhancers. Seems like a very round-a-bout method though.

Has anyone else tried something like this? Any advice or suggestions?

Camdog · Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 606

I did this for The Ritual. In the game, there were 'skill' shops along side the standard item and weapon shops where players could spend skill points to boost stats, or learn/buff spells. The skill points were actually just the unused 'ctr' stat. I wrote a script which would decrement the player's skill stat and increment the stat that the player selected. I wrote a custom menu system as well, but now that there is support for menus, doing this should be much easier.

You can always just set up the players stats to only increase your skill on level-ups; I wanted more precise control so I checked levels after every battle and incremented skill points according to my own formula.

msw188 · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 1041

Yes, implementation will depend on several factors. First of all, do all level ups give the same number of points to be allocated, or does it change? Secondly, will HP and MP be handled the same way?

It seems to me that the best thing to do would be to use a custom menu that is called anytime a level is gained. This menu has all of the stats, and the player picks which stat he wants to add to one point at a time. Unallocated points can be kept track of in globals - one for each hero.

Also, should the player be allowed to leave points unallocated? If so, can they allocate them later? At any time, or just at next level up?
_________________
My first completed OHR game, Tales of the New World:
http://castleparadox.com/gamelist-display.php?game=161

This website link is for my funk/rock band, Euphonic Brew:
www.euphonicbrew.com

Mariel · Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Posts: 78 Location: In your dreams

Thanks a lot for your help!

Okay, I've taken some steps towards the system I want, but I've got a lot of questions too.

Right now, I have a menu option in the main menu that allows the hero to spend Ctr points on raising their stats. I figured I'd handle HP and MP the same way, but each Ctr point would be worth, say, five HP, or something like that (haven't balanced it yet).

However, I want the stats to progress normally as well, though at a very slow pace, so that the player gets to concentrate on their strengths but grow a little all around too.

Questions:
Can I change the stat progression curve to make it a linear increase instead of a parabolic one? I want the same Ctr points assigned at each level.

If I set a stat so that at lvl 0 it is 1 and at lvl 99 it is 100, and then supplement it with 5 additional points when the character reaches level one, will those points stack so that by lvl 99 it has 105 points total? Or will it reduce to 100 over the level progressions?

How do I get a little selection menu, like for Order and Equip, so that separate heros can be chosen to level up?

How do you change how much experience a character needs to level up? For that matter, how do you know how much experience is needed by default?

Help for the noob is much appreciated. Oookay...

Moogle1 · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:49 am Post subject:

msw188 · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 1041

There is the 'pick hero' command for a hero-picking menu, but I'm confused. What do you want the player to be able to pick a hero for? Is the player allowed to allot experience points as well? Or are you afraid of having more than one hero level up at once? In that case, you can just arrange the script to force the player to allot their stats one hero at a time. Or do you want the player to be able to allot their Ctr points to other stats at any time during the game? If so, the 'pick hero' command is something you should look into. It's usually used with a variable:

Aussie Evil · Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Posts: 27

REading this makes me raise a question of my own: Is it possible to do something like FFX's Sphere Grid in OHR?
_________________

and you, sir, are no lady

Moogle1 · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:25 pm Post subject:

Check the game list for something Pepsi Ranger did called "XP Grid" or something like that.
_________________

Slime Salad :: Independent Game Design

Aussie Evil · Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Posts: 27

Are we talking about the same thing? All I found was a bmp and something about WinXP's printscreen screwups.
_________________

and you, sir, are no lady

Moogle1 · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:42 pm Post subject:

Uh... I could've sworn that's not what -- oh wait, never mind.

How about Dimensions I by Cube? It's not really a Sphere Grid, but it's similar.

The short answer to your question is "yes," though.
_________________

Slime Salad :: Independent Game Design