Anyway to don't have to do the whole game each time to just to test a single little thing ?

[Erkallys]

Do someone has an idea of how I could achieve something that would let me go directly to some part of the game ? Because if I need each time to do the whole game to just test if a little discussion box is working that won't be very productive.


PS : I don't know if that's the right section but nothing seemed more appropriate.

 

[Shaz]

Move your starting point to that spot, and add an event that sets up whatever you need to test it.


Or play your game from the start, and make numerous saves, in different slots, along the way, so if you want to test something you can just load the save file closest to the thing you want to test.

 

[Wavelength]

I usually create a "test room" that has events which warp you to various parts of the game and set the appropriate switches/variables/character levels so you can play there as if you had played the game to that point.

 

[Andar]

another option is to make a "developer item" that calls a common event with teleports to different maps (that way you can move around to several problematic spots)


And some makers have a playtest option to call up a screen for changing switches and variables (F9? - I'm not on a computer where I can check that)

 

[XIIIthHarbinger]

I usually create a "test room" that has events which warp you to various parts of the game and set the appropriate switches/variables/character levels so you can play there as if you had played the game to that point.

Precisely,

Do someone has an idea of how I could achieve something that would let me go directly to some part of the game ? Because if I need each time to do the whole game to just test if a little discussion box is working that won't be very productive.


PS : I don't know if that's the right section but nothing seemed more appropriate.

What I have within my own project is a map I call the "Test Arena", think of it as my developer backdoor into my game world.


I have all of my game characters, (see how they look within the game), all of the enemies (same as well as having them link to individual troops so I can see how the individual monsters specifically behave outside of normal troops especially at different levels), points that will teleport me to different maps; as well as various weapons, armors, & items. 


All you need to have is an item that will teleport you back to that "Test Arena", & if you're testing anything that involves conditions based on variables, create an item that is a nonconsumable that will increase that variable by a set amount. For example variable "X" increases by 1, each time you complete a side quest. Once "X" reaches 5 event "Y", once "X" reaches 10 event "Z" happens. So create an item that increases "X" by 5 each time you use it, or by just one depending upon the numbers tied to events, & how many times you utilize variable X for game progression.


The only thing you need to make sure of, is that when release the game to someone to test, demo, whatever, that you make sure no one can get to that map, which is why I have reachable only by a specific item, I remove the item, I effectively remove the "Test Arena". You've probably seen a few Youtube videos where people have gotten into another game's version of the "Test Arena", & suddenly they have access to every weapon, armor, spell, item, location, etcetera.   


I also have a collection of dungeons, only reachable through the "Test Arena" that I experiment with, so that I can tweak & balance, without messing with individual maps until I am satisfied that I've found the right settings.

 

[Erkallys]

Thank you all for all these nice replies, but the problem lies the fact that I have a tree-story, with so many outgoing possibilities at the corner of each dialogue. Except by copying everything in a room, as suggested, I might have problems. And even with that opportunity, reaching the end of the game would take me one hour at least when I'll be in the final phase.


@Shaz Let's say I have a save and then I modify the game, will it be reflected in the save ?

 

[Andar]

@ShazLet's say I have a save and then I modify the game, will it be reflected in the save ?

That depends on what you modified, which is why not everyone goes the multiple saves route.


Plugin Changes require a new game in probably 90% of all cases


Map changes will be effective on map reload, which means if the change is on the current map you'll have to leave it and return to it before it is changed


Regular database changes usually take effect immediatly

 

[Erkallys]

That's for event changes, what I'm working on currently. Will it be shown in game or will I need a new game ?

 

[Andar]

map events are part of the map, so see there.


common events are part of the database - but depending on what they are, they might need a restart to get updated (also a simple change of maps to force that)

 

[Shaz]

If you have an event that has two pages, and you interact with it when page 1 is active, and it gives you a potion, then activates page 2, and you save the file ... if you then make a change to the event so that it gives you a weapon instead of a potion, go back to the game and load the saved file, that event is already on page 2 - page 1 will not rerun, and you will still have the potion that you obtained.


So events (and common events) will be updated, but whether you will be able to run the event and get the benefit of that update depends on what the event does - how it was designed - and whether you have interacted with it already and moved it to another page.


When you load a save file, it will not go back through all the events and see what SHOULD have happened if you played the game right through, and make adjustments.  It only effects what happens from that point onwards.  This is why LOTS of save files are needed if you're going to go that route.  If you make many saves along the way, then need to change an event that you interacted with 20 minutes ago, you can find the most recent save file that is at least 20 minutes old, which would be at a point where you hadn't interacted with that event yet.


I only use this approach really when I'm alpha testing, or when I'm eventing an entirely new area and want to test just that.  For other stuff I'll change the starting location and use a temporary event to 'set the scene' so the changed event will run as I need it to.