Boss Battle Transformation

[GameInk]

Just as it says, I want my bosses to be able to transform before a fight, no animation or anything but basically swap out their form for something a lot more ferocious. Would it be better to do this before the battle screen or on the battle screen. I also have to make sure that they can de-transform after the fight and not die so that I can do some event branching (but I'm not asking about the event branching right now, it's just so my question makes a little more sense). So yeah, some help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mistFAWKES]

i'd do this before the battle screen! no need to make things crazy complicated in the battle itself when you can use a cutscene before and after the fight to tell the story you're trying to tell. no actual mechanics design is required from what you described. whether the boss itself 'dies' or not in the battle doesn't affect the event outside of the battle sequence.


apologies if i totally misunderstood the question!

 

[felsenstern]

Not exactly what you asked for, but here is a plugin that could be useful for you. It transforms monsters that got killed:


https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/battle-scripts/enemy-death-transform/

 

[Makio-Kuta]

It's going to be easier to change the enemy's form before the battle rather than during it (though changing at the start of battle really isn't that hard either). As for better? Neither is better really - just depends on how you want to present it to the player.


Your map event for the enemy and the enemy in battle aren't linked. So killing the enemy in battle will have zero impact on the sprite on the map by default - the only impact will come from what event commands you put after the battle. So it's pretty easy to make sure that the enemy doesn't 'die' at the end of the fight, but default his sprite will still be there.


To change a sprite on the map, you'll need to use the Event Command 'Set Move Route' located on page 2 of the event commands. This time I took my screenshot in ace, since I realize that it says that's your primary use. It's still handled the same way in any maker though. Once you bring up the Move Route options, make sure you change the option in the upper left of the menu to the event you want to transform. You'll want to use the Change Graphic option off of this menu. (you can use this same thing to change the enemies appearance back to normal afterwards as well)

 

[GameInk]

It's going to be easier to change the enemy's form before the battle rather than during it (though changing at the start of battle really isn't that hard either). As for better? Neither is better really - just depends on how you want to present it to the player.


Your map event for the enemy and the enemy in battle aren't linked. So killing the enemy in battle will have zero impact on the sprite on the map by default - the only impact will come from what event commands you put after the battle. So it's pretty easy to make sure that the enemy doesn't 'die' at the end of the fight, but default his sprite will still be there.


To change a sprite on the map, you'll need to use the Event Command 'Set Move Route' located on page 2 of the event commands. This time I took my screenshot in ace, since I realize that it says that's your primary use. It's still handled the same way in any maker though. Once you bring up the Move Route options, make sure you change the option in the upper left of the menu to the event you want to transform. You'll want to use the Change Graphic option off of this menu. (you can use this same thing to change the enemies appearance back to normal afterwards as well)

That's amazing, and pretty easy too. Thank you so much. But if you wouldn't mind me bothering you for one more thing, would it be worth it to change the portrait for the last thing they say before the battle to sort of a semi-transformation. I wanna know your opinion from a professional standpoint (is it worth the work of creating more art for one line for each boss) and a player standpoint (how much would it add to the experience)?

 

[GameInk]

Not exactly what you asked for, but here is a plugin that could be useful for you. It transforms monsters that got killed:


https://yanflychannel.wordpress.com/rmvxa/battle-scripts/enemy-death-transform/

Although that doesn't relate exactly to what I'm doing it's still nice to keep in mind. I might think about using it maybe in future or it'll just sit in my saves and I'll completely forget it, either way thank you.

 

[GameInk]

i'd do this before the battle screen! no need to make things crazy complicated in the battle itself when you can use a cutscene before and after the fight to tell the story you're trying to tell. no actual mechanics design is required from what you described. whether the boss itself 'dies' or not in the battle doesn't affect the event outside of the battle sequence.


apologies if i totally misunderstood the question!

You're completely right, it's better I not make extra work for myself.

 

[Makio-Kuta]

But if you wouldn't mind me bothering you for one more thing, would it be worth it to change the portrait for the last thing they say before the battle to sort of a semi-transformation. I wanna know your opinion from a professional standpoint (is it worth the work of creating more art for one line for each boss) and a player standpoint (how much would it add to the experience)?

Hmm, if the change to the character is significant enough, I would change the portrait. You could also, alternatively, just not display a portrait on that line. If it's only one line, I think that would be acceptable. (especially if there are other characters in the game without face art, like NPCs and such) I wouldn't use the same portrait though if there's a considerable amount of change in the character's design on the face.

 

[GameInk]

Hmm, if the change to the character is significant enough, I would change the portrait. You could also, alternatively, just not display a portrait on that line. If it's only one line, I think that would be acceptable. (especially if there are other characters in the game without face art, like NPCs and such) I wouldn't use the same portrait though if there's a considerable amount of change in the character's design on the face.

Alright I'll take that into consideration. I just sort of thought it would give a lot more atmosphere to the game with this sort of half transformed creature. I might leave the portrait blank and then later on decide if it's worth it to add it in.