Character level class system

[SpacemanFive]

For my current project I've been using Yanfly's class system and addons, but I've been getting frustrated with trying to get it to work the way I want.

The game I'm currently working on will be using levels tied to the characters themselves, not their classes, but they ALSO have class levels.

The stats and some skills are based on the character's level, but they can also level their current class to unlock additional skills (or even other classes). (Class switching is free, so long as the class to be switched to has been unlocked for the character.)

This isn't possible with Yanfly's class system scripts to my knowledge, even with addons and tweaks, as I've tried to get both types of levels working without errors with little success. The ability to switch and unlock classes was what initially drew me to the script, but now I'm finding I can't do everything I want with it.

What can I do to get a system like this set up, and would anyone be interested in making a new script for it, if this comes to that?

 

[bgillisp]

Are you thinking something like FFTactics where the character can be level 50, but a level 1 fighter, and then can level it up to a level 2 fighter once they earn enough AP/EXP/something?

 

[SpacemanFive]

Are you thinking something like FFTactics where the character can be level 50, but a level 1 fighter, and then can level it up to a level 2 fighter once they earn enough AP/EXP/something?

Pretty much. I'm working on a system where characters have an overall level, used to determine things like stats and base skills, with separately leveled classes for things like bonus skill and class unlocks.

While the character level determines their general stat growth, their current class may serve as a modifier to their stats, shifting the stat balance for their character level.

So for example, a level 45 character will have different, but equivalent stats if they change class from Knight to Mage. They won't get any weaker than their character level allows, but their stats will shift to the balance for their new class.

 

[Venka]

have you tried using this add on?

http://www.rpgmakervxace.net/topic/6661-est-yanfly-class-system-addon-subclass-gain-exp-learn-skill-trait-etc/

it seems to help with setting up a class system like you said

 

[SpacemanFive]

have you tried using this add on?

http://www.rpgmakervxace.net/topic/6661-est-yanfly-class-system-addon-subclass-gain-exp-learn-skill-trait-etc/

it seems to help with setting up a class system like you said

I've looked at it, and appreciate the suggestion, but I'm not entirely sure if this will allow for quite the setup I'd wanted to make.

If I'm not mistaken, I'd have to sacrifice the ability to give a character two classes, so that one class can serve as their "intrinsic level", while the second serves as their "primary class". (Since it disallows "maintain level".)

It could work, yes, but it looks like it'd mean cutting out the ability to have both a primary and secondary class.

(Unless I rig it up backwards, maybe? I'm still undecided on whether I should use an actual secondary class or have that be intrinsic to each character.)

 

[Venka]

ah yeah =( I think I had modded a while back to allow for multiply subclasses but that script died on some other pc

 

[SpacemanFive]

ah yeah =( I think I had modded a while back to allow for multiply subclasses but that script died on some other pc

That's a shame, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope nothing else important was lost there.

 

[tyler.kendrick]

I wrote a script called Data_Levels which could be useful here.  The script will allow you to add and manage level data on any module (items, weapons, actors, troops, skills, etc.)

Right now, I only have one addon to demonstrate its use, which is the "Data_Levels::Skills" addon (on the same page).

If you want to allow for experience to be accrued, make sure to include "Data_Levels::Experience".

Also, I will be adding new combinations of Data Level addons until I have exhausted the permutations.

If you would rather just wait, I will likely have the actor level addon next week; Otherwise, I am available to answer any questions you have about the script.

 

[SpacemanFive]

I wrote a script called Data_Levels which could be useful here.  The script will allow you to add and manage level data on any module (items, weapons, actors, troops, skills, etc.)

Right now, I only have one addon to demonstrate its use, which is the "Data_Levels::Skills" addon (on the same page).

If you want to allow for experience to be accrued, make sure to include "Data_Levels::Experience".

Also, I will be adding new combinations of Data Level addons until I have exhausted the permutations.

If you would rather just wait, I will likely have the actor level addon next week; Otherwise, I am available to answer any questions you have about the script.

With the addon that you're working on, would it allow for characters to have their own levels separate from classes, which their stat growth (but not balancing) is based around? I'd still like stat balance to be handled by primary class.

I'm also wondering if this script would allow for use of systems like Yanfly's Class System, so characters can have their own levels, but also a changeable class or even subclass.

Additionally, would it allow for characters to learn new skills based on either their own level, or their class level as normal?

 

[tyler.kendrick]

The script would allow you to add levels regardless of class level.

You could opt to have the levels change actors stats, but the default just keeps the primary class stats.

Adding new skills based on Actor level, rather than Class level, would require an additional script.

I see no way that Yanfly's system would conflict with this one, simply because this script doesn't really do anything with the associated level or classes - other than keep track of the current level and possibly accrue experience.

Making the level useful in some way requires additional scripting (or in simple cases, maybe just notetags)

 

[tyler.kendrick]

Forgot to link the [dropbox] demo.

Still in progress, but should be good enough for now.  Sorry for the wait.

 

[SpacemanFive]

Forgot to link the [dropbox] demo.

Still in progress, but should be good enough for now.  Sorry for the wait.

Looks pretty good, although the class switch NPC doesn't seem to be completely changing classes.

It still says Soldier on the status menu no matter which class is switched to, as well as not changing which skills are available. However, using the class switch NPC in the demo *does* work with the class level NPC, even if they still say "Soldier" for everything.

Nice look for the class menu, by the way.

 

[tyler.kendrick]

That message box bug is driving me mad.  Will post when I solve it though.

Good point regarding the skills too.  I neglected to aggregate the skills on levelup, and just showed which ones could be learned instead.

Will fix that in the demo for tomorrow and post an update as well.

 

[tyler.kendrick]

Edited dropbox link.  Corrected script. Changed NPC text to avoid confusion.

The demo was never supposed to change the actual players' class.  It was only supposed to tell you which class it was going to change levels/exp for.

If you can think of more clarifying language than what is currently up there, let me know and I will adjust the demo.

 

[SpacemanFive]

Edited dropbox link.  Corrected script. Changed NPC text to avoid confusion.

The demo was never supposed to change the actual players' class.  It was only supposed to tell you which class it was going to change levels/exp for.

If you can think of more clarifying language than what is currently up there, let me know and I will adjust the demo.

Perhaps "select the class to modify", instead of "select the class"? Might make it a bit more clear that it's only selecting the class to be modified, not the active class of the character. (However, I would love to be able to test switching the class for real.)

 

[tyler.kendrick]

I left out changing the actor's class so you could still use the multiclassing script to setup the active class and subclasses.

 

[SpacemanFive]

I left out changing the actor's class so you could still use the multiclassing script to setup the active class and subclasses.

Ah, okay. Do you mind if I test out how those work with your scripts, next?

 

[tyler.kendrick]

Have at it!

Feel free to let me know about any conflicts that come up as well. I made the script with the intention of optimizing compatibility with any other scripts.

Also, if you need help getting the two to work together, send me a PM or start a new topic and I will be more than happy to work it out with you.

Some starting points you will likely need to research are:

• How Yanfly modifies actor params based on classes/subclasses
• How Yanfly exp is obtained for classes/subclasses
• How Yanfly exp is distributed for classes/subclasses

 

[SpacemanFive]

It doesn't seem to play nicely with Yanfly's scripts ([here], [here], and [here]) at all. I can't even select a different (primary) class without Yanfly's script erroring. (Line 1221 of Class System.)

If I don't attempt to select a different class using Yanfly's script, its menu shows that the character's level seems to be applied to their current class. This is a problem if I were to be using Yanfly's class system with the intent of classes having separate levels from the character level.

Still working on the research, however. Sorry.

To my knowledge, Yanfly's Class System is mainly for providing an easier way to change classes, with an option to maintain levels for a character instead of using separate class levels. (Which removes class levels entirely.)

• Class experience and leveling is just like in unmodified RPG Maker VX Ace, which uses the developer-assigned maximum level and formulas. It also resets the character's level (which is actually the class level) to the level of any other class switched to unless "maintain levels" is set to "true" inside of the main script. (If "maintain levels" is set to "true", it also completely disables class levels, in favor of characters having only a single unified level.)
• The system also adds the ability to equip a subclass, which is the part that's more definable in the script. This pretty-much only consists of things such as "how much of a class' stats to contribute when equipped as a subclass" and "will a class contribute skill, weapon, or armor proficiencies when equipped as a subclass".
• The parameter inheritance for subclasses is pretty-much a "what percent of the class' stats are inherited when equipped as a subclass". This is definable in the script, and defaults at 0.20 (which I think is 20%).
• I'm not sure if it allows a class to gain EXP while equipped as a subclass. It doesn't seem to distribute EXP to anything other than the primary class as per normal for VX Ace.

As far as I can tell, it doesn't fundamentally change how classes operate outside of default VX Ace mechanics, aside from an easier class switch, the option to only have character levels and not class levels, and the ability to equip a subclass (with some definable inheritance options). So no alterations to how the base VX Ace mechanics work aside from that.

I'm really wondering now if it'd be easier to just create a new class change system to work in conjunction with your script here, instead of trying to make your script compatible with Yanfly's class system. (And work around the "either have character levels or class levels" conundrum that Yanfly's system provides, which is the whole reason I made this script request in the first place.)

 

[tyler.kendrick]

Technically, the script I provided already acts as a multiclass script - you just don't "equip" them; Rather, you simply level them up.

 

I can probably dish out a quick multiclass system if you wanted to use a custom one with the script I provided.  Start a new thread for that one though and send me a message with the link.  Also, be sure to clearly illustrate what my provided script does not accomplish that may be accomplished by using Yanfly's class system.