Code-Off Challenge #2 [Entries are in, Voting has begun]

[Venka]

demos are about the only time I mess with RPG maker, outside of scripting stuff. So I hope I don't do too many gimmicks.. but I just try to have a little fun while making a demo or it becomes too boring.

I do try to make plenty of examples in the demo so it's clear how to use the script in case the instructions are lacking or a bit unclear. I only do this because I've tried using scripts without a demo and sometimes I just feel incredibly stupid trying to figure them out. So I try to make my demo user friendly cause I know I hate feeling like I'm too stupid to implement a script =P

 

[Venka]

Just a reminder.. the deadline is coming up real soon Hopefully theres a few more entries that got completed this go round. I learned a lot from the last challenge.. I've learned some from this challenge with just trying some new things.. and I'm sure I'll learn a lot more once my code gets reviewed.

Anyway, hope to see more entries =)

 

[??????]

Yep, it would be nice to have some more entries compared to last time. After all, the more people that partake, the more people learn.

Also, due to the 'complexity' of the script this time around, it would be nice to have some people who where not as familiar with coding. They would undoubtedly learn the most

 

[bgillisp]

Mine's only half done, and I doubt I can totally finish it by the deadline (I got stuck midway). Should I submit my partial code, or just view the entries?

 

[Venka]

I'm ok with partial code, it still could provide enough so that you can pick up some tips or new ways to do things. But it's probably up to Dekita and Shaz to decide

 

[??????]

I guess that would depend on whether your script meets the basic function requirements of the challenge. I mean, if its a functioning means of keeping track of various monster information, feel free to submit it. If not though, it would be best if you simply peruse the other entries as suggested.

 

[bgillisp]

I'll probably just check out the entries then, unless a burst of insight comes to me before the deadline.

 

[??????]

lol yea, I could probably be using a burst of something, probably motivation, in order to finish up another scripts i've been working on.

 

[??????]

Ok, the entries have been announced.

Have to say, its a little disappointing that there was no increase in entry quantity than last time round. Especially with the challenge being such a simple one.

Perhaps the feedback people are able to give will counteract the lack of participants.

I am currently working on a small 'award' type thing that the entrants and the winner can use within their forum signatures. So you guys (Venka + FenixFyreX) will be getting those asap

Dont really have much time right now to chat, but I encourage everyone to download and test out each script. I have already downloaded the others and will be testing them later today

 

[Venka]

wow I thought my script was good lol.. you guys went all out. It'll take me a while to completely look at both of your scripts.. but impressive =)

 

[FenixFyreX]

Awesome, your guys' entries are fantastic! And well coded, thought out, etc. I'm loving the look and feel of both. I'll have to update this post after mucking around with them a bit later; I just wanted to say how neat they were. Dekita, the features one can use with a bestiary man. Nice wrap. Venka, once again the scene is really nice and just flows so well. You really do have a thing for space management.


I can't wait enough for this competition to continue to see what we all cook up next

 

[mlogan]

Did I miss where it said when voting was closed?

 

[Venka]

Voting just started a few hours ago. Not sure how long it'll stay up. I assume it'll be a week like last time.

 

[Shaz]

He said the entries have been announced, not the winner

 

[mlogan]

Venka - Thanks!

Shaz - Huh? I just wanted to know how long I have to try out the scripts.

 

[??????]

Yea mlogan, it will most likely be a week. I will have to edit the OP to state an actual deadline. Do that in the morning...

 

[Venka]

Ok still working through the demos.. I gave both quick glances and went with FenixFire's first. Here's my notes:

FenixFyreX
This script was a lot easier for me to follow this time and I really liked your comments. Easy to understand and amusing to read at times
You clearly know more about scripting then me, but it was just much easier to follow this time around I've commented my code like you did a time or two and I know it takes a TON of time to do so, so thanks for the extra effort to explain what the methods are doing.
I like the customizable window set up for the scan skill. It's just awesome Oh the search function is pretty snazzy as well.

Bugs/Minor Issues:
- Word wrapper has text go over. I've noticed most word wrappers do this. I saw your's lets you put in the rect's size.. maybe just trim the width of the rect to prevent this?
- Jellyfish MP bar isn't as long as the HP bar. No clue why.. I didn't look into it.
- When you open the search window the two selection windows disappear. It happened once where both the selection windows were there, but the lower one was overlayed on the input window. I can't seem to clear the search once I found an item, it'll only ever show that item unless I exit the scene and come back.
- The kill count updates to the last enemy's kill count..so Jellyfish was 2..so everything has a kill count of 2

edit:

Dekita:
I'm impressed by how much you put into this challenge. A lot of the enemy descriptions are humorous
I didn't find any bugs and the script's instructions section was a lot better this time. I didn't have any questions by the time I got through all the customization sections. I don't really even have anything to say about the code itself. It was easy to follow and the only issues I even had with it were probably more personal preferences to coding.

For example:

def item_apply user, item mb_item_before user, item mb_item_apply user, item mb_item_after user, item endI didn't even known you could create/call methods with arguments not contained in ()'s. It made the code a little bit harder to read because I'm use to them in ()'s and it was a little inconsistent. Sometimes you used the ()'s but most of the time you did not.

module DCOS2::ADD2duh.. I didn't realize you could do this either.. but I like that

I saw simple little things like this in FenixFyre's code as well that was like a duh.. I really should have thought of that.

And I'm not old.. but I'm starting to think I'm getting there (the whole being blind thing) =P I didn't even notice your completion/hxp gauges.. I saw the settings in the script and then noticed it. I'd consider making it another pixel or two taller so it's more visible. Or I know you've been working with graphics for a while so maybe you could make an animated gauges so it catches the eye more but without taking up more space.

Since I only get to choose between the two scripts.. it's really hard to pick between you two scripts for almost everything. I think I'll take a little bit more time to decide.. and by the way.. it's killing me that I can't see the pole till I vote =P


 

 

[Kes]

I enjoyed using all of these, but for me Venka's was overall the best.

As a player I preferred the way she displayed the scan info.  FinexFyreX's in-battle info display was a bit 'messy', though I did prefer the circling animation over the sparkles one.  I also liked the way the info was arranged in Venka's bestiary, with the way categories and numbers killed showed up.  As a player, I hated Dekita's font, it was so small.  I know that it shouldn't have affected my overall assessment, but I suspect that it did.  I loved the way FinexFyreX did the demo, with the cut scene background story.

As a user I found Venka's script far easier to understand.  People think in different ways, and Venka's explanations were, for me, the clearest.  I should note that I am something of a script idiot, so need to be guided through in baby steps, and this I felt Venka did the best.  It could well be that more confident users will assess things quite differently.  

I was very pleased indeed with all the options that each script gave.

Great work by all 3.

 

[??????]

@Venka - I am also undecided so far with whom to give my vote. So I feel your pain with anticipating the current vote results

I am pleased you managed to find a few new tricks to use within your own scripts. That is the desired effect of participating in this after all

@Ksjp - Thanks for the feedback on the fonts. (it can easily be change btw ) but yea, i will keep that in mind for the future. Not everyone prefers the smaller fonts as I do

 

[Sixth]

I wrote a much more detailed post before, but certain kids whose name shall not be named now (>.>) pulled out the power cable, so I will just write the most important things about the entries...

FenixFyreX:

Simple and basic.

But I miss a lot of (well-known) features from it.

The search function looks neat, haven't tested it much, but it is awesome and working.

That snippet before the main script... That one looks very useful! o.o

I suppose that is an optional snippet for developers, right?

Some bugs, which Venka already mentioned, thou the MP/HP bar anomaly happens at every enemy for me.

This bestiary is good for people who like quick and easy to setup things without much features to worry about.

I personally like thousands of features packed into scripts (where it is possible, of course).

But the demo itself was epic, I really enjoyed it!

Ohh, another thing, you forgot to include the note-tag instructions in the script's header. A lot of people will miss that little info, I guess.

Dekita:

Ohh, my...!

So many features, a lot of addon!

Monster capture and hunting levels! It is genius! I would have used those essences for a different thing, but your use of it is neat too.

And a lot of script calls to check every single relevant info! A major help in eventing for sure!

Lot of info shown, somehow it was hard to read thou. Maybe it is the small font or the placement of things, dunno. Regardless, it is a nice scene still.

Why does the completion level starts at 50%?

This one was almost insta-win for me because of the capture/hunting features.

I have seen that you wanted to pack in even more addons... Please do it!

Venka:

Seems like you always manage to make the prettiest scene, at least for my taste.

A lot of information is shown in an orderly manner, easily readable.

Extra point for states/elements shown! I really missed these from the other entries.

Changeable descriptions based on kill count? Yes, please! Actually, this feature could have been made for every single information shown in the bestiary, like you can only see the name of the monster after a single kill, after the 10th kill, it's HP/MP values show, after some more kill, more stats show, and so on. This is a feature I have yet to see in any bestiary made for RPG Maker VX Ace, and I really miss it! *-*

The demo itself was the best one for me, lot of explanations in the game itself is always a good thing to put in demos, and you did that pretty well.

A little bug, if I buy one monster book, I can not buy any other, even if I don't have the monster info unlocked yet.

Overall, if Dekita would have made it possible to show states/elements info, I would have choose that one for sure.

But as that is a very important aspect of many games (especially in my project) I found Venka's bestiary the best.

It was very hard to pick between the two, practically, it was a tie, but I needed to choose one of them anyway, right?

Now if someone would take the capture/hunting addon from Dekita's bestiary and put it into Venka's bestiary, that would be my dream bestiary come true! Ok, ok, a man can dream, right?