Difficulty System Help

[Wyn Wizard]

I assume this is where I would ask about game mechanics yes? Well, I have picked RPG Maker back up again and I am wanting to make a dungeon crawler with multiple difficulties. I know that there is a way to do so without scripting per say (i.e. subterranean starfield), but I don't know how to approach it. All I want it to do is increase or decrease enemy stats and encounter chances depending on the difficulty level. Anyone have any suggestions? 

 

[Shaz]

Moving to VX Ace Support


In this case, you're wanting specific "how to" instructions, which might vary with the different makers.


I use scripts to change difficulty level (it increases or decreases damage done by enemies and party members, so pretty simple). Here are some non-script options that I can think of off the top of my head:


Use evented battles (ie - monsters show up on the map and have a Battle Processing command, rather than using random encounters), and having a variable set to the level of difficulty, and then have extra monster events that are conditioned to only appear when the variable contains a higher number (higher level of difficulty). This doesn't mean the monsters are more difficult, just that there are more of them. Or have one monster sprite represent a troop of several monsters, and have multiple pages on the event, conditioned again by the variable, where the battles on each page are against different-sized troops.


To change stats ... maybe you could have states that enhance the enemy stats, and at the very start of battle (on each troop page), add states depending on the level of difficulty variable.


Or give enemies some skills that can only be used when certain switches are on (turn on switch X for medium difficulty, which gives them SOME extra skills, and turn on switches X and Y for hard, which gives MORE extra skills).

 

[Lars Ulrika]

Hey, could make an awesome idea for some new game + feature too! 

 

[Wyn Wizard]

ok, well here's how I have the "difficulty setting" set up so far:

if the game.difficulty is set to 0 (easy) then the enemy.difficulty is 0. the is the same with 1 being normal (default), and 2 being hard. Once the enemy.difficulty is assigned, I was wanting to make a state that either decreases stats (easy difficulty) or increases stats (hard difficulty) during battle. and yeah, im gonna need yanfly's event follower script for this one.

 

[Wyn Wizard]

ok, so I tried to put conditional branches which adds the states I mentioned earlier in the Battle Event Page on the Slime*2 Troop:

@>Conditional Branch: Variable [002:enemy.difficulty] == 0

      @>Change Enemy State: Entire Troop, + [easy mode]

      @>

:     Branch End

@>Conditional Branch: Variable [002:enemy.difficulty] == 2

      @>Change Enemy State: Entire Troop, + [hard mode]

      @>

:     Branch End

but it doesn't seem to affect the troops. what do I do now?

 

[Bloodmorphed]

You have to have an event that changes that variable to 0 or 2, then you have to have something that actually specifies what hard and easy mode is. I can't tell what you have there though. I'm not too sure if you can get this to work with randomized encounters though, though I bet it is possible. 

You have to let it know what hard mode changes. from what you have posted here I don;t know what you want it to do.

 

[Shaz]

Def Bomber, please avoid double posting, as it is against the forum rules. You can review our forum rules here. Thank you.


Are your states set up correctly? Is your variable set to the correct amount? 0 would be the default unless you have an event outside of battle that changes it, so at least the EASY mode states should be getting added. Other than that, I'd say it'd have something to do with the timing of your event. Conditions set to Turn No. 1, span Battle, SHOULD run it at the very start of battle - I think.


I'd put a Show Text inside each of those, just so you can get a confirmation that something is happening.

 

[Wyn Wizard]

here are some photos that might help clear things up:







hope this helps!

 

[Bloodmorphed]

I don't see anywhere were you specify what easy or hard mode is actually doing to the troops.

 

[Wyn Wizard]

ok, here are pics of the states and what they do.

 

[Shaz]

Conditions set to Turn No. 1, span Battle, SHOULD run it at the very start of battle

Your conditions aren't set to Turn No. 1 - change it, and the event should run before the battle starts. As I suggested, add a Show Text in there so you can SEE if the event is being run or not. Then that will tell you if it's the troop event, or your common event or states that are at fault.


If that doesn't help, can you add screenshots of your easy/hard mode states?


Also, don't use Exit Event Processing on an autorun or parallel processing event. That command, despite its name, doesn't actually exit an event. It just puts the "current command" pointer to the bottom of the list. On NORMAL events, that would then cause it to stop processing. But autorun and parallel process events, by default, reach the bottom and then go back to the top and process again. If you want something to run once and never again on an event with these triggers, turn on a self switch at the end, and add a new page conditioned by that self switch.


Out of interest, why do you have two difficulty variables? Will enemy difficulty ever NOT be the same as game difficulty? If they will always be the same, just ditch enemy difficulty and use game difficulty.

 

[Bloodmorphed]

Oh, and also, you have the condition set as don't run. If I remember correctly it has to be on something else. I could be wrong as I haven't actually messed with events in troops for a bit.

EDIT: Shaz beat me to it

EDIT2: Your states seem to be fine, Just make it run on Turn 1 like shaz said and it should work.

 

[Wyn Wizard]

ok, yeah, they will be the same (variables I mean) but I feel it looks cleaner to me when I do it this way. as for the exit event processing, I tried to set a self switch like that once and it wouldn't let my character move, but it did with the end event processing. idk how it works really but Ill give it another go I guess.

 

[Wyn Wizard]

IT WORKS YOU GUYS! OMG IT WORKS! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH THIS THING FOR FOUR fricking DAYS AND NOW IT WORKS! THANK YOU!

 

[Bloodmorphed]

You are welcome, I do have to ask though, how did you fix your End Processing problem where your character couldn't move? I have had this happen to me several times and I couldn't find a solution so I ditched the stuff I wanted to do and did it another way. Lol

 

[Shaz]

Def Bomber, please avoid double posting, as it is against the forum rules. You can review our forum rules here. Thank you.


Just edit your post instead and add the extra.


You probably set the second page to autorun as well. The second page should be left entirely as it is by default, with the exception of the self switch in the conditions. ANY autorun event will stop the character moving, even if there are no event commands. Exit Event Processing would not let the character move either, unless you had a transfer to another map in there, or another page on the event with a condition that suddenly became true (and trigger set to action button).


This thread is being closed, due to being solved. If for some reason you would like this thread re-opened, please report this post and leave a message why. Thank you.


PS ... we like it when people try to solve things themselves first, before coming to ask for help. But next time, don't wait 4 days